UNDERSTANDING SCRIPTURE

Can we read and understand scripture? Do we need a special bible college or seminary education to understand the scriptures? Do we need a special anointing of the Holy Spirit to understand the scriptures?

All who are in Christ Jesus have the indwelling Holy Spirit, who leads us into all truth. I have experienced this in my life in Christ, and have talked with many other believers who say the same thing, and have read many biographies of believers that attest to the same Holy Spirit at work teaching them and leading them into all truth.

The bible we have today has been translated from the original writings into English so that any believer can read and understand it. These godly scholars did receive special educations in Hebrew and Greek as ancient languages, learning many other ancient texts, contemporary with the biblical writings so to better understand the vernacular of that time frame. These same scholars worked diligently, striving to make the ancient texts clear for the reading of us modern men.

In my studies of the Bible I use many different translation and find over all an agreement of what is originally recorded. In some places I go to the excellent Hebrew and Greek study tools that were prepared for us.

In the reading of eschatology I first take the plain and simple reading of the English for what it says. Drawing my understanding from the context, instead of from some doctrinal/theological camp.

In discussing eschatology with others I made the following reply.


Did Jesus mean "a future generation" when he told his disciples "this generation"? (Matt. 24:34)

Was Jesus telling the seven historic churches in Asia Minor about events that would happen thousands of years in their future when he said they would "occur soon"? (Rev. 1:1)

It is simple to understand, I agree. The difficulty is getting over the hermeneutic that blinds us to the clear and simple reading of the words.

"This generation" must mean the generation of the disciples, the ones Jesus addressed in the Olivet discourse. That is simple and plain English, and the Greek supports this translation, which all of the translations I have and read supports.

"Must occur quickly", means it will happen very soon to you. The simple meaning is that the seven churches addressed in the Revelation would experience the events of the Revelation.

Jesus told his disciples that that temple, the temple of Herod would be destroyed, then gave them the signs of when that would happen, and told them to be aware and ready, and that their generation would see it all happen. This is the simple and clear reading of the Olivet Discourse.

On the basis of these simple and clear readings, I must interpret the writings to be within the time period when the temple of Herod was destroyed, which was in 70AD.

Death is swallowed up in victory. Death for those in the kingdom is to enter into the direct presence of the Lord. That is a simple and clear reading to me.

Within the kingdom of Messiah, those who were enemies, Israel and the Nations, are now laying together, the lion with the lamb.This too is a simple and clear reading of the word.

Within the kingdom there is no sin, but outside the kingdom is all manner of sin.

And as Daniel foretold, the kingdom that started as a rock cleft from a mountain is growing to fill the whole world. The reading of scripture shows that the Messianic kingdom starts small and grows.

Isaiah tells us that "in the growth of his kingdom there shall be no end." The Messianic kingdom does not come into the world as a completed thing, filling the whole of the world at once. It starts small, and grows and continues to grow, filling the whole earth.

Today we see the Messianic kingdom represented in all of the nations of men. It started small, a few disciples in Israel. It expanded into the nations of Asia Minor, and into Rome. We have that record in the book of Acts. We see it expanding into India, and records show it going into China in the first and second century.

From Rome it expanded throughout the nations of Europe. From Alexandria, and other cities, it expanded throughout the African continent. The Ethiopian who Philip converted took the Kingdom back to Ethiopia.

The more I read the scriptures for what it says, taking the simple, plain and clear meaning the more sense it all makes and fits into fulfilled eschatology.