Friday 9 March 2018

Are the Scriptures to be Taken Literally? Or As parables?

The bible is differentiated into parts with various styles of writing. Some parts are literal - like the journey from Egypt, rule of judges, Kings. That's a huge part of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, numbers, deutronomy, judges, Kings, and all the way into the captivity of Israel. That period is in nehemiah, ezrah, Esther, lamentations. 

The prophetic books are the parts of the bible that are mostly not literal. Except huge parts of Revelation. The bible is clear about this. Severally as the prophets write, they also write that God told them to "hide" it. So most of the prophesies in the books of the prophets concerning the future are not literal. I'll show you examples of that ... 


Isaiah 8:16 Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.

Isaiah 29:11 And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed
, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed:

Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

Hosea 12:10 I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets. 

Ezekiel 20:49 Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?

The seals are what makes certain aspects of the bible less literal and more proverbial, using similes, signs, and use of stories to cover up spiritual secrets. There is a reason ... to blind some people... Maybe to hide important messages from people who would have power to corrupt the message ... We've had that problem throughout history.


2 Corinthians 3:14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ.


Some parts are literal - the historical accounts and accounts of actual activities of people as they went on about their business. The rituals, while people did them, are parables and have hidden meanings. So do prophets who hid what they actually saw in stories, similitudes, parables, and various other styles of hiding truths. Poems and proverbs are a good way to hide wisdom too.

The book of revelation is different though ... most of it is not sealed. It is an actual depiction of the spiritual realm... Instead of using stories of known historical nations, Kings, like other prophets do, John uses the description of the spirits (rulers, powers and principalities) he saw. These were beings written of on ancient scripts which seem to have disappeared for a while, before reappearing with select recent and quite suspicious vocabulary. John is repeatedly told ... do not hide/seal this ... in fact, the whole book is about the breaking of seals/hidden truths.

Except something that the Seven thunders said, it is hidden and lost somewhere in his account of the revelation he received ... 


And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.
Revelation:10:4

New testament: Christ is seen using alot of proverbs and parables and is quite expressive as to the reasons. So contrary to popular opinion, the new testament could be hiding new gems yet to be touched by the powers that be. So read with an open mind and a deep understanding ... Or over standing 🧐. And don't stop there. Remember the books were selected by men. So check out what men left out too.