Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good morning, dear ones.

It’s still blowing and raining. I was able to get off a jog excursion with Max. Becki felt like it was a bit late for her to join as she needed more time to prepare for the Bible Study she’s leading at Country Meadows in Woodburn on Monday mornings. That’s where she is right now.

I’m not yet sure how my day will go. The weather will influence some decisions and directions. The list is long and very diverse.

May your paths be guided.

Love, Dad/Ray

…Wow!...a brief sun break just exploded the view from this window with a burst of beauty!

I want to take a moment to offer some comments on how I am choosing to approach these readings in Revelation. I don’t have much confidence in my ability to get all the bits and pieces of John’s visions put together so as to form a perfect picture of clarity and comprehension so as to allow me to know exactly how things will play out in real and practical terms. Even John did not grasp all he saw. I have to believe that the cryptic style is intentional by the ultimate Author. I’ll leave the technical detail stuff to those who are more technical than I am. So I am reading more devotionally (for inspiration and practical application) than precisely. And I believe this approach is supported and encouraged by the BLESSING PROMISE given at the beginning of the book. “Blessed is the one who reads (understanding is not required) the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near” (Revelation 1:3).

Reading through chapter 9 makes me feel like I’ve just watched one of those wild spectacular digitally-animated super-power monster movies. End-time events will stack up to be stranger than fiction—at least as strange as.

Something equally strange is how the main-stream of human society at that time, who would witness the devastation of the plagues described, “still did not repent”—especially when they know the source and cause. It strikes me as absolute insanity. Someone has coined the quip that “Liberalism is a mental disorder.” I’m inclined to agree. But unrepentant sin also produces a mental and spiritual disorder that is simply mind-boggling. What a perversion of human intelligence and our freedom of choice! The tragedy of it all is that it is SO unnecessary! All that men have to do is seek and submit to the One Who is clearly Sovereign—as well as Gracious. Indeed, UNREPENTANT SIN IS STUPID! I believe that this fundamental fact is as important to keep in my worldview folder as anything else.