Our discussion about Revelation was one of my favorite lectures this semester. Reading it is extremely confusing, but hinges mostly on one’s knowledge of horses and the number 7. For some reason, I never knew that the number 666 originated in the Bible, I just knew it as a demonic symbol. In my personal experience, my mother and pastors believe in the prophetic aspect of this book. It’s terrifying. Blood, anguish, and monsters dominating the earth pales in comparison to the pandemic and climate change we’re going through now. Whether you read it as a literal prediction of events or an epic metaphor for the end of times (whether a certain time period or the end of the earth in general), it’s still a lot to process especially in comparison to the stories of hope preceding it. The New Testament often talks about the hope of Jesus and the early church, so this is a stark contrast through the images of pain and judgment.
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