A.  Zechariah's Prophecy

1.    Prophecy Already interpreted

In a single night Zechariah saw a series of eight visions which were interpreted by an angel and which described the future of the nation of Israel.

Each Vision  has three parts

1.     The prophetic vision itself 7-9

2.     The prophetic interpretation  vs 10-11

3.     The prophetic exhortation of the vision 12-17

It is our duty to remember the words of prophecy not to interpret what is already interpreted.  We must be careful that we do not seek to interpret what has already been interpreted.

2.     Awakened Prophet

The words I had a vision (kjv, ”I saw“) denote the means by which divine revelation was conveyed to Zechariah. The expression does not refer to a dream, much less to a mere literary form.  Zechariah was awake. This is apparent from his questions (e.g., v. 9) and interruptions. (e.g., 3:5).

Zechariah was very rational when he received the Vision.   Zech 4:1 The angel wakened me as a man who is wakened out of his sleep.  He was not in sleep even before the vision, yet he was awakened more by the vision.  Zechariah was given understanding concerning future happenings.

It is important that we examine prophecy very cautiously.  In doing so we will examine and answer these three questions?

1. What are the different problems that arise when trying to interpret prophecy?
2.  In order to rightly divide the word of truth we want to layout guide lines for interpreting prophecy.  What are these guide lines that we must use to interpret prophecy?
3.  Not everything in prophecy is given an interpretation.  What is our duty or responsibility towards understanding prophecy that still appears as a mystery?
4.  

B.  Literal Interpretation

The First rule in interpreting prophecy.   Prophecy must be interpreted "literally" as much as possible.

When we look at O.T. Prophecy that has been fulfilled in the New Testament we observe that the prophecy came true very literally and exactly as spoken.  For example:

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Is 7:14

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.  Micah 5:2

The birth of Christ was to be supernatural. His mother was to be a virgin (Isaiah 7:14). His place of birth was Bethlehem, pinpointed in Micah 5:2 about seven hundred years before the birth of Christ. He was to be the seed of the woman (Gen 3:15)

Even though the prophecy is very literal there was still confusion in understanding.  Not all understood when Jesus was born.

The literal method of interpreting prophecy has been fully justified by the history of fulfillment. The most unlikely prophecies surrounding the birth of Christ, His person, His life and ministry, His death and resurrection have all been literally fulfilled.

One-fourth of the Bible was prophetic when it was written, and interestingly about one-half of these prophecies have been fulfilled, often with amazing accuracy. The Old Testament is full of predictions concerning future events and especially concerning the coming of Christ. The fulfillment of many of these in His first coming illustrate that prophecy is intended to be interpreted in its normal and literal sense.

C. Problems when Interpreting Prophecy

  1)   Symbols

It is not so much a question of whether the prophecy will be fulfilled, but rather concerning the unrevealed details of time and circumstance.  It is the details of prophecy that puzzle men.  It is the symbols used that cause confusion.

Some symbols are very clear to interpret.  For instance, the “rod out of the stem of Jesse” and the “Branch” which “shall grow out of his roots” is understood by all to refer symbolically to Christ.  This use of symbols is clearly understood.  There are many prophetic symbols that are not so clearly understood.  These create problems.

The prophetic vision of Daniel, although it is couched in symbols and dreams, has the most concrete fulfillment down to the present hour in the history of Gentile nations.  Although there were many symbols used hundreds of prophecies have had literal fulfillment.  Literal interpretation has worked with such success in the past and must be used to project into the future.  Observe that many symbols in the Book of Daniel have been interpreted within the dream itself.  We are told what the images stand for, the empires of Persia, Babylon, Greece and so on.

Now look at Zechariah.   The horses are used as a symbol.  What do the horses represent?  They represent God's activity within the world.  God in this dream has his messengers to tell him what is happening upon earth.  The messengers tell him that all is at rest.  How do we know what the symbol represents?  We are told what the horses represent.  This is a very literal interpretation of the symbol.

The horse may have been used as a figure because Persian rulers went from province to province to check out the happenings and uprisings etc within the Persian empire and would then take back the information to the king of Persia.

Then there are symbols that are difficult or impossible to understand.  What do we do with these?

There are some symbols we try to over interpret.  For example.  Why is the horse red, why are the other horses of a different color.  We could come up with different ideas.

 For example: Our ideas are only our opinions.  They are not necessarily Biblical interpretations.  We must be able to sort out what the Bible says and what other people's ideas are concerning these symbols.  We must be able to know what is truth in prophecy and what is man's opinions.  What the Bible says will not confuse us but what people say can be confusing?  We cannot let opinions confuse us.

Rules for interpreting Symbols

1. Remember that some of prophetic scripture we will never understand until it is fulfilled.

2.     Recognize what is interpreted already in scripture.

3.     I personally do not think it is wrong to question whether the horses have more symbolic meaning to them.  But, if we do arrive at some opinion we must remember to keep that idea as an opinion not divine revelation.

4.     The concept of ‘literal interpretation’ affirms that the meaning of a symbol is determined by textual and contextual considerations -immediate context and the whole of scripture.  Revelation has its symbols drawn from other portions of Scripture, and many questions of interpretation can be answered with the larger context of the entire Bible.

2)   The Problem of Partial Fulfillment or Double Fulfillment

What do we mean by partial fulfillment?

Definition by A. H. Strong puts it this way:

Another standard definition is from the pen of Thomas Hartwell Horne:

Events widely separated in time of their fulfillment are often brought together in prophetic vision. Many times the first coming and the second coming of Christ are pictured in the same Scriptural context.  There is often the partial fulfillment of a prophecy followed by the complete fulfillment later.

To the Jew at Christ's first coming there was no understanding or very little understanding of partial fulfillment. There was fulfillment of the first part of this prophecy in the incarnation, but the prediction that Christ would rule over Israel on the throne of David forever has had no fulfillment and those of Jesus' day did not understand this.

We will see as we get into this book study that Zechariah's prophecy has reference to at least three different times in history. 

Let us examine verses 12-17.  What is prophetic here in a partial sense.

1. God's Anger with the nations is seen as relating to Zechariah's day yet God's anger will still be poured out in the end times.

2. My house shall be built again.  The temple was rebuilt in Zechariah's day yet we know from scripture that it will be rebuilt again. God's promise concerning the temple will not see fulfillment until the millennium.

3. I will again choose Jerusalem.  Jerusalem has seen partial glory and the land has been developing since 1949 when it again became a nation.  Yet the glory of Jerusalem in completeness will not be fulfilled until Christ returns to reign.

How do we know that these are only partially fulfilled?  By our examination of the rest of Scripture and by history today.

 2. Rules for interpreting Partial Fulfillment

1. We have to examine carefully what time in history is Zechariah relating to.
2. We must be careful not to over interpret, or over analyzing prophecy.
3. When interpreting visions the primary emphasis should firstly be given to that near future rather than jumping to the far future

                THE PRIMARY EMPHASIS SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE NEAR VIEW before examining any future fulfillment.  We should ask ourselves firstly what applies to the day of Zechariah.

When we look at the vision of Zechariah concerning the Red Horse among the myrtle trees, does this vision refer to the present day of Zechariah, to Christ's first coming or Christ's second coming.

The only clarity of interpretation of this first dream applies only to the day of Zechariah. The interpretation of what happened then is clearly understood.  The future is not clear.  In fact there seems to be no future interpretation to the dream.

Some visions have double reference.  These we will study more as we continue in Zechariah.

To speak of the law of double reference is to speak of interpretation, not application. Double reference is not one interpretation and manifold applications. It is one message for two audiences separated in time.

The reason that some enemies of this law reject its use is that they just cannot accept the idea that the Holy Spirit had more than one intention when the prophetic message was given. They will concede however, that once the message was given, it could have found fulfillments outside the original scope of the prophecy.

3)   Misunderstanding of prophecy

We must realize that in studying prophecy that we do not have all the answers. Many Jews in the time of Christ had misinterpreted the Old Testament and this is clear to us now. It is also clear that none of the Jews then seemed to have understood the difference between the first and second comings of Christ, nor did they comprehend the forthcoming program for the church such as the New Testament outlines. 

In the history of prophetic interpretation there have been so many erroneous views that were later exposed by actual fulfillment that any student of prophecy must always be cautious. Occasionally some people have carelessly made wild and unrealistic claims regarding the meaning of certain prophetic passages. 

4)   Spiritualizing Prophecy

What is spiritualizing prophecy?  Spiritualizing prophecy by passes the literal interpretation and usually takes the prophecy that refers to Israel and applies it to the church today. For example.

Let us take that same verse in Luke.

Amillenarians have succumbed to spiritualizing the throne of David. Because the fulfillment has not taken place they say that the rule of Christ upon the throne of David finds it's interpretation in the church.  Christ rules on the hearts of believers. 

We must not spiritualize prophecy by ignoring the literal interpretation.  It denies God's promises to Israel as a people and nation.

God had a plan for Israel.  God still has a plan for Israel

With some imagination we could spiritualize this first dream of Zechariah.  What could we say?  Whatever we say is only our thoughts.

It is time for the church to believe God and get on with the work of the Lord. There are false prophets out there spiritualizing the rapture, the second coming, the millennium and taking away the literal fulfillment of these prophecies.

5)   Distinguish Between Interpretation and Application

We as humans try with all our own understand and our understanding of God's word to interpret written prophecy, Our interpretation of a certain prophetic passage will be imposing our own view not necessarily what was intended by scripture.  We must be ready to distinguish between scriptural interpretation and our own application of scripture.

D. Ten Commandments  for Interpreting Prophecy

1.     Remember that some of prophetic scripture we will never be understand until it is fulfilled.  Prophecy that appears to still a mystery must be left a mystery.

2.     Recognize what has already been interpreted in scripture.

3.     Recognize the different problems that occur when interpreting prophecy.

4.     Give prophecy the most literal interpretation that you can.

5.     Remember that your opinions and other opinions are not divine revelation.  In other words your opinions might not be what the Holy Spirit was saying through the prophet.

6.     Begin interpreting prophecy by focusing upon the clear and unmistakable.

7.     Recognize the progressive revelation and to interpret the Old Testament by the New Testament. The Old Testament must be interpreted (and often reinterpreted) by the new revelation given in the person and mission of Jesus Christ.   Sometimes the New Testament can explain the Old but not always.

8.     We cannot interpret prophecy by only analyzing current events for tomorrow has not come.  Events help us to interpret prophecy, yet sometimes events are misinterpreted.  Israel has been re-gathered into their land.  This prophecy is clear. Yet, many interpreters of prophecy have placed emphasis upon Russia in prophecy as the nation from the North.  That emphasis appears to be now a misunderstanding.  The future alone will clarify that prophecy.   We must allow Scripture to interpret prophecy not current events alone.

9.     We cannot interpret Bible prophecy by new revelation today given by dreams and visions.  This brings us to the role of the Old Testament Prophet.

10.  We cannot interpret scripture without the divine enabling of the Holy Spirit.

E.  The Role of the Old Testament Prophet

We cannot with new revelation such as Zechariah have visions and dreams and thus interpret end time events because the role of that old testament prophet is finished.  The church age does not function according to the role of an Old Testament Prophet.

The New Testament prophet functions according to the bestowment of spiritual gifts as explained by the apostle Paul.

What is the Role of an Old Testament Prophet?

1.     He was a mediator between God and Man.  Sometimes he went to God with Israel's concerns and sometimes God relayed a message to Israel through the prophet.
A prophet cannot be a mediator of God's divine will today for the church.  In other words, we cannot run to anyone as a prophet and find out what God's will is for our life.  Prophets today are not fortune-tellers.  There is only one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.

2.     Some Old Testament prophets were chosen to write scripture.  No one today will be chosen to write scripture or rewrite scripture because the cannon of scripture is complete.  The cannon of scriptural prophecy is complete.

There will be in the last days many false prophets that will come to you with prophecies concerning what will happen in the last days, but we must be careful to follow scripture. 

There is an exception.  During the tribulation period God will have his old testament type prophet to minister again to Israel but not to the church. 

In the meantime keep to scripture and do not fall for Old Testament type prophets today.

3.  The Old Testament prophet spoke as the Holy Ghost came upon them and they spoke to the whole nation the words of the Lord.  Zechariah spoke "thus sayeth the Lord."    The Holy Ghost did not come upon every individual nor did the Holy Ghost dwell within all Israel.  The Promise of the Holy Spirit is to the church.  Because each of us can be led by the Holy Spirit we do not need to have a prophet today like Zechariah to speak the words of the Lord.  We also have scripture today.

We have the Holy Spirit to guide us in the interpretation of scripture. In the kingdom, all believers are kings and priests unto God.   This does not make us perfect in our interpretations nor does it make us perfect in our opinions.

Please in the future, we must never throw out rules and guidelines to interpreting prophecy.  Guidelines are given to help us correctly interpret prophecy.
Written by Carolyn Chapman

---