There are times when I wonder if I am going to need to disconnect my brain to be comfortable in the congregation of believers. Let me try to give an example before you write me off as hopeless.
We were “studying” Jeremiah 25. From verse 18 to 25 there was a long list of political units that no one has ever heard of and the claim was that God was going to make them “drink of the cup”. Okay. Then we come to this verse:
Jeremiah 25:26 (KJV) And all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another, and all the kingdoms of the world, which are upon the face of the earth: and the king of Sheshach shall drink after them.Being the contrary person I am I asked, “If you are going to say ‘all the kingdoms of the world’ why do you have a list of all these kingdoms?” I was not trying to be silly. It seems like there must be an answer. The answer I got was, “Well, if it wasn’t important it would not be in the scripture.” Well, thank you. I also know water is wet because water is wet. Now how about a real answer like “It was a literary device used in ancient Israel to show emphasis like Jesus saying ‘Verily, verily’ for emphasis.” Or they could have said, “It might be a literary device…”. Those answers I could accept.
And as you read through the chapter you have phrases like “perpetual desolations” regarding areas that you know were not perpetually desolate.
I believe the Bible is the inspired word of God. That includes literary devices and figurative language. When things don’t make sense literally then they can make sense if understood properly . What I don’t tolerate well is mindless endorsement of obvious contradictions.
homo unius libri
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Comments are welcome. Feel free to agree or disagree but keep it clean, courteous and short. I heard some shorthand on a podcast: TLDR, Too long, didn't read.