World Without End

John Wesley and The Millennial Reign

Inside Methodist theology, folks have always looked at what John Wesley might have believed about the end times. In reading this morning sermon 26 (I read one of the standard 52 a week), I came across this snippet. Click here to read the entire sermon on The Lord's Prayer.

I appreciate how Wesley doesn't allow his eschatology to take over. Clearly, it forms a very important part of his thoughts on the Lord's Prayer. The segment that I am interested in was part of the section on the phrase "thy kingdom come." Wesley see's that the thoughts about The End can only be placed in the perspective of the kingdom.

When therefore God shall "give his Son the Heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession;" when "all kingdoms shall bow before him, and all nations shall do him service;" when "the mountain of the Lord's house," the Church of Christ, "shall be established in the top of the mountains;" when "the fullness of the Gentiles shall come in, and all Israel shall be saved;" then shall it be seen, that "the Lord is King, and hath put on glorious apparel," appearing to every soul of man as King of kings, and Lord of lords. And it is meet for all those who love his appearing, to pray that he would hasten the time; that this his kingdom, the kingdom of grace, may come quickly, and swallow up all the kingdoms of the earth; that all mankind, receiving him for their King, truly believing in his name, may be filled with righteousness, and peace, and joy, with holiness and happiness, -- till they are removed hence into his heavenly kingdom, there to reign with him for ever and ever.

For this also we pray in those words, "Thy kingdom come:" We pray for the coming of his everlasting kingdom, the kingdom of glory in heaven, which is the continuation and perfection of the kingdom of grace on earth. Consequently this, as well as the preceding petition, is offered up for the whole intelligent creation, who are all interested in this grand event, the final renovation of all things, by God's putting an end to misery and sin, to infirmity and death, taking all things into his own hands, and setting up the kingdom which endureth throughout all ages.

I bolded the few interesting passages. From a cursory read, it would appear that Mr. Wesley seemed to favor some sort of post-millennial view. What do you think?

The Beginning and the End

Last month, I took some time to ask a few questions regarding what you (the reader) would like to read about. My friend Tom responded, and this was one of his questions-

How does Genesis 1 and 2 inform eschatology? Or, rather, how does your eschatological perspective provide a lens for you to read Genesis 1 and 2?

I have been thinking lately more and more around this topic and I want to briefly starting thinking publicly about Toms question.  The way that we view the beginning/end will inform each other.  Reading Genesis 1 and 2 and Revelation 21 together provides a huge base of shared imagery.  As a Wesleyan (more specifically a United Methodist), I have to take this formal statement to heart.

The created order is designed for the well-being of all creatures and as the place of human dwelling in covenant with God. As sinful creatures, however, we have broken that covenant, become estranged from God, wounded ourselves and one another, and wreaked havoc throughout the natural order. We stand in need of redemption. (Book of Discipline 101-
heading Basic Christian Affirmations)

The way that we view the role of the creator/creation covenant, what that covenant entailed as well as the handling of the fall will show its results in how we think about the End.  If we view God as keyly deterministic ( main attribute as sovereign in understanding, guiding and directing every action of Man), the language of End will be primarily judgmental.  If we view God as relational (his supreme attribute being the community of Father, Son and Spirit) we have a language of End that is directed around family language...of reunion, remaking, and eternal covenant.

Inside of both of these views is judgment and they have their own language to describe judgement, its relationship to righteousness, and how creation figures into the relationship between God and the Christian.

Also figured in these two views are topics such as creation care, the incarnation, the predetermining view of God, and nature of salvation as legal language vs. redemption language. It is inside the gap that as Christians living in a postmodern society we learn to tell and proclaim the same gospel message that has been carried for 2000 years.

As you can see this is a complicated and long topic, but I wanted to formally start thinking it out here.  Fundamentally, I believe that The End is a key piece in how the average Christian forms everything they think about God....they just don't normally know it.

Glory be to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be