Learning to be Quick to Listen

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...