HOW TO DISCOVER THE SPIRITUAL MEANING OF

AN “ACTED PARABLE”

The “stories” we read in the Bible, whether in the Old or New Testament, we tend to think are only put there for our interest or perhaps to draw a good moral lesson. Both of those thoughts are good and true but there is another reason for their being put there and that is the most interesting of all !

The Apostle Paul tells us the reason :

1 Cor 10 : 1, 5, 11 “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea ; but with many of them God was not well pleased : for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Thus, the “stories” of things that happened long ago to the people of God are models or ensamples or Acted Parables of things to be repeated again during the last days of earths history !

Strong’s Concordance gives the meaning for ensample from the Greek as :

# 5179 tupos (from # 5180 tupto) a model for warning, a type, a figure

# 5180 tupto repeated blows

The Spirit of Prophecy has this to say :

“In the days of Jeremiah, the Lord taught the people by means of a series of Acted Parables”. Prophets and Kings (page 423).

“He taught spiritual lessons in every miracle performed… the cursing of the fig tree was an Acted Parable”.

Desire of Ages pages 266, 267, 336, 341, 582.

Thus in both Old and New Testaments there are “Acted Parables” for us to learn from.

“I have been shown that in both the Old and New Testaments are mines of truth that have scarcely been touched. The truths revealed in the Old Testament are the truths of the Gospel of Christ. Heavenly veins of truth are lying beneath the surface of Old Testament history. Precious pearls of truth are to be gathered up, which will require not only laborious effort, but spiritual enlightment”.

Review & Herald Feb.4,1890.