Posted on 12/27/2016 4:26:00 PM PST by grumpa
TEN TIPS ON UNDERSTANDING BIBLE PROPHECY
by Charles Meek
1. Determine to believe what Jesus and the writers of the New Testament taught, even if it conflicts with your denominational teaching, your presuppositions, or popular perceptions.
2. Step out of your sectarian echo chamber and immerse yourself in the Word. Especially in eschatology, there are several diverse and contradictory views. Don’t assume that your sect has it right.
3. Don’t just give lip service to Sola Scriptura—embrace it.
4. When reading the Bible, take yourself out of our modern setting, and stand in the shoes of the original audience. How would the original audience have understood a particular passage? Audience relevance is critical.
5. Remember that the Bible was written FOR us, but not TO us. When we read the Bible, we are reading someone else’s mail.
6. Understand that to grasp what the New Testament teaches about prophecy, you will have to do a little work to understand what the Old Testament taught. What do phrases like “coming on clouds of heaven,” “the sun will not give its light,” “the heavens will be shaken,” “the moon will turn to blood,” “abomination of desolation,” “the lesson from the fig tree,” “the time of the end,” “baptism by fire,” and so forth—mean in the Old Testament? (It may be different than you assume.)
7. Don’t twist Scripture by giving unbiblical (and non-dictionary) meanings to “soon,” “at hand,” “before some of those standing here taste death,” “must shortly take place,” “this generation.” The plain meaning is usually the best. Remember that God gave us his Word in language that has meaning that He expected humans to understand.
8. Let Scripture interpret Scripture, rather than the daily newspaper interpret Scripture.
9. Test all things, as Scripture instructs (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Your current understanding may be tainted by non-biblical teaching.
10. Be a Berean like those in Acts 17:11. Search the Scriptures to see if what you have been taught is so.
https://prophecyquestions.com/2014/02/01/articles-by-charles-meek
bttt
Best thing to do with Bible prophesy is to bear in mind that it exists as an exhortation and not to worry about the particulars of fulfillment.
You’ll often need to differentiate between metaphor and literalism. Metaphor isn’t intended to confuse the meaning, but to see the more important forces at work behind it.
Take John’s Gospel literally. If it says there is a sign in the Heavens, then there is a sign in the Heavens.
How about Koranic prophecy?
Prophecy = Revelation of Jesus Christ.
It will happen as foretold but the details
may not be understood this side of Eternity.
We are watching the construction of a
Mighty Cathedral and We have the life span
of a house fly.
Maranatha! Lord come quickly!
That’s the word I was stumbling for,,,
Thanks.
Good rules. Except 5 & 7 contradict each other. As 7 says Scripture is written to us and for us.
And remember that Jesus lived under the Old Covenant, and ergo, the Law. He spoke of why He was here and what was to come, but He also did and spoke in accordance of the Law which was still in effect until He arose from the dead.
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