10. Time Prophecies Extend Beyond the First Century

Ford states that in Matthew 24:34 “the evidence is overwhelming that Christ was saying He planned to return to that very generation He was addressing”, and that a major argument against the year-day principle is that it is not compatible with a first-century end of the world. Ford claims further that “Prophecies such as Daniel 7:25; 8:14; Revelation 11:2; 12:16; 13:5, would have met fulfillment on a much smaller scale had the church quickly grasped the gospel and proclaimed it in its purity” (Ford, pages 297, 296, 306). Is this reasonable?QSEW 13.6

The prophecy of Daniel 9:25 located the first advent of Christ in the time of the Roman empire, while the prophecy of Daniel 2:41-44 placed the second coming of Christ at a point substantially later. The two advents of Christ could hardly have been intended for the same generation. Daniel 7 predicted the rise of ten European powers after the fall of Rome. The European nations were then to witness the development of the papacy. It seems unrealistic to believe that all of these prophecies were to be fulfilled before the end of the first century.QSEW 14.1

Paul pointed out that the Second Advent would not occur until the great papal apostasy had developed (2 Thessalonians 2:1-5). John, near the end of the first century, stated emphatically that Christ had not promised to return within his lifetime (John 21:23).QSEW 14.2