Interpreting Prophecy: Four Principles for Sound Reading

By its nature, biblical prophecy can be difficult to interpret because it often employs many symbols, which can be taken in more than one way. The key to understanding these complex texts is to determine the literal sense—that is, what the message meant in its original context and what the prophet was trying to communicate to his audience for their immediate benefit. Normally, Old Testament prophecies primarily found their fulfillment within the generation they were given to or within a few generations. However, these texts can have additional fulfillments later in time, which is why many also have further application at the time of Christ.

To begin this careful process, the first essential step is to set aside any existing expectations about the text. Readers must specifically avoid looking to a text to validate a particular view they already hold, focusing instead on asking what the text is saying, not what they want it to say. The next foundational step is to diligently establish the historical setting: identify who wrote the prophetic text, who the original audience was, and when the text was composed. Situating the text in its historical circumstances, to the best of one’s ability, is necessary for proceeding to the deeper levels of sound interpretation.

Once the context is established, the focus must shift entirely to determining the literal sense by interpreting the words in the historical context in which they were written. Readers must ask how these words would have been understood by the original audience, bearing in mind the prophet’s overall message was not to satisfy our curiosity about the future. Rather, the message was intended to warn the Israelites about misbehavior, promise rewards for good conduct, assure them of God’s love, and help them live through the historical circumstances they were facing. Look for clues that point to the prophecy’s expected fulfillment within that original time frame, and examine how symbolic elements would have been understood by that first audience.

Having rigorously sought to establish the original, literal sense of the text, only then should one explore what spiritual senses may exist. This is the point at which it is appropriate to consider potential later fulfillments, such as those used in the New Testament, or other Christological interpretations. Since a symbol can sometimes point to more than one thing, this final step allows for the richness of the text to be fully appreciated. This systematic procedure is designed to serve as a sound starting point for interpretation; violating these principles is a recipe for misinterpreting and distorting a prophetic text’s meaning.