The End and the Beginning

Many Jews in the first century A.D. had a sense that Prophecy was racing towards a crisis/climax in their generation. Like Israel was in a kind of 'last days'.

And they were right: because Messiah Jesus indeed came in their generation, and inaugurated His kingdom-salvation for Israel; and then Rome began to displace them and destroyed their temple.

But His salvation was also for all nations, not only for the Jews; and His kingdom-scheme is yet to be consummated for all - both the living and the dead - at His second coming.

So, it's a mistake to relegate all of Prophecy either to the past, or to the future. Because Messianic-kingdom Prophecy was to be fulfilled in two phases: Messiah's first coming/and His second coming; inauguration/consummation.

* Some themes in 'end-times' prophecy have therefore already been fulfilled (like Messiah's birth, ministry, death, resurrection, ascension and glorification)

* Other themes are still-future (like Messiah's second coming, the resurrection of the dead, final judgement and new heavens and earth)

* Some themes were fulfilled around A.D. 70 (when the temple and city were destroyed and Jews were deported around the world)

* Other themes have an ongoing fulfilment (like the ongoing preaching of the gospel to all nations, and the outpouring of the Spirit upon all flesh, while Messiah reigns in heaven, waiting 'til His enemies be made His footstool)

But we needn't confuse which is which - because the Scripture can be 'rightly divided', on the basis of the Apostles' doctrine, as found in their sermons in Acts and in their Epistles.