Throughout the biblical story there has been a sense of an enemy. From the Garden of Eden, to the temptations of Jesus in the wilderness, to the cross itself…there has always been something (someone?) lurking in the shadows, seeking to influence events in a manner contrary to God’s intent. It would be too much to...
Tag: divine judgment
Understanding the Bible 47: The Beginning of the End – The Seven Seals of the Scroll
To a church facing persecution and fearing abandonment, John describes the vision granted to him of the heavenly throne room. God sits in ultimate glory – suddenly placing Roman imperial power in cosmic perspective – and holds in his right hand the plan for the consummation of the age. The scroll he holds is sealed with...
Understanding the Bible 46: A Vision of the King, the Lamb, and the Plan of Salvation
Interpreting the book of Revelation requires we first understand the genre of “apocalypse” (from Gk. apocalypsis: “to reveal” – as in a secret, or in pulling back the curtain on a stage). Though it feels quite foreign to us, it was a well-known form of literature in the ancient world, particularly within 2nd Temple Judaism. The...