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Table of Contents
Principles for Both Writing and Illustrating
The first angel's message gives us the correct principles.
- “Fear God and give glory to Him.”
All content should lead people to give God the respect and reverence He deserves.
- “for the hour of His judgment has come.”
All content should lead people to recognize that the judgment is really going to happen, and that it is a most solemn event.
- “and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.
All content should lead people to worship God as the Creator. It should inspire awe and humility. It should lead people to give God the love, loyalty, and obedience He deserves as the one who made us.
Good Illustrations
Accurate
Pictures that illustrate Bible scenes should be correct in the details. They should match the story as told in the Bible.
- The Bible says that there was just one window in the ark. Don't show animals looking out over sides of the ark.
- The Bible says that Jesus sat down in Peter's boat to teach the people. Don't show Jesus standing up.
- The Bible says Jesus felt compassion for the people. Don't show
Why is this important? The picture tells a story. It should tell a true story. The picture should not tell the story in a way that that contradicts what God says in the Bible.
Philippians 4:8 “whatever things are true”
How to test an illustration
“A picture is worth a thousand words.” This saying means that a lot of information is easily conveyed in a picture. When considering an illustration, ask what information does it contain? If I were to describe the picture in words, would it be telling the truth? For example, (insert common picture) Noah's ark was a tiny boat that looks like a toy. When standing in their places, the giraffes, elephants, and dogs could look out over the top deck of the ark. Not many animals or people would fit inside. Compare that to (insert realistic picture), Noah's ark was an immense ship several hundred feet long. The animals cannot be seen, because the door was shut, and there was only one window. The top of the ship was closed in so that the ship did not get filled with water during the tremendous flood.