My backyard is my paradise. It is where I go to escape the tensions of life, to pray, and meditate. It is surrounded by lush green trees which act as a natural fence. There is a small creek that runs along the fence. We have three bird feeding stations that welcome a host of beautiful birds. The squirrels and rabbits are constant visitors. I cultivate a small vegetable garden as a hobby. At first glance our backyard is a peaceful paradise. But first appearances are deceitful. The more I observe the interactions in my backyard, I realize that it is filled with conflict.
Birds are territorial and quarrelsome creatures. The birds that visit our feeding stations are diverse and beautiful. But the feeding stations are places of constant conflict. I’ve discovered that Blue Jays and Mockingbirds are bullies. As other birds feed, they swoop down, much like a dive bomber, to scatter other birds, then claim dominion over the feeding tray. The birds even battle among their own kind. The Cardinals often fight each other for privilege of place in the feeders.
I’ve noticed that with the increase of bird populations in my back yard, the neighbor’s cats are always creeping around, hiding behind bushes, and in the limbs of trees. Also, the squirrels are constantly raiding the bird feeders. I have to admit a certain pleasure in watching the Blue Jays dive bomb those pesky tree rodents. Then, there is the conflict between me and the rabbits. You will remember that I have a small backyard vegetable garden. The rabbits think that my garden is their all-you-can-eat buffet. So, I’ve put a small fence around the garden. The level of conflict in my backyard can be deadly. I once discovered a partially eaten rabbit carcass.
My backyard is a microcosm of all creation. The rain forests of the Amazon, the jungles and plains of Africa, and the mountains and valleys of Asia are filled with creatures in conflict. Humans are at the top of the predator chain and our villages and cities are filled with conflict. Conflict and violence are symptoms of a fallen creation in which power is established by violence and wealth. Conflict is deeply embedded in the DNA of the cosmos. This is exemplified in the recent coronavirus pandemic in which a microscopic virus has threatened the world. It seems that the cosmos has an embedded self-destruct mechanism.
The Christian Scriptures tell us that the greatest conflict is between humans and God. The epitome of this conflict is the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. In fact, it is human rebellion against God that is the source of all violence and death in the world. The heights of human civilization cannot remedy the violence of humanity. The establishment of law keeps violence at bay, but even the divinely inspired Law of God cannot effect the transformation of humanity. The experiment of Christendom – the Christianization of Europe – was a miserable failure. Even law and civilization ordered by the Christian narrative is incapable of addressing the fallen and violent nature of the human heart.
The wages of sin is death. This is not simply a metaphor, it is a reality. This present cosmos, this present age, will die. That’s why the resurrection of Jesus is so important. When Jesus was standing before Pilate, he declared, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting. . . My kingdom is not of this realm” (John 18:36). Only the resurrection of Jesus is the remedy for sin and death. The resurrected Christ is the first-fruit of New Creation. Jesus’ kingdom doesn’t simply transcend the kingdoms of this world; Jesus’ kingdom overcomes the darkness and chaos, the space and time, of this present age.
So, let’s go back to the conflict in our backyard. Humans should resist all forms of evil. Humans should struggle for justice and strive for righteousness. The struggle for justice and righteousness is the “suffering of this present age,” the birth pangs of New Creation (Romans 8:18ff). The Church is empowered by the Holy Spirit to be witnesses to God’s kingdom in this present age. The Spirit empowers us for the struggle.
Even so, humanity’s best inspired efforts will prove incapable of transforming human nature. The next Christendom may rise, or a new secular order will be established; but, in the end we will all suffer the consequences of sin – we will all die. Death is the ultimate violence, the ultimate oppressor. God’s promise is abundant life, eternal life, life beyond this present age. That’s why we hope in the eschaton – the end of this age, the glorification of the cosmos, and the beginning of New Creation.
Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
