For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. On Tuesday 27 April 2004 09:42 am, Steven G. Rockhill wrote: > I think we all agree that the Book of the Revelation is 'truth' as it is > Scripture. But we do need to be careful about how we 'interpret' the > 'truth' that is there. There is truth presented literally (i.e. > interpreted literally or as is or the plain reading of the text) and > there is truth presented figuratively (i.e. use of imagery, symbolism > and types). Are the two witnesses actually two historic individuals or > are they meant to be a picture (figure, symbol) of the confessing > Church? Is the description of the holy city in Rev. 21 a literal > description or is meant to represent in human terms something that is > beautiful beyond description? Will there be a literal temple or > Revelation 21:22 22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God > Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.? Is Satan actually bound in > literal chains? Is the bear still Russia? Is 666 literally going to be > stamped on people's heads? Is there going to be a literal battle of > Armageddon? Are there literally going to be apocalyptic horse riders or > will they be driving SUVs? Are there literal lamps somewhere that > represent each church? I will also add that saying that Elijah and Enoch > are the two witness is not a literal interpretation because the names > Elijah and Enoch are not literally in the text. We must be careful not > to be carried away by fanciful ideas and interpretations. > > Peace, > Steve > > HStaiti@... wrote: > > Derick, > > We should interpret Revelation literally according to its genre. Its > > genre is apocalyptic, and its structure is an epistle. It is a letter > > written to convey literal truth about the circumstances the persecuted > > churches of Asia faced from the Imperial Roman Empire, but it does so > > through apocalyptic imagry and symbolism. Therefore, it uses > > apocalyptic images to convey literal truth. > > > > > > In a message dated 4/26/2004 10:34:52 PM Eastern Standard Time, > > Derick@... writes: > > > > I'm Back :) > > > > Just a little note on the subject, everyone agrees that Revelation > > is symbolic, it is just what do we take as symbolic and what do we > > take as literal. Sometimes John does not offer a literal > > interpretation of figurative languages on either side like he > > doesn't offer who the two witnesses are in Revelation. People > > speculate it is Elijah and Enoch, but except for speculation we > > have not clue as to who these men are, or even if they are two > > different men and not symbolic. For instance, Revelation > > 12:13-17, some believe this is symbolic of Israel but that is no > > where explained in the Bible. Some believe it is a part of Church > > history and the birth of the baby Jesus and a symbolic > > representation of salvitic history. In that case, you must admit > > the second view is more literal because an actual birth has taken > > place, there was an actual persecution, the serpant (symbolizing > > Satan in all of Scripture) actually did try to destroy the woman > > and child, and the woman did run away into the wilderness. Thus, > > the issue is not one taking it more literal and the other more > > figurative but what you take literal and what you take figurative. > > > > Derick > > > > > > > > Peace to you, > > Harry Staiti > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > Web: www.warecc.com <http://www.warecc.com/> > > Profile of Harry Staiti <http://www.warecc.com/page3.html> > > Profile of Our 2004 Campaign <http://www.warecc.com/page7.html> > > > > Ware Community Church - Commitment to Christ in Community > > 8 South Street > > Ware, MA 01082 > > 413 967 5191 > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > > >-- > >To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: > > pastorsforum-unsubscribe@... > > > >"In essential things, unity; in non-essential things, liberty; and in all > > things, charity." -- Alvin Smith