Screwtape Letter #15 – Discussion Guide

That present moment is the only time in which we can actually experience God – as opposed to a memory of a past experience that is over – or an expectation of a future one that hasn’t happened. Tortured fear is of a time in the future, which may or may not ever actually come to pass.

Ge 15:1 After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”

Ge 15:2 But Abram said, “O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?”  3 And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”

Ge 15:4 Then the word of the LORD came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir.” 

This is after Abram while Abram still had no children of his own. Even though God tells Abram do not be afraid – it’s not because God will protect him in the future – it’s because God “is” his shield.

The next one is to Hagar, after Ishmael is born – after Sarah gets upset and Abraham send Hagar and Ishmael away.

Hagar and Ishmael Sent Away

Ge 21:8 The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. 9 But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, 10 and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.”

Ge 21:11 The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. 12 But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. 13 I will make the son of the maidservant into a nation also, because he is your offspring.”

Ge 21:14 Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the desert of Beersheba.

Ge 21:15 When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went off and sat down nearby, about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there nearby, she began to sob.

Ge 21:17 God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. 18 Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”

Ge 21:19 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.

Ge 21:20 God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer. 21 While he was living in the Desert of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from Egypt.

Here – it is in the future, but it’s not something that may or may not happen. God said it will happen – and it did.

An interesting note on the Hebrew language –

In Hebrew, there are only two tenses—completed (perfect) or incompleted (imperfect). There are no such tenses as past, present, and future.

What is most important is if the thing is done—whether it was done yesterday, today, etc.

What God says will happen, does happen. Satan can’t say this about what he tries / wants to do.

This segment from “The Confessions of St. Augustine” is very telling about our perceptions of time (this was written in 397-398). 

But see at least whether that one which is now current, itself is present; for if the current month be its first, the rest are to come; if the second, the first is already past, and the rest are not yet. Therefore, neither is the year now current present; and if not present as a whole, then is not the year present. For twelve months are a year; of which whatever by the current month is present; the rest past, or to come. Although neither is that current month present; but one day only; the rest being to come, if it be the first; past, if the last; if any of the middle, then amid past and to come.  ¹Augustine, S., Bishop of Hippo, & Pusey, E. B. (1996). The confessions of St. Augustine. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Try comparing this with current science thoughts on parallel universes / time as a dimension, Etc.

Looking at time as a continuum – at any moment in time, there is an infinite amount of time before that moment. There is also in infinite amount of time yet to come after that moment. And this is true for every moment that is / has been / will be. It’s logically impossible – for all these infinite amounts of time to be equal. And yet – it’s true.

Physicists Eye Parallel Universe, Extra Dimensions gives a relatively simple explanation for some background  on the topic.

Add to that God’s all-knowing characteristic – and we potentially end up with something like God knows (sees / experiences) every combination / permutation of every single choice that every single person made / is making / will make across the entire time of our existence. He has always known them. Too much for us to comprehend.

But – the one moment in time when we can experience that is “now”. We can’t experience it before the moment comes. And once it’s passed – it’s too late.

Screwtape wants us to focus on the past and the future. He does not want us to focus on the present moment, because that’s when we experience God.
He also doesn’t want us to focus on eternity – because that’s when we realize the awesomeness of God.

Screwtape wants us to focus on the future – especially “our” future. The future is something we think we know. Eternity is beyond us. The “eternal rays” that the present are lit up with – that’s because of God. That’s why Screwtape doesn’t want Wormwood’s patient to focus on the present – too much opportunity to experience God.

Screwtape sees good things in the future for him. After all – his boss is going to be pretty active and doing rather well in the future.

Partially – at least up to the time when we approach the end of the earth. Then God takes over.

Rev 1:1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,  2 who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.  3 Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

Screwtape’s advice essentially comes down to ‘ do something – do anything – just don’t let things stay the same.

While he continues to try to blur the line between the Future and eternity – the last two lines really sum up this letter. How does this letter continue to clarify the different feelings that God and Satan have for / towards us?