The kind of stuff folks just don't want to know about...
Clue #4
“I go now to the halls of waiting to sit beside my fathers, until the world is renewed. Since I leave now all gold and silver, and go where it is of little worth, I wish to part in friendship from you, and I would take back my words and deeds at the Gate. . . If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit
Kind of gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "Sittin' up with the Dead" doesn't it?
I wonder what we talk about while we sit around waiting for the world to be renewed? Is it like a 40th class reunion where everybody tries to convince everybody else that they've had a successful life? Or will our failures and missed opportunities be painfully obvious for all to see? Most importantly, will those who did not make it be able to accuse us from afar of not trying hard enough to warn them?
Medieval Engineers: (interrupting) "Yer usin' coconuts!"
Dead Ringer: "Beg pardon?"
Medieval Engineers: "Yer just like that King Arthur fellow, riden' along on a bloomin' 'obby 'orse and using coconuts to make it sound like a real 'orse, if you ask me!
Dead Ringer: (offended) "I am not! I've seen that episode of Monty Python:"
Monty Python Clip
Medieval Engineers: "Yer usin' a ruddy 'obbits tale to draw a theological conclusion! Its not right! We won't 'ave it! Every bloomin' 'alf-wit knows that after we die we migrate to a place called 'eaven, sit on a cloud and play bloody 'arps all day! What's the bloody point in sittin' around waiting for the world to be renewed?"
Dead Ringer: "Well, actually, no. We will spend eternity on a brand new earth, not in heaven. Even God plans to join us there. We just have to wait patiently somewhere until the new earth is ready. And I never pontificate about anything that I can't back up with Scripture. Come on then, (bloody engineers), I'll show you:"
Matthew 19:28: Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."
Dead Ringer: Why bother "renewing all things" if there's no one to be living there to enjoy them?
Medieval Engineers: "Oh, well, go on then..."
Dead Ringer: Renewing all things would be rather straigntforward if you study quantum physics and the Simulation Hypothesis. Just press RESET!
Revelation 21:1-5: Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new."
Dead Ringer: So Tolkein's description of the afterlife is not based on a fictional alternative universe at all. Our next stop sounds quite like it includes a very pleasant, perhaps palatial, waiting room where we will indeed "sit beside our fathers until the world is renewed." Just as Lazarus found himself sittin' up with father Abraham.
I still wonder what everybody will talk about there. It does sound like there's some kind of a big screen cable news channel where we can still see and complain about what's happening on earth. And since they've obviously got fine wine, I'd bet you can order a cold beer too.