Multiplicity
Reverberating Applications?

In the course of study and discussion, it has become apparent that the thought of multiple applications of certain time prophecies in Daniel is an alien concept to many. It certainly seems that when Daniel writes of 2,300 "evenings/mornings" in 8:14 that this is a single specific block of time. The same can be said for the 3 ½ "times" of 7:25 and the various "days" of chapter 12. On its face, the argument seems clear, cogent, and incontrovertible. Yet some interpreters lean heavily on the concept of multiple fulfillments.

In 7:25, the expression used is "a time, times, and half a time". This is not a natural way to express a span of time. Using its repetitions in Revelation, we find that it literally means 1,260 days, 42 months, or 3 ½ years. Because of the nature of apocalyptic prophecy, it is likely on its face that this time period is actually symbolic of a longer time span. And, as we studied chapter 7, we found a very specific and accurate "year for a day" application in the time of Papal supremacy. Having found such a persuasive fulfillment, it might seem reasonable to stop our study. After all, the prophecy has been fulfilled.

But we need to look at all of what Daniel wrote. The prophecy of 9:24-27 begins with a statement that the Jews have been granted "seventy weeks" of probation. This time was to terminate over 500 years before the beginning of the 3 ½ times of Papal supremacy. If the 70 weeks is truly a period of probation, then the failure of the Jews to satisfy the conditions of the probation cannot be a foregone conclusion. They must have had the opportunity to properly atone and come back into a right relationship with their God. And, if this happened, there would be no need for a modern age. Jesus would have returned and taken His people home. All of the OT prophecies regarding Israel would have been fulfilled using the Jews.

What would then become of the 1,260 days? We must re-examine our focus. Apocalyptic prophecy has the grand sweep of history in view. If Jesus had returned shortly after the crucifixion, the sweep of history would have ended then. This leaves us with two possibilities. Either the 1,260 days is a conditional prophecy, or it has a potential application before a nearly immediate second coming (or both). The first conclusion would be supported by Jeremiah’s statement (Jer 18:7-10) that prophecy is conditional. It, however, doesn’t appear to fit well with the absolute tone of apocalyptic.

On the other hand, the style of apocalyptic allows for another option. The duration of 7:25 is written so that it can be read as 3 ½ literal years with no starting point given. 3 ½ years happens to be the duration of Jesus’ ministry. (The 1,260 day clarification in Revelation had not yet been written.) Specifics of the oppression of the believers under the Papacy can readily be applied to the time of Jesus ministry.

25 'And he will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.

The Romans crucified Jesus, after 3 ½ years of His ministry. He had been opposed bitterly by the established Jewish oligarchy. John the Baptist had been beheaded by the Romans. While the Gospels record the life of Jesus rather than that of His converts, it is safe to assume that they were also the victims of persecution at the hands of His enemies. And Jesus and the disciples had to leave town on at least one occasion because of fear for their lives. Jesus specifically warned his disciples of the persecution their ministry would produce.

16 "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves.
17 "But beware of men; for they will deliver you up to the courts, and scourge you in their synagogues;
18 and you shall even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. Matt 10:16-18

Had the second coming been early, after the successful conclusion of Jewish probation, this could have been a sufficient fulfillment of the prophecy. It is inherent in the deliberate imprecision of the language that there can be another appropriate understanding other than 1,260 years.

The next issue is the 2,300 days of 8:14. As we discovered in our study of chapter 9, the initial portion of it is the 70 weeks of 9:24. Since these weeks are weeks of years, that span is 490 years. Therefore, the 2,300 days must be longer than 490 years. That means that we are looking at a 2,300 year period. No amount of massaging of the prophecy can change the fact that this is the true focus of 8:14. Only one possibility of fulfillment exists, and that is the story of 1844 and the Millerite Second Adventists.

This cannot eliminate the fact that, during the Maccabean period, there was a threat to the Jewish faith of similar general character to that of the little horn of chapter 8. This threat lasted slightly more than six years, an approximate match to a literal 2,300 days. (We do not have detailed records sufficient to verify exactly 2,300 days of oppression.) It cannot be denied that, while this period may be close to the literal expression of time, it does not match certain of the prophecy’s particulars. What should we make of this?

The crux of the matter is whether we allow similar events to be called fulfillments when they do not fully satisfy the criteria given in a prophecy. If we do, then both Jesus’ ministry and the Antiochan oppression can be considered as fulfillments, however incomplete. The Messianic fulfillment would have to be noted to be of good quality (particularly since John had not yet written the 1,260 day clarification of Daniel’s 3 ½ years). On the other hand, Antiochus is at best a pale shadow of the little horn anticipated in chapter 8. If we insist that the fulfillments must match in all particulars, then Antiochus fails miserably, because failure to satisfy any point denies a match. This would imply that only the primary event (1844) can be considered a fulfillment. This raises the specter of conditionality. Is apocalyptic prophecy conditional?

As we saw above, scripture implies that the church era did not have to occur. The 70 weeks were probationary. On the Mount of Olives Jesus said that the end would come in the disciples’ generation. In Revelation 1:1 Jesus says that John is being shown what must "shortly" take place. These statements cannot in their plain understanding be taken to suggest any continuation of the earth’s history into the time spans primarily envisioned in 7:25 and 8:14. In Dan 9:24, Matt 24:34, and Rev 1:1, conditionality is implicit rather than explicit.. In each case, had the group in question fulfilled its mission, the end could have promptly come.

If the end could come before the passage of the times prophesied, then these prophecies must be conditional. Just like Jonah, where no conditionality was in the text, there is an "out" in these prophecies for good behavior. The style of the writing seems to require the passage of long periods of time. Our existence after the passage of that time seems to confirm the long view. Yet, our era was not mandatory.

To be precise, we must state that premonitory events are not fulfillments. They are anticipatory shadows of future fulfillments. Yet, had time ended at its earliest possible opportunity, they would have been the sum of history. In that respect, these events might be considered fulfillments. Of course, in that case, we wouldn’t be here debating the issue, either!

Since time has moved into the church era, we have to reject anything other than the specific events anticipated in the prophecies as a complete fulfillment. No other option is viable. Apocalyptic prophecy is conditional, just like classical prophecy. But, since the longer view fulfillments are comprehensive, the conditionality we have found is of academic interest only.

Prophecies may have reverberating applications. The broad brush of apocalyptic language can allow events other than those specifically envisioned to be brought forward into view as a repeating way of illustrating the Great Controversy between God and Satan. But, unless we find direct biblical evidence that the prophecy is to have multiple fulfillments, as in the promise of God to Abraham, we must hold firm to the plain text of scripture and select the plain, direct, and complete fulfillments before us. To use the term fulfillment with regard to these anticipatory shadows is to speak homiletically, not exegetically.

In these two cases, we are presented with a contrast. Antiochus fails miserably, both as a primary and as a premonitory fulfillment. But, Jesus, while not anticipated primarily in the vision, fits rather well. From our modern vantage point, we can nitpick at points which seem to prevent a complete match. But can we say that, had there been an early second coming, God would not have filled in those details? This question will remain unresolved until we see Jesus and ask Him if His ministry was truly a fulfillment of Daniel’s 3 ½ times.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, once again, Antiochus, the hero of so many interpreters, is simply not part of God’s prophetic plan. At every turn, they push him forward as if he were important. At every turn, even when we have been looking for an excuse to include him, he falls off the stage. When the focus of study is on God’s word, God’s plan, not man’s, comes into view. When we keep our eyes focused on the unfailing guide, the camouflage around the traps laid by the father of lies is stripped away. We no longer are distracted, but can clearly see the agents of Satan, acting exactly as God has predicted. Antiochus can no longer prevent our inspection of the evil perpetrated by the Papacy and its usurpation of Jesus’ ministry in the heavenly sanctuary. We see the moral purpose of prophecy. We see the truth.