How interesting that Mary meets Jesus the gardener when going to visit his tomb. What implications does this bring? Jesus, the perfect human (Adam), is resurrected and the first thing that we find is that he is gardening. He is restoring the cultivating that was commanded to Adam in Genesis one. But Jesus is bringing in the New Creation versus Adam that brought in the first. Adam was in a sense unable to fill this command, for when sin entered cultivating was not as easily accomplished as it had been in the beginning. But with Jesus, this process once again can be accomplished with the covering of our sins with his blood. How amazing! Jesus, bringing in the new creation is making all things new once again. What once was destroyed with sin, is now being restored with the resurrection and the beginnings of new creation.
When Adam died he brought sin into the world, but when Jesus died he brought sin out of the world. How interesting, how interconnected. The scriptures are full of this, connection throughout. Now originally Adam was without sin and had the anecdote for eternal life, being the tree of life. But since he chose the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, sin entered and this beautiful creation began to die. The original purposes of mankind were tainted. But with Jesus, his taking on sin, though for a short time brought his death, but overall brought forth life. Complete reverse of Adam's situation. How unbelievable is this. And now once again the anecdote for eternal life is giving again in a new way as with the bringing in of new creation. This new creation not that it did not exist in the past, but now the Holy Spirit will dwell inside of man. And man will be the temple of God, just like Eden was the first temple with the emergence of Creation. But now with the new creation beginning, the restoration of Eden's temple shall now be in mankind. And this Spirit will renew us to once again be able to live the life that Adam was originally called to. Wow! Do you feel the excitement, do you feel the connection? There is endless things to write about, but here I must end for time's sake. But explore this idea. New Creation starting with a simple but profound gardener!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Friday, September 3, 2010
The Rapture?
Recently I was reading some interesting thoughts by N. T. Wright. It was quite simple, yet quite profound. It's on the rapture, according to N.T. Wright who I believe would be a post-trib believer, he does not believe that the rapture is the idea of us going to God, but instead God or Jesus coming to us.
In ancient times it was customary that when a king or a emperor came to visit a land, he would be greeted outside the land. Then there would be a great processional leading into the city welcoming this person to their kingdom. Wright relates this same idea when the Apostle John was writing in the book of Revelation, about Jesus coming down to the clouds and us being taken up to him. Almost always when it refers to Jesus going somewhere in clouds, it is the idea or personification of Jesus riding in his chariot of fire traveling to somewhere or someplace. This metaphor is used multiple times throughout scripture always relating to the same idea. Now, this is not so life-changing in itself, but it is probable that when John was writing this passage, he was truly referring to our King about to enter the land.
What happens after the tribulation? Well, Armageddon, and Jesus' second coming. Would this not seem to fit accurately? Jesus' coming back, our King and Chief commander, and all of us meeting him, praising and welcoming him all the way into the city, for either the final battle or the New Jerusalem. It is funny how we have allowed Platonism to effect our beliefs, as most of us want to go to heaven when we die. But our ultimate destination is not there, but God bringing heaven to earth, and our ultimate destination is to live eternally on the new earth.
If you could picture for a moment, a city like no other coming on to the earth, the very place that Jesus went to go prepare for us. And God will sit on the throne, with all of creation surrounding him, praising his name. This is our final destination....not heaven. Though heaven exists, it is not our final resting place, but a temporary holding of the great city of GOD! So, now backtracking lets think about the rapture again.
I know I don't have a complete grasp on the end times yet, and am not sure if I am pre, post, or mid-trib. But Wright brings some good ideas and thoughts I would never have discovered on my own. So, I share...your decision on the matter will not affect the course of history, but there needs to be more reasoning in your mind that God is nice and therefore I am pre-trib. I don't wish to go through the tribulation period nor do I wish it on anyone, but its possible. However all that matters is what my relationship with God is, whether I would die for him, the truest question of love.
~CDS~
In ancient times it was customary that when a king or a emperor came to visit a land, he would be greeted outside the land. Then there would be a great processional leading into the city welcoming this person to their kingdom. Wright relates this same idea when the Apostle John was writing in the book of Revelation, about Jesus coming down to the clouds and us being taken up to him. Almost always when it refers to Jesus going somewhere in clouds, it is the idea or personification of Jesus riding in his chariot of fire traveling to somewhere or someplace. This metaphor is used multiple times throughout scripture always relating to the same idea. Now, this is not so life-changing in itself, but it is probable that when John was writing this passage, he was truly referring to our King about to enter the land.
What happens after the tribulation? Well, Armageddon, and Jesus' second coming. Would this not seem to fit accurately? Jesus' coming back, our King and Chief commander, and all of us meeting him, praising and welcoming him all the way into the city, for either the final battle or the New Jerusalem. It is funny how we have allowed Platonism to effect our beliefs, as most of us want to go to heaven when we die. But our ultimate destination is not there, but God bringing heaven to earth, and our ultimate destination is to live eternally on the new earth.
If you could picture for a moment, a city like no other coming on to the earth, the very place that Jesus went to go prepare for us. And God will sit on the throne, with all of creation surrounding him, praising his name. This is our final destination....not heaven. Though heaven exists, it is not our final resting place, but a temporary holding of the great city of GOD! So, now backtracking lets think about the rapture again.
I know I don't have a complete grasp on the end times yet, and am not sure if I am pre, post, or mid-trib. But Wright brings some good ideas and thoughts I would never have discovered on my own. So, I share...your decision on the matter will not affect the course of history, but there needs to be more reasoning in your mind that God is nice and therefore I am pre-trib. I don't wish to go through the tribulation period nor do I wish it on anyone, but its possible. However all that matters is what my relationship with God is, whether I would die for him, the truest question of love.
~CDS~
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