This is not correct. Prophecies are not always understood correctly by those recording them and hearing them at the time they are given.
1Pe 1:10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace
that should come unto you:
1Pe 1:11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
1Pe 1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
It is not unusual for God to speak a message aimed at future generations in language that is ambiguous or cryptic to His present audience and misunderstood by them. If Jesus says "this generation" referring to the generation seeing all these things including the AoD standing where it ought not, but his hearers misunderstood Him to be saying their own generation, that is a misunderstanding God allows to happen in the present. Jesus spoke of people eating his flesh and drinking His blood, but he did not mean what his present audience thought he was saying. Many Christians understood Jesus as predicting his imminent return, but it has been 2000 years. Contemporaries of John had thought Jesus was predicting His return within John's lifetime, but they were wrong.
I think your suggested rule of thumb should not be assumed to be universally true?
