Participants: Stephen Bohr
Series Code: ASTPP
Program Code: ASTPP000020
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00:15 Welcome back.
00:17 We need to continue our study now on the symbolism 00:22 that is used in the Bible. 00:23 How do we interpret symbols correctly? 00:26 And as we ended our last session, we were talking 00:29 about the fact that symbols are liquid, or symbols are fluid. 00:35 Which means that they take different shapes 00:37 depending on the context in which they appear. 00:41 And so, I want to give several examples here 00:44 that we have in our syllabus. 00:46 First of all, when we talk about a lion, a lion is a 00:49 symbolic animal that is used in Bible prophecy. 00:55 So what does a lion represent in Bible prophecy? 00:59 Can it represent Christ? 01:02 Yes, He's the lion of the tribe of Judah. 01:05 Can it represent the devil? 01:07 Yeah, he goes as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. 01:12 Can it represent Judah, the son of Jacob? 01:15 Yeah. 01:16 Can it represent Babylon? 01:19 Yeah, in Daniel chapter 7 it represents Babylon. 01:22 So when you find, "lion," in prophetic context, 01:27 don't just assume it always means the same thing. 01:29 It can mean different things in different context. 01:33 Let's take the symbol of wine. 01:37 Is wine a symbol that always means the same thing? 01:41 Of course not. 01:43 Wine can represent the blood of Christ. 01:46 Right? 01:47 Yeah, He says, "This is the blood of the new covenant 01:51 which is shed for you." 01:52 And He was talking about the grape juice. 01:55 Can wine also represent the blood of the wicked? 02:02 Yeah, of course. 02:04 Can wine also represent doctrine? 02:08 You don't put new wine in old lambskins. 02:11 Remember what Jesus said? 02:13 He's saying, "You don't put My fresh new teachings 02:16 in the old traditions of the scribes and Pharisees," 02:19 is what He was saying. 02:20 So wine... 02:22 And by the way, wine can also represent false doctrine 02:24 if it's fermented wine. 02:26 Because the harlot gives her wine to 02:28 the kings of the earth, right? 02:30 And so when you find wine, don't just assume that 02:33 wine always means the same thing. 02:35 Because symbols can be flexible. 02:37 They can mean different things in different context. 02:41 What does a star represent? 02:44 Can a star represent Christ? 02:47 Yes, He's the bright and morning star, 02:49 Revelation 22 verse 16. 02:51 Can a star represent Satan? 02:54 Yeah, he's Lucifer, the morning star. 02:57 Can it represent ministers? 03:00 Revelation 1 verse 20, the seven stars in the hand of Jesus 03:05 represent the ministers to the seven churches. 03:09 Can stars represent God's people? 03:12 Stars can represent God's people. 03:15 It says in Daniel chapter 12 that God's people will shine 03:18 as stars throughout eternity. 03:20 And so, when you find a star or stars in the Bible, 03:23 don't just assume that stars always mean the same thing. 03:27 It can mean different things in different context. 03:30 Now what does leaven represent? 03:35 You know, always when I ask that question, 03:37 the first answer that comes is that leaven represents sin. 03:40 And that's true, you have verses here in parentheses; 03:43 Exodus 12:15, Leviticus 2:11, 1 Corinthians 5:7-8. 03:49 There are many text that say that leaven represents sin. 03:52 But not always. 03:54 Because according to the parable that Jesus told 03:57 in Matthew 13 and verse 33, leaven can be a symbol 04:02 of the Holy Spirit. 04:05 You put leaven in the dough, and what happens with the dough? 04:08 It grows. 04:09 And the lump represents the church. 04:12 So the Holy Spirit is in the church, 04:13 and what happens with the church? 04:15 It grows. 04:16 So just because you find leaven, don't think that it 04:19 represents sin all the time. 04:21 It can be a flexible symbol, and you have to take 04:24 into account the context. 04:27 How about the king of the north? 04:28 Is God the king of the north? 04:30 Yes He is. Where is His throne? 04:33 In the sides of the north, according to Isaiah 14. 04:36 Let me ask you, can the king of the north also be a symbol 04:40 of a counterfeit king of the north? 04:42 Oh yeah, in Daniel chapter 11. 04:45 So don't just assume that because, "king of the north," 04:47 is used, it always refers to God. 04:49 It can also refer to someone who wants to occupy 04:52 the position of God. 04:53 And by the way, the devil also wanted to occupy 04:57 the place of God in the sides of the north. 05:00 What about a he goat? 05:02 Can a he goat represent Christ? 05:07 Yeah, how many goats were chosen on the Day of Atonement? 05:10 How many he goats? 05:12 Two. 05:13 One of them represented whom? 05:15 Christ. 05:16 And the other one represented Satan. 05:19 And incidentally, he goats can also represent prominent rulers 05:25 in other context, political rulers. 05:27 And so it can mean different things. 05:31 Let's take for example, sword. 05:33 What does the sword represent? 05:36 Whenever I ask what, "sword," represents, 05:39 they say, "Well, the sword represents the Word of God." 05:41 And that's true, Ephesians 6:17 says that the sword of the 05:44 Spirit is the Word of God. 05:46 However, there's another meaning to the sword. 05:49 Now go with me to Revelation 13. 05:51 I want to illustrate how important it is 05:54 for us to realize that symbols are flexible. 05:57 Revelation 13 and verses 9 and 10. 06:03 13, verses 9 and 10. 06:07 This is speaking about the deadly wound that is given 06:10 to the beast that rises from the sea. 06:14 This beast in Revelation 13 verse 1 says that 06:17 it rises from the sea. 06:18 And of course, we know that it's a symbol of 06:20 the Roman Catholic papacy. 06:22 Now verse 9 says, "If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 06:27 He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; 06:35 he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword." 06:42 So who is that who killed with the sword? 06:45 Who had the sword and killed with the sword? 06:48 It was the papacy. 06:50 And you say, "How do you know that?" 06:51 Well, verse 14 says so. 06:54 Speaking about the beast that rises from the earth, it says, 06:57 "And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs 07:00 which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, 07:02 telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image 07:04 to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived." 07:09 So who was wounded by the sword? 07:12 The beast. So who used the sword to kill? 07:14 The beast. 07:15 And the same sword that the beast used to kill 07:18 was the sword that gave him the deadly wound. 07:22 Now what does that sword represent? 07:25 See, it cannot represent the Bible. 07:29 Because really, the papacy did not use 07:33 the Bible to kill people. 07:36 So immediately you'll see there that the sword as the Bible 07:39 doesn't fit there. 07:41 You know, it's a different container, so to speak. 07:44 So you say, now if the sword there does not represent 07:48 the Word of God, because the papacy did not use the 07:51 Bible to kill God's people, then what could it mean? 07:56 Well, you look in other context to see if the symbol 08:00 can mean something different. 08:02 And let's go to Romans chapter 13, and you'll see 08:04 that there's another meaning to the sword. 08:07 Romans chapter 13 and we'll read verses 1 through 4. 08:12 13, verses 1 through 4. 08:15 It says there, "Let every soul be subject to the 08:19 governing authorities. 08:20 For there is no authority except from God, 08:23 and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 08:26 Therefore whoever resists the authority 08:29 resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist 08:33 will bring judgment on themselves." 08:35 Now notice verse 3. 08:37 "For rulers..." 08:39 Who are the rulers? The political leaders, right? 08:42 "For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. 08:47 Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? 08:50 Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 08:53 For he," that is the civil ruler, "is God's minister 08:58 to you for good. 08:59 But if you do evil, be afraid; 09:01 for he does not bear the sword in vain." 09:08 Does the civil ruler have a sword? 09:11 Do you know what the sword of the civil ruler is? 09:14 It is used to punish violations of civil law. 09:21 Can the civil power punish violations of religious law? 09:26 For example, if people don't worship on Sunday 09:32 but they worship on the Sabbath, does the civil power 09:35 have the say, "Well, you've got to worship on Sunday. 09:37 You can't worship on Sabbath." 09:38 Of course not. 09:40 Because the sword of the civil power can only be used 09:44 to punish violations of civil law, not religious law. 09:49 It cannot legislate the first table of the law. 09:52 It can only legislate the second table which protects 09:54 relationships between human beings in society. 09:59 So the state has its sword, which is the right to punish 10:04 violations of civil law. 10:06 And the church has its sword, 10:08 which is the Word of God, the Bible. 10:09 Now how does the church use the sword? 10:13 By preaching. 10:16 You read Hebrews 4 verses 12 and 13, 10:18 it says that the Word of God is like a sword, 10:21 a double-edged sword, and it penetrates 10:24 into the inner most depths of the human heart. 10:28 And that happens when we preach. 10:30 The Word goes through the ears, and it goes all the way 10:32 and it pierces the heart. 10:34 So the church has its sword, which is the Word of God. 10:37 The civil power has also its sword, which it uses 10:40 to punish violations of civil law. 10:43 So when we find the word, "sword," 10:46 does it always represent the same thing? 10:48 No, it can take on a different shape depending on the context 10:53 in which it appears. 10:55 Yesterday I mentioned the expression, "sons of God." 10:58 You know, in Genesis chapter 6 it says that the sons of God 11:02 saw that the daughters of men were beautiful. 11:05 And so theologians, many, many theologians, 11:09 not Adventists, but non-Adventists ones, 11:11 they say that the sons of God in Genesis 6 were actually angels. 11:15 And the reason they say that is because in the book of Job, 11:19 it says that when God created this world 11:21 the sons of God shouted for joy and sang. 11:26 And obviously, human beings were not around at that time. 11:30 And so the sons of God who shouted and sang for joy 11:35 when God created this world obviously represents what? 11:40 Angels. 11:41 So what they do is they take Job, you know, where it says, 11:44 "The sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord," 11:47 and then chapter 38 verse 7 where it says that they 11:49 sang at creation, and they say, "See, 'sons of God,' here 11:53 means angels, so in Genesis 6 it means angels." 11:57 Big mistake. 11:59 Because symbols are flexible. 12:02 Symbols are liquid. 12:05 And they have to be taken within their context. 12:07 What is the context of, "sons of God," in Genesis 6? 12:11 The context is clear. 12:13 Right before it says, "The sons of God came into the 12:16 daughters of men," it gives the genealogy of Cain. 12:22 And there are three women in the genealogy of Cain. 12:24 Those are the daughters of men, by the way. 12:26 And then you have the genealogy of Seth. 12:29 Those are the righteous. 12:30 And then in 6:1, sons of God and daughters of men. 12:33 The context indicates that the sons of God 12:36 are those from the holy line. 12:38 From the holy line that would eventually lead to the Messiah. 12:42 Are you following me or not? 12:44 Furthermore, in Scripture God's people are called, 12:47 "sons of God." 12:49 "Behold what manner of love the Father has given us 12:51 that we should be called..." What? 12:53 "...the sons of God." 12:54 So converted people are sons of God as well. 12:57 So the holy line were people that were converted. 13:00 They were the righteous. 13:01 And they're called, "sons of God." 13:03 So my point is that whenever we find symbols, 13:06 let's not assume that the symbol means the same thing everywhere. 13:10 Because symbols are liquid, or symbols can take 13:14 different shapes depending on the context 13:17 in which they appear. 13:19 Now the next point is very important, 13:21 at the bottom of page 28. 13:23 It is important not to isolate a symbol from its context. 13:28 Do not lose sight of the forest for the trees. 13:33 Remember that each individual symbol is only one piece 13:38 of the puzzle, and not the puzzle in its entirety. 13:43 Once you have discovered the meaning of each 13:45 individual symbol, then you can put them together 13:49 to get a complete picture of what God wants to teach. 13:54 An illustration of this that we used at the very beginning 13:58 of this class was the rock episode. 14:02 We have three symbols in that story of the rock. 14:05 We have a rock, we have a rod, and we have water. 14:12 So what do you do? 14:13 You want to look at the total picture. 14:15 But in order to get the total picture, 14:17 what do you have to do? 14:19 You have to interpret, well what does the rock mean? 14:22 And then you say, "Now wait a minute, what does the rod mean?" 14:25 And so you look at the meaning of the rod. 14:27 Then you say, "Well, what does the water represent?" 14:29 So you look at the water. 14:31 And then once you've interpreted each individual symbol, 14:34 you put them together to get the complete picture. 14:38 Are you understanding what I'm saying? 14:40 So in other words, it's no good just to interpret 14:42 individual symbols. 14:43 The purpose of interpreting different symbols 14:46 is then to put them together in a tapestry 14:49 so we see the whole picture. 14:51 Don't get all caught up in the trees, 14:52 in the individual tree. 14:54 You know, look at the forest. 14:56 Look at what God wants to teach through a combination 14:59 of all of the symbols and not only individual symbols. 15:03 And so, it's very important for us not to isolate 15:06 a symbol from its context. 15:08 The purpose of studying each individual symbol 15:11 is to then get the complete picture. 15:14 I like to consider symbols, like there's lots of symbolism 15:17 in Revelation chapter 11. 15:19 Tremendous symbolism there. 15:21 Now I like to compare that symbolism with the parts 15:27 of a painting, an oil painting. 15:31 See, an oil painting has individual parts, right? 15:36 But the genius of the painting is not all the individual parts. 15:41 It's taking all the individual parts and putting them there 15:45 so that you can see the whole picture. 15:47 See, the purpose of the parts is to see the picture. 15:50 And so the purpose of interpreting individual symbols 15:53 is to then be able to fit them together. 15:56 And don't try to force a piece of the puzzle into the puzzle. 16:00 Make sure that you interpret the symbol correctly. 16:04 And then every piece of the puzzle will fit together. 16:09 Now the next point at the top of page 29, 16:12 look for the main characteristics of the symbol. 16:17 And then apply it. 16:19 The symbol, and what is symbolized, are not identical 16:22 in all respects. 16:23 You know, some people take the symbol and they try 16:25 to apply every detail of the symbol to what it symbolizes. 16:30 For example, without the intention of being sacrilegious, 16:35 remember the fact that Jesus is described as a lamb. 16:38 That does not mean that He's wooly and He has four legs. 16:42 Don't try to interpret what each leg represents 16:45 when it comes to Christ. 16:46 No, no, no. 16:48 There's a certain characteristic of the symbol 16:51 that is to be applied. 16:52 Not every single detail of the symbol applies 16:55 to what it symbolizes. 16:58 Are you with me? 16:59 Very, very important. 17:01 Next point. 17:03 Do not give contemporary meanings to prophetic symbols. 17:08 Today, red is the color of Communism. 17:12 If you don't believe that, just look at Venezuela. 17:15 You know, whenever they have rallies, 17:17 it looks like there's blood in the streets. 17:20 Everybody has a red shirt and they have a red cap. 17:23 And surprising that they don't have red pants too. 17:26 Everything is red. 17:27 See, red, they say, is the color of Communism. 17:29 So when you find in prophecy, red, that means Communism. 17:32 No, you can't transpose contemporary meanings 17:35 back into the Bible. 17:38 A bear of Daniel 7. 17:41 You know, does that mean that the bear represents Russia, 17:45 because Russia has a bear on its flag? 17:49 Of course not. 17:50 A lion. A lion is the symbol of England. 17:54 So in Daniel 7, the lion is England, right? 17:57 Of course not. 17:59 You know, Babylon in Revelation. 18:02 Is that talking about the literal city of Babylon? 18:05 Of course not. 18:07 And so, what we cannot do is take contemporary meanings 18:11 of symbols and then apply them to Scripture and say 18:17 that's what they mean in the Bible. 18:18 We have to allow the Bible to interpret its own symbols 18:21 and tell us what those symbols mean. 18:25 Now for the next few minutes I want us to take a look 18:30 at several categories of symbols. 18:35 The first category is that persons are symbolic. 18:38 I've made a long list here of different types of symbols 18:43 to kind of help us along in interpreting these symbols. 18:47 First of all, in prophecy, persons are symbolic. 18:52 For example, a woman. 18:53 We've studied what a woman represents. 18:55 A woman represents the church. 18:59 A pure woman represents a pure church. 19:02 And you have several text there. 19:05 A harlot woman still represents a church. 19:09 But it is an apostate church. 19:12 It is a church that has gone astray from the Lord. 19:16 Balaam. 19:18 You know, you'll find in the book of Revelation, Balaam, 19:21 Revelation 2 and verse 14, 19:24 in relationship to the church of Pergamum. 19:27 Interesting. 19:28 What stage of church history is represented by Pergamum? 19:33 Well, Ephesus is the Apostolic church, right? 19:37 Then you have Smyrna. 19:38 That's the church that is persecuted 19:40 by the Roman Emperors. 19:42 Nothing bad is said about Smyrna. 19:44 You know, God has some things against every church 19:47 except for Smyrna and Philadelphia. 19:50 He says nothing bad about Smyrna. 19:52 Smyrna is the persecuted church by the Roman Emperors. 19:55 But then you have Pergamum. 19:57 Pergamum is the church where apostasy enters the church 20:01 in the days of Constantine. 20:05 In other words, the devil is saying, 20:06 "If I can't kill them..." 20:09 That's what he does under the previous church, Smyrna. 20:12 He says, "If I can't slay all the martyrs through the 20:16 Roman Emperors, then I've got to use a different method." 20:18 He says, "What I'll do is I'll infiltrate them." 20:22 So you have the same method he used back in Genesis. 20:25 "If I can't kill the seed, let me just mix the two seeds." 20:28 And you find that constantly throughout Scripture. 20:32 And so Balaam is mentioned in the context of that church. 20:35 So why is Balaam mentioned there in the context 20:38 of the church of Pergamum? 20:40 That's where Satan's throne is, by the way. 20:42 It's mentioned there in Revelation. 20:44 The reason is very simple. 20:46 Did Balaam attempt to curse Israel from outside? 20:51 Yes he did. Was he successful? 20:53 No. So what did he do? 20:56 He introduced apostasy into Israel 20:59 by getting them to commit fornication and adultery. 21:02 And then they fell. 21:05 See, so the whole story of Balaam illustrates 21:09 what happened during the church of Pergamum. 21:12 That's why Balaam is mentioned. 21:15 You know, we can also mention Jezebel. 21:18 Jezebel is mentioned in the context of the 21:20 church of Thyatira. 21:22 And you have a whole handout on the church 21:25 that existed in the Middle Ages. 21:26 It is the Elijah, the ecclesiastical Elijah, 21:30 is what I call it. 21:32 Because you have all kinds of Elijah symbolism 21:35 connected with the fourth church of Revelation, 21:39 beginning with the fact that Jezebel is mentioned. 21:43 And then if you go to Revelation 11, it says 21:45 that the two witnesses, during the time that they're 21:48 prophesying, which is the Bible, it says that there is no rain. 21:53 And there is no rain for three and a half years. 21:55 Does that start ringing a bell when it comes to Elijah? 21:58 And so what is Revelation saying when it uses 22:01 Jezebel in the fourth church? 22:02 It's saying, "Hey, folks, you need to go back 22:05 and you need to study the whole story." 22:08 Because that whole story in the Old Testament 22:10 is a symbol of what happened during that stage of the church. 22:17 Does that make any sense? 22:18 And so, persons in the Bible are symbolic. 22:21 Is Elijah symbolic? 22:23 Of course Elijah is symbolic. 22:25 There are four Elijah's. 22:27 Actually, there's three. 22:28 But the last Elijah has two stages. 22:31 Let me explain. 22:32 The first Elijah is the historical Elijah. 22:36 If you want to understand the succeeding Elijah's, 22:40 you have to thoroughly know the story of the first Elijah, 22:43 because that is the historical root. 22:46 In other words, the basis or foundation 22:49 for your interpretation of the Elijahs that come afterwards 22:53 are based on understanding the historical Elijah. 22:57 Because that is your foundational prophecy. 23:01 And then when you know that story, you're able to discern 23:04 the fulfillment of that in succeeding 23:08 passages of Scripture. 23:10 And so you study the story of Old Testament Elijah. 23:15 And basically you have, first of all, a king. 23:21 What kind of a king is he? 23:23 A wimp. 23:26 The Bible says that Jezebel just manipulated him 23:29 and did whatever she wanted with him. 23:32 A wimpish king. 23:36 You have a harlot woman. 23:38 Jezebel. 23:40 She was also a witch. 23:43 Yeah, it says in 2 Kings 9 verse 22 23:47 that she practiced the occult. 23:50 Interesting. 23:51 Because Revelation says that the harlot also, 23:54 the harlot called Babylon, also is involved in witchcraft. 23:57 Or sorcery is the word that is used there. 24:00 And so you have a harlot woman. 24:02 And then you have the prophets of Baal 24:04 who are the instruments of the woman. 24:07 Because they eat at Jezebel's table. 24:09 And you don't bite the hand that feeds you, 24:13 as they say. 24:14 And so who is manipulating this whole story? 24:18 Who is the dangerous figure in this whole story? 24:21 Jezebel is the dangerous figure. 24:22 She pulls all the strings. 24:25 You see, she wants to kill Elijah. 24:26 So she manipulates the king and she manipulates 24:29 the prophets of Baal. 24:30 And by the way, she wants everyone to worship Baal, 24:33 the sun god. 24:35 But there's this fly in the ointment, who is Elijah. 24:39 By the way, the Old Testament Elijah is a person. 24:43 The New Testament Elijah, or what I call, 24:45 the prophetic Elijah, is a person. 24:48 But after Jesus dies on the cross, Elijah becomes 24:53 a movement. 24:55 There you have our principle. 24:57 See, things are literal until the Jewish nation passes 25:00 as God's literal people. 25:02 Then you have during the Middle Ages, it's not one person. 25:05 It is like the Waldenses and the Albigenses. 25:10 Elijah becomes not one person, 25:12 but it becomes a movement of people. 25:14 And at the end of time, Elijah will be a worldwide movement. 25:18 Not one individual. 25:20 Are you understanding me? 25:22 And so you look at the story in the Old Testament 25:24 and you find the protagonist. 25:26 You know, when Elijah has to flee, 25:27 he's blamed for the calamities. 25:29 And you look at the end of Jezebel and you look at the 25:31 end of Ahab, and all of this becomes typological 25:35 of the Elijahs that come afterwards. 25:37 And so then you come to the New Testament Elijah. 25:40 In three text Jesus says that the New Testament Elijah 25:43 is John the Baptist. 25:45 And so you say, "Now wait a minute. 25:46 John the Baptist is Elijah." 25:48 Now does Elijah ever appear by himself? 25:52 No. 25:54 If Elijah appears, his enemies appear with him. 25:59 And so John the Baptist has to have three enemies, 26:03 and the story has to develop in a similar way 26:05 to the historical Elijah. 26:08 And in Mark 6 you have the fulfillment of the story 26:10 with New Testament Elijah. 26:14 Is there a wimpish king? 26:17 Herod, he's a wimpy king. Isn't he? 26:19 Easily manipulated. 26:22 He has no backbone. 26:24 Then you have an adulterous woman. 26:27 Herodias. 26:30 And Herodias has an instrument that she uses, 26:32 just like in the Old Testament is was the prophets of Baal. 26:36 In the New Testament, it's the daughter Salome. 26:39 Now who's pulling all the strings here? 26:42 Herodias the harlot. 26:44 See the repetition of the story? 26:47 And so she wants the death of John the Baptist, 26:50 but she has no power over the king. 26:56 Does the papacy have any power over the kings right now? 26:59 No, because she has a deadly wound. 27:01 So what needs to happen for the harlot to be able to 27:06 kill John the Baptist? 27:07 She has to use her daughter. 27:12 She has to use her daughter to get at the kings. 27:16 Is that true of the end time? 27:18 Yes, see the papacy has a deadly wound. 27:22 The relationship between the harlot and the kings of the 27:26 earth has been severed. 27:28 But the harlot will use her daughters 27:31 to influence the kings to eliminate God's people. 27:35 Are you with me? 27:37 And so the historical Elijah becomes the foundation 27:41 to understand the New Testament Elijah, 27:43 to understand the ecclesiastical Elijah, 27:46 and to understand the broadest fulfillment of the prophecy; 27:50 the end time global worldwide Elijah. 27:54 Does the end time Elijah also have three enemies? 27:58 The dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. 28:03 And do you know what's interesting? 28:05 It doesn't say, "a false prophet," 28:06 it says, "the false prophet." 28:09 And he makes fire come down from heaven in the sight of men. 28:12 He is a counterfeit Elijah. 28:16 Which means that if the devil feels that he has to 28:19 bring in a counterfeit Elijah, it is because there is a 28:22 genuine Elijah. 28:25 Are you with me? 28:27 And so when you find Elijah and you find Jezebel 28:31 in the fourth church, don't just say, "Oh well, 28:34 that was a nasty woman in that church. 28:37 No, you have to go back and you have to study 28:40 the full Old Testament story. 28:43 And then you have to look for fulfillment 28:45 in the New Testament. 28:46 You have to look for a fulfillment there in the 28:48 ecclesiastical period. 28:49 You have to look for the fulfillment in the end time. 28:52 Because Jesus said that He's going to send Elijah 28:54 before the great and terrible Day of the Lord. 28:56 So Jesus Himself, through Malachi, says, "Listen, 29:00 there is going to be an Elijah that is going to prepare 29:03 My way for the second coming." 29:06 So, when we find a name of a person, 29:12 we need to pay attention. 29:15 Because those persons are symbolic, 29:18 those persons are typological. 29:21 Now in prophecy, names are also symbolic. 29:26 When you find a name, pay attention to the name. 29:30 Because the name has symbolic value. 29:32 You see, today we use names because we say, for example, 29:36 when we called our daughter, Jennifer, that's a name that 29:39 that I've always liked. 29:40 So we named our daughter, Jennifer. 29:46 Probably not a very good reason to give her that name. 29:49 You know. 29:51 My wife named my son, so I figured I had the 29:53 right to name my daughter. 29:56 And my wife named my son, Stephen Paul, just like me. 30:00 Have mercy. Two of them. 30:04 But names are symbolic in the Bible, they're important. 30:07 It's not like today that we give a name just to distinguish 30:09 one person from another. 30:11 No, no, no, no. 30:12 In the Bible, names help us interpret the meaning 30:15 of a passage that we're studying. 30:17 Let me read you two statements, first of all, 30:19 from, The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, 30:23 on the importance of names. 30:25 This is volume 3, pages 500 and 501. 30:29 "In biblical thought, a name is not a mere 30:34 label of identification. 30:36 It is an expression of the essential nature of its bearer. 30:42 A man's name reveals his character." 30:45 This is in biblical times. 30:47 "Adam was able to give names to the beasts and birds, 30:51 because as Milton says, he understood their nature." 30:57 In the next statement, which is found in volume 3, page 502, 31:03 it says, "To speak or act in someone's name 31:07 is to act as the representative of that person, 31:10 and hence to participate in his authority." 31:15 Which means that if you do something in the name of Jesus, 31:18 you are participating in His authority 31:20 because you are using His name. 31:25 "Similarly, to be called by a person's name 31:30 implies ownership by the person. 31:33 Whatever is so called comes under the authority 31:36 and the protection of the one whose name is called upon it. 31:40 That which is called by Yahweh's name," 31:42 that is Jehovah, "is His possession, and therefore 31:46 comes under both His authority and His protection." 31:51 Now let's take a look at some biblical names. 31:53 This is only a short list of examples 31:56 about the importance of a name. 31:59 How about the names of the seven churches in Revelation? 32:02 Are they symbolic? 32:04 Yes they are. 32:06 Do you know what Ephesus means? 32:08 Desirable. 32:11 Desirable. 32:12 Would anybody desire to belong to the apostolic church? 32:16 Absolutely. 32:18 What does Smyrna mean? 32:20 It means bittersweet myrrh. 32:23 Do you know what myrrh was used for? 32:25 To embalm the dead. 32:27 In the church of Smyrna, if you read the message, 32:29 it has all kinds of death language. 32:31 Because this is the period when the church is being slaughtered 32:33 by the Roman Emperors. 32:36 Pergamum means acropolis or height. 32:40 And of course, the church at this time was 32:41 favored by the empire. 32:43 And after the valley of persecution, 32:44 it was at the heights. 32:48 Laodicea means, judging the people. 32:52 Philadelphia means brotherly love. 32:54 Is that true of the Millerites? 32:56 Brotherly love. Yeah. 32:57 So the names of the churches help us understand the 33:00 nature of the church during that period. 33:04 The name Nimrod. 33:07 Ever heard of Nimrod? 33:09 Who was he? 33:10 He was the builder of Babylon, in Genesis 11. 33:14 Do you know what his name means? 33:15 Rebellion. 33:18 Did he fit the name? 33:20 Oh, you better believe it. 33:22 What does Babylon mean? 33:24 Confusion. 33:27 What does Eve mean? 33:29 Mother of all the living. 33:32 Does that name fit her? 33:33 Is that a descriptive name? 33:36 Adam didn't just say, "Oh let's see, what name? 33:38 Oh, Eve. That's so pretty." 33:39 No. 33:40 There's a purpose in giving the name. 33:43 What does Lucifer mean? 33:45 Light bearer. 33:46 That means that his light was not his own. 33:50 His light was reflected light. 33:53 Sarai means what? Laughter. 33:56 Why would she be called laughter? 33:59 Because when God said that she was going to have a child, 34:01 she laughed. 34:03 She had a sense of humor. 34:08 Daniel means, God is my judge. 34:11 Does that fit the book of Daniel very well? 34:14 Oh yes. 34:15 A lot of talk about the judgment. 34:17 Esau means red. 34:21 Interesting. 34:23 When he was born he was all red. 34:26 That's why, you know, he had red hair. 34:29 So he was called, red. 34:31 And he sold his birthright for a bunch of red lentils. 34:36 And there's many more other examples of red things 34:38 that are associated with Esau. 34:42 Michael. 34:43 Who is like God? 34:47 It is a challenge. 34:50 And that's why most of the time when Jesus is called, Michael, 34:53 in the Bible, He's in a struggle with the devil. 34:57 So when Michael comes, it's a challenge 35:00 where Jesus says, "Who is like God," 35:04 every time that He faces the devil. 35:05 His name is significant. 35:08 Methuselah. 35:10 It comes from two Hebrew words; muth and shalach. 35:15 And when you combine those two words, it means, 35:17 when he dies, it will be sent. 35:21 What a strange name to call a son; 35:23 when he dies, it will be sent. 35:25 Why would he have this name? 35:28 It's very simple. 35:30 Methuselah died the year of the flood. 35:35 And I'm not going to take the time now to prove that. 35:38 Do you know that Jewish tradition says that Methuselah 35:40 died ten days before the flood? 35:43 We can't prove biblically that it was ten days 35:45 before the flood, but we can prove that he 35:48 died the year of the flood. 35:49 So his name, the name that was given to him 35:52 by Enoch, was a prophetic name. 35:56 It was an announcement of when the flood was going to come. 35:58 When he dies, it will be sent. 36:01 So are name important? 36:03 Yes. 36:04 What does the word Satan mean? 36:08 Accuser. 36:09 Does that fit him well? 36:10 Oh yes. 36:12 What does the word devil mean? 36:13 Diabolos. 36:15 It means slanderer. 36:20 Was he a slanderer? Oh yeah. 36:22 Is he a slanderer? Yes. 36:24 Elijah means, my God is Yahweh. 36:29 My God is the Lord. 36:32 Not Baal. Yahweh. 36:35 Enoch means dedicated. 36:37 Was Enoch dedicated to the Lord? 36:39 He most certainly was. 36:41 Ezra means help. 36:42 This is interesting. Ezra means help. 36:45 What does Ezra help to do? 36:50 Ezra and Nehemiah both help to rebuild Jerusalem. 36:55 Lazarus... Oh, excuse me. 36:58 Nabal means fool. 37:02 If fact, his wife said that, you know, he's rightly named. 37:06 Fool. 37:08 What does Lazarus mean? 37:11 It means, may God help. 37:12 Why is that significant? 37:14 Because he certainly was not helped by the rich man. 37:18 "So may God help me," in other words is what it means. 37:22 Israel means prince of God. 37:25 And of course, you know that, "Jacob," before that 37:27 means supplanter. 37:30 So he was changed from a supplanter to a prince of God. 37:34 And his name was changed, of course, when he had 37:37 his struggle with the angel. 37:39 And he said, "I will not let you go until you bless me." 37:43 Solomon means peace giver. 37:48 Here, we have a New Testament; Boanerges. 37:51 Sons of thunder. 37:54 And expressed well, they had a hot temper; 37:57 James and John. 37:59 Moses means, one drawn out. 38:03 Why would he be called, one drawn out? 38:05 Because he was drawn out of the waters. 38:09 Now here's an interesting combination, 38:12 Bethlehem means house of bread. 38:18 Where was Jesus born? 38:20 In the house of bread. 38:22 Where did He grow up? 38:25 And that means, to sprout or to shoot up. 38:31 And He suffered in Gethsemane; which means, the olive press. 38:40 And He was crucified at Golgotha, 38:42 the place of the skull. 38:45 Interesting. 38:48 Those names help us to understand the 38:49 character of those places. 38:52 Jordon means descender. 38:55 You say, "Why would the river Jordon be called 38:57 Jordon, descender?" 38:59 Because the Jordon river originates at Mount Hermon. 39:03 You know, near the Golan Heights. 39:06 And when the Jordon river begins, torrents of water 39:10 come down Mount Hermon and then they come to the 39:15 valley, and then the river flows down the valley 39:17 into the Sea of Galilee, and then out to the dead sea. 39:22 And so it's very appropriately named, descender. 39:28 And then you have Isaiah, salvation of the Lord. 39:32 Doesn't he describe the salvation through the Messiah? 39:35 Of course. 39:36 And then you have Yahweh-Yireh. 39:39 That's the name that we find when Abraham 39:44 takes his son to offer him on Mount Moriah. 39:47 He called the mount, Yahweh-Yireh. 39:51 That is, the Lord will provide. 39:54 Why was it called, the Lord will provide? 39:57 Because God did provide a ram in place of his son. 40:02 And you know what's interesting? 40:03 Isaac is a two-fold symbol. 40:08 Before he's placed on the altar, he represents Christ. 40:16 But only up till that point. 40:17 And he also represents Christ in the fact that the third day... 40:21 By the way, this is happening the third day, 40:22 if you read the story. 40:24 ...Abraham receives him back alive. 40:26 And Hebrews says that it was like he resurrected 40:29 from the dead. 40:31 However, Isaac was not killed. 40:35 So he could not be a symbol of the death of Christ. 40:38 He's a symbol of the submission of Christ to the Father. 40:42 He's a symbol of Christ in the sense that the third day 40:45 Abraham received him alive after he considered him 40:48 as good as dead. 40:49 But Isaac was not sacrificed. 40:51 That's why you needed another symbol, which was the ram. 40:56 Are you following me? 40:59 Now, Delilah; the consumer. 41:05 Does that fit her character very well? 41:08 Oh, her love consumed poor ole Sampson. 41:12 Emmanuel means what? 41:14 God with us. 41:17 Jesus means Yahweh saves, or Jehovah saves. 41:22 Christ, Christós, means anointed. 41:26 Jacob, supplanter. 41:28 We already had Israel, prince of God. 41:31 Armageddon means mount of the congregation. 41:36 I use to believe that it meant mount of slaughter. 41:38 But really it means mount of congregation. 41:40 Because the devil is going to come to the place 41:42 where God's people are congregated. 41:47 In Isaiah 14 it's, harmo'ed. 41:53 And of course, Abaddon or Apollyon 41:58 means destroyer. 42:02 So let me ask you, is it important to understand 42:04 the meaning of biblical names in order to catch the 42:07 picture of what God is trying to teach? 42:09 Names are symbols. 42:13 As well as people being symbols. 42:16 Now numbers are also symbolic. 42:21 Number 4; it represents universality. 42:27 How many points of the compass? 42:30 Four rivers watered the whole earth. 42:34 Four winds hold the world. 42:37 Four beasts; four nations. 42:41 Four banners in Israel represents 42:43 all of the encampment. 42:45 So in Revelation chapter 17, when this beast has ten horns... 42:54 And you have in Revelation 17 also the number 4. 42:58 We'll come back to that a little bit later on. 43:01 Are we to pay attention to the importance of the number? 43:05 Absolutely. 43:07 So the number 4 represents universality. 43:09 The number 7, what does the number 7 represent? 43:13 The number 7 represents fullness, totality, 43:20 Perfection, we say. 43:24 For example, how long did it take to create the world? 43:28 Seven days, including the Sabbath of course. 43:32 How many times did Israel march around Jericho 43:35 for it to be totally destroyed? 43:38 Seven days. 43:40 How many times did Naaman dip himself in the Jordon 43:43 to be totally clean? 43:47 How many times was the fiery furnace heated? 43:51 Seven times. 43:52 How many times was the blood sprinkled on the mercy seat? 43:58 Seven times. 43:59 How many churches represent all of the history 44:02 of the Christian church? 44:03 Seven churches. 44:05 How many plagues, the totality of God's wrath? 44:10 Seven plagues. 44:12 Jesus has seven horns. 44:13 Horns represent power, all power. 44:15 He has seven eyes. 44:17 All wisdom. 44:19 So is the number 7 symbolic? 44:22 Yes it is. 44:23 How about the number 3? 44:26 The number 3 represents the Godhead. 44:29 How many persons in the Godhead? 44:32 Three. 44:33 There are a lot of people that feel uncomfortable 44:34 with that these days. 44:37 You know, there's a lot of people attacking the doctrine 44:39 of the Godhead. 44:42 They're saying, you know, "The only one who is 44:44 God is the Father. 44:46 Jesus is created by God. 44:53 And the Holy Spirit isn't even a person. 44:55 The Holy Spirit is a force. 44:59 Or the Holy Spirit is an influence." 45:02 I don't believe that for a minute. 45:05 I believe that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit 45:07 are all three persons. 45:09 Individual distinct persons. 45:13 Each one with their own individuality. 45:16 They have different functions. 45:19 The Son is under the authority of the Father. 45:22 And the Holy Spirit is under the authority of the Son. 45:26 Even in a perfect universe. 45:29 You know, the reason I emphasize that is because 45:31 there's this argument by those who are discussing this issue of 45:35 the roles of men and women in the home and in the church, 45:38 they say, "Listen, if you believe that the wife is 45:40 suppose to be subject to the husband, 45:42 then you're saying that the wife is inferior to the husband." 45:47 False argument. 45:50 Because if you argue that way, then you're going to have to 45:52 say that Jesus is inferior to His Father 45:54 because He subjects Himself to His Father. 45:58 Is Jesus inferior to His Father? 46:02 Whose will does the Holy Spirit do? 46:06 Christ's. 46:07 Is the Holy Spirit subject to the authority of Jesus? 46:10 Yes He is. 46:12 So the Holy Spirit is inferior to Jesus because He's 46:14 subject to Jesus. 46:16 No. 46:18 You see, subjection does not mean inferiority. 46:22 Two equals can have one subject to the other 46:27 and still be equal. 46:30 But somehow, people don't understand that. 46:33 They find it difficult to understand that. 46:36 But it's very clear in Scripture that even before sin 46:41 the Son was subject to the Father. 46:44 There's nothing bad in that, folks. 46:47 Subjection is divine. 46:50 Wanting to ascend is diabolical. 46:55 Jesus said, "The greatest is the least. 47:00 He who becomes a servant is the greatest." 47:03 So all this fight, "I want this position, 47:06 and I want this and I want that," 47:09 that is not of God. 47:13 Anyway, how did I get off on that subject? 47:20 The number 6 represents man in apostasy against God. 47:30 Particularly the number 666. 47:31 Do you know the first time in the Bible where 666 appears? 47:37 Solomon's yearly income was 666 talents of gold. 47:43 And you know what's interesting? 47:44 Immediately after the Bible says that was his income, 47:49 in the very next chapter it speaks about 47:52 the apostasy of Solomon. 47:56 And it gives two reasons. 47:57 Number one, his riches. 47:59 And number two, fornicating with women from foreign nations. 48:04 So let me ask you, in Revelation, must the 48:06 number 666 have to do with a system that is very rich 48:09 and a system that commits fornication 48:12 and leads God's people astray? 48:15 See how important the context is? 48:17 It's vitally important. 48:19 The number 10 means whole. 48:26 So you have the ten in Revelation chapter 17. 48:29 We'll get into that later. 48:31 The number 40 represents tribulation and trial. 48:35 How many days did Jesus spend being tempted in the wilderness? 48:39 Forty days. 48:40 How many days did Goliath challenge Israel? 48:47 Forty days. 48:49 How long did Israel last in the desert? 48:53 Forty years. 48:55 So 40 in the Bible represents tribulation and trial 49:00 when you find it. 49:01 And I only put these as a sampling of numbers. 49:04 There are other numbers in Scripture 49:07 that are very, very important. 49:08 But you know, all you have to do is go where? 49:12 To a concordance. Hello. 49:15 And look up the word. 49:17 And look at all of the references to that number. 49:21 And then, you know, find a common denominator. 49:25 And look and see if that interpretation fits the context 49:28 of the passage that you are studying. 49:31 Beasts are also symbolic. 49:34 They are symbolic of what? 49:37 Of nations, kingdoms, or empires. 49:41 For example, the four beasts of Daniel 7 represent 49:44 four kingdoms, right? 49:47 How do you know that? 49:50 You don't even have to go any other place 49:51 because Daniel 7 tells you so. 49:54 The symbol is interpreted in Daniel 7. 49:59 The lion represents Babylon. 50:03 The beast from the earth represents the United States. 50:09 A dove represents the Holy Spirit who rules over 50:12 the kingdom of grace. 50:17 Now let me mention just a couple of things as we 50:19 close here this section. 50:22 And by the way, the next section I want to finish this. 50:25 Is this interesting? 50:27 Does it help you in knowing how to interpret symbols? 50:30 I certainly hope so. 50:31 It's good to give examples. 50:33 Because when we apply the examples, it becomes 50:36 much more practical. 50:39 Let's talk just for a few moments here about 50:42 this beast that rises from the earth and has 50:44 two horns like a lamb. 50:48 You know, traditionally we have said that horns 50:53 represent kingdoms or divisions of kingdoms. 50:58 Right? 51:00 For example, we have the ten horns on the head 51:03 of the dragon beast. 51:04 They represent the ten kingdoms into which 51:07 the Roman Empire was divided. 51:08 We say they're kingdoms, right? 51:10 We have the four horns on the head of the he goat 51:14 in Daniel 8. 51:16 They represent the four kingdoms that sprang from 51:19 Alexander the Great's kingdom. 51:21 So we say horns are kingdoms. 51:26 But when we come to Revelation 13, 51:29 we say that these two horns are principles. 51:33 The two horns like a lamb 51:36 of this beast that ends up speaking like a dragon. 51:38 We say, "Those two horns represent two principles." 51:42 Now on what basis can we say that horns represent kingdoms; 51:48 and then we have a beast here that has two horns 51:51 like a lamb, and we say that these horns 51:55 represent principles. 51:56 You know, the closest parallel to what we find to this beast 51:59 in Revelation 13 is found in Daniel 8. 52:03 There is a ram that has two horns. 52:08 And one is taller than the other. 52:11 See, a ram is a male sheep. 52:13 Right? 52:15 That's the closest parallel to this beast that rises 52:17 from the earth, is Daniel 8; the ram. 52:21 It has two horns, and one of them is higher than the other. 52:24 And the highest one came out last, because the Persians, 52:28 you know, became predominant later on. 52:31 The Medes were only there at the very beginning, 52:33 then they disappeared. 52:34 And all the rulers after that were Persians. 52:37 So this prophecy in Daniel 8 can be proved historically 52:42 that it's true that this kingdom was composed 52:47 of two kingdoms, right? 52:49 What do the two horns represent? 52:50 There was only one nation, but that one nation was 52:55 composed of two what? 52:58 Of two kingdoms. 52:59 The Medes and the Persians. 53:02 So if you go to Revelation 13, we ask the question: 53:07 Would these two horns represent two kingdoms? 53:11 The answer is yes. 53:13 But from the idea of two kingdoms, if you read the book, 53:17 Jekyll and Hyde, from the idea of two kingdoms 53:22 springs the idea of two principles. 53:29 Now what do I mean? 53:31 What are the two kingdoms that are recognized 53:34 by the United States Constitution? 53:39 The church and the state. 53:42 The first amendment protects religion. 53:46 It says that congress cannot make laws establishing religion 53:49 or forbidding the free exercise of religion. 53:51 So does the Constitution recognize the right of religion? 53:57 Is that one kingdom? 53:59 Is the church a kingdom? 54:01 Yes. 54:02 Jesus says, "Upon this rock I will build My church 54:05 and I will give you the keys to the kingdom." 54:07 So church is a kingdom. 54:10 Is the state a kingdom? 54:12 So what do we have in the United States? 54:14 We have one nation that recognizes the same 54:17 two kingdoms that Jesus recognized. 54:21 "Render therefore to Caesar that which is Caesar's, 54:24 and to God that which is God's." 54:28 Are you following me? 54:29 In that way, we are consistent in our interpretation. 54:33 Because I've had people ask me, "Why do you say they're 54:35 principle here and they're kingdoms elsewhere?" 54:40 And I answer, "They are kingdoms." 54:43 But from the idea of kingdoms springs the idea 54:46 of two principles, which is separation of the two kingdoms; 54:50 church and state. 54:52 What Ellen White calls, republicanism and Protestantism. 54:55 Republicanism has nothing to do with the republican party. 55:01 It is a republic. 55:04 And that means that it is a representative 55:06 style of government. 55:09 That's what a republic is. 55:11 A republic is not a democracy. 55:14 It is a representative style of government. 55:17 And so in the United States, the founding fathers said, 55:20 "We recognize that there are two legitimate kingdoms 55:25 in this country. 55:28 One is the church, and we're going to protect the right 55:30 of people to worship according to the 55:32 dictates of their conscience. 55:33 And the other is the state." 55:36 By the way, of how many kingdoms are you citizens? 55:45 We're in one nation, but we are citizens of two kingdoms. 55:52 I'm a citizen of the United States. 55:55 But living in the United States, I'm also a citizen of heaven. 56:00 Because I'm a member of the church. 56:02 So I have two nationalities within the same nation. 56:09 And I have two passports. 56:10 My U.S. passport and the blood of the Lamb. 56:16 Do we have responsibilities to our church? Yes. 56:19 Do we have responsibilities for the state? 56:21 Yes. 56:23 What is our financial responsibility to the state? 56:26 Taxes. 56:27 And what are our financial responsibilities to the church? 56:30 Tithe. 56:33 But it would be illegitimate to take God's tithe 56:35 and give it to the state, or take Caesar's money and 56:37 give it to the church. 56:39 And we've crossed that line in the Adventist church. 56:43 And it's going to come back to bite us; 56:46 taking money from Caesar for the church. 56:49 Because Caesar never gives without expecting in return. 56:54 And Caesar is going to say, "Well, you took my money, 56:57 so why don't you want to do what I say?" 57:01 That's why there needs to be a strict separation 57:04 between church and state. 57:06 According to prophecy, the union of church and state 57:09 is going to lead to the persecution of God's people. 57:13 Now that doesn't mean that we shouldn't vote 57:14 and we shouldn't support the state. 57:16 Of course we should. 57:17 As good citizens. 57:19 And we should be good church members. 57:22 But we should not mix or mingle the things of the church 57:24 and things of the state. 57:26 They should remain absolutely separate, one from the other. 57:31 And if we don't separate those two, the results will be dire. 57:36 And we know that this is going to happen 57:38 very, very soon in these United States of America, 57:42 and in the whole world. |
Revised 2015-07-08