Singapore Senior Christian Fellowship Annual Bible Camp at Desaru, Johor Oct 2011 Theme: THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST IN THESSALONIANS Mon 3 Oct Study 1 – Basic Rules in Interpreting Scripture and Prophecy Tue 4 Oct Study 2 – The Rapture in I Thessalonians Wed 5 Oct Study 3 The Rapture and Revelation in I Thes. Thu 6 Oct Study 4 The Revelation in II Thessalonians Text: Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ…Tit. 2:13 (11-15)

Introduction: Choice Gleanings for 31st August, And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. John 14:3 Hanging on the bedroom wall of an elderly woman in West Yorkshire, England are two tapestries made when she was a child. Each tapestry contains but two words. One says, “Perhaps today.” The other says, “Perhaps tomorrow.” As she rises in the morning she is reminded that this could be the day when our Lord will return. As she goes to bed at night she is reminded that He may come on the morrow. Do we live, night and day, in the light of this? Our Lord is coming again, perhaps sooner than we think! —John M. Clegg What is your understanding of our Lord is coming again?

A STATEMENT OF FAITH IN OUR SCRIPTURES. WE BELIEVE IN… A. THE INSPIRATION OF THE ORIGINAL SCRIPTURES. What Is Inspiration? Definition: Biblical inspiration may be defined as God's superintending of the human authors so that, using their own individual personalities (and even their writing styles), they composed and recorded without error His revelation to man in the words of the original autographs. Inspiration means that "the Holy Spirit of God superintended the human writers in the production of Scripture so that what they wrote was precisely what God wanted written."

A. THE INSPIRATION OF THE ORIGINAL SCRIPTURES. 1.In the Old Testament – God’s Words in the mouth of the prophets. 2 Sam. 23:2, 3; Isa. 59:21; Jer. 1:9 2.In the In the New Testament – All Scripture is God-breathed. II Tim. 3:16, NIV II Pet. 1:20, 21 cf. I Tim. 5:18; II Pet. 3:15,16

WE BELIEVE IN… A. THE INSPIRATION OF THE ORIGINAL SCRIPTURES B. THE INERRANCY OF THE ORIGINAL SCRIPTURES 1. Definition: When applied to sacred writings, inerrancy is the belief that the words are God’s true revelations to mankind. An inerrant text is considered infallible, truthful, reliable, totally free of error and absolutely authoritative. Inerrancy is not restricted to moral and religious truth. It is normally applied to all statements of fact in the Bible: “scientific, historical, or geographical.”

WE BELIEVE IN… A. THE INSPIRATION OF THE ORIGINAL SCRIPTURES B. THE INERRANCY OF THE ORIGINAL SCRIPTURES a.Mt. 5:18 – For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. b.Mt. 24:35-37 – Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

WE BELIEVE IN… A. THE INSPIRATION OF THE ORIGINAL SCRIPTURES B. THE INERRANCY OF THE ORIGINAL SCRIPTURES 1.Definition. 2.Declarations: a.Claimed in the O.T. – Psa. 12:6; 119: 89; Pro. 30:5, 6 b.Confirmed in the N. T. – Lk. 18:31; 24:25-27, 44, 45 c.Cautioned against Corruption in Revelation – Rev. 22:18-19, 20

WE BELIEVE IN… A. THE INSPIRATION OF THE ORIGINAL SCRIPTURES B. THE INERRANCY OF THE ORIGINAL SCRIPTURES C. THE INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURES NOT TO BE OF PRIVATE INTERPRETATION. 1.Consider the text in its Context. a.Exegete the text and not Eisegete. Jn. 6:53, 54 cf. 6:35 b.Literally, grammatically and historically; and figuratively when context demands it. 2.Be Consistent for prophetic and non-prophetic passages. Is the lion in Isa. 11: 6, 7; 35:1-9, 10 literal or figurative? What about Isa. 5:29, 30. Is the lion in I Pet. 5:8; Rev. 5:5; 13:2 literal or figurative? Is 1000 in Rev. 20:2-7 literal or figurative? What about 1260 in Rev. 11:2, 3?

C. T HE I NTERPRETATION OF S CRIPTURES 1. Consider the text in its Context. 2. Be Consistent. 3.Christ is the Central feature in all Scriptures. Luke 24:26, 27, 44; John 5:39 a.There are Picture-types of Christ in the O.T. Num. 21:8, 9 cp. Jn. 3:14; cf. Tabernacle, 1:14 [www. beritabethelung.com] a.Messianic Prophecies point to Christ – i.His first coming – a literal fulfilment. Isa. 7:14 cf. Mt. 1:21-23 ii.His second coming – Zech. 14:1-4 literal?

WE BELIEVE IN… A. THE INSPIRATION OF THE ORIGINAL SCRIPTURES B. THE INERRANCY OF THE ORIGINAL SCRIPTURES C. THE INTERPRETATION OF THE SCRIPTURES D.T HE I NTERPRETATION OF P ROPHECIES TO BE S PECIALLY - TREATED. II P ET. 1:20, 21. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 1.The General Principles (as above).

D. T HE I NTERPRETATION OF P ROPHECIES. 1. T HE G ENERAL P RINCIPLES. 2.The Special Principles: a.The Ethnic Principle of Prophecy in Scripture.I Cor. 10:32 i.The One Race.Gen ii.The Jewish Race (Gentiles in background; Gen. 12 –Gospels iii.The Church (Gentiles & Jews in background) Acts 2- Rev. 3 iv.The Jewish Race (Gentiles in the background; Church in heaven) Rev (1-10) iv.The One Race.Rev. 20, 21 b.The Gap Principle.I Pet. 1:10, 11; Isa. 9:6, 7 The Mystery of the Church – concealed in O.T., revealed in N.T, Eph. 3:3-11; 5:32; Col. 1:25, 27

2. The Special Principles: a. The Ethnic Principle b. The Gap Principle. c.The Figurative Principle.Dan. 7:3-8 Compare scripture with scripture. Dan. ch. 8 d.The Literal Principle – 1000 years. Rev. 20:2-7 (See #B.2) i.The A-millennial Interpretation and Tenets. ii.The Post-millennial Interpretation and Tenets. iii.The Pre-millennial Interpretation and Tenets.