How can we know that this will happen? Because of what has happened. Our hope is sure because it has, in the past, in history, begun.
Our hope rests on the promises of God to return in Justice and Righteousness, on the promise of a changed heart, the promise of forgiveness and the promised defeat of death.
But how can we know these promises will be fulfilled? Paul points out that all these promises hinge on the work of Jesus, in particular His death and resurrection. Because without that Jesus’ words are shown hollow and death still reigns.
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
-1 Corinthians 15:17-21 NIV [2011]
But Jesus has-been raised. Moreover when He died the reconciliation between God and man was demonstrated in two dramatic ways:
And when Jesus had cried out again in a load voice, he gave up His spirit.At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
-Matthew 27:50-53
Here we see the reconciling effect of Jesus’ death by tearing the barrier between God and man. Additionally we see the defeat of death in the resurrection of many after Jesus’ resurrection and His ascension points to His return:
After he said this, he was taken up before their eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
-Acts 1:9-10
Finally at pentecostal (40 days after His ascension) the Holy Spirit comes powerfully on the Apostles, and then continues on to all the followers of Jesus. This is something new but which had been promised:
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowed: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:“In the last days, God says, I will pour our my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams…
- Acts 2:14-17
In coming of the Holy Spirit we see God living intimately with people. With them in their bodies, again verifying the promise of reconciliation (without reconciliation we cannot come into the presence of God). Moreover this intimacy and power changes our hearts and begins creating a new community1.
In all this, Jesus’ death, the torn curtain His resurrection and the resurrection of others, Jesus’ ascension and Pentecost, our Hope has already begun. Or, to put it another way: our hope is so sure it is history.
All the aspects of our Hope have begun. And yet they are not full or whole. We can see and enjoy the first taste of our hope now (See the next section) even while we wait for the full realisation of our hope.
“But”, you may say, “we saw those dramatic things then but not now, has it passed?” Paul addresses this saying:
Concerning the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to Him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by teaching allegedly from us …asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs…
-2 Thessalonians 2:1-3
And again:
Then [Jesus] said to His disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. People will tell you, ’There He is!’ or ’Here He is!’ Do not go running off after them. For the Son of Man in His day will be like lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to another.
- Luke 17:22-24, and Matthew 24:26-27
And Peter warns that people will claim that this end is not coming:
They will say, ”Where is this ’coming’ He promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.“ But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word thee heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the works of that time was deluged and destroyed.”
-2 Peter 3:4-6
In as much as we have seen dramatic signs, in history, showing that our Hope has been effected by Jesus and has begun, His return will also be dramatic. But, carrying on from the passage above:
The Lord is not slow in keeping His promises, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
- 2 Peter 3:9
How great is His love that He is so patient!
In summary, how can we know that this sublime Hope is reality? Because it has begun in history: Jesus’ death, resurrection, the tearing of the curtain and the resurrection of many, Jesus’ ascension and the coming of the Spirit at Pentecostal and beyond all show, concretely, how the various aspect of our hope have begun. Death is only temporary, our hearts are changing, we have intimacy with God and He will return. This hope has begun, but is yet to come in its fullness.