Some Parts Of The Bible Should Not Be Taken Literally

While I have written about taking some parts of the Bible literally, there are other parts that cannot be taken literally.

When the apostles exhort the Christians to wait for the impending second return of Christ 'from Heaven together with His mighty angels in flaming fire' (2 Thess 1:7, Luk 17:30-31, etc) the people literally interpreted that Christ will return in glory during their lifetime. As we all know, after 2000 years, Christ has yet to return.

All through the centuries, many Christian sects had predicted the dates of the second coming of Christ. The date came and expired. These Christian sect members were dead by now. The interpretation of the apostles and christians that Christ would come again during their lifetime was proven wrong again and again.

Do you expect the second coming of Christ, with a host of angels and in flaming fire, would take place during your lifetime?

What about John's vision in the Book of Revelation ? How much should be interpreted literally ?

All through the centuries, there are clairvoyants who could see visions of the future. There are also many who claimed that they could communicate with non-physical beings. So the Book of Revelation of John is not the only apocalyptic book.

No matter how bible scholars and we ourselves study the Book of Revelation, we will not be able to interpret it satisfactorily. What are the seven Churches? What is the number 666? What is the figure 144,000?

It is futile to guess and guess. The description of events in Book of Revelation should not be taken literally.

Man, we are so finite and minute. How can we under God who is the Alpha and the Omega, the creator of Heaven and Earth? Can can an ant understand a human being like you? If, one day, an ant could understand a human being, then perhaps a human being could understand God. But an ant will never understand a human being unless the human morph into an ant and go and speak and teach the ant. This is exactly what Jesus did -- He became man, and came down to earth to speak to man. Even then, we will not understand God a lot more.

All the Bible study will help us to be wiser and understand God a bit better - but just an infinitesimal bit better. After all, human, we are finite. God is infinite.

Any comments ?