When it comes to interpreting Scripture, Paul instructed Timothy to “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15). This is obviously one of the most important things any preacher or teacher can do. To misinterpret the Scripture leads to confusion at best and, at worst, false hope and false doctrine. II Peter 1: 20-21 says, “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. 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.” To be a true shepherd requires us to understand and teach the Word as God gives it, and not on how others would have us understand it.
Bible hermeneutics is the “study of the principles of interpretation concerning the 66 books of the Bible.” There are several rules involved with this. Among those listed in Robert Plumber’s book, “40 Questions About Interpreting the Bible,” are two that are very important. First, we must understand the context in which a verse or verses are given. As Plumber notes, “A Text without a context is a pretext.” So, whether intentional or not, if one does not understand the verses in context, it can often lead to a wrong interpretation. So, in trying to understand difficult Scriptures, at the very least, one should read the verses leading up and following the one in question.
A second important rule for us to follow is to ‘allow Scripture to interpret Scripture.’ As Plummer noted, this hermeneutical guideline has long been espoused by Christian interpreters going back at least to the time of Augustine (AD 354-430) and Irenaeus (AD 130-200). And possibly in no other genre do I see this principle ignored more than in the study of Bible prophecy.
To site just one example, in Revelation 6:12-13 we read, “And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; and the stars of heaven fell unto the earth…..” Now I’m sure that if you’ve read as many books by prophecy teachers as I have, you have found that many of them interpret these verses literally, that it speaks of commotions in the heavens during the tribulation. While this may or may not have some truth to it, is this really what these words are conveying to us, or is this merely John speaking in what some call, ‘the language of the prophets?’
If you just read these verses by themselves with nothing to guide us, it does seem that during the time in which John speaks, there will be definite changes in the appearance of the sun and the moon and there will be stars falling to the earth. But this can’t mean that, for if one star fell to the earth, this planet would cease to exist. So, what else could it mean?
Well, if you turn to other prophecies in the Bible you will find similar language is employed, and that, when used, is almost always in reference to the destruction of a nation or empire. For example, in Ezekiel 32:7-8, 11 we see it when speaking prophetically of the coming destruction of Egypt by the Babylonians. Also, Amos was a prophet that God called to go to the Northern Kingdom of Israel and proclaim its coming destruction, saying in Amos 8:9, “And it shall come to pass in that day,’ saith the Lord God, ‘that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day.” We have no record of this literally happening in Israel at that time, but we do know Israel was destroyed by the Assyrians. And in Luke 21:25-26, we read, “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the star; … for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” These verses speak primarily, if not exclusively, of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 AD (see Luke 21:5-7, 20-22).
Based on this principle of allowing Scripture to help us interpret Scripture, it is unlikely that Revelation 6:12-13 is meant to be taken literally either, but probably refers to the destruction of an earthly power that is under God’s judgment. Who, you might ask? That will take a lot more time than we have here to answer. But the main point is this: in our efforts to ‘rightly divide the Word of Truth’, let’s make sure we use all the Bible to help us interpret the Bible, and especially when trying to understand prophecy.
For God’s glory and His alone,
Pastor Terry.