I was struck by this phrase: “the revelation of God’s sons and daughters,” found in Romans 8:19. The word translated “revelation” is the Greek word apokalypsis. You probably recognize the word from the English “apocalypse.” Apocalypse stirs up all kinds of strange images and associations, like the Beast, 666, the lake of fire, the New Jerusalem, etc. These images are found in the last book of the Bible, the Revelation of John, AKA the Apocalypse of John.
The word Apocalypse means to reveal or uncover, to bring into view that which was hidden. In the case of John, he’s writing what was revealed in a visionary experience. God opened his eyes about what is hidden just below the surface: the victory of God, the triumph of righteousness, and the remaking of the heavens and the earth.
Paul uses the word in Romans 8 with respect to the sons and daughters of God. The full verse says: “The whole creation waits breathless with anticipation for the revelation of God’s sons and daughters” (Romans 8:19 CEB). I’ve got to admit, this one is a real head-scratcher. What’s he talking about?
As always, with Paul, checking the context of the passage and the bigger context of the story of God as told in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) proves helpful. Paul writes to a group of Christians in Rome suffering persecution. He stated in verse 18 that our present sufferings pale in comparison to the glory that will be revealed. Kind of a “hang in there, God’s got this, and he’s on your side” encouraging message to folks suffering because of their faith.
But the next verse blows it up to a much larger, even cosmic, scale. The whole of creation longs for the revealing of God’s children. Paul reminds us that the creation has been enslaved to corruption and decay, it’s now groaning for something new, like a woman in the throes of labor pains, urgently anticipating the birth of her child and the end of her struggle. Paul says that the sons and daughters of God have something to do with this. That creation is waiting for us to be revealed. But also, that we ourselves are hoping for this New Creation, the resurrection, and new life in the age to come.
So, how is all of this connected? Why is creation anticipating anything? And what part are we supposed to be playing?
You don’t have to look far to see the brokenness of creation. Disease, violence, and death wreak havoc on a global scale. The novel coronavirus pandemic serves as the latest evidence of this sad story. But, it’s not the end of the story.
The creation suffered corruption when humanity, created in God’s image, called to wisely steward God’s good creation, chose to worship the creature rather than the Creator. The creature we mostly choose to worship is the self. The result of humanity’s rebellion rippled across the universe, enslaving God’s good creation to decay and death.
There there’s a whole bunch here in the middle about God launching his rescue mission, calling a people to be his own possession so they could be channels of God’s blessing to the world, climaxing in the sending of Son of God in the flesh to fulfill God’s redemptive purpose, offering himself a once-for-all sacrifice for the sins of the world, dying on the cross, and being raised on the third day. (Take a breath!)
The creation, then, waits breathless with anticipation for the revealing of God’s sons and daughters. When the children of God are revealed, the New Creation will have begun.
Humans rebelled, but we’re redeemed by Jesus by grace through faithfulness. We’re called to take our place, under God’s loving leadership, exercising wise stewardship over his creation to bring it to its full fruitful potential. The revelation, the apocalypse of the sons and daughters of God, does not indicate a passive role for Christ-followers. It is an uncovering of our true vocation, as God’s children, lovingly partnering with God to build for his Kingdom.
Creation is waiting.