A Better Understanding Over Time
Examples of How We Get a Better Understanding of Scriptures Over Time
These are some examples of how we can see that over time we have a better understanding of what has been recorded in the Bible. Of course, we should be careful while bringing new understanding to the Bible because historically some interpretations have tried to undermine some of the core doctrines that are presented in the Scriptures. But there are also examples of when over time the Scriptures have been shown to be even more accurate and profound than we had ever known before. We cover a few examples of how mankind has experienced a better understanding of the meaning and truths of the Scriptures over time. This can come about because of the unfolding of history, of a deeper understanding of the language or the original documents, of findings from archaeology, and as we now present in this website, from the unfolding of deeper scientific understanding.
Understanding Genesis 1 Better from Science
An understanding of the parallel between Genesis 1 and science comes from verse 2.
And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
This verse gives us the point of view of how the rest of the chapter can be understood from a scientific viewpoint. This insight of this being our point of view for Genesis 1 was only brought to light when science was able to show the stages of earth’s development went through the stages of dark clouds being less dark (day 1), then an atmosphere being formed (day 2), then land springing up from the watery earth covering (day 3), then the dark cloud cover of the earth being dissipated (day 4), then the flying and swimming animals being created (day 5) and then the rest of the animal life and man being created (day 6). Seeing that these stages match earth’s development made it clear that the “Spirit of God .. hovering over the face of the waters” was the appropriate point of view from a scientific perspective.
Understanding Daniel 2 Better from History
That we understand the true meaning of the Scriptures better over time as we look back is common in human history. For example, we can think of the explanation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2.
“This image’s head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.”—Daniel 2:32-35 (emphasis added)
Then Daniel provided the interpretation of the dream for Nebuchadnezzar, through God’s revelation to Daniel.
“After you, another kingdom will arise, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth. Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron—for iron breaks and smashes everything—and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others. Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay. As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay.
“In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands—a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces.
“The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy.”
At the time of Daniel’s interpretation, no-one would have known the names or exact characteristics of the following kingdoms. But now we can look back in history and know that the kingdom’s that God revealed to Daniel from Nebuchadnezzar’s dream were the following kingdoms.
- Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylonian Empire (Gold head)
- Medo-Persian Empire (Silver torso)
- Greek Empire (Bronze belly and thighs)
- Roman Empire (Iron and clay legs)
The crushing kingdom from the God of heaven that has overcome them all is then the kingdom of God that Christ Jesus has ushered into the world – a kingdom that will last forever.
The point here is that as time and history move on then we as humans can better understand what might have been a mystery to previous generations.
Excellent Videos About the Daniel Prophecies
Understanding Old Testament Prophecy Better from the Life of Jesus
Then there is the supreme revelation that we have through the life of Christ Jesus and how His life illuminated the prophetic meaning behind many of the Old Testament passages. There are too many prophecies to reference here. But as an example, the chapter of Isaiah 53 is fulfilled in 39 ways by the life of Christ. Before the life of Christ (and even among many Jews today) it was believed that the chapter references the plight of the Jewish people. But the life of Christ brings so much greater light on Isaiah 53 than any other interpretation could ever bring. Similar things could be said about Psalm 22, Psalm 31, Psalm 69, Isaiah 9, Isaiah 42, Zechariah 9-13, and numerous other passages. So, every generation can read the words of the Scriptures and seek the truths within God’s words. But many times the truths only become apparent over time and with further experience or understanding. Sometimes we will not fully comprehend until certain events may happen in history and then we will more fully understand.
Concerning the life of Jesus, in Colossians 1:26-27 (as well as other passages) the apostle Paul talks about how Jesus revealed mysteries that were not known before.
…the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.