Has everything in the Bible already been fulfilled?
Here are a few Time Statements to consider. Note these statements are made to a specific audience in the 1st century about events THEY were going through. The letters were written to THEM.
Jesus said..
THIS GENERATION will not pass away until all these things take place. (Matthew 24:34)
From now on, YOU [Caiaphas, the chief priests, the scribes, the elders, the whole Sanhedrin] shall be seeing the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven. (Matthew 26:64; Mark 14:62; Luke 22:69)
"Truly I tell you [disciples in the 1st century], some who are STANDING HERE [right in front of me/Jesus] will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom [New Covenant].”
In Luke, we see Jesus predicting that "all things which are written may be fulfilled".
Obviously, this would include all written prophecy.
THESE are days of vengeance, in order that all things which are written may be fulfilled. (Luke 21:22)
The THESE days of Luke 21:22 were the first century. The entire context of Luke 21 pertains to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish temple, which happened in 70AD.
Nevertheless what YOU [first century church of Thyatira] have, hold fast UNTIL I COME. (Revelation 2:25)
Apostle Paul said....
The form of THIS world IS passing away. (1 Corinthians 7:31)
I solemnly charge YOU in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is ABOUT TO judge the living and the dead. (2 Timothy 4:1)
There is ABOUT TO BE a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. (Acts 24:15)
As he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment ABOUT TO COME. (Acts 24:25)
"You know what hour it is, how it is full time NOW for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed; the night is far gone, the day is at hand.” (Rom13:11-12)
“Brethren, the APPOINTED TIME HAS GROWN VERY SHORT; from NOW ON, let those who have wives live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the form of this world is passing away.” (1Cor7:29-31)
“On [us] (1st century audience) the ends of the ages have come.” (1Cor10:11)
“The Lord is at hand.” (Phil4:5)
The author of Hebrews said.....
Heb 1:2 Hath in THESE LAST DAYS spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the one that is ABOUT TO COME. (Hebrews 13:14)
Heb 9:26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but NOW once IN THE END OF THE WORLD hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Jesus' brother James said...
Be patient, therefore, brethren [James' immediate audience], until the coming of the Lord. (James 5:7)
YOU [James' first century audience] too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord IS AT HAND (James 5:8)
James 5:8,9 – “The coming of the Lord is at hand. … Behold, the Judge is standing at the door.”
Peter said....
THIS is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel: “And it shall be IN THE LAST DAYS. . .” (Acts 2:16-17)
The end of all things IS AT HAND; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. (1 Peter 4:7)
For IT IS TIME for judgment to begin with the household of God. (1 Peter 4:17)
Peter believed that he was in the last days. (Acts 2:16-20, 3:24; 1 Peter 1:7-20, 4:5-17; 2 Peter 3:9-12)
John said....
"IT IS THE LAST HOUR.. we know that it is the last hour.” (1 John 2:18)
There are many more verses that clearly show Jesus and the disciples believed and taught a first century return of Jesus in judgement. Their 'day of salvation' arrived in AD70. They were saved from the judgement/wrath of the Old Covenant. The destruction of their city/temple/religion.
The Book of Revelation is written TO a 1st Century audience.
FROM John
TO -> the seven churches in the province of Asia. (Rev1:4)
IN the 1st Century.
Beginning of the book:
Revelation 1:1 – “…things which must SHORTLY take place”
Revelation 1:3 – “The time is NEAR.”
Revelation 1:19 – “Write … the things that are ABOUT TO take place.
Revelation 2:10 - "Do not fear any of those things which you(1st century 7 churches) are ABOUT TO suffer."
Revelation 2:16 – “Repent.. I will come to you QUICKLY”
Revelation 2:25 - “Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come.”
Revelation 3:10 – “… the hour of trial … is ABOUT TO come upon the whole world.” (world=land of israelites)
Revelation 3:11 – “Behold, I come QUICKLY!”
Revelation 12:5 - “And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who IS ABOUT TO RULE all the nations with a rod of iron.”
End of the book:
Revelation 22:6 – “…things which must SHORTLY take place.”
Revelation 22:7 – “Behold, I am coming QUICKLY!”
Revelation 22:10 – “The time is at hand.”
Revelation 22:12 - "Behold, I am coming QUICKLY.”
Revelation 22:20 - "Yes, I am coming QUICKLY."
The New Testament letters were written to an immediate audience about immediate events.
The book of Revelation is John's Olivet Discourse (Mat24).
It's all been fulfilled.
Even a few of the early church fathers had an idea, but they didn't fully understand the implications of who the 'fullness of the gentiles' were who were being gathered for the end (ad70). They didn't know what 'the end' even was.
Here's a short list of some scholars that you might know that agree to Matthew 24 being fulfilled in ad70. They didn't understand, however, that ALL had been fulfilled.
-Eusebius. (263-339ad)
-John Chrysostom (347-407ad)
-John Calvin (1509-1564ad)
-John Lightfoot. (1602-1675ad)
-John Gill. (1697-1771ad)
-Phillip Doddridge (1702-1751ad)
-Thomas Newton (1704-1782ad)
-John Wesley. (1703-1791ad)
-Adam Clarke. (1760-1832ad)
-Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892ad)
-R.C. Sproul. (1939-2017ad)
-N.T. Wright (1948-present)
-Dr. Jonathan Welton (1983-present)
Eusebius
John Calvin
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Thomas Newton
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)!
John Wesley
Adam Clarke
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)!
Charles Spurgeon
!
DK