Eschatology: The study and teaching on the "Last Things," a biblical teachings which argue that God will inaugurate His Kingdom on earth through a series of "happenings" or "events" to close an age. It is clear to all sincere bible students, the bible clear speaks of a time called the "last days" which would lead up to Armageddon, the destruction of all ungodly men and women, but not the earth, as that will endure forever. (Psalms 37:29; Proverbs 2:20-22)
However, this teaching has had a checkered past throughout the ages. Over time, especially from the 18th century the enlightened Catholic church and Protestant religions adopted the stand that eschatology, doctrine of the "last things" was a crude, primitive, outworn trappings of traditional religion which could no longer be accepted in an age of enlightenment. In most cases, eschatological ideas were abandoned altogether, and a simple postmortem immortality of the soul was held forth as man's end. Other theologians reinterpreted the Kingdom of God expectation as ethical or quasi-mystical concepts. The more established Christian churches excluded eschatology the teaching on the "Last Things" as meaningless or as an insignificant myth. The Church currently appears to define the end of the World as being the individual test each person faces when he dies. [Encyclopedia Britannica.] Today, quite a number of mainstream religions no longer talk about an end time or Armageddon.
Yet, Jesus clearly said Christians were to "KEEP ON THE WATCH!" for their Master, Jesus coming. (Mark 13:35, 36) His order for watchfulness was given as part of his answer to this pointed question put to him by his disciples: "Tell us, they said, when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" (Matthew 24:3, NIV) According to a parallel account, after giving a many-featured sign leading up to the end of these last days, Christ stated: "At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory." (Luke 21:27, NIV)
Unfortunately, a number of mainstream religions have abandoned the Christian watchfulness that Jesus ordered his disciples never to neglect. They are no longer on the alert for Christ's presence and the coming of God's Kingdom. As Daniel prophesied, "In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure for ever." (Daniel 2:44, NIV) They have rationalized away the expectation of "the the end of the age or the destruction of wicked mankind."
So, what is the surprising but inescapable answer to the question, What has happened to Christian watchfulness or study of eschatology? It has been killed off by the more established Christian churches, that is, the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and mainstream Protestant churches. Though the members of these churches are not to blame, it is a glaring example of the blind leading the blind. Another feature that would be a sign marking the tribulation leading up to the end of this age or the destruction of wicked mankind!!!
So to me eschatology refer to being alert for the signs that would lead up to Christ's coming and Armageddon, leading up to the tribulation, including the tribulation and at the end of the tribulation when Christ appears, just before the start of Christ's millennial rule over the earth.