HISTORICISTS and FUTURISTS MUST UNITE . . . The Prophetic Imperative Demands It!

By Doug Krieger 

I recently received a somewhat "generic letter" from a brother in Christ which was either his original piece or a forwarded one--it solicited the response below and, I am distributing it as a DAILY BLOG from The Tribulation Network.

HISTORICISTS SHOULD BE COMMENDED 

Jack - I appreciate the Scripture readings—readings which most believers, unfortunately, deem unable to pay their bills; therefore, superficially discount their relevance . . . and in so doing, do great disservice to themselves as Christians, to the world as a testimony to His prophetic Word, and ultimately to the Almighty, Who, I am persuaded, does not take lightly such "Scriptural discounts!" 

Having commended you in presenting these texts and the brief "historicists'" interpretations regarding the ten horns (primarily the barbarian tribes/peoples who conquered/plundered ancient Rome) and the 11th horn (the rise of the Papacy) and the three "uprooted horns" (Vandals, Ostrogoth, Heruli), I would encourage my brethren who attempt to bring comfort and meaning in the midst of the Church's suffering at the hands of the False Prophet throughout the Church Age to revisit these astounding passages to confirm additional possibilities as to their fulfillment.

YET, CONSIDER THE “FUTURIST HEREMENEUTIC” 

Naturally, I speak of a more "futurist" hermeneutic (though clearly unfolding throughout the Church Age), which likewise seeks to make of these same verses profound meaning and relevance.  Might you consider that Papal Rome is throughout the ages (note the complicity between Hitler and the “Patriotic Church”) that reference to Jezebel's folly culminating in the great end-times' apostasy led by that system which has inflicted our brethren throughout the centuries--surely, today she seeks to pollute the world and Church with her fornications and now unites with the UN to umbrella all in a mad attempt at ecumenism wherein all "religions" of the earth are headed up by her embrace? 

Yet, as that same Papal Harlot, because of Christ's decisive injunction to render to Caesar what is his and to God's what is His, fully understood (and understands) that she could/cannot unequivocally supplant the State, she devised the "Doctrine of the Two Swords"--wherein the Church and State are upon "separate but equal" footings. 

Even so--Rome's overthrow and perceived "historic wound" by Napoleon

bears some semblance of truth--truth foreshadowed (I affirm) . . . for the "secular sword of the State" -- foreseen in the Revelation -- will yet (future) turn upon her and devour her (as Jezebel was devoured by dogs of the Israelitish King). 

Friend and brother--the "fullness" of this Harlot and Beast awaits that final confrontation at the "end of days" - history indeed bears testimony to the prophetic Scriptures.  I again applaud the insights of Brian Peltz of Seattle who realized, like some of us, that the Image of Daniel--that colossus of Gentile World Power--began to walk (with his ten-toed feet) the face of the whole earth in the Image's attempt, as the WEST, to colonize the earth (England, France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Russia, Italy, and Denmark--cir. 1400s through 1960s--some strong, some weak) and that a "younger horn" (the USA) uprooted three of these horns when it erupted upon the earth (England, France, and Spain--Peltz's insight)--all of whom attempted their initial colonization of America).

THE CHURCH AND STATE 

I restate the above in that my historicist brethren are utterly sincere in their desire to bring meaning and comfort through the Word of God--making His Word relevant both to the "believing Church" and to the world, both past and present, and surely future.  Preterism, which, in the main, embraces such an eschatological paradigm, has many outstanding brethren within its ranks (Charles H. Spurgeon, Sir Isaac Newton, even Luther--to name several).   

However, the primacy of these United States, her absolute dominance over all things CIVIL (i.e., the State)--including the world's most awesome military power; all things economic through her worldwide economic institutions (WTO, IMF, World Bank) wherein "the merchants of the earth" are truly made rich from her abundance, and, through the present Patriotic Church who mounts this Ten-horned Beast from the Abyss, providing the State's "moral authority" (as especially seen in the current "War against the Evil Doers and Axis of Evil) . . . . just as her Papal forebears have done for centuries . . . bears ever more scrutiny as to the complexity of the "Woman Who Rides the Beast." 

At the conclusion of this age, prior to Messiah final deliverance and miraculous intervention, the culmination of the Great City vs. the Holy City will transpire.  May I propose, without connivance and "political" guile, that what both the historicists and futurists have achieved, in the main, with the light of His prophetic Word, is a sincere and marvelous accomplishment in making these Scriptures come alive to His people.  However, history has moved on, and the world's immediate dynamic mirrors far more closely the relevance of these passages . . . perhaps more so today than ever before.

FOREBEARS OF FUTURISM NEED REVISING 

Indeed, the futurist Darbyites (though some disparage their discoveries by insinuating the Jesuits corrupted them in a "Scriptural attempt" to dissuade Protestants from Antichrist's seat within the Holy See) interpreted the BASE of Antichrist within the context of a Revived Roman Empire wherein Papal and State would united and wherein the personification of Antichrist would manifest.   

Darby, and countless Brethren, brought that same relevance and ignited the doctrine of the Blessed Hope of His Glorious appearing, and the furtherance of the Gospel of God's Grace, to millions--however, their Weltanschauung occurred within the context of a post-Napoleonic Europe--of "nation states" evolving and conspiring through alliances covert and hidden.  Blinded by its Manifest Destiny and latter-day Laodicean prosperity, American dispensationalists and Premillenarians simply could not, nor to this day they will not, confront the full evolution of the Image of the Tigris—yet, to his own vomit has this colossus returned:  Babylon on the Hudson is Babylon encamped along the Euphrates!  

Naturally, they who saw themselves as the "New Jersualem" - "A City Set on a Hill" - that vast Wilderness of the New World (i.e., America) would enthusiastically embrace Europe's forecasted evil--which the dispensationalists/futurists did en masse--much to the chagrin of their Preterist/Historicist brethren. 

Jack--time has overtaken us--history has marched on--the leadership of the West is uncontested in every way, shape, and form.  It is NOT the armies of a revived Roman Empire amongst the Europeans of Europe who occupy the Plains of Shinar but Babylon's final subterfuge:  Her Youngest Horn! 

To deny this geopolitical reality is to deny history's inexorable march through the ages--and flies in the face of divine relevance; viz., He will not leave us awash in ambiguity prior to His Second Coming. 

I posit the notion that the historicists--these early Protestants--were greatly used by the Lord in their bold and valiant attempts to interpret His Word with care, dignity, and honor to our Lord; and, that the modern futurists did as well.  Now, standing on the shoulders of both, the prophetic horizon is much more clearly delineated--men once seen as trees in the silhouette of the Dark Ages do not change their personage, they are simply enlightened as the Sun of Righteousness is about to appear.

LET US UNITE IN THESE END OF DAYS 

It is in this spirit that we within the “futurist camp” welcome fellowship and dialogue around the Blessed Hope—because our unity in Christ far outweighs our prophetic difference.  The emerging injunction that we uncompromisingly testify in opposition to these same Gentile World Powers and against their worldly manipulations--as well as the serpentine harlotries of Jezebel, that false prophetess whose teachings culminate in the apostasia (i.e., the “great falling away from the faith”) throughout the close of this age—is virtually mandatory as history takes her final plunge. 

It behooves us to stand together on His behalf, clothed in His humility, and readied for the final challenge. Once again, the prophetic imperative’s divine brilliance shines forth, throughout the Church Age, and, most assuredly, during the finality of Daniel’s 70th Week: 

“So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.  Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, ‘Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.  ‘And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the world of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death’” (Revelation 12:9-11). 

Yes, there are biblical passages alluded to herein, which, augment these convictions—however, those given by Jack are sufficient in their entirety and spiritual worth (unabridged).  We await the Lamb of God, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the First and the Last--as Husband for His Bride He comes.  And we, who so await, do so by the "word of our testimony" and by denial to self, even to physical death, by the "blood of the Lamb" -- the centrality of His cross!  

Blessed Hope in Christ - Doug Krieger

Book of Daniel - Chapter 7:
 

Jack’s Scriptural renderings and brief exegesis (unabridged):
"And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another. 4: The first was like a lion, ... 5: And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, ... 6: After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, ... " (Daniel 7:3-6) 

* Babylon - Medo-Persia - Greece - …----- "666"
 

"... Behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; ... and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. 8: I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things." (Daniel 7:7-8)

"Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. 24: And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings." (Daniel 7:23-24)

"And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, , having seven heads and ten horns ... 7: And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: ... 8: And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. ... 18: Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six." (Rev. 13)  

Roman Empire (Ten kingdoms came out, "Papal Rome"-Vatican, rose up among Ten) 

Ten kingdoms:
1. Alemani (Germany), 2. Franks (France), 3. Burgundians (Switzerland), 4.Suevi (Portugal), 5. Anglo-Saxons (Britain), 6. Visigoths (Spain), 7. Lombards (Italy), 8. Vandals, 9. Ostrogoths, 10. Heruli  

Three kingdoms destroyed :  Vandals, Ostrogoth, Heruli 

"And when he had opened the fifth seal, ... 10: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11: ... and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. (Rev. 6:9)
 

"And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14: For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 15: Behold, ... , lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. 16: And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. (Rev. 16:13-16)  

"And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: ... having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: ... 18: By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths. 19: For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt." (Rev. 9:16-19)

"And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: 21: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. (Rev. 9:20-21)

"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 7: Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." (Rev. 14:6-7)

"And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: ... " (Rev. 11:19)

"And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled." (Rev. 15:8)

 

-----"Great Tribulation"
 

"And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth." (Rev. 11:18)

"And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, ... " (Rev. 6:12)
 

"And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared." (Rev. 16:12)
 

"And the sixth angel sounded, ... Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. ... 15: And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. "(Rev. 9:13-15)
 

"And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. ... Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe." (Rev. 14:17-18)
 

"And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: ... " (Daniel 12:1) 
 

" ... I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: 2: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. ... I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. ... 5: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, ... " (Rev. 17:1-5)  

"And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth." (Rev. 17:18)
 

" ... and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: ... " (Daniel 12:1)

"For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22: And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. " (Matthew 24:21-22)  

"Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. 9: And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, " (Rev. 18:8-9)
 

"And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; 16: And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" (Rev. 6:15-17)
 

"And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. 19: And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath." (Rev. 16:18-19)
 

" ... and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, ... ." (Rev. 11:19)
 

" ... there was a great earthquake; ... " (Rev. 6:12)
 

"And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, ... .These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone." (Rev. 19:20)
 

"I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame." (Daniel 7:11)
 

"As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time." (Daniel 7:12)
 

"And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; ... " (Rev. 16:17)
 

" ... ; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; 13: And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. 14: And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; ... " (Rev. 6:12-14)
 

"... shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:" (Matthew 24:29)
 

"And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great." (Rev. 16:21) 

"And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20: And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, ... ." (Rev. 14:19-20)  

"And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found." (Rev. 16:20)

"... and every mountain and island were moved out of their places." (Rev. 6:14)  

" ... and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the
> throne, saying, It is done." (Rev. 16:17)  

"I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14: And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." (Daniel 7:13-14)
 

"And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31: And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. " (Matthew 24:30-31)
 

"And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. ... Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe." (Rev. 14:14-15)  

"And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: ... ." (Rev. 19:21)
 

"And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped." (Rev. 14:16)
 

"And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. 16: And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, 17: Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned." (Rev. 11:15-17)
 

"And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." (Daniel 7:14)
 

----- "7"  

"And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour." (Rev. 8:1)