In today’s devotion, we focus on the significance of the end times or “eschatology” in the Bible. The Bible is not just a book of history; it also speaks of the future and the “last things.”
We are all familiar with the stories and events from the past recorded in the Bible. However, they serve not only to convey the past to us but also to provide spiritual lessons for our lives in the here and now. The Bible uses past events to teach us how to live our lives today.
But the Bible not only looks back at the past but also forward to the future. It not only tells of past events but also events that are yet to come. It gives us insights into the future, even to the end of times. Eschatology in the Bible deals with the events of the end times, including our doctrines of death, judgment, heaven, and hell. It is about the promise of hope for a new existence in a new world.
An example from the Bible that illustrates this hope can be found in Daniel 2:44 and 7:18. These verses point to the hope that God’s kingdom will be established at the end of time and will last forever. Unlike worldly kingdoms that come and go, God’s kingdom is eternal.
“The plan of redemption will end in bringing back the world to God’s original purpose. All that was lost by sin will be restored. Not only man but the earth will be redeemed, to be the eternal abode of the obedient. For six thousand years, Satan has struggled to maintain possession of the earth. Now God’s original purpose in its creation is accomplished. ‘But the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever’ (Daniel 7:18)” (from “Patriarchs and Prophets,” page 317).
While the Book of Job may end with his death, the good news for us, as well as for Job, is that the end of the book is not the end of his story. Similarly, our death is not the end. Our hope lies in the promise that God’s kingdom will be established at the end of time and will be an eternal home for the redeemed.
May this hope shine in our hearts as we wait for the fulfillment of God’s promises in the future. Let us live in gratitude, knowing that our life does not end with death but continues in the glory of God.
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