182
K. Bangert
3. The story shows that God allows himself to revoke any predictions of impending
disaster whenever man repents and changes his or her way of life. In other words:
man’s sin can be atoned for by man’s confession and by turning from his (or her)
evil ways.
4. Conversely, God can also punish His own, despite the overarching covenant
relationship (be that an individual such as Jonah or the people of Israel), if they
choose to disregard His commandments.
5. But God can also, after demonstrating disapproval with His own (Jonah’s near
disaster or Israel’s near destruction), rescue them and restore His covenant relationship with them. If He is free to show mercy even to the Ninevites, how much
more will He show compassion to His own covenant people, if they repent and
turn from their evil ways.
6. Finally, the story also shows that man cannot run away from God or from what
man is destined to be and to do—regardless of the ultimate outcome.
The Apocalyptic Narrative
1. The apocalyptic narratives suggest that there will be an eventual end to history
and to life on earth as we know it—be that through an external catastrophe or
through man’s self-inflicted calamities.
2. Apocalypticism presumes the principle non-interference of God into the affairs
of man and hence assumes man’s responsibility for history and for the well-being
of the planet.
3. Apocalyptic end-time scenarios should not serve as a rationale or excuse to
continue ad infinitum man’s squandering of earth’s resources such as water, air,
non-renewable energies, virgin forests, or endangered species, by claiming that
it doesn’t matter as the final judgment cannot be avoided anyway.
4. Even when assuming, on the basis of apocalyptic texts, that the destruction of the
earth and the consummation of man’s history lie in the hands of an unfathomable
sovereign God, that assumption must not and cannot relieve us of the responsibility of working diligently for the effectuation of the principles of God’s kingdom
in the here and now, as Jesus taught.
5. Whatever we may do to implement these divine principles and to change the world
for the better in order to preserve the earth as a livable environment for all, we as
human beings will never be able to re-create a perfect world or an earthly paradise;
hence, there always remains a promise surplus (Verheißungsüberschuss) that we
hope for, as God remains the final answer to man’s history and to the fate of the
earth.
6. In other words, although apocalyptic myths convey the message of a final restoration through the sole act of God (apocalypticism according to John the Baptist),
they implicitly also call for man’s commitment to righteousness, peace, liberty
and justice in this world (apocalypticism according to Jesus).
K. Bangert
3. The story shows that God allows himself to revoke any predictions of impending
disaster whenever man repents and changes his or her way of life. In other words:
man’s sin can be atoned for by man’s confession and by turning from his (or her)
evil ways.
4. Conversely, God can also punish His own, despite the overarching covenant
relationship (be that an individual such as Jonah or the people of Israel), if they
choose to disregard His commandments.
5. But God can also, after demonstrating disapproval with His own (Jonah’s near
disaster or Israel’s near destruction), rescue them and restore His covenant relationship with them. If He is free to show mercy even to the Ninevites, how much
more will He show compassion to His own covenant people, if they repent and
turn from their evil ways.
6. Finally, the story also shows that man cannot run away from God or from what
man is destined to be and to do—regardless of the ultimate outcome.
The Apocalyptic Narrative
1. The apocalyptic narratives suggest that there will be an eventual end to history
and to life on earth as we know it—be that through an external catastrophe or
through man’s self-inflicted calamities.
2. Apocalypticism presumes the principle non-interference of God into the affairs
of man and hence assumes man’s responsibility for history and for the well-being
of the planet.
3. Apocalyptic end-time scenarios should not serve as a rationale or excuse to
continue ad infinitum man’s squandering of earth’s resources such as water, air,
non-renewable energies, virgin forests, or endangered species, by claiming that
it doesn’t matter as the final judgment cannot be avoided anyway.
4. Even when assuming, on the basis of apocalyptic texts, that the destruction of the
earth and the consummation of man’s history lie in the hands of an unfathomable
sovereign God, that assumption must not and cannot relieve us of the responsibility of working diligently for the effectuation of the principles of God’s kingdom
in the here and now, as Jesus taught.
5. Whatever we may do to implement these divine principles and to change the world
for the better in order to preserve the earth as a livable environment for all, we as
human beings will never be able to re-create a perfect world or an earthly paradise;
hence, there always remains a promise surplus (Verheißungsüberschuss) that we
hope for, as God remains the final answer to man’s history and to the fate of the
earth.
6. In other words, although apocalyptic myths convey the message of a final restoration through the sole act of God (apocalypticism according to John the Baptist),
they implicitly also call for man’s commitment to righteousness, peace, liberty
and justice in this world (apocalypticism according to Jesus).