"When we find such symbols, let us seek for the divine interpretation of
them, and never read into the record something that is not found in the
inspired text." |
AS A PERSON
studies the Scriptures or any other writings, he is to assume that
everything is to be taken literally unless there is some indication that
there is a departure from the normal, usual, literal meaning. The
principle stated in full is as follows;
When the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no
other sense; therefore, take every word at its primary, ordinary,
usual, literal meaning unless the facts of the immediate context,
studied in the light of related passages and axiomatic and
fundamental truths, indicate clearly otherwise. |
Whenever this rule is ignored, confusion and
misunderstandings always arise.
The early church was plagued with the allegorical method of interpreting
the Scriptures. While this principle does not exactly come under the head
of symbolism, yet it is close akin to it and has done untold damage to the
cause of true Christianity. It still causes a blight wherever resort is
made to its principles. The allegorical interpreters sought to find
running alongside the usual sense of a passage a hidden, spiritual, or
allegorical meaning. Whenever they thought they had found this mysterious
significance, they usually lost sight of the plain historical record and
engaged in the most fanciful interpretations. Thus in a way the historical
records of the scriptures stood for great and mysterious principles and
facts. Assumed deep spiritual meanings were read into the narratives, for
they were not put there by the inspiration of the sacred writers. The
Scriptures mean what they say and say what they mean. Of course there are
various kinds of language found in the Sacred Oracles. We are to recognize
the different types that depart from the literal meaning and to interpret
them accordingly.
I. DETERMINING SYMBOLIC LANGUAGE
How may I determine whether or not a certain citation is
symbolic? Fundamentally I am not to assume that a passage is symbolic
unless there are indications which point in that direction. Whenever such
positive evidence is apparent, I am to look at the facts as they appear in
the text. As an illustration of this type or language note the follow
passage:
25. And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The
dream of Pharaoh is one: what God is about to do he hath declared
unto Pharaoh. 26. The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven
good ears are seven years; the dream is one. 27. And the seven lean
and ill favored kine that came up after them are seven years, and
also the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind; they shall be
seven years of famine.
~ General 41:25-37 ~ |
Pharaoh, king of Egypt, had a dream in which he saw seven
fat, well-fleshed well-favored cows coming up out of the river. Following
them came seven poor and ill-fed ones, which devoured the seven fat ones.
He likewise saw seven well-filled ears of grain and after them, seven
blasted ones. The latter swallowed up the former. Joseph by the Spirit of
God interpreted this language and said to Pharaoh that the seven good cows
were seven years. We know that this was not literally true. The seven fat
cattle represented seven full and abundant years and the seven lean ones
signified seven years of famine; It is clear, then, that this is symbolic
language.
In Ezekiel 37:1-14 we have a description of a vision which was granted
that prophet. In this vision he saw a valley covered with dry bones. When
he prophesied, the bones came together. Then sinews connected them. Flesh
appeared on the skeletons, and then skin covered the bodies. Finally the
Spirit of God breathed life into them and they arose, a mighty army of the
Lord. If the record had stopped with the narration of these events, no one
would have been able to determine the significance of that which was
revealed. But in verse eleven the Lord declared that the dry bones are the
whole house of Israel: "Then he said unto me, Son
of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our
bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are clean cut off (Ezekiel
37:11). This cannot be literally true. Obviously the bones represent the
whole house of Israel at a certain stage in the history of the nation.
Thus these bones are symbols of the scattered nation.
In Daniel, chapter 2, we have a description of the metallic image which
was shown to Nebuchadnezzar in a vision. Daniel by inspiration reproduced
the vision and interpreted it to the monarch. In indicating its meaning he
declared:
Thou, 0 King, art King of Kings unto
whom the God of heaven hath given the kingdom, the power, and the
strength, and the glory; 38 wheresoever the children of men dwell,
the beast of the field and the birds of the heavens hath he given
into thy hand, and hath made thee to rule over them all; thou art
the head of gold.
~ Daniel
2:37,38 ~ |
The head of gold of the image was not literally
Nebuchadnezzar; but in this instance it symbolized him and his government.
Likewise the chest and arms of silver represented the Medo-Persian Empire.
In like manner the belly of brass was an emblem of the Grecian government,
whereas the legs of iron and feet and toes of iron and miry clay were
symbols of the Roman Empire. This interpretation is forced upon us in the
light of all the facts that are involved in the revelation.
Frequently we are told that the Book of Revelation is a book of symbols.
This is an overstatement - a greatly exaggerated and perverted judgment.
Everyone who will examine it soberly and scientifically must admit that
there are symbols appearing here and there in it. At the same time he must
also admit that there are many statements that are literal and must be
interpreted thus. For instance, we are told in the first three chapters
that the candlesticks symbolize the various churches to which letters were
sent. That symbolism was chosen because of its appropriateness to the
subject. But the churches thus represented were real and literal. The
messages that were written by John to them must be interpreted according
to their common sense meaning. There are those who endeavor to interpret
the living creatures of chapters 4 and 5 as symbols. An examination,
however, of the context shows that these are real, celestial beings, that
serve God and His purposes. They must be thus understood. In chapter 5 the
Almighty is presented to us as having a roll of a book in his right hand.
The Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ, takes it out of His hand. This book is
seen to be sealed with seven seals, which the Lord Jesus breaks in
succession. This pictorial presentation of the book was doubtless chosen
to indicate a revelation, since the messages of God which He sent to us
are written in material books. We have some difficulty in picturing to
ourselves the form and size of this little book and how it was sealed. But
we know the significance of a seal. In order to read the message of the
book, the seals had to be broken. Such seems to be the significance of the
seals and the breaking thereof. When the Lord broke each of the first four
seals, one of the living creatures shouted, "Come." In answer to this
command there appeared in the vision the rider on a certain colored horse.
Thus at the breaking of the first four seals and at the command of the
living creatures, four riders on four different horses of various colors
came forth. The question which immediately arises is: Are these horses and
riders to be understood as symbols, or are they to be interpreted
literally? A clue as to the proper answer seems to be found in an
examination of the rider on the fourth horse. He is called death. Hades
follows after him. It is clear that death is here used symbolically, for
it is personified and thought of as an actual rider. And yet we know that
death is not a person. From this fact we see that this rider is a symbol.
We have every reason to believe that the other three are used in the same
way. When we look at the facts of each case, we can see how very
appropriate each of these symbols is to set forth that which is explained
in the literal language accompanying the presentation of each symbol.
I could continue through the Book of Revelation, calling attention to
those things that are put in symbolic language and those things that are
to be taken literally, but what has been mentioned is sufficient to let
the reader know that the Lord does use symbolic language in various
portions of His Word. But we are never to conclude that the presence of a
symbol in a certain section requires that we understand everything that is
said in that connection is to be taken symbolically.
But before leaving the Book of Revelation, I feel constrained to refer to
the twentieth chapter. There we are told that the Lord Jesus Christ will
return to earth and reign for a thousand years. This statement is
frequently nullified by those who tell us that we are not to understand
this statement as literal, since the Book of Revelation is highly
figurative. Figurative language may appear in the same sentence with a
statement of a sober literal fact. One is to use common sense and look at
the facts as they are presented in a certain passage in order to determine
the significance of the language employed. There is no reason for our
doubting that the assertion regarding our Lord's reigning a thousand years
should be taken literally. I therefore believe the statement and accept it
at its face value.
II. INTERPRETING SYMBOLIC LANGUAGE
In Daniel chapter 7, we have a very fine illustration of
symbolic language. The prophet saw in the night-visions the great sea
which was at various times agitated by stormy winds. When the water was
first churned into a raging fury, there emerged from it and came upon the
land a lion-like beast. At a subsequent time, when the water was again
agitated, there emerged a bear-like beast, which came upon the land and
was master of that which he surveyed. A third time the water was churned
into a raging tempest. On this occasion there came forth a leopard-like
beast, which came upon the land and did as its predecessors. On the next
occasion when the waters were agitated, another one that was horrible,
terrible, and different from all the rest came forth and exercised
authority in place of its predecessor. He extended his boundaries to
include the entire world and became master of all peoples, tribes,
tongues, and languages. The account of these visions is found in Daniel
7:1-8.
When anyone reads this passage he is impressed with the fact that it is
not a description of a literal occurrence. Lions as we know do not live in
water. Bears do go into water at times, but that is not their natural
habitat. Leopards certainly do not live in water. The impression which the
reading of these verses makes upon one's mind is that this is not literal
language. Evidently, then, it is figurative or symbolic. How are we to
determine its meaning? The answer is found in verses 17 and 23.
These great beasts, which are four are four
kings, that shall arise out of the earth. The interpreting
angel informed Daniel that the four beasts which he had seen in vision are
four kings that arise out of the earth. These beasts cannot be literal
kings. The only way to understand this language is to interpret it as
indicating that the beasts are used symbolically. God chose these animals
to represent four different kings. But in verse 23 we learn that the
fourth beast is likewise a symbol of a kingdom:
Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be a fourth
kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all the kingdoms, and
shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down and break it in
pieces. We are logical in concluding that all four of the
beasts not only are symbols of kings, but also of kingdoms over which they
reign.
Since God has attached this special significance to a beast when it is
used symbolically, and since He is not the author of confusion, we may
conclude that, wherever a beast is used symbolically, it has this same
significance. The importance of our recognition of this principle is seen
in the fact that, by the great Protestant reformers, the beast of the Book
of Revelation was interpreted as being a symbol of the Roman Catholic
church. We must admit that, during medieval days, when the Roman Church
enjoyed its hey-day, it did relegate to itself certain political powers
and would do so today if it had the authority and opportunity. It was
primarily an ecclesiasticism and not a civil government. The beast of the
Book of Revelation is a symbol of a civil government which exists at the
end time, and which is world-wide in its scope and grasp. When the
reformers, therefore, interpreted this symbol as signifying the Roman
Catholic Church and system, it did violence to the truth and laid the
foundations for much misunderstanding of the Scriptures. This false
interpretation has been and is continuing to be the occasion of much
confusion in the field of the study of prophecy. Let us therefore hold to
the significance of a symbol which the Lord assigns to it.
A further illuminating reference will enable us to see the force of this
principle. When the Lord instituted the Supper at the conclusion of the
passover on the night of His betrayal, He gave to the elements, the loaf
and the cup, a special significance. The loaf represents His body; the
cup, His blood. Regardless of where those emblems are used in a Christian
assembly, they have the same significance - although various shades of
ideas may be read into the language of the Saviour. This memorial supper
has the same and everlasting significance wherever it is observed.
Let us, as we study the Word of God, never consider any passage as
figurative unless the facts of the context demand such an interpretation.
Let us also recognize the various figures of speech that are used. We are
to bear in mind constantly that no language is to be understood as
symbolic unless the facts of the context thus indicate. When we find such
symbols, let us seek for the divine interpretation of them, and never read
into the record something that is not found in the inspired text.