Exegetical and Expository Principles

Today I would like to share some of my thinking processes and guiding principles that go into what I write on this blog.

• I belive that YHWH is the creator of the universe and the source and purpose of everything.
• I believe that Jesus or Yeshu'a of Nazereth is the Messiah expected by the Jews, the Prophet promised by Moses, and the Son of God. I believe He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died to redeem all mankind, rose from the dead, and ascended into Heaven. I believe that He sits at the right hand of his Father in heaven, and all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him. I believe that He will return to gather His own and judge the living and the dead.
• I believe in the Holy Spirit which has been given to God's people.
• I believe that the Holy Scriptures are a gift from God to all peoples.
• I believe that, "Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work." 2Tim 3.16-17 (NET)
• I believe that the Scriptures are full of hidden treasure that can be discovered by those who humbly dig for it. I believe that God delights in people seeking His treasure and will reward those who are humble and who persevere. No person will uncover all the treasure in one lifetime.
• I believe that without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, it is impossible to understand the Scriptures, so my Bible study and the writing of this blog are always accompanied by constant prayer to the one who buried the treasure.
• I am eternally grateful for all the treasure seekers who have gone before me, and who have shared with me the treasures that they have uncovered. I am grateful for all the scholars who have translated the Scriptures into my language, English. I am grateful for all the scholars who have made biblical languages Greek and Hebrew accessible to me. I am grateful to all the historians who have made Biblical times and culture accessible to me.
• I acknowledge that I am a fallen sinner with a finite IQ and limited wisdom. I am prone to make mistakes.
  
• Because of wonderful grace of the Holy Spirit, and thousands of scholars on whose shoulders I stand, I cannot take any credit for any of the good things that appear in this blog, but I will take blame for any of the errors.
• The purpose of this blog is to graciously share with others, because others have graciously shared with me.
  

Christ's Growing Kingdom

Previously (Nov 30) we looked at David's kingdom, and how it grew slowly over a period of time that spanned decades. The growth of David's kingdom had four stages:

1. Authority in his father's house - After his anointing as a teen, only God and one prophet recognized David as king. He exercised no authority, except over his father's sheep.
2. Authority over volunteers - After he went into Saul's service, and during the time he was a refugee, there was a growing group of people who acknowledged him as their current leader and/or future king, and followed him. (see 1 Sam 22.1-2; 25.30)During this time David had no civil authority.
3. Authority over his own people - At age thirty, one tribe, David's own, anointed him to be their king, and he assumed civil authority over part of his people. Seven years and much war later, all of the 12 tribes of Israel publicly acknowledged him as king, and he exercised civil authority over all of his people.
4. Authority over foreigners - After establishing rule over his own people, he slowly conquered the Gentile nations that that were Israel's enemies and the Gentile nations that occupied the land that God had promised to give to Israel.

Since Jesus has been called the son of David, can we expect His kingdom to slowly emerge with expanding authority?

Let's look at what Jesus said:

Matt 13.31 (NET) He gave them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest garden plant and becomes a tree, so that the wild birds come and nest in its branches.” 33 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of flour until all the dough had risen.”

The kingdom starts insignificantly small, grows, and then dominates. Even foreigners (wild birds) benefit from it.

Before ascending into Heaven, Jesus said to His apostles:

Acts 1.8 (NET) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth.”

Again, there is a progression: starting in Jerusalem and extending to the ends of the earth.

In Jesus' parable on the banquet (Luke 14.15-24), there is also a progression: the people close to the host, strangers in the streets and lanes of the city, and then strangers along the highways and in the hedges.

So far we seen Jesus talk specifically about increasing size of the coming kingdom, but what about the stages of increased authority? Is there evidence for that?

The Coming Dominion - part 2

Previously (5 Dec) we looked at a couple prophesies before written before Christ's time on earth. Now let's look at a couple written after Christ's time on earth, in the book of Revelation. Like the Daniel 7 passage, these are visions of heaven.

The first one is:

Rev 11.15-17 (NET) Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.”
16 Then the twenty-four elders who are seated on their thrones before God threw themselves down with their faces to the ground and worshiped God 17 with these words:
“We give you thanks, Lord God, the All-Powerful, the one who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and begun to reign.

This passage talks of a single kingdom of the world. That means a single power ruled the earth. I decline to discuss who or what that single power is. The main point is that kingdom becomes the kingdom of the Lord and His Christ, who will then rule over that kingdom forever. The kingdom of the world changes hands.

A second point that I would like to make, is that there is no distinction between the rule of God and the rule of His Christ. The text says "he" not "they" will rule. There is a blurring of identities between God and His Christ. This is consistent with the passages we looked at before. In Isaiah 9.6, the child that is born is called "Mighty God." In the vision in Isaiah 7.14, two personnas are introduced--the "Ancient of Days" and the "son of man". But in the interpretation by the angel that follows, only one personna is named--the "Most High."

The second passage is:

Rev 19.11 (NET) Then I saw heaven opened and here came a white horse! Thec one riding it was called “Faithful” and “True,” and with justice he judges and goes to war. 12 His eyes are like a fiery flame and there are many diadem crowns on his head. He has a name written that no one knows except himself. 13 He is dressed in clothing dipped in blood, and he is called the Word of God. 14 The armies that are in heaven, dressed in white, clean, fine linen, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth extends a sharp sword, so that with it he can strike the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod, and he stomps the winepress of the furious wrath of God, the All-Powerful. 16 He has a name written on his clothing and on his thigh: “King of kings and Lord of lords.”

Before I look at details, I would like to make a comment about time. Several of the prophesies we are looking at are visions of things taking place in Heaven. As we know time in Heaven is different from time on earth. To God a thousand years is like a day and a day is like a thousand years. Visions show spiritual events happening in Heaven that have effects on earth. However, it is very difficult to determine when the effects of earth will occur, or whether the effects on earth take place in a single time span or are spread out over multiple time spans. Because of this I frequently avoid pinpointing fulfillment of prophesy in human history.

The first question that must be answered about this passage is, "Who is the rider of the white horse?" One of his titles is "Word of God". In the first chapter of his gospel, John calls Jesus the "Word" implying "Word of God." Another title in this passage is "Faithful and True" which Jesus uses of Himself earlier in Revelations in the letter to the Laodiceans (3.14). The image of the sword from his mouth is used by Jesus about Himself in the letter to Pergamum (Rev. 2.16). So the answer to the first question is that the rider of the white horse is Jesus.

The second question is, "What is the rider doing?" He is judging and making war (the verbs are present tense). Making war is a means of executing justice. He is stomping the winepress of the furious wrath of God. After making war, he will rule (the verb is future tense) with an iron rod. The verb to rule is literally to shepherd, indicating that his style of ruling will be much different from that of the kings of the earth. Many might say that this image of Christ is very different, or even in contradiction of the image of the humble Christ in the gospels, but that is the topic of another day. He will rule with an "iron rod". The rod can be the scepter of a king, or the rod of a shepherd. Psalms 23.1, 4 says, "The Lord is my shepherd, ... his rod and his staff comfort me."

The third question is, "What is His weapon?" His weapon is the sword that extends from his mouth. His weapon is His Word. This is consistent with His life on earth. While in the desert after He was baptized, He battled with Satan by quoting from the Hebrew Scriptures. In His confrontations with people He was constantly quoting the Scriptures to correct their misunderstandings. He also healed the sick, cast out demons, and stilled the wind with His Word.

The fourth question is, "Who is He fighting against?" He is fighting against the nations.

The Coming Dominion

What is the nature of the Kingdom of Christ or Messiah? Let's look at a couple of prophesies written hundreds of years before Jesus.

Isaiah 9.6-7 (NET)

For a child has been born to us,
a son has been given to us.
He shoulders responsibility
and is called:
Extraordinary Strategist,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.
7 His dominion will be vast
and he will bring immeasurable prosperity.
He will rule on David’s throne
and over David’s kingdom,
establishing it and strengthening it
by promoting justice and fairness,
from this time forward and forevermore.
The LORD’s intense devotion to his people will accomplish this.

This passage talks about a coming dominion. Here are some of the points in this passage that I want to highlight:

1. The aspect in verse 6 is completed aspect, indicating that to God, this is a done deal, even though it takes place in Isaiah's future.
2. The leader of this dominion will be a human male who is born, but will be recognized as God ("called Mighty God").
3. The dominion will be everlasting.
4. The leader of dominion will sit on David's throne and rule over David's kingdom, Israel, as prophesied in 1Chron 22.10.
5. The coming dominion is not called a "kingdom", nor is its leader called a "king", even though he will have David's throne and kingdom. Is this because the dominion will go beyond Israel? Could it be that being king of Israel will only be a small part of his rule?
6. The NET translation shown above deviates from a number of major translations. The Hebrew word that the NET translates as "vast", is translated by others (NIV, RSV, NCV, KJV) as "increase" or "grow", with the interpretation that the increase of the dominion will never end.
7. God (YHWH) will give the dominion to the leader.
8. The context precding this passage (vss. 4-5) indicates that the dominion will be established in a time of war and oppression.

Daniel 7.13-14, 27 (WEB) says:

I saw in the night visions, and behold, there came with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 There was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
. . .
18 But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.’
. . .
27 The kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole sky, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High: his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

This vision of Daniel also talks about a dominion coming in Daniel's future. Even though there are many difficult images in this passage, we can identify some key points:

1. Daniel saw the Ancient of Days giving the "one like a son of man" authority. In God's eye's this is a completed act.
2. As in the Isaiah prophesy, the term "son" is used to refer to the one given authority. The full term "son of man" indicates that this person is a human. (In the Christian Testament, Jesus uses this term to refer to Himself.)
3. As in Isaiah, the authority given to the son is eternal, and will not pass away. Since only one person can be given eternal sovereign authority, I conclude that the son in Isaiah 9.6 and and the son of man in Daniel 7.13 are one and the same person.
4. The authority and dominion of the son of man will extend over all peoples, nations, and language groups--which means both those of Israel and gentiles. The Isaiah passage specifically alluded to David's kingdom, which included Israel and some gentile nations, but also implied that the son's dominion would be greater.
5. The son of man is not called a king, even though he is given kingdom. This is probably to contrast the nature of his rule with the kings of the kingdoms associated with the four beasts earlier in the chapter.
6. The interpretion of the vision that one of the spiritual beings gives Daniel, starting in verse 15, does not explicitly mention the figure "son of man," but says that the kingdom will be given to the "saints (or holy ones) of the Most High." The term "Most High" could refer to either the Ancient of days or the son of man. There is some connection between the "saints/holy ones" receiving the kingdom (of the fourth beast) and the "son of man" being given authority and kingdom, but Daniel does not clarify this connection. One needs to go elsewhere for clues as to this connection. (1 Co 12.27; Eph 1.22; Luke 22.29)
7. The Ancient of Days (God) gives authority to the son of man.
8. The context of this passage (chapter 7) indicates that the dominion will be established after a time of oppression for the saints/holy ones.

Even though the Isaiah and Daniel passages are very different, there are a lot of key concepts that are the same in both passages which talk about God giving a human son vast authority and power to rule a vast kingdom that will never end.