Eschatology

The study of “last things”—the end of history, final judgment, and ultimate destiny of humanity and the world. All three Abrahamic faiths have rich eschatological traditions.

Common Themes

Despite differences, the Abrahamic faiths share several eschatological beliefs:

• History is moving toward a divinely appointed end
• There will be a final judgment of all humanity
• The dead will be resurrected
• The righteous will be rewarded (Heaven/Paradise)
• The wicked will be punished (Hell/Gehenna)
• God’s justice will ultimately prevail

In Judaism

Jewish eschatology centers on the coming of the Messiah, who will:

• Restore Israel and rebuild the Temple
• Gather the exiles to the Promised Land
• Bring universal peace and knowledge of God
• Resurrect the dead (in most traditions)
• Inaugurate the World to Come (Olam Ha-Ba)

The prophets spoke of the “Day of the LORD”—a time of judgment and restoration. The book of Daniel introduced apocalyptic imagery that influenced later Jewish and Christian eschatology.

Jewish eschatology is generally less systematized than Christian, with diverse views on timing, the nature of the messianic age, and the afterlife.

In Christianity

Christian eschatology is centered on the return of Christ (the Second Coming), who will:

• Raise the dead
• Judge all humanity
• Defeat evil finally and completely
• Create a new heaven and new earth
• Reign eternally with his people

Key events in many Christian systems:

• Rapture (in some traditions) - believers caught up to meet Christ
• Tribulation - period of suffering before or during Christ’s return
• Millennium - thousand-year reign of Christ (interpreted literally or symbolically)
• Final Judgment - separation of saved and lost
• Eternal State - new creation or eternal destinies

The book of Revelation provides vivid apocalyptic imagery, though interpretations vary widely.

In Islam

Islamic eschatology includes:

Signs of the Hour

• Lesser signs: moral decay, wars, natural disasters
• Greater signs: appearance of the Mahdi, return of Jesus (Isa), emergence of Dajjal (Antichrist)

The Day of Judgment (Yawm al-Qiyamah)

• Trumpet blast resurrects all the dead
• Gathering of all humanity before Allah
• Books of deeds opened
• Scales weigh good and evil actions
• Crossing the bridge (Sirat) over Hell
• Entry into Paradise (Jannah) or Hell (Jahannam)

Jesus plays a unique role in Islamic eschatology, returning to defeat the Dajjal and establish justice before his natural death.

Comparative Notes

Theme	Judaism	Christianity	Islam
Central figure	Messiah	Jesus Christ	Allah as Judge
Jesus’s role	Not the Messiah	Returns as Judge	Returns as sign
Resurrection	Most traditions affirm	Bodily resurrection	Bodily resurrection
Judgment	Day of the LORD	Great White Throne	Yawm al-Qiyamah
Paradise	World to Come	New Creation	Jannah

Influence on History

Eschatological beliefs have shaped:

• Social movements and reforms
• Missionary urgency
• Political conflicts and alliances
• Art, literature, and culture
• Attitudes toward death and suffering