Tuesday, November 10, 2009

THE WORLDWIDE SCOPE OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION

Only the blind would say the book was about local issues. The book was written after 70 AD and it is worldwide in its scope. Those who oppose this clear fact have not read the book.

   The book assumes an exploding mushrooming population, interlinking economy, jet age transportation, and satellite communication. Also, there are so many statements that are universal in nature. For example, a fourth of the world's population is destroyed (6:8), avenging those who dwell on the earth (v. 10); the asteroids [stars, asteros] falling on the earth (v. 12); a third of mankind killed (9:18); the "rest" of mankind did not repent (v. 21); many peoples, nations, tongues (10:11); those of all peoples, tribes, tongues, nations will look on the dead bodies of the two martyrs and prophets (11:9) [satellite television]; "those who dwell on the earth will rejoice ... and they will send gifts to one another, because these two [godly] prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth" (v. 10). The old great scholar Lange writes: "Revelation, in accordance with its ... world-historical character, takes in the entire breadth of the world ..."

   How silly to say all of this is simply local! – Dr. Mal Couch (Nov., 09)