Cumulative Fulfillment of Prophecy (HP 16)
The hermeneutical principle of Cumulative Fulfillment (HP 16) teaches that many biblical prophecies are fulfilled by a series of events, much like an artist’s canvas is filled up by multiple layers of painted objects. Just as a painting may progress from the application of a background scene, to the insertion of more focused objects in the middle ground, and finally completed by the subject in the foreground, so a biblical prophecy (P) may have multiple “background fulfillments” (f1, f2, etc.) before it is finally fulfilled by that telos (ultimate) person or event to which all other fulfillments pointed (fT).Consider these examples of Cumulative Fulfillments of biblical prophecies:
Virgin will give birth (P, Isa 7.14) ... Prophetess bears son (f1, Isa 8.3) ... Virgin Mary gives birth to Jesus (fT, Mat 1.23).It is important that we understand the principle of Cumulative Fulfillment. Otherwise we will be tempted to think a prophecy is completely fulfilled by the first event in history that has some correspondence to its details, and that the prophecy therefore has no further relevance for the future. We must not think that, because Antiochus Epiphanes fulfilled some of the Daniel’s predictions about the “Contemptible Person,” there is no more application of Daniel’s prophecy to the yet future Antichrist. We must not think that because the Romans fulfilled some of the details of Christ’s Olivet prophecy (Mat 24; Mar 13; Luk 21), that the Olivet Discourse has no further future fulfillment. The culmination of Daniel’s prophecy like that of the Olivet Discourse involves the coming in Glory of the Son of Man. Until that happens, along with any other yet unfulfilled details, these prophecies cannot be said to be completely fulfilled.
Ruler will set up abomination of desolation in the Temple (P, Dan 9.26, 27) ... Antiochus Epiphanes desolates the sanctuary with an abomination (f1, 1Ma 1.54; 4.38; 6.7; Jwr 5.394) ... Pompey defiles the Temple by entering the Holy Place (f2, Jwr 1.152) ... The Romans desolate the Temple in AD 70 (f3, Jwr 6.266) ... The future Man of Lawlessness will proclaim himself God in the Temple (fT, 2Th 2.4).
Daniel predicts the Antichrist (P, Dan 7.8ff; 8.23; 9.26; 11.21), calling him the “little horn,” “stern-faced king,” “the ruler who will come,” and “contemptible person” ... Antiochus Epiphanes (175-164 BC) persecutes the Jews, suppresses the Scriptures, defiles and desolates the temple (f1) ... John (1st cent.) writes that many antichrists have come denying that Jesus is the Christ (f2, 1Jo 2.18,22; 2Jo 2.7) ... Adolph Hitler (1889-1945) attempts to eliminate the Jewish race (f3) ... A blasphemous Man of Lawlessness will yet come, a Beast who will exercise authority for 42 months and war against the saints until he is overthrown at the return of Christ (fT, 2Th 2; Rev 13).
posted by Roderick of TMin @ 7:19 PM
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