Kirk’s 2nd Rule of Biblical Study: Attend to the context! That is to say, we must always keep in mind the historical, literary, social…elements that underly any passage of scripture (or any ancient literature). And Revelation 14 is one of the chief examples of why. Without understanding the context, Rev. 14 is one of the...
Tag: martyrdom
Understanding the Bible 50: How Evil Exercises Power – Interpreting the “Beasts” of Revelation
Interpreting the Bible well requires that we understand the central conflict – the dilemma that God must resolve. Last week we had our clearest glimpse of the Enemy (symbolized in the dragon) – the one opposing the loving purposes of God. But how does the the Enemy exercise its power? After all, most people have...
Understanding the Bible 49: Satan & the Dragon – The Enemy Revealed
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...