The cross and the future

[Phillip]

First, let me state that I realize God is not confined to time and space as we are.

I also understand that Christ can return at ANY time.

Has anybody wondered, when looking at the time-line from Adam and Eve to the cross that a long period of time passed while looking forward to a messiah, but not really realizing what they were looking for--then Jesus comes along, dies on the cross, is ressurected and so begins the church age. This seems like it would be a very important age as far as the world goes, but doesn't it seem odd that we are looking at only half of the time that occurred in the Old Testament?

Without implying that Jesus will not return soon, does it not seem a little odd that the age since Christ actually was revealed to the Earth would be so short in comparison to the rest of time? Especially when you combine this with the way we look for Jesus to return?

Of course, in argument against this, the population of the Earth is SOOOO much larger in the last few hundred years that as far as numbers of people go, that many more people will live and die now than in the entire period before Christ was on Earth as a human.

Just another one of those crazy thoughts of mine.

What say you?

 

[Scott J]

I've considered the same thing and have no answer.

We are also in the longest silent period as far as direct revelation goes. Perhaps that has contributed to some of the naturalism that you and I have argued against as well as doubts about whether God ever truly interacted directly with men at all.

Before the flood, it is obvious that God interacted directly with Adam, Enoch, and Noah at a minimum. After the flood, the gaps between direct interaction were relatively short. The period between the testaments was the longest silence I know of until John penned "The end".

I would suppose the age of grace is also the age of faith.

 

[Phillip]

Thanks Scott,

Of course, we, like Paul may be wrong about Christs return. There could be 10,000 years or more before it occurs. I personally don't think so, but nobody knows God's time table.

You are right about faith. It is all ancient history to us. (or seems like it). Of course my kids think that 1985 was ancient history. Perspective, its all about perspective. . .

It IS sad when a Christian would rather take the word of a science book than the witness of the Bible. Then for the first time in history we claim that we are misinterpreting what we read. Sad.......Man's brain has now become his god.

 

[Scott J]

I have considered the idea that when the rapture occurs, no one will notice. If Barna's research is to be believed, less than 10% of Americans have a biblical worldview. Other nations are probably as bad or worse. Given 3 or 4 more generations, you could see a very religious nation where no one missed the true believers... or else were glad to see them missing.

 

[IveyLeaguer]

I think it's a very interesting question.

Phillip:

.... does it not seem a little odd that the age since Christ actually was revealed to the Earth would be so short in comparison to the rest of time? .... when looking at the time-line from Adam and Eve to the cross that a long period of time passed while looking forward to a messiah, but not really realizing what they were looking for--then Jesus comes along, dies on the cross, is ressurected and so begins the church age. This seems like it would be a very important age as far as the world goes, but doesn't it seem odd that we are looking at only half of the time that occurred in the Old Testament?

It does seem odd in one sense, especially the 400 or so years between the testaments. On the other hand it could be viewed as a natural progression. Started very slow (Noah), then GRADUALLY picked up speed until David, then Messiah, then progressing from the early church, and picking up speed through the middle ages through the reformation, and faster through the 19th century, then the incredible leap of the 20th century - which took us from prop speed to rocket speed - till now, in the 21st, primed to enter warp speed.

Scott J:

We are also in the longest silent period as far as direct revelation goes.

Good point, and that makes me wonder if there is some possible correlation to the 400 years of silence between the Testaments. Also, the period from the reformation till now is some 400 years, right? And didn't the last 150 - 200 years of the intertestament period result in the Pharisees 'altering', 'negating', or conforming much of the Law and tradition to that of men, things that God had so meticulously laid out? I'm real fuzzy on this. But I'm wondering if there could possibly be a correlation between that period and the past 150 - 200 years, with the emergence of modernism till now. In any case, the "increase of knowledge" and the increase in the speed of development of the past 100+ years is impossible to escape.

Phillip:

Man's brain has now become his god.

Very astute observation, IMHO. That, and the lust of self-fulfillment are the KEY factors in discerning what is presently going on in the church, I believe. And, with a few others, are key to understanding what's going on worldwide in an eschatological sense.

Scott J:

.... Given 3 or 4 more generations, you could see a very religious nation where no one missed the true believers... or else were glad to see them missing.

Another sharp observation, IMO. Might not take that long.

 

[Phillip]

I can hear it on the ABC world news. "Reports from around the country indicate that there may be as many as three to four hundred people across the nation with minor reports of people also across the world, missing since approximately midnight last evening. The FBI thinks it may be a group of right-wing Christian cult members who have decided to leave their families and congregate together. Since no foul play is expected the FBI will not launch a nationwide investigation.

In other news, congress has ratified a new law requiring states to recognize homo-sexual marriage, causing thousands of gays to march on Washington, many singing, holding-hands and celebrating the new law which will go into effect immediately."

 

[just-want-peace]

Seems I read somewhere a hunnert years ago or so, that the New Age belief was that at some future time "Gaia" would take those away who refused to accept the NA beliefs. The purpose for her "taking the renegades" would be to "purify" them so they could return and then fit into society and be a part of the ONENESS.

My thought at that time was that satan was priming his followers to accept the rapture when it occured!