These Things Saith He – Method of Interpretation

There are several ideas about how prophecy should be interpreted and this is a subject that one can research on their own.

The perspective taken within the contents of “These Things Saith He” is based on this idea:

God does not look at things from the same perspective as man does. Man looks at the outer appearance of a matter. God looks at the heart and spirit of the matter.

The laws of the Kingdom of God according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ provide great examples of this. For example, murder and adultery are not just physical acts. They begin in the heart. See Matthew Chapter 5.

When interpreting prophecy, it seems that the most beneficial method of interpretation deals with the heart, or spirit, of what is written. This method is most beneficial because it yields lessons that we can apply to our lives as Christians.

Many arguments regarding prophecy and the scriptures in general lead to a lot of “straining out the gnat and swallowing the camel.” Meaning, many are overly focused on arguments over the intellectual side of the scriptures. Considering themselves to be “wise and prudent,” they are blinded by pride and therefore miss the larger point that is being made—a point that we can all learn from.

Rather than getting hung up on times, place names, and whether prophecy is for the past, present, or future, we can consider the timeless messages that our Lord, Jesus is speaking to us by the Holy Spirit.

“Heaven and Earth will pass away but my words will not pass away.” – Jesus Christ

His words are everlasting and worthy of our attention and His words are useful when applied to the spirit of the person hearing them. “If any man has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches.”

Lord willing, we will do our upmost to “hear” what the Spirit is saying to the churches of Revelation 2 and 3 so that we can see our sin clearly and repent, find areas of that need to be made stronger, and seek Jesus so that we can stand with Him against all that would make war against His Kingdom.

This process starts with the corruptions of our own heart and the foul spirits that have invaded much of our Christian establishments. We do so in faith, trusting in the blood of the Lamb of God as we boldly approach Him for guidance and mercy.

The grace of God is with all who are chosen for His purposes in Jesus Christ, so we trust in Him. With trust and a desire to grow in faithfulness to our Redeemer and Lord, we look for a “city wherein righteousness dwells” and we begin by looking to ourselves, not to condemn one another, but to strengthen the called of God in this present time.

Therefore, the contents of “These Things Saith He” does not focus on churches of any specific name, time, or place. Rather, the aim considers over-arching ideas that are taught in the letters to the seven churches of Revelation. With these ideas in mind, we can evaluate all that we have built in the Name of Jesus including our individual lives and all manner of Christendom at large.

Although the purpose is not for destruction, but for edification, this statement could also be true: “If I had not come and spoken to them, they had not sin.” If the ideas considered in this book are indeed a faithful representation of what Jesus is saying by the Holy Spirit to the church, then great consideration should be given.

This statement is not meant to control by means of fear, shaming, or undue claims of authority by the author. All Christians have access to God by the Holy Spirit according to the grace of God we receive of Jesus Christ. This statement is meant to bring the reader into a state of mind that understands the gravity of the word of God—a word that kills as well as makes alive. Take all things into prayerful consideration should you decide to proceed.

The above is the draft version of the second chapter to a book I plan to write and publish in a manner that is free of charge to the public.

I wrote in These Things Saith He: Contents that I will publish the drafts here first and offer opportunity for others to share their thoughts before the final work is completed.

I’m open to and greatly value the insight, experiences, and thoughts of my Christian brethren because we are a body knit together in Christ that is meant to work together without over reliance on our leaders. I am not your leader, but I do try to be faithful to what I have received to the best of my ability, and I look to Jesus for gracious judgment of my service and the service of all who truly love Him.

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