Cycle of exile and homecoming (ICEWS, eb 08) July 11, 2008
Posted by eric57469 in ICEWS eb 2008.trackback
For: The Institute of Contemporary And Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen’s University, Essentials Blue Online Worship Theology Course with Dan Wilt.
N.T. Wright (“Simply Christian” , Harper Collins) describes the story of Israel as one with a significant recurring theme…. exile and homecoming; slavery and exodus; expulsion and return. After a few of these cycles in its history, being ”a chosen people” must have seemed rather unappealing. We can only speculate on the degree of understanding that Israel gradually gained about Yaweh’s character as revealed in the cycles, but we do know that by the time of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel, the prophets were articulating this central truth about the LORD… He is the God who seeks his people, who rescues and brings back; He desires his people’s full restoration, regardless of their rebellious choices and impossible circumstances.
The exile and return is displayed again in Jesus’ story. Father God provides our rescue in the Christ. Yet, in order to fulfill the sacrificial requirement, even Jesus himself is exiled and cast away from His Father’s presence at the cross. God acts again, and ”return” is accomplished through the Resurrection.
Understanding God’s character in this way, allows us to live with more grace for ourselves and for others. Cycles are a part of the human story. Oftentimes in the Christian experience, we view God as the “one chance” deity who joyfully accepts our initial repentance from sin, but is not all that pleased to have to repeat the goodwill. Although His wrath over sin is real and great, as Israel experienced, His saving nature is even greater, which ultimately demands, if you will, that the cycles of the human story conclude in homecoming and restoration.
That is a great summation. I dont see how any Christian worldview would be complete without the the “exile” and “return”. Even spiritual maturity in and of itself is hollow without the coming of the kingdom.
Eric, your post reminds me that I once wrote a poem entitled, “Untitled.”
In the body of the poem was simply one word, “circles.”
Cycles and circles (curves and swirls) exist all around us in cosmology, physics, relationships and systems (or at least some of the best ones in my estimation).
Your reminder that cycles are a part of the human story, phases and motions toward ends and beginnings, is poignant for us. If New Eden is truly our destination, then Jeremy Begbie is right – we’re headed back to the beginning, only now the fulfilled and completed version of the slowly building orchestral piece. The tension and release of the music will add to its final consummation.
Thanks for this.
Hi guys! This thoughts of exile and homecoming seem to be connected to our relationship to Jesus on the Cross. In many ways we’re continually in exile and homecoming in relation to the Cross, we fall short and comeback at the feet of the Cross, we are extremely dependant on his sacrifice and Resurrection. My question is, can we repeat the Adam story once we enter the New Eden?