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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Does God judge nations directly? | Obad 1:2 | Reighnskye | 130703 | ||
DocTrinsograce: I value every person's perspective on the bible really, especially if they study it fervently. Intrinsic perhaps with the belief of a literal millennial reign of Christ would also be the idea of a literal physical and bodily return of Christ to this earth. Similar also to Christ's literal resurrection of the dead. (As opposed to symbolical). Indeed, the first three chapters of the book of Genesis are very similar in writing style to the book of revelation. This similarity stands out with the depictions in each book (Genesis and Revelation) of a Tree of Life that was once in the Garden of Eden and then resurfaces in the New Jerusalem, which descends from heaven to earth. I might ask what exactly in the bible should we take literally versus symbolically? The millennial reign of Christ? The Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden or the heavenly New Jerusalem? The miracle healings of Christ and the bodily resurrections that He performed on others? The physical bodily resurrection of Christ Himself? The ascension into heaven and therefore bodily return of Christ? I suggest that each of these things are intricately interrelated. But are they physically literal or merely symbolic? I suppose if we had the power to make our dreams into physical realities with mere thought, like immortals probably do, we could manifest many of these things ourselves. But alas, we are mortals and will likely remain so, as the majority of our fallen species ever has. What do we know of such wonders, but what we read? |
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2 | Does God judge nations directly? | Obad 1:2 | Hiskid84 | 130709 | ||
This is easy to answer: we take the literal stuff as listeral and the symbolic stuff as symbolic. The only trick is when the text does not lend itself to clear identification. I've never been a big fan of eschatology. Probably because I see so many people all wrapped up in it instead of pursuing holiness. I have a solid confidence in seeing my Lord. How He chooses to manifest Himself will, no doubt, be different than I am able to conceieve. That said, I find that Revelation is a powerfully symbolic book. There are dragons and beasts etc. etc. Some is or must necessarily be symbolic. The millinial reign possibly falls into the catagory. One reason is that there is mention of sacrifices being made. Since Christ is our sacrifice, fully fulfilling our every need for sacrifice, what can this mean? If you really pin me down, I tend to fall on the more literal view of the millenial reign. I'd be considered pre-mill post-trib. But there are a lot of dead theologians out there, who are a whole lot smarter than I am, who don't see a millenial reign at all. in the face of such opposition, I just can't seem to get onto the Hal Lindsey band wagon. If that makes me foolish, then its your fault for dragging it out of me! :-) If you'd left it well enough alone, maybe my foolishness would have been in question! :-) Doc (On my far-better-half's computer) |
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3 | Does God judge nations directly? | Obad 1:2 | Reighnskye | 130847 | ||
Doc, I find that often when the text does not lend itself to clear identification on what is literal and what is symbolic, that often both may be somewhat true for any particular verse. Much of the symbolism in the bible (such as the parable of the rich man and the poor man) I will actually tend to view moreso as metaphysical realites versus mere symbolism, whether they be physical or not. Hence, I do not personally think so much in terms of literal versus symbolic when I might read any particular verse. Rather, I may think in terms of physical realities and/or metaphysical realities. This basically means that most everything, in the book of Revelation, I would consider to be metaphysical realities. In other words, that these are literal events that have occurred and/or will yet occur in the supernatural realm of spirits. And many of them being current metaphysical realites, they also have a potential to manifest themselves physically to some degree or another in our literal future. Although we do not necessarily see dragons, beasts, angels and frog-like demons in our literal physical reality, this does not mean that they do not exist in a more metaphysical supernatural dimension of spirits. Is this all too deep? I believe that the bible delves quite deeply into the supernatural realms. ---- "In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and *saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. "And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.' "But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. 'And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.' (Luke 16:23-26 NAS95) RS |
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