Hermeneutics refers to the method that a person uses to interpret Scripture. There are various Hermeneutical styles that people use, but what I wish to explore is the Adventist method of interpreting Biblical prophecy; including the prophetic times.
I wish to concede something.
I asked at the end of my article entitled "Prophetic Time" for a reasonable and logical explanation why the Adventist position is correct. This, I believe, the Adventists, such as ant and Still, have provided. The way they have presented the Adventist method of calculating prophetic time does make sense to me. Therefore, I wish to applaud them for their rigorous defense of what I honestly believed was an indefensible teaching.
With that said, however, I now wish to delve into the actual legitimacy of the Adventist method of interpretation.
1. Historicism
Their historicist view of Bible prophecy is called into question. Why must we understand Bible prophecy from the stand point of progressive historical revelation? That is, a belief that prophecy is simply history written in advance, and sometimes way in advance(!). Why cannot the Preterist view of Bible prophecy not make more sense, especially considering that the prophecies were written for the encouragement and edification of those alive at the time?
2. The Day/Year Principle
Their method of understanding prophetic time is called into question. Why must we understand "days" in prophecy to mean actual years in historical time? Is the Adventist application of the day for a year principle legitimate? Should the two primary passages (i.e. Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:5-6) that Adventists rely upon to teach the day for a year principle be universally applied in all instances of prophetic time? Is this not a contextual mistake? After all, the passages of Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:5-6 are referring to very explicitly specific things. If the day for a year principle is not to be applied universally to every time prophecy, then what does that do to the Adventist interpretation of prophecy?
3. Symbology
Their understanding of certain prophetic imagery is called into question. How is it possible that any one, Adventist included, can with certainty declare what any prophetic image means when the author does not interpret it for us? Examples of this include the four "beasts" of Daniel 7, the various prophetic imagery of Daniel 11, the "two witnesses" of Revelation 11, the "beasts" of Revelation 13, the number "666" of Revelation 13:18, etc.
These and other questions will be dealt with in this thread. If you are an Adventist, please grace us with your presence here, and make a defense of all or any of these points of contention. It would be greatly appreciated! And of course, since this is a dialogue, do not be surprised if you find healthy debate and discussion on the points you raise!
God bless all, and let the discussion begin!
Sunday, May 10, 2009
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10 comments:
Wow! Kinda thought there might be at least one comment by now.
Hmm...
Hi David,
You are asking interesting questions and I will be happy to participate to the conversation on your blog.
I will be out of town for a week but when I am back you can count on me.
Hi Still,
Sure, anytime. That's the cool thing about a blog, comment on it anytime.
;~)
666 = Ellen Gould White
E=0
L=50
L=50
E=0
N=0
G=0
O=0
U=U is same as V = 5
L=50
D=500
W=2V's = 5+5 = 10
H=0
I=1
T=0
E=0
666
Kinda silly to take someone's name and make it =666 but this is exactly what the SDA church does to one of the Pope's names.
To Lexaholic,
Hahaha...right!
I never really made it a stressing point with people, though I always took it as a fact by Adventist teachers and preachers.
It wasn't until I came out of Adventism that I discovered the whole thing was made up by Adventists! Needless to say, I was thoroughly shocked by this news!
Check out these links from Samuele Bacchiocchi's end-time issues news letters that he sent out often while he was still alive for proof of this:
Part 1:
http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/endtimeissues/et_139.pdf
Part 2:
http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/endtimeissues/et_146.pdf
By the way, that's called
Bearing False Witness Against Thy Neighbor.
You know, one of the Ten Commandments; just not the all important fourth commandment mind you.
I think there's a verse that says somewhere that if you break one you break them all?
Hmm...
The problem I have with the year/day principle is that the Hebrew word for "day" (yowm or yamim for days) does not appear in the text referring to the 2300 days.
The words translated "days" (`ereb boqer) in Dan8:14 literally meant "evenings and mornings." Since the context of the verse itself is talking about the daily sacrifices in the temple, which took place every morning and evening, the only reasonable conclusion is that this verse is talking about the daily sacrifices in the temple.
Certainly it would be reckless to apply the "year-day" principle to every prophecy where "days" are mentioned.
* Jonah prophesied Nineveh would be destroyed in 40 days which did not equate to 40 years.
* In Genesis God prophesied there would be a period of 120 years before the flood, which did not equate to 43,200 years.
Therefore, we must be careful when we apply the year-day principle, especially in cases where the word "day" does not even appear in the Hebrew text, as in Daniel 8:14.
Lex,
You make some valid points. Are there any Adventists that would care to offer a rebuttal?
Lex said,
"In Genesis God prophesied there would be a period of 120 years before the flood, which did not equate to 43,200 years."
LoL!
Guess we're still waiting for that one, eh?
XD
David and Lexaholic,
We have to be careful here. The Bible is not a machine with a button to be pressed to get always the same answer. When studying the Word of God, we have to be led by His Spirit because it is not what we think that matters but what He think.
First of all, about 666. The number of the Beast is just one clue about its identity. Many names end up giving 666. But if you add the other clues, the list become thinner and thinner. So it is important not to deceive oneself by neglecting the other information concerning the Beast (or other subjects for that matter).
Concerning the year/day principle, we have to be careful here also. It is not because it is used in some prophecies that every prophecy involving time is using it. Prophecies are of different types. Some are eschatological, some are about imminent judgements, other are simply descriptive, etc. Each type of prophecies deals with time in different ways (often it is indicated by the context). When a prophecy is what I would call practical, that is, it is about something you have to do or something that would impact your personal life (like a immediat judgement for example), the time is generally the normal time. For example, when God said in Jeremiah that Israel would be in captivity in Babylon for 70 years or when God said to Abraham that his descendants would be in bondage for 400 years, it was real years and the year/day principle doesn't apply. But when it is a vision with a lot of symbols that even a prophet cannot understand (because he doesn't have the keys to unlock them like in the case of Daniel) then often the time units are also symbolic and the year/day principle may be applicable (you still have to be careful to see if there is anything within the prophecy preventing you to use that principle). These types of vision often go further that the life of a person and are often eschatological or apocalyptical in nature.
So, were the prophecies about the Flood or Nineveh practical or of another type? Both were practical (as defined above) so the year/day principle doesn't apply.
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