Tag: empire

Of the increase…

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by Martin Scott
Posted in Theology

What days we are in. The West has dominated for centuries but the writing is on the wall as to the coming to the end of its dominance. A relentless movement to the East is underway. All ‘Babels / Babylons’ (same word in Hebrew) will prove to be projects that do not complete; the promised kingdom is one that ‘never ends’ and that accords with the use of the word eschaton for the kingdom. As far as I am aware we do not have the alternative word telos used of the kingdom. Jesus is the telos (destination and end) of the law, but of the increase of the government of heaven there is no end.

I have been looking a little into the shift of Rome from Republic to Empire (Julius Caesar being the first emperor). I am probably somewhat simplistic in my analysis, but over some decades the equivalent of what we today call oligarchs worked hard to sow distrust in the style of government and sowed the ideology that the concentration in someone strong who could ‘save’ the nation for the future was needed. Those elite wealthy class were deeply put out that their money (taxes) were funding social benefit (‘free bread’) so pushed for all such benefits to come to an end. The strong leader emerged… Roman Imperialism grew.

We are at a similar stage in the West and I think oligarchic rule is temporary so there is still the possibility of a pull back and the hope for something different to Imperial rule or simply back to the confusion of supposed democracy. Given that there was a concerted effort in prayer and understanding to ‘roll up the Roman road’ across Europe over the past quarter century and more we have to have great hope.

Babylon will not last for ever, in spite of its claim to be forever with children. There comes a time when God comes down to see the tower that has been built. That time comes soon.

The Far East is not a geography that is in my focus and also is not easy to get into focus. The New Testament is focused on Jerusalem where no prophet can die outside that geography, hence the crucifixion there – in order to break the ‘God is with us’ claim. God was indeed with them but they did not recognise the day of visitation. This released Paul to spearhead an incredible movement into the politics of Empire with the kingdom of God (basileia being used of the Empire of Rome and of the kingdom of God). Wherever the Roman Empire had gone Paul took the Gospel to subvert the false good news of Rome. And no mention of the Far East. I still have not worked out how to process that, but I suspect that there is something deeply indigenous within the land and people that will in this next phase give us fresh insight into the kingdom that is without end.

Certainly (I am always so certain!!!) the emptying of power is the foundation. God-likeness as revealed in Jesus (being in the form of God emptied himself… not in spite of being in the form of God) will always be the foundation. New paradigms for healing and miracles are on the horizon (always difficult to see when something is on the horizon). Not a demonstration of the power of God, but a carrying of the presence of God; fulfilling the ‘command’ to not bear (carry) the name of the Lord in vain – but to carry the name of the Lord in truth. Healing is in the name of Jesus, and is promised to come through those who go in his name (not a formula, but following the first three commandments – allegiance to God, not image making and carrying the name faithfully).

These next years for the West will be tumultuous – for Europe if 1989 was a water shed so we will see further seismic shifts. What a day of opportunity for the clueless ones to pray – and as a result God to act. The West, the Far East, oligarchs, dictators – all way beyond me. But all will prove to be unfinished projects, they have their telos; meanwhile One proclaimed it is finished and as a result there will be no end.

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Saviours – do we recognise one

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by Martin Scott
Posted in Prophetic Perspectives

He who saves his country does not violate any law.

So wrote on social media one world leader who had 80% of the vote from the evangelical population. Yes it is obvious who I am writing about but my concern is not primarily for that geography but closer to home, as there is a mirror for here.

The clear danger signs are there in the post: ‘saves’, and the inference ‘above the law’. However quite some god-like qualities – or NOT! God saves and in the eyes of many is above any law, hence genocide, a commitment to back up violence to ensure that the land is ‘forever’ in the hands of those who are Jews. I wrote yesterday about the Canaanite woman and her child and Matthew’s deliberate (wrong) use of the term Canaanite to show Jesus response to those who were to be wiped out!

Jesus turns everything upside down, including some portions of Scripture. And he turns our view of God upside down… God is under the law of love – other than it is not a law for God, for GOD IS LOVE. And Jesus revealed how far that love was to go – love one’s enemies, for while we were yet sinners God sent Jesus to die.

Whether we think we have the right person in the White House, #10, Moncloa, Kiev, Moscow etc. the biggest issue for us to get straight on is who God is. All the time we see God able to act in ways we are not ‘allowed’ to we will turn a blind eye to all kinds of atrocities, and fearfully acts often done in the name of our God. (One time I think I should write on the sarcastic element in Romans 13 in Paul when he writes about the authorities being appointed by God… Paul writing while Nero, the madman, is in charge!)

The quote at the beginning is the final piece in the Imperial descent, with the implicit or explicit claim to divine authority. The Emperors of Rome were the ‘saviours’, they proclaimed themselves as bringing peace – with the temple to Peace (Pax) built on the field dedicated to war (Mars). (Again the sarcasm in Paul about the sword I do not think would have been missed by his readers.) The final piece was always the divination of the Emperor.

By all means we have to vote according to what we think is best. We might currently be divided over Zelensky’s appeal for a European army – without it what will Russia annex next (and sadly there is talk of annexing in other quarters too)… and with such an army where do we go? Not easy decisions, but there is no salvation of the human race and creation that would ever come from a violent god (small ‘g’), and there certainly is no salvation coming without aligning at some level to the image of God.

God made humanity in his/her image and we have ever since been making God in our image – hence the appeal of those who look like the (our) image of God.

Jesus is the one lens through which we see God, and see the image of the divine in true form.

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Coming clean

British Past

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by Martin Scott
Posted in Prophetic Perspectives

Back in the day so much prayer was focused on specifics such as the Berlin conference of the late 19th Century that carved up Africa for the Europeans. Alongside 13 European nations the USA was also involved. Alongside specifics a large amount of effort went into ‘rolling up the Roman road’, seeking to undo the effects of empire. We had some incredible encouraging signs and yet… But now so much seems to connect.

We should not expect that all movements that seek to address the issues are going to do it perfectly. If the body of Christ does not execute her task perfectly why do we have higher standards for the world!!

So much of history is covered over. I have found again and again that history stays hidden until uncovered through prayer. Once it is out the lid cannot be put on the box again. For the Brits among us here is a good article to check up on the British and part of our imperial history:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jun/16/boris-johnson-lying-history-britain-empire

I am definitely not patriotic. I find that to be in direct conflict with my commitment to Jesus. I cannot give any allegiance that conflicts with my allegiance to Christ. There are of course arguments as to what was achieved through empire, the sending of missionaries etc. It has even been suggested that the ‘fullness of times’ when Jesus came was the Roman Empire, one language, roads and so the gospel could spread! The context of those verses point in a radically different direction.

God maximises all possibilities. After all he even used a king in Israel! To find some good that came through something reveals nothing about the ‘thing’ in question.

The uncovering, the reaction is not going to go away. If I can be so bold as to suggest the prayer ensures that. And once we have prayed, we cannot then push it all back in cos what came out was not what we were expecting! Prayer does not unlock what we expect, it unlocks what we need.

We have hit mid-way through this decade a governmental crisis. We have leaders who are comfortable to lie. We have hit the sign of the COVID virus that is the wake up call… behind this comes the economic crisis that will have some back and forths but will come at a new level in 2022, when as yet some unforeseen combination of setbacks will hit.

Our response? Bunker down? Or use this time to allow for some personal readjustment to line up with God’s agenda. Early on in this ‘less than pretty time’ I cottoned on to the Ecclesiastes verses that God makes everything beautiful in its time. God is never inactive, never non-redemptive. There is always activity that he is involved in.

Loads of questions in this time, but I also see it as a major shift.

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An offer – with a twist

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by Martin Scott
Posted in Prophetic Perspectives

Imperial power is deeply embedded in culture, manifesting in different ways. At times hidden (though always present) and at certain key moments in history manifesting very clearly. Reading the book of Revelation from the point of view of it being an exposure, a ripping back of reality through the world of surreal imagery, I suggest, will give us back a book to critique the world we live in. The Imperial spirit has always been present, but never more clearly than in the times of the NT – the fullness of times. Our own times might just be coming close to that reality.

A simple definition of the Imperial spirit would be something along the lines of:

The Imperial spirit is present when there are a few who sit at the centre shaping the future. They promise benefits to those who comply, but the real benefits flow back to the centre to them, and their connections. There being an implicit (and at times explicit) claim to a divine mandate for the activity.

The divine mandate can be as non-theistic as secularism right through to a monotheistic sovereign God perspective. Probably the non-theistic approach is when there is less threat against the imperial life. If this be so we have to be very careful when there is a seeming advance of certain values. Are they as a genuine shift of powers and the advance of the Gospel, or are they being subtly co-opted, and thus eventually lose the power; maybe in biblical words that the latter stage will be worse than the former, with 1 demon replaced by 7?

The West has manifested this Imperial spirit very clearly with a dominance and exploitation of the rest of the world. There can be claims of how benefits have come to other places, and at a Christian level there can be claims that the Gospel has travelled along the routes that Imperial trade has opened up. Benefits to a level – yes, but the end result is not a shift toward an equalisation and empowerment.

Since the turn of the millennium there has been a great focus on shifting the imperial spirit, of ‘rolling up the Roman road’, and inevitably there was a big kick back into ecclesial structure. Maybe more so on the ones claiming a biblical shape(?), where however much body ministry was emphasised, inevitably teaching on authority bought into the ‘sovereign’ perspective of authority from above.

The shaking (madness) of the current time is very sobering. When the imperial structures shake there will always be a searching for divine approval. What better place to go searching than to some form of the Christian faith? In exchange for a bigger place at the table, a bigger opportunity to influence the future, that injection of life, indeed the very life itself, can help give resurrection to the Imperial spirit – in the words of Revelation, though the head received a mortal wound, the beast lived again.

These are very dangerous times indeed. There are many words spoken of family values, Judaeo-Christian values and the like. When that happens there will always be a compromise if believers somehow believe the kingdom of God arrives through the exercise of power. Inevitably in all situations of imperial power there will be persecution, it will always be against those who disturb the status quo. It would be very sad if in seeing the opportunity of the place at the table the result was a strengthening of the imperial arm to persecute those who are fleeing from real danger in other lands. Currently many are dying, or being sent back to die. Such a response begins rationally but if not opposed it will become ratified by means of legislation… and this would be very sad if this was found to be supported by many traditional Christians.

For those with a touch of Anabaptism or alternative to mainstream ecclesiology about them, we are coming out from under the ‘blessing’ of Constantinianism. The work of years could either take a step back or we could see a whole new landscape appear.

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