“[S]ome aspects of the original prophecy may be described in terms appropriate for the understanding of the hearers of its time—e.g., wars involving horses and swords, rather than future weapons totally unknown at the time of writing. Such adaptations to the understanding of the original hearers, however, do not change the essential meaning of the original prophecy. In the case of warfare, without indication that the writer is speaking symbolically, but is rather speaking in terms of concrete realities—such as people, nations, and geographical places—the prophecy is to be understood as real warfare even though the actual weapons may be different in the future fulfillment.”
Robert L. Saucy, “The Progressive Dispensational View,” In Perspectives on Israel and the Church. fn. 164.
