“Windows To Spirituality”
What is Eschatology?
Eschatology is a part of theology concerned with the final events of history, or the ultimate destiny of humanity. This concept is commonly referred to as the “end of the world” or “end times“.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines eschatology as “the part of theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind”.
In the context of mysticism, the term refers metaphorically to the end of ordinary reality and to reunion with the Divine. Many religions treat eschatology as a future event prophesied in sacred texts or in folklore.
Christianity
Messianic JudaismJehovah’s WitnessesJudaism
Norse mythology |
Islam— Figures —
— Events — — Books — ZoroastrianismInter-religiousBuddhismHinduism |
Woman Of The Apocalypse The Woman of the Apocalypse (or woman clothed with the sun, γυνὴ περιβεβλημένη τὸν ἥλιον, gynē peribeblēmenē ton hēlion; Mulier amicta sole) is a figure described in Chapter 12 of the Book of Revelation (written c. AD 95). The woman gives birth to a male child who is threatened by a dragon, identified as the Devil and Satan,...
Two Witnesses In the Book of Revelation, the two witnesses (δύο μαρτύρων, duo martyron) are two prophets who are mentioned in Revelation 11:1-14. Christian eschatology interpret this as two people, two groups of people, or two concepts. The two witnesses are never identified in the Christian Bible. Some believe they are Enoch and Elijah, as in the Gospel of Nicodemus,...
Twelve Tribes Of Israel The Twelve Tribes of Israel (שִׁבְטֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל, Šīḇṭēy Yīsrāʾēl, lit. ‘Tribes of Israel’) are, according to Hebrew scriptures, the descendants of the biblical patriarch Jacob, also known as Israel, through his twelve sons through his wives, Leah and Rachel, and his concubines, Bilhah and Zilpah, who collectively form the Israelite nation. Some modern scholars dispute whether there ever...
The Beast (Revelation) The Beast (Θηρίον, Thērion) may refer to one of two beasts described in the Book of Revelation. The first beast comes “out of the sea” and is given authority and power by the dragon. This first beast is initially mentioned in Revelation 11:7 as coming out of the abyss. His appearance is...
Sufyani Reports about Sufyani are available in both Sunni and Shia Hadith. Sufyani is not to be confused with another villainous figure of end times, the Dajjal. It is said that he will kill children and rip out the bellies of women. The Sufyani will murder those from the household of the Prophet and...
Signs Of The Coming Of Judgement Day This article covers the signs of the coming of Judgement Day in Islam. In Islam, the Day of Judgement is preceded by “signs” (علامات الساعة; alāmāt al-sā’a, also ishārāt al-sāʿa) or portents of its arrival. Judgment Day, also known as the Final Judgement, (یوم القيامة, Yawm al-qiyāmah, lit.‘Day of Resurrection‘ or یوم...
Seven Trumpets In the Book of Revelation, seven trumpets are sounded, one at a time, to cue apocalyptic events seen by John of Patmos (Revelation 1:9) in his vision (Revelation 1:1). The seven trumpets are sounded by seven angels and the events that follow are described in detail from Revelation Chapters 8 to 11. According to Revelation 8:1–2 the angels sound these...
Seven Seals The Seven Seals of God from the Bible’s Book of Revelation are the seven symbolic seals (σφραγῖδα, sphragida) that secure the book or scroll that John of Patmos saw in an apocalyptic vision. The opening of the seals of the document occurs in Rev Ch 5–8 and marks the Second Coming of Christ and the beginning of The Apocalypse/Revelation. Upon the Lamb of...
Prophecy Of Seventy Weeks The Prophecy of Seventy Weeks is the narrative in chapter 9 of the Book of Daniel in which Daniel prays to God to act on behalf of his people and city (Judeans and Jerusalem), and receives a detailed but cryptic prophecy of “seventy weeks” by the angel Gabriel. The prophecy has proven difficult for readers, despite having been...
Events Of Revelation The events of Revelation are the events that occur in the Book of Revelation of the New Testament. An outline follows below, chapter by chapter. Chapters One The Revelation of Jesus Christ was given to John. Two Main article: Revelation 2 John addresses the church of Ephesus to repent from having abandoned their first love, or...
Millenarianism Millenarianism (also millenarism), from Latin mīllēnārius “containing a thousand”, is the belief by a religious, social, or political group or movement in a coming fundamental transformation of society, after which “all things will be changed”. Millenarianism exists in various cultures and religions worldwide, with various interpretations of what constitutes a transformation. These movements believe in radical changes to society...
Apocalypse Explained Apocalypse, from the verb apokalypto, to reveal, is the name given to the last book in the Bible. It is also called the Book of Revelation. Although a Christian work, the Apocalypse belongs to a class of literature dealing with eschatological subjects and much in vogue among the Jews of the first century before, and after, Christ....
Eschatology Explained That branch of systematic theology which deals with the doctrines of the last things (ta eschata). The Greek title is of comparatively recent introduction, but in modern usage it has largely supplanted its Latin equivalent De Novissimis. As the numerous doctrinal subjects belonging to this section of theology will be treated ex professo under their several proper...
Judgement Day In Islam This article covers Judgement Day In Islam. In Islam, “the promise and threat” (waʿd wa-waʿīd) of Judgment Day ( یوم القيامة, Yawm al-qiyāmah, ‘Day of Resurrection‘ or Arabic: یوم الدین, Yawm ad-din, ‘Day of Judgement’), when “all bodies will be resurrected” from the dead, and “all persons” are “called to account” for...
The World Wide Messianic Mission Attributed To Jesus Christ Toward The End of Time This article covers The World Wide Messianic Mission Attributed To Jesus Christ. Some of the first converts to Islam were subjected to the severest persecutions in Makka. They bore them patiently and never thought of retaliation,...
![A new heaven and new earth[ Rev 21:1], Mortier's Bible, Phillip Medhurst Collection](https://slife.org/wp-content/uploads/Apocalypse_38._A_new_heaven_and_new_earth._Revelation_cap_21._Mortiers_Bible._Phillip_Medhurst_Collection-520x345.jpg)
Christian Eschatology Christian eschatology is a major branch of study within Christian theology dealing with the “last things.” Eschatology, from two Greek words meaning “last” (ἔσχατος) and “study” (-λογία), is the study of ‘end things’, whether the end of an individual life, the end of the age, the end of...
Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (often referred to as the Four Horsemen) are figures in Christian scriptures, appearing in the New Testament‘s final book, Revelation, an apocalypse written by John of Patmos, as well as in the Old Testament‘s prophetic Book of Zechariah, and in the Book of Ezekiel, where they are named as punishments from God....
Book Of Daniel The Book of Daniel is a 2nd-century BCE biblical apocalypse with an ostensible 6th century BCE setting, combining a prophecy of history with an eschatology (a portrayal of end times) both cosmic in scope and political in focus. It gives “an account of the activities and visions of Daniel, a noble Jew exiled at Babylon”, and its message...
Millennialism Millennialism or chiliasm (from the Greek equivalent) is a belief advanced by some religious denominations that a Golden Age or Paradise will occur on Earth prior to the final judgment and future eternal state of the “World to Come“. Christianity and Judaism have both produced messianic movements which featured millennialist teachings—such as the notion that an earthly kingdom of God was at hand. These...
The Beast Of The Earth (Dabbat al ard) The Beast of the Earth (Dabbat al ard; دَابَّة الأَرْض Dābbat al-Arḍ), in Islamic eschatology, will be one of the signs of the coming of the Last Day. It will appear after the sun rises in the west, where the Beast will be sighted the...
