Here We Are

We are now about 2,000 revolutions around the sun from days of Jesus Messiah on this earth. We are somewhere in Act III of God’s drama with humankind. Given what we know of God’s history with humankind, this Act III is already stretching the limits of Act II (Abraham to Jesus). Is it nearing the time for God to try a new tack, or perhaps call the game? Or will God continue to abide God’s human creation, having shown us all the path to eternal life in spirit? These questions are, of course, imponderables.

We do know, or can observe, that prophets seem scarce. Perhaps there is a reason for this phenomena that one could ponder usefully. As Karl Barth observed, God came very near to us in history. God incarnated the Son who came down from heaven ( Jn. 6:38). Unlike manna that God sent from heaven to keep the Israelites alive in the desert (Ex.16:14-31), Jesus declared himself to be the bread of life, the living bread that came down from heaven so that one may eat of it and not die, but have eternal life (see Jn. 6: 35-51). In the man Jesus, who lived in history, humans could touch God. Humans could listen to God speak to them and teach them what God wills for them. Humans could witness God’s miracles, but more important, humans could witness God’s love in the person of the Son. Jesus said, “The Father and I are one” (Jn. 10:30). God has never come so near.

We know all these things, including the acts of the Holy Spirit in the decades following Jesus’ ascension, because witnesses recorded the events and dialogue orally and in writing. Scholars organized what they considered to be the best of all these writings into a book that has survived to edify and instruct succeeding generations for nearly two thousand years. As C.S. Lewis rightly observed, we are all saints in training. Jesus Messiah was God’s peace offering to reconcile God to humankind. What more could we possibly ask of God?

So, perhaps prophets are scarce because Jesus Messiah said it all, speaking as Son of the Father, one with the Father. We have only to follow Him. His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Mt. 11:30). And thank Him for His gift, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you” Jn. 15: 27.