Literal
KEY 1: Interpret Prophecy Literally.
This is the first key to understanding all scripture. The fundamental issue to settle is the correct rules of interpreting Bible Prophecy. Different prophetic viewpoints mostly come from differing approaches to interpretation. Literal or Plain Interpretation means we must interpret prophecy like all other scripture - in its plain meaning according to the laws of language, as the author intended it and as the original hearers would have understood it. This has far-reaching consequences. Literal interpretation requires us to read any passage in context, so that our understanding of it must fit with what comes before and after it. Moreover since we believe the whole Bible together forms the complete Word of God, our interpretation must also fit (agree) with the rest of Scripture.
Opposing the LITERAL approach is an ALLEGORICAL (spiritualising) approach to prophecy, which allows people to change (twist) the obvious meaning of a verse, to fit their preconceived ideas. The literal approach is to take all scripture in its plain meaning, unless it does not make sense and is obviously meant to be interpreted symbolically. However, the other approach often rejects the literal meaning of a scripture and tries to replace it by a ‘spiritual’ interpretation, even when its plain meaning makes perfect sense. Literal interpretation does not mean we cannot see spiritual parallels to the literal fulfilment or make spiritual applications of it, but first of all, it upholds the literal fulfilment of the prophecy.
Now prophetic literature (like the Book of Revelation) contains much language that is obviously symbolic and pictorial, to help us understand and visualise unfamiliar spiritual realities by comparing them to familiar things around us. Literal interpretation means we interpret obvious symbolic language accordingly.
Some examples of symbolic language are:
1. Obvious FIGURES OF SPEECH (e.g 'thorn in the flesh' - 2Corinthians 12:7)
When we make a typological application, we are not denying the literal meaning of the Scripture. Thus for example in Part 2, we will make the case that the 7 literal Churches of Revelation 2,3 are prophetic types of the 7 phases of Church history. Also, in Part 3, we will argue that 7 Times (of 2520 days) is a type of 7 Times (of 2520 years) of Gentile Dominion. But in each of these cases we uphold the literal fulfilment of the original event. 4. As well as these examples, there is also sometimes a TYPOLOGICAL (symbolic) APPLICATION of a scripture which makes perfect literal sense. God ordains certain events of scripture to reveal in picture form some greater reality that has yet to happen (for example, Abraham offering up Isaac as a sacrifice, is a type or picture of the Father offering up the Son on the Cross).
2. PARABLES. In this Series of Books on Prophecy, we interpret many parables allegorically, for they are obviously symbolic stories to teach spiritual truth. Although parables make perfect literal sense (and so should be understood first on that level, they are obviously given to communicate a parallel spiritual truth.
Now when the Bible uses symbolic (coded) language, this does not mean that the meaning is obscure and mysterious. Many don’t read Revelation because they think it is impossible to understand. But the very meaning of ‘revelation’ is an unveiling of that which was hidden. It is given in order to be understood. Scripture becomes clear as we come to it humbly, reading it according to the principle of literal interpretation, and asking the help of the Holy-Spirit.
When the Bible is clearly using symbols, that does not mean we are free to interpret them any way we would like. The Bible will always supplies the correct interpretation of each symbol, so it tells you how you can crack the code!
First of all look in the immediate context.
For example after seeing a vision John was told:
"The mystery of the 7 stars which you saw in My right hand, and the 7 golden lampstands: the 7 stars are the angels of the 7 churches, and the 7 lampstands which you saw are the 7 churches” (Revelation 1:20).
Sometimes you have to look elsewhere in the Bible for the meaning of a symbol. Thus Paul’s 'thorn in the flesh’ (2Cor 12:7) was not a literal thorn or he would have pulled it out. Neither does it symbolise a sickness as many believe. If we look for a parallel use of this idiom elsewhere in scripure we will find that it represents trouble, persecution and opposition from people (Numbers 33:55). Likewise we would say today that they were ‘a pain in the neck’. Paul was praying for God to deliver him from those who were opposing and persecuting him (especially the religious Jews). Since the whole Bible is the Word of God, it always uses symbols consistently.
Thus literal interpretation simply means that you read the Bible in its PLAIN MEANING, as the writer intended. For example, when a prophet made a promise to Israel, he meant 'Israel' not 'the Church' (he didn't even know about the Church!). A major error made by those who don’t read prophecy literally is to replace ‘Israel’ by ‘the Church.’ Prophecies to Israel are not to be changed into prophecies of the Church. However we can sometimes apply God’s promises to Israel to the Church, as long as in doing this we don’t deny their plain meaning and application to Israel (the link is the New-Covenant). ‘Spiritualisers’ of scripture come along with a mind set and change the original meaning to fit it into their viewpoint. Clearly this is an unsafe way to read scripture. So taking a literal approach limits us to taking scripture in its straightforward meaning and obvious symbolism is interpreted as such.
Three examples to test if you read prophecy literally:
(1) Isaiah 11:6-9: ‘the wolf will lie down with the lamb’. The transformation of the animal kingdom or harmony of all kinds of people in the Church?
(2) Revelation 7:1-8: Will there literally be 144,000 evangelists from Israel, 12,000 from each tribe, or is this a symbolic of the Church?
(3) Revelation 20:1-7 Will there be a literal 1,000 years as described here,or is it simply symbolic of a long time-period?
We can still bring forth spiritual types, analogies and allegories from a literal understanding as long as we don't deny their primary and plain meaning. In fact, it is essential to grasp their plain meaning before making spiritual application from them. Moreover we can apply to the Church, God’s promises to Israel concerning the New Covenant (see Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Hebrews 8:7-13), because although the New Covenant belongs first of all to Israel, we have been baptised into Christ (Abraham’s seed), and thus we qualify to participate fully in the spiritual blessings of the New Covenant.
The main reason that there are so many views and interpretations on Bible prophecy causing much confusion, is the failure to take the Bible literally in this area. (While there are, of course, differences among those who take it literally, these are relatively minor). The ultimate root of this failure to believe the prophetic scriptures according to their plain meaning is of course unbelief.
We are further encouraged to interpret Prophecy plainly because:
1. Bible Believers use literal interpretation to interpret all other areas of scripture doctrine. But many spiritualise prophecy. Why should prophecy be the exception? This leads to inconsistencies. For example some prophecies to Israel (the negative ones) are taken literally, while the positive ones are spiritualised and applied to the Church.
2. Without literal interpretation, there is no way to know the real meaning and no control over how to interpret scripture. It leaves the door open for wild uncontrolled interpretation. It means that we are free to supply whatever meaning we want. Literal interpretation is the only way to be in submission to God's Word (spiritualising allows us to make it mean whatever we want). Otherwise we are in danger of tampering with the word of God which can have serious consequences as Revelation 22:18,19 warns us strongly. We are not to add to it meanings that are not there, or take away from what it is saying, but simply to discover what it is saying in plain language and submit to it.
3. Some 20% of Bible prophecy has already been fulfilled. HOW? Literally (e.g Jesus was born in literal Bethlehem - Micah 5:2). Will not the rest be fulfilled likewise?
4. If prophecy is not fulfilled literally how will you know if it has been fulfilled or not? If someone predicts you will get a job in Nottingham next month but you instead you get a job in Oxford, is the prophecy fulfilled? What would you say to someone who says ‘it is fulfilled, for Oxford is spiritual Nottingham’? Or what if a prophecy said you would get a million pounds tomorrow, but nothing arrived and then you were told the prophecy really meant that you would just feel like a million pounds! Would you consider it fulfilled?
5. If prophecy to Israel is not fulfilled literally to Israel, then God is a deceiver. What if God has made promises to you, only to be told later: ‘I did not mean you, Tom, I was giving the promise to someone else - ‘spiritual Tom’! If God is not faithful to His promises to Israel but breaks His Word to them, then we could have no assurance that He will be faithful to His promises to us!
6. The reward of reading prophecy literally means the Bible comes alive. It makes sense and it all fits together as a masterpiece, as I hope to show. Much truth is lost in denying the obvious meaning. In previous times it was harder to believe that prophecy would be fulfilled literally. The idea of Israel coming back to the land and of various events of the Book of Revelation taking place may have seemed impossible. But today, as we see the world change scientifically and politically it seems to be right up to date. Now, Bible- believers have no excuse not to believe that it will all be literally fulfilled.
7. Jesus understood and interpreted prophecy literally (compare Daniel 9:27 and Matthew 24:15). Moreover, as we have already pointed out, His final words of warning (Rev 22:18-20) require us to interpret prophecy in its plain meaning.
8. The national rebirth of the nation of Israel in 1948, against all odds,
in fulfilment of Bible Prophecy, is a sure proof that God is fulfillling prophecy literally. When certain courageous believers in the 19th Century pointed out
that Israel must be restored to her land they they laughed at by those who did not take prophecy literally, because it seemed so impossible. How could a nation be reborn after 2000 years? Such a thing had never been heard of.Yet through the fires of the Holocaust Israel came to birth just as the Bible said it would, and it took its place as the major sign that we are now in the end-times.