First Principles of Bible Study

    Thus far in our study two important principles have been discovered that must be kept in mind as we study the Bible. They are:

    1. The Bible alone and in its entirety is the Word of God.
    2. We are to interpret Scripture with Scripture.

Keep these principles in mind and truth will be found from the Bible.
    The use of words and phrases must be studied in individual sentences, the context in which the sentence is used, and how they are used elsewhere in the Bible. The more familiar the student is with the entire Bible, the more he will be helped in his study.
    The student must recognize that the Bible is God’s word. The Holy Spirit leads us into truth. Study diligently and pray that God will open spiritual eyes to truths hidden within the Word, and the Bible student will grow in grace.
    A third principle, which is of Great importance, must be understood to realize the spirirtual riches of the Bible.
    In Chapter 1 it was stated that the Bible ordinarily has more than one level of meaning. These levels are:

    1. The historical setting.
    2. The moral or spiritual teaching.
    3. The salvation account.

These levels of meaning will now be examined in greater detail.

The Bible is Absolutely Accurate in its Record of Historical Events

    Many people have the notion that because the Bible is God’s word concerning salvation, it is not trustworthy in areas of history, science, and other fields of learning. However, the Bible is a revelation from God as He spoke through holy men of old; we know that it must be true and dependable.
    A favorite target of attack is the creation of the earth. The Bible declares that God created the universe in six days. When we search the

Bible, we find this statement abundantly supported. There is no encouragement for the theory that more than six 24-hour days was required.
    Modern science has concluded that the world is billions of years old. Is this conclusion valid? The scientific conclusions about the origin of the universe are based on exceedingly scarce evidence. No present-day scientist lived then, and the written record goes back only about five thousand years. The modern-day scientist views the meager available evidence in the light of assumptions he is forced to make. Obviously, his conclusions are no more accurate than the assumptions, or "educated guesses," on which he based his view. It is impossible that these scientific conclusions can be a fraction as accurate as the majestic statements of the Bible that tell of God’s creation of the heavens and the earth.
    The Bible records a flood that destroyed everything that had the breath of life from off the face of the earth. This flood covered the highest mountain (Genesis 6 to 9). To suggest that this may have been a localized flood is to deny the authority of the Scriptures.
    The Bible says that in Peleg’s day the earth was divided (Genesis 10). This historic event is seen in scientific evidence that indicates that the earth once had one continent which broke up into the smaller continents now known.
    Unless the Bible shows that an event or conversation is to be understood as non-historical, it is absolutely dependable that every conversation and every historical incident recorded in the Bible actually took place. Archeological evidence may not prove the existence of a particular nation named in the Bible, and an incident may be unusual, nevertheless, we have no right to suggest that what the Bible has recorded is not authoritative.
    When the Bible speaks of the nation of Israel passing through the Reds Sea, and the "waters were a wall unto them on their right hand and on their left" (Exodus 14:22), it would deny the truth of God to suggest that anything but a miracle occurred. God altered the physical laws to make the waters stand as a wall. The Bible says a prophet named Jonah was cast into the sea and swallowed by a fish. To suggest that this is not an historical event is to repudiate God. The Bible speaks of the bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Be assured that this event actually happened in history.
    The Bible is impeccably accurate in what God gives us concerning historical events, the facts He brings to our attention, and

it is certain that the Bible is equally accurate about future events. The return of the Lord Jesus Christ in glory, the rapture of believers on the last day to go to be with Him, the destruction by fire of the present universe, the creation of New Heavens and a New Earth as the eternal dwelling place of born-again believers, and the removal of the unsaved into a place called hell where they will suffer eternally in payment for their sins-all these things are to be understood as future events. They are just as certain to take place as it is certain that the historical events in the Bible took place.
    It must be emphasized that to deny the historical accuracy of the Bible in its record of creation and the flood will lead to questions regarding future events, such as the destruction of the world by fire and the removal of the unsaved into eternal damnation. God gives a warning in II Peter 3:3-7, 10, 13:

God selects historical incidents or conversations through which the salvation program will shine, it is absolutely certain that the incidents and conversations, as recorded, are accurate and trustworthy.
    The Bible is much more than an account of historical events. It has a second level of meaning which is concerned with teaching moral and spiritual values.

The Bible Teaches Moral and Spiritual Values

    II Timothy 3:16: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." God gives moral and spiritual principles and guidelines in the Bible by which we are to live and have a more abundant life. In His condescending love and mercy God gave to the human race, which is made in His image, a written revelation of how to live happily and effectively in the world.
    The believer in Christ, he who has received his eternal resurrected soul (also called "spirit"), from the moment of his salvation will have an ongoing desire to be obedient to God. He will heed the admonitions and exhortations of the Bible because he loves God, who is doing the admonishing. When he sins, the sinner is deeply troubled; within his own personality, he will feel violated. In his body he continues to lust after sin, but in his soul, where he has been born from above, he wants to never sin again. God in the person of the Holt Spirit indwells him. He has become a child of God and the Holy Spirit will bring him under conviction if he does not confess and turn from sin.
    This process is sometimes called "growing in grace" or growing in "sanctification." It is the experience of every child of God. It is the process by which the child of God will do good works; that is, he will do works pleasing to God. These works are neither a cause nor a basis for salvation. They are an expected result of salvation. Ephesians 2:8-10 beautifully expresses this principle:

    To receive maximum value from the guidelines for life presented in God’s Word, keep three principles in mind:

    1. The Bible is the final authority.
    2. The bible must be read with a view to being obedient to what is found therein.
    3. The Bible interprets and explains the rules that god has laid down.

    Many rules for man’s conduct may be read in the Bible. For example, the Bible says that we should seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness. It declares that we are not to commit adultery. It emphasizes that we are to be holy just as our heavenly Father is holy. Rules of conduct are found throughout the Bible. The Bible is the standard God established for the well-being of mankind.
    The Bible records hundreds of historical situations which can be examined in light of these rules to discover the blessings that come with disobedience. This encourages and helps avoid the consequence of living in violation of these rules. It gives the accounts of Joseph and Daniel and the blessings that came to them as they obeyed God, and the accounts of Israel and Judah, who came under God’s judgment because of disobedience. God declares in I Corinthians 10:11:

riches of His Word, unless we come to it with an earnest desire to be obedient to what is found there.
    God declares, "Thou shalt not kill," but we cannot know what He means unless we examine everything in the Bible that relates to killing. Then we can be sure that God does not mean do not kill animals. On the contrary, there are times when the Bible insists that even human life must be taken.
    It is imperative that the whole Bible be read and investigated to gain understanding of the moral and spiritual laws God has given.
    When we, as unsaved sinners, go to the Bible and are ready to be obedient to all that is found there, we discover that we do not measure up to God’s standards. This should bring us to our knees and make us cry out for deliverance from our sins, through the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the redeemer. To the extent that man lives in conformity to the laws of the Bible, he will enjoy the blessing and happiness, eternal life, if he does not become obedient to the command to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
    It has been shown that the Bible is impeccably accurate in its record of historical events. Through these events and the direct commands in Scripture, God gives us moral and spiritual values.

The Bible is the Gospel of Grace

    The third level of meaning persistently shines through the Scriptures: The Bible is the presentation of the Gospel of grace. Unquestionably, this is the most important purpose of the Bible. It was written that mankind might know of its need for a savior. God declares in John 20:31, in regard to signs that Jesus performed:

question of salvation; and (2) by mans of historical events and phrases which are types or figures of God’s salvation program. These two methods of Gospel presentation will be examined.

God Speaks Directly to the Matter of Salvation

    Almost from the beginning of the Bible, statements are made that speak directly to the question of salvation. In Genesis 3:15 God declares that there would be enmity between Satan and the woman, and between his seed and her seed, and that Satan’s head would be bruised. This reflects the enmity that exists between the kingdom of Satan and the kingdom of Christ. Christ is the seed of the woman, who vanquished Satan by going to the cross.
    God gives additional insight , in Genesis, of His salvation program when He declares that the scepter would not depart from Judah. This biblical language tells us that a king would come from Judah, and that this King would be intimately related to salvation.
    God gives more information about His salvation program in Psalm 103, where He speaks of Himself as the Savior who "forgiveth all thine iniquities" and "redeemeth thy life from destruction." In Isaiah 53, God is more specific; He describes the coming Savior as One who would become a Man of Sorrows, upon whom God would lay our sins.
    In the New Testament the proclamation of the salvation program comes to its most complete revelation. The first four books of the New Testament present the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior. John the Baptist’s introduction of Him was, "Behold the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world." John 3:16 contains a beautiful and specific promise: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." The revelation of the Gospel program continues in the epistles. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul and others wrote to various churches and in detail revealed the grand declaration of salvation.
    The Bible as a whole is a book that presents the glorious Gospel of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. Anyone who reads it with a humble attitude and realizes that it is the Word of God can be convicted of his sin; and by His Word, God will draw him into the kingdom of Christ.

The Gospel of Grace is Frequently Hidden

    The Bible makes many statements that bear directly on the message of salvation, but the message is not always immediately apparent, sometimes it is hidden within the biblical language. We must realize that the message of salvation is the most important message of the Bible. We would expect, therefore, that it would shine through every page of the Bible.
    Earlier in our study we saw that the Bible can be trusted implicitly, including when it speaks from an historical standpoint. We discovered that the Bible frequently gives moral and spiritual values, which if observed, assure happiness on this earth. We learned that the major presentation of the Bible is the Gospel of God’s grace as revealed through the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior. It is the level of meaning – salvation – that is frequently seen in clear language.
    The message of salvation can be found hidden within historical conversations and incidents in the Bible. The hidden aspects of this third level of meaning must be examined in addition to the first level of meaning (the historical aspects), and the second level of meaning (the moral and spiritual teachings).
    Historical events, words, phrases, and concepts in themselves do not appear to speak of the message of salvation; nevertheless, we know that the Bible is the Word of God. We know that the intent of the Bible is to bring men face to face with their need of a Savior. We realize that God put nothing in the Bible incidentally or coincidentally or casually. It was not God’s purpose to write the Bible to give us a history lesson. God did not write the Bible merely to give us moral and spiritual lessons so that mankind might live more comfortably on earth.
    The great predicament of mankind is that he is going to hell because of his sins. This is a major facet of the most important message of the Bible. The rest of the message is that by believing in Christ we can escape this terrible predicament.
    Much of the Bible superficially appears to have no direct relationship to God’s salvation plan; however, as noted, there is simple evidence in the Bible that its central purpose is to bring God’s salvation plan to attention of the human race.
    Is it possible that only those statements that speak directly of the message of salvation are considered relevant to the salvation message? Is the balance of the Bible simply the historical framework which the Gospel message is cast?

    The Bible provides answers to these questions. This is what will be developed as the study continues. God teaches us how to handle the words, phrases, and concepts which at first appear to have no direct relationship to His salvation plan.

Ceremonial Laws Point to Aspects of God’s Salvation Program

    One major way in which God hid the salvation message is in the ceremonial laws. For example, in the Old Testament God instituted the Passover Feast. This was first observed when Israel went out of Egypt, and the angel of death killed the firstborn in homes that did not have the lamb’s blood on the doorpost. The blood of that lamb provided salvation from physical death for the firstborn of their homes. The Bible clearly teaches that that historical event is a picture of the salvation provided through the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our Passover. He is the Lamb which was slain so that we would not come into eternal damnation.
    In addition to the observance of feast days which anticipated the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the ceremonial laws included offerings, sacrifices, food laws, planting laws, and a host of regulations. These are types or figures or representations of spiritual truths which relate to some aspect of salvation. By means of the ceremonial laws God has hidden the salvation message within the Scriptures. An understanding of the spiritual meaning of each aspect of the ceremonial laws will improve the understanding of the salvation message.
    Let us look at another biblical means of understanding the salvation message. When Christ was on earth He declared from time to time that He was about to speak in a parable. He then proceeded to give the parable and concluded His presentation with the spiritual meaning. In these parables Christ presented an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. These parables paralleled the ceremonial observances of the Old Testament, which were earthly observances with a heavenly meaning. The ceremonial laws, therefore, were historical parables; they were earthly experiences of the Israelites that pointed to a spiritual aspect of salvation.
    The third method that God uses to teach spiritual lessons is that of historical events on earth. God shows us in the Scriptures that certain historical incidents were recorded in the Bible so that we might, through them, understand spiritual truth that relates to salvation.

    In Genesis we read of Abraham bearing Ishmael by Hagar and the subsequent expulsion of Hagar and Ishmael from the home of Ishmael and Sarah. In Galatians 4, God calls attention to this historical event to teach the spiritual truth that we have either a salvation that leads to spiritual bondage (typified by Hagar and Ishmael), or a salvation that leads to spiritual freedom (typified by Sarah and Isaac). It is not the purpose of this study to develop this particular truth, but you can read about it in Genesis 21:9-14 and Galatians 4:21-31.
    In Malachi 4 God speaks of the coming of Elijah, and in Matthew 11:11-14 He shows us that the Elijah He referred to was John the Baptist. Thus, God is indicating that Elijah typified John the Baptist.
    These pertinent biblical illustrations demonstrate that the message of salvation is greatly expanded throughout the Scriptures. It is far beyond the clear declarations of salvation as stated in John 3:16, Isaiah 53, and the epistles.
    When God indicates that He is speaking in parables, that an historical event or a person is a type of an aspect of salvation, or that the ceremonial law points to the Lord Jesus Christ, then it is safe to develop spiritual truth from these Scriptural accounts. Do we dare go beyond this and surmise that other historical events, personalities, and concepts might have a spiritual dimension? Are they types and figures of some aspect of the salvation proclamation? The Bible will guide us to the answers.
    In Mark 4 God says, "without a parable spake He not unto them." The use of parables was a common teaching method of the Lord Jesus. In the four Gospels, Jesus sometimes made the point that He was speaking in a parable, for example, the parable of the sower in Luke 8.
    On other occasions, He did not emphasize that He spoke in a parable. He would say, "the kingdom of heaven is," and proceed with a story. This is a parable even though Jesus did not specifically use that word.
    Another example is the story He told of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16. The Bible does not say that it is a parable, but when carefully studied, it is discovered that it must be a parable. If it were an historical event, it would be full of contradictions. For example, we are told that the rich man dies and is buried; therefore, his body is in the grave. Yet, in the next few verses we find that in hell he is described as having his eyes and tongue. However, when his body was buried, he was buried with his eyes and tongue. How then did his eyes and tongue get into hell when his body is in the grave?

    Other contradictions are seen in this story if it is assumed that it is an actual historical event. When viewed as a parable (an earthly story with a heavenly meaning), then the contradictions disappear, and we realize that Christ is not giving us a chronological outline of what happens when we die. He is pointing out important spiritual concepts concerning what happens when someone dies without Christ.
    From these examples it has been shown that God does not necessarily specifically say that a biblical passage is a parable or hat it is meant to indicate spiritual truth which relates to salvation.
    God has given pertinent examples of the Bible’s teaching methods by specifically indicating that either a parable is in view or that an historical event symbolizes spiritual truth. These examples show us the path we ought to follow. They direct us to God’s teaching method. We must apply the teaching method to our Bible study.
    Do we have any additional biblical validation to proceed in this fashion? Can we search for the salvation message in passages that appear to be historical?
    We might approach these questions in this way: in John 20 Jesus speaks of the miracles He did, and He declares in verse 31:

Scripture says that Jesus always taught with parables; it was His teaching method, but the Bible is filled with records of historical events, phrases, and concepts.
    In I Peter 1:11 we read that the Spirit of God spoke through the Old Testament prophets.

particular events were recorded in order that we might know that Jesus is the Christ and through Him we have salvation.
    To assist us in understanding God’s teaching method, the Bible gives examples. For instance, at times Jesus said, "This is a parable." The Bible might declare that a particular historical event has deeper spiritual meaning, but it must be remembered that these are examples. God is intimating that in similar fashion we are to attempt to find the salvation message in all the Scriptures.
    It is taught in many seminaries and elsewhere that one should not look for deeper spiritual meaning unless the Bible expressly indicates that we are to do so. However, these teachers inevitably find, to some degree, that God’s teaching method employs the use of parables far beyond what He has declared to be parables.
    Many of these teachers do not hesitate to acknowledge that a New Testament statement such as "the kingdom of heaven is…" is a parabolic statement even though the Bible does not say it is a parable. They do not hesitate to look at Boaz in the book of Ruth as a figure of Christ, the redeemer, but nowhere in the Bible is there a declaration that Boaz is to be considered a figure of Christ.
    They may consider Joseph, who became prime minister of Egypt, a type of the Lord Jesus Christ. Nowhere in the Bible is Joseph said to be a type or figure of our savior. They may see the leprosy of Naaman the Syrian as a figure or type of sin, etc. Without realizing it, these people are moving in the direction of correct biblical interpretation.
    If Boaz is a representation of Christ, it must be decided who Ruth and Naomi represent, and who or what is represented by the other kinsmen, the cities, and the other historical elements in the written account. If Joseph is a figure of the Lord Jesus Christ, what do the other elements represent that are interwoven in the historical account of Joseph in the Old Testament? The answers must be pursued by each believer as he attempts to unravel the salvation story from these historical events.
    When a statement in the Bible appears to have no direct bearing on salvation, we must look for a deeper spiritual meaning of that statement that relates to salvation. We may not discover what the salvation teaching is, but that does not mean that it is not there, hidden within the historical account.
    Numerous conversations, events, and personalities are recorded in the Bible that point to the Lord Jesus Christ or to some other

aspect of salvation. These historical personalities and events are like parables. Millions of conversations and events that could have been incorporated into the Bible were not. God specifically chose those that are written down because they relate to and teach some aspect of His salvation program.
    Many passages do not easily reveal the wealth of truth hidden within them. The diligent Bible student may spend hours with one verse or passage, but not discover the deeper spiritual meaning which he suspects is hidden there. This is God’s way of keeping us humble as we study the Bible. Often we will have to admit that we do not know the full teaching of a particular passage. Another student at another time may receive the insights we sought in that passage. Like the Bereans, the child of God will continue to search the Scriptures to find the nuggets of truth that God in His grace might reveal to him.
    The Bible is God’s message of salvation to the human race. The golden thread that runs through the Bible is the declaration that there is a way to escape damnation. God selected each conversation and historical incident in the Bible to present an aspect of His marvelous redemption plan. The message of salvation may be hidden deep within the biblical language, but it is the task and joy of the believer to search out this passage.
    Generally, if a Bible statement relates directly to an aspect of the message of salvation, there is no deeper spiritual meaning. For example, when the Bible speaks directly of salvation, spiritual rule in the church, obedience of believers to Christ, the return of Christ, or Judgment Day, we are not to look for deeper meaning. These subjects are in themselves the basic message of the Bible.
    When the Bible tells us about Abraham seeking a wife for Isaac, David fleeing from Saul, Jesus healing the sick, and the shipwreck of the Apostle Paul, it is certain that these messages are included to teach us about salvation. We discover this by regarding these accounts as historical parables.
    The more diligently we study the Bible to understand the fundamental doctrines of God’s salvation plan, the better equipped we will be to search out the deeper spiritual meanings hidden within the historical events.
    We will find that a beautiful harmony exists between the spiritual meaning and the message of salvation of a passage. This will appear in the measure that our interpretation harmonizes with the truth of the Gospel message.

    Unfortunately, many theologians and pastors have inadequate knowledge of the message of salvation. As a result, they have extreme difficulty in finding the heavenly meaning hidden within the earthly stories. They ridicule the principle that God has hidden the salvation message within historical statements. This criticism does not invalidate the principle that the salvation message is found in the deeper spiritual meaning of an event.
    Is it dangerous to attempt to discover spiritual meaning within the Bible? Will this lead to fanciful interpretations? Would it be better to leave this idea and cease from any attempt to find the Gospel declaration on every page of Scripture?
    These are serious questions. We never want to read anything into the Scriptures that God never put there. As we seek out this third level of meaning within the Bible account, it is important to remember these three rules:

    1. The spiritual meaning must relate to the gospel of salvation. Salvation is the message of the Bible. It will not do to look at an historical account and try to identify it with certain political nations or a contemporary phenomenon. The spiritual meaning always relates to the Gospel program. This is seen in the parables of Jesus and in the Old Testament presentation of the ceremonial law.

    Many theologians realize that the ten horns of the dragon of Revelation 13 and Revelation 17 represent something, but they have decided that they represent the ten nations of the European Common Market.
    We can know that their conclusion is erroneous. Political nations of Europe and economic factors in our world have nothing to do with salvation. If nations are involved in God’s salvation plan, only two nations can be in view: the nation that is called the kingdom of God and the nation that is called the kingdom of Satan, which includes all the political nations of the world.
    The ten horns of the dragon in Revelation 13 and Revelation 17 cannot refer to the kingdom of Christ; they must refer to the dominion of Satan. The number ten spiritually signifies completeness. In this instance, it signifies the completeness of Satan’s rule in the world prior to Judgment Day.
    When this is understood, all the biblical passages which concern the ten horns are harmonized.

    2. Within an historical situation, to identify words or concepts with spiritual truth, we must have biblical validation. For example, we frequently find the words "stone" and "rock" in the Bible. Due to the fact that in many verses a stone or a rock is identified with the Lord Jesus Christ, we can attempt to make this application in an historical situation. We have seen that a "sower" can be identified with one who brings the Gospel, and "seed" can be identified with the Word of God.

    3. If we have reason to believe that the third level of meaning is within a particular historical statement – that it can apply spiritually to the Gospel – the conclusions we derive from our analysis of that historical situation must be in agreement with everything else the Bible teaches concerning the nature of salvation. If we reach a conclusion that is contrary to the teaching of the rest of the Bible concerning salvation, we immediately know that we have not correctly understood the spiritual meaning of the passage.

    If these three rules are carefully observed, we will be on safe ground as we study the Bible to discover its deeper spiritual meaning.
    Do we run grave risks in attempting to spiritualize statements of the Bible? Some have done this and they ended up with wrong teachings concerning the message of salvation. We must be exceedingly careful in how we deal with the Holy Scriptures. The Word of God is never to be considered a mere plaything of men.
    Many have expressed the fear that "spiritualizing" the Bible will lead people away from the true Gospel. This can happen only when we violate the three rules outlined above. If these rules are strictly followed, the understanding of the Gospel of salvation can be nothing but what the Bible teaches.
    Every theologian, Bible teacher, and preacher living today looks for the deeper spiritual meaning whenever he is able to do so. Anyone who analyzes the ceremonial laws in order to understand the character of the coming Messiah and His salvation program is looking for deeper spiritual meaning. Anyone who suggests that Joseph (who was sold into Egypt by his brothers, eventually became the prime minister of that country, and saved his family from starvation), was a great type of Christ, has begun to find the deeper spiritual meaning within the historical context. No one can biblically fault the idea that we are to look for the deeper spiritual meaning within the historical context.

    Those who say that they accept the Bible literally and would not dare spiritualize (that is, look for a deeper spiritual meaning relating to salvation), actually do spiritualize when it is convenient; for example, what theologian would dare each that the beast that comes from the sea and has seven heads and ten horns is a literal physical beast? Even though the Bible does not say that the beast is to be considered a picture or figure of some aspect of God’s salvation plan, theologians correctly see it as a representative of Satan or of his dominion.
    We have no other choice than to examine every passage of the Bible to discover deeper spiritual truth. This requires hours of exceedingly diligent work; God wrote the Bible in such a way that we are encouraged to search the Scriptures. We receive our reward when we find that a particular historical account unfolds into a dramatic and beautiful picture of salvation.
    The spiritual meaning may be obvious, as it is in Isaiah 53, the Gospel of John, and the epistles. It may be hidden in parables, as it is in Matthew 13. It may be hidden in the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament; it may be buried more deeply in the historical events and conversations of the Bible. These historical events were chosen by God for inclusion in the Bible because of the deeper spiritual truths of salvation which are hidden within them.
    The dominant message of the Bible is salvation, but the biblical writing of the earthly story may appear awkward. Through this awkwardness, God provides the message of salvation. This particular language is necessary in order to reveal the beautiful truth of the parables.
    The Bible’s historical events were chosen by God to hide within them deeper spiritual truths concerning salvation; as a result, they have heavenly meaning. For example, in Deuteronomy 34 we read that God buried Moses and no one ever found his sepulcher. No one else in the Bible was treated in this peculiar fashion. We may be puzzled because Moses struck the rock when God had commanded him to speak to it, and he was not permitted to enter the land of Canaan. This seems like cruel punishment for a faithful leader like Moses. These two events can be understood when we grasp the fact that in these passages God presents Moses as a figure or representative of the law, and the land of Canaan is a picture of salvation. Joshua, who led the children of Israel into the land of Canaan, is presented as a figure of the Lord Jesus Christ, who brings us into salvation. The law ends when salvation begins. Moses, who typified the law in this context, died without entering into the

Promised Land; keeping the law cannot bring us into salvation. When God subjected Christ to hell for our sins, the demands of the law that the penalty be paid for sins was fulfilled. God’s action in punishing Christ ended the law’s demands. Thus, the believer does not enter into salvation by keeping the law. Instead, he enters into heaven by the grace of God (typified by Joshua).
    The account of Moses when he struck the rock (and water came forth to satisfy the thirst of the Israelites), can be understood if we see Moses as a figure of the law. The rock is a figure of Christ. The water is the Gospel that flows from Christ. Moses (the law) struck the rock (that is, the law brought judgment on Christ), therefore, water (the Gospel of salvation) could flow from the rock (from Christ) to satisfy the thirst (the spiritual thirst) of those who drank the water.
    Another example of what may appear to be awkward language is found in the Book of Ruth. Ruth and Orpah, daughters-in-law of Naomi, said to Naomi in Ruth 1:10, "Surely we will return with thee unto thy people." In the historical context they would not have used the word "return," which implies that they had been there previously. However, God chose this word because these two women are a picture of the human race. The human race began with God in the Garden of Eden and through the Lord Jesus Christ they return to God.
    Awareness of the principle that within the historical record God has hidden deep spiritual truths which concern the nature of salvation should cause a Bible translator to be exceedingly careful about the words he uses. He should never substitute an original word with another word that appears to him to be more convenient or salutary. For example, in the original languages God frequently used the word "blood" in phrases such as "the shedding of blood." Some translators have actually substituted the word "death" for the phrase "shedding of blood." The shedding of blood does emphasize death; nevertheless, the word "blood" has implications beyond the word "death," and this kind of substitution should not be made.
    Throughout the Bible, numerous historical conversations, events, and personalities are types or figures which point to the Lord Jesus Christ or an aspect of the salvation program. These historical personalities and events are to be looked upon as parables.
    Historical events are types or shadows of God’s salvation program; thus, these historical events are in affect historical parables.

    The study will continue with an examination of a few historical personalities and events that have hidden within them the third level of meaning, which relates to the Gospel of salvation.

Historical Personalities and Events and the Gospel of Salvation

    Some events and personalities which point to Christ and the salvation message are obvious. Moses, who is sometimes presented as a figure of the law ("Moses and the prophets"), is also presented as a figure of our Savior. When he led the children of Israel out of Egypt, he was shown to be a type of Christ, who leads us out of the bondage of sin and into the security of salvation. In Deuteronomy 18: 15 Moses, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, declared: "The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet, from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken." That Prophet was the Lord Jesus Christ, who was "like unto" or typified by Moses.
    David is another type of Christ. As shepherd and as king, he was a figure of Christ, who is the Good Shepherd and the King who rules over the kingdom we enter when we are saved. When David penned the words of Psalm 69, he was speaking of his personal experiences, but by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit he was anticipating the sufferings of Christ, who spiritually, and to a much greater degree, would go through the same experiences.
    Joshua, who led the children of Israel out of the wilderness and into the land of Canaan, is another type of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is shown particularly in Hebrews 4. Canaan was the land of physical rest for those in the nation of Israel who followed Joshua. Citizenship in heaven (salvation), is the land of spiritual rest for those who follow the Lord Jesus Christ. The name Joshua (Hebrew) is identical to the name Jesus (Greek) in the New Testament.
    The nation of Israel is frequently presented to us in the Bible as a type of those who are to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is seen in the language of Galatians 3 where God declares in verse 7, "Know ye therefore, that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham," and in verse 29, "And if ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Israel in the flesh, also called national Israel, is the physical. seed of Abraham, but in Galatians 3 God says that eternal Israel consists of those who are In Christ, regardless of nationality.

    The list of types and shadows which is displayed in the Old Testament is a long one. Egypt, for example, is presented as a figure of being in bondage to sin, the way we are before we are saved, The passage of Israel through the Red Sea under the leadership of Moses is a beautiful picture of the redemption provided for us through the Lord Jesus Christ.
    The wilderness sojourn of Israel is a dramatic picture of the sojourn of believers in the wilderness of this world while they travel towards the completion of salvation -the return of Christ on the last day. The entrance of Israel into the land of Canaan is a picture of our entrance into the fullness of salvation when we receive our resurrected bodies on the last day.
    In the New Testament, God continues to provide numerous types and figures that appeared throughout history and pointed to aspects of the salvation program The Bible declares in John 20:30-31:

as Lazarus was physically dead. Lazarus had no will or capacity of his own to respond to the command of Jesus, and we have no desire or will within our lost souls to respond to His command to be saved.
    The Bible teaches in Romans 3: 11, "there is none that seeketh after God." Ephesians 2: 1 indicates that we "were dead in trespasses and sins." How can a spiritual corpse respond to the Gospel call?
    Incomprehensibly, there are those who hear the Gospel, respond, and believe. As Lazarus was raised from physical death, we are "risen with Christ" (Colossians 3:1). In Christ we are raised from spiritual death into spiritual life.

The Gospel in the Book of Ruth

    The Book of Ruth gives an accurate record of events of history; however, the book was written in the genre of a parable in which God gives us insights into the marvelous salvation provided through the Lord Jesus Christ.
    The cursed Moabite woman, Ruth, represents all who by nature are under the curse of sin but who respond to the Gospel. Boaz, the kinsman-redeemer who bought and married Ruth, is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ, who purchased us so that we might become His bride. Orpah, Ruth's sister-in-law, who decided to stay in Moab, typifies those who hear the Gospel and are attracted to it, but who decide to stay in their old lives rather than follow the Lord Jesus Christ.
    Naomi represents national Israel. During a famine, she and her family left Bethlehem and went to live in the land of Moab. As a result, her husband and sons died, and she was left a widow. In similar fashion, national Israel repeatedly turned away from God and as a result was cut off from being the wife of God. A seed was raised up for the family of Naomi through the marriage of Boaz and Ruth; and Christ, our Redeemer, came from Israel. The son born to Boaz and Ruth was also called kinsman-redeemer (Ruth 4:14). He, too, was a figure of Christ.

Nehemiah, the Cupbearer of the King

    Another Old Testament historical parable that teaches the Gospel is the record of Nehemiah. Nehemiah, who was the cupbearer of King Artaxerxes, went to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall. He is a

dramatic picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. The cupbearer would die if the king's drink was poisoned. Christ died as the result of drinking the cup of God's wrath, which He did to save the sinners who were to become children of the King. Nehemiah's work was to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. Christ's work on the cross built the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, which includes all who believe in Him as a savior.

Abram, a Figure of Christ

    In Genesis 12 is the account of Abraham when he went to Egypt because there was a famine in his land. While he was in Egypt, Pharaoh thought that Sarai was Abram's sister, and he took her into his house. This historical event is a picture of the marriage between Christ (typified by Abram), and His people (typified by Sarai). Sarai was not only the half sister of Abram, she was also his wife. Similarly, we who believe in Christ are called His brothers and His bride. The world of sin, represented by Egypt, desires to have the bride of Christ (Sarai). Abram was afraid that Pharaoh would kill him to obtain Sarai; Satan wanted Christ killed because he thought that as a result he could have the bride of Christ.
    God presents the Gospel in the Old Testament in numerous ways, including the use of the historical parable. God meant it when He declared in Hebrews 4:2 that the Gospel was preached to Old Testament Israel as well as to us.

We and the Thieves on the Cross

    God also uses historical parables in the New Testament. For example, the two thieves who were crucified with Christ- at first, they both reviled Christ but one of them came to believe in Him. The other thief continued to revile Him until he died.
    This is a picture of the Gospel as it is preached to all mankind. We are like the two thieves in that, by nature, we are in rebellion against God. Left to ourselves, we revile Him and refuse to turn to Christ. Most of the human race lives and dies in this rebellion, just as did the thief who died in unbelief.
    There are those who hear the Word and respond to it. They become born-again believers. They are represented by the thief who

submitted to the authority of Christ, and pleaded, "remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom." In gracious compassion, Christ declared, "Today shalt thou be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:42-43).
    The thief who responded to Christ brought the Gospel to the other thief. He said, in Luke 23:40-41:

these signs shall follow them that believe. The Bible does not declare that these signs will follow the apostles. Rather, it says these signs will follow those who believe. That is, they will be in evidence wherever believers are found.
    However, unless we understand the principle set forth in this study that is derived from Mark 4, that Christ spoke in parables, and without a parable He did not speak with them, we have no way of understanding these verses. The fact is, many doubt that a good part of Mark 16 even belongs in the Holy Canon. It is easy to sympathize with them if we expect verses 17 and 18 to be understood as physical truth. There is no possibility of making sense of these verses if they are to be understood physically as they stand.
    However, when we look upon these five signs that follow believers to discover the spiritual meaning hidden within them, we not only find harmony with the rest of the Bible, but we can also know that only God could have written these verses. Indeed, we can be certain that without question these verses are an integral part of the Holy Canon.
    The first sign that will follow those who believe is that in Christ's "name shall they cast out devils." This is a figure that points to those who will become saved when the Gospel is sent forth by believers. Those who are not saved are in Satan' s dominion. When they become saved, it is as if devils have been cast out of them. That is, they are no longer under the power of Satan. They have been translated into the kingdom of Christ. The miracle that people are saved from Satan's power takes place wherever the Gospel is proclaimed by believers. Indeed this sign always follows those who believe.
    The second sign that follows believers is that they shall speak with new tongues. The spiritual meaning of this figure is found in the fact that each nation has its own language. The language spoken by the unsaved (regardless of political language), is that of the dominion of Satan. The language of the believer is that of the kingdom of God. Even if the same English or German or French words are used in both kingdoms, the language used by the believer is different from that of the unbeliever. The words may be the same, but their meanings and applications to the speaker will be quite different. We are reminded of the Old Testament prophecy of Psalm 40:3: "He hath put a new song in my mouth," and Psalm 98:1: "0 sing unto the LORD a new song." Indeed, wherever believers are found, we find them speaking with new tongues.

    The third sign that will follow those who believe is that they will take up serpents. In the Bible the serpent typifies Satan (Rev. 12:9). Before we are saved, we are under Satan's power. He rules over us; but when we become saved, we rule over him. To use the figure of Mark 16:18, we are like the snake handler who takes up the snake. Wherever believers are found, there will be those who rule over Satan as they plunder his house of those who are being saved.
    The fourth sign that follows those who believe is "if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them." When we become saved, we drank the pure water of the Gospel. To listen to a false gospel is to drink poison. For example, in Deuteronomy 32:32, 33, God faults ancient Israel for their idol worship by declaring:

    2. The spiritual identification of elements within the parable of the historical account must be found in the Bible and must have biblical validation.

    3. The spiritual conclusion must be in total agreement with everything in the Bible that relates to the nature of salvation.

Put Coals of Fire on Your Enemies

    The last illustration is in Romans 12:20, where we read:

    First, this was a command to ancient Israel and it required obedience. They literally were not to plow land with an ox and a donkey yoked together. If anyone did this, he was in rebellion against God. Whether or not they could see the rationale of the command was irrelevant; they were to be obedient. It was a command that had an historical level of meaning.
    Second, it teaches moral and spiritual truth, perhaps in the sense that it would be cruel to harness a small donkey to a large ox. However, the command prohibits harnessing an ass with an ox; they were not to harness a large donkey and a small ox, even if they were of more equal size.
    On a deeper level: In the Old Testament an ox was a clean animal, and the ass or the donkey was an unclean animal. Clean animals typified the people who were to become clean through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. The unclean animals typified those who were of the world and would remain in rebellion against God. In II Corinthians 6:14 God commands, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers." In Luke 16:13 Jesus laid down the same principle with the words:

    In the Bible, oxen were frequently offered as burnt offerings or as blood sacrifices. Therefore, oxen, like sheep, often typified and pointed to the Lord Jesus Christ, who represented a burnt offering by shedding His blood for our sins. Could the ox in Deuteronomy 22:lO be a reference to our Lord?
    If so, what about the ass? It was never offered as a burnt offering. Nothing in the Bible suggests that it represents our Lord. It is found, however, that the ass does typify someone. It typifies people who need salvation. In Exodus 34:20 we read:

prohibits yoking an ox and an ass together is an historic parable that points to the truth that we are saved by Christ's work alone and not by our own.
    This cryptic verse, Deuteronomy 22:10, opens us a wealth of information when examined for the three levels of meaning. The Bible is a rich mine when carefully studied verse by verse.