Math equations are not my
thing and if you add apocalyptic literature to math my eyes glaze over. I
thought John was pretty straight forward when he said that number of the beast,
man’s number, is 666. I get that. But what am I supposed to do when he says to
calculate the number…add, subtract, multiply, divide? “This calls for wisdom.
If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s
number. His number is 666” (Rev 13:18 NIV). Obviously not all of us have the
wisdom and insight needed for biblical interpretation.
1 comment:
Gail;
-----Math abides by its principles, not ours. Likewise, interpretation abides by the Scripture’s principles, not ours. The I Corinthians 4:6 principle yet applies to the Book of Revelation: “I have applied all this to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brethren, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written.” “Psephidzo”, the Greek word behind “count”, is used only one other time in the New Testament at Luke 14:28 where the tower builder counts the cost of the tower he’s building. Being a CPA, I know counting the cost of a project means summing up the price of its components. It is rather difficult, then, to escape the probable meaning of “psephidzo” at Revelation 13:18 as adding up the numerical values of the letters of the name.
-----I think we are all a little tired of the many different names listed which add up to 666, if not in their own languages’ letters, then as transliterated into Greek or Hebrew. Naturally, Ronald Reagan’s name appears in that list, probably proposed as such by Tom Brokaw or Cokie Roberts. All of these names vexing us as “the antichrist” are offered outside the boundaries of another valuable, Biblical principle for interpreting some stuff of the antichrist: “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed.” (II Thes 2:7-8a) So, we can rather scratch that list, unless, of course, the one who restrains has been taken out of the way so he whose name will add up to 666 has been revealed. I highly doubt that’s the case, although I am certain the process has been operating for many decades. II Thes 2:9 says the coming of the lawless one will be “with all power and pretended signs and wonders.” I’ve seen many dopes acting like they had all power, and with enough contortion, maybe their names might even add up to 666. But I have not seen any pretended signs and wonders yet (except for Barrak Hussein Obama.)
-----The most important thing to remember about interpreting Scripture is that it is God’s Word we’re interpreting. Therefore, any amount the interpretation resembles our own ideas brought to the study might be quite problematic. The interpretation must resemble God’s ideas scattered throughout His Word. So, when Gabriel told Daniel, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end,” it becomes important to understand “until” does not mean “forever”. For the next important principle of interpretation is to let words mean what they mean and let grammar build those meanings by its rules. Yes, a statement in the Scripture might target one end or the other of the literal/symbolic continuum, and often somewhere in between, but always let the essential meanings of the words and rules of grammatical structure draw the gist of the picture. “Until” means “there comes a time when“.
-----Mark Blitz, Joel Richardson, Jonathan Cahn, and others have brought up some very bold ideas we had not heard a mere ten years ago. If that were all there was to it, then I would dismiss them as a bit more than Nostradamical cranks. But what each says interrelates not only with what the others are saying, but with history, current events, signs in the heavens, and by all means, what the Scriptures are saying as well. That’s like God-done stuff. And as it piles even higher and deeper and more intertwined, give them even more consideration. This Tribulation stuff ain’t gonna be easy. Should we fortunately be raptured out before it, still the events leading into it will not be comfortable. A mind with knowledge of His Word for what might be expected and attitudes and emotions trimmed and groomed for expressing strength in His Spirit will be handy for serving Him in the face of stark realities this way coming.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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