Reading Our Bibles, Part 7

      In this article we conclude our look at Bible genres. A genre is a kind of writing that makes use of certain styles, forms and conventions. Here we will note prophecy and apocalyptic.

Prophecy: I am using the term Prophecy to refer to writing about something that has not happened yet. No doubt, we could spend several articles just on the devices and details of prophecy. In our brief space here, we will notice two major devices. Certainly, some prophecies are written in a very straightforward manner. They tell us something is going to happen later and then tell us what it will be. For instance, Joel 2:28-29. However, prophecy is often very symbolic, using past events and iconic images to describe future spiritual events. Consider Jesus’ prophecy in John 2:19 in which He used the image of the temple to foretell His own death and resurrection. Another device often used is what some call Prophetic Certainty. God, wanting His people to know how certain His promises were, spoke of them as if they had already occurred. Isaiah 53 spoke of the Messiah in this manner 700 years before His incarnation.

Apocalyptic: We will notice three important aspects of Apocalypse. Apocalypse was always written during a time of duress. Apocalypse was simply highly symbolic, graphic and exciting way to say God wins big. That is the main point behind every Apocalyptic book—no matter how bad things look, God wins. Further, a friend of mine once described reading Apocalyptic literature as being like watching a movie. For instance, when we watch an old Western, we see a guy in a white hat and know he is a good guy. But we do not spend our time wondering what the horses mean or why tumbleweeds blew across the road in front of him. We take the picture in as a whole. We do not break it down into its tiniest parts. Thus, when Ezekiel had his Apocalyptic vision by the River Chebar in Ezekiel 1, we do not have to wonder what each living being, their faces and wings mean. Instead, we understand the big picturee that God is amazing. Finally, Apocalyptic literature often uses numbers symbolically. In Daniel 9:24-27, when Gabriel told Daniel about 70 weeks, we do not expect 70 literal weeks. Nor do we have to come up with some arbitrary “day equals a year theory” to make the number seem literal. Instead, we note 70 is the combination of two numbers that represent fullness and completeness (7 and 10). Thus, Gabriel was letting Daniel know that God would accomplish all these things in the fullness of time and the completeness of God’s plan would be accomplished and no one could stop Him.

      These are perhaps two of the more difficult genres for us to study. But we must study them and rightly divide them. Continue your reading every day and always lean on God’s word. As we grow in our reading so will we grow in understanding.

Edwin L. Crozier