Marilyn Robinson, the modern-day novelist, wrote a beautiful book titled Gilead, which won

the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. And in one place in the book she makes a striking statement,

and I want your thoughts on this pastor, John. She writes this on page 52, quote,

in eternity, this world will be Troy, I believe. And all that has passed here will be the epic of

the universe, the ballad they sing in the streets. Because I don't imagine any reality putting

this one in the shade entirely. And I think piety forbids me to try, quote, so what do you think?

Will this life be a ballad of eternity? Obviously there will be no tears, no regrets in heaven.

But are there any biblical clues on the place of world history in eternity?

I would love to know what she means by piety forbids me to try. I know what I mean when I say yes

to your question, because I agree with her. At least as far as I understand her, I agree with her.

When Troy, as mentioned, I'm not everybody might get that. Troy was the city that the Greek

states were attacking to try to capture. And it was a 10-year conquest. And Homer wrote the Iliad

about it. And the Iliad, I think, focuses pretty much on the last several weeks of that conquest.

And Troy is captured. And so the bravery is heralded for generations to come. And the

Odyssey is about the coming home of Odysseus. And so in other words, it's a great historical

exploit that is told and written in poems for generations to come. And she's saying

in the age to come, after Christ returns, and the kingdom is established, and the new heavens and

the new earth are in place. The last thousands of years of church history that we are living in right

now are going to be that that balladry. They're going to be that. And I think that's right. So here's

my reason. What is history for? What is history for? All your, this is Psalm 145. All your work shall

give thanks to you, O Lord. All your saints shall bless you. They shall speak of the glory of your

kingdom and tell of your power to make known to the children of man, your mighty deeds, and the

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