1. The Importance and Value of Prophecy Part 1
Eschatology
The Importance and Value of Prophecy
Part 1

2. Two influences serve to minimize interest in prophecy
Two influences serve to minimize interest in prophecy. The first is the by-product of the ________________ of the past. Prophecies were applied to current events as proof-positive that the second coming of Christ was to be expected _______________. While we do believe in the imminent return of Christ, we do not set times or dates. An ____________ eschatology at the expense of the rest of doctrine will always produce an incredulity that _____________ the impact of prophetic truths.
A second problem lies in the world of hermeneutics. Liberalism has always dismissed prophecy as either ____________ or beyond _______________. Anything less than a literal interpretation of prophecy leaves people without a basis for _________________. Multiple conflicting interpretations convince untaught people that the search for meaning is futile. Without meaning there can be _____ application. Prophecy is relegated to the world academia or special interest with no value to the layman beyond idle __________.
Value in Bible Study
Interpret Historically - Strive to understand each passage in the light of the _______ in which it was written, or ________ which it was written.

3. Interpret Literally – Allow the Bible to say what it says without ___________ or __________ explanation.
Interpret Grammatically – Words have __________ and sentence structure is _____________. The mode of expression is _________ important to the understanding of what is being expressed.
Interpret Contextually – Context always _________ in any interpretation. Attempts to remove meaning from context will always result in a ________ of meaning.
Interpret Spiritually – The Bible is fundamentally a ___________ book and should never be viewed as ___________ literature. The Bible is ________________ authoritative.
Interpret Culturally – The ________ Bible has a cultural setting. Scripture reflects the culture of the ________ in the use of idioms, illustrations, and applications.
Interpret Dispensationally – Dispensational theology is the product of _________ interpretation. The literal, historical, grammatical hermeneutic invariably leads to a realization that God has dealt with man through a series of __________ spiritual economies called dispensations.

4. Interpret Practically – It is proper to assume that God gave the Scriptures for the purpose of _____________. We should look for ___________ that have both general and personal application. This results in living the __________ of the Christ life made possible by a ________ union with Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit in communicating the Word of God to the ________.
Distinguish between Interpretation and Application – Interpretation determines what the passages ________. Application determines how that meaning impacts the __________of Biblical Christianity.
Always Interpret the Obscure in the Light of the Obvious – There are many difficult passages in Scripture. At the same time there many more passages that are very clear. ________ make that which is clear ____________ to that which is obscure. _________ abound where obscurantism reigns.
Never Allegorize Prophecy – It is both intellectually __________ and interpretationally ___________ to expect the prophecies concerning the birth of Christ to be fulfilled literally and other prophecies to be fulfilled figuratively. While it may be necessary to account for some ________ in the prophecy (frequently in the apocalyptic literature), the prophecies themselves are nonetheless to be taken ____________.

5. Expect the Bible to Interpret Itself – The _______ commentary on the Bible will ____________ be the Bible. It is for this very reason that consistent and ongoing personal Bible study is so __________ for believers.
Practice Exegesis, not Eisegesis – Let the Bible unfold _________ rather than reading meaning backwards into the Bible. Exegesis means “to _______ ______” what is in the text. Eisegesis is the practice of “__________ _______” the text something that is ______ there. Eisegesis is a ____________ of the Word of God and serious offense against the ________.
Maintain a Humble Spirit – The __________ of the interpreter really does make a _____________ to the product of his efforts. Handling the Word of God responsibly is a critical point of ________________ for anyone who would communicate truth to other people. We must recognize that hermeneutics is the ________ for all theology. Inaccurate hermeneutics must inevitably produce _________ theology!