KneEmail - a devotional by Mike Benson associated with Forthright Magazine
Details
IN CONSIDERING THE visions of Revelation, one should look at the big picture rather than trying to explain every detail...
Inability to explain a specific point does not mean one cannot grasp the overall purpose and meaning. John was able to see these scenes "in the Spirit" (1:10). Dramatic panoramas unfolded before him -- sometimes majestic, sometimes frightening, always awesome. The written record expresses in words what John saw as pictures.
But pictures have many components. Details are needed to complete the picture. The scenes described in Revelation include details that may be simply incidental to the total picture. These details in themselves might, or might not, have particular significance.
We might illustrate this by imagining a giant mural that depicts a fierce battle of ancient armies. As our eyes encompass the scene, we are able to recognize the opposing forces. Flags or other marks may identify the armies. We might even be able to discern who is winning. Therein would be the message of the picture. At a glance we would comprehend the essentials of the story.
To complete the picture, however, the artist include many incidentals. For example, the chariots have wheels and the wheels have spokes. Such things are necessary for the completion of the picture, but we do not focus on the spokes (or other incidental details) expecting to discover some hidden meaning.
Consider how the dragon is described in Revelation 12:1-4 as having a tail that "drew the third part of the stars of heaven." The point of the whole description is to show the dreadful power of the dragon. It is futile and useless to try to inject some meaning into how many and which stars are involved. This phenomenal tail is no more than an element that completes the picture. It is not necessary to define every feature in order to see that the dragon represents the devil and his fiendish antagonism toward Christ and Christians.
So also when there are secondary components in other visions. We can grasp the overall message, even when specific features seem mysterious. This does not mean that we should not seek to understand as much as possible, only that inability to explain every detail should not discourage our study of the book. (David Pharr)
KneEmail: "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants -- things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John" (Rev. 1:1).