Godzilla, the Apocalyptic and the Kingdom of God |
| Posted by Mike (mike) on Aug 05 2008 |
Time Magazine, January 17, 2008 issue, ran an article on the growing cultural appetite for what they call Apocalypse themed books and media. The article defines apocalypse as end of the world, 'destruction of all things' types of material. These range from recent Best Sellers List The Road (McCarthy) and the World Without Us (Weissman) to popular television shows like 'Jericho', 'Battle Star Galactica' and to box office offerings like 'I am Legend' starring Wil Smith and 'Cloverfield' starring well... nobody!
This genre is hardly new as there have been a number of movies I remember from my youth starting of course with the Japanese monster movies like 'Godzilla', the 'Mad Max' trilogy and 'Independence Day' to name a few. Time went on to postulate why we seem to have appetites for this particular genre and reason why perhaps our appetite for such is heightened at different times in history. For example, Godzilla, the prehistoric nuclear made T-Rex type of creature entered Japans mainstream on the heals of the A-bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki putting an end, in a very definitive way, to the Second World War. This event certainly has left an ominous cloud over the history of the world but specifically impacted the Japanese people and their culture. It is suggested that perhaps the popularity of this nuclear generated giant monster who demolished Japanese cities and terrorized Japanese people was a way in which the Japanese people began to work through the fear of the desolation of two cities and their inhabitants. The nuclear beast very well could have been a metaphor for the bomb but perhaps more importantly while Godzilla wreaks untold carnage, it was defeated, the object of their fear has been overcome and there was a new hope for a new and brighter future. Interestingly enough, in latter Godzilla movies, the nasty T-Rex becomes a defender of Japan against new creatures.
The rationale for the increased desire for this genre in the west at this point in history is influenced in no small part by the events of 9/11 where the world for us in North America took on a whole new level of anxiety. No longer are global conflicts fought on foreign soil, rather the events of 9/11 made global conflict very personal. The heightened angst over terrorism, the subsequent War on Terror, Global Warming and the dubious economic health of the United States certainly serves to further titillate a culture of fear just under the skin of the insulated and narcissistic North American people. If this hypothesis is correct, this genre is a means for people to have outlets for the anxiety, the fruit of a culture of fear and perhaps more importantly these works share a message of hope and over-coming.
Interestingly enough, this genre tends to have one of two very different outcomes. In the Mel Gibson trilogy - 'Mad Max' for example, we are left with a nuclear wasteland, a veritable desert of disorder, despair and hopelessness. The second is the antithesis of the first – in the aftermath of destruction is a new beginning, a new hope, where mistakes of the past are learned from, and wrongs and injustice are righted. It is the hope of rebuilding, building anew, becoming more enlightened, and resilient Mother Earth will recover. These very different outcomes are very important to us as human beings as they can stir hope and perseverance or can lead us into deeper despondency.
Apocalyptic literature in scripture points to the later, a promised new hope, a new beginning, a promise of justice. It is interesting to note that the original meaning of apocalyptic has not so much to do with the end of all things like 'Armageddon' and the like, rather a type of literature which communicates a revelation from God via a personal encounter with God or angelic being resulting in a peering into the past or future. In these apocalyptic books rich with story, metaphor and mystery, the emphasis is always one of a hope, an eternal hope often in the face of great trial. There is a great deal of apocalyptic literature in the Christian / Jewish scripture most notably the Book of Daniel and Revelation. While there is debate as to the interpretation of this literature and it's specific meaning for us today, one thing perhaps we can find a consensus on is the undeniable role in encouraging weary saints with a strong, clear and definitive hope that all things will be made right in Christ.
The Book of Daniel serves the important purpose of proclaiming hope in the faithfulness of God from the stories of exiled Jews for the future generations who were themselves faced with crisis. Israel was in captivity under the heavy hand of many infamous kings. Daniel and his friends have thwarted efforts to kill them by fire and lions as they remain uncompromising and faithful to God. In the midst of the great trials God preserves them and the oppressor kings are confounded. Daniel tells a story of Gods' faithfulness to sustain His people even in the midst of great pain and tumult. The visions following are apocalyptic as it tells of the struggles to come, fall of the kings and leads up to the King they are awaiting, the one (a king in the linage of David) who will lead them once and for all out of captivity and into the promises of God. Daniel's visions in a general sense provides the people of Israel a story of hope that in the time of estrangement, domination and oppression there is a promise of restoration and liberation. The kings of the nations who dominate them will be vanquished under the reign of the Prince of Princes. A message of hope that in the face of fierce and brutal earthly kings, they are not without hope, they will not perish in their sin and disobedience but the work of restoration and healing is at hand and will be completed. The Jews believed this to be the Kingdom of God made manifest on the earth with the Temple at the centre of it. The exile in a sense is over and with the establishment of the Kingdom of God they will have a land of their own, the temple where God dwells among them and prosperity.
John shares a vision he had while in exile in Patmos (it is not clear whether he was exiled by the Romans or self imposed). A wondrous and mysterious oracle that some believe predates the Gospel of John and John's letters. A vision of heaven and an interaction with Jesus and angelic figures who showed him what was to come! This must have been a significant challenge for John as he has to translate a vision of heavenly, other worldly realities using the very limited medium of human words, even as wonderfully proficient as the Greeks believed their language to be! (As I understand it, John's Greek wasn't that great to start with!) Oh how great the challenge to describe experiences that have no temporal comparison and yet John crafts an a epic saga of great struggle, apparent defeat of the saints and then their resounding and complete victory over the enemies of God and the establishment of an eternal Kingdom, a Kingdom of a new heaven and new earth.
John in Revelation is speaking to a church in turmoil. The ever present pressure of persecution at the hands of the Jews, the Roman Empire, the forced worship of the Emperor as god and the internal pressures within the church itself. The church was struggling under at least two errors. One was gnosticism and suggested Jesus wasn't actually human, rather spirit and the other, which over emphasized Jesus' humanity. Some taught there was a secret knowledge and only certain people were able to grasp it. Another challenge to the young church was the libertines who abused Paul's teaching on the freedom we have in Christ and gave license for people to gratify the lusts of self love. In the midst of this environment was the practicality of self preservation and the need to make certain compromises simply to get on in the culture.
In the midst of apparent chaos, seemingly tearing away at the fabric of the Way, John speaks to the internal error and seeks to bring either side to appreciate the paradox of the nature of Jesus as fully God and fully man. Furthermore, he calls people out of the love of self, not by enslaving them again to the law, rather to the law of love. At the same time the book of Revelation seems to call out to the Church to persevere, to resist compromising their faith and to hang in there in the midst of uncertainty, persecution and division. To persevere in the apostolic faith and remain steadfast in light of the Romans and Jews who were violently persecuting the believers in many locations at various times. To remain steadfast in hope and love because a day is coming when the Kingdom will manifest, where there is no more tears or sickness but life and lots of it! A new heaven and new earth. A world without end!
When folks have been crushed under the weight of their own failure and short sightedness. When folks are being ravaged by the powers of this world - a hope eternal, a bright future and one of justice is a tremendous gift which brings an 'extra -natural' sense of life to what feels like living death - total despair. This hope is not founded upon a wishful thinking, drawn on the account of “if only...” rather what produces the hope in the midst of great trial is the hope founded squarely upon the unfailing love of God.
This is important to understand today in a Christian culture which seemingly has been so influenced by Plato. Teaching that says the spiritual is good, the physical is bad and the only hope is to rapture away from this corrupted existence. A hatred of what it is to be human is really contrary to us being created as human, formed in the image of God, the hope of bodily resurrection of the dead and the idea of the veil separating heaven and earth being removed once and for all – the new heaven and new earth! The plan of God is not one of escapism and retreat but one of perseverance, overcoming and victory. It is precisely this which John's Revelation proclaims to a church under the hand of tyranny of the powers of the world. The very fact that in the resurrection of Jesus He soundly defeated these powers and took back the keys of sin and death. This is the basis of our Christian hope and message to the world. A bold defiance of the world powers of money, politics and religion with a posture of unshakeable love rooted firmly in a resurrected Jesus!
This is important to a Church who is looking to the return of Jesus to rescue them from the great horrors of persecution and to judge and avenge the blood of the martyrs with a promise of crowns to all those who remain faithful and overcome. These apocalyptic works were (still are) crucial to encourage with hope and orthodoxy the good news of the Kingdom. To bring a sense of hope to a frightened and fractured group of believers. A message to hang in there! Don't give up! You have not been forgotten or abandoned and your faith is not in vain! For Jesus is returning and He will vindicate you! He will deliver you, justice will be served and His Kingdom will reign forever!
Much emphasis has been made in recent centuries to unlock the mysteries of the apocalyptic material of The Bible in attempts to identify the time and way Jesus will return and the events which will lead up to that time. In the midst of this, much confusion and abuse of the material has resulted in fear which further compounds the desire to escape this world in some form of rapture to avoid some form of persecution or tribulation. To first century Christians, the idea of escapism and the cataclysmic end of earth, time and space was simply silly! That would imply total failure on the part of God. To them, the promise of the Kingdom was the destruction of that which has ravaged creation since the Fall – sin and death! In the death and resurrection of Jesus they understood the inauguration of the Kingdom to begin and moving towards the establishment of the new heaven and earth completed with the return of Christ.
There is significant evidence which points to such events like the destruction of the Temple / Jerusalem in 70 AD to be the fulfilment of many of the cryptic things said by Jesus and John. There is much speculation and resulting controversy around this aspect of Christianity however it is not my purpose to give you yet another guess at these mysteries. Rather to point to Jesus and the reality that we share with Christians who have come before us of an eternal hope which should comfort us in the midst of the hardships and trials of life and bring peace. A peace which passes understanding, rooted in the promises of God. This hope also energizes our present with mission and purpose in vibrant relationship with Jesus thus manifesting the Kingdom of God everyday and everywhere we go. When we live lives of love, of hope, of mercy and of justice we in fact are becoming 'living manifestations' of the Kingdom, living lives of light and hope which cannot help but bring light and encouragement to the world.
(I wonder if as the Pharisees of old, if in our fear, religion and striving we have missed the very fulfilment of the Kingdom dream in the fullness of Jesus and lost site of the Kingdom to come (Kingdom now and Kingdom to come) over looked the comfort and encouragement of God in these books? I wonder if we embraced this mystery if we would live any differently?)
Perhaps, as in many times throughout history, in a culture of fear and anxiety, the hope of the Christian Gospel has never been more important. Not unlike the Christians of the seven churches John addresses in Revelation, today's churches are facing many similar struggles. Challenges from within, orthodoxy, division and from the outside, uncertainty, fear, loneliness, broken relationships, materialism and relativism. Those folks outside the church share similar struggles and the proclamation of the full Gospel, the REALLY good news will continue to serve as a light to point Christians and non-christian alike to an eternal hope and promise which will empower the present to persevere in the midst of an ever changing and topsy turvy world. To embrace this hope in the person of Jesus to the end that we enter into the plan of God in the final culmination of all things in Christ.
Last changed: Aug 05 2008 at 10:17 AM
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