After these things I saw, and behold, a door was standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I heard, like a trumpet [cf. Rev. 1:10], said to me, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things." Rev. 4:1.
We have come to the portion of Revelation that offers interpreters more difficulty than any other part--the seals and the trumpets. Interpreters are seriously divided as to how to handle many of the texts in Revelation 4-11. It is important to bring to them a sound interpretation, not one based on feeling, or a gut sense of current events, but on what we actually find in the text. The only safe course in such passages as these is to determine, as far as possible, the author's actual intention in writing such passages. To the degree that we can determine the writer's intention in the original setting, we will be on much safer ground in drawing out applications for our own time.
From 1986 to 1992 I met with the Daniel and Revelation Committee of the General Conference. It was a rich and exciting experience, trading ideas with 20-25 outstanding Bible scholars from all over the world on issues related to the book of Revelation. In the course of three years we heard six different papers on Revelation 4 and 5. Each one, written by a respected scholar, made a case for a specific perspective on the text, yet the committee rejected all six papers. Such flat-out rejection puzzled me, but the committee was unanimous in suggesting that none of the perspectives grew naturally out of the text. They then turned to me and asked me to write a paper on the two chapters. Talk about intimidation!
I read through the Greek text of Revelation 4 and 5 many times. Suddenly it occurred to me: not a single one of the key words that would have backed up the six papers was present in the passage. Respected scholars had offered "gut impressions" of what they thought was going on, but the specific language to support their ideas was missing! In reading and rereading the passage, I came to very different conclusions about its message and purpose than the other authors had.
Our opinions about the Bible are not the thing that matters. What is vital is God's purpose through a human author and the method by which we discover that intent. We need to begin by committing ourselves to the Word of God, no matter what opinions we may have brought to our study. We must then give careful attention to the words of the text in context, and allow each word to have its place in revealing the message God would have us see. The only truth that matters is the one He intended.
Lord, I repent of all the times I have come to Your Word to confirm what I already think. Help me to be willing to accept Your wisdom on Your terms.
We have come to the portion of Revelation that offers interpreters more difficulty than any other part--the seals and the trumpets. Interpreters are seriously divided as to how to handle many of the texts in Revelation 4-11. It is important to bring to them a sound interpretation, not one based on feeling, or a gut sense of current events, but on what we actually find in the text. The only safe course in such passages as these is to determine, as far as possible, the author's actual intention in writing such passages. To the degree that we can determine the writer's intention in the original setting, we will be on much safer ground in drawing out applications for our own time.
From 1986 to 1992 I met with the Daniel and Revelation Committee of the General Conference. It was a rich and exciting experience, trading ideas with 20-25 outstanding Bible scholars from all over the world on issues related to the book of Revelation. In the course of three years we heard six different papers on Revelation 4 and 5. Each one, written by a respected scholar, made a case for a specific perspective on the text, yet the committee rejected all six papers. Such flat-out rejection puzzled me, but the committee was unanimous in suggesting that none of the perspectives grew naturally out of the text. They then turned to me and asked me to write a paper on the two chapters. Talk about intimidation!
I read through the Greek text of Revelation 4 and 5 many times. Suddenly it occurred to me: not a single one of the key words that would have backed up the six papers was present in the passage. Respected scholars had offered "gut impressions" of what they thought was going on, but the specific language to support their ideas was missing! In reading and rereading the passage, I came to very different conclusions about its message and purpose than the other authors had.
Our opinions about the Bible are not the thing that matters. What is vital is God's purpose through a human author and the method by which we discover that intent. We need to begin by committing ourselves to the Word of God, no matter what opinions we may have brought to our study. We must then give careful attention to the words of the text in context, and allow each word to have its place in revealing the message God would have us see. The only truth that matters is the one He intended.
Lord, I repent of all the times I have come to Your Word to confirm what I already think. Help me to be willing to accept Your wisdom on Your terms.
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