The ROOT cause of our disagreement

[John Hancock]

One of the most marked features of Premillennialism in all its forms is the emphasis which it places on the literal interpretation of Scripture. It is the insistent claim of its advocates that only when interpreted literally is the Bible interpreted truly; and they denounce as “spiritualizers” or “allegorizers” those who do not interpret the Bible with the same degree of literalness as they do. None have made this charge more pointedly than the Dispensationalists. The question of literal versus figurative interpretation is, therefore, one which has to be faced at the very outset.

Oswald T. Allis, Prophesy and the Church, p. 17.

The question whether the Old Testament prophecies concerning the people of God must be interpreted in their ordinary sense, as other Scriptures are interpreted, or can properly be applied to the Christian Church, is called the question of the spiritualization of prophecy. This is one of the major problems of biblical interpretation, and confronts everyone who makes a serious study of the Word of God. It is one of the chief keys to the difference of opinion between Premillennarians and the mass of Christian scholars. The former reject such spiritualization, the latter employ it; and as long as there is no agreement on this point the debate is interminable and fruitless.

Oswald T. Allis,  Prophesy and the Church, p. 238.

[Michael37]

25 minutes ago, John Hancock said:

One of the most marked features of Premillennialism in all its forms is the emphasis which it places on the literal interpretation of Scripture. It is the insistent claim of its advocates that only when interpreted literally is the Bible interpreted truly; and they denounce as “spiritualizers” or “allegorizers” those who do not interpret the Bible with the same degree of literalness as they do. None have made this charge more pointedly than the Dispensationalists. The question of literal versus figurative interpretation is, therefore, one which has to be faced at the very outset.

Oswald T. Allis, Prophesy and the Church, p. 17.

The question whether the Old Testament prophecies concerning the people of God must be interpreted in their ordinary sense, as other Scriptures are interpreted, or can properly be applied to the Christian Church, is called the question of the spiritualization of prophecy. This is one of the major problems of biblical interpretation, and confronts everyone who makes a serious study of the Word of God. It is one of the chief keys to the difference of opinion between Premillennarians and the mass of Christian scholars. The former reject such spiritualization, the latter employ it; and as long as there is no agreement on this point the debate is interminable and fruitless.

Oswald T. Allis,  Prophesy and the Church, p. 238.

Let there be disagreement as long as it doesn't become demeaning.

There are some things in the Bible that I consider to be personifications, obviously so, and it is painful to hear preachers struggling to explain them as literal.

[enoob57]

The Bible was written to all peoples of all times and cultures... The writing itself is a work of The Holy Spirit and claims it's sufficiency in the communication of such:
2 Timothy 3:15 (KJV)

[15] And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

[16] All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

[17] That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

There is a science of understanding written material called hermeneutics. Where one can properly contextualize so as the intended meaning of writ is gained throughout all times and cultures. Scripture interprets Scripture and anything outside of Scripture is suspect in it's correctness... if the literalist aspect of Scripture is removed then God telling us this is false:
2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)

[15] Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

This verse also tells us there are divisions within The Scripture that must be acknowledged in order to properly handle the word of truth...

Scripture also says this:
2 Peter 1:20 (KJV)

[20] Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

Putting the facts together 1. written to all people in all cultures 2. the Scriptures themselves accomplishes perfection within the follower. 3. study must be done and it will be hard work by rightly paying attention to Scriptures divisions. 4 Scripture is of no private interpretation.  
All this leaving no other conclusion than the literal interpretation ... with divisions necessary to be acknowledged. 

[Stewardofthemystery]

The proper interpretation of scripture belongs to God and to those whom God has revealed it to By HIS SPIRIT.

The carnally minded man ( natural man) cannot receive/understand the things of the Spirit of God because they are “spiritually discerned”

 

1 Corinthians 2:11-14

 

King James Version

 

 

¹¹ For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, “but the Spirit of God.”

¹² Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

¹³ Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, “but which the Holy Ghost teacheth;” comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

¹⁴ But “the natural man” receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: ((neither can he know them,)) because they are “spiritually discerned.”

[Keras]

Lifting the veil:

How is it that so many people who study Bible prophecy cannot see the forthcoming fire judgement? The forthcoming Lord’s Day, when He will send His fiery wrath upon His enemies.  The forthcoming Day the Lord will send His fiery wrath, a disaster of similar magnitude as Noah’s Flood.

It must be attributed to Scriptures that say it will only be possible to know God’s plans just prior to the end time events. ¹  Also many are sticking to incorrect ideas, such as a pre Tribulation ‘rapture’ and a nuclear war and they misplace or ignore prophetic verses. ² 

Over one hundred scriptures tell of a terrible Day of fire and earthquakes, that will affect all of the world – vivid details of a tremendous destruction that cannot be matched with the war of Gog and Magog or the Return of Jesus.³  Prophesy tells plainly how the Middle East countries and cities will be destroyed, ⁴  and that God will turn the weapons of those commencing to attack the State of Israel upon their own heads. ⁵

The nature and extent of this fire judgement rules out any man made explanation. It is clearly stated that the Lord Himself will instigate His Day of vengeance and wrath upon all the inhabitants of the earth. ⁶  

The verses in Isaiah 30:26...the sun will shine with seven times its normal strength... and Malachi 4:1 The Day comes, burning like a furnace, are the ones that tell us exactly what means the Lord will use to carry it out. There has, in the past been sunspot activity that has seriously affected the earth, but a really large Coronal Mass Ejection will cause all the prophesied devastation and deaths worldwide. ⁷   This terrifying and shocking disaster of a fireball that envelopes the earth, will hit suddenly and unexpectedly, killing anyone caught outside. ⁸   Millions will die from the initial strike and millions more from the fighting and famine afterwards. ⁹

 

To re-establish law and order, a One World government will be agreed to, with the world divided into ten regions, each headed by its own president. ¹⁰   In Israel, the Messianic Jewish remnant who survive by hiding underground, ¹¹ will be joined by their Christian brethren ¹²

  God knows who they are and He will motivate them to emigrate to the new nation of Beulah, to all of that area promised to the Patriarchs. ¹³  They will experience the great blessings that God has promised to His righteous faithful Christian people and they will fulfill their destiny. ¹⁴

In a few years, a world dictator will come to power and will eventually take control of Beulah and he will desecrate the new Temple. This starts the Great Tribulation, then 3½ years later Jesus returns to commence His Millennium reign. ¹⁵

 

Just when do we get to truly understand the prophetic Scriptures? It cannot be that God will say to us after the end times have all happened, “Ha Ha, you dummies, for all your philosophy, sciences and religious studies, you couldn’t figure out what I gave you in your Bible.”

No, God will lift the veil from the minds of the few who earnestly seek the truth, those who put aside preconceived notions and renounce erroneous teachings. ¹⁶ 

1 Thessalonians 5:4 You, friends, are not in the dark...

  The Lord will enlighten us if we search the Word, in humility and with the right motives.₁₇   And put aside all theories and fables taught by well intentioned, but wrong; pastors and teachers. ₁₈

                                                                      

 (1) Isaiah 32:3, Isaiah 35:5, Amos 3:7, Daniel 12:9-10, Revelation 1:1 

(2) Isaiah 8:16-22, Isaiah 29:11-14, 2 Timothy 4:3

 (3) Jeremiah 25:30-31, Zechariah 2:13, Psalms 11:4-6, Psalms 18:13, Isaiah 13:6-13, Matthew 3:12

 (4) Psalms 83:13-18, Amos 1:2-15, Micah 4:11-12, Zephaniah 2:1-7, Ezekiel 30:1-8 

(5) Psalms 7:12-16, Obadiah 15, Isaiah 8:9-10  

(6) Isaiah 30:26-28, Isaiah 22:5, Zephaniah 3:8, Jeremiah 4:23-28, Rev.6:12-17

 (7) Deuteronomy 32:40-43, Isaiah 51:6, Jeremiah 9:21-22, Isaiah 13:12   

 (8) Zephaniah 2:1-3, Jeremiah 17:15-18, Isaiah 26:20-21, Ecclesiastes 8:5, Jeremiah 6:25-26

 (9) Psalms 109:24, Jeremiah 12:12-13          

(10) Daniel 7:24, Revelation 13:1 

(11) Zechariah 13:8-9, Isaiah 4:3, Isaiah 29:1-4       

 (12) Ezekiel 37:15-28, Isaiah 62:4, Zechariah 2:6, Ezekiel 20:34-36, Psalms 50:5   

(13) Jeremiah 3:22, Jeremiah 31:8-9, Isaiah 60:4, Isaiah 40:27-31, Amos 9:8b-15

 (14) Ezekiel 36:8-10, Isaiah 49:8-11, Joel 2:23-27, Deuteronomy 30:1-5, Jeremiah 30:18

  (15) Psalms 47:8-9, Psalms 93:1-5, Isaiah 11:6-10, Rev.20:4

 (16) Isaiah 30:18, Psalms 27:11-13, Isaiah 29:24, Hosea 12:10, Isaiah 35:3-5, 2 Timothy 4:3-4

(17) 1 Peter 1:19, Matthew 7:8

(18) Matthew 7:15, Isaiah 29:11, Jeremiah 14:14

 Ref: logostelos.info

[John Hancock]

Your reply is 100% off topic. Please stick to the topic of this post:  The ROOT cause of our Disagreement - “literal versus figurative interpretation”.

The question of literal versus figurative interpretation must be settled first.

With no agreement on this point eschatological debate will only be interminable and fruitless.

[Michael37]

15 minutes ago, John Hancock said:

The question of literal versus figurative interpretation must be settled first.

Usually specific passages are discussed. 

I recall an ill-informed "preacher" causing a disturbance in our congregation a few decades ago, criticising Scripture for using different metaphors to describe the same thing, such as God's People being the bride of Christ in one breath, and the bride being the city called New Jerusalem in the next.

I was prompted to speak about Christ Himself being referred to as many things that speak of His qualities, including His being both the Good Shepherd and the Lamb of God.

The disparaging man in question was discovered many years later in a Wednesday morning church "coffee club" still circulating among Christians to shock them with his various reasons for not believing the Bible.

[WilliamL]

18 hours ago, John Hancock said:

The question of literal versus figurative interpretation must be settled first.

And, like with so many supposedly either/or issues, the answer in this case is: "both."

Such issues are always determined by the context. Not by dogmatic thinking.

[John Hancock]

 

1 hour ago, WilliamL said:

And, like with so many supposedly either/or issues, the answer in this case is: "both."

Such issues are always determined by the context. Not by dogmatic thinking.

Since we are handling the Word of God, we need an accurate method of interpretation to avoid error. It’s obvious that premillennialism and amillennialism, and pre-tribulation and post-tribulation rapturism cannot all be right.

Two methods of interpretation (the allegorical and the literal-grammatical-historical methods) have a vital effect on Eschatology.

The ALLEGORICAL Method

The allegorical method doesn’t interpret Scripture, it perverts the true meaning of Scripture, albeit under the guise of seeking a deeper or more spiritual meaning. It disregards the common signification of words and gives wing to all manner of fanciful speculation. The basic authority in interpretation ceases to be the Scriptures, but the mind of the interpreter. It takes away the authority of Scripture, and leaves us without any basis on which interpretations may be tested, and, as a result, makes true interpretation of Scripture impossible.

The LITERAL or (GRAMMATICAL-HISTORICAL) Method

The literal method of interpretation gives to each word the same exact basic meaning it would have in normal, ordinary, customary usage, whether employed in writing, speaking or thinking. It is called the grammatical-historical method to emphasize the fact that the meaning is to be determined by both grammatical and historical considerations. Only on such a basis can the average individual understand or interpret the Scriptures for himself.

In defence of the literal approach it may be argued that:

(a) The literal meaning of sentences is the normal approach in all languages.

(b) The greater part of the Bible makes adequate sense when interpreted literally.

(c) The literalistic approach does not blindly rule out figures of speech, symbols, allegories, and types; but if the nature of the sentence so demands, it readily yields to the second sense.

(d) All secondary meanings of documents, parables, types, allegories, and symbols, depend for their very existence on the previous literal meaning of the terms.

(e) This method is the only sane and safe check on the imaginations of man.

(f) This method is the only one consonant with the nature of inspiration. The plenary inspiration of the Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit guided men into truth and away from error. In this process the Spirit of God used language, and the units of language are words and thoughts. The thought is the thread that strings the words together. Therefore, our very exegesis must commence with a study of words and grammar, the two fundamentals of all meaningful speech.

Inasmuch as God gave the Word of God as a revelation to men, it would be expected that His revelation would be given in such exact and specific terms that His thoughts would be accurately conveyed and understood when interpreted according to the laws of grammar and speech. Such presumptive evidence favours the literal interpretation, for an allegorical method of interpretation would cloud the meaning of the message delivered by God to men.

[Michael37]

8 minutes ago, John Hancock said:

(d) All secondary meanings of documents, parables, types, allegories, and symbols, depend for their very existence on the previous literal meaning of the terms.

Absolutely! That's how everyday languages work thanks to our Creator who has given us the ability to communicate with them.

When I say "I see what you mean", the analogy compares the physical sense with the intellectual one.