The Story of Advent
December 19th, 2022
There have been three long periods of absence of major wars between the great powers of the period, the first being Pax Romana [27 B.C.-180 A.D.], from end of Napoleonic Wars to beginning of WWI [1815-1914], We have been in the Long Peace since post-WWII [1945] . In the first two periods, peace was achieved by the dominant military powers Rome and Great Britain. The third period results from the balance of nuclear powers [U.S. China, Russia] and mutual defense pacts between smaller nations associated with them such as NATO’s 30 member nations backed by the U.S. and the most likely to lead us into war.
The time for Jesus' birth was quite fortuitous and certainly not random. There is little in the N.T. about Christianity’s relations with Rome because they were good until his crucifixion. Roman law provided protection, their excellent roads and maritime transportation supporting the ‘corn dole’ were essential to missionary travel, and the Greek language and culture underlying transmission of the gospel continue to be key to advancing the gospel.
Jesus’ greatest enemies were not the State but Jewish leaders and their particular interpretation of the O.T. They would lose their perquisites and power in Jesus’ kingdom.
I think few understood the full implication of Jesus ‘ coming, for if they had, they would have killed him aborning. By age 30 He and the world understood his true reality, and some sought to protect him and others to kill him. Hence he was given only 3 years to proclaim the Kingdom. Thus he slipped under Roman radar and was protected by them from the Jewish threat. We need a 2nd advent now in nations hostile to the gospel.
- Bob Allison