Principles of Interpretation

Let them bring them forth and shew us what shall happen: let them shew the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come –– Isaiah 41:22

The news media report history as it is being made. Bible prophecy records history before it is made. The two are companion studies, the former verifying the accuracy of the latter.

As our theme text indicates, history follows a logical pattern. Historical events are the natural consequence of that which precedes them. Similar causes produce similar reactions. It is for this reason that the expression, “history repeats itself,” is so accurate.

While the Christian’s primary focus is the Bible, he is also intensely interested in the news of the world about him. These current events often reinforce faith in the accuracy of the Bible’s predictions and give a fix as to the progress of events leading to the full establishment of the kingdom on earth.

Areas of Interest

The sheer volume of news in today’s media makes the selection of areas of interest a high priority. Certainly, today’s infatuation with scandal and voyeurism should hold no interest to the Christian. Sports and other reports of humanity’s diversions likewise are of no spiritual value. The arts may hold a secondary interest to the extent that they illustrate the increasing decadence that is one of the biblical signs of our times (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

On the other hand, several areas of news are of high interest in watching the “signs of the times” (Matthew 16:3).

Israel and the Middle East: It has been well said, “Israel is God’s time clock.” The Israelites are the theme of the Old Testament; and, although their fortunes went into decline after they rejected Jesus as the Messiah, the Apostle Paul assures us that this “cast off ” condition is not permanent (Romans 11:1, 25). The Bible has much to say about their ultimate return to the land and God’s favor.

From an outward political standpoint, their hold on the land is tenuous. From the biblical perspective, it is strong and permanent (Jeremiah 31:40). The extent of the borders of their promised land is open to honest debate but seems to include far greater territory than Israel holds today. Therefore, the current “land for peace” negotiations are of intense interest to the student of prophecy.

Similar interest can be seen in areas of immigration and the debates between the various religious factions in Israel.

Christianity: Since the Bible predicts a general decline in true spirituality at the end of the age and a rejection of the organized religious structure (Revelation 18:1-4), news in this area is worthy of the student’s attention. Certain prophecies seem to predict increasing ecumenism and organic joining of churches (Isaiah 34:4; Revelation 6:14). The Christian is keenly aware of the news regarding church mergers and the advance of the ecumenical movement. Intrusions of the religious world into the political arena and involvement in huge social uplift projects are also studied as they illustrate the secularization of religion.

Social Justice: Since the Bible calls attention to a leveling of society as a mark of the latter times (Isaiah 40:3), events that show the long subjugated peoples claiming their rights, whether they be racial, gender, or economic groups, all illustrate this trend. It is a time, as the term Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22) implies, a time for “justice for the people.” Many Bible students see this same trend marked in the prophecies of Israel’s “year of jubilee” (Leviticus 25).

The Third World: While one of the signs which Jesus gave in his sermon on the Mount of Olives in Matthew 24 was the figure of Israel regaining statehood under the figure of the blossoming of the fig tree (v. 32), in the Luke account an additional illustration is added: “and all the trees” (21:29). Therefore, the emergence, not only of Israel but of the numerous other “Third world” countries are followed with great interest as indicative of the fulfillment of this prophecy.

Economics: Another prediction of interest to students of prophecy is a foretold economic depression and devaluation of money (Ezekiel 7:19). The rapid dependency of a debt-ridden society with governments building up larger and larger deficits is an area of news that rivets the attention of serious students.

The above-mentioned topics are only a few of the many that are of concern as the Christian looks for indications of the fulfillment of predictions made centuries ago.

Pitfalls

As interesting as these areas of current events are to the Christian, certain pitfalls must be avoided. First, such studies can be diversionary from the student’s main emphasis on the Bible itself. The study of God’s Word as a basis for doctrinal belief and for principles of living the Christian life is of primary importance. Any other reading which detracts from this main goal is to be watched for and avoided. Such studies as that of current events, and even of prophecy itself, must be peripheral to the main goal of developing a Christlike life and intelligently working in cooperation with the Lord’s plans and his character as shown in the doctrinal framework of the Bible.

Second, there is danger in the prophetic student seeking to become the prophet. At best, as Paul says, we now “see through a glass darkly” (1 Corinthians 13:12). Our comprehension of prophecy is vague and often flawed. It is only too easy to cross the bridge from interpretation to rank speculation. Biblical prophecies usually do not concern themselves with specific events as they do with trends. Like ocean tides, there is often an ebb and flow in these trends. Therefore, conclusions of the long-range consequences of current situations must be held tenuously. The Christian needs to use the words “maybe” more often than “shall be” in stating his deductions from current news events.

Third, there is the danger of incorrect information. Newspapers, news magazines, radio, and television, all rely on “sources” for their information. Like witnesses in a trial, each of these “sources” is reporting a situation as it appears to him. There is a natural bias in their accounts. This is amplified by the public relations agenda of the “source.” Even the various news media themselves are often subjective, providing their slant to the news. It is thus important that the student consider the bias of the source he is using in seeking accurate and objective information upon which to base a hypothesis.

This problem has been multiplied in the last few years with the internet becoming a source of information. While this new medium is incredibly fast and open to a vast store of information, much of what is found on its “home pages” is more propaganda than fact. One is reminded of the rumors that spread in the days of Nehemiah which were bolstered by the statement, “it is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says … ” (Nehemiah 6:6 NAS), as though the word of Gashmu, an avowed enemy of Nehemiah, should decide the issue. Even so today, the fame of certain prominent news sources does not necessarily make them credible.

Fourth, there are our prejudices as students. In some of the clamor for rights, for example, the people are carried to such extremes that a sincere Christian is turned off by the excessive demands and is not cognizant of the fact that there are legitimate ones to be met. In The Time Is At Hand, the author writes this warning: “The coming struggle between the aristocracy and the masses of every civilized land will be so peculiar, so unlike any former experience, that moderate, conservative, religiously- inclined people, fearing the utter wreck of society in chaos and anarchy will naturally prefer monarchy, oppression, and bondage to anything certain to be worse ….

Eventually, probably the only exception to this course, among the lovers of peace and true religion, will be those to whom the King of kings is pleased, through his Word, to reveal his plans” (p. 262). This is a warning the prophetic student does well to heed, especially in such areas as feminist demands and in interpreting the excesses in racial and economic demands of formerly oppressed classes.

Principles of Interpretation

Certain general principles should assist the sincere student in his desire to co-ordinate biblical prophecy with today’s news events.

Immediate Interpretation: The prophets of the Bible lived in a historic time setting. They were surrounded by real people with real personal and political problems. They spoke fearlessly, as the mouthpiece of God, in these situations. Their words were meant to have an impact and to apply to the situations at hand. While they may well have an impact on our day, it was their surroundings in which they were particularly interested.

Ancient prophets were not just news reporters. They were commentators on the news. This is especially true from the days of the prophet Samuel. Note the words of 1 Samuel 9:9, “he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.” A “seer” is just what the word implies, “one who sees.” He was the equivalent of our reporter, an objective observer of events. A “prophet,” on the other hand, was subjective. He spoke as the mouthpiece of God, seeking to interpret the events and their significance. He roughly corresponds to our “commentators” of today.

While our interest in the prophetic word is concerned with the larger fulfillment in our day, we must not ignore the earlier application in the prophet’s own time. The two uses of prophecy must be in accord with each other. The immediate becomes the prototype of the more distant one. History is an adjunct to prophecy. As the noted historian Arnold Toynbee observed, there is a cyclical design in history. This is the concept of our opening text, the events of the “latter end” are best understood by a comprehension of the beginnings. As the prophet writes of God, he declares the end “from the beginning,” not only designating his foresight but also showing that he knows the natural outcome of certain trends of events.

A good example of this is in Isaiah 7-9, a section from which we derive many end-time prophecies. The context deals with a rather obscure period in Israel’s history involving a coup by Pekah ousting Pekahiah as king of Israel and making an alliance with Rezin, king of Syria, against Judah. A study of this period of Israel’s history in 2 Kings 15, beginning with verse 25, adds depth to the prophecies of Isaiah in these chapters.

Context: Prophecy is not only given in a historical context, but it also falls into a biblical framework. One needs to read the entire chapter of a prophecy before applying a single verse, or even a set of verses. Sometimes the context contains multiple chapters. Serious students find it helpful to consult a Bible dictionary to look at the overview of the book, and then to build an outline of the chapter which contains a given prophecy before seeking to interpret it.

Contemporary Prophets: In most periods of Israel’s history, there was more than one prophet on the scene. A comparison of their words often gives a more rounded viewpoint of the situation at hand, just as multiple witnesses in a court situation help to bring out the complete story. For example, Zechariah and Haggai are contemporaries and a comparative study of their works gives a fuller picture of the regathering of the Israelites from their Babylonian captivity.

New Testament Interpretation: The surest foundation for the application of Old Testament prophecy is the application by the writers of the New Testament. However, it must be recognized here also that these New Testament authors are applying the texts to their day. This does not mitigate against a still future and larger application in our day or beyond. Two examples of this are Peter’s application of Joel 2:28 in Acts 2:17,18 and Paul’s interpretation in Romans 9:25,26 of Hosea 2:23.

Seek Additional Prophetic Corroboration: The study of news as it relates to prophetic trends is frequently bolstered by multiple prophecies in the Bible. Seek these out. They will add depth to the picture. It is “by the mouth of two or three witnesses” that all things will be established (Matthew 18:16).

Recognize Prophetic Accuracy: Current events are subject to sudden change. Governments switch overnight from liberal to conservative and vice versa. We know the long-range forecast for the world. Events that are predicted that seem impossible to the eye today may be very logical tomorrow. Therefore, in comparing today’s news with the prophetic word, the balance of power always lies with the Bible for “the word of our God shall stand forever;” “it shall accomplish that which I please and prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” (Isaiah 40:8; 55:11).

Recognize Our Fallibility: After all the above rules are met, we still must realize that we are so close to the events at hand that we are open to misinterpretation of them. Therefore, any conclusion on a specific event must be held tentatively. Trends today tend to reverse themselves abruptly.

Witness the number of expectations for Communism in the fulfillment of end- time prophecy, and then the suddenness of the fall of the former USSR. This does not mean it may not reverse and re-establish itself, but it shows the danger of making firm predictions on possibilities rather than certainties.

The Value of Studying Today’s News

Rather than discouraging the combined study of prophecy and news events, we seek to encourage it. There are many values to be found in such an endeavor.

First, it is strengthening to one’s faith to note how writers, penning their words thousands of years ago, saw with such accuracy the realities of life today.
Second, it makes us more alert to the proximity of the kingdom. “Seeing,” Peter writes, “that all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness” (2 Peter 3:11).
Third, it enables the Christian to be a more intelligent co-worker with the Lord in the work he is doing at present.
Fourth, we are warned not to be ignorant of Satan’s devices (2 Corinthians 2:11). Noting the increasing decadence in our society should make us more alert not to share in the current fads and fetishes.
Fifth, it corrects our attitudes towards those with whom the Lord is working. Seeing God’s hand behind Israel makes us more sympathetic to their cause. Seeing that this is the time for the leveling of society, we become appreciative (if not supporters) of the call for racial, gender, and economic rights.
Sixth, it excites the mind to note the tremendous harmony between these two fields of study. “All that I have seen,” one noted sage wrote, “teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.”

Aids in the Study of the News

There is a temptation in any area of study to become enamored with our own ideas. The Apostle Peter admonished that “no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation” (2 Peter 1:20). Therefore, it is good to check one’s concepts with other Christian students. Many times their thoughts will modify ours. The airing of such discussion is not only productive of a better interpretation of the subject under consideration but is also conducive to more spiritual fellowship in the Christian brotherhood.

It is essential to work from a base of confirmed truth. A knowledge of God’s overall plan for man lays a good foundation for looking at the prophetic details. We highly recommend a regular study of the six volumes of Studies in the Scriptures, particularly the details of the chart in The Divine Plan of the Ages to provide such a basic foundation from which to work. It is only from understanding the overall “forest” that we can appreciate the individual “trees.” Such a foundation is the balance wheel that keeps the prophetic student from venturing into sheer speculation.

With such a start, the intelligent perusal of the news media of our day can be highly profitable. It is exciting indeed to watch prophecy’s “history written in advance” become etched on today’s records as verifiable facts.

–– The Herald of Christ’s Kingdom 1998/1