1. All Scripture is necessary, and may be understood by diligent application and study (and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wisel for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathedm and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:15-17).
3. Scripture must be its own interpreter, since it is a rule of itself. (The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. Psalm 19:7-11; Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians 2:12-14).
4. To understand doctrine, bring all the Scriptures together on the subject you wish to know; then let every word have its proper influence, and if you can form your theory without a contradiction, you cannot be in an error (Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little :Isaiah 28:8,10; We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 2 Peter 1:19, 20).
We believe the Millerites were also correct in their historical approach to prophetic interpretation.
Historicists believe that, when interpreting the Bible prophecies, one must examine the entire sweep of history, from ancient times to modern times, because a prophecy might be pointing to any historical event.
This is in contrast to preterism, which holds that the prophecies were fulfilled in ancient times, and futurism, which pushes all prophetic events into a future era."
F.D. Nichols
