Ridgerunner
New Member
I've been criticize at church and on forums for studying prophecy and for utilizing study tools like Vine's Exposotory Dictionary of New Testament Words or Strong's Exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Both books I've had for 38 years.
When studying God's Word I must ask you about your beliefs. "How have you arrive at you conclusions." What reliable methods did you use to form your beliefs and attain what you hope is "the truth". "Jesus said, I am truth."
Do you approach the scriptures and study them the with purpose of understanding the truth? Or do you approach them thinking you already have the truth looking to support what you already believe. I have to wonder if most Christians even question what they believe or the works of others like all the promminent prophecy experts. Too many people think they already have things all figured out.
For now I will call a hermeneutic a sensible and reliable method of interpretation.
I have about seven pillars of interpretation in my hermeneutic.
The first and most important part of my hermeneutic is to study God's Word in the language it was written in. Why do I do that? Two main reasons.
1. Both Greek and Hebrew are very different than English and much was lost in the English translation. They are more detailed and descriptive languages than English. There are over 100 mistakes in the KJV and some accuracy and truth was lost in the translation. That's why there are often several different Greek words for one English word. Sometimes the English translation just doesn't do justice to God's Word.
2. More important is this.
Every Christian believes in the inspired Word of God. Well what does inspired mean?
Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
In 2 Timothy 3:16 It means...
1) inspired by God
a) the contents of the scriptures
That meaning is derived from another word which means...To breath. So to say all scripture is given by inspiration of God can be understood a few different ways. One way is to understand it as, "God Spoke."
2 Peter 1:21 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.
Now think about this.
We know that in the book of Revelation (as well as many other places) Jesus spoke directly to John. John spoke and understood Greek. So it's only logical that Jesus spoke to him in Greek when he was in the Spirit. And who knows, maybe Aramaic. Now if I want to understand something Jesus said through the author (John in this case), and if I want to know what John (and Jesus) original intended to mean, the wise thing to do is to look at the language Jesus spoke it in, the language John heard it in, and the language he wrote it in! That's why I look at Gods Word from that perspective.
So now we have people on the forum who say that because I look at the original language I'm relying on "MAN'S DEFINITION"
One said that the using the Greek is man's definition. and also said...
"This is part of the problem when we rely on man’s definition instead of God’s definition"
OR
"the definition Scripture itself gives."
So these guy's just look at the bible in English and call that God's definition.
They don't utilize any of the reliable study tools and methods I've described above.
Well scripture itself was written in Greek! Not English! How foolish and hypocritical of them to say I'm using "man's definition. That's why I say these guys have absolutely no clue how to interpret prophecy. They don't have a reliable method of interpretation. The extent of their studies come only from the English translation of God's Word. These guys adamantly refuse to study God's Word in it's original language, yet they have no problem quoting people like Ellis Skolfield.
I know a guy who has a page on his site entitled, "stupid Christians!" I think I'm going to do the same on mine under a different title. Maybe something like, "foolish Christian's." And I have a couple of great examples right here from the forum!
My final thoughts.
I actually have an unfavorable view of Christians. I've had some bad experiences in several churches with pastors, clergy, and people in general. My biggest disturbance comes from the overwhelming number of false teachings about prophecy. Most of what Christians believe will come in the last days will never come to pass. And I blame it all on the long list of so called bible prophecy experts. People would rather adhere to a false teaching even when there's a mountain of scriptural evidence against them because "I was wrong" is a phrase not found in the vocabulary of most Christians.
As far as this debate goes. I'm done with it.
As far as interpretation goes. Here's a message for ridgerunner and believerway.
Romans 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
The word kingdom...
1) royal power, kingship, dominion, rule
a) not to be confused with an actual kingdom but rather the right or authority to rule over a kingdom
Vines says about the word kingdom,
A concrete noun, denoting the territory or people over whom a king rules.
Vine's say's about beast..
...in the sense of wild beast, is used in the Apocalypse for two antichristian potentates who are destined to control the affairs of the nations with Satanic power in the closing period of the present era.
Let me spell it out for you.
King dom
Enough said!
Dan 7:23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
If a beast is a kingdom in Daniel it will still be a kingdom in Revelation.
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Mal 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
Believe the definition Vine’s/Strong's (etc...) provides or believe the definition the unchanging Word/God provides, your choice, you have free will.
As you are led friend, as you are led. May God bless your studies!