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Principles of Literal Bible Interpretation
Bible Truth ^
| Revised, Aug 2001
| Cooper P. Abrams, III
Posted on 10/29/2002 5:18:29 AM PST by xzins
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To: xzins; RnMomof7; CCWoody
"Since the length is indeterminate, it would make sense that if the Lord doesn't return for another 50 or 60 thousand years [????????]
, say, that the bulk would be either earlier or later in the "symbolic" 1000 years." I, as every amillennialist I know, fully expect the Lord's return in my lifetime as we are instructed to (2 Peter 3:10-13)!
Jean
To: the_doc; RnMomof7; CCWoody; Jean Chauvin; Matchett-PI
I would offer the comment that many amills think that there will be an unusually bad period of tribulation concluding our millennial period. Don't ask me to defend their position. (I try not to argue for something I can't really prove, even if I suspect that it is correct.) 476 posted on 11/03/2002 8:25 PM PST by the_docLet's start by examining some key Scriptures...
II Peter 3
1 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.II Timothy 4
3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
Revelation 20
1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
Isaiah 24
15 Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in the fires, even the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea.
16 From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.
17 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.
18 And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.
19 The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.
20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.
21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.
22 And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.
23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.
Alright, lemme try to synthesize all this together...
In the Last Days:
- 1.) Satan will be loosed from the Crucifixion-Binding to once again exercise a Dominion of Deceit over the Gentile Nations (Revelation 20:3,7).
- Note -- It is possible (perhaps probable?) that this period of Gentile Blindness will be marked by a Great Conversion of the Jews, assuming a cross-reference to Romans 11:25-26: "For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob."
- 2.) The world will turn away to their own lusts, denying that Jesus Christ will return (II Peter 3:3-4).
- 3.) The world will be as the Days of Noah, overflowed with Apostasy, atheism, and hedonism (II Peter 3:5-6).
- 4.) The world will cease to respond to the Gospel (II Timothy 4:3-4). Cross-reference with the fact that Satan will be loosed from the Crucifixion-Binding to once again exercise a Dominion of Deceit over the Gentile Nations (Revelation 20:3,7).
- 5.) And then, when all Hope seems lost (sorry, momentary "Fellowship of the Ring" moment) Satan will be defeated forever at the Lord's Second Coming. "He that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare:" (Isaiah 24:18) "fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them." (Revelation 20:9)
- 6.) The earth will be utterly dissolved (Isaiah 24:19); "The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up" (II Peter 3:10).
- 7.) AND THEN "the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously." (Isaiah 24:23)
- "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God." (Revelation 21:1-3)
Submitted for consideration and comment.
To: OrthodoxPresbyterian
I couldn't have said it better myself!
Jean
To: CCWoody
***Were I a "literalists" I'd say that it is only describing Israel and Judah. ***
But don't you find the statement, "But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them." a bit curious. David had died centuries earlier.
To: Jean Chauvin
A symbolic period can be any amount of time. We know that it's already been 2000 years, don't we?
It could be another 2000, or 10,000, or 50,000 or a million SINCE you say that the period is "symbolic."
485
posted on
11/04/2002 5:57:40 AM PST
by
xzins
To: xzins; ksen; Jean Chauvin; the_doc; drstevej; CCWoody; RnMomof7
***Why would you make fun of the sacrificial system that God instituted?***
Well, I'm not. I have no disagreements with the proper place of type and shadow sacrifices that were the shadow of better things to come and have already arrived. In this same sense, I don't "besmirch" the celebration and memorial of the Lord's Supper. I just realize that I am to do this until the Marriage Supper and then I will ceace doing this.
***Incidentally, if God can PRE-figure by the sacrifice of a lamb or bull or goat, why can't he Post-figure?***
You are plainly ignoring the fact that animal sacrifice was a type and shadow of things to come. Those things have already come. It is just plain insulting to the Lord to return to the type and shadow and "besmirch" the better things. Why do you advocate doing this?
To: theAmbassador
If the Lord institutes the system, then obviously, it isn't insulting to him.
487
posted on
11/04/2002 6:12:33 AM PST
by
xzins
To: xzins; RnMomof7; ksen; drstevej; the_doc; Jean Chauvin; CCWoody
***"Pet verse"....***
Yes, your pet verse. I quoted to you directly from 2 Thes 1, which plainly tells exactly when these wicked ones will be punished with everlasting destruction. You then ignore what that verse says and run off to your pet verse to establish a sequence which the verse you are afraid of and running away from already gave.
BTW, in case you are curious, these will be punished with everlasting destruction when the Lord Jesus comes to be glorified ~IN~ His saints.
***So, then, if you're so sure SATAN IS BOUND TODAY, then tell ALL of us what it is that he can't do that is NEW for this day? We're waiting. (And have been for a long time.)***
Well, one thing that Satan can't do is complete his working of the "lawless one" because ~Satan~ is currently under restraint. But, as long as you really want to "besmirch" scriptures, you should make sure that you trample on that one.
It makes no difference that you personally believe that Satan has absolutely no bounds upon him. It makes no difference that you have been waiting. The simple fact is that Satan is no match for even the lowliest of saints, much less the King of kings and Lord of lords.
To: xzins
***If the Lord institutes the system, then obviously, it isn't insulting to him.***
It is just plain insulting to the Lord to return to the type and shadow and "besmirch" the better things. Why do you advocate doing this?
To: theAmbassador
Why do you believe that God would institute a system that is insulting to himself?
490
posted on
11/04/2002 6:25:34 AM PST
by
xzins
To: OrthodoxPresbyterian
***The earth will be utterly dissolved (Isaiah 24:19); "The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up" (II Peter 3:10).***
When will this happen?: When the Lord comes to be glorified ~IN~ His saints and admired among all those who believe. In fact, the Lord will be revealed from Heaven with ~fire~. (2 Thes 1).
Does that comment agree with you?
To: theAmbassador
Is the lawless one the antichrist?
Is the antichrist's coming a past event already accomplished or is it a future one, yet to be accomplished?
492
posted on
11/04/2002 6:27:21 AM PST
by
xzins
To: theAmbassador
The simple fact is that Satan is no match for even the lowliest of saints, much less the King of kings and Lord of lords.
Do you believe that the millennial age is right NOW?
493
posted on
11/04/2002 6:29:23 AM PST
by
xzins
To: xzins; the_doc; drstevej; OrthodoxPresbyterian; Jean Chauvin; CCWoody; Matchett-PI; RnMomof7; ...
***Why do you believe that God would institute a system that is insulting to himself?***
He didn't. That "system" was a type and shadow of the better things. Those better things have come. Therefore, I no more need the blood of rams and bulls offered up by a priest than I need that priest. I have the offering of better things by ~THE~ High Priest who has entered the holiest by His own blood.
A little of an epistle you should acquaint yourself with:
For THE LAW HAVING A SHADOW OF GOOD THINGS TO COME, [and] not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those [sacrifices there is] a remembrance again [made] of sins every year. For [it is] not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
In burnt offerings and [sacrifices] for sin THOU HAST HAD ~NO~ PLEASURE. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and [offering] for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure [therein]; WHICH ARE OFFERED BY THE LAW; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. HE TAKETH AWAY THE FIRST, THAT HE MAY ESTABLISH THE SECOND. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once [for all].
And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, SAT DOWN ON THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD; From henceforth expecting ~till~ his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
Now, I do notice several interesting things about this passage:
1. These sacrifices are according to the LAW. I am divorced from the law right now. It is so very Galatian to want to return to the Law, which was only our "taskmaster to bring us to Christ."
2. He has taken away the first that he may establish the second.
3. The perfect offering has come. I am perfected forever by this offering. Therefore, there of necessity needs to be a ceasing of offerings for sin. They are an insult to the better thing which has come.
4. He is sitting at the right hand of the Majesty right now waiting until His enemies are made his footstool. And we know from 1 Co 15 that the last enemy to be destroyed is death.
Now, you may fuss and fume, but you may not deny the Biblical sequence given in this passage of scriptures. The first, that is the Law and animal sacrifices, has been taken away. The second has been established upon the blood and testament of Christ. That offering has already perfected forever those who are being sanctified (now there's a Calvinist verse for you and a good "L" for drstevej). The King of kings and Lord of lords is sitting at the right hand of the Father right now. He will remain there until His enemies are made his footstool. And the last enemy to be destroyed is death.
"For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest."
And this is exactly the system you advocate. No more will we have a High Priest for we will have many priests to offer up the blood of rams and bulls.
O foolish Christians! Who has bewitched you that you should desire this? It is just plain insulting to the Lord to return to the type and shadow and "besmirch" the better things. Why do you advocate doing this?
To: theAmbassador
You always write these books and I don't read them.
Why do you think that God would institute a system that is insult to him?
You said, He didn't. That system was a type and shadow of things to come.
Nuff said. I think that looking back and celebrating (communion) is also within the known decisions already made by God. For him to do the same with Jews doesn't seem contradictory to me.
Now, do you believe we're in the millennium NOW?
495
posted on
11/04/2002 7:20:06 AM PST
by
xzins
To: theAmbassador; the_doc; OrthodoxPresbyterian; Jean Chauvin; CCWoody; RnMomof7
"O foolish Christians! Who has bewitched you that you should desire this? It is just plain insulting to the Lord to return to the type and shadow and "besmirch" the better things. Why do you advocate doing this?" Why?
It's the sign of The Fall.
I agree with Dr. Steve Brown who makes this very profound statement to professing Christians:
"The sign of the Fall isn't your sin, folks --- Jesus took care of your sin. The sign of the Fall is your reversion to THE LAW."
Christians are "saved by grace", but it isn't long before they become very religious.
Foolish, spiritually immature legalists, comprise the vast majority of church congregations, and have comprised the vast majority, ever since God had to warn them about it through Paul. (Galatians).
There is more than one aspect to reverting back to the law.
To: xzins; Matchett-PI; RnMomof7; Jean Chauvin; OrthodoxPresbyterian; CCWoody; the_doc; ksen
***You always write these books and I don't read them.***
That's your problem! I have taken the time to prepare a good lesson in the exact reason why it is improper to return to a system of animal sacrifices and your only response is "I don't read them!" You do understand that the majority of my post was a quote from the Hebrews letter?
Psa 119:99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies [are] my meditation.
Psa 119:100 I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.
I may be young, but I do ponder the Bread that the Lord has prescribed for me day and night.
***Nuff said. I think that looking back and celebrating (communion) is also within the known decisions already made by God. For him to do the same with Jews doesn't seem contradictory to me.***
And yet, the Lord's Supper will end when the Lord Himself returns! This is the prescribed method in which the Lord Himself has ordained.
1. The giving of the Law, which is a shadow of better things.
2. The comming of the better things with the ending of the sacrifices of the Law and the institution of the memorial Supper.
3. The coming of the Lord and the end of the Supper with the establishment of the presence of Christ.
Here is some more of that Hebrews letter which you are ignoring and actually boasting that you don't read:
Now where remission of these [is, there is] NO MORE OFFERING FOR SIN. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And [having] an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
In short, while you seem bent upon heading back to the animal sacrifices and joining the unconverted Jews, the saints are DRAWING NEAR to the true tabernacle by faith having the blood of Christ.
***Now, do you believe we're in the millennium NOW?***
Of course I do; I believe these words from the Hebrews letter that you "don't read":
And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, SAT DOWN ON THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD; From henceforth expecting ~TILL~ his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
This is a plain and straightforward order. The Lord, after he offered one sacrifice for sin, put an end to the animal sacrifices and sat down on the right hand of God. He will be there until His enemies are made his footstool. And the last enemy to be destroyed is death.
To: theAmbassador; Jean Chauvin
***Now, do you believe we're in the millennium NOW?*** Of course I do
That was the part I asked about.
I don't have a reading comprehension problem. I have a "selective" reading problem. I skim for what I asked about. (Jean, I've told you this before.)
Short and sweet answers for short and sweet questions.
498
posted on
11/04/2002 9:22:30 AM PST
by
xzins
To: Matchett-PI; xzins
Bump to your excellent post! xzins, you really need to read what Matchett and I have posted these last few posts.
Galatians:
O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Hebrews:
Now where remission of these [is, there is] no more offering for sin.
Yet, somehow, in the "perfect" paradise, we will need those animal sacrifices again.
To: xzins; Matchett-PI; the_doc; RnMomof7; Jean Chauvin; CCWoody; drstevej; ksen; ...
***I have a "selective" reading problem.***
I ~KNOW~ this! Whenever confronted with scriptures which contradict your Premillennialism, you run to your pet verse.
Now, address these quotes directly:
And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; WHEN HE SHALL COME TO BE GLORIFIED ~IN~ HIS SAINTS, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
I charge [thee] therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead AT HIS APPEARING and his kingdom;
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