"But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God." -- II Peter 1:20,21
The Holy Spirit authored the Bible's prophecies, and is the only One Who can tell us God's meaning in them. The take-away is that we have to ask, and listen to, The Spirit to discern God's meaning in His words. This is the whole principle of interpreting Biblical prophecy: and it's impossible to fault its logic, for "...no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God" (Isaiah 40:13, quoted in Romans 11:34 and I Corinthians 2:16).
Our "own interpretation" is completely disallowed by this principle, and rightly so. In our moments of honesty, with God and with ourselves, we would each have to confess that we can, and do, often persuade ourselves we're hearing The Spirit, when we are not. Confess too that (not only in hearing God's word) we can, and do, hear what we want to hear. Taken to its ultimate length, self-deceiving "human will" is at the root of false prophecy, and false interpretation of prophecy.
If we sincerely desire to hear God's meaning in Biblical prophecy, we must set our minds to rigorously discern, test, scrutinize (as Jesus commanded the crowds in Luke 12:56) every interpretation of prophecy: our own first, and anyone else's. And we must re-examine our conclusions: possibly more than once. If we take from prophecy any meaning except the one God intends, we not only miss His life-giving word; we mislead ourselves, and delight satan.
A primary test of prophetic interpretation, often determinative by itself, is who it glorifies. God will not share His glory (Isaiah 42:8, 48:11: also translated "honor" or "praise") with another. We can consequently be certain that The Spirit will never offer an interpretation of prophecy which glorifies man or his works. It's an absolute marker of "own interpretations" if the interpreter glorifies any man (often himself), or any of man's works.
God makes the lines unmistakably clear: but we know that man's heart is "...deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked" (Jeremiah 17:9). Evaluating the motives of "interpreters of prophecy" is therefore where we most need to seek The Spirit's penetrating discernment, for Jesus affirmed that God Alone fully knows men's hearts. (Luke 16:15).
With the caveat that I may get the Spirit's discernment wrong, as any of us can, I've found pride a good indicator of "prophetic interpretation" intended to glorify man. As mentioned above, I think there are times we can sense that an interpreter (to some degree) prides himself on his ability to "solve the puzzle" of Biblical prophecies. I think we're on solid scriptural ground to reject prophetic interpretations by such "teachers."
But very noticeable in today's "prophetic teaching" is what I'd call factional pride: "prophetic interpretation" by which man prides himself as identifying with (for example) a nation, denomination, philosophy, political party, theology, economic theory, etc.. And because more prevalent, it may be the enemy's greatest weapon against the Church today that Christians eagerly follow false "prophetic interpretations" which echo and flatter their own opinions.
Galatians 5:19-21 is explicit that "factions" (Strong's glosses the Greek word as "self-chosen opinions") are a "deed of the flesh," and that "...those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." Nothing could be more certain than that The Spirit is not Author of any "deed of the flesh." Nor of the divisiveness which is their raison d'etre. Nor of the pride in which factions are rooted; nor of the "...enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions" (also on Galatians' list of "deeds of the flesh"), and hatred for others which they engender.
Just as the Spirit of God never shares His Glory with any individual, it's safe to say that the Spirit's interpretations of prophecy will never be to the praise, honor, glory or endorsement of any of the proud works of man's flesh: not human factions, no "nation of men," and none of man's ideologies. All "Interpretations" of Biblical prophecy which do so unmistakably manifest a spirit other than God's.
Because many American Christians have unwisely identified with the "conservative" political faction, its "talking-points" often predominate in today's false "prophetic interpretation." A previous blog-post here highlights one recent example I've read, the book "Letter to the American Church" by "conservative" media-personality Eric Metaxas.
The way a good friend put it to me (and stunned me to silence) several years ago sticks with me. Not a stupid man, not a Q-Anon crazy, not a superficial Christian, he flatly said "I don't believe you can be a Christian unless you're a conservative." I think that concept of Christianity has become more prevalent and increasingly violent in recent years: probably many who believe as my friend does are today convinced that anyone not in their faction are "enemies," thereby consciously serving satan, and should be destroyed.
No one can miss that politics has been the primary element dividing our country the last few years, and is variety of the "deed of the flesh" Galatians calls "factions:" a "self-chosen opinion." And clearly politics has become the criteria by which many deceived "Christians" measure even the faith and its teachings, as well as other Christians.
In these days when Jesus' repeated warning in Matthew 24 against being "misled" puts the highest premium on Christians' ability to discern false teaching and false prophecy:
in this day when much of "Christian" teaching, prophecy, and interpretation of prophecy is blatantly political:
it may be that the most relevant principle of discerning The Spirit's call to the Church today may simply be that The Spirit will never proffer a political "solution" to any spiritual problem.
