Eschatology (from the Greek “eschaton”
“last”), like the economy, is in hard times.
Oh, there was plenty of buzz about 2012 and the Mayan calendar for a while. Of course, that buzz had already died down, ironically,
before 2012 had even gotten started.
(The Mayan “Armageddon” is supposed to occur on December 21, 2012. Most serious scholars of the Mayan
civilization do not believe the Mayans thought any such thing.) Then, for a brief time Harold Camping’s
predictions of the rapture in 2011 created a few news stories.
But, honest to God, pulpit-pounding,
thief-in-the-night, airplanes-without-pilots, who-is-the-Antichrist Bible
teaching on the last days is hard to come by these days.
I
recall when I was a grade-schooler, my dad taught a series of lessons on last
things. As I recall, he taught (in a
little country church in Texas) every night for about a week. People came.
Some took notes. It was
fascinating stuff, and people were interested.
That was the mid-1950’s. I think
it may have been toward the end of a time when people in churches were
genuinely interested in eschatology.
I
want to recognize that some of the biggest-selling books on eschatology have
been published since that time. The Late, Great Planet Earth, by Hal
Lindsey and Carole C. Carlson, sold 28 million copies from 1970 to 1990,
according to Wikipedia. Left Behind and the nine other books in
the series—by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins—sold over 65 million copies
(Wikipedia).
Despite
the mega-best sellers, real interest in eschatology, I believe, is at a very
low ebb. I think part of the reason for
this lack of interest is the big press that some of the far-out groups, such as
Harold Camping and his followers, have received (for example the disasters of
such cults as Heaven’s Gate, the Jim Jones group, and the David Koresh
group). As these phenomena have come and
gone, they have become victims of the “news cycle.” That cycle begins with the attention of the
news media, a quick digestion by talking-head experts, and a trampling under
foot by the media rushing to the next story.
So, the general public—of which the members of churches are
full-participating members—are simply hardened to any sort of dooms-day reports.
Similarly,
books like Left Behind create a great
stir for a short time. Then, life goes
on. It goes on even for those who are profoundly
affected by such books (people received Christ through reading some of those
books). No international conspiracy
seems to show up. News of the economy
and personal survival and relationships push aside thoughts of the
Antichrist. Eventually, people are
hardened toward any thoughts of the last days.
Implicit
in this hardening is something profoundly spiritual that is going on. Certainly, there is a
psychological-intellectual hardening, as people become cynical of anything that
seems sensationalist. But, I believe,
also, people’s hearts are becoming hardened to any thoughts of the second
coming of Christ. That hardening is a
spiritual condition. I find myself
dealing with it in my own heart. I am
haunted by II Timothy 4:8:
“Henceforth there is
laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge,
shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love
his appearing.” (King James Version)
The “them…that love”
is a perfect participle, so it should be “them also that have loved his
appearing.” Jesus is coming for those
who have loved His appearing—they have been loving His appearing for some time. He is not coming for those who will get a
kick out of seeing Him when He gets here.
He is coming for those who HAVE loved His appearing, who have longed for
that Day.
You see, if I am so wrapped up in my
little empire, I am not looking up for Jesus to come. After all, when Jesus comes, the agenda is
going to change. What did He pray? “Thy kingdom come, THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH
as it is in heaven.” So, guess
what? When He comes, God’s will is going
to be done. That may not conform to my
plans.
And so, if my spirit is geared to
this present age, I am not going to be in tune with the age to come. I am going to be bored by talk of the Second
Coming of Jesus Christ. I once was with
a group of pastors, and I read an eschatological passage. I really had hardly made any comment before
two of them fired off at me. One said,
“Bill, a friend told me that has already been fulfilled.” Another said, “I had a professor in seminary
who said he was a ‘Pan-Millennialist’:
he believed it would all pan out in the end.’” Now, that is a cute joke, but it also is an
expression of disdain for eschatological thinking. Remember the words from II Peter 3:3-4: “Above all, you must understand that in the
last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say,
‘Where is this “coming” he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything
goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.’” (New International
Version)
I
believe the lack of interest in things eschatological is a symptom of deep
spiritual malaise in the Body of Christ, of a slide into apostasy that is
infecting the church. Eschatology must
be approached and considered with much prayer and as part of a disciplined
spiritual life (which is true of any study of spiritual things, of
course). Although eschatology becomes
deeply involved with technical discussions that require scholarly focus, it is
always a study that, at its heart, is concerned with preparing ourselves to be
faithful followers of Jesus Christ.
Finally,
I would say that eschatology does not have to be popular to be important, and
it does not have to be trendy to claim our attention. If you have read this far, I dare say you
have some interest in the last days. I
hope you will return to this blog, as I seek to share my studies of
eschatological subjects.
Blessings—Bill Fitzgerrel
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