The whole world is like one of those sad little aquariums full of greenish-brown water. The fish inside are diseased but accustomed to fin rot and low oxygen. They occupy their soupy environment, unaware of anything better, of any larger world outside. As far as they are concerned, the entire universe extends from one glass wall to another, from the dirty turquoise rocks on the bottom to the surface where an odd, dull light hangs suspended.
This goes on until the day a cataclysm occurs, and the water is changed, the glass case scrubbed, and the tank ornaments discarded for something better, more fitting for fish life. The change is sudden, unprecedented. A larger world has come, exerting power that cannot be resisted.
Rev. 11:15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”
Before this event, a blinded domain of fallen men rule everything. They have their own priorities, history, inverted values, self-invented truth, and yes, even a mock life. But at some point, all will be changed. It will not occur by the gentle graces of Christ’s transforming hand, for that indeed, is reserved for those who repent and have faith in Him today.
No, there will come a sudden upending of the current order, hardly the gradual leavening process that some suppose will take place. Heaven sings praises over this event, saying, “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign” (Rev. 11:17). It will be an exercise of strength without nuance. The days of divine longsuffering, of asking and pleading, and quiet miracles are over. Though political powers—even armies—try to stop it, the kingdom of the Lord and of His Christ will come. “The nations raged, but your wrath came” (v. 18a).
And what about the “fish” populating this polluted little aquarium? As the tank is scoured, what will be their fate? Now comes “the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth” (v. 18b). It is evident that those who preferred the cloudy water, the dark clumps of algae clinging to the glass, have no place in this radiant, new order. But for those who had heard the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ, believed it, and lived unto that hope, joy everlasting.
Truly as Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad” (Mt. 13:47-48).
In this interim, before the kingdom arrives, the message of salvation is here and available for everyone. The clock started two thousand years ago when Jesus announced, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 4:17). Two thousand years. That’s a long time for an aquarium to sit, turning into spinach salad.
But, thankfully, it’s just enough time for us to have heard about something better.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on John Myer
Featured Image by Danilo Batista on Unsplash
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