Austin Bible Church
Dual fulfillment of prophecy was used by Daniel, Zechariah, and Isaiah. They gave prophecy with a near fulfillment and a far fulfillment. The near fulfillment occurred generally between 516 BC and 70 AD, between the two periods of the Fifth Cycle of Discipline of Israel. The far fulfillment usually is the Day of the Lord, consisting of the Tribulation, Second Advent, and the Millennium.
The purpose of dual fulfillment is to declare two parallel events that are future from the time given. For example, in Daniel 8:20ff, the near fulfillment is Antiochus Epiphanes with the far fulfillment being the dictator of the Revived Roman Empire.
“"The ram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia. "The shaggy goat represents the kingdom of Greece, and the large horn that is between his eyes is the first king. "The broken horn and the four horns that arose in its place represent four kingdoms which will arise from his nation, although not with his power. "In the latter period of their rule, When the transgressors have run their course, A king will arise, Insolent and skilled in intrigue. "His power will be mighty, but not by his own power, And he will destroy to an extraordinary degree And prosper and perform his will; He will destroy mighty men and the holy people. "And through his shrewdness He will cause deceit to succeed by his influence; And he will magnify himself in his heart, And he will destroy many while they are at ease. He will even oppose the Prince of princes, But he will be broken without human agency. "The vision of the evenings and mornings Which has been told is true; But keep the vision secret, For it pertains to many days in the future."” (Daniel 8:20-26, NASB)
Today, since the near fulfillment is history, we have an historical analogy to eschatological events in the Day of the Lord, the Tribulation, the Second Advent, and the Millennium.