The delay in God’s manifestation as the Messiah may raise questions among the faithful regarding God’s planning, particularly in the modern conception of time, where the delay may seem excessively prolonged. Even within the biblical discourse, prayers in Psalms 22:19, 40:17, and 70:5 express the desperate need for God’s swift arrival, highlighting human limitations in understanding God’s timing. St. Peter acknowledges this human constraint in 2 Peter 3:8. While King David implores the Lord for immediate intervention, we also encounter the patience of individuals like Simeon and Anna, who awaited the Lord’s arrival and were blessed to witness it before their departure from the world (Luke 2:25, 36).

To comprehend this delay in human terms, it is helpful to discern God’s planning, even though it remains incomprehensible to humans. Understanding God’s action becomes apparent when individuals surrender or find themselves utterly helpless. A paraphrased expression of this truth is the saying, “God begins when man has given up.” Exploring this statement further reveals that God allows humans to exercise their free will and strive to accomplish as much as they can, rather than fostering a parasitic dependence on Him.

This expanded understanding of time incorporates God’s independent planning and its integration with human planning, aided by the free will bestowed upon them. Both the Old and New Testaments discuss human free will at length. The Talmud, a compilation of ancient Jewish teachings, incorporates human free will in God’s plan and teaches that humans have the ability to influence events through their actions. The mystical Jewish text, Zohar, also emphasises the role of human free will in God’s plan. Christian philosophers and theologians, including early church fathers like Origen and Saint Augustine, subscribed to this Jewish teaching. Saint Augustine, in the 4th century, emphasised in his teachings the unavoidable role of human beings in God’s plan. They taught that while humans are responsible for their actions, God works through these actions to accomplish His desired ends.

These references highlight the role and responsibility of human beings in bringing salvation to the fallen world through their actions. The formative evolution of a particular civilization, God’s chosen people, was driven by this mission in alignment with God’s plan. Isaiah’s love song (Isaiah 5:1-7) articulates the appointment and role description, which ends in disappointment, lamenting the failure to achieve expected outcomes. This crisis deepened over time, as evidenced by King David’s lamentation of a critical skills shortage (Psalm 53:2) and God’s own plea for willing workers, Whom shall I send and who will go for us (Isaiah 6:8). As we experience even today, there was no quantitative shortage of (religious) workers in those days either, but the crisis was in terms of qualitative (spiritual) workers. As a matter of fact, Jesus Christ too expressed His concern on this crisis when He said, The harvest is plentiful but the labourers are few (Matthew 9:37).

From Adam to Jesus, the performance of humankind can be summarized as a net failure, with occasional attempts by appointed individuals to awaken the human soul throughout history, from Noah to the major and minor prophets. Despite being granted an extended span of time, human performance declined precipitously. If represented on a graph, while the quantitative representation of religious leaders increased, the qualitative representation, as mentioned earlier, declined significantly, particularly toward the end of the Old Testament period. Jesus exposed the full performance history of these so-called religious leaders in Matthew chapter 23 and symbolically cursed the fruitless fig tree (Matthew 21:18-19) as a manifestation of their underperformance.

Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of time encompasses both God’s plan and human free will. As the fathers of the BC and AD era emphasized, human free will should never be independent of God’s will, which constitutes His plan. Ideally, there should be a harmonious integration of God’s will and human free will. Unfortunately, this integration did not occur, and the first sign of disintegration was witnessed in the Garden of Eden. Connecting it to the notion of performance, the clear explanation for the failure can be traced back to the disobedience of our ancestors, Adam and Eve. This seemingly insignificant act (yet of paramount significance in accordance with divine law) laid the foundation for the amplification of transgressions throughout subsequent generations, marked by the first notable offense of murder committed by Cain (Genesis 4:8). From that point onward, the Old Testament appears to present a historical account encompassing a multitude of transgressions, including adultery, deceit, idolatry, and acts of violence.

The inception of the world witnessed a harmonious integration of divine will and human free will within the confines of the Garden of Eden. This state of harmonious coexistence and communion is delineated in Genesis 3:8. However, this harmonious relationship was abruptly disrupted by the initial act of disobedience, commonly referred to as the ‘first disobedience.’ Renowned German philosopher Heidegger (AD 1889-1976) characterised this event as the “loss of our authentic being in the world.” Both Saint Irenaeus (AD 130-202) and Saint Augustine (354-430) emphasized the detrimental impact of this fall, highlighting the corruption it introduced into the human condition. Subsequently, it becomes increasingly apparent that the loss of an “authentic self” and the ensuing corruption gradually permeated human performance, as evidenced by the historical accounts of the Old Testament.

The rupture in the divine-human relationship resulted in a profound separation between heaven and earth, as conveyed by Abraham’s explanation to the rich man (Luke 16:26). From a spiritual standpoint, this chasm proved insurmountable for any fallen individual to bridge. The formidable determination of the devil, vehemently opposing any form of reconciliation, exacerbated this predicament. Consequently, humanity found itself reduced to a state of aimless wandering, a phenomenon traceable to the time of Cain (Genesis 4:16), which eventually solidified into the epithet “wandering Arameans” (Deuteronomy 26:5). Regrettably, this state of wandering only led to the shackles of slavery and the burdens of oppression, poetically depicted in the Song of Songs (5:7).

If we were to base our conclusions on empirical findings, it becomes evident that the freedom of choice bestowed upon humanity has often been misused, influenced by the devil’s deceptive allure, with aspirations of constructing a world devoid of the true God. The historical progression of civilization subsequent to the severance of ties with the divine can be succinctly summarized as a narrative of excessive pride, haughtiness, and rebellion. An illustrative example can be found in the ancient Sumerian civilization, renowned for its urbanization, bustling trade centres, vibrant cultural milieu, and noteworthy advancements in fields such as metallurgy, agriculture, and transportation. However, this civilization infamously espoused a polytheistic religious paradigm, attributing control over various aspects of the created world to a pantheon of gods and goddesses, thus diluting the supremacy of the Almighty Creator. In essence, this departure from God can be aptly described in the words of Jesus as squandering precious resources in a dissolute manner (please refer to Luke 15:13).

The preceding discourse and illustrative instances contribute to the development of a continuous narrative regarding the exercise of human freewill disentangled from the divine will. Over the course of this epoch, as humanity pursued its quest for salvation autonomously, unbeknownst to them, the Almighty was orchestrating events behind the scenes, patiently awaiting their return, much like the father eagerly anticipated the prodigal son’s homecoming (please refer to Luke 15:11-24). The prolonged arrival of the Messiah can be attributed to humanity’s profound failure across all spheres of existence.

Hebrews 9:26 emphasizes the advent of Jesus Christ, recognized as “the Saviour,” marking the culmination of the ages. In essence, when all endeavours and aspirations of humankind proved futile, the ages reached their conclusion. The significant milestone in human history was thus etched by humanity’s inability to attain either earthly contentment or spiritual redemption. As mankind found itself in a state of decline, genuine life began to ascend and assert its authority over the world, fulfilling the prophetic words of Isaiah: “In the days to come, the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains…” (2:2).

The advent of the Messiah and His earthly presence should not be simplified as a singular event confined to the era of the New Age. Instead, it should be an ongoing and everlasting encounter that begins with an existential approach to life in communion with Christ. This (approach) necessitates a profound transformation in our lives, encompassing a renewed sense of purpose and a profound relationship with our Saviour. Consequently, Jesus bestowed upon His disciples a “new commandment”: “…love one another, just as I have loved you, you also should love one another” (John 13:34). This single commandment holds the power to realign our values and priorities, directing our focus towards practicing love, compassion, and service to humanity.

In addition to our existential approach, it is imperative to explore our relationship with the Lord from a phenomenological and personalistic standpoint. The phenomenological perspective encompasses a subjective encounter with the grace of God, His forgiveness, and our redemption. This subjective experience entails a profound departure from ordinary human consciousness, altering our awareness and perception of reality through a divine revelation that surpasses anything previously encountered. A notable example can be found in Saul’s transformative encounter with truth at the gates of Damascus (Acts 9:3), which led to his conversion from staunch and obstinate religious beliefs to becoming Paul, an unwavering proponent of the spiritual dimension of a relationship with God. This serves as a significant lesson for our contemporary world as well, highlighting the urgent necessity for a life liberated from mundane religious rituals resembling mere social club discourse, and instead embracing a phenomenological and spiritual encounter with God. (Please note: I am not against meaningful rituals performed in its true spiritual sense).

The attainment of such a transformative experience necessitates embracing a personalistic approach, founded upon the recognition of fundamental human dignity and worth, acknowledging that each individual is intricately fashioned in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26). Understanding and embracing this inherent value has the potential to liberate humanity from the chains of certain leaders that propagate and practice religion based slavery to meet their own selfish needs. Jesus Christ, in His divine wisdom, issued a call to this spiritual liberation, inviting all who are burdened and weary to seek solace in Him, promising rest and respite (Matthew 11:28). This profound invitation emphasizes the transformative power of a personal relationship with Christ in alleviating the burdens that afflict the human spirit.

Ultimately, our approaches and endeavours should align with and contribute to God’s overarching plan for this world. The question of whether His arrival occurred at a specific time, late or punctual, will perennially provoke debate within the realm of human scholarship. Nevertheless, nurturing a spiritual relationship with God, as discussed earlier, enables us to actively participate in His divine plan. While humanity has crafted and pursued its own plans devoid of God’s guidance, the Saviour beckons us to assume a significant role in His design. In this regard, Jesus proclaimed, “You are the salt of the earth…” (Matthew 5:13), emphasizing our indispensable influence and transformative power. This sentiment finds resonance in the words of Saint Paul, who in Ephesians 2:10 affirms for we are what He has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life. This statement encompasses the existential, phenomenological, and individualistic transformation of humanity, establishing a necessary qualification for actively participating in God’s team, faithfully executing His plan, and attaining the anticipated outcomes of divine performance.

In summary, the inception of this world commenced with God and humanity starting at Point A, in harmony and alignment. Regrettably, mankind deviated from this divine path, embarking on a treacherous and arduous journey of self-reliance. Throughout the epochs, humanity’s aspirations and plans remained elusive, akin to the prodigal son who, driven by grand but dubious ambitions, squandered his inheritance and ultimately failed to realise his envisioned empire. As the ages unfolded, mankind became ensnared in the intricate web of deception woven by Satan, blinding them to the truth. However, in His boundless patience, God the Father awaited the opportune moment, the appointed time, when He dispatched His only begotten Son to redeem and save us. This divine intervention occurred precisely when it was meant to, marking a pivotal turning point in the narrative of human history.

We find ourselves standing at a critical juncture, confronted with uncertainty as the world becomes engulfed in a profound and obscure darkness. Amidst this milieu, our senses are bombarded daily by the clamour of commercial advertisers and self-proclaimed religious figures driven by ulterior motives.

Now, more than ever, we are poised on the threshold of a new era. Let us endeavour to shape this new age as an authentic continuation of the eternal legacy established by Jesus Christ. From the initial query that sparked this blog—”Why did God take so long to reveal Himself?”—we can now direct our yearning towards the anticipation of Christ’s second coming. It is imperative that our actions and endeavours diverge from the mistakes of the past, ensuring that we do not inadvertently contribute to any further delay. Consequently, the closing words of the Bible resound with a resolute call: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20).

In Lord’s service

Fr Saji K. Mathew