GOD'S SIGNATURE

GOD’S SIGNATURE

Sunday, June 01, 2014

  Biblical prophecy is a declaration of divine inspiration to the prophets’ world regarding either past, present or future truth. These declarations of inspired predictions, instructions or exhortations to holy living were Gods message to nations, an individual and at times – all humanity. In order for any prophecy to have an impact on our thinking, it’s meaning must be understood.  To aid us in this understanding guidelines for interpretation were put in place. Let us look at a few of these guidelines and ask ourselves,” where is Gods signature in biblical prophecy”?

  If one is to accurately interpret biblical prophecy, one must recognize that language of predictive literature can either be literal or figurative. It is vital that the nature of the language in biblical prophecy be correctly identified. The primary guideline is to interpret prophecy literally, to look at the context in its simplest form. When Abraham’s visitors told him that Sarah would shortly have a son, Sarah laughed. She laughed because it was impossible; she was past menopause. But with God all things are possible. Sarah became pregnant – literally. (Genesis 18:9-15; 21:1-7)

  Figurative language refers to words that are used other than their common literal sense (pg 136). As He stood in front of the Temple Yeshua stated, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up’ (John 2:19) Yeshuas reference to “this temple” was a reference to His body, the temple of God.  Thus, “this temple” is the figurative language used in this verse.

  In biblical prophecy, typology is a method of biblical interpretation whereby an element found in the Old Testament is seen to prefigure one found in the New Testament. The initial one is called the type and the fulfillment is designated the antitype. It is a characteristic method of interpretation for the New Testament use of the Old Testament. In the early church the Holy Spirit inspired the use of types. A type can also contain symbols. When a symbol is used to predict, it assumes a supernatural character and partakes of the nature of prophesy (pg 222). A symbol may be objects or actions with an inner meaning expressing Christian ideas.

  Prophecy is one of the most powerful authentications of the Word of God and gives creditability to the proclamation of the Gospel and therefore it should establish ones faith upon its fulfillment (231) “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no God. And who can proclaim as I do? Then let him declare it and set it in order for Me, since I appointed the ancient people. And the things that are coming and shall come, let them show these to them” (Isaiah 44:6-7).

  Above all, one must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things.  For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as the Holy Spirit carried them along. (2 Peter 1:20-21) Biblical predictions reveal that they have been fulfilled with a precision that can only be done by divine knowledge predicting events and the hand of God bringing the events to pass. Fulfilled prophecy is God’s signature.

Tonda L. Tavernier

PS: Tonda is a cousin unknown to me until a few years ago when she contacted me about family genealogy. A gracious lady, Tonda is an active person. An ongoing learner both informally and formally, the latter involving not just mind, but heart involvement in study and consideration of God, His Son, His Holy Spirit, and serious personal examination and application of God’s Word. The above essay was originally written in May for a school assignment. With Tonda’s agreement, there is to be future publication of her writings.  EBB4