If
All Prophecy Has Been Fulfilled, Now What?
By Dan Maines
Introduction
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One
of the most common questions people ask after learning the fulfilled
perspective is this: If all prophecy has been fulfilled, now what?
†
That
question usually comes from years of futurist teaching that
conditioned believers to think Christianity is mainly about waiting
for future signs, future judgments, future tribulations, and a future
kingdom.
†
But
the Bible never presented the Christian life as endless waiting. The
New Testament constantly pointed its first century audience toward an
approaching fulfillment that would bring the Old Covenant age to its
complete end and establish Christ's everlasting kingdom. (Matthew
16:27-28; Matthew 24:34; Hebrews 8:13)
†
Futurism
leaves believers emotionally attached to a coming age that scripture
said was already "at hand" nearly two thousand years ago.
The fulfilled perspective restores believers to the reality that
Christ already reigns, His kingdom already stands, and His covenant
promises have already been established. (Revelation 1:1-3; Revelation
22:10; Acts 2:29-36)
†
Fulfillment
was never the end of hope. Fulfillment was the arrival of what the
prophets and apostles were waiting for.
†
The
question is not, What are we waiting for now? The question is, How do
we live now that Christ has accomplished everything He promised
concerning the Old Covenant age?
Matthew
24:34
34 Truly
I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these
things take place.
†
Jesus
directly placed ALL these things within the lifetime of His own
generation.
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Futurism
must redefine "generation" to avoid the plain meaning of
Christ's words.
†
Jesus
was not speaking about a generation two thousand years later.
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This
verse alone destroys the idea of an unfulfilled Matthew
24.
Revelation
1:1-3
1 The
Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His
bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and
communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, 2 who
testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ,
everything that he saw. 3 Blessed is the one who reads, and
those who hear the words of the prophecy and keep the things which
are written in it; for the time is near.
†
Revelation
opens by declaring the events would happen shortly.
†
God
did not tell first century believers events thousands of years away
were "shortly" coming to pass.
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Futurism
turns imminent language into meaningless language.
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The
timing statements of Revelation must be respected exactly as
written.
Revelation
22:10
10 And
he said to me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this
book, for the time is near.
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Daniel
was told to seal prophecy because fulfillment was far away. (Daniel
12:4)
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John
was told NOT to seal Revelation because the time was at hand.
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This
proves Revelation concerned events near to John's own lifetime.
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Futurism
reverses the inspired timing statements of scripture.
Hebrews
8:13
13 When
He said, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete.
But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is about to
disappear.
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The
Old Covenant was already near to vanishing away when Hebrews was
written.
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The
temple still stood when Hebrews was written.
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Within
a few years the temple was destroyed exactly as Jesus foretold.
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This
proves the covenant transition was happening in the first
century.
Luke
21:20-22
20 "But
when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her
desolation is near. 21 Then those who are in Judea must flee to
the mountains, and those who are inside the city must leave, and
those who are in the country must not enter the city; 22 because
these are days of punishment, so that all things which have been
written will be fulfilled
†
Jesus
directly identified the destruction of Jerusalem as the fulfillment
of prophecy.
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He
called it the days of vengeance, that all things which are written
may be fulfilled.
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Futurism
says all things were not fulfilled.
†
Jesus
said all things written would be fulfilled in those
events.
Revelation
21:3
3 And
I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the
tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell among them,
and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,
†
John
was not describing a future planet thousands of years later. He was
describing the completed covenant relationship between God and His
people after the passing of the Old Covenant system. (Hebrews 9:8-10;
Hebrews 12:22-28)
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Under
the Law, God's presence was separated behind veils, temples,
priesthoods, sacrifices, and ordinances. Under Christ, believers now
have direct access into His presence. (Ephesians 2:18; Hebrews
10:19-22)
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Futurists
keep placing God's dwelling with man into the future, but Paul said
believers already were the temple of God in his own lifetime. (1
Corinthians 3:16; 2 Corinthians 6:16)
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The
destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 marked the full removal of the Old
Covenant world that separated Jew and Gentile. The dwelling of God
with His people was fully established in Christ. (Ephesians 2:13-15;
Hebrews 8:13)
2
Corinthians 6:16
16 Or
what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the
temple of the living God; just as God said, "I will
dwell
among them and walk
among them;
And I will be their God, and they shall be My
people.
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Paul
did not say believers would someday become God's temple. He said they
already were.
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This
completely destroys the futurist obsession with a future physical
temple in earthly Jerusalem.
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The
true temple is Christ and His people. The physical temple was only a
shadow pointing forward to the greater reality fulfilled in Him.
(John 2:19-21; Ephesians 2:19-22)
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Futurism
reverses the direction of scripture by taking believers backward into
shadows instead of forward into fulfillment.
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We
are not waiting for God to come near. Through Christ, He already
has.
Matthew
28:18-20
18 And
Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority in
heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19 Go, therefore, and
make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to
follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to
the end of the age."
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Jesus
said ALL authority had already been given to Him.
†
He
did not say He would receive authority thousands of years later.
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Christ
reigns now. His kingdom is not postponed. His throne is not waiting
on modern politics, earthly Israel, or a future tribulation.
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Futurism
unintentionally weakens the kingship of Christ by constantly speaking
of His kingdom as though it has not fully arrived yet.
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The
"end of the world" here was the end of the covenant age,
not the destruction of planet Earth. The Greek word "aion"
means age. (Matthew 24:3; Hebrews 9:26)
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The
mission of believers is not prophecy watching. It is kingdom
living.
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The
apostles never taught believers to spend centuries trying to identify
the antichrist through newspaper headlines. They taught believers to
preach Christ, love one another, walk in holiness, and spread the
gospel of the kingdom. (Colossians 1:23; Romans 13:8-10)
Colossians
1:23
23 if
indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast,
and not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you have heard,
which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I,
Paul, was made a minister.
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Paul
declared the gospel had already been preached throughout the world in
his lifetime.
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This
fulfills Matthew 24:14 before the destruction of Jerusalem.
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Futurists
continue placing Matthew 24:14 into the modern future despite Paul's
direct statement.
Romans
16:25-26
25 Now
to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the
preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery
which has been kept secret for long ages past, 26 but now has
been disclosed, and through the Scriptures of the prophets, in
accordance with the commandment of the eternal God, has been made
known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith;
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Paul
declared the gospel message had already gone into all nations of the
known world.
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This
again confirms the Great Commission fulfillment before AD 70.
Hebrews
12:28
28 Therefore,
since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let's show
gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with
reverence and awe;
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Notice
the writer said receiving, not someday eventually receiving.
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The
kingdom had already arrived in the first century transition period.
†
The
shaking referred to the removal of the Old Covenant system. (Hebrews
12:26-27)
†
Jerusalem
fell, the temple was destroyed, the Levitical system ended forever,
but Christ's kingdom remained standing exactly as prophesied. (Daniel
2:44)
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Futurists
continue expecting another covenant shaking that scripture never
predicted beyond the destruction of that Old Covenant world.
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We
are living in the unshakable kingdom now.
1
Corinthians 10:11
11 Now
these things happened to them as an example, and they were written
for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
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Paul
said the ends of the ages had already come upon his audience.
†
He
did not place the end thousands of years later.
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The
Old Covenant ages were ending in the first century transition
period.
Luke
17:20-21
20 Now
He was questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was
coming, and He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God is
not coming with signs that can be observed; 21 nor will they
say, 'Look, here it is!' or, 'There it is!' For behold, the kingdom
of God is in your midst."
†
Jesus
directly destroyed the idea of a visibly observable earthly political
kingdom.
†
The
kingdom was not something believers would locate through worldly
signs, armies, borders, or earthly governments.
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The
kingdom was a spiritual reality established through Christ.
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Futurists
continue searching the newspapers and world events for a kingdom
Jesus said does not come with outward observation.
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Christ
reigns now in the hearts and lives of His people.
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The
kingdom is present wherever Christ rules through His Spirit and
truth.
1
Peter 1:3-5
3 Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His
great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an
inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away,
reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of
God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last
time.
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Fulfilled
prophecy does not destroy hope. It confirms hope.
†
The
salvation ready to be revealed referred to the approaching end of the
Old Covenant age and the full manifestation of Christ's kingdom.
(Luke 21:28-32; Romans 13:11-12)
†
The
inheritance was not earthly land in Palestine. It was eternal
covenant life in Christ.
†
Futurists
keep returning to earthly expectations, earthly kingdoms, earthly
temples, and earthly nationalism.
†
The
New Testament consistently points believers upward into spiritual
fulfillment in Christ. (Colossians 3:1-4; Philippians 3:20)
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Because
God fulfilled His promises exactly when He said He would, we can
trust every promise He gives us now.
2
Corinthians 5:8
8 but
we are of good courage and prefer rather to be absent from the body
and to be at home with the Lord.
†
Paul
taught that believers go to be with the Lord after death.
†
He
did not teach soul sleep.
†
He
did not teach unconscious waiting for thousands of years.
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He
did not place hope in a future earthly millennium.
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