Would you mind quoting some modern scholars who disagree with my claims regarding visions vs real events as illustrated?
i provided you with 3 very good examples from the text that illustrate my point…these are not “half-quotes”. I am more than happy to post the entire narratives or visions if that is what is required to satisfy a claim of “half-quotes”. The reason why the entire passages were not quoted should be blunty obvious to you…this is a forum, not a library! If you want to entire quote, then you should do as the Bereans did…go and read it for yourself! I can assure you that if i were to add more to the above-quoted passages, it only strengthens my argument!
Theologically, unless you understand the concept of type and antitype when it comes to biblical symbolism, you cannot possibly understand why literal ancient history is used throughout the bible to teach us. This does not mean that these narratives are fiction, it simply means that God uses real events as an example…as i said in my last post (and as I am a trained teacher i suppose i should know), this technique is regularly used throughout education and training today. For example:
- modern militaries use historical battles to help teach battle tactics
- The old Testament Sanctuary Service was a historical activity…real life daily event that the Israelites undertook for hundreds of years prior to Christ…clearly not and allegory. However, this was the Type. The Antitype of the earthly Sanctuary Service undertaken by the Israelites was the death and resurrection of the Messiah, and then into the distant future…the Salvation and Redemption of mankind and finally, the laying of the blame for all sins of mankind on Satan (the scapegoat)!
As i said, with even just a little theological knowledge and study, its easy to pick the difference between symbolism, allegories, literal events, etc. The bible is so consistent in this way and particularly considering related passages in other books of the bible are so plentiful… so we don’t really have problems in understanding where and when to make the distinction. Let face it, if scholars did not use a bit of theological common sense on these things, the trinity doctrine would never have passed the stink test at the council of Nicea in 325!
Perhaps i can add another illustration…and since you demand more than “half quotes”…let me fill your head with this to consider…
Is the following allegory or literal?
Mesha Stele (found 1868)
On 8 February 1870, George Grove of the Palestine Exploration Fund announced the find of the stele in a letter to The Times, attributing the discovery to Charles Warren. On 17 February 1870, the 24-year-old Clermont-Ganneau published the first detailed announcement of the stele in the Revue de l’Instruction Publique.[20] This was followed a month later by a note from Frederick Augustus Klein published in the Pall Mall Gazette, describing his discovery of the stele in August 1868:
… I afterwards ascertained that [Ganneau’s] assertion as to no European having, before me, seen the stone was perfectly true. … I am sorry to find that I was also the last European who had the privilege of seeing this monument of Hebrew antiquity in its perfect state of preservation.
What about the text on the Bassalt rock itself?
I am Mesha, son of Chemosh-gad,[27] king of Moab, the Dibonite. My father reigned over Moab thirty years, and I have reigned after my father. And I have built this sanctuary for Chemosh in Karchah, a sanctuary of salvation, for he saved me from all aggressors, and made me look upon all mine enemies with contempt.
Omri was king of Israel, and oppressed Moab during many days, and Chemosh was angry with his aggressions. His son succeeded him, and he also said, I will oppress Moab. In my days he said, Let us go, and I will see my desire upon him and his house, and Israel said, I shall destroy it for ever. Now Omri took the land of Madeba, and occupied it in his day, and in the days of his son, forty years. And Chemosh had mercy on it in my time. And I built Baal-meon and made therein the ditch, and I built Kiriathaim.
And the men of Gad dwelled in the country of Ataroth from ancient times, and the king of Israel fortified Ataroth. I assaulted the wall and captured it, and killed all the warriors of the city for the well-pleasing of Chemosh and Moab, and I removed from it all the spoil, and offered it before Chemosh in Kirjath; and I placed therein the men of Siran, and the men of Mochrath. And Chemosh said to me, Go take Nebo against Israel, and I went in the night and I fought against it from the break of day till noon, and I took it: and I killed in all seven thousand men…women and maidens, for I devoted them to Ashtar-Chemosh; and I took from it the vessels of Jehovah, and offered them before Chemosh.
And the king of Israel fortified Jahaz, and occupied it, when he made war against me, and Chemosh drove him out before me, and I took from Moab two hundred men in all, and placed them in Jahaz, and took it to annex it to Dibon.
I built Karchah the wall of the forest, and the wall of the Hill. I have built its gates and I have built its towers. I have built the palace of the king, and I made the prisons for the criminals within the wall. And there were no wells in the interior of the wall in Karchah. And I said to all the people, ‘Make you every man a well in his house.’ And I dug the ditch for Karchah with the chosen men of Israel. I built Aroer, and I made the road across the Arnon. I built Beth-Bamoth for it was destroyed. I built Bezer for it was cut down by the armed men of Daybon, for all Daybon was now loyal; and I reigned from Bikran, which I added to my land. And I built Beth-Gamul, and Beth-Dibla