SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF SYMBOLISM IN THE BIBLE - WHAT DOES IT MEAN????

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Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
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#41
I feel Lazarus and the rich man is a parable despite the proper names
And why do you have a problem with accepting this account as a genuine, real-life, factual account of the afterlife? If indeed it were a mere parable (a story illustrating spiritual truth) what spiritual truth would it illustrate?

Had the Lord Jesus not revealed this to us, we would never have known that there were two "compartments" in Sheol/Hades which were separated by a wide chasm so that the righteous and unrighteous dead could not cross over in either direction. What the Lord called "Abraham's bosom" was the abode of the righteous dead, but it is no longer occupied since Christ took all the souls and spirits of the saints to Heaven, where they are now the spirits of just men made perfect.

So do you see that attempting to dismiss the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus as a mere parable detracts from the theology regarding the after life?
It just does not make sense of a maggot that never dies.
If you want to get right down to it nothing in Bible Christianity "makes sense". And it is not meant to satisfy the rationality of human beings but to be either accepted by faith or rejected. What we do know from Scripture is that eternal Hell -- the Lake of Fire -- is indeed a place of everlasting torments, and anyone who tries to alter the meaning of that is not truly believing God and Christ.
 
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Lafftur

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2017
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#42
Salt is a also preserver, cleanser and antiseptic and because of this it was very valuable. Roman Soldiers were paid in Salt, because of its value to protect, cleanse and heal.
Great insight! Salt can protect, cleanse and heal. Love that! Thanks for sharing! :)
 

Lafftur

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2017
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#44
Symbolism of metals are interesting.....

Gold = pure, holiness

Silver = redemption

Brass = judgment

Iron = bondage, captivity
 
Feb 7, 2015
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#45

Hello Awatuthee,

Be aware that Sheol and Hades simply refers to the grave. Our doctrine of a dwelling place of the dead is inserted into Strong's Concordance as a reference. The reference in Revelation where they are tormented day and night forever, their smoke ascending forever could refer to something captured on film, therefore forever preserved. The reference in Mark 9:44: "Where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched" I believe is another example of that. It just does not make sense of a maggot that never dies.

All said, as I stated before all scripture has to fit together, in what we teach, or none of it is valid. Some things were presented in parables with figurative speech. Some things maybe we don't quite understand yet. God will not reveal some things until He is ready for us to know. I feel Lazarus and the rich man is a parable despite the proper names

Yours,

Deade
According to the Bible, you are so right. I don't know how much clearer it needs to be stated in that book that Jesus never spoke to the crowds except through parables. Mark 4:34 Matt. 13:34
 
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Sep 14, 2017
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#46
A parable is a fictitious narrative that teaches a moral principle for godly living.
Luke 16
19“Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. 20“And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, 21and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. 22“Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. 23“In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. 24“And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’ 25“But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. 26‘And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’ 27“And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father’s house— 28for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 29“But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30“But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’ 31“But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”

Here we have a true story naming a rich man, a beggar named Lazarus, Abraham, Hades, & what's known by some to be paradise, or Abraham's bosom.

Actual people & actual events. Not a parable.
 
Feb 7, 2015
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#47
A parable is a fictitious narrative that teaches a moral principle for godly living.
Luke 16
19“Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. 20“And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, 21and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. 22“Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. 23“In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. 24“And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’ 25“But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. 26‘And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’ 27“And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father’s house— 28for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 29“But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30“But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’ 31“But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”

Here we have a true story naming a rich man, a beggar named Lazarus, Abraham, Hades, & what's known by some to be paradise, or Abraham's bosom.

Actual people & actual events. Not a parable.
I must have missed it..... What did you say the rich man's name was?
 

Ahwatukee

Senior Member
Mar 12, 2015
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#48
I must have missed it..... What did you say the rich man's name was?
The Rich man was the guy having a conversation with father Abraham, with Lazarus at his side, who also referred to Moses. the prophet's and the rich man's five brothers.

How is it that you focused in on the rich man to try and make a point while ignoring Abraham, Moses, Lazarus and the literal location of Hades.
 
Nov 24, 2017
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#49
In Bible typology:

Naomi = Israel
Ruth = Gentile church
Boaz = Jesus Christ
 

Lafftur

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2017
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#50
In Matthew 9:16, 17.....

New Cloth = Jesus giving new believer His Righteousness as a robe
Old Cloth = Our righteousness which is a filthy old rag

Old wineskin = unsaved person, old nature
New wineskin = saved believer with sins forgiven by blood of Jesus
New Wine = Holy Spirit poured into new believer
 

Lafftur

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2017
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#51
In communion.......

Bread = Body of Christ
Wine = Blood of Jesus
 
Dec 9, 2017
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#52
Eat=to live by
Tree of eternal life=Christ
Tree of knowledge of good and evil=The Law
Snake=Mans fleshly nature
Day if undefined= a period of time
Mark of Cain=fleshly vengeance
Dust=flesh
Your seed and her seed=flesh and Spirit/Christ
he doth bruise thee--the head, and thou dost bruise him--the heel=Christ puts to death the flesh, the flesh causes the Spirit/Christ to limp
Garments of skin=sacrifice/Christ
Cherubim and the flaming sword=the church and the word/Christ
 
Feb 7, 2015
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#53
The Rich man was the guy having a conversation with father Abraham, with Lazarus at his side, who also referred to Moses. the prophet's and the rich man's five brothers.

How is it that you focused in on the rich man to try and make a point while ignoring Abraham, Moses, Lazarus and the literal location of Hades.
You honestly don't know who else in the Bible was described exactly as the rich man was, do you?..... and how he had five similar men working under him in "his Father's house"?
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
24,167
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#54
According to the Bible, you are so right. I don't know how much clearer it needs to be stated in that book that Jesus never spoke to the crowds except through parables. Mark 4:34 Matt. 13:34
But Jesus was NOT speaking to the crowds at this time! Therefore that criterion of a parable does not apply!

From verses 1-13 He was speaking to His disciples, and from verses 14-31 He was speaking to THE PHARISEES. The Rich Man has been named "Dives" but that could merely be a tradition. However Lazarus the beggar is clearly identified and so is Abraham.

People -- especially Christians -- who dismiss this account as "a parable" do a great deal of harm to their own credibility as well as the credibility of Scripture and the Christian doctrine of the afterlife. It is simply UNBELIEF, just as the Lord told the Pharisees that they would not believe Moses even if one (Himself) rose from the dead.
 

stillness

Senior Member
Jan 28, 2013
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Walk trough the valley
#55
Worrier said:
What's your understanding of the book of Ezekiel 47:2-7 brother?
Everyone receiving the Holy Spirit is Healed.
Verse 11 refers to those who remain in the mire: in the flesh, those who reject the Holy Spirit will not be healed. These become full of violence with no room for Love.
The dead sea represents nations, while interpretation is consistent, we don't know the details: waters represents nations Revelations 7:15 gives the interpretation for waters. Not referring to the river of life obviously but those dead in the water: dead to the Love of God.
Concerning progression from ankles, knees waist, to waters to swim in that cant be crossed.
Comments are my interpretation admitting seeing dimly and there must be more to this.
Those that are in waters to swim in that cant be crossed, were to far from the Lord when this last day outpouring of the spirit happened and will not make it in the first resurrection.
Those who the water is up their waist need their loins cleansed of sexual desires that are not of God.
Those up the knees need to be cleansed of divided spirit, divided between the Love of God and a life for themselves.
Those up to ankles are walking close the Lord: are close to entering His house and only need their feet cleansed to walk as Jesus walked.
In 1John Speaks of 3 groups Little children, fathers, and young men refers to those who have overcome the evil.
 

Deade

Called of God
Dec 17, 2017
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Vinita, Oklahoma, USA
yeshuaofisrael.org
#56
Hi everyone,

Deade chiming in here. A word toNehemiah6: You do not want to know what I feel happens in the afterlife. You would really call me a radical. More on this later. I just wanted to let everyone know of my 3 latest blog entries: LOST ISRAEL, FOUND ISRAEL, and FUTURE ISRAEL. These should help with the topics covered here.

Yours,

Deade
 
Feb 7, 2015
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#57
But Jesus was NOT speaking to the crowds at this time! Therefore that criterion of a parable does not apply!

From verses 1-13 He was speaking to His disciples, and from verses 14-31 He was speaking to THE PHARISEES. The Rich Man has been named "Dives" but that could merely be a tradition. However Lazarus the beggar is clearly identified and so is Abraham.

People -- especially Christians -- who dismiss this account as "a parable" do a great deal of harm to their own credibility as well as the credibility of Scripture and the Christian doctrine of the afterlife. It is simply UNBELIEF, just as the Lord told the Pharisees that they would not believe Moses even if one (Himself) rose from the dead.
I am assuming that you have some Biblical reference (chapter & verse) that states parables can't name a person... and that God is required to only do things in one specific way, all the time?

I think many of you are trying to lay a lot of laws and requirements on the way God is "allowed" to communicate.
 
Feb 7, 2015
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#58
But Jesus was NOT speaking to the crowds at this time! Therefore that criterion of a parable does not apply!

From verses 1-13 He was speaking to His disciples, and from verses 14-31 He was speaking to THE PHARISEES. The Rich Man has been named "Dives" but that could merely be a tradition. However Lazarus the beggar is clearly identified and so is Abraham.

People -- especially Christians -- who dismiss this account as "a parable" do a great deal of harm to their own credibility as well as the credibility of Scripture and the Christian doctrine of the afterlife. It is simply UNBELIEF, just as the Lord told the Pharisees that they would not believe Moses even if one (Himself) rose from the dead.
You are so sadly confused.

First of all, the Pharisees ARE "the crowds." And if you go right back to the start of chapter 15 (It's all one conversation) you will see the Pharisees complaining about all the 'sinners' Jesus was talking to.

Then, go see what verse 14 of chapter 16 says. It says that the Pharisees had been listening to ALL of these parables.

You get yourself so screwed-up desperately trying to change Jesus' conversation from a long string of parables, to suddenly somehow thinking He would just throw in a description of Hell, that you cannot even follow the flow of the narrative as it is plainly written out, right in front of you.
 

MarcR

Senior Member
Feb 12, 2015
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#59
In the old testament the word week was used to represent 7 days.

The Greek had no word for week, they used days .

Nine times in the new testament the meaning of the word Sabbath (rest with no other meaning attached ) has been changed from a non-time sensitive word rest to one that is, week, making the word rest to no effect..
As i said, the concept of a week representing seven years is not consistent; but, it is present:

When Jacob served seven years for Rachel and got Leah; Laben told him he could have Rachel too; and said "fulfill her week also.
Gen 29:27
27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.
KJV

Also in Daniel chapter 9:

Dan 9:24-27
24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
KJV

There are other examples; but, I have prooved my point.
 

MarcR

Senior Member
Feb 12, 2015
5,486
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#60
I would think the post office is not a source of biblical faith.

All Israel is not Israel .

Which one.. the ones seen in respect to the flesh , or the inward Jew not seen in respect to the Spirit of Christ ?

I would offer we must walk by faith rather than by sight. Its the believing Jew, the other Israel, that sought after a sign as that seen . they stumbled over the cross as do most jews today.

The outward Jew in respect to their corruptible flesh flesh would be identified as the Antichrists. They are still waiting for Him to come in the flesh as the Son of man. There will be no other outward demonstration . The promise is one. They need the gospel in the same way the gentiles do.No difference bewteen the two.

1John 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

Some are still waiting for the antichrists to appear ,many, from other sects also to include the outward flesh of a Jew. Like Rome.

When trying to establish use of symbolism, secular examples work as well or better than scriptural examples; because nobody is trying to prove anything