Earthly Empires

In a single moment God’s judgment came on you […] A mighty angel picked up a boulder…threw it into the ocean and shouted, “Just like this, the great city Babylon will be thrown down with violence and will never be found again.”—Revelation 18:10, 21 NLT

Thomas Cole became one of America’s most important artists. Born in England, he immigrated to the US in 1818. After becoming interested in painting, he first specialized in portraits before turning to landscapes, particularly after visiting the Hudson River Valley in New York.

Eventually, wanting to be more than just a painter of idyllic scenes, Cole developed what he called a “higher style of landscape,” dealing with important biblical and literary subjects. This culminated in his most ambitious series Course of Empire, five paintings that dramatize the rise and fall of an ancient classical state.

The first paintings in this series, The Savage State and The Arcadian or Pastoral State, show a culture’s humble beginnings, culminating in the third painting, The Consummation of Empire, depicting a city that is confident and powerful.

By the fourth painting, The Destruction of Empire, the confidence has been shattered. The empire is under siege. The city is burning. Destruction is everywhere. This led to the fifth painting called Desolation. Here all the strength of the city has disappeared. There are no people. Only a landscape remains.

Making his purposes clear, Cole commented, in Latin, “Thus passes the glory of the world.”

The Bible reminds us that all things in this world are passing away. Nothing here remains forever. This is why Jesus taught us to seek first God’s Kingdom, to have the right priorities, and to invest in things that will last.

Reflection Question: Does the way you spend your money and time reflect a Kingdom attitude?