Emperors and the future

I recently finished a book series that felt prophetic about world rulers. By prophetic, I do not mean predicting the future. No, I mean prophetic in the biblical sense: speaking truth about power, a messenger for the powers that be. The prophetic book series was the Trials of Apollo by Rick Riodan. Set in the world of the Percy Jackson series, Trials of Apollo is about the god Apollo forced out of his godhood by His father Zeus, the head of the Olympians. Apollo is being punished for giving false visions to one of his descendants. As part of Apollo’s punishment, he is made to be a servant of a 12-year old Meg. Apollo is tasked with restoring oracles that have been seized by the triumvirate-- three roman emperors who have lived thousands of years, secretly biding their time till it was right to rise to the surface. They are, however, pawns to the serpent Python, whose ultimate goal is to control all the ancient oracles and thereby take control of the future.

Apollo learns how to be human and he learns the beauty of humanity. He also learns how to truly be a god. He sees the worst of humankind in the form of the power hungry emperors: Nero, Commodus, and Caligula. Each emperor has a certain style: Nero is all about manipulation and lies. Commodus is all about theatrics. Caligula is all about ruthlessness. The emperors want to be larger than life; they desire to be gods. They are the exact opposite of what you want in a ruler, yet they give people what they want on the surface: bread and circuses.

Unfortunately, emperors are not just fictional, they have been a part of the history of humankind. The question for us in the 21st century is: do we know one when we see it, or do we put our head in the sand? Are we, as the people of God, willing to confront the empire and those who lead it? In the Scriptures, the story of Exodus reminds us that God’s people were under an empire in Egypt. Pharaoh had no real power compared to Yahweh, yet God wanted to show his people and the people of Egypt who was really in charge. God made a mockery of the empire of Egypt through the ten plagues and the crossing of the Red Sea. God showed that he was the God of Israel, not the gods of Egypt. The New Testament has a different empire that the people of God are asked not align themselves with: Rome. Rome rules by an iron fist; Jesus rules by the way of the cross. The Pax Romana promised peace, but in reality was just a way of oppression, a way the empire had control. Just like in the trials of Apollo, the emperors used propaganda and force to have control. The question for the follower of Jesus, was do I submit to the ways of the empire or do I submit to the ways of Jesus? Who is the real God? In Revelation, God’s people are asked to stand firm in the midst of persecution and promised that they will win a crown of life if they do so. In Revelation, Rome is the empire that opposes the kingdom of God, and God’s people are asked to decide if they will follow Rome or the ways of Jesus. God’s people are asked all the time to not submit to the emperor's ways. We are asked to be under the rule and reign of Christ. As the people of God we are to unmask emperors and see what they really are-- false kings compared to the true King, Jesus Christ. We do this by speaking up for the vulnerable in society, siding with the truth, and aligning ourselves with the politics of Christ: Welcoming the stranger, turning the other cheek, justice and mercy, human lives above economic benefit. These are just a few ways to stand against the empire.

There is another key aspect to the Trials of the Apollo series: The Serpent Python wanting to control the future. In the series, Apollo must free all the Oracles so the future is not under the control of the Python. The future being open to possibility and freedom is how the world moves forward in the series. Without the possibility of a good future for the characters in the series, the world will be in chaos. Evil triumphs. In Scripture we see this in the already/ not yet kingdom of God. God has acted in Christ and will act in Christ. Part of God’s work is a promise. All God’s word and work begins with an end and new beginning in mind for the future. Even secular society understands the importance of humankind and the earth having a future. We act with the end in mind all the time. Sometimes we need to look at the big picture and peer into what God has intended for his creation, that means looking to Scripture and asking, what is God’s future for the world? There are so many pythons that want to control the future, to be a god in their own right. In reality, there is a God who holds all of time, past present, and future, in the person of Jesus Christ-- he is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

Let us follow the true King, knowing that he holds the future!