Hermeneutics 101- context

1. Slide 1
Three Interpretations of
Scripture
HERMENEUTICS
Bible Hermeneutics- the
principles of interpretation.
Slide 2 Context
• Gene Taylor- Every passage has but one
meaning.
•John Samson- (Context in four
perspectives)
–1. Immediate Context
–2. Document Context
–3. Author’s Context
–4. Biblical Context
Gene Taylor- Every passage has
but one meaning.
John Samson- (Context in three
perspectives)
1. Immediate Context (a text out
of context becomes a pretext. It
can be made to say something not
intended by the author). Always
check the immediate context of a
verse or passage to determine the
correct interpretation.
2. Document Context (For
instance, in Romans, there is a
certain argument Paul is
pursuing, and when we recognize
this, it helps us to determine
what is meant in isolated verses
when we know the purpose for
what is being written. Always
keep the author’s broad purpose
in mind when looking in detail at
the meaning of texts). This, like
the others, is a very helpful rule.
3. Author’s Context (this refers to
looking at all of a person’s
writings – John’s writings, Paul’s
writings, Luke’s writings, etc.).
4. Biblical Context (the broadest
context possible, the entire Bible;
allowing us to ask if our
interpretation is consistent with

2. the whole of Scripture. Scripture
is never contradictory to itself).
Slide 3
2Tim 3:16
All scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Slide 4
Every verse in the Bible has three
applications
• Historical Application
• Doctrinal Application
• Devotional Application
• A Historical application; i.e.,
the verse was written to a
specific person or people at a
specific time in history and is
true historically. It is not a
“legend” or a “myth” or a
“fable” made up to “teach some
spiritual truth.” The verse is
telling the truth about
something that happened the
way the verse said it happened.
It’s not a question of “faith” or
“belief”; it took place. The Bible
is first and foremost a history
book, the only completely
accurate history book on which
you will ever get your hands.

3. • A Doctrinal application. It
teaches you what is so and
what is not so for you to
believe. Quite often, the
doctrinal application deals
with prophecy.
• A Devotional application,
meaning you can apply a verse
to you devotionally or
practically even though it was
not written to you historically
or meant for you doctrinally.
Slide 5
Habakkuk 1:5
Hab 1:5 Behold ye among the heathen, and
regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work
a work in your days, which ye will not believe,
though it be told you.
• Acts 13:40-41
• When Paul quotes Habakkuk 1:5, he uses the
verse devotionally.
Hab 1:5 Behold ye among the
heathen, and regard, and wonder
marvellously: for I will work a
work in your days, which ye will
not believe, though it be told you.
When Paul quotes Habakkuk 1:5,
he uses the verse Devotionally.
Acts 13:40-41
40 Beware therefore, lest that
come upon you, which is spoken
of in the prophets;
41 Behold, ye despisers, and
wonder, and perish: for I work a
work in your days, a work which
ye shall in no wise believe,
though a man declare it unto you.
He is saying that just as the
people of Judah didn’t believe
what was given to them in
Habakkuk 1, the Jews to whom
he was speaking were going to
miss salvation by grace through
faith in Jesus Christ because they
wouldn’t believe what Paul was
preaching. That is found nowhere
in the context of Habakkuk 1.

4. Slide 6
• Historically, the reference is to the
invasion of Nebuchadnezzar
–Hab 1:6
• Nebuchadnezzar is a type of the Antichrist
(vs. 11). Doctrinal application can be made
to the events preceding the Second Advent.
–Hab 1:11
Historically, the reference is to
the invasion of Nebuchadnezzar
(see vs. 6),
Hab 1:6
For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans,
that bitter and hasty nation,
which shall march through the
breadth of the land, to possess
the dwellingplaces that are not
theirs.
And since Nebuchadnezzar is a
type of the Antichrist (see vs. 11),
some doctrinal application can be
made to the events preceding the
Second Advent.
Hab 1:11
Then shall his mind change, and
he shall pass over, and offend,
imputing this his power unto his
god.

5. Slide 7
Hab 2:5
Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine,
he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home,
who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as
death, and cannot be satisfied, but
gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth
unto him all people:
Hab 2:5
5) Yea also, because he
transgresseth by wine, he is a
proud man, neither keepeth at
home, who enlargeth his desire as
hell, and is as death, and cannot
be satisfied, but gathereth unto
him all nations, and heapeth unto
him all people:
Devotionally
Now it is not just a description of
bad men in general, though you
can certainly apply it that way
devotionally. It is an individual,
specific bad man. Look at the end
of verse 5: “but gathereth unto
him all nations, and heapeth unto
him all people.” That’s not true of
all wicked men.
Historically,
a reference to Nebuchadnezzar,
Doctrinally
but in the prophetic context of
verse 3, you are looking at a
description of the Antichrist.
Hab 2:3
For the vision is yet for an
appointed time, but at the end it
shall speak, and not lie: though it
tarry, wait for it; because it will
surely come, it will not tarry.

6. Slide 8
Hab 2:5
•Historically
– Nebuchadnezzar
•Devotionally
–Description of bad men (proud)
• Doctrinally
–Description of the Antichrist
Hab 2:5
5) Yea also, because he
transgresseth by wine, he is a
proud man, neither keepeth at
home, who enlargeth his desire as
hell, and is as death, and cannot
be satisfied, but gathereth unto
him all nations, and heapeth unto
him all people:
Historically,
a reference to Nebuchadnezzar,
Devotionally
Description of bad men (proud)
Doctrinally
With the prophetic context of
verse 3, you are looking at a
description of the Antichrist: not
just bad men in general, though
you can certainly apply it that
way devotionally. It is an
individual, specific bad man.
Look at the end of verse 5: “but
gathereth unto him all nations,
and heapeth unto him all people.”
That’s not true of all wicked men.
Hab 2:3
For the vision is yet for an
appointed time, but at the end it
shall speak, and not lie: though it
tarry, wait for it; because it will
surely come, it will not tarry.
The Antichrist is the most
important person in the Bible
outside of Christ Himself.
There are 21 types of Christ in
the Bible (Adam, Abel, Noah,
Shem, Melchizedek, Isaac, Job,
Benjamin, Joseph, Moses, Aaron,

7. Joshua, Barak, Gideon, Boaz,
David, Solomon, Jonah, Daniel,
Mordecai, Stephen): that’s
7+7+7—three sevens.
There are eighteen types of the
Antichrist in the Bible (Cain,
Nimrod, Esau, Pharaoh, Balak,
Sisera, Abimelech, Saul, Goliath,
Absalom, Jeroboam, Ahab,
Sennacherib, Nebuchadnezzar,
Haman, Caesar, Herod, Judas):
that’s 6+6+6—three sixes.
The Bible is filled with references
to the Antichrist, but he’s
disguised. Quite often he’s called
“the wicked” or the “wicked man”
Slide 9
Zech 12:11
In that day shall there be a great
mourning in Jerusalem, as the
mourning of Hadadrimmon in the
valley of Megiddon.
Zech 12:11
11) In that day shall there be a
great mourning in Jerusalem, as
the mourning of Hadadrimmon in
the valley of Megiddon.

8. Slide 10
•Historically
–The mourning of Josiah at Hadadrimmon
Hadadrimmon is a place in Megiddo
named after two Syrian gods Hadad
the Syrian sun god and Rimmon,
another Syrian idol.
Zech 12:11
11) In that day shall there be a
great mourning in Jerusalem, as
the mourning of Hadadrimmon in
the valley of Megiddon.
The historic reference in verse 11
to “the mourning of
Hadadrimmon in the valley of
Megiddon” is to the death of
Josiah in 2 Kings 23:29 and 2
Chronicles 35:22–24.
2Kgs 23:29
In his days Pharaohnechoh king
of Egypt went up against the king
of Assyria to the river Euphrates:
and king Josiah went against
him; and he slew him at Megiddo,
when he had seen him.
2Chr 35:22-24
22 Nevertheless Josiah would not
turn his face from him, but
disguised himself, that he might
fight with him, and hearkened
not unto the words of Necho from
the mouth of God, and came to
fight in the valley of Megiddo.
23 And the archers shot at king
Josiah; and the king said to his
servants, Have me away; for I am
sore wounded.
24 His servants therefore took
him out of that chariot, and put
him in the second chariot that he
had; and they brought him to
Jerusalem, and he died, and was
buried in one of the sepulchres of
his fathers. And all Judah and
Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.
Hadadrimmon is a place in
Megiddo named after two Syrian

9. gods (cf. 2 Kings 5:18). A city in
the valley of Megiddo, or plain of
Jezreel or Esdraelon; named from
Hadad the Syrian sun god and
Rimmon, another Syrian idol.
The scene of the national
lamentation for Josiah's death in
the battle fought here with
Pharaoh Necho (2 Kings 23:29; 2
Chronicles 35:23). Jerome calls
the city Maximianopolis, from the
emperor Maximian; not far from
Jezreel
2Kgs 5:18
In this thing the LORD pardon
thy servant, that when my
master goeth into the house of
Rimmon to worship there, and he
leaneth on my hand, and I bow
myself in the house of Rimmon:
when I bow down myself in the
house of Rimmon, the LORD
pardon thy servant in this thing.
Slide 11
The valley of Megiddon
• Doctrinally
– Armageddon Rev 16:16
All the armies of the world could maneuver
their forces on this vast plain.
- Napoleon
And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will
break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.
Hos 1:5
The context projects the
application beyond anything in
Kings or Chronicles. “The valley
of Megiddon [Megiddo]” is where
Armageddon is located (Rev.
16:16).
Rev 16:16
And he gathered them together
into a place called in the Hebrew
tongue Armageddon.
Armageddon is the high ground
in the valley of Megiddo. The
name Armageddon means “hill of
the crowded” because in the near
future, 200 million UN troops will
be gathered there to fight against

10. their Creator (Rev. 9:14–16,
16:12–16, 19:11–19).
Rev 9:14-16
14 Saying to the sixth angel
which had the trumpet, Loose the
four angels which are bound in
the great river Euphrates.
15 And the four angels were
loosed, which were prepared for
an hour, and a day, and a month,
and a year, for to slay the third
part of men.
16 And the number of the army of
the horsemen were two hundred
thousand thousand: and I heard
the number of them.
Rev 16:12-16
12 And the sixth angel poured out
his vial upon the great river
Euphrates; and the water thereof
was dried up, that the way of the
kings of the east might be
prepared.
13 And I saw three unclean
spirits like frogs come out of the
mouth of the dragon, and out of
the mouth of the beast, and out of
the mouth of the false prophet.
14 For they are the spirits of
devils, working miracles, which
go forth unto the kings of the
earth and of the whole world, to
gather them to the battle of that
great day of God Almighty.
15 Behold, I come as a thief.
Blessed is he that watcheth, and
keepeth his garments, lest he
walk naked, and they see his
shame.
16 And he gathered them
together into a place called in the
Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

11. Rev 19:11-19
11 And I saw heaven opened, and
behold a white horse; and he that
sat upon him was called Faithful
and True, and in righteousness
he doth judge and make war.
12 His eyes were as a flame of
fire, and on his head were many
crowns; and he had a name
written, that no man knew, but
he himself.
13 And he was clothed with a
vesture dipped in blood: and his
name is called The Word of God.
14 And the armies which were in
heaven followed him upon white
horses, clothed in fine linen,
white and clean.
15 And out of his mouth goeth a
sharp sword, that with it he
should smite the nations: and he
shall rule them with a rod of iron:
and he treadeth the winepress of
the fierceness and wrath of
Almighty God.
16 And he hath on his vesture
and on his thigh a name written,
KING OF KINGS, AND LORD
OF LORDS.
17 And I saw an angel standing
in the sun; and he cried with a
loud voice, saying to all the fowls
that fly in the midst of heaven,
Come and gather yourselves
together unto the supper of the
great God;
18 That ye may eat the flesh of
kings, and the flesh of captains,
and the flesh of mighty men, and
the flesh of horses, and of them
that sit on them, and the flesh of
all men, both free and bond, both
small and great.

12. 19 And I saw the beast, and the
kings of the earth, and their
armies, gathered together to
make war against him that sat on
the horse, and against his army.
Napoleon said, “All the armies of
the world could maneuver their
forces on this vast plain.” The
valley of Megiddo is called “the
valley of Jehoshaphat” and “the
valley of decision” in Joel 3:11–;
also called “the plain of
Esdraelon,” which is the Greek
form of “the valley of Jezreel” (see
Hos. 1:5).
Joel 3:11-14
11 Assemble yourselves, and
come, all ye heathen, and gather
yourselves together round about:
thither cause thy mighty ones to
come down, O LORD.
12 Let the heathen be wakened,
and come up to the valley of
Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit
to judge all the heathen round
about.
13 Put ye in the sickle, for the
harvest is ripe: come, get you
down; for the press is full, the
fats overflow; for their
wickedness is great.
14 Multitudes, multitudes in the
valley of decision: for the day of
the LORD is near in the valley of
decision.
Hos 1:5
And it shall come to pass at that
day, that I will break the bow of
Israel in the valley of Jezreel.

13. Slide 12
Where is it?
• Where Elijah cut off the
heads of the prophets of
Baal in 1 Kings 18 (Hab.
3:13).
• Where Gideon fought with
the Midianites and the
Amalekites (Judg. 6–7).
• Where Deborah and Barak
fought with Sisera (Judg.
5:13–14).
Six miles from Mount Carmel and
eleven from Nazareth
• Where Elijah cut off the heads
of the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings
18 (Hab. 3:13).
• Where Gideon fought with the
Midianites and the Amalekites
(Judg. 6–7).
• Where Deborah and Barak
fought with Sisera (Judg. 5:13–
14).
These are all pictures of the
Second Advent.
Judges 5:19–20.
“The kings came and fought, then
fought the kings of Canaan in
Taanach by the waters of
Megiddo....”
No, they didn’t.
The “king [singular] of Canaan”
was Jabin (Judg. 4:2); Sisera was
only the captain of the host.
There were no “kings” fighting in
Judges 4, but there will be at the
Battle of Armageddon (Rev.
16:12–14, 17:12–14, 19:19).
Rev 16:12-14
12 And the sixth angel poured out
his vial upon the great river
Euphrates; and the water thereof
was dried up, that the way of the
kings of the east might be
prepared.
13 And I saw three unclean
spirits like frogs come out of the
mouth of the dragon, and out of
the mouth of the beast, and out of
the mouth of the false prophet. 14
For they are the spirits of devils,
working miracles, which go forth
unto the kings of the earth and of

14. the whole world, to gather them
to the battle of that great day of
God Almighty.
Rev 17:12-14
12 And the ten horns which thou
sawest are ten kings, which have
received no kingdom as yet; but
receive power as kings one hour
with the beast.
13 These have one mind, and
shall give their power and
strength unto the beast.
14 These shall make war with the
Lamb, and the Lamb shall
overcome them: for he is Lord of
lords, and King of kings: and they
that are with him are called, and
chosen, and faithful.
Rev 19:19
And I saw the beast, and the
kings of the earth, and their
armies, gathered together to
make war against him that sat on
the horse, and against his army.
“...They fought from heaven; the
stars in the courses fought
against Sisera.”
Not in Judges 4; but at the
Second Advent there will be (2
Thess. 1:7–8 cf. Rev. 1:20; Job
38:7).
2Thess 1:7-8
7 And to you who are troubled
rest with us, when the Lord Jesus
shall be revealed from heaven
with his mighty angels,
8 In flaming fire taking
vengeance on them that know not
God, and that obey not the gospel
of our Lord Jesus Christ:

15. Rev 1:20
The mystery of the seven stars
which thou sawest in my right
hand, and the seven golden
candlesticks. The seven stars are
the angels of the seven churches:
and the seven candlesticks which
thou sawest are the seven
churches.
Job 38:7
When the morning stars sang
together, and all the sons of God
shouted for joy?
Slide 13
The Big Picture
• Judges 1296 B.C.
• Zechariah 487 B.C.
• Revelation 96 A.D.
Three separate books stretching over a period of
almost 1,400 years. God, the real author of every book
in the Bible is sitting in the future past the year
3000AD writing His material back into 1296 B.C., 487
B.C., and 96 A.D.
The Big Picture
Judges 1296 B.C.
Zechariah 487 B.C.
Revelation 96 A.D.
Three separate books stretching
over a period of almost 1,400
years. God, the real author of
every book in the Bible is sitting in
the future past the year 3000AD
writing His material back into
1296 B.C., 487 B.C., and 96 A.D.
to for tell events for eternity to
come.
He uses History to tell future
while giving instruction for the
present (context- Historical,
Doctrinal, and Devotional)