We have been studying Chapter Five, "The Ransom - God's Greatest Gift" in the book "What Does the Bible Really Teach?" Today there was a paragraph about hope. The hope for an everlasting life on a paradise earth. Scripture was given from Revelation 21:1-4:
"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more. I saw also the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say, 'Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be he peoples. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.'"
Thus, this is where the Witnesses get the "new earth" with the "new system" of things. Bonnie always makes the studies so warm and inviting. I never feel as if I'm belittling her beliefs. Of course, I'm not convinced the book of Revelation is nothing more than an acid trip. However, the idea of HOPE is very important to me. I believe that without HOPE we have nothing but sadness and FEAR.
I suppose, like many, I find many odd and disturbing images in the book of Revelation. But I am determined to find HOPE within the scriptures. The true meaning of the Greek word is apocalypse, but often is translated as revelation because it is "an act of revealing or unveiling". The book of Revelation has many interpretations, and some feel it predicts the end times and what is happening right now.
I found this Internet article when searching for the book's authorship:
Understanding Revelation:
An Evangelical Christian theologian, P.N. Benware, describes three approaches that theologians have used to understand Revelation: | Allegorical approach: The events in Revelation will not happen literally. They are to be interpreted figuratively and symbolically. This approach leads to a great variety of conflicting scenarios. |
| Historical approach: Most of the events in Revelation have already happened, perhaps during the persecution of Christians during the reign of Emperors Nero or Domitian before Christianity was tolerated early in the 4th century CE. |
| Futuristic approach: This is the approach taken by almost all fundamentalists and other evangelical Christians. The events in Revelation have yet to occur, but are anticipated in our very near future. The end times will unfold exactly as specified when the world as we know it comes to an end. 1 |
What do I believe? I'm not completely certain...but I am still interested to learn more. Mainly I am inspired to continue to look for HOPE in everything aspect of my life. I would much rather have HOPE than FEAR.
I believe that many religions (yes, Christianity in particular) center their worship and growing congregations on FEAR-based interpretations of scripture. The idea of a "rapture," to where only the righteous will go to heaven and the rest stay on Earth, bothers me on so many levels. Why is this earth so bad? Who destroyed it? Man. Why should we ALL get to go to heaven, since we continue to ruin what God created for us?...or more than that, who would worship the 666 guy? And why do people think Obama is the anti-christ? But there are so many out there that propagate a FEAR-based point of view with God/Jesus/scriptures/etc. I can't live like that - in FEAR.
I choose to live in HOPE. I want my children to grow in a HOPE-based faith...with love and warmth from good people, in a loving community (i.e. church). I want them to be able to recognize FEAR, and that the FEAR in this world is driven by evil, not by good. I want them to befriend and surround themselves with HOPE-filled others. And I want them to believe in HOPE, believe that people can be innately good, rather than its opposite.
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