“The force of a symbol can therefore sensed and appreciated only by an insider. A symbol is language of an ‘insider’ for ‘insiders.’” It illustrates in an extreme form Luther’s dictum that ‘unless a man knows what is being talked about, he cannot make sense of what is being said. It expresses little, that is, for the uninitiated, the outsider. ![]() Whether it be expressed in language, in two-dimensional drawing and painting, or in three-dimensional form, a symbol expresses little but suggests much. “What is a symbol? A symbol is the shortest of shorthands. ![]() What are we to make of this strange land, where a slain lamb with unimaginable seven horns and seven eyes is conqueror and in the power of a conqueror takes a sealed scroll from the hand of God and unseals it? What are we to make of a land where the unsealing of a scroll does not merely make accessible information hitherto unknown and unknowable but releases horsemen mounted on whites red, blacks and pale horses who course across the world creating havoc as they go? What shall we make of a lamb who suddenly appears as a shepherd, who has a bride and a marriage supper, of a lamb who shares a throne with God, who is the lamp and the temple of a new Jerusalem?” (23) Franzmann goes on to suggest that we seem to have lost the understanding and appreciation of the symbol. “On first encounter,” he says, “the world of The Revelation to John does seem to be a wild and mysterious world. I’d like to quote from a paperback commentary on Revelation by Martin Franzmann. “Is there a common thread in the apocalyptic symbolism of Ezekiel and John’s Revelation? First, symbolism in Revelation. ***Please Note: In this study, I will be pulling exerpts from “ A Common Thread In the Apocalyptical Symbolism of Ezekiel and John’s Revelation,” which was presented to Central Pastor-Teacher Conference in Western Wisconsin, District-WELS, on April 4, 1987, by Paul E. It became increasingly apparent to me, as I discovered more and more traits these two shared that a side by side comparison as to what exactly these men held in common was in order. The first thing I noticed, was both of these men “ate a book”, “measured a temple”, and “saw the throne of God”. What I originally thought to be two or three similarities has actually turned into quite an extensive list. It occurred to me in a casual discussion with a fellow believer that Ezekiel & John had some startling things in common.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |