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- God’s Word can be interpreted in at least a couple different ways:
- Literal, or
- Symbolic (&/or allegorically), being NOT literal, yet may have puns
or similitude's relating to the literal reality (as we know it).
- HOSEA 12:10 I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied
visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.
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- It’s almost TOO easy to symbolize ANYTHING rather than see if it is possible to
take Scripture literally.
- EXAMPLE->
- In Revelation6:2 “And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat
on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth
conquering, and to conquer.”
- Is this a literal ‘horse’, and a literal ‘bow’??
- Does the horse represent a leader, and the bow [false] power/weapons
(unloaded)??
- Do leaders still ride horses, and still use the bow (and arrows)?? Not
likely, but possible in some aspects.
When John wrote this, the horse and bow were the tools used of
the day to represent leadership and power. Today we would write something like,
‘And I saw a guy in position given power and authority to conquer and
lead the world.’
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- One obvious symbolism is like in
- EX 19:4 “Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you
on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.”
- Did God literally fly the Israelites out of Egypt, on “eagle’s wings” no
less? Of course not! He did,
however, protect them as they obeyed Him in leaving Egypt like a
powerful eagle leading & protecting her chicks.
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- To take the written Word of God as ‘literal as possible’ is usually the
safest and most correct way of interpreting the Scriptures, and Biblical
prophecy (aka, stuff that’s gonna happen).
- God isn’t going to tell us something so ‘outta site’ that it’s a lie –
as God does NOT lie [Num23:19].
The only way we as believers in the LORD Jesus Christ will be
able to see and understand Scripture is with the help of the Holy Spirit
[1Cor2:14].
- Pray for understanding and guidance, not only in understanding God’s
Word, but daily life. [Col1:9; Jn16:26; 2Tim1:3]
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- We see that Jesus spoke in parables so the people could relate to the
story being told. Most of the
stories told were not given names in them, with the exception of the one
of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke16:19-31
- In that story, a specific name was given (by God who does not lie); so
we know that the specific name is true, thus making this story true so
people could understand the spiritual side of the eternal life of one’s
soul/spirit at (and after) point of death [Heb9:27].
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- Past:
- When the Old Testament prophets gave a numerical time or day, we know
that it was a literal [mathematical] equation for what was &/or to
come.
- JUDG 20:35 And the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children
of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand
and an hundred men: all these drew the sword.
- Future:
- DAN 12:11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken
away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a
thousand two hundred and ninety days.
- DAN 12:12 Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three
hundred and five and thirty days.
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- Daniel realized that the time was almost over as per DAN 9:2 “In the
first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the
years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that
he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.”
- …thus Dan interpreted the Word of God literally when the time was about
over for the Babylonian captivity!
- As this passage of Scripture can also be seen as coming in the future
(as far as “number of years” being “seventy”; aka, ‘seventy weeks of
Daniel’), this presents an interesting view as to things that happened
in the past will also have a similar doing in the future: like a
frequency-wave throughout time that repeats itself up until when “time
is no more” [Rev10:6].
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- As the ‘Literal if Possible’ was used by the Prophets, so should we use
this simple rule.
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- This rare word means an improper method of reading something into a
passage that is not there.
- Thanx to Ed Newby of ‘the Berean Call’ for bringing this word to my
attention!
- Opposite of "exegesis".
- This is done by many cults, and even some Christian groups in various
doctrinal areas (see “the Rapture.ppt”).
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- We need to read the Word of God with understanding as guided by the Holy
Spirit (in ‘”spirit and in truth”) so that we will not be deceived by
the trials and tribulations, and false doctrines we encounter in
life. Be encouraged! God won’t give us any more than we are
unable to handle [1Cor10:13].
- Keep trusting that all things will work out – no matter how much ‘it’
hurts our “flesh” in going thru those times: those times help us mature
in trusting and putting our faith in the One Who is the Author of our
faith! [Heb12:2] This life is
only ‘boot-camp-for-eternity’!
- We won’t know the full prophetic until it happens; as to pre-know it all
would [totally] diminish our trust and faith in God Himself. His Word is and will be perfect! \o/
- When a Greek or Hebrew word has several meanings, go with the one that
agrees with what the passage is talking about.
- >*'We need to base our theology on Scripture, not base Scripture on our
theology.'<akr>
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Notes
