One of the often repeated pictures drawn by Christians is the “bright and cloudless morning when the dead in Christ shall rise”. I was reminded of this again today as a quartet was crooning about “When the storm passes over…’. All of that is beautiful and inspirational but the scripture says Jesus will come out of the clouds. Yes, I know; I have harped on that before.
Today it was fresh because the clouds were keeping the sun out of my eyes and I was enjoying the various shades of gray that mixed with the blue of the gaps. It was glorious. I think I want a few clouds, thank you. Add to that the refreshing nature of a spring shower and the comforting rhythm of a gully washer and you get a complete picture.
When you think about it there is a lot of imagery that defies the written word and some of the images of the written word that laugh at people who want to take everything literally. I have an eschatology nut in my circle and he claims that I cannot take the words of Jesus literally,
Matthew 5:18 (KJV) For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.His point of reference is in Isaiah chapter 2, where we see this,
Isaiah 2:4 (BES) And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plough-shares, and their spears into sickles: and nation shall not take up sword against nation, neither shall they learn to war any more.He gets very adamant and declares that this has not been fulfilled. Maybe, maybe not, literally or figuratively is the question. If you want to take this as prophecy that is full of images and word pictures and figures of speech then it’s hard to say that this was not fulfilled in some way before the death of Jesus on the cross. If you want to go literally, I would be willing to fudge it a little bit, except for the fact that I don’t see people having spears today being beaten into sickles. I don’t see people turning the sword that they don’t have into plough-shares that they don’t use anymore. You’ll notice that literal does not work either. No, actually he won’t notice that.
The problem is not usually theological. It really doesn’t matter if there will be clouds or not at the resurrection. The important part is that the resurrection will happen. Enjoy your poetic license. Don’t make HOA regulations into epic poems or chauteubriand into dog food. Read for truth not winning arguments.
homo unius libri
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Comments are welcome. Feel free to agree or disagree but keep it clean, courteous and short. I heard some shorthand on a podcast: TLDR, Too long, didn't read.