It is for some people, especially for those who like to beat up* their opponents for not interpreting the Bible “literally”.
(*) “beat up” in this context is meant to be taken figuratively.
Ezekiel's time as well as in the book of Revelation chapter 9, it would be difficult to describe things like jets or Apache helicopters since they had never seen one.
That’s an excuse, not an explanation. The OT prophets were able to describe quite clearly future conditions that did not exist in their day, e.g., the method of crucifixion.
Besides, it there were given a vision of reality then they would have seen the real thing, at least as it was depicted in the vision. Apache helicopters do not look anything like locusts or any other creature. Tanks and APC do not look like horses. M16s and AK47s do not look like swords or bows.
Sounds like a nuclear reaction?
No, actually it doesn’t.
Sounds like a nuclear reaction?No, actually it doesn’t.
And they accuse us of "spiritualizing".
The examples I quoted from Revelation used terms “like unto”, “as a” and “like”. I think saying a locust with a face like unto a face of men might be talking about a windshield of a helicopter with the soldiers sitting in it. A tail that stings could easily mean firing missiles. How COULD they describe a rifle other than a “sword”? I think Scripture is pretty clear when it speaks figuratively just by the words used.
as a point of order, Why do you believe the prophets wouldn't know what crucifixion was? It was practiced in it's multitude forms by the Persians, Egyptians, and Assyrians... There is a law against leaving one "hanging on a tree" overnight in Leviticus or Deuteronomy... Crucifixion is well known into ancient days.
I somewhat agree.
However, we do NOT know, per se, WHAT PERCENT, WHAT DEGREE The Lord wanted a vision to be described
1. cryptically
2. with more details
3. fully as by a detailed experienced reporter
4. symbolically
5. symbolically and literally
6. more or less literally
7. with precise photographic literalness.
All for HIS REASONS . . . which He may or may not have said anything about.
imho, MOST END TIMES UNRubberized, true Bible prophecy is described mostly to fully literally with moderate detail . . . sometimes symbolically.
The 200 million strong army from the kings of the East is difficult for thoughtful people to wrap their minds around.
Bible scholars in past centuries assumed it was from China.
It is plausible from me that it could be China + India plus the Muslim -stans of central Asia.
Logistically . . . it seems utterly impossible to transport such a force much of anywhere--much less from China.
Yet, Scripture is quite clear that the geography will be adjusted to make way for that army.
And, folks seem to ignore the possibility that satan and his forces may have some 'transport' means, technologies . . . that would negate our currently perceived logistical problems.
I just know that WHENEVER IN THE PAST 100 YEARS PLUS . . . so called 'higher' criticism 'scholars' have insisted something in the Bible was symbolic, archeology has relentlessly proven them wrong . . . God's Biblical habit of being precisely literal has been affirmed 100's of times over and over and over and over and over.
Some months and/or years back on such a thread, the REPLACEMENTARIANS et al pontificated that the prophesied destruction of Damascus happened in A.D. 70 or some such lunacy.
That must have taken a very hung-over pile of stinking Bible mangling thinking to pretend it had any validity at all.
Scripture is very clear. Damascus will be literally utterly destroyed and never lived in again. To even pretend that one of the oldest continuously lived in cities was destroyed in 70A.D. and never lived in again . . . sounds like something from Alice's rabbit hole given UNrubberized true histories and our own viewing of videos currently from . . . Damascus.
However, the REPLACEMENTARIANS et al seem to be loathe to bother much about facts . . . whether Biblical facts or facts on the nightly news. Fascinating, that.