History Defined as Redemptive
Many people today often look at history through a very narrow lens. This type of view, this narrow lens view, is often found on college and university campuses all over the world. What is more, history is seen subjectively as an order of events that takes place in randomness, albeit with somewhat of a butterfly effect, questioning cultural frameworks, ideologies, subjective morality, and the problem of evil. For example, historical events such as the Holocaust are explained away in subjectivity whisking away any objective reason behind the evil of the Germans during this time. Questions and objections are often raised against Christianity by using the evil of historical events (i.e., the Crusades) to equate evil with a system of beliefs. This is in fact a common fallacy that people try and hold over those who follow Jesus and claim to serve in his church. I am not trying to credit The Crusades with being a good thing, but I am saying that you cannot judge a worldview by ones corruption of it.
Though going back to the issue at hand, many Christians do not truly understand the concept of history as it is defined in Scripture. As a Christian and for the way I live to be consistent with what I believe, I must view history as a whole within the framework of Scripture – Genesis to Revelation. History has a beginning and history has an end. As Christians who believe that the Bible is God’s Word, we interpret historical events within the meta-narrative, or the ‘big picture’ of history. Likewise, within Scripture we interpret all the little stories within the one big story. This is what is known as biblical theology.
History must be seen in the linear progression of what God is doing redemptively until Jesus comes back. We should view this linear progression as follows: Creation, Fall, Redemption, and New Creation. When we view history within this framework, the Bible’s big picture story begins to become our worldview in how we view history. History becomes objective and purposed. It becomes absolute. We begin to have greater confidence in a God who has not left his creation to rubble but has in fact held to his promise that he made in Genesis 3:15. We understand that we are currently in between the redemptive historical stages of Redemption and New Creation as we eagerly anticipate the coming of our King and the ushering in of the final stage of redemptive history, New Creation.
History must be seen in light of redemption; it must be seen in what God is doing in saving sinners, building his church, and making all things new – all pointing toward to his final and purposed direction of history as we await the completeness of shalom.
