What Kind of Plagues?
Frequent visitors to this web site will have noticed silence on my part for the last few weeks. This was necessary because of travel in remote places like the South Pacific where my access to the internet was limited. I am back in the office now and planning to do a little catching up in the blog business. I also plan to read through the comments to earlier blogs and leave some responses here and there, so come back often in the next two weeks!
A recent visitor to the web site sent in the following question: "I have a question concerning the trumpets and plagues. The first four trumpets affect the earth, sea, rivers, and heavenly bodies and most Adventist take them as symbolic. The first four plagues affect man, seas, rivers, and heavenly bodies and they are taken literal. What is the rationale behind this? Why is one taken symbolic and the other literal?"
This is an excellent question and one I hear quite often. Are the bowl plagues of Revelation literal or figurative? It is difficult to know directly from the language of Revelation 16. Many scholars prefer a figurative reading of Rev 16:1-8. The very first verse of the book tells us that the vision upon which Revelation is based was "signified" (Rev 1:1). In other words, the book as a whole was placed in symbolic language to express the deeper meaning of God’s purposes for the end of human history. Generally in the Bible it is wise to take the text literally unless a symbol is clearly intended. In Revelation, however, the introduction informs us to take the language of the book symbolically unless it is overwhelmingly clear that a literal reading must be taken. In other words, if a specific passage makes sense symbolically, that is the way it was intended to be read. On the other hand, if a symbolic reading makes no sense, but a literal one does, then the text can be interpreted literally.
I would suggest, therefore, that the seven trumpets of Revelation (Revelation 8-11) should probably be normally read in a symbolic way. Not only does the introduction to Revelation suggest a symbolic approach, but the seals and the trumpets also have specifying information which points to a figurative approach (Rev 8:8; 9:7,17). And a symbolic reading makes sense within the world that John was living in. A literal reading, by way of contrast, is rather challenging to make sense of. You can learn more about my approach to the trumpets from my book Decoding Revelation’s Trumpets and my article entitled Interpreting the Seven Trumpets. Both of these documents are available on the CD of my books and articles available at the shopping area of this web site.
But what about the bowl plagues? Could they be taken symbolically? The opening verse of the book certainly allows for that. So when I look at the first four bowls symbolically I see the following. Figuratively, the plagues could represent the consequences that come as a result of sin, what in the Hebrew Bible is called the curses of the covenant. The boils could represent the suffering caused by sin. The waters turning to blood could represent the suffering of the wicked under the judgments of God. The scorching sun could symbolize the intensified glare of God’s Word as it points out sin and calls for judgment on those who oppose God. But these interpretations seem forced and speculative. When reading these texts in the Greek, you get the impression that something more direct and literal is in view. If a symbolic reading does not bring convincing clarity to the meaning of the text and a literal reading does, the literal reading is to be preferred, but this would be the exception in Revelation, not the rule.
If you take the first four bowl plagues literally, they represent the terrible physical and emotional experience of the last generation of the wicked. God’s restraining hand is removed from the actions of Satan. Wars increase and crime and instability are rampant. Diseases get out of control and no amount of medical or pharmaceutical remedy seems able to stem the tide. The weather goes haywire, producing extremes of heat, wind and rain. Strange chemical changes produce water that is corrosive and undrinkable. This, as you say, is roughly the way most Seventh-day Adventists read Rev 16:1-8.
While it is not certain on the basis of the text whether the literal or the symbolic reading was intended, the evidence of the text inclines me toward a spiritual reading. The symbolic reading is not particularly fruitful theologically. And a literal reading is certainly plausible in terms of the ecological threats that many people perceive lie just ahead for those who live on the earth. But a truly literal reading has its challenges as well. For example, even some sort of universal war would have to produce casualties beyond imagination to turn all the waters of the ocean bloody red.
So the question cannot be decisively answered on the evidence of Revelation itself. But a literal reading would seem to be the more likely.
Dear Brother Jon. I would like to comment on the following statement that you made: "But a truly literal reading has its challenges as well. For example, even some sort of universal war would have to produce casualties beyond imagination to turn all the waters of the ocean bloody red". I do not think the bible says the blood of casualties will turn the oceans red. It says because they have shed the blood of Saints, God makes them drink blood (which is not necessarily of the saints). An Angel poured his vial and the water turned into blood, it was not blood of the casualties. In Egypt, Nile River was not turned by the blood of the casualties to red, it was God's miracle. I also support the literal reading of the first four plages.
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Busani,
Good point. The Bible doesn't specify how the water turns turns to blood, but a straight reading of the text does indicate that it IS blood and not red tide or whatever (I am just reporting what the text says, not the possibilities God has for fulfillment).
Thanks for the heads up.
Jon
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