On Eschatology

The book of the Revelation of St John is a rather bizarre and incomprehensible book. It is clear that in some respects it is a picture of the relationship of God and the Church. It is also clear that it is predictive of future events.

The issue is that it doesn't describe these future events plainly. Rather it uses a style of writing referred to as "apocalyptic". It is full of metaphor and word pictures. Combine the style of writing with the natural understanding difficulties caused by language and culture differences between then and now, and it is rather difficult to speculate about the exact way events will occur. That has not stopped people from trying. Many Christians seem to be obsessed with unearthing the secrets of the way things will occur.

Here is something to think about. History has already shown us this scenario. The Old Testament is full of references to the future Christ. One of the clearest is in Isaiah 52-53, but it is only clear in hindsight. Instead of talking about "Jesus" it talks about "The Suffering Servant". Other scriptures talk of a coming King.

By the time Jesus arrived, everyone was speculating about what was to come. Religious people had spent their lives wrestling with the predictive scriptures and had huge political investment in the idea that a king was coming, and SOON! They had very specific ideas of how it was all going to come to pass. But when Jesus came they didn't recognise him.

By contrast there was a man named Simeon who had a beautiful connection with God. He was so close to the Holy Spirit that when Jesus was just a child, Simeon recognised him in a crowded place and correctly declared Him to be the Salvation of God. Here was a man that wasn't in a library working out timelines based on scripture; but was out in the world conversing with God every day and ready and attentive to what the Holy Spirit would show him about the PRESENT.

What I'm trying to say is this. Don't be ignorant of the scripture, but don't spend all your time focusing on the distant future, to the neglect of what the Spirit would show you about the present. The most important thing is developing a personal connection with God; and learning to converse with Him. If you have that, you can trust Him that whatever comes, He will be with you.

Some people seem to think that if you aren't prepared for the "endtime", then you will probably die; unlike those wise people that have emergency food rations and hidden bunkers in the wilderness ready for the rise of the "beast". To that I retort, Matthew 6:25-34. "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Trust God.