Hi Darren,
I have a bit more to add to this subject
I noticed that you seemed to have difficulity with this statement.
ALL of the "literal" history, etc., in the Bible is NOT THE REAL THING. It is merely the ways and means TO THE REAL THING, which is Spiritual. "First that which is natural; and AFTERWARD that which is SPIRITUAL" (I Cor. 15:46).
The whole Bible is about real events and is the real history of the world since creation. But what is meant by 'the Bible is NOT THE REAL THING.' What I believe this is talking about is, we are physical and the world we live in is physical, but it is not 'the real thing,' this is just the beginning.
The real thing is the spiritual kingdom.
Here is an email that I think will help with this.
http://www.forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,2268.0.html ---------------
Dear Dale:
Beats me! Maybe there was no Part 2? I don't know. My memory does go back that far--that was over a year ago. I can't really go into much detail on that in an email, but briefly I will say this. When the Scriptures say that something is "like" something else, it means "similar, in some ways." Not the "same as," as some people think the word "like" means, but "similar." Not similar in all ways, but similar in "certain ways." The word like is really pretty close to a metaphor. A metaphor is when one thing is said to BE something else, as "the lake of fire IS the second death." But it is not LITERALLY what it is said to be, but only "like something else, IN CERTAIN WAYS."
Are you now thoroughly confused? I hope not. And so the Kingdom of God is "like"............"leaven in three measures of meal." It is NOT leaven in three measures of meal, but "SIMILARY, IN CERTAIN WAYS." The Kingdom of God is LIKE, "a drag net full of all kinds of fishes." It is NOT literal fishes, but "SIMILAR, in certain ways." Some fish are good for food and some are not (that's about all fish are good for AT ALL, unless you have them for pets--but you can't pet a fish, like I can and do pet my cats all the time). They are good for food or not good for food. The Kingdom of God is LIKE THAT. Some of those who Believe in and follow Jesus are GOOD FOR FOOD (spiritual food) for the nations of the world), but some are not--in fact, some are POISONOUS--like the unbelievably painful rock fish.
The Kingdom of God is "similar to, in certain ways," a plainted or plants grain............A man who takes account of his servants..................a man who builds a house................new wine in old wine skins..........the wheat and the tars.............the pearl of great priced..................the prodigal son and the older brother..........the lost sheep.....................the unforgiving servant.................the workers in the vineyard........the wise and foolish virgins..............the talents............the good samaritan..................the barren fig tree.............the great supper.........the lost coin............the Rich man and Lazarus........the Persistant Widow............the Pharisee and the tax collector, etc., etc., etc. Are you seeing it? The Kingdom of God is like "MANY ARE CALLED BUT FEW ARE CHOSEN"! NOW are you getting it? I hope so. I'll take it up in a future Conference (but you have got to come.......)!!
God be with you,
Ray
Does that help you at all? Just carry this truth out in every parable concerning the Kngdom of God, and you will begin to understand what the Kingdom of God is really LIKE. Isn't understanding the Scriptures really fund?
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The physical is a type and shadow of the real thing which is yet to come, which is our being born into the spiritual kingdom.
First we have the physical which is now for us, but the elect have begun ahead of the majority (as being begotten, a taste of what is to come), then comes the real thing when we enter the kingdom as spirit.
Here is excerpt from Ray's 'Tithing is Unscriptural Under the New Covenant,' this explains more about this.http://www.bible-truths.com/tithing.html -----------------------------
THE TYPE AND SHADOW IS FAR INFERIOR TO THE REALITY
"Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, [truly, truly], I say unto you, Moses gave you NOT THAT BREAD FROM HEAVEN; but My Father gives you the TRUE BREAD from heaven. For the bread of God is HE which comes down from heaven and gives life unto the world" (John 6:32-33)!
What? How can Jesus say that?
The Jews said that their fathers ate "bread from heaven."
Moses said that, "He gave them bread from heaven to eat."
But Jesus said, "Moses gave you NOT that bread from heaven; but My Father gives you the TRUE bread from heaven.
Is Jesus contradicting the very Word of God? No, a thousand times No: He is fulfilling the words of the prophets just as He said in Matt. 5:17.
The bread in the desert was only the type of bread from heaven, which in reality, and in fulfillment, pointed to Jesus Christ, the "TRUE bread from heaven." The same is true for Malachi. The "polluted bread" of Malachi is but the type of the unpolluted, pure, "TRUE bread from heaven,’ which is Jesus Christ.
"I beseech [invitation, invocation, imploration, exhortation] you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy [not polluted], acceptable [not like in Malachi where God says, ‘neither will I accept an offering at your hand’], unto God, which is your reasonable service" (Rom. 12:1).
As it is our ‘bodies’ that house our mind, heart, and spirit, we will also cover those attributes which are necessary in order for our "living sacrifice" to be acceptable unto the Lord.
Seriously, dear readers, of what value are physical material offerings to God, if the ones making the offerings are themselves, "polluted bread?" Does God really desire physical things? God has already created BILLIONS OF GALAXIES full of "physical things." Billions of galaxies do not fulfill God’s desire for the love, obedience, and admiration of children. God wants children. God wants children—Sons and Daughters in His Own image.
FIRST THE PHYSICAL AND THEN THE SPIRITUAL
"Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is SPIRITUAL" (I Cor. 15:46).
Now then, was that bread that the fathers ate in the desert the "TRUE bread from heaven?" No, it clearly was not, Jesus said it was not! And so, can we not see, can we not believe, can we not understand, that Jesus Christ IS
"…the TRUE bread from heaven. For the bread of God IS HE which comes down FROM HEAVEN and gives life unto the world" (John 6:32b-33).
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I hope this helps
mercy, peace, and love
Kat