Understanding the Prophetic Word
A Few Pointers to Biblical Interpretation
Next week we will begin to look at the parables of Matthew Chapter 13. But first I want to explain some things about the Prophetic Word. When we attempt to interpret Scripture, there are a couple of simple guidelines we all must follow.
- Context: When a passage of Scripture is taken out of context, it can take on a completely different meaning than what the author intended. Therefore, it is important to remember who it is the passage is written to. What is the subject matter just before and just after the passage of Scripture you are reading?
- Subject Matter: What does the Bible say elsewhere about the subject matter you are engaging? There is a rule of interpretation called "the law of first mention". In other words, the first time the Bible mentions a subject, typically, is how it is used elsewhere in Scripture. As we get in to parabolic interpretation next week, I will remind you of this rule!
Layers of Scripture
What do I mean when I use the term "layers of Scripture?" The Bible speaks to us on many different levels. Listed below are just a few I have discovered throughout the years.
Literal: The primary layer is what I call the Literal Layer. Quite simply, this means just taking the Bible literally as we read the surface text. For instance: if the passage reads "...give us this day, our daily bread..." then we may interpret that to mean, we should literally pray for our daily portion of physical food.
Spiritual: The next layer is what I call the Spiritual Layer. Taking the same passage listed above "...give us this day, our daily bread..." then we may interpret that to be speaking of our daily portion of spiritual food. Our spiritual food is the Word of God! The Bible is a spiritual book. God wrote the Bible and God is Spirit. Therefore, you cannot simply read the Bible like it is a natural book. You may understand the Bible in a literal sense, but you could, at the same time, miss the spiritual meaning under the surface text. It is the Holy Spirit who reveals the Scripture to the born-again spirit. Spiritual things are discerned spiritually. This would be those who have "ears to hear what the Spirit is saying."
Prophetic: The Prophetic Layer is a little deeper into the Spiritual Layer. Of course, the Prophetic Layer contains prophecies given by the prophets of God. They prophesied about judgement and punishment coming because of disobedience. They prophesied about the coming of Messiah etc.
When God speaks to His church prophetically, the message applies to those things which "have been, those things which are and that which is to come." (Rev. 1:19). Therefore, the principle being revealed can be seen throughout the entirety of Scripture. These are what I call "Prophetic Pictures." These are "types and shadows" which contain God's timing; His way of doing things. It is the "signature of God" on His work! For instance: The Tabernacle of God and the priesthood on earth is just an earthly shadow of the true, heavenly Tabernacle and Priesthood.
"They offer service in a replica and foreshadower of the heavenlies-one that is just as Moses was instructed by God when he was about to complete the tabernacle. For He says, 'See that you make everything according to the design that was shown to you on the mountain.' " (Heb. 8:5). TLV
When God speaks to His church prophetically, the message applies to those things which "have been, those things which are and that which is to come." (Rev. 1:19). Therefore, the principle being revealed can be seen throughout the entirety of Scripture. These are what I call "Prophetic Pictures." These are "types and shadows" which contain God's timing; His way of doing things. It is the "signature of God" on His work! For instance: The Tabernacle of God and the priesthood on earth is just an earthly shadow of the true, heavenly Tabernacle and Priesthood.
"They offer service in a replica and foreshadower of the heavenlies-one that is just as Moses was instructed by God when he was about to complete the tabernacle. For He says, 'See that you make everything according to the design that was shown to you on the mountain.' " (Heb. 8:5). TLV
The earthly Tabernacle design was after the heavenly design. There is a Tabernacle in Heaven and Jesus Christ is the High Priest who performs all the necessary functions of that ministry. Furthermore, we may also see in the design of The Tabernacle, our bodies as the house of God! These are "prophetic pictures" God gives us throughout Scripture. They reveal unchangeable truths which God uses over and over. By looking at these prophetic pictures, we may learn many truths. For instance, we may learn here, that God desires to "house" His glory in some sort of edifice. Furthermore, we may learn that not only does God desire His glory to "abide" in a "house," but we also see He desires His glory to abide in a spiritual house made up of living stones!
"...you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (I Pet. 2:5).
These prophetic pictures are given throughout the entire Old Testament.
This layer of Scripture would also contain what is typically called "double reference prophecies." For instance, prophecies which contain both the First Coming of Christ and the Second Coming of Christ in the same passage. This was one of the things that made the prophecies of the Messiah such a mystery to the Old Testament prophets. They would see the Lord in a vision, coming as a suffering servant, yet in the same vision, they would see Him coming as a King to rule the nations with a rod of iron. What they never saw, was a huge valley of 2000 years of church age between the two comings. A great example can be seen here, where Jesus opens a scroll in the Temple and reads:
"The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD."
Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, 'Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.' " (Lk. 4:18-21).
This is Jesus reading from the Book of Isaiah (61:1, 2). But notice Jesus didn't read the whole second verse. The prophet Isaiah wrote:
"...to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,
And the day of vengeance of our God..." (Is. 61:2a).
Jesus stopped before getting to the part of God revealing the "day of vengeance" because His first coming was not about judgement and vengeance. That will occur at His second coming. So, the prophecy of the coming Messiah contained in Isaiah 61 was to be fulfilled in two different time frames. This is a good example of a "double reference prophecy."
Another example of double reference prophecy can be seen in (Ez. 28:12-19). What starts out to be a prophecy against the king of Tyre, ends up being a revelation of the fall of Lucifer as he was cast down from heaven.
Still, another example can be seen in The Parable of the Good Samaritan. Within this story, we have a lesson of the importance of being kind and compassionate to those who are hurting. This would be what is understood by the "literal layer" of text. But we also see in the prophetic layer, the story of salvation in Christ; from His first coming, to the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the promise of His triumphant return! Yes, the story of the church age is contained just beneath the "literal layer" of biblical text! Let's take a quick look at it.
This parable tells us there was a certain man who "went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead..." Lk. (10:30)
This "certain man" is a prophetic picture of Adam, the first man; who came down from Jerusalem (a type of heaven) to Jericho (a type of earth). He fell among thieves, was wounded and left half dead. So this shows us how Adam fell, he died a spiritual death instantly, but physically he continued to live for over 900 years...half dead! He was stripped of his clothing when He chose to disobey God...the glory departed!
"Now by chance, a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Like wise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side." (Lk. 10:31, 32).
This is a perfect prophetic picture showing us that the Levitical Priesthood of the Mosaic Law was unable to save man.
"But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him." (Lk. 10:33, 34).
Now we see our Savior, Jesus Christ enter the picture as "a certain Samaritan." It's worth noting that Samaritans were half Jew, half gentile. A perfect picture of Jesus Christ, the God Man. Even though He was of heavenly origin, likewise He was earthly. We see in the prophetic layer here, Jesus had compassion on us and bandaged up our wounds! He poured oil and wine upon us which is a picture of the Spirit and the Word! He then placed us on His own animal which is to say, He bore our sins in His own body. Then we see He brought us to an inn and took care of us. The "inn" being a picture of His church.
"On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.' " (Lk. 10:35, 36).
Now we see when He departed (His death on the cross and resurrection) He gave 2 days wages to the "innkeeper." So, now we see there are two prophetic days (2000 years) of church age where the "innkeeper" (Holy Spirit) is given the charge to comfort, guide and take care of us here until Jesus will "come again."
Hopefully, you are getting a picture of the endless depths we have in the "Prophetic Layer" of Scripture! This Parable of The Good Samaritan has a message of "love thy neighbor as thyself" on the literal layer, but deeper into the prophetic layer, we receive a revelation much deeper and hidden to the complacent and less matured believer.
Deeper still, beneath the "Prophetic Layer" we could include things such as the mysterious "Bible Codes." These "codes" found within the sacred text are absolutely mind boggling and we have yet to scratch the surface of what they contain within them!
Next week, we will begin to look at the Parables of Matthew Chapter 13. As we look into these parables, beyond the literal layer of Scripture, we will discover some interesting things found in the deeper, prophetic layer.
"...you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (I Pet. 2:5).
These prophetic pictures are given throughout the entire Old Testament.
This layer of Scripture would also contain what is typically called "double reference prophecies." For instance, prophecies which contain both the First Coming of Christ and the Second Coming of Christ in the same passage. This was one of the things that made the prophecies of the Messiah such a mystery to the Old Testament prophets. They would see the Lord in a vision, coming as a suffering servant, yet in the same vision, they would see Him coming as a King to rule the nations with a rod of iron. What they never saw, was a huge valley of 2000 years of church age between the two comings. A great example can be seen here, where Jesus opens a scroll in the Temple and reads:
"The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD."
Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, 'Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.' " (Lk. 4:18-21).
This is Jesus reading from the Book of Isaiah (61:1, 2). But notice Jesus didn't read the whole second verse. The prophet Isaiah wrote:
"...to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,
And the day of vengeance of our God..." (Is. 61:2a).
Jesus stopped before getting to the part of God revealing the "day of vengeance" because His first coming was not about judgement and vengeance. That will occur at His second coming. So, the prophecy of the coming Messiah contained in Isaiah 61 was to be fulfilled in two different time frames. This is a good example of a "double reference prophecy."
Another example of double reference prophecy can be seen in (Ez. 28:12-19). What starts out to be a prophecy against the king of Tyre, ends up being a revelation of the fall of Lucifer as he was cast down from heaven.
Still, another example can be seen in The Parable of the Good Samaritan. Within this story, we have a lesson of the importance of being kind and compassionate to those who are hurting. This would be what is understood by the "literal layer" of text. But we also see in the prophetic layer, the story of salvation in Christ; from His first coming, to the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the promise of His triumphant return! Yes, the story of the church age is contained just beneath the "literal layer" of biblical text! Let's take a quick look at it.
This parable tells us there was a certain man who "went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead..." Lk. (10:30)
This "certain man" is a prophetic picture of Adam, the first man; who came down from Jerusalem (a type of heaven) to Jericho (a type of earth). He fell among thieves, was wounded and left half dead. So this shows us how Adam fell, he died a spiritual death instantly, but physically he continued to live for over 900 years...half dead! He was stripped of his clothing when He chose to disobey God...the glory departed!
"Now by chance, a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Like wise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side." (Lk. 10:31, 32).
This is a perfect prophetic picture showing us that the Levitical Priesthood of the Mosaic Law was unable to save man.
"But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him." (Lk. 10:33, 34). Now we see our Savior, Jesus Christ enter the picture as "a certain Samaritan." It's worth noting that Samaritans were half Jew, half gentile. A perfect picture of Jesus Christ, the God Man. Even though He was of heavenly origin, likewise He was earthly. We see in the prophetic layer here, Jesus had compassion on us and bandaged up our wounds! He poured oil and wine upon us which is a picture of the Spirit and the Word! He then placed us on His own animal which is to say, He bore our sins in His own body. Then we see He brought us to an inn and took care of us. The "inn" being a picture of His church.
"On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.' " (Lk. 10:35, 36).
Now we see when He departed (His death on the cross and resurrection) He gave 2 days wages to the "innkeeper." So, now we see there are two prophetic days (2000 years) of church age where the "innkeeper" (Holy Spirit) is given the charge to comfort, guide and take care of us here until Jesus will "come again."
Hopefully, you are getting a picture of the endless depths we have in the "Prophetic Layer" of Scripture! This Parable of The Good Samaritan has a message of "love thy neighbor as thyself" on the literal layer, but deeper into the prophetic layer, we receive a revelation much deeper and hidden to the complacent and less matured believer.
Deeper still, beneath the "Prophetic Layer" we could include things such as the mysterious "Bible Codes." These "codes" found within the sacred text are absolutely mind boggling and we have yet to scratch the surface of what they contain within them!
Next week, we will begin to look at the Parables of Matthew Chapter 13. As we look into these parables, beyond the literal layer of Scripture, we will discover some interesting things found in the deeper, prophetic layer.
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