S. Dual Fulfillment of Prophecy

DUAL FULFILMENT OF PROPHECY

About one-third of the Bible is prophecy. Much of it has more than one fulfilment. Are there any principles which help us in seeing how a prophecy might be fulfilled more than once? Here are three ways in which Bible prophecies can be fulfilled more than once.

1 A typical fulfilment first

Some Bible prophecies have their complete fulfilment in the long term, but in the short term there is a partial fulfilment in events which are types of the complete fulfilment.

Example. The promises to David are quoted with reference to Solomon; compare 1 Chronicles 17:12-13 with 1 Chronicles 22:9-10. This is because Solomon’s reign was a type of Christ’s Kingdom; compare 1 Kings 4:25 with prophecies of the Kingdom in Jeremiah 23:6 and Micah 4:4. However, their complete fulfilment comes with Christ; see Luke 1:32-33 and Acts 13:33.

Other examples. Micah 4:1-13; Micah 5:1-15 was initially fulfilled by Hezekiah in relation to the Assyrian invasion, but will be more completely fulfilled by Christ setting up the Kingdom. Some features of Psalms 72:1-20 were fulfilled by Solomon’s kingdom, but the psalm will be completely fulfilled in the future reign of Christ.

2 A typical fulfilment later Some Bible prophecies are fulfilled completely initially but this fulfilment is typical of something greater to come.

Example. Isaiah 17:1 - was fulfilled in the Assyrian invasion in Hezekiah’s time, culminating in the destruction of the Assyrian host (Isaiah 17:14). Yet this fulfilment is also typical of the host which invades the land at the time of Christ’s return, and is destroyed.

Other examples. Jeremiah 50:1 - ; DUAL FULFILMENT OF PROPHECY

About one-third of the Bible is prophecy. Much of it has more than one fulfilment. Are there any principles which help us in seeing how a prophecy might be fulfilled more than once? Here are three ways in which Bible prophecies can be fulfilled more than once.

1 A typical fulfilment first

Some Bible prophecies have their complete fulfilment in the long term, but in the short term there is a partial fulfilment in events which are types of the complete fulfilment.

Example. The promises to David are quoted with reference to Solomon; compare 1 Chronicles 17:12-13 with 1 Chronicles 22:9-10. This is because Solomon’s reign was a type of Christ’s Kingdom; compare 1 Kings 4:25 with prophecies of the Kingdom in Jeremiah 23:6 and Micah 4:4. However, their complete fulfilment comes with Christ; see Luke 1:32-33 and Acts 13:33.

Other examples. $Micah 4:1-13; Micah 5:1-15 was initially fulfilled by Hezekiah in relation to the Assyrian invasion, but will be more completely fulfilled by Christ setting up the Kingdom. Some features of Psalms 72:1-20 were fulfilled by Solomon’s kingdom, but the psalm will be completely fulfilled in the future reign of Christ.

2 A typical fulfilment later Some Bible prophecies are fulfilled completely initially but this fulfilment is typical of something greater to come.

Example. Isaiah 17:1-14 was fulfilled in the Assyrian invasion in Hezekiah’s time, culminating in the destruction of the Assyrian host (Isaiah 17:14). Yet this fulfilment is also typical of the host which invades the land at the time of Christ’s return, and is destroyed.

Other examples. Jeremiah 50:1-46; Jeremiah 51:1-64 are prophetic of the overthrow of the kingdom of Babylon, but the extensive use of the language of these chapters in Revelation 17:1-18 and Revelation 18:1-24 shows that this overthrow was typical of the overthrow of spiritual Babylon at Christ’s return. Psalms 41:1-13 (not strictly prophecy) is about David’s experiences in the revolt of Absalom, but his betrayal by Ahithophel is typical of Judas’s betrayal of Christ (Psalms 41:9, quoted in John 13:18).

3 Prophecies fulfilled on a number of occasions Some Bible prophecies are fulfilled on several occasions because of situations which keep occurring.

Example. Deuteronomy 28:49 prophesies of "a nation . . . from far" which God would send against Israel if they forsook Him. Note how the terms of this verse were fulfilled by Assyria (Isaiah 5:26; Isaiah 33:19; Hosea 8:1) and Babylon (Jeremiah 4:13; Jeremiah 5:15) as well as Rome (Matthew 24:28).

Other examples. Cannibalism, prophesied in Leviticus 26:29, is recorded in both 2 Kings 6:26-31 and Lamentations 4:10, and according to Josephus occurred in A.D. 70. The opposition to Christ by rulers foretold in Psalms 2:1-3 occurred at his birth (Matthew 2:1-23) and his crucifixion (Acts 4:25-28), and will occur at his Second Coming (Revelation 17:12-14) and at the end of the Millennium (Revelation 20:7-10).

Jeremiah 51:1-64 are prophetic of the overthrow of the kingdom of Babylon, but the extensive use of the language of these chapters in Revelation 17:1-18 and Revelation 18:1-24 shows that this overthrow was typical of the overthrow of spiritual Babylon at Christ’s return. Psalms 41:1-13 (not strictly prophecy) is about David’s experiences in the revolt of Absalom, but his betrayal by Ahithophel is typical of Judas’s betrayal of Christ (Psalms 41:9, quoted in John 13:18).