The Prophetic Message

[Gregory Matthews]

The following article is long and presents much to consider.  I find it of value, in part, due to what it says about the SDA Church, Waco and the Branch Davidians, near the end of the article.

 

https://spectrummagazine.org/article/2018/03/02/apocalyptic-imagination-challenges-and-opportunities

 

[aka]

I couldn't concentrate much on the gist of the article until down at the bottom of the paragraphs making mention of SDA.

Then it got interesting to read. I can recommend the content to anyone else.

[Gregory Matthews]

AKA:  Your reaction is exactly the reaction that I would expect from many who read the article.

 

[CoAspen]

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Apocalyptic literature arose as a theological way of defending the righteousness of God even when human experience finds it hard to affirm this. 

Quote

The recycling of “Revelation Seminars” which claim to “unlock the secret” found in the book are fodder for another demonstration of misguided apocalyptic dreams.

Quote

It does not take much acumen to see that the intention of the book of Revelation is not to “lock in a secret” but to reveal what needs to be known about life in God's creation, even as it does so in a language that is not intended literally.

I found the whole article interesting. The synopsis of how apocalyptic literature formed minds and theology about the future and our views of God was most interesting. For me, it shows the history of taking events and making them into a theology of God that was not intended. It gives understanding as to why organized religion has used the 'future ending' to 'convert' people rather than the 'caring ' of God about His creation.  

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

I found the article to be tedious reading.  I kept wondering when the author would get to his point, whatever it was.