Once one 'takes up the sword' one dies to the things of this world and one lives unto Christ (I have a two edged sword in my mouth)
Yes Ian that is a good example of there being a natural/physical understanding, but the same also has a spiritual application as well.
1Co 15:46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual.
People in the world/church can only see the physical/natural/literal meaning of the words in Scripture and there is a truth to that, BUT that holds only the meaning for this temporary physical world and holds only death, physically and spiritually.
Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Rom 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
Even "for all who take the sword will perish by the sword" has a real physical application (as Alex showed) and a higher spiritual meaning (as you showed) as well. But there is also levels of understanding the spiritual as well, as you gain knowledge you can gain more spiritual insight... you can see a spiritual meaning in a Scripture one time and come back later and gain even more meaning in the same Scripture.
Here is a piece from the article 'Twelve Truths to Understanding His Word' that shows how the whole physical creation in this age, what all must experience first, is only carnal minded vanity, as Paul said is nothing but a body of death.
http://bible-truths.com/twelve.htm --------------------
Here is how GOD says He created Adam and Eve:
"For the creature was made subject to vanity [King James Margin: "futility"], not willingly, but by reason of Him [God] Who has subjected [Gk: ‘subjects’—aorist tense—subjecting is still going on] the same in hope" (Rom. 8:20).
In Dante’s inferno, "all hope is gone…," but in God’s realm He subjects the entire creation "…in HOPE,"
God willfully, wantingly, knowingly, purposely, and wisely, created mankind "subject to vanity," subject to failure, but beyond the failure, God also subjects the same in "hope." Once again, contrary to all orthodox doctrine, there is hope for all of God’s carnal-minded, God-hating people on planet Earth. God Himself says so, in the same breath: "because the creature itself [the same creation that God subjects to vanity, futility, failure, and carnal-minded hatred against God] also shall be [ah, did you catch that? ‘shall be’], delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God" (Rom. 8:21). Do you believe the Scriptures? Really—what about this one?
And so God, "made the creature subject to vanity"—failure, but later in mankind’s development, the creature "shall be"— [future tense]… shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption." Ah yes, God created them in a condition of "bondage" and "corruption," and therefore not "immortal" as is taught, but rather in "bondage of corruption." But thanks to God, in the resurrection of the dead, ‘…this corruption must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality’ (I Cor. 15:54).
Yes, of course, first comes the PHYSICAL (death), and then the SPIRITUAL (life). There it is—the hope of all humanity. Corruption and mortality (the physical first) must put on incorruption and immortality [the afterward spiritual).
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mercy, peace and love
Kat