Much of Revelation is the source of debate. Many passages are symbolic in nature, and the exact meaning of the symbols can be difficult to determine. Some passages can be interpreted in various ways. The identity of the Four Horsemen, the 144,000, and Babylon the Great in particular are points of contention. Nevertheless, proper hermeneutics and careful study can illuminate these difficult passages. In Revelation 6:1-8, Four Horsemen are introduced. The first Horseman rides a white horse. This has led some to suggest that the Horseman is Christ, perhaps symbolizing the triumph of the Gospel. A white horse does symbolizes victory, and Christ is said to return on a white horse. However, this interpretation seems unlikely. Even a cursory reading reveals that the other three Horsemen bring terrible judgements. Thus from the context one would expect the first Horsemen to bring judgement as well.1 Furthermore, Christ is said to return not with a bow but with the sword of His mouth.2 This is not the only difference between riders, however. Christ is exalted with many crowns, but this Horseman receives a crown. In addition, Christ wears the diadema, or royal crown, whereas the First Horseman wears a stephanos or victor’s wreath.3 Thus from the context it seems that the First Horseman is none other than the Antichrist. This explains the similarities between the Horseman and the triumph return of Christ, for Satan can only imitate God. The First Horseman, the Antichrist, will conquer the world peacefully, for he carries an empty bow.4 The Second Horseman rides a red horse and is given authority to take peace from the Earth.5 This Horseman is war; he brings conflict on a global scale. With his coming humans slaughter one another. The ... ... middle of paper ... ... identity of the Four Horsemen, the 144,000, and Babylon the Great are often at the center of debate. However, a careful reading and thoughtful analysis of the context can provide a firm foundation on which to build an interpretation of these images. Works Cited Carson, D. A. New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition. 4th ed. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994. Hindson, Edward. The Book of Revelation: Unlocking the Future. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2002. LaHaye, Tim, and Ed Hindson. The Popular Encyclopedia of Bible Prophecy. Eugene, OR.: Harvest House Publishers, 2004. Walvoord, John F., Roy B. Zuck and Dallas Theological Seminary. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985. Wiersbe, Warren W. The Bible Exposition Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996.
The authors also go into great detail to discover the meaning of some of the better, but sometimes hard to define, boundary descriptions in the Bible. The authors attribute some of the difficulty in defining these boundaries due to the fact that the authors of the texts they are found in used vogue terms of their own time.
The extent of the average person’s knowledge of the Antichrist can be summed up as: a mythological satanic person associated with the number 666. An exhaustive study on end times Bible prophecy is beyond the scope of this book, but a brief description of the Antichrist is necessary.
Walvoord, John F., Roy B. Zuck and Dallas Theological Seminary. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton: Victor Books, 1983.
New International Version. [Colorado Springs]: Biblica, 2011. BibleGateway.com. Web. 3 Mar 2011. Accessed 22 April 2014.
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition Bible. Eds. Dom Bernand Orchard, Rev. R. V. Fuller. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1966. Print.
While the value of some of the historical documents is universally recognized as repositories of religious truth, they are inferior to the canonical scriptures. “Ancient writers assumed that their listeners would correctly interpret a symbol by making the necessary comparison. Actual settings of the literary genres used by ancient writers is necessary for interpretation of the Bible’s many and marvelous symbols.”
James L. Mays.Harper Collins Bible Commentary,with society of biblical literature. HarperSanFransico.United states of America.New York. 1988 .985.
LaSor, W., Hubbard, D., Bush, F., & Allen, L. (1996). Old Testament survey: The message, form, and background of the Old Testament (2nd ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans
LaHaye, Tim F., and Edward E. Hindson. The Popular Encyclopedia of Bible Prophecy. Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2004.
No other book of the Bible and its interpretation is more controversial than the book of Revelation. The book of Revelation, written by John, is the last book in the New Testament and perhaps the most important book of the Bible. Revelation enforces the importance of faith and obedience to the concept of Christianity by describing God’s plan for the world and his final judgment of the people. Revelation answers the question of what the future holds for this planet and its inhabitants. While it is a sobering reality for those who have fallen astray, it can be a great comfort for believers. The book of Revelation is somewhat troubling to read because it is a forecast of God’s wrath upon humanity, and it is filled with warnings to the church to remain loyal and obedient so that they may avoid eternal damnation. Most other books in the Bible are concerned with teaching the church how to live in such a way that we will be at home in the New Jerusalem. The book of Revelation, however, tells the church why it is important to live according to God’s will in hopes that the church will be on the favorable side of God’s judgment.
Revelation, the last book of The New Testament, is believed to have been written by the Apostle John circa 95-96 AD. The writings in Revelation revolve around the idea of the end of time, the second coming of Jesus, and the time of judgment. Revelation is believed to have more symbolism than most of the other books in The New Testament. Revelation 18:1-17 can be interpreted in a number of ways, but the most likely, when viewing this in a historical context, is that it is referencing the corruption of Babylon throughout time. This means that the author was not simply talking about what was occurring within Babylon at that time of the writing, but also what has previously occurred. By looking at what was occurring in the city during the time in which it was likely to have been written and other references to Babylon within the New Testament, it is obvious that the author’s discussion of corruption within the city was referencing more than what was happening at the time. Although some readers may interpret the text to be symbolic in meaning, Revelation should be read with a critical min...
New Revised Standard Version. New York: American Bible Society, 1989. Print. The. Russell, Eddie.
The Exodus of the Hebrew people out of Egypt as depicted in the Holy Bible is controversial. A literal, Biblical reading depicts inexplicable supernatural events suggesting the influence of the God of the Hebrews. There are three main theories about the Exodus Event. The first is that the event occurred exactly as accounted in the Bible, miraculous events included. Secondly, that the Exodus did occur, just not as the Bible describes. The last is that the event never occurred. The explanation of these theories will be presented in this paper.
The New Interpreter's Study Bible: New Revised Standard Version with the Apocrypha. Nashville: Abingdon Press, ©2003.
Wenham, G.J., Moyter, J.A., Carson, D.A. and France, R.T., eds. New Bible Commentary. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 1998.