This website is dedicated to my book, ”The Gospel Prophecy.” I am working on the manuscript and hope to have it completed by November 2004. Here is an excerpt.
Last revised: 04/28/04
In an article on nutrition in the February, 2004 edition of “Discover” magazine, the author stated that nutrition is a lot like religion. Everyone has an answer, but nobody has any proof. This pointed out the fact that there hadn’t really been a lot of scientific inquiry into nutrition until recently. I asked myself, “Is that the way religion should be? Should our deepest and most dearly held beliefs simply rest on subjective opinion? Doesn’t the Bible itself instruct us to contend for the faith and to look for reason?”
These are the questions I wish to address in my Christian non-fiction book. I hope to provide some acceptable answers to those who are searching, particularly to those who search the Bible for their answers. I believe there’s a great need for books like this today.
The reason my book is going to be different is because I will answer questions with objective proof. The “proof” I want to provide consists of answers to biblical mysteries that neither scholars nor fundamentalists can provide. The reason I can answer these questions is because I will use the methods of interpretation that are found in the early church, pre-Christian Judaism, and in the Bible itself. Fundamentalists are generally unaware of these methods. Scholars are aware, but they don’t use them due to a dependence on their own traditions.
Let me explain. Scholars look through the lens of language and history. Fundamentalists look through the lens of literalism, because they say the Bible must be interpreted literally. The early church fathers such as Origen, Tyconius and Augustine looked through the lens of faith. They looked for deeper meaning in the scriptures. The first century rabbis, such as Philo, also looked for deeper meaning. Not only that, but the Bible authors themselves indicated that there was deeper meaning in the scriptures in such passages as Galatians four, and the book of Jude.
The ancients were much closer to the time the original manuscripts were written than we are, so doesn’t it make more sense to use the methods they would have used rather than forcing an unnatural interpretation based on history and a literal sense of language? Especially when interpreting such cryptic books as The Revelation.
As I said, the ancient looked for deeper meaning in the scriptures. They looked for overall design, purpose and meaning; and not only in the scriptures, but in the natural universe. Design, purpose and meaning are evidence of the One who gives design, purpose and meaning.
A universe without God is different than the one a believer sees. An atheist sees a universe of randomness. Where are purpose, design and meaning? A Godless universe is a chaotic place ruled by chance. The Christian sees a universe under God's control. God gives purpose and meaning, and is the designer. His order is maintained throughout the domain. If that is the case, shouldn’t the Bible, God’s Word, represent something other than random bits of history and prose? Shouldn’t it be something more than the haphazard writings of ancient men?
The great men of the early church I mention believed there was a consistency and organization in the entirety of scripture that was evidence of God Himself! Scholars today show us a book of almost random inconsistency. But there’s a reason for that.
After the Enlightenment, literary interpretation was a response to scientific success, encouraging emphasis on objectivity. There was mistrust of the ancient’s understanding of the world. This caused a sense of historical distance, and a critical reading of the texts. During the Reformation, there was a spirit of rebellion against tradition. Reformers used all the linguistic and historical aids to help them derive meaning from the scripture. This helped produce doctrine from such plainly written tests as the epistles. Even Catholic scholars started following these new methods, as much of the “deeper meaning” of the fathers was considered too subjective.
Farrell Till, former editor of the “Skeptical Review,” once asked me this question. Jesus said it was written that Messiah must suffer, and rise from the dead the third day (Matthew 24:45). Can you show me in the Old Testament where it says that? At the time I gave a partial answer that was unsatisfactory to him. Since then I have discovered that the full answer can be found by using the methods of the church fathers. And this I don’t consider a subjective opinion. Asking and answering other similar questions, which cannot be answered by using literalistic means, can verify our methods.
The first the thing we should take into account is the way the scriptures themselves call for interpretation.
If we play a pantomime game, my
personality isn’t relevant. You look at
the signals I make. The signals are the
necessary elements needed to understand the message I'm trying to convey to
you. The Bible is like that in its stories. The stories use different actors
and symbols, but it is necessary to understand the pattern, and the relation of
the symbols to each other.
There is a dreamlike quality to the
Bible, and I think that's how many of the stories should be interpreted, like a
dream. The New Testament epistles are somewhat of an exception, because are
commentary on other Scripture; they tell you what
other Scripture means on a very
practical level. I'm not saying that the Bible has to be thought of as a dream,
but I think the Bible itself hints at what I'm talking about.
It must be examined for the symbols
and patterns that speak to the gospel it presents. There are patterns and
associated symbols that are repeated many times. Two stories that I believe speak to the way the Bible should be
interpreted are about the interpretation of dreams. Notice the similarities in
the stories of Daniel and Joseph.
A. Joseph was carried away to Egypt
a. Daniel was carried away to Babylon
B. Joseph was an interpreter of dreams
b. Daniel was a skilled in wisdom and
understanding
C. Pharaoh had a dream
c. The king of Babylon had a dream
D. Pharaoh sent for the Magicians and
wise men
d. Nebuchadnezzar sent for the
magicians etc.
E. God made the dreams known to Joseph
e. God made the dream known to Daniel
F. Joseph interpreted the dreams for
Pharaoh
f. Daniel interpreted the dream for
Nebuchadnezzar
G. The dream concerns what will happen
in the future
g. The dream concerns what will happen
in the future
H. Pharaoh praised Joseph, gave him
gifts, and elevated him to a high position in the kingdom
h. Nebuchadnezzar praised Daniel, gave
him gifts, and elevated him to a high position in the kingdom
Look at it this way. Jesus was captive
three days in the heart of the earth. After he was resurrected, he explained
the scriptures to the disciples in a way they hadn’t understood before. Not
long after this, he was taken into heaven.
We can see all the elements of the previous two stories.
The prophet is the paper that
carries the message in this case. He is the medium, not the message, like you
or I if we play a pantomime game. We wouldn't be the message, but the medium
that carries the message. That's the way I view it anyway.
Here is an outline where I've picked
out details to show the chiasm in the story of the prophet Jonah.
1. God Speaks to Jonah
2.
Jonah flees rather than go to Nineveh
3.
He enters into the ship, God sends a storm
4.
The stormy wind
5.
Jonah cast into the stormy sea
6.
Jonah swallowed by the great fish (Jonah cries out)
7.
Jonah released by the whale after 3 days
X.
God speaks again (3:1)
7.
Jonah enters the Great City for 3 days
6.
Jonah leaves the Great City
5.
Jonah scorched by the sun and wind (Jonah complains)
4.
The burning east wind
3.
The gourd shelters Jonah, God sends a worm.
2.
Jonah wants to die rather than suffer
1.
God finishes speaking.
Here is an outline of the Gospel:
1.The King is born into the world.
2. His ministry of miracles, healing,
and enlightenment.
3. The temptation of an earthly
kingdom (entry into Jerusalem) and the treachery of Judas.
4. The persecution by enemies and
falling away of disciples.
5. The trial and judgment.
6. The crucifixion.
7. Resurrection and glory (after the
three days of the passion, 5,6,7).
A correlation can be made here; Jonah's
rebellion is like Christ's obedient service. If we were playing a game and I'm
trying to get you to say the word white without saying it myself, I might say
black.
Jonah clearly exhibits the Gospel
pattern that is evident throughout scripture. What makes the latter part of
Jonah a little confusing is the chiastic structure of the book. That means the
pattern is presented in reverse order in the final chapters. Here's the way I
look at it:
A)
4:9-11 God teaches Jonah, and says he shouldn't ask for death
B)
4:8 A scorching wind and sun weaken Jonah
C)
4:7 A worm chews the vine
D)
4:5,6 Jonah receives shelter from a vine (John 15:1-5)
E )
3:10-4:4 Jonah asks for death
F)
3:1-3:9 Jonah warns Nineveh 3 days
G)
2:10 Jonah is released
In the Gospel:
A)
Jesus enters the world and ministers, foretells His death
B)
The religious leaders persecute Jesus and followers
C
)Judas sells his loyalty
D
)Judas betrays Jesus with a kiss
E)
Judas kills himself
F)
Jesus is 3 days and nights in the earth
G) The resurrection
Since the book is chiastic you can see
the relation in the three day visit to Nineveh, and the three days in the belly
of the whale. Christ Himself gave us
the key by comparing His crucifixion to the time Jonah spent in the belly of
the whale (Mat 12:40).
Note the symbolisms of wormwood,
crying for death, bitterness and sweetness, an east wind, are among many found
in Revelation. As important as the symbolism is the pattern. So in one part
Jonah may represent Judas, but in another part Jesus.
In the view above the vine would
represent Jesus, and the worm would represent Judas, or the antichrist. Christ was crucified on Good Friday, and
resurrected on Easter Sunday.
The problem with that is that it is
only two days from Friday to Sunday. The scripture says:
Mat 17:22 When they came together in
Galilee, he said to them, "The Son of Man is
going to be betrayed into the hands of men.
23 They will kill him, and on the
third day he will be raised to life." And the disciples were filled with grief.
So we're faced with a problem, but I
think a careful reading of the scripture shows that there's no problem at all.
It doesn't say Christ will be resurrected three days after He is crucified. It
says He will be resurrected three days after He is betrayed.
Jesus said:
John 2:19 Jesus answered them,
"Destroy this temple, and I will
raise it again in three days."
20 The Jews replied, "It has
taken forty-six years to build this
temple, and you are going to raise it
in three days?"
21 But the temple he had spoken of was
his body.
The body of Christ includes Christ and
the believers. Christ is the chief cornerstone (1Co 3:16 6:19 2Co 6:16 Eph
2:20-22 1Pe 2:4,5). The temple was destroyed when Christ was betrayed and the
disciples scattered. (Zec 13:7 Mt 26:31,56 Mk 14:27,50 John 16:32 Ac 8:1 2Ti
4:16,17)
Mat12:40 For as Jonah was three days
and three nights in the belly
of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will
be three days and three nights
in the heart of the earth. (Jonah
1:17)
Jonas didn't die, but he was in
torment while in the belly of the whale. It was after the sailors (disciples)
abandoned him, even though they didn't want to, that he suffered. He cried out
figuratively that the earth at the bottoms of the mountains barred him. So it
was from the time of abandonment that it was three days he was tormented, and
three days from Christ's betrayal that He suffered.
I believe the pattern is telling us
how to interpret the Bible. The Bible contains history, but is not a history
book. The Bible contains science but is not a science book. The greater
spiritual truth of the Bible lies in the symbols and patterns it presents that
speak of Christ. It is more correct to interpret the Bible as a dream than it
is to interpret it as a literal account of historical events. That’s not denying literal truth, but
looking for a deeper spiritual meaning.
Many other questions can be interpreted in a new light using a “spiritual” approach to the scriptures. To say an interpretation is “spiritual” doesn’t necessarily mean it can’t be objective. We look for the moral message behind the words, but in a way that we check objectively by the pattern and symbols used. It allows understanding the stories in a whole new way.
Looking
at it in this way gives an overall purpose and design to the scriptures. Another important clue is to see where the
symbols fall in a pattern that is given over and over again in the Bible.
1. Revelation of God
2. Growing and strengthening
3. Temptation
4. Falling away
5. Chastisement
6. Repentance or further Rebellion
7. Reconciliation or greater punishment
Whether it is the Hebrew children in
the Sinai, Israel in the time of Judges, or in the time of
Kings, we see the same pattern over and over.
The ones who overcome temptation and remain faithful to God are the
exception to the rule.
Perhaps
we can see a reflection of this pattern in the natural cycle of life and death.
A child is born, and grows full of hope and promise, as he gets stronger, but
after youth is spent, darkness, weakness, and eventually death. This is the way
of nature,
but the Christian has the blessed hope
of the resurrection and shouldn't fear death.
The
culmination of this pattern is the Gospel of Christ. His star rises in the
beginning of the Gospel. His ministry grows. He teaches and enlightens those
who hear him. He makes a triumphal entry into Jerusalem and it seems as though
he will become king. But then comes the persecution of his enemies and finally
crucifixion. The disciples abandon him, but later repent and see a triumphal
resurrected Christ except for Judas, who goes to eternal punishment.
My
dear father passed away in 1997. As I
sat near his deathbed and listened to his labored breathing, I sat pondering
the things I had found in the Bible.
The end of natural life reminds me of the pattern we see in nature. A new soul comes into the world. As we grow through childhood we gain
strength and are filled with hope for the things to come. Young adults take charge of their life and
have children of their own. But then our physical bodies wear out. Darkness and suffering prevail, and eventually
comes death. This is the way of the
natural world.
But
even in our spiritual lives there is a pattern of sorts. Jesus described this in parables such as the
ones in Matthew thirteen. We are filled
with enthusiasm as new creatures in Him, but soon the cares of this world come
along and tempt us away from our first love, like the church of Ephesus. Our faith is tried as we face the realities
of life. The skepticism of the world
seeks to destroy what we have gained.
As we try to grow in our faith, we face the doctrines of Satan and
strive to sort out what is true and good.
If we are true to our faith, we have overcome the world. If we are deceived, we are called to repentance. God chastises us so we will look for what is
true and good. With repentance comes
reconciliation. We need not fear the approaching darkness and judgment that lie
ahead.
By using a consistent pattern of major symbols and themes, such as the tabernacle layout, the creation story, wilderness journey, Jonah, etc, the validity of the Christ-centered interpretation of the early church becomes evident. It is the reliable reiteration of this pattern that proves its dependability. Not only that, it unveils the true meaning of apocalyptic books such as The Revelation and Daniel, and shows their real relevance to today’s world. And that is nothing less than who we are, why we’re here, and what the future holds.
The situation in the world today puts a question in the minds of many as to what the future holds, and what the ultimate meaning of existence is. The world has changed since the events of 9/11. What will be the outcome of all of this terrorism, war and strife? What does it all mean? We look to religion for answers. But religion itself is coming to the forefront in a war that increasingly appears to have religion itself as the basis for the conflict. Extremists seem bent on destroying a world that doesn’t agree with their ideology.
Religion has also taken the forefront in the public media. Mel Gibson’s controversial movie “The Passion of the Christ” has broken box office records. Christians are spending a hundred million dollars a year on the “Left Behind” series of books and tapes that portray a fictional account of the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. .
The competition for this book, other than the fictional Left Behind series, could be non-fiction titles like, The Rapture Exposed by Barbara Rossing, or Eschatology by Hans Schwarz. But I hope to add a new perspective on the subject that readers haven’t viewed before.
Having studied these questions nearly all my life, and examining various sides of the issue, gives me a clear understanding of the issues. Since logging on to the Internet in 1995, I have participated and hosted groups of Bible discussion, including scholars, fundamentalists, and even rationalists. My study of prophecy and Bible interpretation, the early church and the views of scholars as well as fundamentalists have given me a unique base to draw on. I‘ve had letters printed in the Dallas Morning News and rationalist journal The Skeptical Review. From 1996 to 1998 I hosted a Web page entitled The Times & Seasons of Prophecy on which I received over 10,000 hits. I have also taught Sunday school classes in my local church. A computer programmer by trade and education, but my love has always been Bible prophecy. That’s why I feel compelled to write this book.
I’m from a fundamentalist Southern Baptist background in Oklahoma. I have fond memories of being at my grandmother’s house, and hearing the dispensationalist preacher Charles Webber on The Southwest Radio Church telling strange biblical stories of incredible beasts, antichrist, and Jesus. I also found myself fascinated by dinosaurs and science fiction movies. Supposedly this bent for the fantastic led me to an interest in science. In grade school I enjoyed reading encyclopedia articles and books about science, particularly if they had anything to do with dinosaurs or astronomy.
As I grew older I became aware of a conflict between what the Bible and science taught. This was during the cold war years, and I learned that part of the world didn’t believe in God at all! Entire nations were under Communist rule and were officially atheist. At the tender age of eleven I decided to read the Bible for myself and find out where the truth was. Starting in Genesis I read a few chapters and made a decision. The Bible wasn’t much more than a comic book, so I decided I was an atheist. Nobody was told about this because I didn’t want to get in trouble. It’s the kind of news that wouldn’t have gone over very well in my family.
However, my appetite for the supernatural didn’t desert me. I began investigating “scientific” evidence of UFO’s and the paranormal. If there were so many things science couldn’t explain, then perhaps there might also be a supernatural god.
Facing the trials and tribulations of growing up, I felt a spiritual vacuum that many teenagers feel. This led me back to the Christianity that I had at one time abandoned. Eventually, I also accumulated enough information to help me dismiss my interest in the occult. That’s when I began a quest for a better understanding of the Bible and its prophecies.
Table of Contents
1. A Search for Design, Purpose and Meaning
In today’s chaotic world the question the world asks is not so much; what does God say is going to happen, but is there really a God? The root of much of the violence in the world appears to be religion itself. What evidence is there of a God? Is there any evidence in the Bible? What is evidence? I take a critical look at these issues to find out if there’s a valid reason to look to God and the Bible for answers to the world’s problems today.
This chapter is used to set up guidelines for later chapters. The purposeful universe of a God created universe is contrasted to a universe where there is no God. Some ideas from recent science journals are examined to find a reason for being, and to understand if something can be created from nothing. But the main discussion will be philosophical. Criticism of the Bible from history books, and from books critical of the Bible and its prophecies will be examined.
2. The State of Christian Eschatology
The popular view among American Christians today is that they could be snatched off the earth at any minute. All Christians are not united by this view though. The Christian view of eschatology is actually very divided, and most of the more popular views have come about in the last two hundred years. Even within the major doctrines, pre-millennial, post-millennial and a-millennial, there are limitless opinions. Why is this? The very existence of these disagreements weakens the case of Christianity itself, and serves to offer criticism by other religions and groups.
The point of this chapter is to set up questions that can be answered later, like the previous chapter. The help of several popular non-fiction eschatology and reference books will be used to support a comprehensive picture of modern Christian eschatology. The major categories depend on one chapter in the Bible, Revelation chapter twenty, so this chapter will be used often. The how and why of each doctrine will be explained.
3. The Church Fathers & Today
The early church and first century rabbis interpreted the Bible much differently than we do today. The average Christian generally doesn’t know this. Why is that? Both early Jews and Christians looked for a deeper meaning in the scriptures than what is present on the surface level. They looked for design and purpose, not just random pieces of historical and theological information. This led to a “spiritual,” or metaphorical interpretation of the scriptures. The methods they used were derived from the scriptures themselves. Mistrust and a lack of understanding of the earlier interpretations occurred during the enlightenment. The emphasis shifted to history, linguistics, and philology during the age of empiricism.
A narrative of the writings of theologians from the first century through the Reformation will be consulted showing the change in emphasis and why. The ancient method of interpretation will be supported from the scriptures themselves. The advantage of the ancient hermeneutic will be examined.
4. Applying the Biblical Principles
Looking for and finding deeper meaning in the Bible texts can be surprisingly objective. It entails looking for patterns and associated symbols that present similar stories. When certain symbols and patterns are equated it helps to give a consistent overall structure to the scriptures that leads to logical conclusions. These patterns can be traced back to the Torah, even to the creation and the Garden of Eden. This is the pattern on which the Gospel is based. Conversely, this pattern can be applied to less understood parts of the Bible to reveal the authors original intent. Demonstrations are used from various books of the Bible.
Several years of research into the history of Bible interpretation and my own Bible studies are drawn on to produce the result. Internet discussion groups have aided in this research.
5. Spiritual Interpretation Applied to The Revelation
The highly figurative book of Revelation is one of the most puzzling in the Bible. It portrays a violent struggle before the end of the world, and then a new heaven and earth. Scholars examine history to try and decipher the author’s political meaning. Fundamentalists seek clues as to what current events match the story. Using the interpretive methods developed in the previous chapter yields a deeper spiritual meaning in the book, and shows why there are so many allusions to the Old Testament.
6. Spiritual Interpretation Applied to Daniel
Unlocking the secrets to The Revelation also has implications for the book of Daniel, from which so many of its allusions are drawn. The traditional interpretation of the book based on history and a literal surface reading sees the later chapters as a prophecy predicting history for hundreds of years after its setting. Or perhaps it is seen as a rough narrative of events that transpired before the true date of authorship. Again, using Bible based methods of interpretation yields a new and surprising meaning.
7. Finding Relevance in Today’s World
The conclusion of this work reveals design, purpose and meaning in the Word of God. Since the Bible is a collection of writings from many men and periods of time, an overall design can be understood as evidence of God Himself. Stories from the Genesis account can be applied to today’s world! The snake in the Garden aids in understanding the existence of evil today. This new understanding can help us deal with life’s day-to-day difficulties; as well as understand the situation of the world we live in.