Date: Wed, 25 Jun 2003 
Subject: Paper on prophecy
Jim Hale

Interpreting Old Testament Prophecy

Perhaps some of you have wondered over the past weeks why I have spoken about Isaiah 60 through 62 as having application for the church? Is this right? How do you come to this conclusion when the most literal and obvious application is to the nation of Israel to whom it is addressed? Let me share with you the reasons why I believe this is correct. First we must recognize that the apostles teaching in the New Testament is the key to correctly understanding the prophecies of the Old Testament. Paul, Peter, and James all quote from the prophets. If we can see how they understood the prophecies to be fulfilled we will have insight into how these prophecies fit into our times and times to come. Secondly, there is a curious pattern of double meaning in some of their interpretations. This will be seen as we look at several important texts. In Act 15 James is commenting on the fact that Peter had gone to Cornelius’ house, preached the gospel and seen the Holy Spirit fall on the gentiles so that they became true believers in Jesus Christ.(vs14). He then says this event is a fulfillment of the words of the prophets. He quotes from Amos 9:11,12. "After this I will return and will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down: I will rebuild its ruins, and I will set it up: So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord who does all these things." In this prophecy there are two events spoken of 1) the rebuilding of David’s tabernacle. This is used by God to cause 2) the Gentiles to seek the Lord. How was this related to Peter and James’s day? What was James saying when he quotes this passage? David’s Tabernacle was restored in the ascendancy of his descendent and heir Jesus Christ to the right hand of God the Father after his death and resurrection. Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lord’s. In David’s time the tabernacle was the place of worship where God came to dwell among His people to display His glory. Through Jesus Christ the Father now dwells with His people to display His glory. 1st Corinthians 3:16,17 "you are the temple of God and that the Holy Spirit dwells in you." Ephesians 2:19-22 "you are no longer strangers and foreigners…having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In whom you also are being built
together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit." As Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit reigns in His people, the temple of God, He displays His glory in them and His gospel so that the Gentiles will seek Him and be reconciled to God. When James saw that the Gentiles believed Peter’s message and received the Holy Spirit he knew that this prophecy was being fulfilled. James also makes an important point in verse 15 when he says "with this the words of the prophets agree”. He speaks of more than one prophet. The essence of Amos’ prophecy is repeated by other OT prophets. This restoration and ingathering of the Gentiles is spoken of by Hosea, Zechariah, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Malachi. The passage that I spoke from i.e. Isaiah 60-62 is one example of how this theme is presented in the Old Testament. The New Testament recognizes this theme in various places i.e. Romans 9:26, 15:9, 10, 12, 21, 2nd Corinthians 6:2, Hebrews 8:8, Galatians 4:21-27. These New Testament passages quote from the Old Testament prophets to support each of the points they make. Go back and read the Old Testament scripture to see how the New Testament is using it.

You may be saying but wait! Do these passages of restoration have any significance for the Jewish people? Are they only to be understood as applying to spiritual Israel (Romans 6: 9-13)? It is here that the Apostle Paul teaches us an important lesson in interpreting these types of texts. In Romans 11 he is speaking of the plight of the Jewish people. He explains that if they do not continue in unbelief they will be grafted back into the people of God. He says that he doesn't want the Roman Christians to be ignorant of this mystery, (something hidden in the past now revealed) that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel shall be saved. He then quotes from Isaiah 59:20 and Jeremiah 31:34 to support his statement. These two passages are ones that speak of restoration. Here Paul is clearly applying this to the Jewish people. There is a day when they will experience spiritual sight and embrace Jesus as their Messiah however Hebrews 8:8 and the Jeremiah 31 passage are clearly applied to the church. It has two applications. So what this means is that there are different levels of fulfillment in Biblical prophecy. One passage may have a present fulfillment and a fulfillment to come. It is important not to negate either.

We should indeed be praying for the turning of the Jewish people to the Lord Jesus so that God would be greatly glorified. Isaiah 59, Jeremiah 34 and Romans 11 give us a sure foundation to build our prayers on. But we must also not lose sight of God’s great purpose to make his church "now" before the in-grafting of Israel a bright and shining light that would draw the nations to Christ.