I Am Christian

Why does the New Testament refer back to the Old testament saying something like "as foretold by the prophet _____"
And then you go look at the passage it cites and has absolutely nothing to do with the so-called fulfilled prophecy?

eg> In Matthew when it explains that joseph took his family to egypt to hide from harod and says that this fulfills what was said in the OT about god's son coming out of egypt. But when you go back and read it, it's just about a guy and his prostitute wife and how that was a parallel for isreal's relationship with god

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SW-User

I think the verse is from Hosea 11:1. When Israel was a child I loved him and out of Egypt I called my son.

MetalGreymon · 36-40, M

yes that's the one. It appears to me that it is expressly referring to isreal as the son, not jesus. Especially since that all takes place long before jesus was born

SW-User

Yeah.... so maybe there's a parallelism. Just as God led the Israelite folk outta Egypt, God similarly led Jesus outta Egypt.
So it's like Jesus and Israel become mirror images for each other.
God has big plans for Jesus just like He did for Israel. And ... stuff like that

MetalGreymon · 36-40, M

@dreamerfrombirth:

Could be a parallelism but it's definitely not a fulfillment of prophesy.
So i dont know why they say it is.
It does the same thing when it talks about herod killing all the boys 2 years or younger, citing that it was predicted elsewhere when it turns out to have nothing to do with that event

SW-User

Well... I do agree that even if it was a prophesy its very subtle. And it's not as direct as Isaiah 7:14 and others

MetalGreymon · 36-40, M

@dreamerfrombirth:

Prophesy is sketchy enough at the best of times because it can be applied to almost anything.
When it's as "subtle" as that i don't understand why it can even be considered a prophecy

SW-User

You must also take into fact that a lot is lost in translation. When the Hebrew is translated to Greek and then Latin and then English, a lot does get filtered out.
Maybe it will make sense if you go back to the original versions. Since you are doing a close analysis.

MetalGreymon · 36-40, M

@dreamerfrombirth:

It is possible. But i don't speak hebrew or aramaic or whatever lol.
So i can really only go with the english version

SW-User

Yeah... but perhaps you can read a translation of the Hebrew version or something.
Most students of theology do learn a bit of the "mother" language..... or so I'm told.
I hear that's precisely why the Muslims actually learn Arabic and read the Arabic version even when translations are available.

MetalGreymon · 36-40, M

@dreamerfrombirth:

Makes good sense.

Although that brings up another question for me:

God's word is the most important thing for us to know, why did he allow it to become so unclear?
Like i get he wants us to have free will, but wouldn't making his will known be worth a little more proprietorial intervention?

SW-User

I think His will is pretty simple. Know Him.
That's about it.
Forget about the details and intricacies and the rules and the fuss and the drama and the melodrama and just go to the essence of who God is.
I think His Will for our life is to Know Him. (Capital K on purpose). And understand WHO He is through this journey of life.

MetalGreymon · 36-40, M

@dreamerfrombirth:

Well im not sure it's that simple or he wouldn't have bothered to have such a big book on the subject but it's not a bad starting point.

SW-User

For me personally, I have realised that that is the purpose of my life at least. Understand the different facets of God through the different phases of life. The more I delve into it, the more I am convinced that God is the only truth.
The Bible serves to enhance my faith. But ultimately, Faith is a gift from above :)
"Be still and know that I am God" that's one of my favorite verses.

MetalGreymon · 36-40, M

@dreamerfrombirth:

i wish i could just have faith.
But it's just not coming