King's Business - 1959-08

also when we see that the other numbers involved in the samples which fit this pattern include more of the so- called symbolic numbers than those that are not, and that they carried through literally to the fulfillment. After all, what the amillennialist wants is a long time, which he is willing to admit must be a time characterized by completion or fulfillment, but while he recognizes that the number 1,000 nicely symbolizes such a period, he is very insistent that it must not be exactly a thousand years, as if to imply that if it should happen to coincide with the symbol, which is adequate, it would be a calamity. So it would — to his system — but not to God’s ordered mind and purposes. Of course, the fulfillment of the thousand years’ proph ecy of John in Revelation 20 is yet future (all attempts to establish a fulfillment of this period in the past have failed to appeal to the careful student of Scripture). We have carefully applied the principle of the analogy of Scripture to this literary pattern and rhetorical form in the twentieth chapter of the Revelation and have selected parallels in which there are present the three elements of the pattern of prophecy that appear in the Revelation passage, plus the fourth, the fulfillment, which is present in the other examples, but remains open in the latter. To be more specific, we have chosen situations in which numbers are present, both the so-called numbers and other numbers as well, and have presented cases where the identity has changed from the vision to the interpre tation, and one case where it did not (Dan. 4). Both the Old and New Testaments are represented. It would seem, then, that so far as the possible future fulfillment of the prediction of a literal period of 1,000 years in God’s redemptive program is concerned, the burden of proof rests with him who denies it. END.

This can be seen clearly by means of this chart: TH E PA T T E R N OF PRO PH E C Y Scripture Vision

Interpretation Prediction Fulfillment

11 brothers 11 brothers

Gen. 37

11 brothers 11 brothers

11 stars 11 sheaves 3 branches 3 baskets 4 parts of the image 7 times 4 beasts 10 horns 3 days & 3 nights 7 kine

Gen. 40

3 days 3 days 7 years

Gen. 41 Dan. 2 Dan. 4 Dan. 7

4 Kingdoms 4 Kingdoms 4 Kingdoms

7 times 4 kings 10 kings 3 days & 3 nights

Jonah 1 & Matt. 12 & 27:63; 28

Rev. 20 1,000 years When we put the passage in Revelation 20 into this pattern, we see immediately that while to some it might seem to be weakened, in that the interpretation is absent so far as the thousand years are concerned, we have on the other hand the thousand years, and not a thousand of something else, in the vision to begin with,, and in that respect it parallels the case of the seven times of Daniel 4. In both instances there is no change between the number and the identity between the vision and the prediction. The argument advanced by some that the thousand years are one of the so-called symbolic numbers, and could not be expected to be fulfilled literally, evaporates 1,000 years

W e A r e Doing I t A ga in ! OFFERING FRIENDS OF BIOLA A FABULOUS BUY IN A S C O F IE LD R E F E R EN C E B IB L E BIOLA ’s Own L A M I R A D A E D I T I O N

Black Binding: S im u l a t e d L e a t h e r with C l o t h L in in g — will wear better and last longer than most all other bindings. Red under Gold edges —as in all deluxe bindings.

Concordance —Regular Oxford Bi ble Concordance. India Paper — Printed on highest grade Oxford India Paper only y8 inch thick—weighs only 1 lb., 10 oz. Brevier Type — the largest type in which S c o f i e l d B i b l e s are printed.

Regular $15.50 Value ONLY »12o° Postpaid - Taxpaid Save $3.50

AN IDEAL GRADUATION GIFT for the High School or College Graduate. Place your orders today. Cash, Check or Money Order must accompany your order. Orders will be filled within 24 hours. D i o l a B o o k R o o m 5 6 0 S O U T H H O P E S T R E E T LOS A N G E L E S 1 7 , C A L I F .

AUGUST, 1959

Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker