New Jerusalem by Carol Wolman

NEW JERUSALEM by Carol Wolman

There is much controversy these days about the nature of the end-times and the eventual outcome.  It is clear to everyone by now that we have reached some sort of limitation to our growth as a species.  We have overflowed our ecological niche, and are due for a massive die-back, to restore the balance of nature.

Many people dismiss the Bible as a bunch of superstitious nonsense, yet it cannot be denied that many of the prophecies, especially in the Book of Revelation, describe some of the disasters we are now beginning to experience.  It is not surprising that a millennial cult is now in full force, and is in the process of making sure its prophecies are fulfilled.

This cult is sometimes called premillennial dispensationalism, and was started in 1830 by a Scottish woman named Margaret MacDonald, spread by Darby and enshrined in the Scofield Bible, which interpreted various passages to fit the doctrine.  Basically it says that believers will be spared the tribulation, and will be taken directly to heaven by Jesus. 

The rapture cult has become vastly popular through the books of Hal Lindsay and Tim LaHaye/Jerry Jenkins.  It offers a psychologically satisfying, if infantile, escape route for people who do not want to deal with the mess humans have made of God's creation here on earth.  For an excellent learned critique of rapture theology, see

Is the Pretribulation Rapture Biblical?

Brian M. Schwertley

http://reformedonline.com/view/reformedonline/rapture.htm

 

The tribulation culminates, according to these writers, with the battle of Armageddon, which is a nuclear war that destroys everything.  The New Jerusalem, which is elaborately described in Rev. 21: 1-6, then comes down from heaven to replace the old corrupt city and people.

 

The trouble with this scenario, of course, is that nothing will survive a nuclear holocaust, and a shining new city cannot possibly appear where an atomic bomb has gone off.  I believe that all the imagery in Revelation can be better understood as referring to spiritual matters.  People will love one another as Christ commanded, and will honor truth and justice.  Isaiah describes it well:

Isaiah 65: (King James Version)   ¹⁷For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.  ¹⁸But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.    ¹⁹And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.

As we come to grips with the horrors of depleted uranium poisoning of the gene pool, global warming, and other catastrophes in the making, we are sooner or later going to have to repent and change our ways, if we are to survive.  We have to renounce egotism and work for the good of everyone now on earth, all our neighbors.  We must be willing to fight the corporate beast, the militaristic dragon, and the false prophets of the rapture cult, who deceive the people into ignoring the piracies of the Bush junta. 

A couple of specific suggestions to move us in the right direction:

1) A "love your neighbor" campaign worldwide, especially in the Holy Land;

2) Move the UN to Jerusalem and make it truly the city of peace, where nations beat their swords into plowshares.;

3) An acceptance by everyone of God's mandate to choose life for ourselves and our children;

4) an acceptance of the model of willingnes to sacrifice oneself given to us by Jesus Christ.

In the name of the Prince of Peace,  Carol Wolman