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Religion
2010-05-01 14:05:00
Sequence of events at the end times?
Question: Some religions believe that the world will end when our Lord comes. He will pronounce judgment on all souls living and dead; then Heaven or Hell will commence in body and spirit for all. Others believe that there will be the rapture, then our Lord will come. He will pronounce judgment on all souls living and dead; then He will rule over a "new heaven and a new earth" for a thousand years; then there will be Heaven or Hell for all in body and spirit. Other religions believe other things. In accordance with your religion, what is the sequence of events that will be happening?
Answer: You are asking about matters of which we have very little knowledge. The ideas you mention (except the rapture) are found in the Bible, but in no particular order. The Word of God in the Bible does not provide us a time-table for these events.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "When he comes at the end of time to judge the living and the dead, the glorious Christ will reveal the secret disposition of hearts and will render to each man according to his works and according to his acceptance or refusal of grace" (#682). "We know neither the moment of the consummation of the earth and of man, nor the way in which the universe will be transformed. The form of this world, distorted by sin, is passing away, and we are taught that God is preparing a new dwelling and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells, in which happiness will fill and surpass all the desires of peace arising in the hearts of men" (#1048). "The holy Roman Church firmly believes and confesses that on the Day of judgment all men will appear in their own bodies before Christ’s tribunal to render an account of their own deeds" (#1059). `
In the Gospel Jesus, the Son of God, states explicitly: "As the exact day or hour, no one knows it: neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son (i.e. Jesus Himself), but the Father only" (Matthew 25:36). Jesus goes on to relate from the Old Testament how people were ignorant of the flood in the time of Noah right up until it came. Thus he admonishes: "Stay awake therefore! You cannot know the day your Lord is coming" (25:42). If the Son of God does not know the sequel of final events, how can we expect to know?
In his Gospel St. Mark writing about the end times advises: "If anyone tells you at that time: "Look the Messiah is here,’ Look, he is there!’ - do not believe it. False messiahs and false prophets will appear performing signs and wonders to mislead, if it were possible, even the chosen. So be constantly on guard" (Mark 13:21-22)! Therefore anyone who alleges s(he) knows the schema for the end-times is not telling the truth.
The idea of a "new heaven and a new earth for a thousand years" is borrowed from the Book of Revelation, which contains many numbers, all of which are symbolic, i.e. they are not exact numerical scientific determinations.Confer: Rev. 20:2, 4, 6,7. In each of those texts "a thousand years" means: eternity, forever, countless ages. This present world will be succeeded by eternal life: an endless life of happiness for God’s friends, those who have struggled in this life to please God. And there will be the eternal death of punishment for those who in this life preferred themselves and their own pleasures and interests without reference to God, choosing to ignore the God, who created them for happiness, but who chose selfishness and sin, and so have merited the full measure of God’s justice in hell. Their torments will last not just a thousand years, but forever; just as the joy and peace of God’s friends in heaven will last not only a thousand years, but forever and ever.
Your mention of the "rapture" does not occur in the Bible as such.
According to Wikipedia (www.google.com), it first appears in the Scofield Reference Bible of 1909. Basing themselves on these passages: Daniel 12:1-3 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-54, and 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 (and a few other biblical phrases taken out of context), many evangelical Protestants hold that the return of Jesus will be in two stages. As this is not part of our Apostolic Tradition, I shall not waste time about their speculations. The Catholic and Orthodox Churches do not attempt to know what is unknown to Jesus.
