Todd Dennis
The book of Hebrews reveals this relationship between the natural and the spiritual -- in every case showing the spiritual to be "better" or "true" ; the natural, however, is shown as the "figure" or the "example" or the "pattern" conveying the idea of the true and genuine :
Heb 8:5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
Heb 9:24-24 "It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself. "
Heb 10:1 "For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. "
The things we see help us understand the things we can not. In this light, the Roman-Jewish War was an even more significant event than is appreciated by even the most informed. It was, after all, not only the dramatic end of the people of God as a separate external nation, forever ending those religious and political things which were only ever "in part" or "copies of the true," but it was also the visible show of God's invisible hand as it works throughout all generations -- within His people, and upon His enemies. Even so, this manifestation of the true is not even remotely as important as the work of Christ in AD30 - so witnesses the last 1,900 years of blessed Christians who knew next to nothing about AD70, and yet enjoyed sweet fellowship with their Saviour.
The reason why the entirety of Christian history on earth could thrive spiritually despite nearly complete ignorance of the Roman-Jewish war has to do with the fact that "AD70" didn't fulfill the eternal promises in Christ, but simply pointed thereto. To focus on the shadow as the substance of prophecy is to give greater glory to the type than is due... neglecting to properly glorify the substance to which it ministers (and herein lies the real beast lurking behind full preterist systems -- that false focus which manifests itself in the gradual hardening of hearts). The Mosaic Era was filled with limitless forms of imagery and symbolism and historical types common to the entire era ; however, as a rule, symbols do not symbolize themselves.
http://www.preteristarchive.com/Preterist/Idealism/dennis-todd_06-03.html