Biblical scholar seeks to clarify obscured revelation
By Beverly Wolter ,
Duke News Service
Is the mark of the beast on you?
Because if it is, repent, brother, repent,
or you won't be numbered among the
144,000 who will be saved on the great
day of judgment.
So says the book of Revelation.
Or does it?
To Dr. James M. Efird, a Duke Divinity
School faculty member with a
reclamation project, it doesn't.
Efird's project is to reclaim the Biblical
books of Daniel and Revelation.
Books don't predict end of world
Not that the books have been lost,
buried, mutilated or destroyed, but they
have been obscured for many people by
well-meaning but misguided revivalists
and by popular writers, Efird feels.
"The books," he said, "are neither a
timetable predicting the end of the world,
nor an assurance of who and how many
are going to be numbered among the
saved when the end comes."
In a new paperback book by Judson
Press titled "Daniel and Revelation, A
Study of Two Extraordinary Visions," he
seeks to clarify the books for readers.
Puzzling symbolism
The books are puzzling in their
symbolism, and, as Efird admits, many
ministers and laymen ignore them rather
than try to decipher them.
He has set himself the task of
interpreting the symbols.
Efird, associate professor of biblical
languages and interpretation, starts with
the premise that the Bible, among other
things, is a collection of different types of
literature, and that these differences
should be appreciated in the same way
that readers distinguish between fiction,
poetry, essays, drama or history.
"'Daniel' and 'Revelation' are
'apocalyptic' literature," Efird said.
"Apocalyptic" comes from a Greek
word meaning "revelation" or
"uncovering."
"Apocalyptic literature was written for
people undergoing repression," Efird
said.
Interest stimulated by stressful times
He noted that historically, interest in
the books has increased in times of stress.
During the turbulent 1960s people
began to see in "Daniel" and "Revelation"
predictions of the coming of the end of
the world. Hal Lindsey's book "The Late,
Great Planet Earth," which appeared in
1970, capitalized on this concern.
"The apocalyptic books tell what God is
going to do for his people in the light of
persecution. They show that despite the
presence of evil and wickedness, God is in
control and will deliver his people," Efird
said.
"One must think symbolically, not
literally. Daniel does not predict that the
world is going to come to an end in the
near future, and neither does
Revelation."
Books start realistically
"Daniel" was written when the Jews
were resisting the conqueror Antiochus
who forbade the practice of their religion.
"Revelation" was written when the first
century Christians were being
persecuted for refusing to worship the
Roman emperor.
national
BANK
AND
TROST
Both books start realistically, "Daniel"
with what Efird terms "delightful stories
about Jewish youths in a foreign land
fighting to fulfill their religious
obligations," and "Revelation" with a
series of letters to Christian churches in
Asia Minor.
But then both books turn "apocalyptic"
as their writers have visions and dreams.
Beasts and angels
Daniel's dreams frequently involved
beasts—rams and goats—and these Efird
explains as representing the warring
kingdoms of the day.
Angels sometimes had to appear to
Daniel to explain his dreams to him.
The angel Michael is mentioned
frequently because at this time, Efird
writes, nations were developing the
notion of patron spirits. Michael was
thought to be the patron angel of the
Jews.
"Revelation" is more complicated to
explain, partly because of its use of
numbers.
"To the ancients, individual numbers
had great symbolic significance," Efird
said. "Seven stood for perfection, 10 for
completeness and 12 for the people of
God."
(Continued on page 4)
I
A FAVORITE TOUR SPOT—Three high school students from Northwood High School in
PIttsboro had a chance to view a ventillator up close during a recent tour of the medical center.
Various tour stops in departments around the medical center are designed to expose students to
health careers. In respiratory therapy, educational coordinator Rick Leonard explains how
portable ventillators such as the one in this photo are used to help people breathe. Leonard also
explains to students the qualifications necessary for a respiratory therapist and the career
possibilities. Other departments participate in the tours, but more tour stops are needed. If you
would like to have students tour your department, contact the public relations department. ^P/iofo
by Parker Herring)
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Primary contributors: William Erwin,
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Circulation; Ann Alston
Picture Duke, win, publish, exhibit
Your photograph of some aspect of
Duke might be worth $50.
The admissions and publications offices
are sponsoring a photography
competition. Each entrant may submit up
to six unmounted black and white
photographs of scenes of the campus and
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The first-place winner will be awarded
$50 and the runner-up will get $25.
There will be three third-place prizes of
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All prize-winning work will become the
property of the Office of University
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In addition, selected photographs will
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All prints must be labeled on the back,
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Photographs must be delivered to the
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TTie Chronicle by Dec. 15.
Entries which are not accepted must be
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Contest judges will be John Menapace
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editor Blair Mathies and Elizabeth
Matheson of the Office of University
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For further information, call 684-6786.