The eschatology of evil
Matin, Serein, France (photo from trekearth.com)
Preface
This is work from my PhD research, prior to completion in 2010, which I published as a website article on May 11, 2007. This is revised with additions for a posting on academia.edu on December 9, 2023.
ἔσχᾰτον
An important and related term for the study of the problem of evil and theodicy is eschatology.
Derived from the Greek word eschaton (ἔσχᾰτον) meaning last, it refers to the ultimate culmination of history where Jesus Christ returns to earth and fully establishes his rule and Kingdom. Grenz, Guretzki, and Nordling (1999: 46).
Cited from Bible Hub
It should be noted here that the Kingdom of God will therefore not only include access to God in the heavenly non-physical realm, but also a physical creation restored to an original perfection ruled by God. The chosen elect (Ephesians 1-2, Romans 9 as keys) in Christ will be physically resurrected and not live everlastingly as spiritual beings alone, because God wants those in Christ to live forever in the restored Kingdom described in Revelation, Chapters 21-22.
'ἔσχατον (eschaton) — 7 Occurrences' (The root word, my add)
'Concordance Entries
Strong's Greek 2078
53 Occurrences
ἔσχατα — 4 Occ.
ἐσχάταις — 3 Occ.
ἐσχάτας — 1 Occ.
ἐσχάτη — 11 Occ.
ἐσχάτῳ — 2 Occ.
ἐσχάτων — 3 Occ.
ἔσχατοι — 9 Occ.
ἔσχατον — 7 Occ.
ἔσχατος — 7 Occ.
ἐσχάτου — 5 Occ.
ἐσχάτους — 1 Occ.'
Cited
'Strong's Concordance
eschatos: last, extreme
Original Word: ἔσχατος, η, ον
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: eschatos
Phonetic Spelling: (es'-khat-os)
Definition: last, extreme
Usage: last, at the last, finally, till the end.
HELPS Word-studies
2078 ésxatos (from esxaton, "end, last") – properly, last, final (the furthest, extreme-end). 2078/esxatos ("future things"), the root of "eschatology" is "the study of last things." This includes future Bible prophecy, the end-times, and life after death ("the after-life").'
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The eschatology of evil
Eschatology is the theology that seeks to fully understand the direction and purpose of history and progressing events. Grenz, Guretzki, and Nordling (1999: 46). Henry C. Thiessen writes that eschatology includes the concepts of the second coming of Christ, the resurrection, judgments, the millennium, and the final state. Thiessen (1956: 440). These are far too complex concepts to thoroughly discuss within a short, intentionally non-exhaustive, article, but these ideals would all be aspects of how the Biblical God delivers this current age that exists containing problems of evil, into an age where evil is a thing of the past. This present fallen creation, inhabited and influenced by sinful creatures would be transformed into a universe and earth empirically ruled by Christ as God. Also known as the Kingdom of God/Kingdom of Heaven
It should be noted here that the Kingdom of God will therefore not only include access to God in the heavenly non-physical realm, but also a physical creation restored to an original perfection ruled by God. The chosen elect (Ephesians 1-2, Romans 9 as keys) in Christ will be physically resurrected and not live everlastingly as spiritual beings alone, because God wants those in Christ to live forever in the restored Kingdom described in Revelation, Chapters 21-22.
Robert H. Mounce points out that contrary to Greek dualism, God always intended for human beings to exist on a redeemed earth, not in a heavenly realm removed from physical existence. Mounce (1990: 368). This makes sense as a physical resurrected body naturally requires a physical realm to exist in, but Paul calls the resurrected body, spiritual, in 1 Corinthians 15: 44. Gordon Fee explains that the resurrection body is not immaterial but supernatural. It is a body adapted for eschatological existence under the domination of the spirit. Fee (1987: 786). Mounce notes that the concepts of new heaven and new earth in Revelation are described with varying degrees of literalness, but the new heaven and new earth provides the setting for the new and everlasting state. Mounce (1999: 369). The new heaven and new earth is not simply metaphor for a spiritual existence with God in his heavenly presence, but an actual physical place where human beings shall live and prosper with Christ. If Christians were intended to live merely a spiritual existence with God in the heavenly realm this would make the resurrection of the natural body, which becomes a spiritual body, as Paul describes it, unnecessary. If God did not intend to restore the physical universe and human body, then saved human beings, after death, could simply remain in Paradise (Luke 23: 43, 2 Corinthians 12: 4) as post-mortem disembodied spirits/souls.
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