Dogmatism And Prophecy

Bible prophecy covers a wide scope of Divine in­spiration and in doing so uses prophecies of several categories. If we are to avoid making rash statements, if we are to desist from adopting what later proves to be embarrassingly wrong interpretations, if we are to refrain from bringing the Word of God into disrepute, we need to be aware of the different types of Bible prophecy and adjust our attitudes and statements accordingly.

Let it be discerned that there are four basic types of prophecy –

  1. Plain statements about the future needing no interpretation.
  2. Statements about the future for which the Bible itself gives the interpretation.
  3. Statements about the future not directly Bible-interpreted but having a clear interpretation about which there is little or no argument.
  4. Statements about the future not directly Bible-interpreted and which do not have a positive interpretation at this time.

Each of these types of prophecy requires a different approach; and a few minutes meditation on some examples will demonstrate the truth of this prin­ciple.

1. Many of our fundamental doctrines about the return of Jesus and the establishment of the Kingdom on earth are in this category. These are prophetic statements about the “Hope of Israel” but they are clear and unequivocal statements and need no interpretation, e.g. “This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. “Acts 1:1 1.

2. Nebuchadnezzar’s image is a perfect example of a prophecy for which a Biblical interpretation is given, thus removing any doubt about its significance. “Thou art this head of gold” is sufficient to open up the prophecy. “And after thee shall arise a kingdom inferior to thee and another third kingdom of brass . . .” continues a detailed explanation of the prophetic vision (Dan. 2:39).

3. Interpretations of prophetic statements may be clear either before the event takes place or at the time of fulfilment. For example, it would be universally agreed that the 24 references to the “Lamb” in Revelation are prophetic references to Jesus in his future work. It is also now clear to all that “In that day I will make Jerusalem a burden­some stone for all people” (Zech. 12:3) has been fulfilled in our day. A wide consensus of Bible students makes such positive interpretations viable.

4. All prophecy has a correct interpretation but some still lies locked in God’s wisdom. Daniel was astonished at some of God’s prophetic visions which he was told to publish but when he asked the meaning of them he was told, “Go thy way”. He remained ignorant of the significance of some of the detail of the time of the end, and so do we until the appropriate time. This is particularly true of the order and sequence of events around the return of Jesus. THERE IS NO SPECIFIC SEQUENCE OF EVENTS AROUND THE RETURN OF JESUS IN THE BIBLE. This is not an oversight by God but a deliberate strategy — for the same reason that no one knows the date of Jesus’ return.

It can be appreciated that one prophetic passage of Scripture may contain a number of details which need to be treated differently. “Thou art this head of gold” positively identifies Babylon as in (2) but the identification of the Medes, Greeks and Romans as the other metals, plain as they may be, is an interpretation in category (3). The sixth vial resulted in the waters of the great river Euphrates being dried up “that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared”. Wide acceptance of the interpretation that the drying up of the Euphrates refers to the demise of the power of Turkey allows confident exposition (Cat. 3) of this point; but the kings of the east may refer to the Arabs or Jesus and the saints, placing any interpretation in category (4), about which it is not appropriate to be dogmatic.

In making a proper use of prophecy we need to be aware what Scripture does and does not positively say. An honest exposition of prophecy will not mislead the audience into believing that the Bible says something it does not in fact say and the fact that we may be positive about some interpretations of prophecy is not licence to be dogmatic about some other prophecies. The mark of an honest and careful Bible student is to know where and how to make the difference known.