dual fulfullment
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dual fulfullment
Is it possible that Revelation could have a dual fulfillment? It seems to me that many OT prophecies had an immediate fulfillment, as well as a later, ultimate fulfillment, usually in the Messiah.
Last edited by Guest on Wed Dec 31, 1969 7:00 pm, edited 0 times in total.
Reason:
Reason:
Blessings!
Nicole
Nicole
Hi Nicole,
It is true that there are some prophecies in the Old Testament that have two fulfillments in history. Could Revelation be understood that way? It does not seem likely to me, though I can’t say with certainty. Consider these points:
1. The prophecies in the Old Testament that have secondary fulfillments all have their final fulfillment in the first coming of Christ (e.g., Isaiah 7:14/ 2 Sam.7:12). There is none whose second fulfillment comes later than the life and ministry of Jesus (unless the prophecies that threaten the Babylonian exile are seen as having a second fulfillment in 70 AD—but this extends the range only a little beyond the earthly ministry of Jesus);
2. Jesus said that the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD would occur “so that all things which are written may be fulfilled” (Luke 21:20-23). This suggests that the events of 70 AD are the culmination of all that God had predicted.
3. The only way we know that there are secondary fulfillments of prophecies that were previously fulfilled in history is that we are informed in the scriptures that this is the case, i.e., a New Testament writer identifies a New Testament event as a fulfillment of a prophecy that had already been fulfilled in Old Testament times.
None of these considerations would apply to the theory of the book of Revelation having double fulfillment, so I am inclined to discount the suggestion.
It is true that there are some prophecies in the Old Testament that have two fulfillments in history. Could Revelation be understood that way? It does not seem likely to me, though I can’t say with certainty. Consider these points:
1. The prophecies in the Old Testament that have secondary fulfillments all have their final fulfillment in the first coming of Christ (e.g., Isaiah 7:14/ 2 Sam.7:12). There is none whose second fulfillment comes later than the life and ministry of Jesus (unless the prophecies that threaten the Babylonian exile are seen as having a second fulfillment in 70 AD—but this extends the range only a little beyond the earthly ministry of Jesus);
2. Jesus said that the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD would occur “so that all things which are written may be fulfilled” (Luke 21:20-23). This suggests that the events of 70 AD are the culmination of all that God had predicted.
3. The only way we know that there are secondary fulfillments of prophecies that were previously fulfilled in history is that we are informed in the scriptures that this is the case, i.e., a New Testament writer identifies a New Testament event as a fulfillment of a prophecy that had already been fulfilled in Old Testament times.
None of these considerations would apply to the theory of the book of Revelation having double fulfillment, so I am inclined to discount the suggestion.
Last edited by Guest on Wed Dec 31, 1969 7:00 pm, edited 0 times in total.
Reason:
Reason:
In Jesus,
Steve
Steve