Dispensational Proof 2

2. Old Testament Literal Interpretation

            If someone handed you a Bible and said read the Old Testament from Genesis to Malachi what would you believe? Now take into account that you know nothing about the New Testament, the Church or further revelation beyond the Old Testament. What would you believe about Israel? What would you believe about a future kingdom? What would you believe was going to literally take place? I believe even those of various millennial views would have to admit the reader would see a literal coming kingdom based in Jeruslem with a promised Messiah ruling and reigning. Actually, many theologians, even those who do not believe in a literal kingdom for national Israel, admit that a literal reading of the Old Testament results in such an understanding.

Old Testament interpretation is one of the easiest things to do unless you are a covenant theologian that must come up with allegorical interpretations for literal promises made to a specific people, Israel. A plain reading of the promises to Abraham and David shows an eternal nature to Israel’s future. Passages such as Genesis 12, 15 and 17; 2 Samuel 7:12-39; Isaiah 9:6-7; 11; 24-27; 65; Jeremiah 30-31; Ezekiel 36-39; Daniel 9:24-27; Zechariah 12-14 are all clearly speaking of literal events for God’s chosen people Israel. Just because there may be figurative language in certain passages, it does not mean that those figures or symbols have no literal fulfillment. Many will take the passages above and wash away what God communicated in plain literal language. God’s faithfulness is on the line when it comes to the promises and prophecies of the Old Testament prophets. He will be true to his word.

Thus says the Lord, Who gives the sun for a light by day, The ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night, Who disturbs the sea, And its waves roar (The Lord of hosts is His name): “If those ordinances depart From before Me, says the Lord, Then the seed of Israel shall also cease From being a nation before Me forever.” Thus says the Lord: “If heaven above can be measured, And the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel For all that they have done, says the Lord. Jeremiah 31:35–37 (NKJV)

Poor hermeneutics show up in various forms of covenant theology especially in the Old Testament.

            Two simple examples will suffice to show a lack of consistency. First, Isaiah 9:6-7:

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. (NKJV)

All scholars agree that this refers to Jesus’ first advent to the earth at his birth. Yet many will not take the clear common-sense language of the text as a literal physical kingdom on David’s throne. It is as if there are backflips and mental gymnastic twists to change from a literal hermeneutic seeing the literal first advent of Christ and then a spiritual only second advent of Christ in this passage. “Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom” phrase from the text is established by God himself and is clearly the accomplishment that God promised to David in the Davidic Covenant. It is also clearly understood that God communicated this message and the reader would certainly understand the promise to take place literally in the future. A second great example where these hermeneutical gymnastics take place by those who do not have a consistent literal, grammatical, historical hermeneutic is found in Zechariah 9:9-10: 

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim And the horse from Jerusalem; The battle bow shall be cut off. He shall speak peace to the nations; His dominion shall be ‘from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth.’ (NKJV)

Right in the middle of this most beautiful passage bridging the gap between the first and second advents of Christ a hermeneutical twist takes place for the covenant theologian. They pole vault from the solid ground of literal interpretation and land in the mushy soft allegorical interpretive method. The literal entry of Christ into Jerusalem is clearly understood. The dispensationalist sees the second advent properly in this passage as a literal entry of Christ into the city of Jerusalem to establish his world-wide kingdom.