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As I mentioned,
everyone but the historicists has a lot of trouble with this one. A representative thought can be found in
Hal Lindsey’s work. Ever the
literalist, he states that these must be some form of mutant locust -- but
demon possessed.
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A comment here on
the method of the futurist, particularly the more literal breed: the books must be kept constantly up to
date, for the technology changes too.
The passage is made obscure by the insistence upon literalism.
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Lindsey recognizes
this. In a rare display of the
possibility that his interpretation may not be exactly right on, he tells the
story of a friend who suggested that these locusts are in fact Huey Cobra
helicopters -- spraying nerve gas out of their tails.
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There is a point in
there: if -- from the same author and
interpretation -- these locusts can be either mutant, demon-possessed insects
or helicopters with nerve gas, what else might they be????
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Barclay (the
quintessential liberal interpreter) also thinks they are literal locusts --
because the life cycle of the locust is about five months.
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It seems more
probable to me that we have not yet reached the end of the symbolic
possibilities here. If these are not
literal locusts, we can at least say:
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• they are some sort
of physical being -- this is not intended to be a “spiritual only” symbol.
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• there is a great
deal of description given them, and whatever theory we adopt must match up to
this description.
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• they are called
locusts, and it is for that word that we must seek an explanation. We will find it in the prophet Joel.
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