It is interesting how many prophecies that many people are looking towards the future for a fulfilment, the Bible says are already fulfilled,
Zechariah 12:10, "10 And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn."
John 19:36-37 - "36 For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” 37 And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”
The Church, nor Christians, have any authority to add a future fulfilment where the scriptures say a prophecy was fulfilled in Christ. This is so for a few reasons. First, yes some prophecies have more than one fulfilment, but the previous fulfilment was before the coming of Jesus and pointed to him. Which leads to the second, more important reason; these prophecies all point to Jesus and his Church, and therefore, to apply them to some future kingdom in Canaan goes beyond what the Scriptures itself says.
But there is a third reason, one of the most powerful apologetic tools the church has used in history to defend the scriptures is to point to these fulfilled prophecies as proof that Jesus would return, and the trustworthiness of his word. Adding future (to us) fulfilments to already fulfilled prophecies places your argument for the reliability of the word of God on sinking sand. Many bad readings of "prophecy being fulfilled in our day" have happened in the history of the Church, and they always led to massive disasters. But there can be no disaster for the one who sees these events as fulfilled in Christ, and builds people's faith on that foundation.
When it comes to whether or not the Jewish people need to look upon the one whom they pierced, the answer is they already did. It's is now time tor all who hear his warning about judgement to repent and trust in him.
So Rev. 1,7 already happened?
ReplyDeleteNo, but Zechariah 12:10 did, a the Apostle John tells. Zechariah was a Jewish/Iraelite centric prophesy, those who seek to say that Zechariah 12 needs fulfilment are incorrect, it has been fulfilled. Revelation 1:7 is using similar language to point to the return of Christ, where all will see him and bow before him. Note, it is clearly talking about something different, because it mentions not just the people of Israel, but all peoples will see him, and will wail. Hence, it is a different prophecy. Do you disagree?
DeleteI should give more context as well. I know many Christians, in fact one said this to me the other day, that Zechariah is pointing to a future revival amongst Israel, when they look upon the one whom they pierced. However, to the extent that happened, it happened in the gospel of John and John says that was fulfilled. Jesus was surrounded by many of his followers when on the cross. Revelation 1:7 is not a Jewish centric prophecy but a prophecy about the response of the whole world, including the Jews, when the Lord returns. Hence, I would see them as separate prophecies.
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