The Myth of the Golden Age

The term “Golden Age” comes from Greek mythology.

It refers the first of several ages of man…

The Golden Age, the Silver Age, the Bronze Age, the Iron Age – and then the present, which is a period of decline.

During the Golden Age (according to the myth) there was peace, harmony, stability and prosperity.

And now things aren’t so golden.

Now, we’re in an age of decline.

Depressing, really.

Various religious and political groups love this myth…

They are harsh critics of today.

They are angry.

They want to turn back the clock.

If they could, they would put their family and friends in a time machine and get back to the “good old days”.

They want to take things back to the Golden Age – that “better” time in history.

But there’s just one little problem…

The Golden Age is a myth.

The past wasn’t actually any better.

And the “good old days” weren’t really all that good.

This overwhelming desire to go back isn’t life-giving at all.

Don’t believe me? Just ask Lot’s wife about it (Genesis 19.26).

I don’t ever want to go back.

There’s no life in the past.

There’s nothing there.

Instead, I will live with a sense of wonder for today – and faith for an even better tomorrow.

“So if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new, which remains forever!” (2 Corinthians 3.11 NLT)