AI | AD: The Narrative
AI
In Greek Mythology, the legend of Icarus is one of a man imprisoned in a tall tower with his father. This man, Icarus, sought to escape his imprisonment with the help of his father and the legend tells us that they made a suit out of candle wax and bird feathers that would allow Icarus to fly out of the tower and bring him to safety. Once the project was completed, Icarus was set to take off. But before Icarus took flight, his father warned him to not fly too close to the Sun, but instead to take his chance at freedom and to quickly fly to safety. Icarus took to the air, free as a bird he mocked man and gods alike as he soared in his freedom. He ignored his father’s warning and decided to defiantly fly into the sun towards the heavens. Icarus proudly flew as close to the Sun as he could. Wanting to reach the level of the Gods. He became lost in his pride and failed to realize the higher he went, the more the Sun would melt the base in his candle wax suit. We all have heard the phrase, “Pride comes before the fall”, and for Icarus this phrase became a reality, as his arrogance led to him falling to his death.
Icarus fell because of his pride, as did Satan, and as do I because there is sin in me. However, as a Christian, when I say the words “The Fall”, I usually am not referring to Icarus. I usually am referring to Adam falling into Sin with Eve in the Garden when they ate the Forbidden fruit despite the explicit instructions of God to avoid doing so. There is a beautiful parallel to this in the story of Icarus whose father explicitly told him that he should not fly too close the sun, for he would die. Icarus did die in the narrative just as the Human Race was made dead in their sin. This led me to chose “AI” or “After Icarus” to represent life after “The Fall”.
Christians Should never forget their is a crucial difference between the narratives. The difference is the Gospel: the fact that Jesus came to redeem us after our fall. Through one man, Adam, sin entered into the world and through one man it was to be defeated. That man was Jesus, our greater Adam.
For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.
Romans 5:19 (ESV)
See Romans 5:12-21 for further reading.
AD
The term “Anno Domini” is always associated with the date. Few actually know that it translates to, “In the year of our Lord”. I chose “AD” to represent “The Gospel” as a reminder that we are living not only after our fall to Sin, but also after Jesus Christ rose to defeat it in The Resurrection. We are living in a time where we are still broken, but we are already redeemed. The Holy Spirit is already working in us to make us more like Jesus, even though we are declared righteous and forgiven the second we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Today Christians Should rest in the fact that Jesus has all authority and that He is is with us as we go to the nations and tell them the Gospel.
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[b] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)
After Icarus | Anno Domini 