Episode 16: Double Fulfillment Under the Microscope

Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope: Episode 16

In this conclusion to his interview with author Brian Godawa, Gary answers a question about so-called double fulfillment.

Some claim that there will be another fulfillment, a future fulfillment. This is pure guesswork, reading into a section of Scripture what’s not there. We know this because Jesus states there will be a great tribulation before that contemporary generation passed away. It’s a leap in logic to argue that another such judgment is prophetically assured when nothing is mentioned about another great tribulation having the same covenantal consequences.

We cannot assume, therefore, that because something happened in the first century that it could have another prophetic fulfillment when the New Testament offers no evidence for it. We only know of what was going to happen to the rebuilt temple because of what Jesus said would happen to the city and temple. Where do we stop with the number of fulfillments? We would have to be told that there would be another similar tribulation that included the temple, animal sacrifices, priesthood, etc. While futurists claim these series of events will happen again, there are no verses in the New Testament that support the claim. Jesus is using a common way of describing significant events:

• Thus He has confirmed His words which He had spoken against us and against our rulers who ruled us, to bring on us great calamity; for under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what was done to Jerusalem (Dan. 9:12).

• Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued (Dan. 12:1).

• Alas! For that day is great, There is none like it; And it is the time of Jacob’s distress, But he will be saved from it (Jer. 30:7).

If Israel and Judah’s distress was so great that there was “none like it,” then how could a future tribulation be greater? In order to get around this interpretive problem, futurists claim that “Jacob’s distress” is a yet future great tribulation. But the context of Jeremiah’s prophecy says otherwise since it is describing the nation’s captivity under the powers of Jeremiah’s day.

Wars and Rumors of Wars

Skeptics read the Olivet Discourse in the right way, but come to the wrong conclusion. Christian futurists read it the wrong way and come to a different wrong conclusion. Jesus predicted that He would return within the time period of that generation alone. Unfortunately, too many Christians are giving the wrong answer when skeptics claim Jesus was mistaken. Everything Jesus said would happen before that generation passed away did happen.

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In this conclusion to his interview with author Brian Godawa, Gary answers a question about so-called double fulfillment. Many modern Christian teachers will admit that prophecies in the NT were fulfilled in AD 70, but claim that they still await a “final” fulfillment in the future. Is this correct? How do we know?

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