Contractions
One of my favourite interpretive keys for Revelations and all things eschatalogical (to do with the end, end-times, and God's Plan) is what Jesus Himself said about the "End Times" when He described it like a woman in labour.
Just to recap the key elements of this idea:
- The end times began when Jesus ascended. (We've been in the "end-times" for 2000 years).
- As in a mother's labour, in the "end-times" there are cycles of contraction and relief... contraction and relief... Moments of struggle and hardship, moments of relief and growth. History has seen a number of contractions where the saints cry out "Maranatha!" which means "Come Lord Jesus!" and we wonder if this contraction will be the one that brings about the arrival of the Second Coming.
- In these times of contraction we are drawn towards passages like Revelation, the latter half of Daniel and Peter's admonition "the end of all things is near" (1Pet4:7 onwards).
In our passage for today, Peter gives guidance for contractions:
- He warns us that evil is rife and tries to suck us in.
- We'll need to stand firm, secure in the knowledge that we are not alone in our suffering
- We must remember that God's Plan is sure and secure - the labour will come to an end.
- Even if we should lose our lives, there is Eternal Glory awaiting us.
- If we do come through it, we will have endured because He will make us strong, firm and steadfast.
- The glory belongs to Him
Let's take comfort in the fact that the church and world have seen contractions before and let's pray that as we "push" through this contraction, we will grow strong, firm and steadfast.
| Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. (1Peter5:8-11)To Him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. |
