EPIPHANIES & AFTERTHOUGHTS

I woke up with eternity on my mind. Maybe because I dreamt about my cousin who passed in 2018 although the dream was very “earthly” and had nothing to do with eternity or God, even. It was a dream about changing baby nappies in a hospital and later about helping family members to literally carry mortar and sand to build a house. So maybe it really had nothing to do with the dream.

For whatever it’s worth, I woke up feeling like I had never really understood that we’re literally only on earth in this consciousness because we need to become a version worthy to continue existing way beyond this dispensation.

Of course, my mind wandered to why no one gets to choose whether to exist or be conscious forever, and how I probably would have rather opted not to (it feels like a lot of work). And then I thought about how the civilisation of eternity would probably be different from the one we know here on earth, especially this adult life which seems to be all about responsibilities and stresses from different angles. I thought about how scripture paints a picture to suggest that although it’ll be an entire civilisation – a new earth – it appears it’ll be without the pain and stresses and limitation of human frailties and stresses. I thought – if the civilisation of eternity is not as stressful as this one, maybe it’s not such a bad idea.

And then I thought about how truly short and seemingly inconsequential life on earth seems to be in the light of eternity. But I immediately realised the folly of that thought, because eternity really is determined by the life we live here on earth. I’m not even talking about eternal life vs eternal separation from God, but really about becoming fruitful, being productive and becoming the best versions of ourselves, really. Think about it – if we will be conscious forever in eternity, and that consciousness is determined by who we became here on earth and what we were able to make of ourselves here in this “transit” existence on our way to eternity, then we really ought to be living for what we’re intended to be and do when we get to our eventual destination.

And then I thought about how to pass on this consciousness to my children in a way that helps them live an eternity-conscious fruitful life – not just a spooky spiritual life that sees eternity as a place for funny-horned creatures and non-stop worship, but also as a place of work, a civilisation that is as structured and organised as has been established in this dispensation – a dispensation with leaders in different rankings and positions. Daniel literally says “…a time came when the saints possessed the kingdom”^7:22. Isaiah talked about building houses, planting vineyards and eating of its fruit, the saints enjoying the work of their hands and not laboring in vain²² – all in relation to new heavens and a new Earth, which may not be literal but certainly gives us pointers to the fact of the existence of some civilisation/organised society in eternity. He actually adds that God says the “former things [of earth] will not be remembered nor will they even come to mind“^65:17 (whoop whoop!)

Because really, as I keep saying, it is not the work itself that is the curse of the original sin, but the disdain and the toil of it.^{Gen 3} Work was given far before the curse.^{Gen 2} And yes, we know that although there are angels that sing and bow in God’s presence,^{Rev 5} there are also some who are sent on different assignments. Some deliver messages,^{Gen 16,18,} some are angels of war as we know in the case of Michael who fought the prince of Persia^{Dan 10:13}, some are set to keep charge over the people of God,^{Ps 91} some execute God’s judgment^{2 Kgs 19:35} and the list goes on.

And so if we will rule and reign over the nations with Jesus,^{Rev 2:25} and the idea of a new Jerusalem and new heavens and a new earth are true where the wolf will lie with the lamb and the lion will eat straw like an ox (there’ll even be animals!)^{Is 65:25}, then what we make of ourselves here and of our time here is crucial. We need to grow…not only our spirits but our brains, if we believe they form part of the soul. We need to learn discipline, and good governance, and temperance, and productivity, and frutifulness and faithfulness with little, not only with sprititual things in church, but in the workplace and in our ‘civilian’ citizenry lives, as practice for what would likely be required of us as citizens of a new Earth in eternity.

This is what I have been brooding on today. I know this is unlike my usual blog post, but I needed an outlet for this burden I woke up with and an avenue to share my thoughts with whoever will listen. As I find my way to work, I’m still brooding on how I can maximise this transit period here in this consciousness I have, and how I can pass this awakenness on to my children and to theirs.

May the Lord give us strength and wisdom for this journey in Jesus Name. 

Love,

Rad!♥️