Grasping God's Word

17. RevelationThe word “revelation” (apokalypsis inGreek) suggests that something once hiddenis now being unveiled or openly displayed.Original context: false religion is forminga partnership with pagan political andeconomic power to pressure those whoclaim to follow Christ. Will they compromisewith the world to avoid persecutionor openly confess Christ and experiencetrouble?Revelation is a prophetic-apocalypticletter that uses strange images to bringheavenly perspective and hope to a strugglingpeople. The main message of Revelationis God will win!Guidelines for reading Revelation:■ Read Revelation with humility.■ Try to discover the message to the originalreaders.■ Don’t try to discover a strict chronologicalmap of future events.■ Take Revelation seriously, but don’talways take it literally.■ Pay close attention when John identifiesan image.■ Look to the Old Testament and the historicalcontext of the book when interpretingimages and symbols.18. OT NarrativeBiblical narratives are theological history.The meaning derives primarily fromthe action of the characters.Not all of the human characters are“good” models for us.God is often a central character in thestory.Narrator is a synonym for author.Narrative episodes are usually longer inthe OT than the NT.Literary features of OT narrative: Plot,setting, characters, viewpoint of the narrator,comparison/contrast, and irony.19. OT LawTraditional approach: distinguishesbetween moral, civil, and ceremonial laws(not an appropriate distinction). Rather:1. Study the law within its narrativecontext.2. Interpret the law within its covenantcontext.a. The Mosaic covenant is associatedwith the conquest and occupationof the land.b. Blessings for the Mosaic covenantare conditional.c. The Mosaic covenant is no longer afunctional covenant.d. The OT law as part of the Mosaiccovenant is no longer applicable aslaw.e. We must interpret the law throughthe grid of NT teaching.20. OT PoetryElements of OT Poetry:■ Terseness (minimum number of words)■ Structure1. Parallelism (synonymous, developmental,illustrative, contrastive,formal2. Acrostics■ Figurative Imagery:1. Analogy (simile, metaphor, indirectanalogy, hyperbole, personification)2. Substitution (effects and causes,representation)3. Miscellaneous (apostrophe, irony)4. WordplaysThe function of Psalms: to “give usinspired models of how to talk andsing to God.”21. OT ProphetsBasic prophetic message:1. You have broken the covenant; youhad better repent!2. No repentance? Then judgment!3. Yet, there is hope beyond the judgmentfor a glorious, future restoration.Three indictments:1. Idolatry2. Social injustice3. Religious ritualism22. OT Wisdom BooksWisdom: that combination of knowledgeand character that allows one to live inthe real world in a right and godly manner.Proverbs: the rational ordered norms oflife.The exceptions to Proverbs:Job — the suffering of the righteousEcclesiastes — the failure of therational, ordered approach to provideultimate meaning to lifeSong of Songs — the irrationality ofromantic love between a husband and wife.Adapted from Grasping God’s Word: AHand’s-On Approach to Reading, Interpreting,and Applying the Bible, third editionby J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel HaysTextbook: 0-310-49257-2Workbook: 0-310-49259-9Copyright © 2007 by J. Scott Duvall andJ. Daniel Hays. All rights reserved. No partof this publication may be reproduced ortransmitted in any manner without the priorpermission of the publisher.Printed in USA.BIBLICAL STUDIES / EXEGESIS & HERMENEUTICSUS $6.99/UK £4.99/CAN $8.49ISBN-10: 0-310-27514-8ISBN-13: 978-0-310-27514-55 0 6 9 99 780310 275145EAN