⇒INDUCTIVE BIBLE STUDY HELPS⇐

Prophecy with unusual images (parts of Ezekiel, Zechariah, Daniel, Revelation.  This poetry is called “Apocalyptic Poetry”)

During this age of the world, the heavenly world is almost entirely closed to us.  Just a tiny few peeks are allowed into the worlds of angels, demons, and the heavenly host.  The apostle Paul was not even allowed to relate most of what he experienced in the heavenly realms (“3 And I know how such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows— 4 was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.” (2 Corinthians 12:3–4))

Isaiah gives us an astonishing  vision of God’s throne room in Isaiah 6.  Jacob’s dream reveals angels traveling up an down a heavenly ladder in Genesis 26:12.  Elisha uncovers his servants eyes: “”17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the servant’s eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:17)

This vision is especially revealed in the prophecies of Daniel and Ezekiel. Later on, they are also revealed in Zechariah’s prophecies.  The book of Revelation also has similar images.

Questions for the prophecies in these books.

In reading this prophecy, are there any images which are confusing to you?  What about them is difficult to understand?

Are there images which make sense to you?  Do you think these images are easy to understand?

Do you think that the prophet (or Apostle John) is experiencing something like Paul or Jacob, seeing something heavenly that is difficult to understand but is still real?  Are there any clues in the words that the writers used that seem to tell us that this is happening?

If you could write down in a simple sentence the main point of the paragraph you are studying, what would you write?