why doesn't the last chapter(revelations) just begin "In the end..."
2007-08-22 20:30:04 · 26 answers · asked by xfileaddict1969 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The Rabbis ask this very question- why not start with "Rashit bara Elokim"- First God created etc
The answer they give is that it is talking about the beginning of things we can understand. Before that, there was nothing comprehensible tot he human mind. All that existed was God, there was no time or space as we understand it, and nothing which the human mind can encompass.
Now, in hebrew the letters themselves carry a meaning beyond the word they are in- thus a word is more than just its surface meaning. So now we get "B'Reishit" in the beginning- the hebrew letter 'bet' altering the meaning to "in the beginning" but it also points out two very impotant things-
1) The numerical value of "bet" is 2- indicating that something was created before the universe as we know it. In the Midrash rabba on Bereishis (Genesis) it states that the Torah precedes all creation, and the creation as we know it was to create a place in which the Torah could be followed.
2) The shape of the letter"bet" is like a square with the left vertical side missing. Now, hebrew is read from right to left. The shape of the letter "bet" in this case teaches us that we learn and study from this point- from the point where the creation begins- before that point is closed to us- just as the side of the "bet" going into the narrative of the creation is open and the side pointing to what comes before is closed.
As for Revelations- no idea. It isn't a Jewish text and is not something I study.
2007-08-22 22:41:50 · answer #1 · answered by allonyoav 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The beginning of the creation of our world. As for revelations, the Bible wasn't written in Chronological order. Revelations isn't actually the last book if you want to get technical....but it isn't like a story book man. The world didn't end at the end of John's writings. Have you ever read the bible?
2007-08-22 20:33:40 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
While Jehovah, who is a Spirit (Joh 4:24; 2Co 3:17), has always existed, that is not true of the matter of which the universe is made. Hence, when creating the literal heavens and earth, Jehovah did not use preexistent material. This is clear from Genesis 1:1, which says: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
God's spirit sons were created at an earlier time. Genesis chapter one is dealing with the creation of the physical universe.
2007-08-22 20:33:45 · answer #3 · answered by LineDancer 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It wanted to tell us that he created the heavens and earth and all in between, all their is in the universe God created and he is the sole creator and there was no big bang or anything which created the world.. It is not the most important verse in the Bible, all verses in the Pentateuch are all equally holy, and the rest of the bible (the old and only testament) have a little lesser holiness. The so called new testament is man made and not holy at all but even impure.
2016-05-20 22:14:39 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the beginning is the start of the world as we know it. There has always been God and Gods domain. As I understand it, all else was darkness, nothing, null and void. The solar systems, sun, earth, etc. came into existence "in the beginning". I think the Bible uses the words "last day" or "final day" "judgment day" "when Christ returns" all meaning "the end."
2007-08-22 20:43:22 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
In the beginning of time... the book of revelations doesn begin with in the end because it's not the end... Jesus is still going to return to earth .
2007-08-22 20:42:17 · answer #6 · answered by Ally... 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The beginning of time.
2007-08-22 20:35:37 · answer #7 · answered by orderly logic 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The beginning of the universe.
2007-08-22 20:33:23 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Some think there was no beginning and no end. I like that concept but it is difficult for me to grasp the full implications of the existence of matter. I hope science can increasingly clarify the wonders of the universe.
2007-08-22 20:37:57 · answer #9 · answered by valcus43 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Good question. If you think an apple and a snake seals our fate then I am speechless. Revelations tell a story that was written by a man who apparently thought his visions would come to pass. I have no idea why people believe in scriptures that were written hundreds of years after what supposedly happened and what was to become. People have the belief that the Bible was written by God, but it was not. It was written by prophets and ordinary people like you and me.
2007-08-22 20:39:15 · answer #10 · answered by Boomer 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋