I recently read Dr. Richard L. Pratt's paper, "Historical Contingencies and Biblical Predictions." Pratt, the former Professor of Old Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary and currently the head of Third Millenium Ministries, suggests that the book of Revelation ought to be read in light of our understanding of Old Testament prophecies. Currently, most evangelicals treat the book of Revelation with an approach of wooden literalism, and try to read current events into the Bible. Even Reformed scholars generally have believed that though much of Revelation is symbolic, it is a book of things that will certainly happen in the future, with a belief that prophecies which do not come true are false prophecies.
However, an honest look at the Old Testament shows that many of the prophecies did not come true. Instead, they prophesy what MIGHT happen if people act a certain way. Few of the Old Testament prophecies were absolute decrees, and even these did not put in detail the timing or the manner of their realization. Thus, what if Revelation simply tells of what might happen if the seven churches in Asia did not heed God's warnings to them? The paper presents some interesting ideas and is worth a read.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
"In accordance with his allencompassing
fixed plan, God often waits to see what his human subjects will do and directs
the future on the basis of what they decide."
This statement causes me some trouble...is God learning something here?...doesn't this lean just a bit toward open theism?
It is an interesting choice of words, but I don't think it's what he meant (from my knowledge that Dr. Pratt is an opponent of open theism). He was trying to work out the complex understanding of how humans can affect history, as discussed in the Westminster Confession of Faith.
From what I can understand, he is saying that God knows everything that will happen from the beginning of time. But we are not fatalists; we do not believe that the universe is like "a gigantic machine in which each event mechanically necessitated the next." Human choice, however affected by the fall, still affects history. God often issues the prophecies in space and time, and in space and time it appears he "changes his mind" in response to prayer, human actions, etc. But in reality God knows everything that will come to pass.
Maybe this makes a bit of sense? I think I understand what he is saying here but it's hard for me to put into words.
Post a Comment