Methods of Understanding Prophecies

        In an article I read recently the author showed seven major methods to understanding scriptural prophecy while promoting himself, someone who is not a prophet, to be an authority on what he thought was the best method of understanding prophecies, which he thinks should be literal. It read as though it was written by someone wanting a specific answer and nothing else would do as he took potshots at the very things which make prophecies work. (Is it possible to get an honest answer about prophecies from anyone other than a prophet? A eunuch cannot makes only other eunuchs, then only with a knife, not by creating. A non-prophet lacks what it takes as they say how their ideals need to be met, yet it’s not from experience as a prophet would, only interpretation of translated and ancient words, and not direction from a Living God either. The wisdom to be a prophet takes years of experience and observation, it’s not something you pick up by just relaying your first dream without a full comprehension of what is entailed and it certainly isn’t achieved by poring over scriptures, which is at best a second hand source and at worst a source tainted with human errors. Expounding dreams with invalid interpretations to go with them can make a false prophet rather quickly.)

        The author was uncomfortable with the allegorical aspect, as most literalists are and chose to be blind and deaf to hearing the truth. Many fundamentalists take a stance which is "don’t confuse me with the facts, my mind is made up" (and there’s no room for truth which doesn’t fit with my limited beliefs.) Yet when anyone spends the time to work with dreams to the point where they can foresee the future as prophets do, they by necessity discard those kinds of limits to their thinking or they never achieve the ability to foresee properly. Learning to foresee eliminates any disputes as to the method of interpretation… and it isn’t literal.

        This means the literalists who a large percentage of fundamentalists are unable to understand the God they say they believe in and would be unable to follow His words (words they can see in scriptures that prophecies are most often given via dreams). What a wonderfully different world it would be if that many people listened to the words the Creator, the Living God or whatever He/She/It is called, conveyed to them through their dreams and then responded appropriately to the directions they were given. Strangely they ignore that reference and attempt to reinterpret written words to an advanced level of contortion. By misusing words, the narrow of view make rules and have been known to justify cruel behavior and other atrocities by their use of words. They chronically forget the Creator speaks to all of us. They rely on ancient written words thinking that’s all there is, while continuing to say they believe their God is a Living God. Is that irrationality, ignorance or laziness speaking? It’s partly an issue of power… power that someone who thinks they know what God had in mind has over those who are intimidated, incited or cajoled into following them. Those leaders have discovered there’s power in half truths promoted into a "whole truth" but they’ll have to make their peace with the Creator, on some future day of reckoning.

        I hope this page gives you an understanding of what to expect in interpreting prophecies and dreams. Problems find solutions more easily when you write down your dreams. Don’t think you can know everything or resolve every problem just because you write them down. That message is only the first step. It takes intelligence and reasoning to ensure the right actions are taken to complete the answers. None of us are incapable of it, just some people have more experience with it. And learning to make this work takes a small amount of dedication daily when you awake and then some thought about it, discussion or application later. I'm not pleased with having to be so blunt about various shortcomings. If I say nothing many will continue unabated and the changes needed start right at the very things which have been enshrined in various denominations. (Being prophet was never a popularity contest as their messages aren't intended to be crowd pleasers.)

Methods

1. Literal: some of the content is, but not much, otherwise you’d think you’d thought the content of dreams. That concept goes for prophecies too. They aren’t there for literal interpretation nor are a high percentage of the parables and even some of the historical passages. The writers were influenced by politics of the time so the truth is not always quite what we read in scriptures.
2. Current Events: depends on when it was to be applied. Usually a dream has some relevance to the dreamer either the day or week of it’s occurrence but often prophetic dreams have little or no relationship to anything current, while they can convey a sense of immediacy (it will happen soon.)
3. Numerology: if any prophet relied heavily on numerology they would get so little from dreams as to make them useless, keep in mind prophecies and dreams are based primarily on the WORDS and very little on numbers.
4. Conspiracy: fear not… if you don’t keep that saying near the front of your mind you will go crazy with the imaginings of conspiracies and other negative events. Prophecies are cautions not curses, something we can work towards a solution and succeed a reasonable portion of the time. As cautions they are not necessarily what will be, we have the ability to create our own future although it is difficult to change some parts of it.
5. Divine Knowledge: nice touch considering it all dreams and prophecy comes from the same Source, a Living God. Now would you feel better if your dreams were prefaced by "thus saith the Lord" or can you just accept that He knows you won’t believe that part and gets on with what He wants you to know. When major prophets speaks they don’t stoop to name dropping and influence pedalling. They state what they saw and if they know what their seeing relates to in the future they may be able to give a reasonably good interpretation of it or offer suggestions as to how to understand it. The Creator shows what can happen, we choose by inaction to allow the worst to happen. The future is not an absolute unless in our ignorance we choose to be apathetic so it does happen.
6. Intellectual: if I recall there were a couple of academics within this last century ago who thought approaching dreams on an intellectual basis was the way to keep themselves employed and popular. They were WRONG. If you can’t understand the content of your own dreams from the words you use to describe what you saw then the dream wasn’t meant for you. It happens, but only a small percentage of the time.
7. Allegorical: the majority of dreams are allegories, analogies, metaphors or something to be understood in that vein. Jesus taught in parables, so the analogies of dreams were applied within his lessons. This works for some people but not everyone is able to grasp the meanings and not always in the first telling, somewhat like some jokes where they take a moment to get the drift of what was intended.

        I see value in a prophet, businessman, artist or scientist who can foresee. They hear the Creator, certainly more than those who do not pay attention. Religion has enshrined prophets, then limits viewpoints regarding the beliefs they conveyed. The real message is to listen to the concepts and use them to better your life, not to grovel, debase yourself or others, impose your perceptions of "the truth" on others or offer warped variations of a passage to gain power or prestige. Those who follow a way to God are legion. Those who separate and isolate believers with emphasis on one person’s variations of belief and political choices are at risk of offending the Creator. (None of the separations returned to the original teachings.)

        Prophets have to think for themselves or risk becoming a "yes man" to someone with a different agenda, more often than not it’s to a religious agenda, which is not a desirable association if the prophet is to remain a free and independent messenger directed by the Creator. (Religion is always tainted with politics and dogma). It would be a conflict of interest and likely the end of the prophet’s ability to be an effective messenger. Some worthy prophets have fallen into this trap unwittingly by listening to non-prophets with theology behind them and no proven ability to foresee. Others are troubled with issues which are clearly dogma and if they are driven to find answers they may overlook what they are told when the answer they are getting is not what they wanted to hear. It doesn’t disqualify them, it only impairs their effectiveness as they flounder around trying to get answers to resolve their concerns about the dogma. Others have justifiably become a little testy about third-party attempts to sway the message. (Do not consider that I’m against houses of worship, only the politics and dogma that are invariably associated with them. People need a place to learn about their connection to the Creator and houses of worship offer much of the needed environment.)

        Another thing about prophets. They usually do not share all of what they foresee or dream. They too have dreams which are relevant to their personal life and not of value to be shared widely. They need to know which material is of value even if they do not have a clear understanding of it. This all gets more difficult. Most people have some relevant prophetic dreams and so the content shouldn’t be discarded. The ability to discern the value is not something we will address at this time. That imbeciles and learnéd men can both have foresight and prophetic dreams may not offer much solace to those who expected it was an exclusive offering from the Creator. It isn’t. Anyone can have the ability to foresee or learn it, not everyone has the ability to use what is foreseen to an effective and useful end. That takes rational reasoning and a broad understanding of many of the events of the future.

        During the next year I intend on putting a webpage together that points to the dreams of others (from within frames) who have posted them on the Internet in a usable format. I’ll show you. It will be similar to the way Ray Aguilera of http://www.prophecy.org/ shows his but without the religiosity. At that point I will offer some explanation of the prophetic dreams or show how various sources correlate. That some dreams will be more useful than others is a given. That everyone can learn from them a necessity. That not everyone will learn an absolute probability. That doubters and skeptics will continue to ridicule is nothing new. There will always be some of them, limited by their choices, limited knowledge and inability to look past what they believe to be the whole truth according to themselves or someone else who is working under the same misperception. That attitude would change if they recorded their dreams for a few years, maybe sooner.

        We do have a limited time to learn and put a plan of action together to save our world from an as yet unseen disaster. The only prerequisite is that you dream and record them, and preferably believe in a Creator. I can only help, not do it for you.

        (And for the few who think divine intervention will come in the form of aliens helping us, consider would aliens living here be permitted to interfere? Will someone pop out of a cloud with an ability to solve every problem, know every language, be everywhere all at the same time? Get in touch with reality and your dreams and know the difference. The Creator continues to make suggestions for you to hear. You can hear the suggestions and directions when you’re ready.)