The "For Us Not To Us" Trope

 I hope to smooth this later, but I got a very typical comment on  a YOUTUBE thread and I wanted to save my response here for later improvement.

Their comment: "I don't view culturally bounded language as a limitation, but rather a necessity. Of course it's culturally bounded. It's written in Hebrew! It MUST be an ancient Israelite piece of writing. It most certainly isn't written to us. It would be written in English if it were.

Rather, God inspired this beautiful poem to teach us about Himself. We should not force science into it."

My answer:

Since science is by definition a search for NATURAL causes only, an account of God creating the universe, and then repeatedly intervening in our world to produce what we see, isn't "science", but it still has implications for science. It is still an account of material origins. The implications are that this world is not a result of blind natural forces, nor even a Deistic universe that can do God's will without God's help. Rather, it is a universe suitable for beings like ourselves, who cannot do His will without His help either. So you see this question of whether the text is speaking of material origins or not has implications for the theology. If you get it wrong, you are unlikely to get the theology right. Sadly, today's scholars do not have it right.

But as for whether scripture was written to us and for us or only for us, consider one of the most famous chapters in the bible, and the verse following. Hebrews chapter 11. This chapter summarizes the whole of the Old Testament figures who contended for the faith. And it concludes "37 They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. 39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect." 

So Hebrews says that it was for US, those who came long after them and are in Jesus, that their receiving what was promised was delayed. They had to lay out a case FOR US. They had to live out a narrative in history FOR US, that only together with US might we be made perfect. Indeed, the next verse says "since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses.." Do you not see? They were meant to be WITNESSES. Who are they witnessing to? US, those who followed them in history and can look back on their narratives through the lens of Christ. That's how we should see Abraham and Isaac at the alter. That's how we should see the two women who it turns out really represent two covenants (Gal 4). 

Indeed the whole point of prophecy is for future generations. The generation in which the prophecy is made cannot benefit from it till it is fulfilled. If none of this is specific enough to convince you, consider 1 Cor chapter 9: 9For it is written in the Law of Moses: “ Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it about oxen that God is concerned? 10Isn’t He actually speaking on our behalf? Indeed, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they should also expect to share in the harvest.… 

Something in the Law of Moses was written FOR US. The teaching of today's seminaries is in contradiction to the teaching of the Apostles. I advise you run from it as fast as you possibly can. Time fails or I could give even more examples, but if you have an ear to hear, this should be enough. Fare well.

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