Part Three: Rules of Interpretation Proper
"The knowledge of certain rules of interpretation and the observance of these rules when studying the Scriptures is very important and helpful in arriving at a clear understanding of God's Word."
6: The LAW OF recurrence
The Law of
Recurrence involves the recording of an event and the repetition of the
account which gives added details. This principle may be illustrated by the
artist who "blocks out the portrait" of a person at the first sitting and adds
detail at subsequent sittings.
Study the following passages and determine where Isaiah and Ezekiel employed
the Law of Recurrence:
1. Isaiah 11:1-10; 11:11-12:6
2. Ezekiel 38:1-39:16
3. Matthew chapters 24 and 25
EXPLANATION: THE LAW OF RECURRENCE
CLOSELY ASSOCIATED with the law of double reference, the
double or manifold fulfillment of prophecy, is the law of recurrence. In many
passages of Scripture where we have the law of double reference, we likewise
find an application of the law of recurrence. To many of those who are not
familiar with this principle, especially characteristic of the prophetic word,
many passages of Scripture are just a jumble of words. The picture presented
is one of confusion until this law or principle is recognized; then the
picture is properly focused and appears in its true perspective.
I. Statement Of The Law Of Recurrence
As the word, recurrence, indicates, we may expect this
principle of scriptural interpretation to involve the record of an occurrence
of an event and the repetition of the account. A thing occurs and then, if it
is repeated, it recurs. It is by repetition that we learn things. We must have
experience after experience in order to appreciate or to understand fully
certain things. The adage that practice makes perfect is true. Advertisers
realize the importance of this principle. An advertisement inserted in a paper
once is practically money lost. If it is repeated at least three or four
times, results begin to come. This is what advertisers have told me, and I
have tried and learned by experience that this is true. The Lord understands
human psychology and knows that a thing must be repeated time and time again
in order to make the proper impression upon the human mind. It is therefore in
accordance with this principle that the Lord has adopted the principle of the
law of recurrence.
I might set forth this fundamental by calling attention to an artist who is
painting the portrait of one who is posing for his likeness. After the artist
has properly arranged his lights and shades and after he has posed his subject
to his liking, he can do in a very short time what he terms "blocking out the
portrait." It is impossible for one to maintain the proper pose and the
correct attitude and expression of face for a long period of time. The artist,
therefore, after he has posed a person properly, can very quickly transfer the
likeness to the canvas. But the mental strain upon the person posing cannot
endure indefinitely. He therefore can maintain one pose only a very short
time. A second sitting is necessary. At this time the artist, after having
posed his subject, will add new details that were not shown at the first
sitting. He will likewise bring out more clearly certain features that he put
on the canvas at first. In somewhat the same way the prophets "blocked out the
portrait" at the first "sitting." Then they went over the portrait at a
subsequent sitting and added new details and brought out more clearly the
things given at the first sitting. We must now examine the Scriptures to learn
the value of this principle and see its importance.
II. Examination Of Examples Of The Law Of Recurrence
Throughout the writings of the prophets we see this law
recurring many, many times. But in this short study we can only choose certain
typical cases that will enable us to analyze the principle or principles that
are involved so that we may be able to recognize these basic truths in other
cases and thus be better able to interpret the Scriptures.
THE first example to which I wish to call attention is found in Isaiah,
chapters 11 and 12. Before studying my analysis and explanation of these
chapters, the reader should turn to his Bible and carefully read them. By
doing this, he will be better able to follow me as I interpret this passage.
If he does this, he will be able very easily to learn the principles involved
and will be able by himself to interpret other passages involving these basic
The first ten verses of chapter 11 constitute the blocking out of the
portrait. In verses 1 and 2 we see a prediction of the first coming of Messiah
when He enters the world by miraculous conception and virgin birth. Of course
these two verses do not speak of the virgin birth, but simply speak of the
Messiah and of His coming into the world, comparing Him to a shoot that comes
out of the stump of a tree and that develops into a tree bearing fruit. These
verses are recognized as a prediction of our Lord's first coming.
Verses 3-5 speak of His being a judge, of His meting out justice and
righteousness to the poor of the earth, of His smiting the earth with the rod
of His mouth, and of His slaying the wicked with the breath of His lips. When
our Lord was here upon the earth the first time, He did not play the role of a
judge. On the contrary, He was a messenger of good tidings of salvation. When
He returns to earth, however, He will take up the role of a judge and will
establish justice and righteousness in the earth. In view of these facts we
know that verses 3-5 constitute a prophecy concerning the second coming of our
Following this prediction we see in verses 6-9 a prophecy concerning the
lifting of the curse from the earth and of the especial results as it affects
the animal creation. Prior to man's disobedience the animals were peaceful.
After the curse fell upon the world, they became vicious and bloodthirsty.
When our Lord returns to earth to establish His reign of righteousness, He
will remove the curse as we learn from other passages, and the animals will be
gentle and will no longer have their vicious nature. Thus we know that verses
6-9 are dealing with the second coming of our Lord, or the results of His
return to earth.
Verse 10 tells us of Jerusalem and of its being the beauty spot of the whole
earth. Psalm 48 gives us a glowing description of glorified Jerusalem when our
Lord returns. Thus in these ten verses of Isaiah, chapter 11, we see the first
coming of our Lord, His return, the lifting of the curse, and His reigning in
Jerusalem, the glorified capital of the whole world.
In 11:11-12:6 Isaiah in this same sermon went back over part of this portrait
that had already been blocked out in 11:1-10. He did not touch up all of the
picture by any means. On the contrary, he added new details as we shall
In verses 11:11,12 we see the regathering of Israel for her final
establishment in the land of the fathers. According to this prediction God
puts forth His hand again the second time to regather His people who are
preserved from their world-wide dispersion. God regathered Israel after the
Babylonian captivity for the first time. There can be only one more return of
Israel to the land, which is the one here foretold. This regathering can be
none other than that which is set forth in the vision of the valley of dry
bones (Ezek., chap. 37). This regathering has already begun and will continue
until it is completed at the time of our Lord's return from heaven to
establish His reign of righteousness.
In Isaiah 11:13,14 we find a prediction that the enmity and the jealousy that
existed between the kingdoms of Judah and Israel during the period of the
divided monarchy will vanish.
In verse 14 we see that, when Israel is gathered back into her land, trouble
will arise between the Jews on the one hand and the Philistines, the Edomites,
the Moabites, and the children of Ammon on the other. Disturbances between the
Jews and the Arabs who have intermarried more or less with the descendants of
the Philistines, Edomites, Moabites, and Ammonites have been going on ever
since 1929. They will continue indefinitely to go on; but here is a promise
that the Jews will in the end be victorious in the struggle. In other words,
verse 14 is being partially fulfilled at the present time.
Verses 15 and 16 call attention to God's opening up a way for the Hebrews who
will be in Egypt to return to the land of their fathers. He will likewise open
up the way through the Euphrates River for those Jews who will be in
Mesopotamia to return home. He will do this for them as He did for their
ancestors when He brought them out of the land of Egypt.
Chapter 12 tells of the blessedness and joy of the Hebrew people when they are
restored to their land and are in fellowship with God, which prophecy will be
fulfilled in the Millennial Era.
From this little survey of the contents of these two chapters we can see that
11:11-12:6 constitutes an example of the law of recurrence. In Other words, in
these verses, the prophet added new details connected with the return of the
Lord which he discussed in verses 3-10 of chapter 11. This whole prophecy
would be thrown into confusion and would be unintelligible if one did not
recognize this law of recurrence. Moreover, this Scripture would contradict
other passages if one does not recognize this law. A failure to note this
principle would put the return mentioned in 11:11,12 after the Messiah has
established His reign of righteousness in Jerusalem. But we know from the
vision of the valley of dry bones (Ezek., chap. 37) that this second
restoration of the Jews begins and continues for some time in an orderly
development. Furthermore, if we do not recognize this law of recurrence, we
would have the Jews fighting with the Philistines, the Edomites, the Moabites,
and the Ammonites during the millennial reign of our Lord—which thing is an
absurdity. But, by recognizing this law of recurrence, the prediction is
indeed intelligible and has a very definite, specific meaning.
ANOTHER illustration of the law of recurrence may be found in the famous
passage regarding Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. (See Ezekiel,
chapters 38 and 39.) Speaking in terms of the artist blocking out the portrait
of his subject, I would say that in chapter 38, Ezekiel blocked out the
portrait or picture at the first sitting. At the second sitting he filled in
more of the details as they are found in chapter 39. A failure to recognize an
example of this principle as it applies in these two chapters throws the
entire prophecy into confusion. Let us therefore look at these chapters in the
light of this principle.
In Ezekiel 38:1-6 we see a prediction of the great "northeastern confederacy"
consisting of Russia, Persia, Ethiopia, Put, Germany, and Turkey. In verses
7-9 we learn that, after these powers secretly arm, they send a great aerial
armada into the blue which comes like a storm and covers the land of Palestine
like a cloud. Thus the northeastern confederacy will send an airborne army to
In verse 10-12 the motives for this invasion by the forces of Gog are set
forth. Jews, a representative number, will be gathered back into the land of
their fathers and will be living in unwalled villages, dwelling in peace and
security. They will have great wealth. Suddenly, without any warning, this
great airborne army will descend upon the land and will have it in its grip.
We have every reason to believe that this will be one of the greatest, if not
the greatest, armies that ever takes to the air.
In verse 13 we see a second group of nations which I call the "western
democracies." In this alliance will be Sheba, Dedan, England, together with
all of the "young lions thereof," the western democracies or the younger
nations of the world. When Palestine is thus invaded and seized, these western
democracies will send a protest. That will be all that they will do. This is
seen in verse 13.
In verses 14-16 God shows that it is He who brings them into Palestine. They
go there prompted by their own lust for the spoil and wealth of the Jews. God
overrules this base instinct to accomplish His plans and purposes. Gog, the
future leader of Russia, is, according to verse 17 and 18, the one of whom God
has spoken through various prophets of old.
When Palestine is thus seized by this airborne army and is held in the grip of
the enemy, God causes an earthquake in the land of Israel, which throws down
the mountains and fills the valleys. This quake will snuff out the life of the
bulk of this airborne army. Those that are not killed by the initial shock
will be thrown into consternation and "every man's sword shall be against his
brother." In a miraculous manner the Lord will smite those still alive with
pestilence and with blood. Following this He will rain down a cloudburst upon
the land which will be accompanied by great hailstones, fire and brimstone.
With all of these strokes this mighty, innumerable host of invaders will be
wiped out. Thus Gog's armies will have met the Almighty and will be dashed
into a Christless grave.
Thus in chapter 38 Ezekiel blocks out his picture. Following the law of
recurrence, he supplies other details and completes his picture in chapter 39.
To this let us now give special attention. In verses 1-3 of this chapter the
Lord reiterates the fact that He is the one who brings Gog with his forces
into the land of Palestine. In verses 4 and 5, He tells that He will vanquish
him in the holy land. But in verse 6 information is given which is not hinted
at in chapter 38. In this verse we are told that God, at the time He wipes out
this mighty army in Palestine, will also rain down fire upon Magog, Russia. In
38:22 we see that God rains down hailstones, fire, and brimstone upon the army
in Palestine. But nothing is said about His raining fire and brimstone down
upon the great country of Russia. In the second picture, however, we see that,
this is true. Not only will God rain down fire upon Russia at that time, but
He will also rain this fire down upon "them that dwell securely in the isles."
The word isles in this passage signifies nations, as we learn from many
places. This oracle made against Gog in chapters 38 and 39 concerns itself
with telling of the complete defeat and overthrow of Gog and his cohorts.
Their military forces, as we have just seen, are destroyed in Palestine. The
country sponsoring such a treacherous act, Russia, is likewise destroyed by a
stroke of divine judgment. Thus we can see that the prophecy is dealing with
God's hurling His judgments against the forces of Gog. At the time of His
entering into judgment with him, He rains down fire upon them that are secure
in the nations. In view of all of the facts and the sweep of this passage, we
are safe in concluding that those who are in the isles of the sea and upon
whom the fire is rained from heaven are those who are aiding and abetting Gog
and his lieutenants in their lawless plan for world revolution. Or, in other
words, these upon whom the fire and brimstone rain and who are secure among
the nations, are the fifth columnists of the Russian government. Thus, when
the invasion of Palestine comes, God, with a series of judgments, will wipe
out completely the regime of Gog and his cohorts.
In verses 9 and 10 we see that, when Gog goes there with his armies and with
untold equipment, there will be sufficient wood gathered from the wreckage of
his weapons to furnish the natives of the land with firewood for seven years.
This is, to be taken literally. Seven months will be occupied in cleansing the
land from the dead bodies of that innumerable host that will be wiped out by
the judgments of God. This is set forth in verses 11-16.
When the armies of Gog are overthrown in Palestine, the birds of the heavens
will be invited to come and feast upon the carcasses of this army. This
thought is presented in verse 17-20.
The overthrow of the armies of Gog when they invade Palestine occurs before
the Tribulation, as I show beyond a peradventure in my small volume entitled
When Gog's Armies Meet the Almighty. Thus, in chapter 38, the picture of this
future invasion and of the end of this great army is blocked out in chapter
38. The picture is touched up and completed in Ezekiel 39:1-16.
But this signal overthrow of the forces of Gog, before the Tribulation by
divine intervention is suggestive of the overthrow of the forces of the
Antichrist at the end of the Tribulation, and of the inauguration of the
kingdom of God when the Antichrist is overthrown. Thus in verses 17-29 the
prophet goes from the discussion of the overthrow of Gog before the
Tribulation to the overthrow of the Antichrist and the establishment of the
kingdom of God upon the earth after the Tribulation. When these chapters are
thus studied in the light of the principle of the law of recurrence, they
become very intelligible and most definite. Clarity of thought and perception
is what is needed today in the study of the prophetic word.
I WISH to call attention to one more illustration of this law of recurrence,
which is found in the Olivet Discourse as recorded in Matthew, chapters 24 and
25. In terms of the illustration of painting a picture, I would say that our
Lord blocked out His portrait in Matthew 24:1-31 at the first sitting. At the
second sitting, He touched up and completed the picture as we see in
24:32-25:46. Unless one recognizes an illustration of the law of recurrence in
this passage, it is but a jumble of predictions. But when one recognizes this
fact, the prophecy becomes very intelligible to him.
Let us look at the facts which are presented in 24:1-31. In verses 1 and 2 the
Lord made a prediction concerning the destruction of the Temple, which
prophecy was fulfilled, as we know, in A.D. 70. In verse 3 the disciples asked
the Lord two questions: (1) When would the prophecy be fulfilled; (2) what
would be the sign of two events, of His coming and of the consummation of the
age. In view of the fact that there would be false Christs appearing from time
to time, Jesus depicted them in verses 4 and 5. Then in verse 6, he warned the
disciples against drawing hasty conclusions with reference to the end of the
age when a war would break forth; for He declared that, during the entire
Christian Dispensation, there would be wars and rumors of wars. Hence they
were not to attach any prophetic significance to any of these. When,
therefore, a war would break out, declared he, the end would not be yet; for
"nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there
shall be famines and earthquakes in divers places. 8 But all these things are
the beginning of travail" (vss. 7, 8). The wars and rumors of wars are local
conflicts, which characterize the Christian Dispensation. "Nation rising
against nation and kingdom against kingdom" of verse 7 is a prediction of a
world war. This language is a peculiar Hebrew idiom which appears in the Old
Testament. When it is examined in the light of its context, it is seen to be a
war that affects all of the territory before the prophet's vision when he used
a like expression. Since Jesus in the Olivet Discourse had a world outlook,
His use of this idiom could mean only a world war, that begins with one nation
rising against another and other nations coming in until it becomes a global
conflict. Such a world war attended by famines, and Luke adds pestilences, and
great earthquakes constitutes, said Jesus, the first birth pain—the warning to
the world that the time to be delivered from the bondage of corruption into
the liberty of the glory of the children of God is at hand. Thus verses 7 and
8 foretell that the sign of the end of the age is a world war, attended by
famines, pestilences, and great earthquakes. Following this prediction is one
concerning the first half of the Tribulation, found in verses 9-14. In this
period of travail iniquity will abound but the gospel is to be preached at
that time unto all the nations. When the full testimony will have been given,
then the end, the end of the age concerning which the Apostles asked, would
The "abomination of desolation," according to verse 15, will be set up in the
middle of the Tribulation. This abomination is nothing but an idol, the image
of the Antichrist, which will be set up in the middle of the Tribulation, as
we learn in Revelation, chapter 13. Matthew 24:15-28 is a description of the
second half of the Tribulation.
In verses 29-31 we see that, at the conclusion of the Tribulation, there will
be a total blackout of the heavenly bodies. Then will appear the sign of the
Son of man coming in heaven. At that time He will also gather up His elect
from the four corners of the earth. When He thus comes, He takes the world
situation in hand and establishes His world-wide reign of righteousness.
Thus in Matthew 24:1-31 Jesus has outlined the entire Christian Dispensation,
beginning with His day and taking us through the present era and the
Tribulation, which follows, and has taken us to His second coming. At this
time He, in the illustration of blocking out the picture, finishes that phase
of the work. Then, beginning with verse 32, He begins to fill in or add
details—emphasizing some things that He had mentioned before—and to add new
ones. Thus in verses 32 and 33 He declared: "Now from the fig tree learn her
parable: when her branch is now become tender, and putteth forth its leaves,
ye know that the summer is nigh; 33 even so ye also, when ye see all these
things, know ye that he is nigh, even at the doors." The fig tree means the
fig tree. When its buds begin to become tender, and it begins to put forth,
one knows that the summer is near. Now Jesus said in the same manner that the
ones who see "all these things" can draw a conclusion with reference to the
nearness of His return. The words in the original rendered "all these things"
are the very ones that He used in verse 8 in the quotation: "But all these
things are the beginning of travail." The "all these things" in verse 8 are
none other than a world war, famines, pestilences, and great earthquakes
attending this global conflict. Thus in verses 32 and 33 "fig tree" can be
nothing but a fig tree. There is nothing to indicate a departure from the
literal meaning. We must, therefore, understand the Lord as referring to a
literal fig tree. The people who are living when the fig tree begins to put
forth its leaves and to bud know that summer is close at hand. Jesus said
that, in the same way, the one who sees "all these things," a global conflict
attended by famines, pestilences, and great earthquakes in divers places, can
know that His coming is close at hand. How close? The answer is: "Verily, I
say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all these things be
accomplished." Was He speaking of the generation that would be dying off when
the global conflict would break forth upon the world? Certainly that would not
have any meaning. Neither was He talking about the generation that had spent
half of its life. All the facts of the context demand that we understand this
to be the generation that was rising and that was old enough to look at the
prophecy, then to examine current events, and to identify the raging conflict
as the one foretold by the Lord. Thus the generation that was old enough at
the time of the first global conflict, 1914-1918, was the one of which He was
speaking in verse 34. From this fact we see that Jesus in verses 32 and 33 was
talking about World War I. Here He adds a detail to His picture, that He
omitted in verses 7 and 8. This is a very important bit of information.
In verses 36-39 the Lord Jesus told us that the same conditions will develop
prior to the Tribulation, about which He spoke in verses 9-28, as existed in
the days of Noah immediately before the catastrophe of the Flood. In those
days, prior to the Flood, men were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in
marriage, buying and selling, until the very day that Noah entered the ark.
The Flood came and destroyed all of that godless generation. The Lord says
that those times will be duplicated immediately before the Tribulation. Thus
there is no promise in the Scriptures of a great revival prior to the
Tribulation. The judgments of the Tribulation will come suddenly upon the
world, and the bulk of the people upon the earth will be swept away by that
titanic catastrophe. Prior to the bursting forth of the Tribulation upon the
world, two men will be in a field; one will be taken and one left (vs. 40).
Two women will be grinding at a mill; one will be taken and one left (41). The
disciples therefore are urged to watch for they know not on what day the Lord
will return. From the entire drift of the thought it is clear that Jesus here
was speaking of the rapture of the saints, when He descends from the heavens
to the air to raise the dead in Christ and to catch up the living saints. He
continues to speak of this great event down through verse 44. In verses 45-51
He speaks of the faithful and the unfaithful servants. In 25:1-13 He describes
those who are in the kingdom of heaven. A study of the parables of the
thirteenth chapter of Matthew shows what Jesus meant by the kingdom of heaven
and who are in it. Now all of those who are in the kingdom of heaven fall into
two groups—the saved and the lost. The saved are, in the Parable of the Ten
Virgins, represented by wise virgins. The second group, the lost, are
represented by the five foolish virgins. In 25:14-30 Jesus spoke of rewarding
those who are in the kingdom of heaven. The man receiving the five talents
gained five others and was rewarded accordingly. The one who received two
talents gained with them two others and was likewise rewarded. But the one who
received one talent buried it and did nothing about it. He was cast into outer
darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. This one
represents the man who is in the kingdom of heaven, but is unsaved and does
not use the talent that is given to him.
From this survey of 24:32-25:30 it is evident that Jesus was talking about the
rapture and things connected with that glorious event. But with 25:31 He left
a discussion of the rapture and went to the end of the Tribulation and spoke
about His glorious coming. Thus between verses 30 and 31 the seven years of
the Tribulation intervene. The relation between 24:32-25:31 and the block of
Scripture consisting of 25:31-46 is an illustration of the law of double
reference, which we studied in last month's meditation.
By anyone's carefully studying the law of recurrence and the illustrations
discussed in this article, he can soon learn to recognize an example of this
most important law.
Links to prior studies in the "Rules of Interpretation" series may found in our Library.
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