About
understanding prophetic eschatology
The First And Utmost Starting Point Is To Give Jesus All The Glory
Luke 24:44-45 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding,
Then opened he their understanding They had a measure of light before, so that they discerned the Scriptures to be the true word of God, and to speak of the Messiah; but they had not light sufficient to enable them to apply these Scriptures to their Lord and Master; but now, by the influence of Christ, they see, not only, the prophecies which pointed out the Messiah, but also the Messiah who was pointed out by these prophecies.
The book of God may be received in general as a Divine revelation, but the proper meaning, reference, and application of the Scriptures can only be discerned by the light of Christ. Even the very plain word of God is a dead letter to those who are not enlightened by the grace of Christ; and why? because this word speaks of spiritual and heavenly things; and the carnal mind of man cannot discern them. They who receive not this inward teaching continue dark and dead while they live.
Then he opened — A statement of unspeakable value, expressing, on the one hand, Christ's immediate access to the human spirit and absolute power to give it spiritual discernment, and on the other hand, making it certain that the manner of interpreting the OT the apostles would afterwards employ had the direct sanction of Christ himself.
1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
John 19:28-30 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
Behold, A King Will Reign In Righteousness
And Princes Will Rule With Justice. And each one of them shall be like a hiding place from the wind and a shelter from the storm, like streams of water in a dry place, like the shade of a great rock in a weary land [to those who turn to them]. Then the eyes of those who see will not be closed {or} dimmed, and the ears of those who hear will listen. And the mind of the rash will understand knowledge {and} have good judgment, and the tongue of the stammerers will speak readily and plainly. Is.32:1-4
Luke 10:21-24 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them
Revelation given to the unlearned, the lowly, the plain people, against the usurpations of ecclesiastical authority In the time of Amos God had been free to choose as the bearer of his message a herdsman, a dresser of sycamore trees, in preference to the prophet by avocation, if it so pleased him Am.7:14-15
Isaiah already felt the pressure of hierocratic usurpation, and followed the lead of Amos pouring scorn upon the prophets "whose eyes are closed," the seers "whose heads are covered," the learned to whom "all vision is become as the words of a book that is sealed," so that God turns to "the meek" and "the poor" making the children to sanctify his name, and erring spirits and "stammering lips to utter peace." Isaiah 29:10-11 For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered. And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: And when the book is given to him who is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray you, he says, I cannot read.
A party of scribes with a few thousand Pharisaic followers had arrogated to themselves alone the spiritual inheritance of Israel. Sitting in Moses seat with their prerogative of the interpretation of the written law, they held the keys of the kingdom of heaven. They entered not in themselves, and the masses that would enter in by the broad door of the baptism of John and the proclamation of forgiveness and adoption by Jesus they hindered. They had made it impossible for the average son or daughter of Abraham to expect any "part in the world to come" John 9:39-41 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.
And the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near Me with their mouth and honor Me with their lips but remove their hearts {and} minds far from Me, and their fear {and} reverence for Me are a commandment of men that is learned by repetition [without any thought as to the meaning], Therefore, behold! I will again do marvelous things with this people, marvelous and astonishing things; and the wisdom of their wise men will perish, and the understanding of their discerning men will vanish {or} be hidden.
Matt 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. Mat 23:24-36 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. {25} Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisee's, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
Mat 15:14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. Matt 16:17
I don't think it is a matter of timing of Christ's second event as much as interpretation it was the passing away of the old testament, the fulfilling of the old testament in Christ; The end of the law , and the preaching of the gospel of grace. Heb. 8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
The First And Utmost Starting Point Is To Give Jesus All The Glory
The highest practical usefulness of the study of Biblical Theology is one belonging to it altogether apart from its usefulness for the student. Like unto all theology it finds its supreme end in the glory of God. This end it attains through giving us a new view of God as displaying a particular aspect of His nature in connection with His historical approach to and intercourse with man. The beautiful statement of Thomas Aquinas is here in point:
(Theologia) a Deo docetur, Deum docet, ad Deum ducit.(Theology is taught by God, teaches God, leads to God)
Geerhardus Vos, Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock Publishers, 2003), 18.
God’s final purpose in the gospel is to transform his redeemed children, according to the image of his beloved Son, so that they might offer themselves freely and fully in service to God and neighbor (Rom. 8:29; 12:1–2; 2 Cor. 3:18; Rev. 22:1–5). All Scripture is profitable for accomplishing this end (2 Tim. 3:16–17).
Because biblical interpretation is an act of covenant mutuality, a living engagement with the living God through his living Christ, biblical interpretation is always personal. As interpreters, we are always making decisions either for or against the truths, promises, and commands of a given text.
There is no neutrality here. We are either in the process of further embracing Scripture’s truths, promises, and commands or we are in the process of distancing ourselves from them. We are either bringing ourselves into further conformity to God’s word or we are slowly drifting away from that which we have read and heard (cf. Heb. 2:1–4). The timing of biblical application therefore is always “Today” (see Heb. 3:7–4:13).
The ultimate end of application is adoration. As John Webster states, the exercise of exegetical reason brings us “to apprehend, cleave to, and obey God—to ‘contemplate’ in the sense of intelligent adoration.” “My soul keeps your testimonies; I love them exceedingly” (Ps. 119:167). The God who knows and loves himself makes himself known to us in Holy Scripture that we might know and love him as well (Jn. 17:3). To this end, application invokes the Spirit’s presence, who sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts (Rom. 5:5) and who sanctifies our self-offering to God (Rom. 12:1–2; 15:16): “Let my soul live and praise you, and let your rules help me” (Ps. 119:175). (Scott R. Swain, Trinity, Revelation, and Reading: A Theological Introduction to the Bible and Its Interpretation (London; New York: T&T Clark, 2011), 133-136)
1Cor 4:7 For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not? If you don't apply scripture to interpret scripture you will end up making your own interpretation of Bible prophesies.
I, indeed, labored in defense of the free choice of the human will; but the grace of God conquered, and finally I was able to understand, with full clarity, the meaning of the Apostle: “For who singles thee out? Or what hast thou that thou hast not received? And if thou hast received it, why dost thou boast as if thou hadst not received it?” Cyprian, the martyr, too, wishing to show this, embraced all this under the heading:
“We should glory in nothing since we have nothing in which to glory.”
Augustine of Hippo, The Retractations, ed. Roy Joseph Deferrari, trans. Mary Inez Bogan, vol. 60, The Fathers of the Church (Washington, DC: The Catholic University of America Press, 1968), 120.
Luke 24:44-45 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding,
Then opened he their understanding They had a measure of light before, so that they discerned the Scriptures to be the true word of God, and to speak of the Messiah; but they had not light sufficient to enable them to apply these Scriptures to their Lord and Master; but now, by the influence of Christ, they see, not only, the prophecies which pointed out the Messiah, but also the Messiah who was pointed out by these prophecies.
The book of God may be received in general as a Divine revelation, but the proper meaning, reference, and application of the Scriptures can only be discerned by the light of Christ. Even the very plain word of God is a dead letter to those who are not enlightened by the grace of Christ; and why? because this word speaks of spiritual and heavenly things; and the carnal mind of man cannot discern them. They who receive not this inward teaching continue dark and dead while they live.
Then he opened — A statement of unspeakable value, expressing, on the one hand, Christ's immediate access to the human spirit and absolute power to give it spiritual discernment, and on the other hand, making it certain that the manner of interpreting the OT the apostles would afterwards employ had the direct sanction of Christ himself.
1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
John 19:28-30 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
Behold, A King Will Reign In Righteousness
And Princes Will Rule With Justice. And each one of them shall be like a hiding place from the wind and a shelter from the storm, like streams of water in a dry place, like the shade of a great rock in a weary land [to those who turn to them]. Then the eyes of those who see will not be closed {or} dimmed, and the ears of those who hear will listen. And the mind of the rash will understand knowledge {and} have good judgment, and the tongue of the stammerers will speak readily and plainly. Is.32:1-4
Luke 10:21-24 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them
Revelation given to the unlearned, the lowly, the plain people, against the usurpations of ecclesiastical authority In the time of Amos God had been free to choose as the bearer of his message a herdsman, a dresser of sycamore trees, in preference to the prophet by avocation, if it so pleased him Am.7:14-15
Isaiah already felt the pressure of hierocratic usurpation, and followed the lead of Amos pouring scorn upon the prophets "whose eyes are closed," the seers "whose heads are covered," the learned to whom "all vision is become as the words of a book that is sealed," so that God turns to "the meek" and "the poor" making the children to sanctify his name, and erring spirits and "stammering lips to utter peace." Isaiah 29:10-11 For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered. And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: And when the book is given to him who is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray you, he says, I cannot read.
A party of scribes with a few thousand Pharisaic followers had arrogated to themselves alone the spiritual inheritance of Israel. Sitting in Moses seat with their prerogative of the interpretation of the written law, they held the keys of the kingdom of heaven. They entered not in themselves, and the masses that would enter in by the broad door of the baptism of John and the proclamation of forgiveness and adoption by Jesus they hindered. They had made it impossible for the average son or daughter of Abraham to expect any "part in the world to come" John 9:39-41 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.
And the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near Me with their mouth and honor Me with their lips but remove their hearts {and} minds far from Me, and their fear {and} reverence for Me are a commandment of men that is learned by repetition [without any thought as to the meaning], Therefore, behold! I will again do marvelous things with this people, marvelous and astonishing things; and the wisdom of their wise men will perish, and the understanding of their discerning men will vanish {or} be hidden.
Matt 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. Mat 23:24-36 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. {25} Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisee's, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
Mat 15:14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. Matt 16:17
I don't think it is a matter of timing of Christ's second event as much as interpretation it was the passing away of the old testament, the fulfilling of the old testament in Christ; The end of the law , and the preaching of the gospel of grace. Heb. 8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
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