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CHAPTER TEN
THE INDIVIDUAL
APPLICATION OF HISTORY AND PROPHECY
The New Testament
interpretation of the Old Testament prophecies concerning the kingdom
and work of the Messiah is that they apply individually as well as
collectively to the church. It is important that the individual
application of prophecy be considered. All Bible prophecies center in
Jesus, and they, when rightly understood, will have a bearing upon
individuals. God deals with individuals: "whosoever" (John
3:16; Rev. 22:17). The Ten Commandments are written in the singular
number. The promises are "to him that overcometh" (Rev.
2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21). Jesus says: "He that hath
ears to hear, let him hear" (Matt. 11:15). Eight times in
the Revelation Jesus also appeals to the individual: "He
that hath an ear, let him hear" (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6,
13, 22; 13:9). The acceptance of Christ is a personal matter. The
writing of the Law of God in the heart is an individual work. (2 Cor.
3:3; Ps. 40:8; Ezek. 11:19,20; 36:26; Heb. 8:8-13.)
The deliverance of Israel from
Egyptian bondage not only typifies the deliverance of the church, but of
the individual from the bondage of sin. The safe passage of the nation
of Israel through the waters of the Red Sea (1 Cor. 10:1, 2, 11); the
Israelites partaking of the manna and drinking the water from the rock
(1 Cor. 10:3, 4, 11); the march of national Israel across the wilderness
to the promised land (1 Pet. 2:11); the sanctuary in the midst of the
camp of Israel (John 1:14, R.V.) ; the daily services of the sanctuary
(Heb. 13:10-15; Rom. 12:1, etc.) ; the cleansing of the sanctuary (1
John 1:9, etc.) ; the writing of the Law of God upon two tables of stone
(1 Cor. 3:3); the temple (John 2:21; 1 Cor. 3:19); the kings and the
priests of Israel (Rev. 1:6; 5:10; 20:6), etc., are, in the New
Testament, applied in connection with the individual believer, as well
as to the church as a whole. In this way the Lord has shown us that our
interpretation of the contents of Scripture, whether of the history of
past events in the experiences of God's people, or concerning prophecies
of the future, should have a present message for the individual.
In this way the Book is vibrant with a living message of power and
authority; in this way we also learn to test interpretations of
prophecy.
Blessings which are stated in
the Word of God to be the future inheritance of the saints are
applicable to the believer to-day. Thus Paul quotes from Isa. 64:4, and
applies the promises of future things as belonging to the present:
"Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the
heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.
BUT GOD HATH REVEALED THEM UNTO US BY HIS SPIRIT." (1 Cor. 2:9,
10.) "Behold, I make all things new" (Rev. 21:5) is God's
promise concerning the eternal kingdom. "Behold, all things are
become new" (2 Cor. 5:17), declared Paul of those "in
Christ." Elsewhere, the writer has shown by a number of examples
that future blessings are applied as present spiritual realities to
those who are "in Christ." As the past events of Israel are
applied in the New Testament in relation to present experiences of
individuals and of the church (1 Cor. 10:6, 11 margins), and that which
is future is also thus applied, the Bible is therefore a book alive with
messages for the present. The past and the future become present
realities. To-day's experiences will harmonize with the experiences
recorded in the history of God's ancient people and also harmonize with
what is revealed regarding the future kingdom of glory. The present life
of the Christian is not something entirely different from the
experiences of Israel; it is not something entirely foreign to future
experiences and events in God's kingdom of glory.
With these guiding principles
before us in our study of the Bible it becomes a living book which is
vibrant with meaning concerning Christ and each individual believer. In
the inspired record of creation we may see also the work of the Holy
Spirit upon our unshaped characters; calling order out of chaos; light
instead of darkness, etc. In the record of the flood we may also see our
rescue by the means of the ark God has provided. The deliverance of the
Israelites from Egypt foreshadows our deliverance from sin. Pharaoh's
endeavor to keep God's people in bondage illustrates how Satan endeavors
to hold us in his grasp. As we seek to serve God, Satan seeks to make
the way harder, just as Pharaoh made the lot of Israel more difficult.
When we flee from Egypt, Satan pursues us to slay us or to again take us
captive. Our faith is tested at the Red Sea. God opens up a way of
escape for us from our foes. We come to the bitter waters which are made
sweet only by the Branch (Christ) (Zech. 6:12, etc.). We, too, are fed
by the heavenly manna, which must be eaten each day; drink of the water
of life gushing from the Smitten Rock (1 Cor. 10:14); bitten by serpents
but cured by looking to Christ (John 3:14, etc.) ; attacked by enemies
as we journey to the promised land; overcome our foes as our great
Leader pleads for us on high; have a foretaste of the fruits of coming
inheritance; cross over Jordan's cold billows and enter in triumph into
Canaan.
In the sanctuary and its
services we see clear and definite illustrations of the various
features connected with the plan of redemption. An innocent, unblemished
lamb slain because of an individual's sin presents an impressive picture
of Christ's substitutionary death. The word picture of the Israelites
sheltering behind the blood-sprinkled door lintels while the death angel
passes by, graphically portrays the effectiveness of the blood of Jesus
to save us from God's wrath against sin. By the pictures presented in
the sacred narratives of the physical exploits of Samson, we see clearly
illustrations of the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, overcoming
the difficulties and dangers from our spiritual foes. (See Dan. 11:32;
Ephes. 6:10.) David's victorious conflict with Goliath provides us with
a clear picture of what it means to live the victorious life in the
power of Christ. Satan, our Goliath, is far too strong for us to slay,
but with Paul we can say: "I can do all things through Christ which
strengtheneth me" (Phil. 4:13). We obtain "the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 15:57).
The historical incidents
recorded in the Old Testament provide us with word pictures by
which God teaches us spiritual truths. In them we are to see things
world-wide in scope: corresponding likenesses in the spiritual realm,
which are "spiritually discerned" (1 Cor. 2:14).
The New Testament reveals the
principle of "spiritually" discerning "spiritual
things" in the historical narratives of the Old Testament. In this
way "God hath revealed them unto us" -the things which
He "hath prepared for them that love Him." The natural eye
does not discern these "spiritual things," and often
interprets literally that which should be "spiritually
discerned." (See 1 Cor. 2:6-16.) A well-known author says:-
"Undoubtedly our natural
bias is in favour of the so-called 'literal' interpretation of the
prophecies in question; for to the natural man the things that are seen
are the real things and to that view we are disposed to cling
tenaciously, notwithstanding the plain teaching of the New Testament,
that the seen things are fleeting shadows of things unseen, the latter
being the spiritual and eternal realities with which the promises of
future blessing have mainly to do. . . . Evidently, then, our difficulty
in understanding prophecies of the class referred to above is due to our
lack of faith and our spiritual dullness." ("The Hope of
Israel," pp.15, 17, by P. Mauro.)
The Jews, still clinging
tenaciously to the belief that the prophecies concerning Israel must be literally
fulfilled through the Jewish nation, were so blinded that they did not
recognize the fulfillment of those prophecies in the experiences of the
Messiah and spiritual Israel. They failed to remember that those
prophecies were for those who experienced in their lives the things
portrayed in the prophetic word. Similarly, today, modern
theologians are so blinded by the belief of a literal Palestinian
fulfillment of the ancient prophecies given to Israel, that they do not
recognize the spiritual fulfillment now taking place.
The river of living spiritual
water is now emerging from this church and individual temple to
bless a needy world. (Ezek. 47:1-12; Joel 3:18; Zech. 14:8; John
7:37-39; 4:10,14; Rev. 22:17.) The spiritual latter rain is now
falling and is experienced by thousands of Christians in all parts of
the world. Their experience harmonizes with the interpretation. (Joel
2:23-29; Zech. 10:1.) The spiritual gathering of God's people is now
taking place. (Rev. 18:4; Isa. 11:11, 12.) From the confusion of Babylon
they come to Jerusalem, "the foundations of peace." The walls
of spiritual Jerusalem are now being built. (Isa. 60:1-11.) Each
believer is conscious of the protecting Presence of God. (Zech. 2:5.) In
the Person of His Holy Spirit, Jesus is now reigning in spiritual
Jerusalem. (Micah 4:7; Joel 3:17, 21; Isa. 24:23; Ezek. 48:35, etc.) 46
47
Those "in Christ"
know this by joyful experience. Satan is now endeavoring to assemble his
hosts against spiritual Israel. (Ezek. 38, 39; Joel 3; Zech. 14.) The
sincere believer knows from his daily experience that he fights the good
fight of faith against wicked spirits in high places. He fights best
who, morning by morning, visualizes the battlefield and nerves himself
for conflict with the combined forces under Gog's-Satan's - banner, and
who marches into the field of battle "with the cross of Jesus going
on before." The utter defeat of the enemies of Gods people, so
graphically depicted in Ezek. 38, 39, is the blessed assurance to His
people that they are the recipients of His care and protection, and that
they will triumph over their enemies.
"Now thanks be unto God,
which always causeth us to triumph in Christ" (2 Cor. 2:14).
Israel's victory depicted in Ezek. 38, 39; Joel 3; Zech. 14, has a
daily significance to the Christian when (as it should be) it is
applied in harmony with his experience; but these prophecies, when
applied literally in relation to nations yet to war in Palestine can
have no significance to the Christian's present experiences. When these
prophecies are applied to the future of the nations of the world it may
please the mind, but it can have no message to the heart of the
Christian; it cannot be of spiritual help to the Christian in his fight
against the forces of evil arrayed against him. But it should be
remembered that God did not inspire men to write prophecies - especially
long prophecies such as Ezek. 38, 39 - merely to pass on matters of
purely mental interest; He caused to be written that which would help
Christians in their conflict with the forces of evil. Since the
rejection of the Jewish nation as God's chosen nation, the prophecies
concerning Israel meet their fulfillment in relation to the church of
God-the spiritual Israel. (Gal. 6:16, etc.) Prophecies depicting a
gathering of evil forces against "Israel" now describe the
spiritual warfare. "They shall surely gather together, but not by
Me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy
sake. . . . No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper."
(Isa. 54:15, 17.) In his daily experience the earnest Christian
says: "Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not
fear." (Ps. 27:3.) |
