Part of Something Bigger
written by: Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
“As for yourself, you shall go to your ancestors in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. And they shall come back here in the fourth generation; for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”
The first five books of the Old Testament, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, are called the Pentateuch. Within the Pentateuch, there is no reference to eternal life for human beings. The ancient Israelites could only hope for a long and prosperous life on earth, their legacy continuing in their offspring, and their patrimony celebrated for a few generations before they were no longer remembered. That was the best Abraham could expect. Bleak!
There were joyous hints of an afterlife after the Pentateuch, especially in the Hebrew prophets. Still, the real promise of God’s inviting us into the kingdom of God came with the advent of the Messiah’s coming to earth and reconciling us to God. In this season of Advent, it is imperative to remember what life was like before the Messiah’s presence.
People of faith in Jesus Christ take the idea of eternal life for granted. It was not always so. The Messiah’s coming, in such a humble way, expresses God’s commitment to communicate to us with intimacy and love. God no longer wanted to relate to us from afar or with just certain representatives of humanity. With the advent of the Messiah’s birth, God includes us in the divine plan. Jesus later confirmed this understanding by stating that God “even knows the number of hairs on our heads.” Rather than being pawns in some greater national religious identity, we are valued, loved, and called into God’s divine plan for the world.
Today, think about life thousands of years ago when humans did not recognize an afterlife as an option. How were one’s motivations different? Now, think about God’s role for you. What purpose did God have in making you in that divine image? Ponder how, from this moment forward, you can be part of the divine plan. Let this foundational advent moment begin with prayer. Don’t answer these questions alone. Ask God to bring you the knowledge and wisdom to live the rest of your life united with the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer of the universe, who cares for and loves you and me.
