A Literal view of prophetic scripture, and a case against the inclusion of Apocalyptic literature interpretations in the theology of Rev. Matthew Singleton.

Idealism verses Realism

In our approach to scholarship, theology, and philosophy, I believe there are two ways to approach our study and doctrine. Idealistically or Realistically.

The Realistic approach) From the bottom up.

The realistic approach seeks objectivity. It is willing to sacrifice it’s presuppositions in order to find truth.

The Idealistic approach) From the top down.

The idealistic approach seeks to live out its presuppositions. They are confident in what is the virtuous ideal. The presuppositions are firmly in place. All evidence will be interpreted in the light of these presuppositions.

Idealist verses Realist thinkers

Plato Aristotle

Anselm Thomas Aqu1nas

John Calvin Thomas Jefferson

Abraham Kuyper Clark Pinnock

Realistic view of scripture) The Bible is to be treated and examined as any other piece of Literature. If the Bible proves itself unique, that is one thing. However until then it is presupposed to be treated equally with other scripture.

Idealistic view of scripture) The Bible is God’s Holy Word and is has all the qualities which the text itself suggests.

Basic Argument

A. Point #1 The Bible is unique literature with unique properties

Psa 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

Illustration: The first holy manuscripts were placed in the Ark of the covenant. Those who mistreated the Ark would be instantly cursed.

The Bible ought not to be treated as regular literature. It should treated differently as God’s whole Word and therefore interpreted as such.

B. Point #2 The Scriptures are copies of God’s Word eternally existent in Heaven

Psa 119:89 For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.

Psa 119:90 Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.

The true “original manuscripts” are in Heaven. They had been pre-ordained before the prophet’s received God’s revelation. In terms of literary genre, God foreknew which style the authors would prefer and he foreknew the authors personality which he picked.

C. Point #3 The Word of God is preserved for believer’s

1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

1Pe 1:24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

1Pe 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word, which by the gospel is preached unto you.

The revelation of God, although for it’s initial receivers, is eternal and meant for all generations.

D. Point #4 The Word of God is true, therefore scripture is without error and must not mislead.

Num 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

Since God is dishonest. His word must not be dishonest.

E. Point #5 The Genre of myth is therefore, disqualified as a Biblical Genre since myth is historically misleading.

1Co 15:13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:

1Co 15:14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

1Co 15:15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.

1Co 15:16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:

1Co 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

Here is an illustration of myth not being acceptable as a biblical genre. Paul reasons that if the resurrection was mythical, then there is no purpose to Christianity. The reasoning follows that if the rest of the Bible were mythical it would be of less use for our faith.

Note: Just because myth is disqualified, as the genre for God’s revelation does not mean that myth is useless for the Kingdom of God. (The same applies to apocalyptic literature.) God can use the Chronicles of Narnia or the Left Behind series to evangelize. This is parallel to David who did mighty things for the Lord but was disqualified from building the temple because he was a man of blood.

F. Point #6 Then Therefore, Apocalyptic literature ought to be disqualified as a Biblical genre since it is prophetically misleading.

2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

2Pe 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Deu 18:20 But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.

Deu 18:21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?

Deu 18:22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

“The style of writing is highly imaginative and often speculative, expressed in colorful imagery and symbolic language culled from different sources; apocalyptic also uses mythological figures from ancient traditions whose precise meaning is not clear.” D.S. Russel Prophecy and the Apocalyptic Dream pg. 12

The prophetic genre should be tighter as literary genre. The Prophet only delivers God’s Word, he does not arrange it. When a vision is received, the imagery is developed and attributed to God.

Modern apocalyptic interpretation runs in the opposite direction. The visions that are quoted as the Lord’s are entirely left up to the prophet’s imagination. Many of the phrases have utterly no use, other than possibly setting a mood. There are no real signs as to what is literally supposed to take place and what is not, other than rationalism and later prophesies.

Example: “Yet this judgment is described in cosmic terminology. Such terminology, however, was part of the imagery and symbolism available to the prophets when they sought to describe God’s intervention in history and his sovereign rule over the kingdoms of this world ( cf. Dan.2:21; 4:17, 25, 34-35; 5:21 ). Such imagery was not meant to be interpreted literally. The sun was not actually going to be darkened; the moon would not stop giving its light; the stars would not stop showing their light. ‘What’ the author willed to communicate by this imagery, that God was going to bring judgment upon Babylon, was to be understood ‘literally’. And that willed meaning, God’s judgment upon Babylon, did take place. This prophecy was fulfilled with the rise and rule of the Persian Empire over the territories once ruled by Babylon, and the later readers of this prophecy knew that this prophecy had indeed been fulfilled. Babylon had been judged just as the prophecy proclaimed, and it was God’s doing just as the cosmic imagery described. The imagery, itself, however, was understood by the prophet and his audience as part of the stock terminology used in this kind of literature to describe God’s intervention into history.” Robert Stein A basic guide to interpreting the Bible pg. 92

Here, we see Dr. Stein placing the design of the prophecy into the hands of the prophet. Imagery is to be denied unless it fits in what they judge as fulfilled prophecy. Stein does not consider for instance