Prophecy’s Tug-of-war
Since the first coming of Christ, there have been three eras of general interest in and emphasis on prophecy. These were: 1) the first three or four centuries after Christ; 2) the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries; and, 3) the nineteenth century.
There are five characteristics that typified these prophetic revivals: 1) the teaching of the literal resurrection of the righteous at the second advent; 2) the teaching that the millennium follows the second advent and is framed by the two resurrections; 3) the teaching that the outline prophecies have their culmination at the second advent; 4) the teaching that the Antichrist comes out of the ruins of Rome, dominates a certain period, and is then destroyed at the second coming; and, 5) the teaching that the eternal kingdom of God is established by the climactic second coming of Christ.
Each time that the prophecies were emphasized, there was a countering movement which endeavored to silence the messages through counterfiet prophecies and apostate theologies. The first period was swallowed up in the attacks on the integrity of the prophetic books of Daniel and Revelation, the Latin slide away from Bible supremecy, and the overwhelming darkness of the Dark Ages where any light was suppressed by traditions and persecution.
The second, the Protestant Reformation era, with its sense that the Little Horn power of Daniel 7 and 8 had been identified, was met with a strong Counter Reformation launched by the Papacy. This was the introduction of what we call “futurism” today. Through the Counter Reformation, the spotlight was turned from the Papal system to some future antichrist that would reign just before Jesus comes again. Amazingly, most Protestants today have swallowed the Counter Reformation’s pill without a thought as to its origin.
This second era of prophetic emphasis had held to a sense that the 1260 year prophecy was coming to an end and would usher in the next era speeding towards the coming of Christ. That sense of urgency was lost in the new and captivating post-millennialism introduced by a Protestant, no less. His views held that there would be a spiritual resurrection to be followed by a world-wide conversion and the millennium which would be climaxed by the coming of Christ. In other words, this theory held that the coming of Christ was more than a thousand years into the future!
In Europe, Asia and America, the third period of prophetic interest came like a breath of fresh air. New discoveries focused on Daniel 7 and 8 caused many expositors to believe that the end of the 2300 day/year prophecy would culminate in the judjment. Several beginning and ending dates for the 2300 year prophecy were put forward. Here is a sampler of those ending dates: 1791, 1819, 1820, 1821, 1843, 1844, 1847, 1866, 1880 and 1966. What was agreed on was that the 2300 days represented literal years, and that the event was the judgment. What was not agreed on was exactly when the period came to an end or what would transpire as the judgment got under way. For many, it meant the end and the coming of Christ. Through the combination of dissapointment over unrealized invalid expectations and the confusion caused by the multitude of theories, the third prophetic period lapsed into another general lukewarmness and apostacy. The views of Pretorism and Futurism stole the day and we now find ourselves in need of a fourth revival of prophetic inquiry characterized by the five factors as listed above. It was during those three eras of prophetic enquiry that a sense of urgency and revival swept the Church.
Perhaps we are about to enter upon the fourth and final period of prophetic interest and proclamation. If so, it will swell into the latter rain of the Holy Spirit, the definite call to come out of “Babylon” (confusing theories), and a new sense of urgency that puts an end to the characteristics of Laodicea. I hope and pray that that is the case. The world seems ripe for a new wave of interest in the prophecies. Old theories are losing their grip. New, sound Bible study needs to put forth clear and easy-to-understand interpretations that bring back the urgency of the times and the importance of being ready for the soon coming of Christ.
Revelation Decoded is dedicated to making prophecy clear and simple while remaining loyal to the time proven and Biblically solid five factors of prophetic revivals as listed above. We hope that the reader finds these weekly newsletters interesting an helpful.
Dennis
dennispumford.com
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