George Eldon Ladd on Near Far Fulfillment

The prophets spoke not only of contemporary events; they constantly related contemporary historical events to the last great event at the end of history: the Day of the Lord when God will visit his people and establish his kingdom.

This brings us to a characteristic of Old Testament prophecy which is also a characteristic of the Revelation and which solves this problem of distance and relevance. As we have just pointed out, the prophets had two foci in their prophetic perspective: the events of the present and the immediate future and the ultimate eschatological event. These two are held in a dynamic tension often without chronological distinction, for the main purpose of prophecy is not to give a program or chart of the future, but to let the light of the eschatological consummation fall on the present (2Pet 1:19). Thus in Amos’ prophecy the impending historical judgment on Israel at the hands of Assyria was called the Day of the Lord (Amos 5:18, 27), and the eschatological salvation of Israel will also occur in that day (9:11). Isaiah pictured the overthrow of Babylon in apocalyptic colors as though it were the end of the world (Isa 13:1-22). Zephaniah described some (to us) unknown historical visitation as the Day of the Lord which would consume the earth and its inhabitants (Isa 1:2-18) as though with fire (Isa 1:18, 3:8). Joel moved imperceptibly from historical plagues of locust and drought into the eschatological judgments of the Day of the Lord.

In other words, the imminent historical judgment is seen as a type of, or a prelude to, the eschatological judgment. The two are often blended together in apparent disregard for chronology, for the same God who acts in the imminent historical judgment will also act in the final eschatological judgment to further his one redemptive purpose. Thus, Daniel viewed the great eschatological enemy of God’s people as the historical king of Greece (Antiochus Epiphanes of the Seleucid Kingdom ”“ Dan 11:3), who yet took on the coloration of the eschatological Antichrist (Dan 12:36-39) In the same way, our Lord’s Olivet Discourse was concerned with both the historical judgment of Jerusalem at the hands of the Roman armies (Luke 21:20ff.) and the eschatological appearance of Antichrist (Matt 24:15ff.). Rome was a historical forerunner of Antichrist.

Thus, while the Revelation was primarily concerned to assure the churches of Asia of the final eschatological salvation at the end of the age, together with the judgment of the evil world powers, this had immediate relevance to the first century. For the demonic powers which will be manifested at the end in the great tribulation were also to be seen in the historical hatred of Rome for God’s people and the persecution they were to suffer at Rome’s hands.

Therefore, we conclude that the correct method of interpreting the Revelation is a blending of the preterist and futuristic methods. The beast is both Rome and the eschatological Antichrist ”“ and, we might add, any demonic power which the church must face in her entire history. The great tribulation is primarily an eschatological event, but it includes all tribulation which the church may experience at the hands of the world, whether by first century Rome or by later evil powers.

This interpretation is borne out by several objective facts. First: it is the nature of apocalyptic writings to be primarily concerned with the consummation of God’s redemptive purpose and the eschatological end of the age. This is the theme of the Revelation: "Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him”(1:7). Second: it is the nature of apocalyptic symbolism, whether canonical or non-canonical, to refer to events in history leading up to, and associated with, this eschatological consummation. Third: as already noted, the book claims to be a prophecy. We have already seen that the nature of prophecy is to let light shine from the future upon the present.

Over against God's holy remnant, there would arise in the day "another horn,” a "little one" (Dan 7:8), a ruler/prince (Dan 9:26), i.e.., a king who will "do as he pleases,” while "magnify[ing] himself above every god” and "say[ing] unheard of things against the God of gods” (Dan 11:36). These words at once and the same time described Antiochus Epiphanes (IV), who desecrated the temple of God by sacrificing a sow on its altar in 168 BC, while at the same times these same words hyperbolically referred to the final Antichrist, who was also known as the "beast” (Rev 13), the "man of sin” (II Thess 2), as well as the "little horn,” or "prince” in Daniel. This mode of interpretation came from the fifth Christian century interpreters centered at Antioch, Asia Minor, which method of interpretation was known as "theoria,” which meant what was "seen.” In this view, the prophet was given a vision to see the future in which God revealed to him not only the final fulfillment of the word he uttered, but at the time the prophet often spoke of one or more currently intervening means and connecting personages or events that were so in tune would what would happen in the final fulfillment that the near fulfillment became one sense or one in meaning, in many respects, with the distant and final fulfillment. That is what we would expect, for would not the Apostle John later specifically teach that "The Antichrist is coming, [but] even now many antichrists have come” (I John 2:18). The same person, who already had wreaked so much havoc on the people of God, shared a corporate solidarity with the one yet to come, i.e., in a linking up of the "now/already” and the "not yet.” This same linkage can be seen in the history of the prediction of he "Seed,” or in another illustration, with "the Serpent” that has his first appearance in that same context with Satan who emerged in Romans 16:20 and Revelation 12:9. Often-times, these persons or events were but an earnest or mere harbingers of what would appear in the final day, usually signaled in the Biblical text by the use of hyperbolic language. (END)

(William C. Kaiser, Jr. - from "The People, The Land, and the Future of Israel: Israel and the Jewish People in the Plan of God” - ch 2 - "Israel According to the Writings, pg 47)

P.S. - Even such biblical scholars as John Calvin acknowledged this near/far fulfillment to be a principle and characteristic of certain portions of prophecy found in the Bible.

\t\t