My good friend Will commented on my last post, sharing 3 essential problems that make studying eschatology. I can't speak to the first without further study, can't argue at all with the second - but the third I have thoughts on. Here they are:
He said that regarding eschatology, it is the realm of mystery, and 'mystery remains mystery'.
Here's my response:
Mystery didn't remain mystery for Paul, who stated that the mystery of gospel which had been held since the creation of the world had been revealed, so that the Gentiles could share in the salvation that comes from Christ. See Romans 16 and Eph 3.
Daniel was told to seal up his the words until the time of the end - it's spoken twice in Dan 12, the second time affirming that the mysteries shown to Daniel would be sealed until that time. The use of the word 'until' indicates to me that those mysteries would be UNsealed when the time came.
It's consistent with the unfolding nature of divine revelation that as the time draws near, mysteries will be revealed. God makes a habit of unfolding his plan and showing off how awesome it is. Adam had less understanding than Noah, who had less than Abraham, who had less than David, etc. He likes interacting with us and displaying his personality, mind and plan to us.
So It is the glory of God to hide a matter, and the glory of kings to search it out. So I'd agree that the end times isn't a simple picture that you can come to by some numeric formula - this many years, that many days, times, time and half a time, etc. But by the spirit, it can be studied. Ya hear that? STUDY by the SPIRIT.
Daniel understood from the scriptures that the desolation of Jerusalem was to last 70 years...at some point, in the same way it will be revealed to the Body the revelation of these mysteries about the end of the age. As sure as he's coming back, that's going to happen, cause the Book says so.
None of that comes by reason alone, but reason enters into it, or else he wouldn't have posed these puzzles in spiritual words that can be read and studied - Paul heard things that were unutterable, and so didn't write them...similarly, John heard seven thunders, but was told not to write them down. Those will have to be re-uttered to the generation that sees the Lords return, in some form or fashion.
However, our record of prophecy about His return and the nature and shape of his kingdom at that time in history WAS uttered and written down...so study has to enter into it somewhere, as long as the Spirit isn't left out of the process. There are propositions, clauses, facts, numbers, and poetic language for us to sift, weigh, consider, marvel at and be perplexed by.
So I want to enter into the blessing of those who take to heart the words that are written in the book of Revelation - and I want the victor's crown of righteousness that's offered to those who have loved his appearing...plus it's super interesting.
The main reason I'm into this stuff is that the subject of the end times is the study of the kingdom, and especially of its King. It's the Revelation of Jesus Christ, not the revelation of some stuff that happened or will happen or might be all symbolic or whatever. When we study these things, Holy Spirit reveals Jesus to us. That's the best part.
He said that regarding eschatology, it is the realm of mystery, and 'mystery remains mystery'.
Here's my response:
Mystery didn't remain mystery for Paul, who stated that the mystery of gospel which had been held since the creation of the world had been revealed, so that the Gentiles could share in the salvation that comes from Christ. See Romans 16 and Eph 3.
Daniel was told to seal up his the words until the time of the end - it's spoken twice in Dan 12, the second time affirming that the mysteries shown to Daniel would be sealed until that time. The use of the word 'until' indicates to me that those mysteries would be UNsealed when the time came.
It's consistent with the unfolding nature of divine revelation that as the time draws near, mysteries will be revealed. God makes a habit of unfolding his plan and showing off how awesome it is. Adam had less understanding than Noah, who had less than Abraham, who had less than David, etc. He likes interacting with us and displaying his personality, mind and plan to us.
So It is the glory of God to hide a matter, and the glory of kings to search it out. So I'd agree that the end times isn't a simple picture that you can come to by some numeric formula - this many years, that many days, times, time and half a time, etc. But by the spirit, it can be studied. Ya hear that? STUDY by the SPIRIT.
Daniel understood from the scriptures that the desolation of Jerusalem was to last 70 years...at some point, in the same way it will be revealed to the Body the revelation of these mysteries about the end of the age. As sure as he's coming back, that's going to happen, cause the Book says so.
None of that comes by reason alone, but reason enters into it, or else he wouldn't have posed these puzzles in spiritual words that can be read and studied - Paul heard things that were unutterable, and so didn't write them...similarly, John heard seven thunders, but was told not to write them down. Those will have to be re-uttered to the generation that sees the Lords return, in some form or fashion.
However, our record of prophecy about His return and the nature and shape of his kingdom at that time in history WAS uttered and written down...so study has to enter into it somewhere, as long as the Spirit isn't left out of the process. There are propositions, clauses, facts, numbers, and poetic language for us to sift, weigh, consider, marvel at and be perplexed by.
So I want to enter into the blessing of those who take to heart the words that are written in the book of Revelation - and I want the victor's crown of righteousness that's offered to those who have loved his appearing...plus it's super interesting.
The main reason I'm into this stuff is that the subject of the end times is the study of the kingdom, and especially of its King. It's the Revelation of Jesus Christ, not the revelation of some stuff that happened or will happen or might be all symbolic or whatever. When we study these things, Holy Spirit reveals Jesus to us. That's the best part.
Comments
But remember, Paul had a difficult time communicating on beginning wisdom, and said if they couldn't understand him in this, how would they understand him in a higher dimension?
Additionally, human propositional structure can't even communicate in a way that adequately grabs divine revelation. Human language has some very real limitations, especially as expressed in a spatio/temporal manner.
Given the intricacies of the Spirit, nature of time, multi-dimensional coexsistent realities, God's simultaneous intentionality governing those realities, and the way we name, reference, classify, examine, and juxtapose those realities, in our attempt to communicate about these entites and their events lends itself to a vicious infinite regress of human reasoning. We like to be precise, and communicate the exact propositional point at which...da da da. This precise reduction God suspends, because He has declared that His wisdom remains unjustified. This uncertifiable nature of divine wisdom produces a mental offense to logic and thought, and requires faith to overcome. Faith is the linchpin to accessing higher dimensions of divine wisdom, because God chooses to require us to transcend over spatial/temporal thought. Therefore, we need to, in a very real sense, know without knowing how we know, by gaining revelation through relationship. I can say this. God reveals, but He is not just a teacher of eschatology.
First he is a savior, and as savior he prioritizes our learning process. Sometimes that means eschatology is off the agenda until certain subjects are addressed, here and now.