Note: I am going to write articles regarding the popular interest in the END TIMES. All of these articles will be labelled as NOW TIMES! Stay tuned...
I
believe in the ultimate coming of Christ to restore a new heaven
and a new earth. The term 'second-coming' is not found in the Bible. In any event, this will be a time when Christ will physically restore His kingdom where
tears, pain, and death will no longer exist. This will be a restoration in
which the love of Christ will heal all souls. This will be a restoration which
was inaugurated at the cross and will culminate in Christ's eventual return.
This is a restoration in which we are called to be a part. My view of Christ's
return is hopeful and optimistic! It is a view which should lead to ministry
and stewardship, NOW! It is a theology which declares the NOW TIMES are more critical in
the Lord's eyes, than the END TIMES for which many hold endless fascination. As you will
see below I have concerns regarding the phrase END TIMES. A fascination with
the END TIMES, from both progressive and conservative circles, allows many to be
discouraged from their obligations in the NOW TIMES!
My eschatology (the study of final things) is in line with that
of the early Church Fathers (Patristics, ie. Early Church Fathers: 100-300 AD). Many of them adhered to a
view in which the 'rapture' and Christ's ultimate return are
one-in-the-same event. This is in contrast to a relatively recent view[1]
in popular culture today that a 'rapture' will precede Christ's return.
The term 'rapture' is not found in the Scriptures. End Times terminology will be a blog for another day. In any event, upon Christ's
return, believers will reign with Christ. Many early Church leaders believed Christ inaugurated the Kingdom with His saving and victorious work on the
cross. It is the Kingdom NOW (spiritually won), but NOT YET (physically
realized). When Christ returns judgment will be administered, evil destroyed,
and eternity launched. In short, I believe in an optimistic return. I do not
believe that things are getting worse through the ages no matter how much we
want to believe in the 'good old days!' Similar to the book of Judges,
there are cycles of rest, rebellion, repentance, rescue, and redemption.
These cycles will continue until the return of Christ. At that time a new
heaven and earth will occur. In other words, God comes to earth to restore ALL THINGS!
I believe the majority of the
apocalyptic Scriptures (ie. Daniel, Matthew 24, Revelation, etc) concern
themselves with events that led up to Christ's Crucifixion and the following
150 years after Christ. The 70 weeks of Daniel were fulfilled in the death
and resurrection of Christ. Christ coming in judgment (Matthew 24) occurred
with the destruction of the temple in 70 AD and with the final dissolution of
Jerusalem by the Romans in 135 AD (see Bar Kochba rebellion). However, there is at
least one future event remaining and it is found in Revelation 21, which speaks
of the final coming of the Lord in which all things will be restored. This
latter thought is critical and one in which we should not be surprised. Almost
all mainline Churches sing about it every Sunday:
“Glory Be to the Father, and to the
Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall
be. WORLD WITHOUT END. Amen.
Amen.”
My
views are optimistic. Once again, this is why I am not so concerned about END
TIMES, but NOW TIMES. I am called to pastor in the NOW TIMES. The Lord will
take care of His future return. And, at His return ALL THINGS will be RESTORED.
We not only see this teaching in the doxology but also in our Lord's Prayer
when we repeat, “Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in
heaven.” In other words, the
supposed END will just be A NEW BEGINNING!
[1] Recent View-What is referred to as the
Dispensational Rapture popularized by the 'Left Behind' series of books. Originally this idea generated by Father Manuel LaCunza (1827), Edward Irving (1827) and John Darby (1831). Also popularized by C. I. Scofield (1909) who edited the popular Scofield Study Bible. All these people were 'well-intended' but I believe misguided regarding Christ's coming.
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