There are biblical principles that one must abide by in order to ‘rightly dividing the word of truth’ (2 Timothy 2:15). Staying within context is vital because it keeps one from the error of ‘proof texting’. Gathering text on a giving topic…’precept upon precept, line upon line’ (Isa. 28:10-13) provides us with the unity of scripture. The principle of verification in Bible prophecy draws upon the ‘precept upon precept, line upon line’ principle; meaning every end-time prophecy in one Bible passage can be verified in another Bible passage. Repeat and enlarge allows for a foundation to be laid and as God saw fit enlarged it for our understanding…a big picture then comes the details approach. Another biblical principle is type and antitype also called typology as we will look at further. These are but a few, the point is these principles are used along with the guiding of the Holy Spirit to study scripture.
Typology
The symbols of apocalyptic prophecies, such as those found in Daniel and Revelation, have one single fulfillment. For example, the he-goat in Daniel 8 found its fulfillment in Greece, a singular kingdom (Dan. 8:21). After all, the text came right out and named it for us! How much clearer could it be?
Typology, however, focuses on actual persons, events, or institutions of the Old Testament that are founded in a historical reality but that point forward to greater reality in the future. The use of typology as a method of interpretation goes back to Jesus and the New Testament writers, and is even found in the Old Testament itself. The only guide to recognizing a type and antitype is when an inspired writer of Scripture identifies them.
Prophecy employs the principles of the natural (literal) and the spiritual; in another words the use of typology. Paul makes it clear in 1 Corinthians 15:45-47 (NASB):
45 So also it is written, “The firm man, Adam, became a living soul.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual.
47 The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven.
Emphasis added.
Here we see a principle that FIRST we have the natural (literal), THEN we have the spiritual.
Since, in prophecy, we are dealing with a literal application and a spiritual application; we do not want to apply the prophetic message to the literal, such as these examples demonstrate:
John 2. It’s the Passover and Jesus nears the temple, the Jews are merchandising the temple, and Jesus overturns the tables. The Jews wanted to know by what authority he was doing this and Jesus says, “destroy this temple and in three days I’ll raise it up”. They were in disbelief and said, “it took 46 years to rebuild this temple, how is it that you would restore it in three days”.
What they did not understand was Jesus was speaking about his resurrection – three days in the gave and then he would rise. The Jews did not understand, they took the spiritual and applied it to the literal.
John 3. Jesus is having a conversation with Nicodemus, and he says to Jesus; “Rabbi, we know that you come from God…”. They have this open conversation and what does Jesus say? He says, “Unless a man be born again, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus responded, “How can a man be born again when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born? Jesus then explains the spiritual application that it is the Holy Spirit that would come upon him and give a renewed rebirth in terms of recognizing Christ as Lord and Savior, and entering into the kingdom of God. Jesus asked Nicodemus, “Are you not the teacher of the Jews? How do you not understand these things?”
John 4. Jesus is at the well with the Samaritan woman, and he says, “Give me a drink.” The Samaritan woman says, “We are not supposed to have contact with one another, you being a Jew and me a Samaritan.” Jesus has the conversation about the water and he says, “But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst.” This woman becomes excited and wanted some of that water, because she will not have to come to the well any longer. As we know, Jesus was speaking of himself and was saying, “I will give you life springing water myself, I will be that ever living water that everlasting life.”
We can see in each of these three stories that they were thinking of the literal, when Jesus had a spiritual application. So, we need to be careful.
Let’s look at a few examples so we get a sense and feel of the literal and spiritual principles (typology):
Marriage and the Church. The first instance in the Bible is regarding the institution of marriage. God established the institution of marriage to bring a man and woman together and look what Paul says about this this:
Ephesians 5:31-32 (NASB)
31For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.
32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.
Emphasis added.
What a beautiful way of transitioning from the natural to the spiritual we understand marriage in the physical, beautiful relationship, and now Christ is saying if you understand marriage now you understand the relationship between Christ and the church; which is the spiritual application. He gives us the natural so we can understand the spiritual even though the spiritual might be a mystery that’s okay for it is pointing us in the right direction.
In the story of Abraham and Isaac, God asks Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. Ultimately, Abraham goes all the way to the point of raising the blade and is about to strike his son when the Lord stops him. An angel of Lord says no, and now I know you love me. This story, tough and wrenching as it is to read, we see that God is actually showing what he would actually do to his own Son…He would sacrifice his Son on the cross for the sins of the world. Here, Abraham is a type of God the Father and Isaac is a type of Christ the Son.
In the story of Moses, God through Moses delivers Israel from their slavery in Egypt. So to, Christ would deliver his church from the slavery of sin to the cross of Christ.
In the story of the Israelites, the Hebrews, they were in the wilderness and they were complaining they did not have food. God rains manna from heaven in the wilderness for them to eat and sustain themselves. That is exactly what Christ would do. He rains himself down from heaven – Christ is the Living Bread from heaven, the word of God is the bread from heaven. This is what we are nourished by.
So, we have to distinguish between literal ancient Israel meaning literal-geographic-physical Israel, and spiritual Israel which is worldwide meaning the church of God.
Let’s look at some examples, for we find that Paul uses this method.
Galatians 3:28-29, it says:
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if you belong to Christ, then your are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise. (NASB)
This tells us that we are spiritual descendants of Abraham, therefore we are spiritual Israel.
1 Corinthians 10:1-3, he counsels the Corinthian church by pointing back to the historical reality of the Exodus and develops a typology based on the experience of the ancient Hebrews in the wilderness. In this way, Paul shows that God, who inspired Moses to record these events, intended that “these things became our examples” (1 Cor. 10:6 NKJV), thereby admonishing spiritual Israel to endure temptation as we live in the last days.
Here are a few more examples of type meeting antitype to get the idea:
Matthew 12:40 we are told: Jonah is in the belly of the whale for three days/nights (type), so Jesus will be three days/nights in the heart of the earth (antitype).
John 3:14-15. Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness (type), so Jesus must be lifted up so that those that believe in Him may have eternal life (antitype).
Romans 5:12-19. Adam (type) in who death reigned and sin entered the world, where in Christ (antitype) we find eternal life reigns and is offered to all.
In each case, Jesus and the New Testament writers apply the type and antitype interpretation that allow the prophetic significance to stand out. In this way, they point to a greater fulfillment of the historical reality.
In addition, the Levitical system of the sanctuary functioned as a type, depicting the entire plan of salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord which includes the judgment and return of Christ to redeem his people which is the antitype or the greater fulfillment/reality.
It is felt that a description of this principle needed to be laid out for the reader in definitive terms. We are going to continually see this principle played out as we study Daniel and Revelation.
My brothers and sisters, I encourage studying to show thyself approved which will equip each of us to take the warnings found in the Word of God seriously…”take heed” and “watch and pray”. Jesus is coming!
Food for Thought
The Jews had the scriptures, the Old Testament, at the time of Christ. What they fail to see in the scriptures was they fail to see that in it was Jesus Christ. So, when Jesus Christ came on the scene, came in the flesh, they did not receive Him. In fact, Jesus would have that conversation with the Jews for he said, “You search the scriptures and in them you think you have eternal life, but it is these scriptures that testify of me.”
Jesus told them basically ‘this is Me…I am the one the scriptures said who would come”; and what did they do? They crucified Him. They missed the first coming of Christ because they misapplied the scriptures. They were looking to their Messiah as a powerful King that would come conquer the Romans, and establish his kingdom forever.
When Christ came on the scene and is crucified, even his disciples did not understand Isaiah 53 – that he would have to suffer. Jesus is having conversations with his disciples and explaining to them how he must suffer and die. When He died, they became fearful and hopeless. Jesus spent 40 days, after his resurrection, appearing and teaching his disciples (Acts 1:2-3,4-5,8; Lk. 24:32,49; Acts 10:42; Mt. 28:18-20;):
Mary Magdalene (Mk. 19:9-11, Jn. 20:11-18)
Cleopas and another who were returning to Emmaus (Mk. 16:12-13, Lk. 24:13-35)
Peter (Lk. 24:34, 1 Cor. 15:5)
The 10 disciples in the upper room (without Thomas) (Lk.24:36-49, Jn. 20:19-23)
The 11 disciples in the upper room (with Thomas) (Mk. 16:14-18, Jn. 20:26-29, 1 Cor. 15:5)
The 7 disciples while fishing in the Lake of Tiberias (Galilee) (Jn. 21:1-23)
The 11 disciples on a mountain in Galilee (Mt. 28:16-20)
More than 500 (1 Cor. 15:6)
James (Jesus’ brother) (1 Cor. 15:7)
We do not want to be like the Jews who missed Christ first coming, or the disciples who initially after the crucifixion felt fearful and hopeless. That is why it is so important to have understanding of biblical principles such as typology, repeat and enlarge, etc., for we want to be prepared for Jesus’ second coming.
1 Corinthians 10:11 (NASB) say this:
Now these things happen to them (Israel) as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Comment added.
The Old Testament scriptures will help point us to Christ, but so too will the New Testament scriptures; and we have to be careful because Jesus would say this in Matthew 24:42-44 (NASB):
42 Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.
43 But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.
44 For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.
Jesus is giving us a very clear indication of how we must be ready and we can be ready. By understanding the prophetic material of Daniel and Revelation we will know exactly what must happen before Christ returns. Christ says in Revelation 16:15 (NASB):
Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame.
Ultimately, the church is to understand the events that will happen before Christ returns. He wants us to be ready. We can be ready when we study the prophecies for we will know exactly what must take place and that is wonderful. We don’t need to be scared. We do not need to be confused.
Amos 3:7 (NASB), Surely the Lord God does nothing unless He reveals His secret counsel to His servants the prophets.
Now, just think about this verse – ‘surely the Lord God does nothing’ – that is categorical; meaning He does nothing unless he reveals his secret counsel to his servants the prophets. So, nothing is going to happen in the future unless God reveals it to his prophets. That is why we need to study His prophets then we can know exactly what God is going to allow to happen and that’s beautiful because God wants his people ready.