IV. Epilogue

With this section we bring this volume to a close. The two towering mountain peaks of supreme historical interest and concern that we have passed in our journey from the Renaissance onward, across the centuries, are: first, that mighty religious awakening, or revolt, known as the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century; and second, that epochal turning point in modern history, the French Revolution at the close of the eighteenth century. The great historical importance of these two intriguing events is universally recognized. But they are of even greater significance and concern to the student of prophecy. From the wealth of source materials treated in this volume—which might at times seem bewildering—two vital facts have emerged, which are of greatest importance to our quest.PFF2 792.3

I. THE REFORMATION POSITION ON ANTICHRIST

We have seen the remarkable unanimity of belief of Reformation leaders in every land that the Antichrist of prophecy is not to be a single individual-some sort of superman-who will wrack and well-nigh wreck the world just before the second advent of Christ. Instead, they found that it was a vast system of apostasy, or rather, an imposing counterfeit of truth which had developed within the jurisdiction of that divinely appointed custodian of truth, the Christian church. Although ostensibly proclaiming the principles of Christianity, it denied the very essence of Christian faith—the apostolic spirit of truth, freedom, tolerance, and love—and perverted the very doctrine of Christ. Of this they were profoundly persuaded. This Antichristian system, which had developed within the inner precincts of the church, the Protestants declared to be the Papacy of history, in fulfillment of prophecy. Such was the unanimous witness of the Reformation. That was the basic emphasis of the Reformation century.PFF2 793.1

The corollary was inseparably attached thereto: Protestant ism recognized with ever-increasing clarity the paralleling fact that a definite time period had been marked out in the counsels of the Almighty for the career of this great antichristian system of prophecy, during which it would develop, reach the climax of its power, and do certain exploits, as well as come to its greatest humiliation. This prophesied period was depicted as three and a half prophetic “times,” or forty-two prophetic “months,“ or 1260 prophetic “days,” which are repeatedly portrayed in both Daniel and the Apocalypse, but which are actual years in fulfillment according to the clear year-day principle. These are accepted as established through the universally acknowledged interpretation of the 70 weeks of years, and applied to most of the other time prophecies. This 1260-year period of the apostate power became increasingly the object of inquiry, to ascertain when it began and therefore when it would end.PFF2 793.2

This system of interpretation was vigorously challenged at its height by two Catholic attempts to parry the application of the symbols to the Papacy. The Jesuits Ribera and Bellarmine sought to substitute for the Protestant Historical School of interpretation the countering Futurist School of speculative literalism, which leads to extravagant supposition and fanciful conjecture. But prophecy that is written in symbolic language must be symbolically explained. And it follows with inescapable logic that time features thrust in among such symbols must similarly have symbolic time values.PFF2 794.1

The Jesuit Alcazar’s Preterist School of interpretation—the other defensive system—was likewise found to be wholly unsatisfactory, because its interpretation of virtually all these symbolic events as already fulfilled in the early history of the church cannot be upheld except by straining beyond measure either the events or the text. Therefore the Historical School explanation, with its long-range view and consistency in both outline and time prophecy, is obviously the most reasonable, sound, and satisfactory. This was the second high point which came to light in the study of the prophetic faith of our Protes tant forefathers. Practically all stood on the sound platform of Historical interpretation.PFF2 794.2

2. FRENCH REVOLUTION A TURNING POINT

True, the Protestant Historicists differed considerably as to when to begin and when to end the 1260-day period of Antichrist, but they were all united in the conviction that a period of 1260 years had been allotted to him, and that it was drawing toward its close. The precise location of the period could scarcely be determined with accuracy until the closing event took place. This is one of the clear characteristics of prophecy-that history is the true and final interpreter of prophecy. The farther we proceed across the stretching years, the greater the number of voices we hear expecting extraordinary events to happen in connection with the close of the eighteenth century, or the beginning of the nineteenth, and which would profoundly affect the Papacy. When the thundering storm of the French Revolution actually broke, it was commonly recognized, and clearly pointed out by many in different lands, that this was the long-expected finale of that epoch. It was solemnly declared that the great time period of 1260 year-days was ending; that the Papacy had received a wound which was obviously grave, though not necessarily fatal.PFF2 794.3

But this very French Revolution upheaval, which gave the predicted stroke by the sword to the Papacy, impressively brought to light a new conception of man. It cut mankind loose from the bondage of ecclesiastical authority, clothed in the awe-inspiring mantle of allegedly divine sanctions. It snapped the fetters of superstition that had held men in constant fear, and which were only too readily forged by the clergy of a system whose aim was to dominate rather than to enlighten and to serve. And if the papal system received a heavy blow in the theological and prophetic fields through the Reformation, it received an even greater stroke in some ways, through the emancipation of reason by the French Revolution. The shackles of superstition were stricken from the wrists and ankles of humanity, and mankind was seemingly delivered out of Catholicism’s hand.PFF2 795.1

Not only was this period remarkable for these emancipating events, but it can be considered a fundamental turning point in modern history in a much broader sense. This may easily be seen from the following facts: Shortly before, during, and after this time, the greatest advances in man’s history were made, advances upon which our modern civilization is built—for example, the harnessing of the power of steam (1788-1807), and the first experiments with electric light and power, which have produced the Industrial Revolution that has caused profound changes in all spheres of human thought and activity.PFF2 795.2

The world had been locked into national and racial compartments, isolated by long-standing hostilities, and sharp limitations in communication and transportation. Now came the great expansion of political, religious, and intellectual freedom which lay at the foundation of all advances. Along with freedom of speech and press came religious revivals and the world-wide missionary enterprise, as great organizations were formed to foster them. These, in turn, were followed by Bible and tract societies. Great reformatory movements and developments followed in educational and in health and temperance lines. That is its larger aspect. The close of the 1260 years was verily the end of the old and the beginning of a new epoch. It changed the trend of history, as will be seen in Volume IV.PFF2 796.1

So at this turn of the century may be found the beginning of all those far-reaching influences that molded the succeeding century, and which are continuing to operate. But the implications reach not only forward into the future but back into the past. Another discovery was made in that era—the finding of the Rosetta stone in Egypt in 1799, the deciphering of which became the magic key that unlocked the secrets of Biblical archaeology. This not only cleared away many of the mists that had hung like a pall over the early ages of history, but gave us a greater and richer understanding of the Bible and its prophecies. And this, in turn, has provided an antidote for the virus of rationalism projected by the French Revolution.PFF2 796.2

Such a focusing of vital events, and the bringing forth of new wonders, all having their common beginning around the end of the eighteenth century, indicate beyond peradventure that an old epoch had come to its end and a new era had begun, just as prophecy had predicted. The further specifications of the prophecies, and their contemporary recognition, will be followed through in Volumes III and IV.PFF2 796.3