Additional Thoughts on Eschatology

Upon reflection of the previous post some additional clarification may prove to be helpful in how we wait with hope. More importantly is how do we engage actively in waiting.

For me Jeremiah 29  helps with solid biblical eschatology balancing hope and reality and how we respond in faith. First the often quoted verse out of context:

11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 

Jeremiah 29:11-13 English Standard Version (ESV)

Jeremiah spoke these words to a people facing 70 years of captivity. This was not a "get out of jail" free card. There was no swift exit. They had to be resolute in their faith, hopeful all would be well, seek God with all their heart and not cease calling upon the Lord. Our faith is never passive, it wrestles with God, with his word, as we seek to press forward his vision despite what we think we see or feel. It was the resolute faith of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. every time he spoke the grief/ hope laden words, " I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!" 

Dr. King in his message "I've Been to The Mountain Top" said these words: It's all right to talk about "long white robes over yonder," in all of its symbolism. But ultimately people want some suits and dresses and shoes to wear down here! It's all right to talk about "streets flowing with milk and honey," but God has commanded us to be concerned about the slums down here, and his children who can't eat three square meals a day. It's all right to talk about the new Jerusalem, but one day, God's preacher must talk about the new New York, the new Atlanta, the new Philadelphia, the new Los Angeles, the new Memphis, Tennessee. This is what we have to do."

This is the message of Jeremiah. There is the future hope but by faith we must live it as reality until we see it or our children see it. 

Julian of Norwich facing of death, struggling with her thoughts of sin, wishing to die, calling upon God heard these words from heaven: “But Jesus, who in this vision informed me of all that is needed by me, answered with these words and said: ‘It was necessary that there should be sin; but all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.'

Her words are in agreement with Jeremiah and John in exile on Patmos, "I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus..." Revelation 1:9

There is the suffering but there is also the kingdom and the patient endurance that are ours in Jesus. We are companions together in all of it - the suffering, the kingdom, and the patient endurance with the resolute hope that we will get to the promised land. It may be 70 years, 40 years, or any amount of time. Time is irrelevant all that matters is our prayer "Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory both now and forever." 

We are brothers/sisters and companions in the kingdom and for the sake of all people we must live by faith that all manner of things shall be well. It happens when we press forward in God's power for God's glory into the reality of the kingdom of God that is it hand. Take Jeremiah's words and place them in the following context: For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

Jeremiah declared God knows the plans he has for us to give us  a future and a hope. There are people waiting for us to demonstrate the kingdom of hope.