Radio Sermon 89 <Back to Table of Contents>
Understanding the Bible
The Bible does not mean what it says. You heard me correctly. When the Bible says something, it does not always mean it as it is said. There are any number of things said in the Bible which do not mean what the words actually say. Today on our program, we will notice some of these instances and by so doing will be able to learn a very valuable lesson about the world's most important document, the Bible.
You heard it correctly. The Bible does not mean what it says -- always. There are times when something is said in the Bible that cannot be taken for face value. Now, I am not talking about plain and unequivocal statements of fact, nor am I referring to things that are obviously intended to be taken literally. When I say the Bible does not mean what it says I am speaking only of those things that are said and written in figurative language. It is a mistake to think the Bible is a literal book that must always be taken literally and interpreted and applied literally. The fact is that the opposite is true. The Bible is not a fully literal book. There are many literal truths in the Bible. But there is also some very beautiful and graphic figurative teaching in the Bible which, when taken literally, distort the truth.
It is very important for us to get this fact clear in our thinking. The correct understanding of prophecy demands that we are able to distinguish between literal and figurative language. The failure to do so has led to many down right absurd predictions by many religious teachers. It is not uncommon to hear some teacher of the Bible declare that the Bible is filled with prophecy and that each prophecy will be literally fulfilled. Just recently, a good case in point was heard over this very radio station. Likely, if you remain tuned today you will hear more of the same. It has been alleged that the prophecy of Isaiah 11 must be literally fulfilled. It reads: "There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. His delight is in the fear of the Lord, and He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His ears; but with righteousness He will judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, and faithfulness the belt of His waist. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play by the cobra's hole, and the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper's den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea."
After reading this selection it is quite clear that it is a highly figurative prophecy. But we hear men affirming that this must literally be fulfilled sometime in the future. The time is coming when wild beasts will be completely tame gentle, they tell us. It may be possible for a ravenous wolf to live in gentle peace with a little innocent lamb, but only if the basic nature of the wolf changes. It might be possible for a young lion who normally feasts on young fatling cattle to change its dietary requirements. But the nature of the wild carnivorous lion must change. The nursing baby might be able to play with poisonous cobras and rattlesnakes, but not unless things change completely. But there are some things that cannot happen literally. The "knowledge of Jehovah" cannot literally "fill" the earth -- not literally! Look back to verses 1 and 2. Jesse, the ancestor of David and of Christ, cannot have a literal root and branch. Vegetables and plants have literal roots and branches -- not humans. When we speak of humans who have roots or branches we are speaking figuratively. No one expects to be able to teach weeds or trees the books of the Bible. No one ought to expect animals to understand the Sermon on the Mount. Man cannot tame wild beasts by teaching them principles of righteousness from God's word -- not literally. We cannot understand, from this prophecy, that human beings have such things as literal roots and branches. But the advocates of a literal application of prophecy affirm blindly that all of this must have literal fulfillment eventually.
When figurative language is used in the Bible it is for a purpose. Something other than the literal words are intended. Let's look at just a few examples which should help us understand how lions and calves, wolves and lambs, as well as babies and snakes can come in contact with each other harmlessly. In the prophets some very ferocious people were called lions. Notice the following from Jeremiah. "The lion has come up from his thicket, and the destroyer of nations is on his way. He has gone forth from his place to make your land desolate. Your cities will be laid waste, without inhabitant" (Jeremiah 4:7). This is an obvious reference to the kings of Assyria and Babylon -- not to literal wild beasts. Paul visited briefly with some elders with whom he had become very close friends. He warned them that after his departure "savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock" (Acts 20:29). Does anyone think Paul meant literal wolves? If so, Paul's words should have been understood as orders to begin a literal wolf hunt. No, Paul was warning of men who would take on the nature of a ravenous wolf to destroy the church internally.
Prophetic statements about wild beasts being tamed and gently living harmoniously with other animals they would otherwise devour are figurative ways of getting across a message. Men who are violent will become gentle by obeying the gospel of Christ and living after the pattern of the Lord Jesus. Notice in the above prophecy the expression, "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." Jehovah has a "holy mountain" and in that holy place there will be peace, tranquillity, and harmony. "They" in this verse refers back to the previously violent beasts of prey. The expression "mountain of Jehovah," is used often in Isaiah's prophecy. Earlier he was inspired to write:
"Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, 'Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; he will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.' For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. O house of Jacob, come and let us walk in the light of the Lord" (Isaiah 2:2-5).
In the holy mountain of God where peace is possible, the house of God would be established. This is a prophecy concerning the establishment of the church Jesus promised to build. It was spoken some 600 years before its fulfillment. Isaiah called this "the Lord's house." But in the New Testament, the church Jesus built is called God's house. Notice: I Timothy 3:15 reads, "But if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." When an inspired man says the house of God is the church of the living God, that settles the question.
Isaiah was prophesying of the establishment of the Lord's church in the last days. On Pentecost those "last days" began and the prophecy was fulfilled. Peter spoke for God by declaring, "But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 'And it shall come to pass in the last days,' says God, 'that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy'" (Acts 2:16-18). Do not look for this to be fulfilled today. It has already been fulfilled. It is now fact -- not future. There is no argument. "This is what was spoken by the prophet" refers to a prophecy specifically involving "the last days." Isaiah and Joel both looked directly to the Day of Pentecost as the target date for the fulfillment of their prophecies about the great and notable events that took place when the church of Christ came into existence for the very first time.
One final thought about understanding figurative and literal language. Those who demand literal fulfillment of prophecy have a real puzzle to unravel. If, in studying prophecy, we are to understand the prophecies literally and expect them to be literally fulfilled, consider a comparison of two of Isaiah's statements. The first is found in chapter 40 of his prophecy. It reads: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; the crooked places shall be made straight, and the rough places smooth" (Isaiah 40:3,4). This says that mountains are going to be made low. A leveling would occur. No more valleys, no more mountains -- all will be level and even. But remember Isaiah 2? In that passage the mountain of the Lord's house was to be established in the top of the mountains and hills. Such would be a complete contradiction if we are to take prophecies literally. How can the mountain of the Lord's house be established in the top of mountains that are no longer there? That is the puzzle for our friends who so vigorously pursue this absurd notion that all prophecies are to be taken literally and literally fulfilled.
Please understand. The Bible does teach literally and factually. It is true from cover to cover. It has many literal and plain things in it. Those are the things on which we ought to concentrate our study and application. But the Bible does have figurative language in it that cannot be taken literally. It is patently irreverent to misapply figurative language as if something literally had been intended. I hope you have given some thought to these things. If you don't understand something that has been said today, or don't think what has been taught is correct, please respond. Please give your response to this lesson by writing to the West End Church of Christ, or to this radio station.
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