The Apocalypse is a common theme in movies,
TV series, etc. The world imagines that the world could easily end because of
environmental issues, wars, meteors, zombies, aliens, etc. Human error is a
strong feature in the end-of-the-world stories. But what if it is not human
hands that bring an end to the world, as we know it? What if the Apocalypse is
the act of a Creator tearing down the old to bring about the new?
Every story of survival in popular culture relies
on human unity and the will to overcome in its battle against rogue robots,
climate change or nuclear holocaust. The present day tale and the
post-apocalyptic story both feature mankind as the ultimate saviours. We are
our own worst enemy but we will find a reason to live more humanely and survive
every worse case scenario. We will not be overtaken—we will join together in
our fight against the invasion of power-hungry enemies.
But that is a different storyline than
Christ returning to rule. The human-centered stories do not speak of a Holy God
that we will bow to. In the Biblical narrative, God acts to right the wrongs
that humanity in its defiance has wreaked upon the earth. God judges between
good and evil and brings peace on earth. In God’s story, we enter into a state
of wholeness or we die.
What is God up to in the plan of the ages?
The themes of resurrection and judgment are
found throughout the span of the Scriptures. The Book of Job is regarded as the
oldest and earliest written books of the Bible. Long before the prophetic
dreams of Daniel, the hopeful and cryptic words of Jesus about His Return or
John’s operatic vision of Christ’s Return and judgment-- there was a suffering,
God-worshipping man named Job who spoke these words:
Job 19:
25 I know that my
redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth.
26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God;
27 I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!
26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God;
27 I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!
Job existed before the promise to Abraham,
the Law, the Prophets, the Holy People or the coming of Jesus as Messiah. God
has always spoken to people even when there is no knowledge of His Name, His
Word or a history to build on.
In these brief words, we see belief that
God is personified as a redeemer. God will have physical presence standing on
the earth. Even after death, there will be a resurrection in which new flesh
experiences a personal encounter with God. The resurrected Job will be the same
person and his heart longs for the new life he will experience when God brings
him back to life.
You do not have Judaism without
resurrection and judgment. You do not have the early church creeds or the
Scriptures without resurrection and judgment. You do not have other
monotheistic religions or variations without addressing resurrection and
judgment.
Even the other religions of the world have
these reoccurring themes.
This is a paradigm (a mindset) that does not
go away from human experience. The question is not whether there will be
resurrection and judgment, but whether there will be hope for any of us. Commonly,
people believe in something futuristic or they are scoffers.
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