Apocalyptic Times

I have read the New Testament many times, but somehow one obvious fact has eluded me. Jesus and the early Christians strongly believed that the end of the world was near. They were eagerly waiting and working for a new world to come – the kingdom of God on earth.

How did I miss this? I simply tried to spiritualize the records assuming that the references were describing the need for my own spiritual renewal.

Looking again at the gospel of Matthew (Chapters 24 and 25) it is now impossible for me to deny that the record says that Jesus expected the kingdom of God to come soon. A key figure involved in this would be the Son of Man (not necessarily Jesus) who would come to bring judgement and usher in the new kingdom realm.

This apocalyptic world view was also firmly held by the early Christians. A prime example is in the epistles to the Thessalonians. These were some of the earliest letters written by the apostle Paul.

In summary, the early Christians foresaw a time of tribulation and trouble, but in the end a more hopeful kingdom of God would emerge. There was evidence of difficult times ahead. But their hope was in a triumphant ending.

The spread of this early Christian message accomplished two things.

(1) This hope of a new world to come focused their minds and proved to be a powerful motivator for action, and

(2) The action they produced was positive and uplifting, despite the obstacles in front  of them.

Now 2000 years later it is clear that their expectation of an imminent end of the present age did not occur. Or did it? With their buoyant resurrection hope, their movement eventually triumphed over the ruling Roman Empire. This was not actually the change they originally envisioned. Neither was it the perfect kingdom of God that they sought.

What has all of this got to do with us today? The majority of the world’s scientists are telling us that we are also living in apocalyptic times. The polar ice caps and glaciers are disappearing even faster than the scientific models have predicted. This will have dramatic effects as world temperatures rise, such as rising sea levels and weather disruptions (wildfires, hurricanes, droughts, and floods). These environmental changes will bring all kinds of social consequences.

To see possible effects upon our thinking, let us try and find some lessons from the New Testament.

(1) Our impending environmental crisis should help us to focus our minds and motivate us to dramatic action. So far this has not occurred, but the potential for rapid, drastic, and global action is there. Our present COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that we can act rapidly when faced with a world-wide emergency.

(2) A positive world view can help us get through this. This may be a far stretch in the present climate crisis. However, the sooner we act the better may be the outcome. A better world may be possible, but only if we immediately take the necessary actions.

Eric, September, 2020