Presbyterians and Eschatology Page 1 | Presbyterian Historical Society

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Prophecy and End Times in Words and Art

Revelation 9:17: "And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat upon them, having breastplates of fire and of jacinth, and brimstone, and the heads of the horses were as lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone."

A Horseman from the Vision of the Sixth Angel. (Graphite, colored pencil, pen and ink on paper. By Rev. McKendree Robbins Long, 1944.)

Eschatology is a branch of theology, philosophy, and futurology concerned with the final events of history, and humanity's ultimate destiny. Christian eschatology is the study of man's destiny as it is revealed in the Bible, extrabiblical prophecies, and various church traditions. Major themes include: death and the afterlife, heaven and hell, the second coming of Jesus, the resurrection of the dead, the rapture, the tribulation, millennialism, the end of the world, the last judgment, and the world to come.

While end times prophecy is not common in Presbyterianism, Presbyterian preachers and authors have focused on eschatological themes at various times in the past. For men like David Austin, John Lillie, and McKendree Robbins Long, eschatology profoundly shaped their beliefs as Christians and Presbyterians. These men promoted eschatological themes in both their words and their art. This exhibit showcases both types of items in the Society's collection.