When Paul writes “the glory that is to be revealed”, he is writing about the apocalypse. The apocalypse does not mean an end, as so many people presume. It means a revelation. We are headed toward a great revealing. The things unseen will become seen. Every day moves us closer to that revealing. We do not know the day, but we get closer each day, and all of creation groans for it. As part of creation — creatures created in the image of God, we groan for it most of all.

Meditate with me, if you will, on this passage from Romans 8 as it directly relates, I think, to the protests and riots we are now seeing.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Romans 8:18-25 (ESV)

When Paul writes “the glory that is to be revealed”, he is writing about the apocalypse. The apocalypse does not mean an end, as so many people presume. It means a revelation. We are headed toward a great revealing. The things unseen will become seen. Every day moves us closer to that revealing. We do not know the day, but we get closer each day, and all of creation groans for it. As part of creation — creatures created in the image of God, we groan for it most of all.

The people in the streets protesting don’t even know it, but their groans and cries for justice are part of it. When we first become aware as children, we begin to question things. We hear that voice that comes from our soul asking why we are here and what is our purpose and is there something better and why is this world so upended and undone and unjust and unfair.

The world calls back that there is no purpose, when we die the worms eat us, and the secret to happiness is the struggle to bring a heaven that does not really exist to an earth that does. The voice cries back that this is not true, but over time in many places and in many ways and with many people they stop listening to that voice and start listening to the world.

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