Christians,
Are these next verses figurative language or do John’s words have literal meaning? “Then I looked and saw that the Temple in heaven, God’s Tabernacle, was thrown wide open.” “The seven angels who were holding the seven plagues came out of the Temple.” “They were clothed in spotless white linen with gold sashes across their chests.” “Then one of the four living beings handed each of the seven angels a gold bowl filled with the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever.” “The Temple was filled with smoke from God’s glory and power.” “No one could enter the Temple until the seven angels had completed pouring out the seven plagues.” Revelation 15:5-8 Does our limited understanding, and our muted imaginations take away from the profound images that John saw in the heavenly realm? If we are the Temple of God and God lives inside our hearts, then do the seven angels come out of us? I think not! That is just another extension of self-centered-ism. God existed long before man. He does not become a part of us, rather we become a part of Him. We must be careful not to limit God. We have to be careful not to view God from this limited, self-centered attempt to understand WHO God is. I ask - Does God have a Temple in Heaven? Did this Temple exist before the hearts of man? Does God’s Temple actually have doors? Is it possible for His Temple doors to be thrown wide open? Do angels exist? Does God have a purpose for the number seven? Are there actually bowls of wrath? Will there actually be seven deadly plagues? Is Christ really a Lamb? Is Christ the actual Son of God? Is Christ the actual Son of Man? Was the Lamb slain to save the world? Did God actually create Satan, a spiritual being who would oppose him? Did God plant the Garden of Eden? Did God plant the Tree of Knowledge, and if so, for what purpose? Is all of this just gibberish? Or is it possible that God is so much greater than my limited reason and imagination? Figurative language creates comparisons by linking the senses and the concrete to abstract ideas. Is this what John did? Did John do the best he could to try to make sense of what he actually saw in Heaven? Does the figurative language diminish the immensity of God? Does our lack of logic or limited imaginations take away from how majestic our God is? God is so good! He loves us despite our weakness and imperfection. His mercy and grace covers our filthy rags. Figurative language or not - for every believer - Faith in a Big God is at the heart.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
April 2022
|