Tag Archives: VII. Eschatology

Standing on Its Tip-Toes

by therev2011

“The Old Testament is, in many ways, a book standing on tiptoe, straining forward into the future. God gave Abraham a promise (Gen. 12: 1– 3; 22: 15– 17; cf., 26: 4) that he would be heir of the world, and bring back the blessing that the world had lost: he was looking forward to see the fulfilment of the promise, but fulfilment did not come in the Old Testament. Moses spoke of ‘a Prophet like unto me’ (Deut. 18: 14– 18), but Deuteronomy 34: 10 records that no such prophet has arisen. David was promised a kingship over all Creation, for all time (Ps. 89: 19– 29), but the Old Testament ends still waiting for the coming of that King. So where is it all going? Where is the other end of the line? The line from the Old Testament runs straight into the New Testament. Have you got that? Not anywhere else— straight into the New Testament.” -Alec Motyer, A Christian’s Pocket Guide to Loving the Old Testament

Made for Heaven

by therev2011

“The Brocken spectre ‘looked to every man like his first love’, because she was a cheat. But God will look to every soul like its first love because He is its first love. Your place in heaven will seem to be made for you and you alone, because you were made for it—made for it stitch by stitch as a glove is made for a hand.” -C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

If The Holiday Turns Out To Be A Bust For You, Remember Our Hope

by therev2011
“When we realize that Jesus is the answer to our deepest longing, even Christmas longings, each Advent brings us closer to his glorious return to earth. When we see him as he is, King of kings and Lord of lords, that will be “Christmas” indeed!” -Joni Eareckson Tada

Looking At Life in Light of Eternity

by therev2011
“How, then, should we view this world and our existence in it? The Puritans would answer, sub specie aeternitatis-“in the light of eternity”: we must “consider” (Rom. 8:18) things as they will be rather than what they are now:
I see a world in decay and I consider a renewed, perfect trouble. world to come.
I watch my body deteriorating. I consider my new body.
I can make no sense of things I consider a world where all is here integrated.
I am tempted to sin here. I consider a world of perfection to come.
I see in part now. I consider a time when I shall see Jesus.
This is our calling: to gaze deliberately and see things as they will be rather than as they are.” -Derek Thomas

Me-Centered More

by therev2011

“Have you ever thought about what exactly the Serpent offered Eve in that fateful conversation in the garden? What he offered Eve was “more.” What he offered Eve was transcendence, but it had a fatal flaw. It wasn’t connected to God! Here was an offer of an “above and beyond” glory, but it was a replacement for the transcendent glory that can only be found in God. Notice the thundering implication of these five simple words, “You will be like God.” The Serpent was saying, You know, Eve, there is a greater, more satisfying glory than anything you have yet experienced. Your life can be much, much more than it has already been. Why, Eve, you can have it all. If you would just be willing to step outside of God’s narrow boundaries, you wouldn’t need to be connected to him, because you would be like him. These manipulative words of the enemy appear to offer greater transcendence but are really shrinking it dramatically. The glory that the Serpent holds out is no glory at all. Let me state it this way: When I opt for a me-centered “more,” what I actually get is always much, much less.” – Paul Tripp