History is the key to the future
Even in the secular world, it is widely recognised that history tends to repeat itself. Mark Twain has a famous quote, “History doesn’t repeat itself but it does rhyme.” There is also a lesson to learn from history with the quote by Spanish philosopher George Santayana, “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” The Bible is said to be ⅓ prophecy but prophecy is really just history written in advance. So what about the contention that in the Bible, prophecy often has dual fulfillments? Another way of putting this is that when we see a prophecy it often has a near fulfillment and a far-off fulfillment. Seems impossible that anyone could prophesy something that is fulfilled in at least two different ways but then again nothing is impossible with God. Not only is it possible but the Bible has many examples of such a thing.
The virgin prophecies
Recently, I was having a discussion with a friend of mine who declared that he didn’t believe in dual prophecies. In other words, he believed that each prophecy had only one fulfillment. I was astounded and I immediately gave him the famous prophecy by Isaiah when he said to a fearful King Ahaz, “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
The Aramites and Israelites were seeking to conquer Jerusalem, and King Ahaz of Judah was fearful that they would be successful. The prophecy continues by saying that before the boy would be old enough to know the difference between right and wrong (a toddler), the land of the two kings you fear will be laid waste. This was the near fulfillment around 734 BC but in the New Testament Matthew connects the virgin birth in Isa. 7:14 with Mary giving birth to Jesus.1 This was the second and more complete fulfillment but clearly it is what we call a dual or double fulfillment.
I believe if we are going to accurately decipher what God is doing in ⅓ of the Bible then we need to understand that there are many dual prophecies and that it is a valid thing. If we don’t, then I think we are going to be terribly confused with the teachings of prophecy and that is dangerous considering that we are living in the latter days. Prophecies are being fulfilled rapidly as we approach the Day of the Lord and Jesus returning and some of those we will be faced with will be the second and more complete fulfillment.
There are so many more examples including the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Elijah’s. There was the first original Elijah the Tishbite, the second Elijah John the Baptist, and the 3rd and final end times Elijah being one of the two witnesses. We certainly need this key to correctly understand the times that we live in.
“The Return of the Gods”
I have recently finished reading Jonathan Cahn’s latest book “The Return of the Gods”. The main point of his book is that the evil ‘gods’ Baal, Ishtar, and Molech are back and have made diabolical inroads into our Western society in the areas of the sexual revolution, homosexuality, abortion, and transgender agenda. It all started with the Stonewall Riot in New York, on June 28th, 1969. This is all in preparation for when Satan and his demons are cast down to the earth. He makes the point that the gods were ousted when Christianity became the prevalent belief system in the 5th century AD but since the 1960s we have become post-Christian which has left the door open for the gods. Incredibly some of the dates he quotes resonate with history exactly. For example, Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian army finally broke through the city wall of Jerusalem on the 9th day of the 4th month (9th Tammuz)2 after having begun laying siege 18 months earlier.3 Amazingly gay marriage in America was finally voted on and approved on 26th June 2015 the same Jewish date: 9th Tammuz! Metaphorically the walls were broken down on the same Jewish date.4
There are so many rhymes and key dates that repeat over history. It is no coincidence. The post-Christian civilisation that we now live in is a repeat of the pre-Christian civilisation when the demonic gods were also present. Cahn says, “A pre-Christian civilisation may produce a Caligula or a Nero. But a post-Christian civilisation will produce a Stalin or a Hitler.”5 And that is one of my main points of this Luke 21 ministry website: Adolf Hitler will be returning as the Antichrist because there is a dual fulfillment. He is the 7th king but the 8th will be one of the seven. The only evil king who totally fits the bill in my opinion is Hitler.
A pre-Christian civilisation may produce a Caligula or a Nero. But a post-Christian civilisation will produce a Stalin or a Hitler."
Molech was the god to whom Israel offered their babies in the Valley of Hinnom6 after they had fully entered into idolatry and became like the surrounding nations. Amazingly Winston Churchill used the figure of Molech to describe the evil of Adolf Hitler. Why? Because ancient history sets the precedent and it repeats in a fuller way later on.
He (Hitler) had conjured up the fearful idol of an all-devouring Moloch of which he was the priest and incarnation.
Perhaps Cahn’s most striking statement about Nazi Germany in his book was the statement that the evil of Nazi Germany was so extreme that any attempt to explain it away as being just a natural phenomenon is destined to fail.7 In other words, he believes (I do too), that this had to be the result of the demonic realm. Surely Hitler was the devil’s worker at that time and I believe that prophecy demands that such an assistant will be required again. In fact, prophecy does say that one of the seven evil dictators does rise again out of the abyss.8 Would it not be plausible that the worst dictator in history with regards to trying to exterminate the Jewish nation would be the best candidate? History is circular and prophecy is merely history written in advance.
Jews went to Jordan once before
Many know that it is the belief of this ministry that the church must escape and flee to safety into the wilderness at the halfway mark of the 70th week. The woman of Revelation 12 will consist of a mixed multitude such as the mob who left Egypt the first time.9 Yes it is centred on Israel but it’s also those who are taking refuge in Jerusalem and Judea at the time.10 Jer. 40:11-12 sets the precedent for this destination because Edom, Moab, and Ammon were the places that many of the Jews scattered to when Nebuchadnezzar army laid siege to Jerusalem. These areas are southern Jordan. Again we will see history repeating itself but it’s prophecy as well. Jesus told His disciples in 30 AD to flee to the mountains (Jordan) when they saw the Abomination of Desolation standing in the holy place. By the way, the Abomination of Desolation is also a dual prophecy, one with Antiochus Epiphanes and again when the Antichrist rises in the future.11 That is likely to happen very soon–some 2000 years later.
Hosea prophesied that Israel would not be restored until two days (2000 years) had passed as per the graphic below.12
Grammatically the “near” fulfillment of revival and restoration for Israel in Hosea 6:2 is literally two or three days but it has another prophetic fulfillment of restoration after 2000 years had passed. Israel would not be fully restored until after the start of the 3rd millennium.
Conclusion
The only conclusion a serious Bible student can reach is that the Bible is full of dual prophetic fulfillments. The rhyming of history is evident with historical precedents giving us hints of what is to follow. Dual prophecies don’t always follow each other exactly. Who would have thought that John the Baptist was the second Elijah? Similarly, the third Elijah will be someone else again, probably a last days contemporary man in the spirit of Elijah.
The real question is why do we have dual prophecies and historical rhyming? My guess is that when we have seen historical precedents and prophecy fulfilled in two or more parts it gives us confidence in the Scriptures that we are on the right track for the future. And especially during the last seven years, we are going to need all the help we can get.
A historical precedent that gives me a lot of comfort is that Israel has escaped to Petra and southern Jordan before and the prophecy says that it is going to happen again. Israel, possibly with the help of angels and the 144,000 will lead a mixed multitude into safety for those willing to accept and put their faith in this dual prophecy. See my article “What will the 144,000 do for seven years?” to read about how the 144,000 may be the ones who lead the mixed multitude into Petra and Jordan.
The first prophecy came in Luke 21:20-21 when Jesus told His disciples, “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies…let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.” This happened in AD 70 but the ultimate fulfillment of this prophecy is yet to occur.
Prophecy needs to be examined carefully and a great piece of information and tool in the tool-bag is that there are dual fulfillments. For further study see Got Questions article on this very topic.
