A New Heaven and a New Earth: Reclaiming Biblical Eschatology by J. Richard Middleton

Author:J. Richard Middleton [Middleton, J. Richard]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: Earth (Planet)—Forecasting, Heaven—Christianity, REL067060, REL006000, Eschatology
ISBN: 9781441241382
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2014-11-25T00:00:00+00:00

The Point of the Pattern

Although this apocalyptic pattern may seem strange to contemporary readers, it makes a very important set of theological (and thereby ethical) points.

First, the pattern of preparation in heaven for unveiling on earth emphasizes that salvation is not of our making, but rather is God’s gift (note who is doing the preparing). In an important sense, we do not bring the eschatological future (whether conceived as salvation, a kingdom, a city, an inheritance, etc.), though the church certainly is meant to embody this future in their communal earthly life, as a witness to the salvation or kingdom that God is bringing. So the apocalyptic pattern disabuses us of the temptation to self-righteousness or triumphalism. The coming new creation is an act of pure grace on God’s part.

Second, the apocalyptic pattern emphasizes that until Christ returns, salvation is only partial; Christian hope thus involves waiting patiently for the unveiling on the last day. To be faithful in the interim, as we live toward the parousia, Christian discipleship will be cruciform, following the pattern of Christ’s life, and will therefore often be characterized by suffering and sacrifice; this is because of the ethical tension between the promised kingdom of God and the powers of the present age. The cruciform pattern of the Christian life is very hard for contemporary Westerners to hear, since we (and I include myself here) typically want quick fixes, and we somehow think that our (presumed) faithfulness should make us immune to suffering. It turns out, on the contrary, that faithfulness to Christ and our love for others will often require a voluntary taking up of suffering on our part in order to live ethically in this fallen world.

But, third, the apocalyptic pattern assures us that even though we may not see the promised kingdom clearly in the world today—it is in many ways hidden or obscured by the continuing power of sin—God guarantees the final success of this kingdom. There will indeed be a final and complete unveiling of what is hidden, in which God’s purposes for this world will come to fruition. The apocalyptic pattern thus encourages us to trust in, and seek to embody, the coming redemption of all things that God has promised, even when we are tempted to give up hope.

Beyond making these theological points (with ethical implications), the apocalyptic pattern is helpful also in clearing the ground of many potential objections to holistic eschatology that arise from misreading texts about “heaven.” I have already addressed some of these texts while laying out the pattern; indeed, they contribute positively to the pattern. The point is that reading the New Testament through the lens of preparation in heaven for unveiling on earth disposes of much egregious interpretation of texts that supposedly support a heavenly future.

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