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Scarlet Beast or Jesus Christ?
Is it more important to try and figure out who the woman on the scarlet beast is in Revelation 17 or to seek the Revelation of Jesus Christ in the Book of Revelation (Rev. 1:1). Are we enamored more with the symbolism of Revelation or with Jesus or Savior? (This comes from an A.W. Tozer book)
There is nothing wrong with studying Scripture, but we must never forget why the Scripture was given and to whom the words point and speak.
Why is there such a great interest in demonology, angels, prophecy and in the end of the day what value do the have for the child of God living on earth?
What other things in Scripture detract us from focusing on Jesus?
What do you think?
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Colby on
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The disciples put it this way: "Tell us, Lord, when will all this happen, and what will be the sign of its coming?" (Mark 13:4). Jesus gives a lengthy and cryptic answer: "And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet (Mark 13:7). ... But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father" (Mark 13:32).
Some 2,000 years have passed by since the disciples posed that question and the Book of Revelation was written proclaiming "the end is near," (1:3). Since then, we have seen many destructive wars, rumors of wars, natural disasters, and false prophets. Yet, the Earth continues to spin on its axis and orbit the Sun; the sun continues without fail to "rise" in the morning and "set" at night.
Any reader of history knows this nothing new or unique to people living today. Every generation over the past 20 centuries since Jesus lived and walked among to us has believed they were living in the last days, lining up biblical end times prophecies with the events going on when they lived. We, the people of the early 21st century are no different. We cannot imagine a time when the world was more filled with fear and caught up in death and suffering than the present. How could things possibly get any worse, each generation has asked? (Never mind that in 1914 and 1939 the world was engulfed in war, the scale and destructiveness of which had never been seen before, that would result in the death of tens of millions and untold destruction. People living then concluded that they too were at the end, and understandably so).
Obscure and ambiguous passages from Revelation and other biblical writings are strung together by some contemporary religious leaders to make an explicit connection to the places, persons and events of today as irrefutable evidence that the dire end is imminent. So wrapped up are they in the certainty of their eschatological views that they and their hard core followers are fixated with end-times thinking such that it becomes the sole focus of their faith. A few of the more brazen ones, most recently Family Radio's Harold Camping (and he won't be the last), have gone so far as to predict the exact time and date of Jesus' second coming only to be proven wrong.
But wait, contrary to our hopes and desires, such is not the purpose of apocalyptic literature. The purpose of apocalyptic literature is not to provide us with blueprints to the future, but to remind God's people that no matter how dire circumstances may get, God is still in control--always has been and always will be. These passages were not written to give us a road map to the end times, but to strengthen and encourage us in those times when we are gripped by the jaws of defeat. In those times when it appears as though all may be lost, apocalyptic literature reminds us that in JESUS CHRIST we win!
We would do well to heed the advice God gave Daniel (Daniel Chapter 12). He said, "Go your own way, Daniel" (Daniel 12:9). Stay strong. Stay true. Stay faithful. Persevere. Don’t obsess about the “end,” but don’t get complacent, either. Just stay in the game and keep playing.
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Permalink Reply by Charles Burwell on
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Colby
Amen and very well said!
LT
I feel that one of the things in scripture that can distact us from focusing on Jesus are verses that people use to promote the 'prosperity gospel' and the idea that God heals every one. People get so focused on being financially prosperous and in excellent health that they can become in danger of trying to overpower ( a very poor word choice) the sovereignty of God .
In Isaiah 55:8-9 we are strongly reminded that His ways and thoughts are so much higher than ours and therefore we many times cannot understand what is going on.
But in Romans 8:28 it states that, by the grace of God alone,all things that happen to us (irregardless of our perception of them being good or evil) will be used by God to benefit us. Too many times we bring our own understanding of how things should work out and are then disappointed or discouraged when they don't work out according to our way of thinking.
Also Proverbs 3:5-6 the Word tells us to not lean on our own understanding but to trust God. As you said about the end times books, they are there to let us know that ,if we stay true to God we will win in the end. I say 'if we stay true to Him because we know that He will win in the end.
Jesus tells us in one of my favorite scriptures ,Matt. 6:33 "Seek first the kingdom of God and HIS righteousness and all things will be added unto us." He will take care of us when our hearts are set on Him. We just need to be very carefull about being led into the belief than we can manipulate God to honor our will. In Colossians Paul speaks of God 'working all things after the counsel of HIS OWN WILL (CAPITALS MINE).'
I am always leary of people who try to us the Word of God to get God to conform to their understanding. It has never worked and never will. If we don't understand we must just put all of our confidence in Him and believe that He will work thingss out and His way will always be best. This is a testimony from someone who has tried to persuade God to my own way of thinking and learned the hard way that that is just not going to happen. And am , in many cases, eternally grateful that He didn't 'do it my way'.
Please don't misunderstand, I believe that God can make people wealthy and heal all manner of sickness and ailments. It's just that sometimes He has 'other plans' for us and we must be willing to accept them and trust Him.
One of the best examples of this(to me anyhow) is Joni Erikson Tada. She is a quadrapalegic and has been for many years but still maintains a confidence in God that puts many of us to shame. I know that she must go through and certainly had to go through some rough times accepting the will of God, but God has richly blessed her and her ministry because she has commited herself to Him though she remains to this day(t the best of my knowledge) in that wheelchair.
I just realized how long this was getting and need to stop. God bless
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What other things in Scripture detract us from focusing on Jesus?
Parking your Bible prominently on a bookshelf in plain view where it only gathers dust or in a closet where it never sees the light of day.
The fear of becoming lost and confused among a large and changing cast of characters, places and events keeps many from reading the OT.
Over familiarity. Knowing verses so well, from having read and/or heard them so many times, that they get etched in your memory, but you don't really grasp their full significance. Example: Ephesians 2:8-9, which many have memorized, but few know the verse that follows. "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10).
Imputing to the Bible things that it doesn't say; superimposing our preconceived notions, biases, and prejudices on the text (eisegesis versus exegesis). Cherry picking the verses that seem to support your point of view while conveniently ignoring, glossing over or doing interpretive gymnastics with those that do not.
Reading the Bible in snippets, jumping around from verse to verse or chapter to chapter, without reading an entire book--not to mention the Bible from cover to cover. (We do not read other great works of literature in that fashion, so why do we read the Bible in such a haphazard manner?)
Thinking the Bible says something that it does not. When you find yourself saying with certainty, "the Bible says...," and when pressed by someone to cite the book, chapter and verse, we can't find it. Why? Because it isn't there. Example: "God only helps those who help themselves" or "God hates the sin but loves the sinner." Both oft-quoted phrases are nowhere to be found in the Bible. To be sure, the principle that God detests sin and loves sinners is manifested in many verses.
An unhealthy preoccupation or obsession with looking in the Bible for hidden meanings and secret codes about the timing of the apocalypse and attributing every event (no matter how obscure) that happens to the fulfillment of biblical prophecy.
Not being able to distinguish between major (the essentials of the faith) and minor themes in the Bible and, as a result, arguing and dividing with other Christians. Also known as "majoring in the minors and minoring in the majors."
Our seeming inability, despite the Bible being more accessible to us today than ever before, to find time read the Bible, although we are able to fit everything else into our busy lives.
Not reading the Bible for all it's worth. Not attempting to the best of our ability to understand the social, cultural and historical context in which each book was written, the purpose and primary or original audience for which they were written, their authorship (yes, God is the publisher, but the writing styles of the human authors do manifest themselves in the text) and chronology (and sequence), and how they all fit together as God's seamless and progressive revelation.
Failing to perceive the meaning intended by God in a verse, or not seeing the many layers of deep meaning contained in the parables of Jesus. Granted, biblical passages can be interpreted in many ways, but only one interpretation is correct and aligns with that intended by God. There are some handy rules or guidelines for biblical interpretation (the art and science of hermeneutics) that can help us avoid these pitfalls. One being this: interpret the more obscure and difficult passages in light of those that are written clearly on a particular matter.
Feeling a deep need to focus on the life, ministry and teachings of Jesus Christ? Need a refresher course? Don't know where to begin? Go straight to the gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
Not knowing where to go in the Bible to find answers to your questions and feeling intimidated by its sheer size. There's nothing wrong with joining a Bible study group and with using study aids--including commentaries, dictionaries, concordances, lexicons, etc--to help you navigate your way through the Bible. For example, if you're looking for an in-depth presentation of God's plan of salvation, Romans is the right place. If you want to know who created the universe and life, go to Genesis.
Limiting yourself to one translation. To help you better understand more difficult verses or those with nuanced meanings, read the Bible in parallel: that is, try consulting two or more English translations side-by-side.
Not being in the right frame of mind when you read the Bible, not giving God's Word the reverence it is due. Try beginning your Bible readings/study with a prayer.
Using the Bible for your own selfish ends, not to illuminate, but as a club that you beat over the head of others to prove just how right YOU are on fine points of theology, flinging Bible verses back and forth as if he/she who can amass the most verses wins the argument. "The Bible says it, I believe it, you're wrong. Case closed."
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Permalink Reply by Tammy on
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Many many people use the Bible for their selfish ends. False prophets, prosperity preacher, people who live in sin but justify it thru the word, & the list goes on. We should also remember that false teachers will not be so easy to spot. False religions use enough of the truth to make their points seem valid especially to those who don't research it enough for themselves. I think each individual is different & how we approach them. We should, of course, first of all pray for the leading of the Spirit because you can quote Scripture all day long & if the Spirit isn't backing your words, you're just babbling. Some need the hard words like you said you did Grace. Others need the love & compassion like the woman who wiped His feet with her hair. We should always lean on the Lord for His guidance & the words HE wants us to share. The Word is the sword & without the Spirit, you're carrying a butter knife.
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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on
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Tammy,
You said: The Word is the sword & without the Spirit, you're carrying a butter knife.
I understand what you mean and like that :-)
Lord Bless,
LT
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Grace,
Some times people will become singular focused and study only one topic above all others. This is true of certain people that focus on prophecy and is true of certain prosperity teachers. They have been detracted from focusing on Jesus and become enamored with the topic over the Lord. Does that mean Scripture is wrong or studying Scripture is wrong? Of course not. It shows that man can be distracted and thus detracted from the true purpose of Scripture when they allow themselves to become focused on one thing instead of a well balanced approach.
Lord Bless,
LT
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Permalink Reply by Amanda on
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Tammy,
Amen.
It's difficult for me to discern what form of spiritual truth needs communicating to someone, speaking to their situation, whether it's a word of warning or a word of comfort or encouragement. Above all, the words are to be loving, building each other up.
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Permalink Reply by Mary O on
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Hi LT, God bless you!
Even when a section of scripture is not written to me, I can still learn from it. If there's something I don't understand, I pray about it and wait for God to show me what the scripture says. I don't focus on it to the point that I ignore other verses. I put a small note in my Bible. It's not unusual for me to hear a teaching later on that covers the verse. I rejoice and thank God when He reveals it to me. Otherwise, I have a tendency to overthink everything. I discovered that about myself studying and writing for school. I can make that a strength, or it can be a weakness. I need boundaries, and I thank God for showing that to me.
As for your question about demonology, angels, prophecy and the end of the day, maybe it's fear or fascination? I don't know why people have such great interest. Just speaking for myself, I could probably talk about demons, angels and prophecy a lot more, but I choose not to. Instead of thinking about all of that, I would like to think about Jesus Christ.
Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near. (Revelation 1:3)
IMO the blessing involves more than reading, it involves hearing it to the point that you take it to heart. Changing and living your life in a manner that is pleasing to God.
Love,
Mary
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Mary,
I especially like the fact that you do not try to force an understanding, but rather wait for God to illuminate the Word for you.
Lord Bless,
LT
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