PROPHECY: LITERAL OR FIGURATIVE?
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Part Two:
THE BIBLE 
EXPLAINS PROPHETIC FIGURES
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Figurative prophecy does not begin in Revelation. It begins in Genesis! Pharaoh had a dream that he did not understand. He summoned Joseph, who explained: "God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do: The seven good cows are seven years... And the seven thin and ugly cows which came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty heads blighted by the east wind are seven years of famine’" (Genesis 41:25-27). Prophecy in figurative language in the first book of the Bible. 

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Common sense says that beasts in prophecy are figurative. But of what? An example is found in Daniel 8:20,21: "The ram which you saw, having the two horns---they are the kings of Media and Persia. And the male goat is the kingdom of Greece." Prophecy in figurative language. The Bible says so.

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One time in the temple, Jesus foretold his resurrection. The Jews totally missed it. They thought He was speaking literally. John 2:19-21 explains: "Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ Then the Jews said, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?’ But He was speaking of the temple of His body." This prophecy was not to be literally fulfilled as the Jews supposed. Jesus spoke of "this temple" in a figurative sense. The Bible says so. 

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On the day of Pentecost, Peter explains a prophecy which in part is figurative. He quotes Psalms 16 where David is speaking: "I... my... me." To be literally fulfilled, it would have to refer to David himself. Rather, Peter carefully shows that David was not speaking of himself, but rather of Jesus, his physical descendent (Acts 2:25-32). The prophecy seems to be literally speaking of David; however, it is figuratively speaking of Jesus. Peter explains and proves the figure. 
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"Stars" as Important People
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Common sense has shown that stars in prophecy are, at least sometimes, figurative. But of what? All the way back in Genesis, Joseph’s prophetic dreams included stars. His father, Jacob, clearly understood that the eleven stars were not literal, but rather symbolized Joseph’s eleven brothers (Genesis 37:9,10). 

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The stars in Revelation 1:16,20 have already been seen to be angels (messengers). Whether they be heavenly angels or human messengers, the stars are living beings, as in Genesis. This figurative use of stars in the Bible agrees with the usage in daily life. We speak of movie stars and stars in sports---real people. 
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The Prophecy Concerning Elijah
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Four hundred years before Christ, the Old Testament closes thus: "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse" (Malachi 4:5,6).

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Elijah is coming! Is this supposed to have a literal fulfillment--- Elijah himself is coming? Or is this to be understood figuratively (symbolically, spiritually)---someone like Elijah is coming? There is nothing in the context to indicate one way or the other. Therefore, we might assume it is literal, unless---unless---God clearly tells us otherwise.

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Matthew 17:10-13 is a key text: "And His disciples asked Him, saying, ‘Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?’ Then Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Elijah truly is coming first and will restore all things. But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished’... Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist." 

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John the Baptist was Elijah. Not literally, of course (see John 1:21), but spiritually. Gabriel told Zacharias that John the Baptist "will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children’ " (Luke 1:17). The last expression is a direct quotation of the Malachi prophecy. So Gabriel is saying that John the Baptist is the fulfillment of the Elijah prophecy. Gabriel and Jesus agree: the prophecy was not fulfilled literally. It was fulfilled figuratively (spiritually). "The Bible tells me so." 
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Jesus’ Kingdom
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It is a well-known fact that the Jews of Jesus’ day were awaiting the fulfillment of numerous Old Testament prophecies regarding the King and his Kingdom. It is also well known that they were expecting a literal, physical kingdom. 

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If Jesus had in mind setting up a literal kingdom, there was no better time than after the feeding of the 5,000. The Jews were so stirred up that "they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king" (John 6:15). Far from seizing the opportunity, Jesus "departed again to a mountain by Himself alone." When the crowds found Him the next day, He preached a powerful sermon, contrasting the physical with the spiritual (6:26-65). The net result? "From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more." From what time? From the time Jesus refused to become a literal, physical king. From the time He declared to the multitudes the superiority of the spiritual over the physical. 

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Over and again, Jesus declared "The Kingdom of Heaven is like..." and followed with a parable that in no way relates to a literal, physical kingdom. Rather, these parables tell of such things as the seed, which is the Word of God, and the net gathering fish, which is the final day of judgment. 

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Before He was crucified, Jesus made it clear to Pilate: "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews" (John 18:36). The Son of David would not have a kingdom like David. David fought for a physical kingdom. He slaughtered Goliath; he conquered Jerusalem from the Jebusites; he greatly extended his earthly domains. But Jesus would not take up arms either to save his own life or rescue Jerusalem from the Romans. "My kingdom is not of this world." Jesus did come to fulfill the kingdom prophecies. Listen to his words: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15). Since the time was fulfilled and the kingdom was at hand, of necessity it had to be set up soon after Jesus spoke. However, all agree that no physical kingdom was set up in the first century. A spiritual kingdom, however, was set up! 

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Thus the King and Kingdom prophecies of the Old Testament must not be interpreted literally. Rather, they must be interpreted figuratively. It is a spiritual Kingdom with a spiritual message, a spiritual King and a spiritual hope. 
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Looking for Figurative Keys
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There is no escaping the conclusion: many Bible prophecies must be interpreted figuratively, symbolically, spiritually. Indeed, all these examples should alert us to the need to always consider the possibility of a figurative interpretation. When the Bible clearly declares a figure, it may be a key to open up the understanding of other prophecies. 

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In some prophecies, for example, stars must be interpreted figuratively, either by the rule of common sense or because the Bible tells us so. In other prophecies there may be a doubt. What then? The Bible sometimes shows stars to be important people. This can become a key. It can alert us to the possibility that unexplained stars in other prophecies may be important people. 

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A caution must be expressed about such "keys" to interpreting prophecy. It is just like keys to a literal lock: if the key fits-- if it helps to make sense out of the prophecy---well and good; use it. If the key does not fit, does not make sense, reject it for that prophecy. 

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An important key to unlocking several "time" prophecies is found in Ezekiel 4:6: "a day for each year." Some "time" prophecies, indeed, must be taken literally, such as Jeremiah’s prophecy of the 70-year captivity. The 70-week prophecy, on the other hand, simply was not fulfilled---if a literal interpretation is forced. But take it figuratively, as most believers do, apply the day-for-a-year rule, and it becomes one of the most powerful prophecies of Scripture. (See Daniel 9 for both prophecies.) 

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Many today are looking for the future literal fulfillment of prophecies that have already been fulfilled---figuratively. They seem to be like the woman at the well, who had a hard time grasping that Jesus was not talking about literal water. They do not comprehend that the same Jesus who is spiritually a door, spiritually a shepherd, and spiritually a lamb, is also spiritually a king. They do not comprehend that the same people who are spiritually the body of Christ, spiritually the family of God, and spiritually the temple of God, are also spiritually the kingdom of God. 
Attitude may be involved. Willingness to believe Jesus’ word may be involved. What did Jesus say? "For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come." (Matthew 11:13-15). If we are willing to receive it, many prophecies receive their true fulfillment figuratively. 

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Literal or figurative? It all depends. Clearly some prophecies should be interpreted literally. Just as clearly, other prophecies should be interpreted figuratively. One should not have a prejudice for either the literal or the figurative. It is not an "either-or" matter. The student of God’s Word must have an open mind and a willing heart to accept what the evidence shows in each case. 
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(from VOL. 34, NO. 4, 1996)
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NOTE: This is one of many articles on prophecy by the writer of this one. If you are interested in reading these valuable articles, E-mail.(click here) us and we will send you a list of the ones that he has written. Then you can let us know the ones you would like to read. We will forward your requests on to the author as well as particular questions you might have on prophecy.
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