Most have no idea what the Historic Premillennial view or Christian Historicism is anymore, though it was the prevailing view among the Protestant Reformers for three centuries, as well as the view of the pre-reformers like Huss and Wicliff; and still farther back with the remnant of bible-believers such as the Waldenses and Albigenses who endured through the dark ages despite the bloody inquisitions and crusades launched by Papal Rome.
And now this Historic view which prevailed among bible-believing Christians for so many centuries is no longer taught, nor even spoken of in seminaries today. And if it is mentioned, it is in a derogatory slant without fair review. Any real truth-seeker is likely to find this rather curious and worthy of investigation…
So what happened to the Historic Premillennial view and Historicism?…
A quick and easy way to answer this is: because of the Counter-Reformation. But in order to gain an adequate understanding of what that really means is not so quick and easy — because this goes deep.
First thing we need to do is define some terms here:
The Historic Premillennial view, as aligned with Historicism, is a view of bible prophesy pertaining to the time of the Church era – unto the return of Christ, Who will then set-up His Kingdom to reign on earth as it is in Heaven- for a thousand years. This view acknowledges prophesy as being fulfilled throughout the progression of history– from the first century through medieval, modern and postmodern times of the Church era – unto the millennial reign of Christ.
This view does not presume to stop the ‘prophetic clock’ during the Church age like the newer-popular views do, rather this view has acknowledged the progression of prophesy throughout the Church age- unto the return of Christ.
The Protestant Reformation is another term which needs to be defined. As I talk with people, I am amazed to see how many bible-believers are unclear or even utterly ignorant of the Protestant Reformation, since this was a movement which revolutionized the freedom and resources of bible believing Christians.
This wide-scale reformation broke-out in the mid 16th century with a cry for the real truth of the Holy Scriptures and a protest against the corruption and abuses of the Roman Catholic Church. This ‘protest’ and plight for Church ‘reform’ is where we get the term ‘Protestant Reformation’.
The Counter-Reformation was the reaction of the Catholic Hierarchy to combat this movement which was diminishing the power, wealth and prestige possessed by the Roman Church for so many centuries. The military arm of the Counter-Reformation was the Jesuit Order, also known as the ‘Society of Jesus’.
It’s very important to understand the ramifications of this event. The Roman Catholic Church, headed by it’s supreme Papal monarch, ruled the world with such supremacy for so many centuries that the Catholic Hierarchy was not about to allow such power get away from them without a serious fight. Yet suddenly, there were things happening which they could no longer control:
The Holy Scriptures, which were held captive by the Papal clutch of the Roman Church were hoarded and restricted to a single language, Latin, known only by priests. Any bibles found in other languages were burned with their owners. They controlled information, which enabled them to monopolize with their own version of the “truth” which held the people captive as well.
It had taken the average scribe nearly a year to produce a single translation of the bible, but when the printing press with movable type was invented, bibles could be produced faster than Popes could burn them. This was a major factor which enabled the success of the Reformation as information was no longer monopolized by the Roman Church.
This change of circumstances was both empowering and liberating for the people who were once under the strangle-hold of this monolithic institution. The Catholic Church was losing much ground quickly.
Into the details of the Historic Premillennial view and Historicism
A major element of bible prophesy of the Church era preceding the millennial reign of Christ – is the reign of the Antichrist. There are many details of prophesy which give clues to the nature and identity of the Antichrist. Of all the details, the most fundamental qualification of the Antichrist is given in the 7th chapter of Daniel.
In this vision of Daniel, the Antichrist is rendered as a ‘little horn’ which rises up to continue the sovereign rule of the fourth and final great empire of the world. There is much evidence in the scriptures, history and archeology which indicate the succession of four kingdoms to be Neo-Babylon > Medo-Persia > Greece > Rome.
Rome being that fourth and final kingdom of the world which endures until the return of Christ. Rome being that fourth kingdom that splits into 10 subdivided powers, or ‘ten horns’ as rendered in Daniel’s vision, and out of the ten emerges a ‘little horn’ which dominates the rest. -See The ‘Little Horn’ of Daniel
This power Daniel describes as the ‘little horn’ is that power which rises up to continue the Roman kingdom. That ‘little horn’ could be no other than the Bishop of Rome which rose up amidst the degradation of fallen Rome to be the sovereign Papal monarch of the revived Roman Empire. We already know from history that this continuation of the Roman kingdom is none other than Papal Rome.
“…and the same horn was making war against the saints and prevailing against them until the Ancient of Days came” –Daniel 7:21
History also demonstrates every other detail of this vision as well as the other references to the antichrist being thoroughly fulfilled in the Papacy. Prophesy has been in perfect alignment with the events of the Church era, and has much to say about the Roman Church.
The remnant of bible-believing Christians of medieval times known as the Waldenses and Albigenses recognized this glaring connection, which was all the more accentuated as the Roman Church persisted to persecute such believers with unspeakable cruelty in inquisitions, massacres, wars and crusades.
Nevertheless, the remnant Church of Apostolic descendants endured and ultimately inspired the large scale reformation which broke out in the mid 16th century. The Historic Premillennial view of prophesy with its revelation of the Roman Antichrist had massive ramifications that bring us to where we are today.
Counter Moves
You see, the Catholic Church did not have a chance of ever regaining the power it previously had as long as the Papacy was exposed as the Antichrist. This is why great measures were used to skew the understanding of prophesy, especially that which pertains to antichrist.
This is where the Jesuit Order enters the saga. Being in charge of the Counter-Reformation, the Jesuits employed insidious forms of infiltration tactics and strategies to influence the Protestant Reformers in an effort to divert their understanding of prophesy. Their efforts caused much mayhem, but did not manage to quickly sway the Historicist view of prophesy.
It wasn’t until about the middle of the 19th century (300 years later) that the Jesuits finally penetrated this stronghold of biblical understanding of prophesy. Their increasing control and influence of the seminaries and pulpits eventually gave them the advantage they worked so tirelessly for.
Alternative doctrines such as Preterism and Futurism were taking root as Historicism was being squeezed out. The Jesuits were masters of propaganda and, through the centuries, learned to be more effective and less detectable.Their doctrines are now fully embraced by the Protestant Church as the Historic view is no longer common knowledge.
Like a watchdog which turns on its master, the Jesuits took advantage of the waning power of the Catholic Hierarchy brought by the Reformation, and took control of the Vatican by the early 1800’s; And with so many other countless exploits, the Jesuits have become the most formidable and insidious force this world has ever seen, as those in high places know the fatal consequences of crossing them.
This revived power of the Roman Church is not nearly as overt as it was in the middle ages, yet shrouded behind the layers of multiple fronts is a power much greater than it ever was – due to the unrelenting efforts of the Jesuit Counter-Reformation- which spent particular focus diverting the Historic Premillennial view with alternate views like Preterism and Futurism, which have come to dominate the seminaries and pulpits of today.
Related Articles
Discerning the Threads of Eschatology
Oscillation Between Mystery and Revelation
The’Little Horn’ of Daniel
Time, Times and Half a Time| Time of the Antichrist
The Abomination of Desolation – Standing in the Holy Place
Order Out of Chaos The Rapture
Sources
-Word & Spirit of God, Who Was and Is and Is to come
-Theodor Griesinger- historian, author ‘The Jesuits: Their Complete History’
-John Clark Ridpath- historian, author ‘Ridpath’s Universal History’
-E H Broadbent- historian, missionary & author of The Pilgrim Church
-Samuel F. B. Morse- father of Morse Code, author of ‘Foreign Conspiracy’
-Avro Manhattan- authority on Roman Catholicism in politics ‘The Vatican Holocaust‘
-Emanuel M. Josephson, ‘The “Federal” Reserve Conspiracy and Rockefellers’
-Albert Barnes- theologian, “Barnes’ Notes on the Entire Bible
-E. Boyd Barrett- Ex-Jesuit, author of ‘The Jesuit Enigma’
-Eric Jon Phelps- historian, Jesuit expert & author of ‘Vatican Assassins’
-Peter DeRosa- Catholic Priest, author ‘Vicars of Christ: ‘The Dark Side of The Papacy’
-Martin Luther- Protestant Reformer, theologian, author & translator
-Charles Spurgeon Archive- 19th century theologian and author
-Adam Clark- theologian bible scholar, “Clark’s Commentary on the Bible”
-Richard Bennet- Christian historian & former Catholic Priest
-William Tyndale- Protestant Reformer, theologian & translator
-Alberto Rivera- high ranking Jesuit Priest converted to true Christianity
-John Wycliffe- pre-Protestant Reformer, theologian & translator
-Ian Paisley- politician and church leader – ‘The Pope is the Antichrist‘
-Augustus Toplady- 18th century theologian & author of ‘The Road To Rome’
-John Foxe- historian & author of ‘Foxes Book of Martyrs’
-Bill Mencarow- theologian & historian
-John Calvin- Protestant Reformer, theologian & apologist
-John Gill- bible scholar “Gill’s Exposition of the Bible”
-Kenneth Scott Latourette- historian, author of ‘A History of Christianity’
-Henry Fliedner- author of ‘The Martyrdom of a People’ or ‘The Vaudois of Piedmont and Their History‘
-Michael de Semly- historian
