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Avoiding the pitfalls of prophecy misinterpretation
1. Always place prophecy within
the context it is being spoken. When, where and who is speaking and who is
being spoken to? What did it mean to the hearers? Not everything that is prophecy
is for us today. Prophecy is meant to prepare those who are reading it.
Follow proper hermeneutics.
2. If there is language that seems to be “symbolic,” maybe it is. Be careful not to take the literal symbolically and the symbolic literally. Try not to mix and match, be consistent. This can only be done if you ask the question, “is this sort of language used anywhere else in the Bible and how was it understood?” Many times, symbols are interpreted within the text itself. The Bible is not written with a Western 21st century mindset.
3. Look for the possibility of fulfillment within the “time indicator words” that are mentioned (quickly, soon, at hand, this generation, etc..). Look at any historical texts written at that time, or about it. Don’t invalidate, or reinterpret, the writer’s impressions, or credibility, just because it doesn’t fit your cronology.
4. Consider the possibility of other correct interpretations of prophecy. Also, know the history of your particular view point. No one is 100% correct on their views!! Speculation is not to be taken seriously.
5. Be careful of the “mix and match and fill in the blank” approach to prophecy, as well as the “Christian fiction” approach. Do not put names and faces to things that do not have names and faces, when scripture is involved. Fiction is no license, or excuse, for specualtion, or misinterpretation. If a person is wrong about their interpretation, it is on the verge of being false prophecy, which is specifically condemned in scripture.
6. Some prophecys cannot be fully understood prior to their actual occurance. The first coming of Jesus is a perfect example of this. His return may be no different, “no man knows the hour”... History seems to repeat itself, because humans are predictable and creatures of habit and God is the same.
Prophecy Texts to consider
N.T. Olivet Discourse (Mat, 24,25, Mk.13,
Lk.21)
Paul (I Cor.15, I Thes.4:13-5:11, II Thes.2:1-17, II Tim.3)
Peter (I Pet.4, II Pet.3) John (I John 2:18-29, 4:1-4, II Jh.1:7) Jude
The book of Revelation is John’s Olivet discourse.
O.T. (Isa.2,4,8-13,19,26-29,34,35,49,51,53,60-62,65,66)
(Dan.7-12, Zech.1-14, Mal.3:1-4,4) (Jer.3,4,7,16,17,18,23,25,31,31,32,33,52,)
(Ezek.9-11,36,37,40-48)
The Four Views
1. Historicist– believe that the book of Revelation surveys the whole of church history combining it with 7 periods of secular history. The final period is yet to be fulfilled. Most Historicists see the Catholic Church as the whore of Babylon and the Pope as the false Prophet which will be done away with upon the return of Jesus. They believe in a literal interpretation of prophecy. Many early Protestant leaders taught this. Today's Seventh Day Adventists have popularized this position.
2. Preterist– see many of the Bible’s prophecy’s as already having been fulfilled with the birth of Jesus to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70ad, the focal point being the destruction of Jerusalem as being the end of the age. They interpret time indicator words such as; “at hand, quickly, this generation and near” as meaning that it occurred within the generation of those hearing the prophecy. They believe that the kingdom of God will be established as a result of God working through the church in human history, eventually culminating with the return of Jesus. Extreme Preterism is called Pantelism.
3. Futurist– also called Dispensationalism or millenarians, see the book of Revelation and the prophecies of Jesus as still needing to be fulfilled. Most futurists see the Catholic Church as the whore of Babylon and the Pope as the false Prophet. They see society as getting worse and culminating with a "secret catching away" of the earthly Church, or Rapture, popularized by John Nelson Darby from the Brethren Church and William Miller, prior to the final earthly Battle of Armageddon and ushering in the return of Jesus to Israel in order to usher in a literal 1000 year reign of Jesus on this earth in Israel. After 1000 years Satan will be loosed and thus a final angelic battle leading up to a new earth, heaven and Jerusalem. Today's "Left Behind" authors have made this position contemporary.
4. Spiritual / allegorical - Revelation has no single historical fulfillment, only transcendent principles and recurrent themes. Views scripture as purely symbolic.
Examples of the 4 views:
Historicist = H-1 Preterist = P-2 Futurist F-3 Spiritual S-4
(Rev.1-3)
H-1 divides the Church age into 7 periods with today being Laodicea.
P-2 addressed to specific churches at the time, though applicable to today’s
Church.
F-3 represents todays pre-rapture Church. The Church is gone after chapter
3.
S-4 represents the Church of all time and record of God’s sovereignty
and vindication.
(Rev.4-7)
H-1 the unsealed scroll represents the beginning of the Roman empire until
present.
P-2 unsealed scroll represents Jerusalem from 66-70 A.D. and escape of believers.
F-3 the Church is raptured and now begins the great tribulation upon the Jews.
S-4 represent the persecution of the Church and God’s sovereignty over
governments.
(Rev.8-10)
H-1 trumpets represent invasion against Rome, fall of Constantinople, the
printing press.
P-2 trumpets represent the Jewish wars of 66-70 A.D.
F-3 7 years of tribulation upon unrepentant inhabitants of the earth today.
S-4 calamities always befall ungodly people throughout history if they refuse
to repent.
(Rev.11-13)
H-1 1260 years of Papal authority. Measuring of temple represents true Church
and the reformation. Witnesses represent those who rebelled against papacy.
The woman is the visible church representing Constantine. The mark was a sign
of papal worship.
P-2 1260 days of Nero’s persecution against the Jews and the Church.
Actual Temple defiled. 2 witnesses represent historic prophetic witness. The
woman is Israel giving birth to the Church and it flees during Roman persecution.
The mark may be symbolic, or literal. The Romans tried to starve Jerusalem
unless they worshipped Caesar.
F-3 1260 days is 3 1/2 year part of a 7 year tribulation. Temple is a future
temple. Enoch and Elijah show up. the woman is Israel fleeing from the anti-christ
during the tribulation. The religious beast demands worship. The mark is a
literal mark in the hand and /or forehead yet to come.
S-4 1260 represent entire Church age. Witnesses are the Church throughout
the ages. The woman represents the church at any time. Beast is false religion.
The mark is symbolic.
(Rev.14-16)
H-1 7 bowls of wrath against the Papacy.
P-2 judgment against Jerusalem and later Rome.
F-3 future global judgment culminating in WW3 at Armageddon.
S-4 these disasters are reoccurring themes throughout history.
(Rev.17-19)
H-1 Babylon the harlot is the overthrow of Papal system yet to be seen.
P-2 downthrow of Babylon representing Rome or Israel in the past.
F-3 Babylon Catholic Church or apostate religion, or Babylon rebuilt again.
Jesus return.
S-4 Babylon is world system as seducer of Godly. Christ has and will conquer.
(Rev.20-22) The Millennium and New Earth
Premillennial - Satan is yet to be bound, which will take
place when Jesus returns to the earth. The 1,000 years is a literal reign
of Christ from Jerusalem. Satan will be let out after 1,000 years and he then
will be finally judged followed by the judgment of all humanity. Then a new
earth will be created for all to live on forever.
Amillennial - Satan is now bound representing Christ’s victory over darkness through the cross. 1,000 is symbolic of an indeterminate period of time into the church age now. At some point Satan will be loosed. Christ will then return. A final judgment will occur and a creation of a new earth.
Postmillenial - similar to the Amillennial view, except a more optimistic view of the Church’s influence in the present age. The 1,000 years may or may not be literal, but speaks of a future age when Christ will return to the earth.
Other things to note.
In order to fully understand the book of Revelation, you must bring in books from the Older Testament, such as; The Torah, the Prophets such as; Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Zechariah, Joel, Malachi. The Book of Revelation is written from a “Hebrew mindset.” The symbols that are given are steeped in the Hebrew culture of the day.
Examples of this:
The 7 churches are represented as being 7 candlesticks. This
is a Jewish Menorah.
The beasts and Ram of Rev.13 is the same as Daniel 11, 7 and 8.
The terms Last Days, Coming and Day of the Lord are used throughout the Old.
The significance of numbers is the same as with the Old (numbers divisible
by 6, 7,12).
The Abomination that causes Desolation of the Temple in Mat.24, Rev.11 is
Dan.8:13.
The measuring of the temple in Rev.11 is the same as Ezek.40-47, Zech.2.
Prophecy Terminology
1. Rapture - a Latin word used to describe (I Thes.4:17) the Greek word Harpadzo or “caught up.” Used in reference to an event when believers will be “secretly taken away” to heaven, in relation to a period of time called the Great Tribulation. It is not called the “second coming or return of Jesus,” because they will meet Him in the air / clouds and then come back later with Him after the Great Tribulation period.
2. Millennium - a 1,000 year period of time in which Jesus may physically reign on the earth. Some interpret that literally, others symbolically. Based on (Rev.20:5-10). The place of His reign is between being in Heaven, Jerusalem, Rome, U.S..
3. Great Tribulation / 144,000 - a period of unparalleled earthly catastrophes as a result of God’s judgment, based on (Mat.24:21, Rev.7:14). 144,000 based on (Rev. chapters 7 & 14). A select number of people who are saved out of the tribulation.
4. Pre-trib / Mid-trib / Post-trib Rapture - the teaching that concerns the Rapture either occurring before, during, or after the Great Tribulation.
5. Last Days / Latter Days / End Times - a period of time that describes the judgment of God at the end of a given period of time (age), some associate this with the coming of Jesus.
6. Parousia / Coming / Day of the Lord - a day and hour that is unknown that describes the judgment of God, also associated with the return of Jesus.
7. New heaven / earth / Jerusalem / Temple - based on (Rev. chapters 21 & 22, Isa.65,66). Some take this to be a literal destruction of the earth and a re-creation of a new one with a new order of existence, Jerusalem and Temple. Others believe this to be symbolic of what has already occurred after the Ascension of Jesus.
8. The Beast - mentioned in (Rev.11:7, chap.13 and also Daniel 7). Describing gentile kingdoms that come against God’s elect in the end of days. Usually associated with the false prophet and anti-christ. Demands worship and allegiance.
9. Mark of the Beast - based on (Rev.7:3, 9:4, 13:13-15, 14:9, 20:4, 22:4). A “mark” or number symbolizing “man” that is placed on the hand or forehead to mark allegiance to the “beast”. Some say it is a literal mark, others symbolic to represent what a person thinks and does. Godly counterpart is in (Rev.9:4, 14:1, Deuteronomy 6:8, Ezek.9:4).
10.The Anti-christ - a person of immense wickedness said to arise as a world leader prior to Jesus’s coming (II Thes.2:3-12). Any person who is against Christ (I John 2:18,22, 4:3, II Jh.7). The word is not mentioned anywhere in Revelation.
11.Armegeddon - means “city of hill of Megiddo”. Mentioned once (Rev.16:16). Many past battles took place there. Some say a final world battle will take place there against Israel and Jesus will step in and establish his earthly 1000 year reign.
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