Interpretation-Hermeneutics

Muslims constitute twenty-three percent of the world’s population, making Islam the world’s second largest religion. Has Islam been prophesied in the Bible? There are indeed several references to Arabs and Arab countries. But the clearest reference to Islam is found in Revelation 9. Adventist scholars have diverse views regarding this chapter that describes the fifth and sixth trumpets. The traditional interpretation, however, showing the rise and expansion of Islam, has potential dangers. This presentation points out the difficulties and provides suggestions on how to “repackage” the traditional Adventist interpretation of Revelation 9 for a Muslim audience.

The title “The Alpha and the Omega” in Revelation has been discussed by many scholars. While the identity has been clear, the application of its meaning to the reading of Revelation has not been much explored. This presentation tries to apply its meaning from another perspective: John’s historical and literary arrangement of the phrase. This perspective includes some factors: the connection of the title to “the First and the Last” and “the Beginning and the End”; and where the title is found—at the beginning and the end of the book of Revelation. Analyzing carefully all the facts above, it seems that the title “The Alpha and the Omega” suggests a reading and understanding of Revelation in a historical overview from beginning to end.

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Emotions represent a formidable force in the human experience and are often overlooked in biblical texts. Based on the foundation laid in previous research, this presentation seeks to understand the power of emotions and emotive language in biblical apocalyptic literature, focusing on selected texts from Daniel and Revelation. Following a brief introduction to current trends in the study of emotions in biblical texts, it reviews the occurrence of different categories of emotions in biblical texts and attempts to offer a more comprehensive summary and interpretation of the presence of the emotive language in eschatological texts based on three categories: (1) negative emotional responses, (2) positive emotional responses, and (3) anticipated reader responses. A conclusion offers a succinct summary and points to potential additional research.

This study explores the general methods of doing hermeneutics-our preunderstandings of the Bible, exegesis, biblical theology, systematic theology, applied theology. Particularly, this paper investigates the systematic theology which involves special method: It has a source: God, a center: Jesus-Christ, a worldview: the Great Controversy, derived from Scripture, which is its sole basis. This presentation is meant to equip everyone to have a better understanding of the Bible. It provides the context and motivation for missions and the shape of spiritual life.

Paul’s famous hymn in Colossians 1:15–20 highlights Jesus’ key role in the process of reconciliation of all things on earth or in heaven. But why should it be necessary to reconcile all “in heaven” to God? The use of the Greek verb apokatallassō, “to reconcile,” expressing the positive improvement of mutual relationship, suggests a certain cosmic problem of trust and relation to God. It seems, in the light of parallels in Ephesians, that the “reconciliation” of heavenly beings consists in their better understanding and appreciation of God’s wisdom and character. The basis for it was laid down on Calvary, but it has its historical continuation leading to eschatological climax.

Traditional Adventist evangelistic presentations begin with the prophecies of the book of Daniel, depicting human history and leading to the second coming of Christ and the events preceding it. During the series, eschatology is presented as the end of a linear historical timeline, and most of the Scripture passages are interpreted with a Western linear and binary logic. However, Scripture was written in a Mediterranean culture, where the perception of time and space was different than the Western worldview. The Majority World, even today, shares non-Western values and worldviews. In most of Asia, time and history are perceived as cyclical, and biblical prophecy as presented by Adventist evangelists and pastors raises more questions than answers. This presentation looks at the basis of the Adventist understanding of eschatology and offers an alternative interpretation of key biblical passages that remains faithful to Scripture and at the same time speaks to the Eastern mind. Its purpose is to offer a hermeneutical basis for missionaries and evangelists working in Majority World countries to be able to build their biblical studies and public presentations on an Eastern rather than Western worldview.

Adventist theology is based on a historical-grammatical understandi of the apocalyptic prophecies. This presentation accepts this as a necessary presupposition in order to fulfill its purpose. It offers an overview of the Adventist theological system and its cognitive, hermeneutical, and methodological principles. This presentation introduces the three angels’ messages as the teleological principlnge and, in order to place this criterion in its proper theological context, discusses the doctrinal development of the three angels’ message. The theological content of the three angels’ message is then analyzed. As a result, the teleological characteristics that result from the analysis are presented and related to the major systematic sets of doctrines (God, man, salvation, church, and last things). Within this interaction, the eschatological interconnectedness is emphasized, reinforcing the teleological character of the three angels’ messages.

This presentation explores John’s use of the expression angelou autou, “his angel,” in order to see what light it sheds on the subject of eschatology. It also seeks to suggest that Adventist theologians can continue to relate to such an important biblical iconic motif and Scripture’s teaching and perspectives on a crucial and timely subject for God’s people today.

Even though half of the occurrences of “μέγας” are in Revelation, the importance of this adjective is often overlooked by dictionaries and lexicons. There are only a limited number of studies that seem to notice the broad range of meaning of “μέγας” and take it into consideration when interpreting the text. This presentation intends to fill this gap in the scholarship, conducting a semantic analysis of the word in order to study its multiple uses and evaluate its importance in the interpretation of Revelation 12.

This presentation consists of a study of the Greek words παραλαμβάνεται and ἀφίεται in Matthew 24:40–41. It includes an analysis of the literary context—the consideration of the judiciary, limits of the pericope, the analog and parabolic language of the passage, and the immediate context. This presentation proposes, from a technical and detailed perspective, that the “taken” is a representation of the group of those who will be raptured to the kingdom of heaven, while the “left” refers to the group of those who will be condemned to eternal death. Finally, some objections used against this interpretative position are considered and refuted.