INSPIRATION OF THE BIBLE

LESSON EIGHT

UNDERSTANDING THE SCRIPTURES

Men have sought to understand the Bible in many ways.
Some have thought to find the meaning by reading it like a newspaper and wonder why they can’t understand it. The truth is, God intended that it be STUDIED.
2 Tim 2:15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Others have tried to use it like a ouiji board. They hope to find direction for their life by blindly opening the Bible and pointing to a passage. I heard a story of a man who tried this and the first passage read,
Mat 27:5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.
Thinking there must be a mistake he tried again and the result was,
Luke 3:11. let him do likewise.

An absurd story? Sure, but no more than one trying to please God in this way.
Some have thought to make every word literal in its meaning and have struggled with some of the symbolic passages
[Rev 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
Rev 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.]

Others have taken the other extreme and have tried to spiritualize even the most mundane, everyday events found recorded there. I recall hearing a young man expounding on John 20:7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. As he proceeded, that napkin took on more and more significance until it almost overshadowed the empty tomb! [One thing this passage does prove to me, is that the so-called ‘shroud of Turin’ is a fake!]

The Bible is a book in which God has inspired His writers to use almost every literary device. There are metaphors, similes, symbols, types, parables, allegories as well as a great deal of simple, straightforward language. There are songs, poetry and prose. The Song of Solomon becomes even more beautiful when viewed as an opera. God has used all these, that He might make His will for mankind known.

Let us consider some of these techniques God has employed;
I. Similes. Hosea 12:10 I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.
This same word is in other places rendered, ‘compared’ and ‘like’.
A simile compares one thing to another in some way.
Ps 102:6 I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert.
Psa 102:7 I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.
The Psalmist says he is LIKE these birds in their loneliness.

There are three possible applications of this passage;
1. David’s loneliness as he flees from Absolom.
2. Us - in times of trouble.
3. Christ, deserted by all men.

B. Song 1:9 I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots.
The bride is compared to a team of horses! Denoting her preciousness. Horses had to be imported from India. Only kings and the very rich could afford them.
1. Solomon expresses his love.
2. Christ’s love for His Church.

C. Prov 25:25 As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.[ Isn’t this a great description of the postings we receive from our service people?]
Isa 38:13 I reckoned till morning, that, as a lion, so will he break all my bones: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.
Isa 38:14 Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me.
Note that in a simile one aspect or characteristic of something is used to describe one trait of another.

II. A Metaphor. These are slightly different in that the object itself stands for another. i.e. Isaiah said , he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, [a simile] while John said,
John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. Here, Jesus IS the lamb, a metaphor.
1. Song 2:1 I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.
2.Eph 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
Acts 4:11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

III. A Symbol. Something that represents something else.
1. The cross represents the suffering of Christ.
2. The hand is often used as a symbol of God’s power.
3. The dove is used as a symbol of the Holy Spirit.
4. In prophecy, a mountain is a symbol for a government.
5. The scepter is easily recognized as a symbol of royal authority.
6.Crowns and thrones depict rulership.

IV. The same object can sometimes picture different things.
The Wind- Jer 51:1 Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against them that dwell in the midst of them that rise up against me, a destroying wind; In this case, the wind is the Medes and Persians who are to destroy Babylon.
John 3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. There can be no question that here, it shows forth the Holy Spirit.

V. TYPES are used to prefigure things that are to come later.
Col 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
Col 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
A. Brass is a SYMBOL of judgment. The serpent is a Symbol of sin. Their use together in the brazen serpent became a SIMILE that was a TYPE of Christ bearing our judgment for sin.
John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
John 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

VI. A PARABLE is a truth illustrated by a fact. It is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. It is a story SIMILE.
Mat 13:24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

VII. An ALLEGORY is a story complete in itself used to represent a fact. We might call it a STORY SYMBOL.
A. Judg 9:8 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.
Judg 9:9 But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
Judg 9:10 And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us.
Judg 9:11 But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?
Judg 9:12 Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.
This is a portion of an allegory of the raising of Abimelech to the throne.

B. Paul uses the story of Sarah and Hagar as an allegory.
Gal 4:24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. The proper understanding of this allegory will help us to see the relationship between the Law of Moses and the dispensation of Grace under Christ.

C. We can use many Biblical events as ALLEGORIES.
The account of Paul’s shipwreck in Acts Chapter 27 is a wonderful ALLEGORY of life.
Allegories can be used to ILLUSTRATE Bible truth but NEVER to establish it.