Is Christianity awake and conscious?

When searching for biblical signs, one can’t help but feel a sense of unease. The scriptures seldom speak in absolute terms or plain language, understandable to everyone.

Expectations and Prophecy: The First Coming

Consider Christ’s arrival two thousand years ago. The Old Testament contained clear prophecies about the coming of Jesus, portraying Him as the victorious King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Yet, God also provided predictions about Christ’s path of suffering, because the chosen people possessed both freedom and responsibility; the right to choose.

Paul’s Role in Understanding Christ’s Mission

It was only after the crucifixion and resurrection that Paul took on the task of persuading his contemporaries that Christ’s rejection, brutal murder and resurrection had always been God’s plan for salvation. Paul was remarkably effective in this, and I’ve sometimes been tempted to think that Christianity might just as easily be called Paulism. Christ Himself taught constantly about preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom and only spoke about going the way of suffering towards the end of His ministry.

Second Coming and Revelation

The victorious prophecies about Christ are now often attributed to the second coming, if spoken of at all, even though the Old Testament only spoke up to Jesus’ first arrival. It was Jesus Himself who spoke of His return and even mentioned that He would bear a new name (Revelation 3:12). The Book of Revelation, overflowing with apocalyptic imagery, is often avoided by many Christians, simply because its meaning is so challenging to grasp.

A Thought-Provoking Question

With all this in mind, consider this: if Jesus were to return as a human—just as He did at His first coming—could it be that the prophecies in Revelation are actually spiritual descriptions of real human actions and reactions? Just as the Jews eagerly awaited a great military / political leader, a King to lead them out of bondage, but tragically rejected and killed Him when He came as a great spiritual master, is it possible that Christians might entirely miss His second coming when He does not fit their pre-conceived notions?

Just a thought…