INTRODUCTION:  Some say that prophecy is too hard to understand.  Everyone interprets the Bible differently and there is no correct way to interpret prophecy.  This is not true.  As in everything else, God gives us the guidance to understand the prophecy that He wrote.

1. The Identity of Bible Prophecy (Amos 3:7Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
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1. As Distinguished From Typology (John 3:14-15 [14] And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: [15] That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
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1. Typology looks backward (antitype to type) - prophecy looks forward
2. Typology is based on general similarities - prophecy is specific
2. As Distinguished From Promises (2 Peter 1:1-4 [1] Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: [2] Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, [3] According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: [4] Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
   See All...) - to promise is to give one’s word to do or not to do something
1. Promises are often general in nature (Proverbs 22:6Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
   See All...; Jeremiah 29:13And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
   See All...) - prophecy is always specific
2. Promises may be completely fulfilled many times - prophecy always has an ultimate fulfillment
3. Promises are often very personal in nature (Hebrews 13:5Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
   See All...) - from a particular person to a particular person -prophecy is more often factual in its declaration
3. As Distinguished From Prediction
1. Predictions are based on knowledge of the present - prophecy is based on knowledge of the future
2. Predictions are often wrong (2 Kings 18:29-35 [29] Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand: [30] Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria. [31] Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat ye every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his cistern: [32] Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil olive and of honey, that ye may live, and not die: and hearken not unto Hezekiah, when he persuadeth you, saying, The LORD will deliver us. [33] Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? [34] Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? have they delivered Samaria out of mine hand? [35] Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?
   See All...) - prophecy (if from God) is never wrong
4. The Character of True Prophecy
1. Prophecy is unique to the character of God
1. His eternity
1. Eternal in His existence (Psalm 90:2Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
   See All...; Psalm 93:2Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.
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2. Eternal in His habitation (Exodus 3:14And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
   See All...; Isaiah 57:15For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
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1. Dwelling in eternity
2. Operating in time
2. His omniscience (Psalm 147:4He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.
   See All...; Hebrews 4:13Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
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1. In all things
2. In future things (Isaiah 46:10Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
   See All...; Isaiah 48:5-6 [5] I have even from the beginning declared it to thee; before it came to pass I shewed it thee: lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them. [6] Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? I have shewed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.
   See All...; Acts 2:23Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
   See All...; Acts 15:18Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
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3. His immutability (Psalm 102:27But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.
   See All...; Malachi 3:6For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
   See All...; Hebrews 13:8Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
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2. Prophecy is dependent in the revelation of God
1. A product of revelation
1. Definition - God revealing to man that which man could not know on his own.
2. Topics - soul & spirit, heaven and hell, past and future
2. An impossibility for man - man’s prophecies are:
1. Faulty
2. Fuzzy - Illustration - Nostradamus
3. Fallible - even when he’s right, he’s wrong
3. Prophecy is absolutely true in its record -The Three Tests of a Prophet
1. Does the prophecy come to pass? (Deuteronomy 18:22When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.
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2. Does the prophecy agree with God’s revealed Word? (Isaiah 8:19-20 [19] And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? [20] To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
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3. Does the prophet lead others to serve the true God?(Deuteronomy 13:1-5 [1] If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, [2] And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; [3] Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. [4] Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him. [5] And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.
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4. Prophecy is understandable by means of the spirit (2 Peter 1:16-21 [16] For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. [17] For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. [18] And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. [19] We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: [20] Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. [21] For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
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1. Given to God’s people
2. Given to be understood
3. Taught by the Spirit
4. Taught to those who study
2. The Spiritual Requirements of Bible Interpretation
1. Personal Faith in Christ--Salvation (1 Corinthians 2:14But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
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2. Faith in the Word of God (1 Thessalonians 2:13For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
   See All...; cp. Hebrews 11:6But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
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3. Earnest Desire to Hear God (Proverbs 18:1Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.
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4. Prayer For Guidance (Psalm 119:18Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.
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5. Teaching of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:9-14 [9] But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. [10] But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. [11] For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. [12] Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. [13] Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. [14] But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
   See All...; Psalm 36:9For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.
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6. Fear of the Lord (Psalm 25:12What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.
   See All...,14; Proverbs 1:7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
   See All...; Proverbs 9:10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
   See All...; Proverbs 15:33The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.
   See All...) - this includes a readiness to respond to the truth of God
7. Obedience to Revealed Truth (John 7:17If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
   See All...; John 8:31-32 [31] Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; [32] And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
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3. The Laws of Bible Interpretation
1. The Law of the Words
1. Every word of God is pure (Proverbs 30:5-6 [5] Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. [6] Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
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2. A word’s usage determines its meaning
3. Tools:  dictionaries, both English and Bible
4. Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines charity as "supreme love to God”.  Biblically, this is wrong.  The Bible must be the final authority in all questions of definition and meaning.  See 1 Samuel 9:9(Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)
   See All...; Matthew 1:23Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
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5. All words have a specific purpose.  They are verbally (each word) and plenarily (exactly chosen) inspired.  Example: thee, thou, ye, you;  Example #2:  will, shall.
2. The Law of the Text
1. Understand the sense of the reading (Nehemiah 8:8So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
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2. The key to what a passage means is what the passage says
3. Tools:  Grammar books, some Bible commentaries
4. The argument Christ uses in Matthew 22:31-32 [31] But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, [32] I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
   See All... uses grammar to prove its point.
3. The Law of the Context
1. Each interpretation must agree with all the counsel of God (Acts 20:27For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
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2. All truth must be understood in the light of surrounding truth.  This includes history, geography, custom, literary context, purpose of passage, speaker, recipient(s), time, surrounding events, dispensational context, and many other factors.
3. Tools:  Bible dictionaries & encyclopedias; Bible atlases; references on Bible history, geography, customs
4. Under-the-sun theology in Ecclesiastes 1:18For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
   See All...; Ecclesiastes 2:11Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
   See All..., 15-16, 24; Ecclesiastes 4:2-3 [2] Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive. [3] Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
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4. The Law of Comparison
1. Compare spiritual things with spiritual (1 Corinthians 2:13Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
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2. By adding scriptures one to another truth is multiplied
3. Tools:  Bible references; The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, Strong’s Bible Concordance
4. Example:  Romans 9:27Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
   See All... with Romans 11:26And 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:
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5. Example:  Psalm 22:22I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
   See All...; Hebrews 2:12Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
   See All...; Matthew 26:30And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.
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5. The Law of Construction
1. Precept must be built upon precept (Isaaiah 28:9-10
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2. Doctrines must be carefully built from all the Bible says about that subject
3. Tools:  Books on Bible doctrine
4. Sufferings of Christ:  John 5:39Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
   See All...; Luke 24:25-27 [25] Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: [26] Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? [27] And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
   See All..., 44-46
6. The Law of Division
1. The truth of God must be rightly divided (2 Timothy 2:15Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
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2. The divisions of scripture must be correctly discerned
3. Tools:  Rightly Dividing the Word by C. I. Scofield; Dispensational Truth by Clarence Larkin
4. Study dispensations:  Ephesians 3:2-6 [2] If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: [3] How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, [4] Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) [5] Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; [6] That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
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5. Example:  food - Deuteronomy 14:1-20 [1] Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead. [2] For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth. [3] Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing. [4] These are the beasts which ye shall eat: the ox, the sheep, and the goat, [5] The hart, and the roebuck, and the fallow deer, and the wild goat, and the pygarg, and the wild ox, and the chamois. [6] And every beast that parteth the hoof, and cleaveth the cleft into two claws, and cheweth the cud among the beasts, that ye shall eat. [7] Nevertheless these ye shall not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the cloven hoof; as the camel, and the hare, and the coney: for they chew the cud, but divide not the hoof; therefore they are unclean unto you. [8] And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcase. [9] These ye shall eat of all that are in the waters: all that have fins and scales shall ye eat: [10] And whatsoever hath not fins and scales ye may not eat; it is unclean unto you. [11] Of all clean birds ye shall eat. [12] But these are they of which ye shall not eat: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, [13] And the glede, and the kite, and the vulture after his kind, [14] And every raven after his kind, [15] And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, [16] The little owl, and the great owl, and the swan, [17] And the pelican, and the gier eagle, and the cormorant, [18] And the stork, and the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat. [19] And every creeping thing that flieth is unclean unto you: they shall not be eaten. [20] But of all clean fowls ye may eat.
   See All... with 1 Timothy 4:3-5 [3] Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. [4] For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: [5] For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
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7. The Law of Application
1. All scripture is profitable for the believer (2 Timothy 3:16-17 [16] All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: [17] That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
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2. No scripture is fully understood until it means something to you
3. Tools:  Books by practical authors;  e.g., prayer:  E. M. Bounds
4. See 1 Corinthians 10:6-11 [6] Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. [7] Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. [8] Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. [9] Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. [10] Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. [11] Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
   See All...; Romans 15:4For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
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4. The Laws of Prophetic Interpretation
1. The Law of Literal Interpretation
1. The words of prophecy should be taken in their plain, literal sense unless text or context gives compelling evidence that the language is figurative.
2. Examples
1. Josiah (1 Kings 13:1-2 [1] And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense. [2] And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee.
   See All...; 2 Kings 23:15-16 [15] Moreover the altar that was at Bethel, and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, had made, both that altar and the high place he brake down, and burned the high place, and stamped it small to powder, and burned the grove. [16] And as Josiah turned himself, he spied the sepulchres that were there in the mount, and sent, and took the bones out of the sepulchres, and burned them upon the altar, and polluted it, according to the word of the LORD which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these words.
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2. Cyrus (Isaiah 44:28That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.
   See All...; Isaiah 45:1-4 [1] Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; [2] I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: [3] And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. [4] For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.
   See All...,13; 2 Chronicles 36:22-23 [22] Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, [23] Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.
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3. Virgin Birth (Isaiah 7:14Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
   See All...; Matthew 1:20-23 [20] But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. [21] And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. [22] Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, [23] Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
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4. Voice in the Wilderness (Isaiah 40:3The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
   See All...; Luke 1:80And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.
   See All...; Matthew 3:1In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
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2. The Law of Figurative Language
1. Figurative language is used in prophecy to teach literal truth.
1. Similes [using like or as ] (Revelation 1:12-17 [12] And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; [13] And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. [14] His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; [15] And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. [16] And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. [17] And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
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2. Metaphors
1. Revelation 1:5And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
   See All... - “washed us from our sins in his own blood”
2. Revelation 3:8I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
   See All... - “an open door”
2. The symbols of prophecy are explained in prophecy
1. Identified in immediate context (Revelation 1:12And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
   See All...,16,20; Revelation 12:9And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
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2. Identified elsewhere in the Bible (Revelation 13:1And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
   See All... with Daniel 7:1In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters.
   See All...- 3,7,23-24)
3. Identified by common sense (Revelation 6:4And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.
   See All...; red=blood; bloodshed)
3. The Law of Time Perspective
1. God views prophecy from the perspective of eternity (Isaiah 57:15For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
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2. Prophecy may be described in future, present or even past tense - Illustration:  Isaiah 53 -- The Suffering Saviour (see table at end of this outline)
4. The Law of Condensed Intervals
1. In prophetic passages, two events which greatly separated by time may be spoken of together without any mention of any time interval
1. Luke 4:16-21 [16] And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. [17] And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, [18] The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, [19] To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. [20] And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. [21] And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
   See All... with Isaiah 61:1-3 [1] The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; [2] To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; [3] To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
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2. Zechariah 9:9-10 [9] Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. [10] And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.
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2. Sometimes prophecy only recognizes certain mountain peaks of prophecy which from a distance seem very close together but from the standpoint of those in the valleys between them may seem very far apart.
5. The Law of Double Reference
1. Some prophecies are partially fulfilled in history only to be completely fulfilled at a later time
2. Examples
1. Hosea 11:1When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
   See All... with  Matthew 2:14-15 [14] When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: [15] And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
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2. 2 Samuel 7:12-16
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3. Babylon destroyed - Jeremiah 50 and 51 with Revelation 18:9-21 [9] And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, [10] Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. [11] And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: [12] The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, [13] And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. [14] And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. [15] The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, [16] And saying, Alas, alas that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! [17] For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, [18] And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! [19] And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. [20] Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. [21] And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.
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6. The Law of Conditional Prophecy
1. Prophecy is not conditional unless stated or demonstrated to be so.
2. Examples of conditional prophecy
1. Genesis 2:16-17 [16] And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: [17] But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
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2. Deuteronomy 28:1And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:
   See All...,15; Deuteronomy 30:15-18 [15] See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; [16] In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. [17] But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; [18] I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.
   See All...; cp. Deuteronomy 31:28-29 [28] Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to record against them. [29] For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands.
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3. Jonah 3:1-10 [1] And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying, [2] Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee. [3] So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey. [4] And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. [5] So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. [6] For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. [7] And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: [8] But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. [9] Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? [10] And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.
   See All...; Jonah 4:1-2 [1] But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. [2] And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.
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7. The Law of Historical Progression
1. Each age of Bible inspiration adds more detail and depth to the basic themes of prophecy  [Illustration Numbers 24:14And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.
   See All... to Daniel to Revelation]
2. Many prophetic truths will be easier to understand as those events draw nearer  (Daniel 12:8-10 [8] And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? [9] And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. [10] Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
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5. The History of Prophetic Interpretation - as defined by the kingdom age and the return of Christ
1. The Early Age of Premillenialism - during the first two centuries after Christ everyone was premillenial
2. The Rise of Amillenialism - amillenialism begin with Origen and others in the school of Alexandria, Egypt and spread to the west through the teaching of Augustine
3. The Rise of Postmillenialism - postmillenialism, the teaching that the world would grow better and better until climaxing in a golden age, was popularized by Daniel Whitby (1638-1735) in the seventeenth century
4. The Revival of Premillenialism - premillenialism revived as a major force in the nineteenth century as a renewed emphasis on the Bible and its literal interpretation
5. Major Views Held Today
1. The premillenial view held by those who take the Bible literally
2. The conservative amillenial view held by those who believe in a literal heaven and hell, a literal resurrection, a future judgment on both the righteous and the wicked and a second coming of Christ while rejecting the kingdom age
3. The conservative postmillenial view by Reconstructionists who believe that they, through revival, education and political efforts, will bring the world to a time of peace and righteousness before Christ returns
4. The liberal postmillenial view which rejects the literal resurrection of the body and the actual second coming of Christ
6. The Major Themes of Bible Prophecy
1. The History of the Gentiles
2. The First Coming of Christ
3. Israel and the Covenants
4. The Church Age
5. The Rapture and Tribulation Period
6. The Second Coming of Christ
7. The Kingdom Age
8. The Judgments
9. The Eternal State

The Law of Time Perspective

God views prophecy from the perspective of eternity (Isaiah 57:15For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
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Prophecy may be described in future, present or even past tense - Illustration:  Isaiah 53 -- The Suffering Saviour