The Shape of Things To Come- Agreeing With Jesus

I have been thinking quite a bit about reality by agreement developing from reality by authority and it made me realize something: The shape of reality for the next age must be put forth by someone other than Jesus. 

Consider that if Jesus puts forth both the direct idea that reality is shaped by agreement, and then in full knowledge of the plan clearly describes the shape of reality, those who follow Jesus and understand he speaks for The Father, and worship The Father, would feel compelled to agree with this shape. Feeling compelled to agree with something is not agreement in its purest sense, but rather an expression of the authority of the other. So, while Jesus could simply tell us what is happening next and it would occur immediately upon being agreed to, the realm would be that of authority in the same way this one is, possibly just to a less direct degree. 

It feels like this is the exact reason why so much time has passed since Jesus returned to The Father: mankind needed to feel at ease with determining things on their own, an ease that could only occur naturally in the lingering absence of authority used. Jesus certainly spoke of the shape of things to come in parables and otherwise indirectly (at least indirectly from our perspective and understanding here), but never so directly as to negate the idea that we had to imagine much of what heaven and The Kingdom of God would actually be like. I feel as though this point is supported in the following verse:

Matthew 18:19-20

“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.

For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

In this example it is not just one that Jesus must agree with on the shape of things to come, but at least two (also mentioned: three). This is interesting to me as well because it means that the shape of the next age will not be precisely determined by Jesus, and Jesus may even possess uncertainty as to all of the details; there are lines along which this next age is flexible. Jesus must agree to the shape, and will not agree to an end to this timeline and beginning of the next that does not meet the requirements he already has in mind as instructed by The Father, but as far as the space between requirements, this appears to be largely up to those Jesus will be agreeing with. This fills me with hope and excitement for, if the shape and structure I have in mind comes to pass in this way, it is overflowing with all manner of nonsense. My image of eep possesses in ample quantity the kind of beautiful nonsense that turns a difficult phase and transition into a story that could be told in countless ways indefinitely. Perhaps Jesus had this in mind as well and chose to speak in parables, at least in part, so that permutations and the possibility of permutations might bloom within the mind of the reader, ultimately within the mind of those Jesus would come to agree with.

So while God has an image of the next shape of reality that will not be undone, and Jesus, as a man, would have personal preferences for how this space might be filled as well, the two or three that are to agree with Jesus on this next phase have extensive freedom to fill this space in their own way. It also seems, given the ample time that has been allowed for such a tendency for mankind to imagine, in the absence of apparent authority, to flourish and age like a fine wine, that we are even encouraged to do so. This additionally ties in perfectly with how a child might approach this blank space, filling it with imagination, while still safely guided and held by the structure that Jesus has preserved and continues to enforce in terms of God's original and firmly founded image of said structure.

This is an exciting and inspiring reassurance that felt like it bloomed into my mind just this morning, but one that I can see the roots of throughout my writings, and of course as I reflect back on The Bible as well.