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In researching for my thesis I have been thinking about heaven and humanity. At Christ’s return he will usher in what is known in theological circles as the eschaton.
While some believe that Christ will reign on earth for a 1000 years and then take all the Christians off to heaven and leave the earth to be destroyed, I have come to believe that when Christ returns all of creation, including the earth, will be redeemed and heaven and earth will be married together as one. The distinction between heaven and earth will be no more. Thus, humanity’s ultimate destination is not heaven, but heaven and earth.
One interesting observation I am indebted to NT Wright for is how little is mentioned in scripture about heaven, and how much is mentioned about the new heaven and new earth (which some have translated as referring only to heaven). One of the few verses that does refer to just heaven is John 14:2-3; this is the infamous “Behold, I go to prepare a place for you” passage. The Greek word (monai), which is often translated as “mansions” or “rooms”, communicates a temporary dwelling rather than a long time or eternal. The inference we can draw from this is that these rooms are transitional housing for humanity, as we wait for the eschaton to be ushered in and heaven and earth to become one. Consequently, we need to stop dreaming of heaven as our escape to an eternal paradise, and recognize it as a foretaste of the glorious paradise that will be inaugurated with Christ’s return. When, as David Crowder sings, “Heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss.”
7 comments:
It's possible that John 14: 2-3 refers to the here and now. Jesus is preparing his disciples for what is to come shortly. It seems likely that he is preparing them to live NOW not just in some future eternity.
We get caught up in the rooms (mansions). Could be transitional but my vote is for the here and now.
I'll be just as happy if it's both.
Heaven is now! It's just not united with Earth yet. Thus those of us who have not experienced death and been glorified do not have access to heaven; like Jesus did in his resurrected/glorified body.
I would say that Jesus was preparing us (his disciples) to live in the now when he says to have faith in him and his promise that he will return. Then we will be united once again.
this is scary. I almost agree with you.
In that the "fullness" is in us here and now.
2 questions:
Why don't we live like it?
Does that mean there's no glorification to look forward to?
1. I would say we don't live like it because we don't fully believe that we are, and we don't fully believe that God's commands are the most fulfilling. The answer to question 2 will lead us to what we should do about this predicament.
2. It's only through rejecting the lie that we have not been made anew and embracing full belief that Christ has made us anew that the fullness of Christ is "actualized" or experienced in the our world. Until the return of Christ we only have glimpses of what awaits us, Thus, we look forward to the day when our belief that we have been made new is made visible to us; when our faith becomes sight
I think john 14:2-3 are actually symbolic of wedding practices of the day. Thev passage is about taking us into God's compound as His bride.
Kirk,
I agree with you that the passage is alluding to the marriage practice of a groom going to his father's house to prepare a place for his bride to be. I wrote a post a few years back regarding that very theme. However, I don't think this is a case of either/or, rather it's a case of needing both the to illuminate the fullness of the intent of the passage.
i completely agree with this post (with the possible exception that I am still thinking through the John passage).
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