End Times
This is an article printed in the April Bronx Fellowship Community Connecton newsletter....
Discussions, books, and movies about end times or last days have been very popular lately. Among Biblical scholars, the study of end times is called eschatology. There have always been periods throughout history when studies of end times get extra attention, and it does appear that we are currently living during one of those times.
The first thing that most folks do when they study end times is to immediately read the most provocative parts of the text into their current time & place in history. However, the first step actually should be to apply the passage to its immediate context first. Then we can learn what the passage is saying to us now. For example, when we read Revelation, we need to see what was being communicated to the seven churches in Asia before we’ll understand what parts are actually for us. Or in Matthew it is important to distinguish when Jesus is talking about the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. and the signs that go with it or when he is speaking about the second coming of Christ that will be a surprise — like a thief in the night.
To really understand end times in the Bible, one first needs to understand the relationship of end times with the Reign (Kingdom) of God. When Jesus began his public ministry, he began teaching about the Kingdom of God. There are two aspects of God’s Reign in the New Testament.
First, the Kingdom is already here. Jesus says in Luke 17 that the Kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation but rather the Kingdom is among you. When Jesus began His ministry, He healed, proclaimed Good News, called people to live in a radically different way, and demonstrated His power even over death. Those who emphasize the already here aspect of the Kingdom typically emphasize the need to work for justice, peace, and transformation here & now. They don’t emphasize enduring the world until the end but instead, as God’s people, changing the world. Jesus words: Your Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven has significance and reflects this point of view. For many years, this view was the more popular way of understanding end times up until half a century ago.
Also, there is the not yet view of the Kingdom. We know that though God’s Reign has had its beginning with Christ, it is not yet fulfilled. As long as there is suffering, violence, depression, poverty, and death in the world, we know that His Reign is not yet complete. Therefore, we wait patiently for the Day when Christ breaks through the clouds and says one more time: It is finished! Those who emphasize the not yet aspect of the Kingdom often see the world as getting worse and worse with little for them to do expect to wait it out. Only in the last half a century has this view become very popular as a way to understand end times.
Here’s the thing. Both points of view are mostly right and only partly wrong. God’s Reign has begun. It is already here. We are the ones who pray: Your Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven. As long as there is still suffering and death, God’s people are workers of justice, peace, forgiveness, love, and transformation. We never write-off tragedy as “God’s will.” His will is that His people would be agents of grace and peace. We are subversive and counter-cultural. We are members of an anti-religious movement called Christianity. Yet, it’s only a foretaste.
At the same time God’s Reign is certainly not complete. 2 Peter tells us that God is patient. He basically keeps putting off Judgment Day because He wants as many as possible to repent and to turn to Him for eternal life. As a result, we continue to live in a fallen world. There is pain, disease, injustice, and death until He returns. Although we serve His purposes, we wait for His return and for His ultimate victory over poverty, sickness, and violence. We are the ones that pray: Lord, come quickly.
To understand end times, we need to see both aspects of the Reign of God. We need to grasp the nature of God’s Kingdom as it restores justice, peace, family, & righteousness. Ultimately, we are called to have a balanced view as we embrace a thoroughly New Testament vision.
Discussions, books, and movies about end times or last days have been very popular lately. Among Biblical scholars, the study of end times is called eschatology. There have always been periods throughout history when studies of end times get extra attention, and it does appear that we are currently living during one of those times.
The first thing that most folks do when they study end times is to immediately read the most provocative parts of the text into their current time & place in history. However, the first step actually should be to apply the passage to its immediate context first. Then we can learn what the passage is saying to us now. For example, when we read Revelation, we need to see what was being communicated to the seven churches in Asia before we’ll understand what parts are actually for us. Or in Matthew it is important to distinguish when Jesus is talking about the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. and the signs that go with it or when he is speaking about the second coming of Christ that will be a surprise — like a thief in the night.
To really understand end times in the Bible, one first needs to understand the relationship of end times with the Reign (Kingdom) of God. When Jesus began his public ministry, he began teaching about the Kingdom of God. There are two aspects of God’s Reign in the New Testament.
First, the Kingdom is already here. Jesus says in Luke 17 that the Kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation but rather the Kingdom is among you. When Jesus began His ministry, He healed, proclaimed Good News, called people to live in a radically different way, and demonstrated His power even over death. Those who emphasize the already here aspect of the Kingdom typically emphasize the need to work for justice, peace, and transformation here & now. They don’t emphasize enduring the world until the end but instead, as God’s people, changing the world. Jesus words: Your Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven has significance and reflects this point of view. For many years, this view was the more popular way of understanding end times up until half a century ago.
Also, there is the not yet view of the Kingdom. We know that though God’s Reign has had its beginning with Christ, it is not yet fulfilled. As long as there is suffering, violence, depression, poverty, and death in the world, we know that His Reign is not yet complete. Therefore, we wait patiently for the Day when Christ breaks through the clouds and says one more time: It is finished! Those who emphasize the not yet aspect of the Kingdom often see the world as getting worse and worse with little for them to do expect to wait it out. Only in the last half a century has this view become very popular as a way to understand end times.
Here’s the thing. Both points of view are mostly right and only partly wrong. God’s Reign has begun. It is already here. We are the ones who pray: Your Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven. As long as there is still suffering and death, God’s people are workers of justice, peace, forgiveness, love, and transformation. We never write-off tragedy as “God’s will.” His will is that His people would be agents of grace and peace. We are subversive and counter-cultural. We are members of an anti-religious movement called Christianity. Yet, it’s only a foretaste.
At the same time God’s Reign is certainly not complete. 2 Peter tells us that God is patient. He basically keeps putting off Judgment Day because He wants as many as possible to repent and to turn to Him for eternal life. As a result, we continue to live in a fallen world. There is pain, disease, injustice, and death until He returns. Although we serve His purposes, we wait for His return and for His ultimate victory over poverty, sickness, and violence. We are the ones that pray: Lord, come quickly.
To understand end times, we need to see both aspects of the Reign of God. We need to grasp the nature of God’s Kingdom as it restores justice, peace, family, & righteousness. Ultimately, we are called to have a balanced view as we embrace a thoroughly New Testament vision.
posted by Jared | 6:45 PM
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