Transcript Keys to Prophetic Interpretation

Revelation Now
Advanced Seminar
9 Keys to Interpreting
Prophecy
By Jac Colón
Thank’s for
turning off phones
1. Revelation is Symbolic
“The revelation (Apocalypse) of Jesus Christ, which
God gave him to show his servants what must soon
take place. He made it known by sending his
angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything
he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of
Jesus Christ.” Revelation 1:1,2
σεμάίνω(Semaino) means to symbolize
 Interpret Revelation symbolically unless
it is obviously literal.
…1B
1. Revelation is a Symbolic
Prophecy
Example:
Then another sign appeared in
heaven: an enormous red dragon.”
Revelation 12:7
What does the dragon symbolize?
“The great dragon was hurled
down—that ancient serpent called
the devil, or Satan”
...
Revelation 12:9
#1 Lit
Literalism
“If the plain sense makes good sense,
seek no other sense, or you will learn
nonsense.”
“We must consistently apply the plain,
normal, literal interpretation.”
C. C. Ryrie
“And I will put enmity between you and the
woman, and between your offspring and
hers; he will crush your head, and you will
strike his heel” (Genesis 3:15).
Literalism
The Bible refers to
locusts with the power of
flight, the bodies of
horses, heads like lions,
breastplates of iron and
stinging tails like
scorpions” (Rev 9).
“This might seem
outlandish, unless
you’ve ever seen a
modern infantry unit in
full chemical protection
gear coming off a
transport helicopter.”
2. Let the Bible Interpret Itself
“Above all, you must understand that no prophecy
of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own
interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin
in the will of man, but men spoke from God as
they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
2 Peter 1:20,21
 No private interpretation
 Let the Bible interpret itself! How?
 By comparing Scripture with Scripture
2B (Ex)
Compare Scripture with Scripture
Example:
“I saw a beast coming up out of
the sea.” Revelation 12:7
What does a beast symbolize?
The four great beasts are four
kingdoms. Daniel 7:17
What is the water?
“The waters you saw are peoples,
multitudes…” Revelation 17:15
#2C
Compare Scripture with Scripture
to Get the Whole Picture
Example: What did the sign say?
 Mark 15:26 “The King of the Jews”
 Luke 23:28 “This is The King of the Jews”
 Mat. 27:37 “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews”
 John 19:19 “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the
Jews.”
“This is Jesus of Nazareth,
the King of the Jews”
#3
to Get the Whole Picture
Example: What did the sign say?
5:26 “The King of the Jews”
3:28 “This is The King of the
Jews”
:37 “This is Jesus, the King of
the Jews”
9:19 “Jesus of Nazareth, the
King of the Jews.”
3. Outline Prophecies
 Outlines only cover the high points.
 Outlines are not concerned with every
detail.
 The Bible is a History-- only as it shows
how God relates to his people.
#4
4: Parallel Prophecies
Daniel 2
Babylon
Medo Persia
Greece
Rome
Europe
Jesus Comes
Daniel 7
Babylon
Greece
Medo-Persia
Rome
4. Parallel Prophecies
 What is Parallel?
A
B
Daniel
2 Gold
| Silver
| Bronze | Iron | Stone
Babylon | Medo-Persia | Greece | Rome | Jesus
7 Lion
| Bear | Leopard | Fierce Beast | Judgment
 Both begin with Babylon and end with the
return of Christ.
4B
I watched as he opened the
sixth seal. There was a great
earthquake... The sky receded
like a scroll, rolling up, and
every mountain and island
was removed from its place.
angel
sounded
his to the mountains
 Why
isseventh
parallellism
important?
TheThe
seventh
angel
poured
outcalled
his
…They
trumpet,
there
were
loud
bowl…
Then and
there
came
flashes
of
and
the
rocks,
‘‘Fall on usw
and
Seven
Churches
[Rev
voices
in
heaven,
which
said:
‘‘The
lightning,
rumblings,
peals
of
hide
us 2-3]
from
the face of him
who
o
kingdom
the world
has
thunder
and of
a severe
sits
onbecome
the throne and from the
Theearthquake...
revelation
of
Jesus
Christ,
which
gave him rto
the kingdom
of our
Lord and
ofGod
his
God
remembered
wrath
of the
Lamb! For the
show
his
servants
what
must
soon
take place.
Seven
Seals
[Rev
6-8]
Christ,
and
he
will
reign
for
ever
Babylon
the
Great
and
gave
her
l has
great
day
of their wrath
(Rev
1:1).
theand
cupever.”
filled (Re
with11:15).
the wine
of and
the who can stand?”
come,
d
of hisyou
wrath.
island
“So,fury
because
are Every
lukewarm…
(Re
6:12-17).
Ifled
am about to spit` you
and
theTrumpets
mountains
could
not
out away
of mySeven
mouth…
the hour[Rev
of
his9-10]
judgment
has come ”
e
found
(Re 16:17-20).
(Re be
3:16,
14:7).
4. Parallel Prophecies
n
The 7 churches
give
a glimpse
into
Seven
Plagues
[Rev
16]the future of the
church with 7 successive periods ending with the d
Judgment, as well as a cross section of the church s

They
end
with the same event.
during
theall
time
of John.
4C
4. Parallel Prophecies
 Hebrew thought vs. Western thought…
 Otherwise there is Confusion
Seven
Churches
Seven
Seals
Seven
Trumpets
Why Parallel Prophecies?
Seven
Plagues
#5
5. Repetition & Enlargement
Daniel 2
Gold
|
Babylon |
Silver
| Bronze
| Iron
| Clay
|Stone
Medo-Persia | Greece | Rome | Europe |Jesus
Daniel 7
Lion | Bear | Leopard | Fierce | Judgment
5B
5. Repetition & Enlargement
Daniel 2
Gold
|
Babylon |
Silver
| Bronze
| Iron
|
Clay | Stone
Medo-Persia | Greece | Rome | Europe |Jesus
Daniel 7
Lion | Bear | Leopard | Fierce |
| Judgment
5C
5. Repetition & Enlargement
Daniel 2
Gold
|
Babylon |
Silver
| Bronze
| Iron
|
Stone
Medo-Persia | Greece | Rome |
Jesus
Daniel 7
Lion | Bear | Leopard | Fierce | 10 horns | Little horn | Judgment
Pagan | Europe | Papal
 Enlargement focuses on the end time
#6
6. Old Testament Foundation
How Many
QuotesororAllusions
AllusionstotoOld
OldTestament
Testament?
 Over
600 Quotes
 Must compare the prophecies in Revelation to the
Old Testament first.
Example:
Revelation 12:5 “She gave birth to a son,
a male child, who will rule all the nations
with an iron scepter.”
Psalm 2:9 [Referring to future Messiah]
“You will rule them with an iron scepter;
you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”
Daniel 2:44 “The Stone will crush those
kingdoms and bring them to an end.”
Parallel
Revelation 19:11, 15
#7
7. Revelation is Christ Centered
“The revelation (Apocalypse)
of Jesus Christ, which God
gave him to show his
servants what must soon take
place.” Revelation 1:1,2
 every interpretation must center in and
focus on Jesus Christ….
7B
Paul For Real
Our Two For Real
Paul & Ania
Jason & Mom
7. Christ is the Center
The Old Testament Foreshadowed Jesus
 On the Emmaus Road, "He said to them, 'How foolish you
are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets
have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things
and then enter his glory?' And beginning with Moses and all
the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the
Scriptures concerning himself." Luke 24:25-27
 "They asked each other, 'Were not our hearts
burning within us while he talked with us on
the road and opened the Scriptures to us?’
...Then he opened their minds so they could
understand the Scriptures." Luke 24:32, 45
Our minds must be opened by Christ to
understand the Bible.
7C- 3 types
7. Christ is the Center
Three Types of Christ-Centered
Interpretation
1. Direct Predictions
2. Types and Antitypes
(shadows)
3. Non-Predictive Historical
Passages
7Dir
Direct Predictions
 "But you, Bethlehem... out of
you will come for me one who
will be ruler over Israel, whose
origins are from of old, from
ancient times."
Micah 5:2
 “The virgin will be with child and will
give birth to a son, and will call him
Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14
7Typ
Types and Antitypes
In the OT, the Lamb was
offered as a sacrifice.
“Look, the Lamb of God,
who takes away the sin of
the world!" John 1:29
The Lamb Was a type
or shadow of Jesus the
Antitype (in place of)
7Typ
More Types
 Priest:
"I tell you that one greater than the
temple is here." Matthew 12:6
 Prophet: "Now one greater than Jonah is
here." Matthew 12:41
 King:
"Now one greater than Solomon
is here. Matthew 12:42
The Antitype replaces the type! (Anti= in place of)
The Antitype (fulfillment) is greater than the type!
7Typ
More Types
 Adam: “pattern of the one to come.” Rom 5:14
τύπος [tupos /too·pos/]
 God opened a wound and took
something from his side from which
he formed his bride.
 Jesus: The second Adam
has come.
 From his wounded side flowed
water and blood out of which
God formed his bride,
the church.
7Nar
Non-predictive Historical
Stories
 There was a famine in
 "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and
Israel
out of Egypt I called my son." Hosea 11:1
 They were slaves in Egypt
 "So he [Joseph] got up, took the child and
his
during up
the Moses
night and
 mother
God raised
toleft for
Egypt,
where them
he stayed
the death of
deliver
outuntil
of Egypt.
Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord
 He
them
had
saidled
through
thethrough
prophet: the
'Out of
Red
Seamy
to son'."
Freedom.
Egypt
I called
Matt. 2:14, 15
#7N
Non-predictive Historical
Stories
 1 Cor 10:1-4 For I do not want you to be
ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our
forefathers were all under the cloud and
that they all passed through the sea.
They were all baptized into Moses in the
cloud and in the sea. They all ate the
same spiritual food and drank the same
spiritual drink; for they drank from the
spiritual rock that accompanied them,
and that rock was Christ.
#7N
More Narrative Prophecies
Israel
Came out of Egypt
Baptized in the sea
40 years in desert
Tempted by Satan
Jesus went over the same ground as
Israel, but He succeeded where they failed.
#8Ch
More Narrative Prophecies
Israel
Jesus
Came out of Egypt
Came out of Egypt
Baptized in the sea
Baptized in Jordan
40 years in desert
40 days in the desert
Tempted by Satan
Tempted by Satan
Jesus went over the same ground as
Israel, but He succeeded where they failed.
#8Ch
9 Israel Symbolizes the
Church
 The Beginning of the Promise: Gen 3:15
 Abraham: Genesis 12:2,3
“Through you, all nations will be blessed.”
 Gathering and Scattering Promises:
Deuteronomy 28 and 30
 Fulfilled in Christ: Galatians 3:7,8, 16, 29
The promises were spoken to Abraham and to
his seed The Scripture does not say ‘‘and to
seeds,” meaning many people, but ‘‘and to your
seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ. “If you
are in Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs to
the promise.
9. Israel Symbolizes the
Church
Examples of New Testament Fulfillment of
Israel’s Prophecies
Old Testament
New Testament
Final
Promise
Fulfillment
Consummation
Kingdom of Priests
1 Peter 2:9,10
Revelation 5:10
Exodus 19:6
Jerusalem
Acts 15:13-17
Revelation 21:2
Amos 9:11,12
Mount Zion
Heb. 12:22-24
Revelation 14:1
Isaiah 2:2,3
#8Ch
Double Fulfillment of Israel
Israel
Exodus 19:6
You will be for
me a kingdom
of priests and a
holy nation.’
These are the
words you are
to speak to the
Israelites.”
Double Fulfillment of Israel
Israel
The Church
Exodus 19:6
You will be for
me a kingdom
of priests and a
holy nation.’
These are the
words you are
to speak to the
Israelites.”
1Peter 2:9
But you are a
chosen people, a
royal priesthood, a
holy nation, a
people belonging to
God…Once you
were not a people,
but now you are the
people of God.
Double Fulfillment of Israel
Israel
The Church
New Earth
Exodus 19:6
You will be for
me a kingdom
of priests and a
holy nation.’
These are the
words you are
to speak to the
Israelites.”
1Peter 2:9
But you are a
chosen people, a
royal priesthood, a
holy nation, a
people belonging to
God…Once you
were not a people,
but now you are the
people of God.
Rev. 5:10
You [the Lamb]
have made them
to be a kingdom
and priests to
serve our God,
and they will
reign on the
earth.”
Jerusalem Symbolizes the
Church
Amos 9: 11, 12
“In that day I will restore
• David’s fallen tent.
• I will repair its broken places,
• restore its ruins,
• and build it as it used to be,
So that they may possess the remnant of Edom
What would have to happen for this
passage to be literally fulfilled?
Jerusalem a Symbol for the
Church
Acts 15:15-17
The words of the prophets are in agreement with
this, as it is written:
•
•
•
•
After this I will return
and rebuild David’s fallen tent.
Its ruins I will rebuild,
and I will restore it, as it used to be
that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all
the Gentiles who bear my name
The
Mediterranean
Sea
Literal
Jerusalem
Edom
“In that day I will
restore David’s
fallen tent.
I will repair its
broken places,
restore its ruins,
and build it as it
used to be, so that
they may possess
the remnant of
Edom.”
Amos 9: 11,12
The
Mediterranean
Sea
“So that they may
possess the
remnant of Edom.”
Amos 9: 11,12
Jerusalem
Edom
The
Mediterranean
Sea
Caesarea
Jerusalem
Edom
“Simon has described
to us how God at first
showed his concern by
taking from the
Gentiles a people for
himself.
The words of the
prophets are in
agreement with this,
as it is written: ”
‘After this I will
return and rebuild
David’s fallen tent.
Its ruins I will
rebuild, and I will
restore it,
that the remnant of
men may seek the
Lord,.”
Acts 15:14-17
Edom
symbolized the
Gentiles.
The
Mediterranean
Sea
Caesarea
Jerusalem
The restoration
of the walls of
Jerusalem to
possess the
remnant of
Edom,
Symbolized the
Edom Gentiles coming
into the church.
Jerusalem Symbolizes the
Church
The New Testament applies an Old
Testament prophecy of the restoration and
expansion of Israel to the expansion of the
church by receiving Gentiles into the
church.
The New Testament totally disregards any
ethnic or geographic limitations, and
interprets Israel as the church, the body of
believers in Jesus Christ.
Even the Land is a Symbol
The LORD appeared to Abram and said, ‘‘To
your offspring I will give this land” (Gen 12:7).
All the land that you see I will give to you and
your offspring forever (Genesis 13:15).
He gave him [Abraham] no inheritance here,
not even a foot of ground. But God promised
him that he and his descendants after him
would possess the land (Acts 7:5).
Even the Land is a Symbol
By faith Abraham, when called to go to a
place he would later receive as his
inheritance, obeyed and went.. he was
looking forward to the city with foundations,
whose architect and builder is God. (Heb
11:8-10).
Abraham and his offspring received the
promise that he would be heir of the world
(Rom 4:13)
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the
earth (Matthew 5:5).
All Promises Fulfilled in Christ
For no matter how
many promises
God has made,
they are ‘‘Yes” in
Christ
(2 Cor 1:20).
Double Fulfillment of Mount
Zion
Israel
Isaiah 2:3
In the last days
the mountain of
the LORD’s
temple will be
established as
chief among the
mountains; it will
be raised above
the hills, and all
nations will
stream to it. …The
law will go out
from Zion,
In the past God spoke to
our forefathers through
the prophets at many
times and in various
ways, but in these last
days he has spoken to us
by his Son.
Hebrews 1:1, 2
Old Testament Mt. Zion
 In Old Testament times Mt.
Zion was the temple
mountain in Jerusalem.
 It contained the Ark of the
Covenant
 It was the focal point of
Israel’s worship of her God
 Isaiah foresaw a great
revival
on Mt Zion in the last days
 “The Law would go out from
Mt. Zion.” Isaiah 2:3
The New Testament Mt. Zion
“
But you have come to Mount
Zion, to the heavenly
Jerusalem, the city of the
living God… to the church of
the firstborn, whose names
are written in heaven. You
have come to God... to
Jesus.”
Heb. 12:20
Mount Zion is a symbol of the church
There will be a revival in the church!
Double Fulfillment of Mount
Zion
Mt Zion
Isaiah 2:3
The Church
Hebrews 12:22-24
In the last days
But you have come
the mountain of
to Mount Zion, to
the LORD’s
the heavenly
temple will be
Jerusalem, the city
established as
of the living God. …
chief among the
mountains; it will to the church …to
be raised above
God, …to Jesus the
the hills, and all
mediator of a new
nations will
stream to it. …The covenant
law will go out
from Zion,
New Earth
Rev. 14:1
And I saw the
Lamb, standing
on Mt. Zion, and
with him,
144,000.
The 144,000
Then I looked, and there
before me was the
Lamb,
... standing on Mount
Zion...
...and with him
144,000. Rev 14:1
The Lamb
The Lamb is a symbol for Jesus.
Mt Zion is a symbol for His church
The 144,000
 Then I looked, and there before me was the
Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him
144,000 who had his name and his Father’s
name written on their foreheads. Rev. 14:1
The 144,000
To the church … I will
write on him the name
of my God and the
name of the city of my
God, the new
Jerusalem, which is
coming down out of
heaven from my God;
and I will also write on
him my new name.
Rev. 3:12
The Twelve Tribes of Israel
 I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was
a great earthquake... every mountain and island
was removed from its place. Then the kings of the
earth… called to the mountains and the rocks,
‘‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who
sits on the throne and from the wrath of the
Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come,
and who can stand?” (Revelation 6:12-17).
 Then I saw another angel coming up from the
east, having the seal of the living God. He called
out in a loud voice to the four angels who had
been given power to harm the land and the sea:
(Revelation 7:2-4).
The Twelve Tribes of Israel
‘‘Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees
until we put a seal on the foreheads of the
servants of our God.” Then I heard the number
of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the
tribes of Israel. From the tribe of Judah 12,000
were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben 12,000,
from the tribe of Gad 12,000, from the tribe of
Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000,
from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000, from the
tribe of Simeon 12,000, from the tribe of Levi
12,000, from the tribe of Issachar 12,000, from
the tribe of Zebulun 12,000, from the tribe of
Joseph 12,000, from the tribe of Benjamin
12,000. (Revelation 7:3-8).
The Twelve Tribes of Israel
Exodus 1:1
Rev 7:5
Reuben
Simeon
Levi
Judah
Issachar
Zebulun
Joseph
Benjamin
Dan
Naphtali
Gad
Asher
Judah
Reuben
Gad
Asher
Naphtali
Manasseh
Simeon
Levi
Issachar
Zebulun
Joseph
Benjamin
The Twelve Tribes of Israel
1
Reuben
Simeon
Levi
Judah
Issachar
Zebulun
Joseph
Benjamin
Dan
Naphtali
Gad
Asher
Judah
Reuben
Gad
Asher
Naphtali
Manasseh
Simeon
Levi
Issachar
Zebulun
Joseph
Benjamin
Exodus 1:1
Rev 7:5
The Twelve Tribes of Israel
1
2
Reuben
Simeon
Levi
Judah
Issachar
Zebulun
Joseph
Benjamin
Dan
Naphtali
Gad
Asher
Judah
Reuben
Gad
Asher
Naphtali
Manasseh
Simeon
Levi
Issachar
Zebulun
Joseph
Benjamin
Exodus 1:1
Rev 7:5
3
The Twelve Tribes of Israel
After this I looked and there before me was a great
multitude that no one could count, from every
nation, tribe, people and language, standing before
the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were
wearing white robes. (Rev 7:9).
‘‘These in white robes—who are they, and where did
they come from?”
And he said, ‘‘These are they who have come out of
the great tribulation; they have washed their robes
and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
(Revelation 7:13-14).
144000
1. 144000 Sealed before the great
tribulation
2. Protected during the tribulation
3. Emerge from the tribulation as a
great multitude that could not be
counted from every nation (the
church)
144000
The LORD said to Abram…‘‘I will make your
offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if
anyone could count the dust, then your offspring
could be counted. (Genesis 13:14-16).
 The 144000 are the final fulfillment of
God’s promise to Abraham.
 They are the final gathering of God’s
people to himself in Christ.
 “When I am lifted up from the earth, will
draw all men to myself” (John 12:32 ).
 Jesus will rule his nation again on earth.
The 144,000
They follow the Lamb
wherever he goes.
Rev. 14:4
They are Christians in
the truest sense of the
word.
They are the ultimate
gathering of the final
generation of Spiritual
Israel to Jesus.
Sharks are God’s
Beautiful Creatures
According to Jac– Not ‘dena