An Advent Meditation

Posted by guest blogger BroKen

There is an ancient Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times.” I can’t imagine any times more interesting than those described early in the Revelation of John. And I don’t know of anyone who wants to live through them. It is true that there are preachers on TV and elsewhere who sound like they are eager for those times to come. But they anticipate the end of the book, the New Heaven and New Earth, and they know that the world has to go through these “interesting” times before the new will come. The preachers’ eagerness is also buoyed by a conviction that they and those they love will be spared. That conviction may or may not be warranted.

Still, it isn’t only the preachers who are proclaiming “interesting” times. Watch the news. Listen to economists. Read the doctors’ reports. If you ask me, they sound suspiciously like they have all been reading the sixth chapter of Revelation.

You know the four horsemen, don’t you? Watch the news and see if you don’t discern the hooves of the White Horse whose rider comes to conquer. Do you doubt the dangerous political unrest in the world today? Right behind him comes the second rider on a Red Horse who takes peace from the land. It is not too hard to imagine that the red rider’s sword is curved like a scimitar or the pleasing arc of a ballistic missile. Listen to the economists describe the fragility of our global economy and the shocks it has endured recently. It is almost as if they describe the outline of the Black Horse whose rider carries scales to measure, buy and sell. With him comes a voice declaring the inflated price of food. Read the doctors’ reports on the likelihood of some global pandemic; the outbreak of a disease for which there is no cure. Some say it could be the bird flu. Some say it is HIV. Some say it is something we haven’t seen before, but they say it is not a question of if, but of when. Ah, so comes the Pale Horse, whose rider’s name is Death.

Yes, we live in interesting times. And it is likely that they will get more interesting before they get more boring, predictable, stable, secure.

But the point of Revelation, in the light of the expert’s warnings and nightly news warnings and the preachers’ warnings, is to be ready. The steady refrain within the book of Revelation, throughout all the curses, is blessing on those who overcome; who endure; who remain faithful no matter what. Some read the book as saying those who are faithful are spared the trials described in the book. We can hope and pray so. But even if we are not so spared, we must remain faithful.

The Advent season is a time, an interesting time, to remember God’s faithfulness in the past, as we prepare ourselves to be faithful whatever the future holds. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”

Comments

[renee]

Wise, hard thoughts to consider. God tells us that we will be able to see what is coming, not like those in the dark, and that we should look up for our redemption will be close. I don't know if that "looking up" is going to be like Stephen experienced or like Enoch but knowing serves as a blessing either way. Throughout mankind's history, there's been very few boring, stable times, and they were short lived but the time at the end is said to be much worse than anytime before. I can read about some pretty rough times in the past, and some people in the world probably feel like they are in those kinds of time right now; for now, we are blessed as a nation and removed from much of it. I read the scriptures and pay attention to what's going on in the world, I'm guessing, more than the average American, and what I am seeing is bringing my attention upwards. Those scriptures have been applicable to every era, misunderstood maybe, but always applicable. Our hope, our trust, our comfort is always directed upwards. I don't want to fail to be prepared, and run out of oil for my lamp when the bridegroom cometh...

[chuck aka xtnyoda]

The one thing the gospel narrative reports that Christ will be looking for when He returns:

Luk 18:8 "I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (ESV)

The Son of Man will be looking for faith.

He will administer justice.

Your admonition will encourage faith BroKen.

Well said.

[Rick]

This has been linked to by Mr. Vanderleun at American Digest.

Deservedly.

Great piece BroKen. Thanks for posting it.

[Mommynator]

The first time I ever heard about the end times and the various teachings and read Revelations for myself, I walked around frightened to death over it.

Either I've gotten old or wise (probably old) and it doesn't frighten me as much any more, but it does concern me. I'm not so sure that we're going to be rescued before the worst of it - how else will faith be tested? How else to shake things up and out to see what's really there?

We can only pray that we have enough sense to hang on tight in spite of ourselves.

[BroKen]

Thank you all, especially Mr. Vanderleun.