(2 Tim 2:15 KJV) "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

Determine if the Literal Meaning Is or Not Intended

There are some important facts to consider when reading and studying a portion of the Word. One first needs to determine if the literal meaning is intended, and if not there could be a figurative one. When the LORD God revealed Himself and gave His messages, it was by His Son (Heb 1:1-5), angels, prophets, His Word, revelations (2 Cor 12:1-4), dreams, visions (Num 12:6), similitudes (Hosea 12:10), likenesses (Ezek 1:5-6, 10), images (Heb 10:1), parables, (riddles) proverbs (Hab 2:6) and etc. But then He spoke unto Moses face to face (Deu 34:10), as a man speaks unto his friend (Exo 33:11), mouth to mouth, plainly, clearly and not in dark speeches (riddles), and he beheld the similitude of the LORD (Num 12:7-8).

Prophecies and Parables

The various recorded and written (Rev 1:3) prophecies (2 Pet 1:20-21) -- believed to be in part (1 Cor 13:9-13) -- were at times put forth as riddles and spoken in parables (Ezek 17:2). A prophecy can be about an event, a person, people, place and/or something in the future with a time period to be fulfilled, and be twofold with both natural and spiritual (1 Cor 2:9-14) connotations with both Old and New Testament references. As for some parables, especially Jesus', I find narratives (similitudes, adages, proverbs) -- often giving moral lessons and at times prophetic -- to be understood (Mat 13:23 ⁶) by those spoken to, to babes (Mat 11:25-27), and to whoever was to know (Mat 13:11) and receive (Mat 11:14; 19:12) the hidden and manifested (Col 1:25-29) mysteries (secrets) and things which have been kept secret (Rom 16:25-26) from the foundation of the world (Mat 13:34-35).

On prophecy, consider when the Word talks about threescore and ten years and their Sabbaths in 2 Chronicles 36:21-23 (Zec 1:12; 7:5), which is seventy years (Jer 29:10), and seventy weeks in Daniel 9:24-27. Seventy years (Dan 9:2) in the desolations (Dan 12:11; Mat 24:15; Mark 13:14) of Jerusalem were completed before the Temple was rebuilt after it was destroyed. But then, in Daniel 9:24-27, take the seventy and multiply it by seven (a week), and you have 490 years that have to be completed.

Some of the information in this study has been removed and re-edited, and is included in the "Last Trump Gathering Bible Studies Volume One." Some links may not work. Please forgive me for the inconvenience. Thank you for viewing these studies.

With love in Christ!
Al

Better refined

When studying the Word and living it, one can be better refined. Like the secular song that goes something like this, "I'm just an old chunk of coal, But I'm gonna be a diamond some day." Christians have to endure much pressure and heat, but aren't those some of the ways diamonds are made and gold is refined.