Covenant Hermeneutics and Biblical Eschatology

Kim summarizes all that has been said in this series by using eight different sets of verses that explain and describe the spiritual hermeneutic of the New Testament. The Bible itself should be the guide and informing our understanding. (NOTE: This will be the last episode for a few weeks as we work on getting all of this material transcribed and put into book form.)

Kim continues expounding the Spiritual worldview of the New Covenant. Abraham was looking for a city whose Builder was God, not a city—or kingdom—made by men. Jesus said it was good that He was going away so that He could send the Spirit to bring all things to their mind. Understanding of the Bible's internal hermeneutic, including the eschatological message, comes through the Spirit. Like Abraham, we also should not be looking or waiting for a physical kingdom.

In this penultimate episode of what he planned to present, Kim shows how the Old Covenant and the New Covenant are related and separate, i.e., their continuity and their discontinuity. Both covenants are pictured in the symbol and the reality of the temple: the holy place and the Holy of Holies. The way into the Holy of Holies was opened and made manifest by Christ's work and ministry. View the chart here: https://americanvision.org/posts/two-covenantal-administrations/

Kim explains his chart further by revealing that the eschatological fulfillment of the New Testament is a Spiritual reality. Most systems of biblical interpretation focus on a renewed version of the physical world, but the biblical reality is Spiritual, not natural. Spiritual are not less "real" than physical things, in fact, they are "more real." God is a Spirit and God's reality is Spiritual.  See the chart here: https://americanvision.org/posts/the-heavenly-and-spiritual-reality/

Kim reveals his paradigm in visual form with a chart called, The Structure of the Covenants. Drawing from the influence of Geerhardus Vos, Kim shows how the covenants unfold and come to pass in history and, ultimately, through the life and work of Jesus Christ. View the chart here: The Covenant Structure Chart https://americanvision.org/posts/the-structure-of-the-covenants/

Kim discusses the difference between covenants and ages in the Bible. We must get our definitions of terms from the Bible itself and not assume we know what is being said. Many have taught that covenants and ages are essentially synonymous, but Kim argues that while related, they are also very distinct. 

Kim discusses a seventh principle that follows on from the first six in the last podcast about our union and being raised with Christ. Is the church living up to its full potential today? Are we reigning with Christ as we should? Many Christians don't believe that the church even has a dominion calling in the physical world. It is a self-imposed exile that keeps them from fulfilling what God expects of His people. One that completely ignores and reinterprets the imminence theme of the New Testament.

Kim addresses the covenantal focus of biblical eschatology, concentrating on our union with Jesus Christ and His life, death, burial, and resurrection. Redemption accomplished and redemption applied comes back into the conversation with a much deeper reality and context. Christ's full mission of bringing in God's Kingdom is Definitive, Progressive, and Final and is worked out in the historical past, present, and future.

In John 3, Jesus asks Nicodemus: "If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?" On today's episode, Kim shows the Bible's consistent hermeneutic about the covenantal administrations of God's Kingdom and the difference between them. One is earthy and the other is heavenly, one is physical and the other spiritual, one is temporal and the other eternal. But heavenly, spiritual, and eternal does not mean unreal or gnostic. In fact, it means the exact opposite.

Kim continues explaining Romans 8 and two more key concepts: union with Christ and the first-fruits of the Spirit. What does Paul mean when he says we are "in Christ"? The Kingdom of God is a current reality, but it doesn't come as we expect; it is a spiritual reality, rather than a physical one. Like a mustard seed, it is currently growing and expanding. It will eventually cover the whole earth in its fullness and completeness.

Kim summarizes what has already been covered and how Romans 8 should be understood in light of everything that has been presented in the entire podcast series. Many other verses help to inform and clarify what Paul is teaching in Romans 8. As always, Scripture is the best interpreter of Scripture, but getting rid of our preconceived ideas is difficult and takes time. We must learn to read the Bible in light of the Bible.

Kim continues going through Romans 8, looking specifically at verse 23. Paul writes that his audience was "waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body." The timeframe of the New Testament is overwhelmingly imminent and "about to take place." Christians today are benefactors of what Paul's first-century audience was waiting for with great eagerness. Delaying these "soon to be" promises for 2000 years is a "hope deferred" and "makes the heart sick" (Proverbs 13:12).

God's Kingdom does not break into this world without opposition. Paul wrote: "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us" (Romans 8:18). While Paul's first-century readers were enduring suffering, they were also the ones that would have "the glory" revealed to them. The temporary glory of the Old Covenant period was becoming a permanent—and ongoing—glory for New Covenant believers. God's Kingdom began (redemption accomplished) and continues to grow in history (redemption applied), until His Kingdom is full and complete.

Kim begins looking at Romans 8 in this study. Imminency, persecution, and glory are key themes that must be carefully studied in this passage in light of many other New Testament passages. First century believers were "eagerly awaiting" something to happen in their day. What are the "birth pangs" Paul writes about in Romans 8:22? What was this new thing that was being brought into existence in Paul's own day?

With AD30 in the rear-view mirror and AD70 still to occur, the New Testament documents are written during a short time period with a high level of expectancy and imminency. Kim continues his look at Romans 11, especially verses 25-26. Salvation comes to the Gentiles through the Jews, not in spite of them. Paul says he was in chains "for the hope of Israel" in Acts 28:20. So what does it mean that "all Israel will be saved" in Romans 11:26?

Biblical eschatology has been studied, discussed, and debated for millennia. No chapter is more pivotal—and controversial—than Romans 11. It has been used for nearly every future scenario and scheme in biblical prophecy. Oddly, with as much focus as there seems to be on Israel in most systems, they usually miss the point Paul is making and the context of what he is actually saying throughout the entire book of Romans.

Kim discusses Hebrews 9, Acts 2-3, 2 Peter 3, and other NT and OT passages regarding the biblical understanding of Israel. Building on what he's already taught in earlier podcasts, he continues his exegetical case for covenant hermeneutics. The consummation of Israel's eschatology opened the door for the restoration of the nations, which is still ongoing today.

Kim describes the fulfilled role of Israel in biblical prophecy. While modern Christians are correct that the nation of Israel plays a major part in God's redemptive story, it is not the focus any longer. God's promises to Israel must be—and were—fulfilled, which made it possible for all nations to be saved. God's plan was always to extend His focus to "the world," but Israel was the initial example. As Paul states in Romans, it was "to the Jew first."

In this episode, Kim discusses the importance of understanding how the progression from Adam, Noah, Abraham, Israel, and the Nations all connect and define biblical progress and the full picture of God's redemptive story. God made three promises to Abraham. Israel was God's chosen means to bring redemption to the Nations. Israel was a beginning, not an end, of the prophetic mission to the world as a whole.

Kim defines preterism biblically and shows how it works out from past to present using several passages. Redemption has been accomplished by the work of Christ, but now it needs to be applied to the entirety of creation. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus fulfilled Israel's eschatology, which is only the beginning of the "healing of the nations" (Rev 22:2-3).

In this episode, Kim discusses John 4 and the woman at the well. He shows how this encounter between Jesus and a Samaritan woman is the key to understanding the Bible as a whole. Worshiping God and reading and interpreting the Bible are spiritual endeavors that must be informed by the Holy Spirit in order to be rightly understood. Paul and Peter reinforce this truth in later books of the Bible, but the lesson is the same.

Kim continues laying the groundwork for his covenant hermeneutic of the entire story of the Bible. The "one and the many" principle is necessary to rightly interpret the Bible as a whole: God is both complex and simple and so is His revealed Word. Similar to playing chess, every piece is needed to play properly and to understand the game overall.

Gary summarizes the first two recent discussions with Kim Burgess and what we can expect going forward. While many people were enthused and appreciative of the interviews, others have taken issue with them. Gary explains his theological method of reading and interpreting the Bible on its own terms and some questions that arise from reading Scripture in light of Scripture.

Gary continues talking with Kim Burgess about the complete story of the Bible. In this part, Kim likens systematic theology to dissection and biblical theology to vivisection. While both methods seek to understand what the Bible is saying, one works in bits and pieces, while the other works to understand the Bible as an organic whole. Traditional evangelical interpretations are too often informed by the dissection method and less by vivisection.

Gary DeMar introduces the audience to his long-time friend, Kim Burgess. The two discuss eschatology and how all the pieces of the Bible fit together as a comprehensive whole. Kim talks about the difference between systematic theology and biblical theology and how the Bible needs to be read and understood on its own terms.