There is an expectation that Christ would soon return to end this evil order and replace it with a new world of supreme happiness and goodness. In later generations the apocalyptic focus was centered on Daniel and the Book of Revelations. There is a shared common core. History is seen as having followed a steady course to the present, with the climax of all history soon to come. That climax will be an action by God destroying the present system and ushering in a new and better system based on God.
History is seen as a struggle between good and evil, and good is losing.
The believer experiences this personally as persecution, deprivation, or moral scandal. Evil can only be stopped by the action of God who will completely eliminate its power. God is seen as directly involved in history. He caused the formation of a faithful remnant who remain true to him. He will soon act to crush the forces of evil.