417: Syllabus

Semester: 2017 Fall
Credit hours: Two
Lecturer: David Murray
Contact info: david.murray@prts.edu; (616) 432-4305
Office hours: By appointment
Facilitator: Chris Engelsma

This course is a study of the doctrine of the last things, including a treatment of the eschatological nature of the biblical message; death, immortality and the intermediate state; the signs of Christ’s second coming, His return, and millennial views; the resurrection, final judgment, heaven and hell.

Intellectual Objective: Know and understand eighty catechism questions & answers on the last things.
Emotional Objective: Feel more deeply and continually the significance of the last things.
Spiritual Objective: Prepare personally for the last things.
Practical Objective: Become a better preacher of the last things.

Assignment	Hours	Percentage
Lessons	46	33%
Writing	20	33%
Exams	14	33%
Total:	80 hours	100%

Paper: Write an interpretive essay on Revelation 20.  In this essay, you must interact with the commentaries of John Walvoord, E. W. Bullinger, and John Gill.  Be sure to explain the entire passage.  Ten pages

Anthony Hoekema, The Bible and the Future  kindle  |  print  |  Logos

1.	8/28	Introduction
2.	9/4	Introduction (cont.)
3.	9/11	Death
4.	9/18	The Intermediate State
5.	9/25	Errors Regarding the Intermediate State
6.	10/2	The Millenium
7.	10/9	Premillennialism
8.	10/16	Amillennialism
9.	10/23	Midterm Exam
10.	10/30	Postmillennialism
11.	11/6	Signs of the Times
12.	11/13	The Return of Christ
13.	11/20	The Resurrection of the Body
14.	11/27	Hell & Heaven
15.	12/4	Catch up week; final exam prep; final touches on paper
16.	12/11	Final Exam

The Eschatology chapters in the usual Systematic Theology volumes: C Hodge, W Grudem,  L Berkhof, G Kersten, R Reymond, H Hoeksema, etc.
Bavinck, Herman. The Last Things: Hope for This World and the Next, ed. John Bolt, trans.    John Vriend. (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1996.)
Berkouwer, G.C. The Return of Christ
Bolton, Robert. The Four Last Things
Boston, Thomas. “The Eternal State,” Human Nature in its Fourfold State
Brooks, Richard. The Lamb is all the glory (Darlington, Evangelical Press, 1986.)
Edwards, Jonathan. “Heaven a World of Love,” Charity and Its Fruits
Gerstner, John. Wrongly Dividing the Word of Truth
Helm, Paul. The Last Things (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1989)
Hendriksen, William. More than Conquerors (Grand Rapids, Baker, 1998)
Hoeksema, Herman. Behold He Cometh (Grand Rapids: Reformed Free Publishing Association,1969)
Kik, J. Marcellus, An Eschatology of Victory
Ryrie, C. Dispensationalism Today
Venema, Cornelius. The Promise of the Future (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 2000)
Venema, Cornelius. Christ and the Future (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 2008)
Vos, Geerhardus. Pauline Eschatology, chapters 1‐12 (Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, 1972).
Vos, Geerhardus. Redemptive History and Biblical Interpretation, chapters 2,
11, 12, 24 (Phillipsburg: Presbyterian & Reformed, 1980).
 
See additional bibliographies from Dr Joel Beeke and Rev Sherman Isbell.