The Theology of a Firework Malfunction

by Jason Glas

Is there really a theology in discussing a firework malfunction and your firework barge burning up? Absolutely, because as Christians we should look at everything biblically and theologically. When I think about the firework defect that happened to us, I am reminded of Solomon’s words:

“Whoever digs a pit may fall into it; whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake. Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them; whoever splits logs may be endangered by them” (Eccl. 10:8-9).

We could also add, “Whoever plays with fireworks may be burned.” The reality is there is risk in everything we do. Manmade products fail, accidents happen, equipment malfunctions, and the like, but that is part of living in a world where final and full redemption is so desperately needed and will be realized when our Lord Jesus returns. Our greatest mistake was expecting nothing to malfunction and work like it was supposed to, a mistake that will not be repeated.

Before coming back to the firework defect, we should not let an accident douse the theology of the rest of our fellowship time together on the 4th. Theologically, the fireworks were just a part of our fellowship together in Christ. It was part of our celebrating the blessing of religious freedom to assemble that morning to sing hymns and spiritual songs and hear the word of Christ proclaimed. Then, that evening, once again, we gathered in the name of Jesus Christ and enjoyed fellowship, singing, and hearing the word of Christ again. Even after the firework accident, theology was on full display from God’s protection over the firework crew, the concern of the church family for our well-being, the care of on-site nurses in treating wounds, and even the parting words of one EMT to me as he left, “Don’t let this incident kill your tradition. People love it.” My reply was, “Amen!”

Some might be thinking, “Are you serious, you will do it again?” Absolutely. We will redesign everything for safety measures to avoid future incidents and prepare for the worst-case situation, because we certainly do not want one incident to crush what has become such a meaningful tradition for so many. For us, there is nothing quite like hearing the sound of children voices yelling out the countdown from the dock as we hear from the water: 5,…4,…3,…2,…1, zerooooo! (That is honestly my favorite part). We would not let one incident trade the joy of so many having fun, the joy of seeing everyone fellowshipping, eating, kids playing, firework shows, catching firework parachutes, hearing the worship singing, the devotion, and meeting people we would otherwise not have the chance. It is also a gospel opportunity as unbelieving neighbors around our home hear the church family sing and the truth of Christ taught. Theology was to be found everywhere that night.

There is also theology in the accident. Life is unpredictable, and so are accidents just as Solomon was pointing out above. Whether you dig ditches, remodel homes, work as a miner, splitting some firewood, or shooting off fireworks, we must live in this present world with the expectation that things could go wrong. Fireworks are manmade and malfunction. While God blesses humanity (who are made in His image) with ingenuity, creativity, and design to package and make fireworks, faulty firework packaging goes all the way back in Genesis 3 with Adam and Eve. I am not sure Adam and Eve ever had fireworks, but we know that human rebellion began with them. Like an infectious disease, sin and human rebellion spread to every human being after them down to us, and even to workers in a firework factory. While humanity still retains our image of God in function and design, the reality is that humanity is a broken image.

We ought to understand that humanity being made in God’s image is like a mirror where we reflect God. Unfortunately, as one theologian explained, we are now like a broken mirror. We still reflect, but it is a distorted reflection. Sin, in us, by us, and around us distorts and taints everything. This means that even our best designs and best work will still fail. It is the reason fireworks fail, condominiums collapse, and you have to keep doing maintenance on your car and home. Nineteenth century bishop J.C. Ryle said it this way, “The best of men are still men at best.” That is true for all of us. The best we have to offer is still fraught with weakness and imperfection. Failed machinery, broken phones, incidents, accidents, and the like all speak to the problem of human brokenness, sinfulness, and our limitations. The world in all its failures desperately needs something that is fail-proof. It sounds like the world could use some “good news” that there is a person and a New Covenant that is fail-proof, assembled in perfection, flawless in its design, and precise in execution where no accidents ever happen. That is why the “gospel” is such good news because such a fail-proof reality exists.

The Bible pleads with us not to expect too much from this world, but fix our hope on the Lord Jesus, His redemption, the heavenly Jerusalem, and the New Creation. Life is filled with things that are unpredictable, and we must live with that in mind. Accidents, suffering, injuries, death, economic collapse, job loss, and disease abound in this present world that longs for redemption. Unfortunately, so many Christians expect too much from this present world and think that God’s favor is shown only through everything going as we plan and going as we want it to be. Augustine, the fifth century bishop of Hippo, was trying to teach the theology of things going poorly in life to Christians who were living during the collapse of Rome. In paraphrasing, Augustine said that it is God’s will that good things and bad things be the common experience to both the Christian and non-Christian. This may initially sound strange to us, but when Augustine is pressed to explain what he means by this, he says God does this even to the Christian so that we might not covet the things wicked men covet and that we will not shrink in fear when we experience evil things like suffering, disease, death, persecution, accidents, and the like. Could it be one reason why we often cannot handle things going wrong is that we too often expect everything in this world to go right? Misdirected hope and expectation in this world dims our vision of the hope to come, and we are tempted to exchange the greater glory of final redemption for the cheap imitation glories of this present age.

“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 1:13).

In living in a world saturated with sin, rebellion, and distorted image bearers, there is risk in everything we do. We learn from those things and by God’s grace and wisdom we try and minimize risks as best we can but nothing in this life will ever be fail proof. The only thing that will never fail us is the word of God, the atonement for sin given through the death of Christ, and the hope of our final rescue. We are not perfect, but we are made perfect through Him who is perfect and one day our perfection will be complete when Jesus rescues us in the end, and we live with Him in the New Creation. Then, we will fellowship, worship, and gaze not at the beauty of firework colors, but the splendor of Christ’s majestic throne, the seraphim, the cherubim, the elders, the angels, and all the saints throughout the shining city of heavenly Jerusalem worshipping the glorified Jesus. It is celebration that will never end and will never have a malfunction. May God grant us the grace to plant our hope in Christ’s redemption no matter what we may endure in this present world.

Bro. Jason Glas and the Glaspack