Getting Started
In this post, I want to provide a quick and concise reference guide to the major “end-times” views. There won’t be any criticisms given of any of these views at this time. This list will consist of brief definitions with some helpful links for further study and research. These views are listed below in alphabetical order. The definitions are taken from Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology.
Definitions of End-Times Positions
- Amillennialism – The view that there will be no literal thousand-year bodily reign of Christ on earth prior to the final judgment and eternal state; on this view, scriptural references to the millennium in Revelation 20 actually describe the present church age.
- Dispensational Premillennialism – Another term for “pretribulational premillennialism.” The term “dispensational” (defined below) is used because most proponents of this view wish to maintain a clear distinction between the church and Israel, with whom God deals under different arrangements, or “dispensations.”
- Dispensationalism – A theological system that began in the nineteenth century with the writings of J.N. Darby. Among the general doctrines of this system are the distinction between Israel and the church as two groups in God’s overall plan, the pretribulational rapture of the church, the future literal fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies concerning Israel, and the dividing of biblical history into seven periods, or “dispensations,” of God’s ways of relating to His people.
- Historic Premillennialism – The view that Christ will return to earth after a period of great tribulation and then establish a millennial kingdom. At this time, believers who have died will be raised from the dead, and believers who are alive will receive glorified resurrection bodies, and both will reign with Christ on earth for a thousand years.
- Postmillenialism – The view that Christ will return to earth after the millennium. In this view, the millennium is an age of peace and righteousness on the earth, brought about by the progress of the gospel and the growth of the church.
- Preterism – (As defined by Dictionary of Theological Terms) “A method of interpreting the book of the Revelation as a description of conditions in the 1st century A.D. Preterists see the book as a protest in apocalyptic terms against the tyranny of imperial Rome, not as a prophecy of end-time conditions and events.”
Resources
The following links are to articles or books that can give greater insight into each of the above-listed views.
- Three Views on the Millennium
- The Bible and The Future
- A Case for Historic Premillennialism
- Dispensationalism
- Postmillennialism Made Easy
- Riddleblog (A great resource for audio lectures from an amillennial perspective)
- An Evening of Eschatology: With John Piper, Doug Wilson, Jim Hamilton, and Sam Storms – A great video presentation showing how people can hold differing views and still love each other in the gospel.
Thank you for the review of the views on end times
I truly enjoyed this journey through the Bible
Thank you
Interesting Bible study
I enjoyed this study but I often wished for a slower pace that would allow me to savior all the insight. Maybe a Two year version.
I completely agree! I would love more time so I could dive into all of the Show Notes and have more time to study them. Of course we always have the option of just taking our time to study and going at our own pace and I am thinking that is what I will do in 2025. I am completing year #2 of the Bible Recap. Enjoy!
Thanks to the Bible Recap Team. Reading the Bible from beginning to end was my 2024 New Year’s resolution. I’m so excited to say that after tomorrow, I will have completed the plan! It was such a joy doing so!
I’m on track to have read the whole Bible this year! Thank you so much Tara and the Biblerecap team! Looking forward to reading through it again in 2025!
I loved the Bible recap . Plan to read again next year but with study book .
I am 3 days from finishing the reading plan. Although, it will take me more than 3 days. I think The Bible Recap has been the best reading plan I have ever done. It has taken me over 3 yrs to complete. I read at my own pace. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading chronologically. A first for me. I tell all people that want to read the Bible through, to use TBR. It keeps track of your reading for you. Which has been terrific!
Thank you for all that’s been done to make this plan possible. 1000% appreciated!
My brother introduced me to TBR. It’s changed my life forever. I’m restarting and will continue to restart for all the days I’m on this earth. My children and all my family are doing it as well. Thank you to everyone who put their time and effort into this plan. I know the LORD is so proud. The amount of people that this has brought to Jesus is astounding.
Revelation is no longer scary to me because I know, HE’S WHERE THE JOY IS AND THAT JOY LIVES IN ME. Praise God
This is my second time to read the Bible in a year. It has been a life changer for me and those around me. I think about what I read during the day and it keeps my mind on the things above like I should. I plan on starting again tomorrow and I am waiting on my journal to arrival in the mail.
I would love to see TLC do a video or podcast the explains each book of the Bible. 66 videos of the 66 books.
Although I love TLC‘s recap of the individual chapters also, she always points to the Bible Project during their book transitions. Tim Mackey does a great job with these. So I’m sure that’s why she hasn’t done her own. She may be thinking “why reinvent the wheel?”
Loved doing the Bible Recap this year… the first time of making it through the Bible from
Start to finish! I look forward to doing it again in 2025. I have learned so much, and know there are still so many topics to dive in deeper. Thank you TLC for this plan. It’s truly inspirational.
I made a decision that I would read through the Bible in 2024 and not give up as I usually did. I can truly say that with the help of the Bible recap and the Holy Spirit, I have made it through.
As several have said I plan to do it again with Tara-Leigh, this time with the study book. 2025 here we come ;)
I so appreciate your approach and your ability to share the TRUTH and understandable applications and insights. Thank you.
I have read the Bible through and through cover to cover several times, but I love this version of explanations and the highlights that TLC has presented. I I enjoy going back and looking at the different article videos that will attach to each day learning. I hope to share this with my family together in the near future 2025 thank you team for all the hard work that I know has been put into this. My husband and I went to Israel with our church group in 2018, and it was amazing, but as I was reading through with Tara, things became so much more real. This experience has definitely changed my life and my family life. And God is where the Joy is.
Completed the Bible today, I am and will be a changed person for the better. Tara is amazing, she makes it so easy to understand, I will start reading the Bible over again!
I read through the entire Bible this year (2025). I had tried so many times to do so and failed. I was invited to participate in the Bible Recap /Tara Leigh Cobble by one of my friends. Her church was participating. I thank God for that invite! I made it through and enjoyed it more and more. I learned so many things that I thought I already knew. God gave me better understanding. He truly is where the joy is! My life is forever changed for the better.
Although I love TLC‘s recap of the individual chapters also, she always points to the Bible Project during their book transitions. Tim Mackey does a great job with these. So I’m sure that’s why she hasn’t done her own. She may be thinking “why reinvent the wheel?”
I so enjoyed Tara’s explanation of each chapter. I feel I have a much greater understanding.
I will do it again next year!
I’ve enjoyed reading through the Bible this year with TBR along with a group of ladies from my church. I’ve attempted to read through the Bible several years and never made it. This is my first year to actually complete it. Our group is going to be reading through again for 2026.
This is my second time thru the Bible with Tara! I love the way you ask us to look in scripture for God/Jesus. Not about us but about who God is! It made me look differently at the scripture and of God. I actually loved reading the Old Testament and seeing how forgiving God was and still is. Thank you, TLC for having this study online so everybody can go thru the Bible with a little better understanding of who God is.
I have been a follower of Christ for many many years but this is the first time I have read the Bible through, every book, every chapter and every verse. I have been so blessed and learned so much. I will do it again this year (2026) but take it slower and use the Study Guide for deeper study. Thank you TLC and Bible Recap team for being such good guides to our Lord’s words! He IS the joy!!
Today, I finished reading the entire bible with TBR. I started on January 1, 2025 and finished 9 days past the year. I am still so excited and proud that I accomplished study. It was an amazing study that I will do again. I have so much more to learn.
My wife and I will complete reading the Bible and the Recap today. What an amazing awesome awakening rewarding experience. It was a goal of my retirement last year and we did it. I would recommend it to all. We have other people reading it now. My daughter recommended it to us. We did it 21 days early Thank you.