Part 1: Principles of Prophecy

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Part 1 Principles of Prophecy

• Session 2

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Symbolic Forms of Prophecy

• Many prophecies are given in plain literal
  language
• Others, though, are given in more symbolic form
• Some prophecies are types a historical person,
  event or thing in the Old Testament corresponds
  to a person, event, or thing in the New Testament

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Reason for Types in Prophecy

• God controls all history, so he can cause the Old
  Testament event to picture (typify) the New
  Testament event, which is the ultimate
  fulfillment of his plans

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The Types of Prophecy

• A type may be a person
• Many aspects of the life of King David are types
  of Christ, the true King
• Melchizedek is a type of Christ, the true priest
  (Gen. 14)
• A type may be an event
• Gods delivery of Israel from Egypt was typical
  of Christs work of redemption and of bringing
  Christ out of Egypt (cf. Hosea 111 Matthew
  214, 15)
• A type may be a thing
• The Passover lamb is typical of Christ, the Lamb
  of God

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Meaning of Prophecy

• Every prophecy has one distinct meaning
• Yet, it may be fulfilled by more than one event
• Isaiah prophecied deliverance for Israel.
  Fulfillment came in part at . . .
• The return from the Babylonian captivity
• Fulfillment came completely at . . .
• The coming of Christ

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Another Example

• God prophesied that he would judge Israel for her
  sins, Fulfilled in part when . . .
• Jerusalem fell, at hands of Nebuchadnezzar
• Fulfilled completely when . . .
• The unbelieving world will fall, at hands of
  Jesus when he returns (Matthew 24)

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Symbolic Actions in Prophecy

• The prophets sometimes acted out their prophecies
  
• Jeremiah 19 271-11
• Hosea 1-3
• Ezekiel 4 and 5
• What were the symbolic actions involved in these
  prophecies?

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Symbolic Language in Prophecies

• Especially in the visions of Daniel, Ezekiel,
  Zechariah, and John
• One form of symbolic language is when an everyday
  object represents a spiritual reality, e.g.-
• The candlesticks in Revelation stand for
  congregations
• The beasts in Daniel represent kingdoms

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Another form of Symbolic Language in Prophecy

• Using terms taken from Old Testament life to
  describe events in the New Testament, or terms
  from earthly life to describe things in heaven,
  e.g.-
• The New Testament enemies of Gods people are
  called Babylon after their Old Testament enemy
• Events in the history of the New Testament church
  are described in terms of Israels past
• Heaven is described as Jerusalem, Paradise, or a
  wedding feast

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An Important Reminder re. Biblical Symbolic
Language

• Truths which are taught in symbolic language in
  Scripture are also taught elsewhere in plain
  literal language
• Compare Rev. 1213, 14 and Matt. 1618.
• What truth is taught in both ways in these two
  passages?
• Make the same comparison with Amos 911,12 and
  Isaiah 603.