From Constantine To The Fall of Rome
Eusebius 300s Friend of Constantine
New Jerusalem = Rome Revelation 12 Dragon = Paganism cast down
Athanasius of Alexandria 298-373
Antichrist was Imminent Arise from Arianism I John 2:22-23
Jerome 347-420 Revelation = Spiritual Metaphor Say “NO!” to Jewish Fables 10 Contemporary Germanic Confederations of his own time = Daniel’s 10 Horns
Augustine 354-430 City of God Historicist Millennium = Luke 10:18
Antichrist would be an Individual reigning 3 ½ Years Babylon = World Recap Constantine To The Fall of Rome
Historicist Interpretations Still Prevail
Allegorist or Spiritualist Interpretations Grow WITH Apostasy The Fall of Rome To 1100
Latin (6th to the 8th Centuries): Primasius, Bede and Ambrose Ansbert Greek: Andreas (6th) Arethas (8/9th) Latin (11th): Berengaudus
Spiritualist Interpretation becomes Dominant
BEAST, 7 HEADS, 10 HORNS, BABYLON = Reign of Satan until Christ’s Return
HE WHO RESTRAINS = “Rome” Remained Misunderstanding of Historical Reality
MILLENNIUM = Current Reality Recap The Fall of Rome To 1100
Why Allegorize Revelation? Obscure the Truth Current Reality?
The Falling Away had Taken Place & The Man of Sin Revealed II Thessalonians 2
The Rise to Power of the Bishop of Rome was VERY Gradual/Nigh Invisible
ALL of these expositors were actively PARTICIPATING IN and were PROPONENTS OF the APOSTASY themselves
Matthew 15:14 Blind leaders of the blind 1100 To The Reformation
Peak of the Papacy Inquisition Gherbert of Rheims Berenger
Joachim Abbas Late 12th Century 7 Churches, Seals, etc = Eras of the Faith
Applied Day-Year Principle “Babylonian Captivity”
Antichrist=Antipope
Thomas Aquinas 1224-1274 Papal Rome from Old Rome Falling Away The Counter Reformation
Council of Trent Doubles Down on Apostasy
Reaffirms...Bible and Tradition Equal Indulgences Pilgrimages Veneration of Saints and Relics Role of Mary
Rise of the Jesuits The Counter Reformation
Francisco Ribera 1537-1591 First Modern Futurist Commentary on Revelation
Future Antichrist ● Persecute and blaspheme the saints of God ● Rebuild the temple in Jerusalem Disavowed the ● Abolish the Christian religion Day-Year Principle ● Deny Jesus Christ Luis del Alcazar 1554-1613 ● Destroy Rome ● Be received by the Jews Butchered the 70 First Modern Preterist Weeks Prophecy ● Pretend to be God Commentary on Revelation of Daniel ● Kill the two witnesses of God ● Conquer the world. Pagan Rome ● Secret Rapture/Tribulation The Counter Reformation
Preterism Makes the Antichrist a Roman Emperor (Nero, Titus, Domitian, Diocletian, Julian the Apostate)
Rome can still be Babylon
Futurism Makes the Antichrist a future Infidel posing as a religious leader
Rome can still be Babylon
Both Place the Revelation in a Historical Framework that Excises the Middle Ages...The Reign of the Beast! Futurism Infiltrates Protestantism
Manuel Lacunza 1731-1801 Jesuit Futurist Translated in 1826 Edward Irving
The Coming of the Messiah in Glory and Majesty “Juan Josafat Ben-Ezra”
Dr. Samuel Maitland 1792-1866 Presbyterian Upbringing Anglican Convert
An Enquiry into the Grounds on which the Prophetic Period of Daniel and St. John has been supposed to consist of 1260 Years Sanitizes the Papacy
“Oxford Tracts” Beginning 1833 Actively sought to Re-Catholicize the Ch. of Eng.
“The True Rapture” J.N. Darby C. Scofield Dallas Theological Seminary
Hal Lindsey Tim LaHaye The Day-Year Principle
Daniel 8:14 “And he said to me, ‘For two thousand three hundred days, then the sanctuary
shall be cleansed.” “Days” = ‘Erev-Boker “Evening-Mornings” Strong’s #s 6153/1242 ALWAYS Literal (whole or part) Exodus 17:21 Leviticus 24:3 Psalm 55:17 Twice in Daniel 8
Genesis 1:5 “So the evening (‘erev #6153) and the morning (boker #1242) were the first
day (yowm #3117).” CAN be literal “The evening and the morning”
Genesis 5:5 “So all the days (yowm) that Adam lived were nine hundred and
thirty years (shaneh #8141).” CAN be figurative Days = Years
Numbers 14:34 DAY for a YEAR Ezekiel 4:4-6 DAY for each YEAR
Ribera, Futurism & the 70 Weeks
Futurists break off the 70th Week and cast it into the Future:
The Gap Theory
Daniel 9:24 Catholics = Sacraments
Christian Zionists = Restored Temple The Abomination of Desolation
JESUS Matthew 21:33-46 Wicked Vinedressers Vs. 41 “They said to Him, ‘He will destroy those wicked men miserably’...”
Vs. 43 “...the kingdom of God will be taken from you…”
22:1-14 Wedding Feast
Vs. 7 “...he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.”
23:31-39 Lament for Jerusalem
Vs. 32 “Fill up then, the measure of your fathers’ guilt.”
Vs. 36 “Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.”
Vs. 38 “See! Your house is left to you desolate…”
MATTHEW 24:15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation’...” The Abomination of Desolation
DANIEL 8:9-14 Antiochus IV Epiphanes
Transgression = Pesha #6588 “revolt” Desolation = Shamem #8074 “devastate”
11:31 Antiochus IV Epiphanes
Abomination = Shiqquwts #8251 “disgusting” Desolation = Shamem #8074 “devastate”
12:11 Revelation (Daniel 7:25; 12:7/Revelation 12:14/11:2; 13:5; 11:3/12:6)
Abomination = Shiqquwts #8251 “disgusting” Desolation = Shamem #8074 “devastate” The Abomination of Desolation
DANIEL 9:24-27 70 WEEKS PROPHECY
Vs. 26 “And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary...till the end of the war desolations are determined.”
Vs. 27 “And on the wing of abominations shall be the one who makes desolate...poured out on the desolate.”
Wing = Kanaph #3671 “(as of) an army” Abomination = Shamem #8074 “idol”
Luke 21:20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its
desolation is near.”
“When you see the Eagles of the Legions” Next Week
Seals & Trumpets