Symbols must be present to symbolize something!
That was my first reaction—my honest if naive response—to the question of how we Bible readers must interpret difficult prophetic sections of Scripture, including the last six chapters of Daniel (not to mention the rest of the Major Prophets and much of the Minor Prophets) and the entire book of Revelation.
This is what struck me once I took an interest in the Bible from a fresh perspective.
I was raised in a conservative, Bible-believing denomination rooted firmly in the Protestant Reformation. In that background I received an amazing Bible education (for which I thank the Lord) based on the literal interpretation of Scripture—that is, until we dove into the texts that deal with future things.
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Paul J. Scharf is a church ministries representative in the Midwest for The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry.
