LET MY PEOPLE GO

J. Parnell McCarter

“And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which [are] in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.” – Exodus 3:7-8

Dedicated to the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland,

a good and faithful servant, and the rightful established church

of the millennial nations.

FIRST EDITION

©2002 J. Parnell McCarter. All Rights Reserved.

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LET MY PEOPLE GO

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter One : Introductory Thoughts……….…………..………………….p. 4

Chapter Two : Here We Stand……………….……………………………….p 9

Chapter Three : The Mysterious Babylon the Great…..……………….p. 15

Chapter Four : The Seven Plagues……………………………………….p. 35

Chapter Five : The Beast and the False Prophet……………….…….p. 42

Chapter Six : After Babylon Falls ……………..…………..……………p. 64

Chapter Seven : Just a Matter of Time………….……………………….p. 75

Chapter Eight : Some Closing Advice………………..………………….p. 89

Appendices………………………..……….……………………..………….p. 94

Bibliography…………………………………………………………………p. 202

CHAPTER ONE : INTRODUCTORY THOUGHTS

I make no pretense of being an inspired prophet who has infallible insights into the word of God and providence. Rather, I consider myself a Christian historian who is trying to understand history in the light of God’s word and to write history books with this understanding for The Puritans’ Home School Curriculum. In that capacity, I seek to read God’s word and apply its teachings to history, in light of events that have unfolded over history and are even now unfolding before our eyes. Indeed, I think that the Bible is indispensable in any study of history, for scripture lays out the broad outline of history past, present, and future.

In reading commentaries on the book of Revelation, in sources ranging from Matthew Henry to Patrick Fairbairn, I became impressed with how frequently they noted the connection between elements in ancient Israel’s past and elements in the account of the church’s history as it is related in the book of Revelation. It then hit me how remarkably the history of the church outlined in the book of Revelation retraces the history of ancient Israel, not only in its elements, but also in its chronological order. So we read of earthly Jerusalem equated with Egypt (Revelation 11:8) which the church escapes, we read of a wilderness experience of the church (Revelation 12:6)  [lasting 1260 "days" and beginning in 70 AD when the earthly Jerusalem was trodden under foot (Revelation 11:2)] , we read of a "Promised Lands" experience at the completion of the wilderness years (Revelation 11:15), we read of a "Babylonian" oppression on God's people (Revelation 17:5), we read of a Beastial kingdom that destroys this “Babylon” (Revelation 17:16), we read of a restoration period after the church comes out of its “Babylonian” captivity (Revelation 20:3), we read of a foreign attack on God's people from a Gentile “Magog” (Revelation 20:8), and we read of an Advent of Christ when Christ comes down to earth to be with man (Revelation 21:3). These elements in this order most certainly re-traces the history of ancient Israel. And since ancient Israel’s history in many respects fore-shadowed the life of Christ during His First Advent, this means the church’s history corresponds not only with ancient Israel’s history but Christ’s incarnate life as well. In considering this fact, I realized how very consistent it is with scriptural principle that the new Israel of the church should walk in the footsteps of old Israel and with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

When we realize these correspondences, we can much better understand the history of Christ’s New Testament church, as it is foretold in the book of Revelation. This discovery has enlivened my investigations. My investigations of the Biblical and historical data have led me to the following conclusions, which I will explain more thoroughly in the coming chapters:

1. The book of Revelation traces the Christian church’s history as paralleling that of ancient Israel’s history, with an escape from bondage in an “Egypt”, a wilderness experience, a period of trials and temptations, a “Babylonian” oppression, a restoration (or ‘millennium’), and a visible advent of Christ. This is similar to the way in which Christ’s life paralleled that of ancient Israel’s history, and in this way fulfilled Old Testament typological prophecy.

2. In scriptural prophecy a day represents one year of actual history. So Seventy Weeks in Daniel’s prophecy equals 490 years, and 1,260 days in Revelation’s prophecy equals 1,260 years.

3. The political Beast described in Revelation 13:1-10 as coming “out of the sea” is the civil pagan-to-nominally Christian Roman Empire. The pagan Roman Empire corresponds to the sixth kingdom of this Beast alluded to in Revelation 17:10, and the nominally Christian Roman Empire corresponds to the seventh kingdom of this Beast alluded to there. This sea Beast primarily exercises its authority through its political power.

4. The land Beast described in Revelation 13:11-18 (aka “the False Prophet” in Revelation 19:20) is the Papal kingdom of the Romish Church. This land Beast primarily exercises its authority through its ecclesiastical power.

5. The civil pagan-to-nominally Christian Roman Empire, working with the Papacy, oppress Christ’s elect during the 1,260 year wilderness experience of the church up to the Protestant Reformation. This 1,260 year wilderness period (Revelation 11:3) commences in 70 A.D. at the time of the desolation of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

6. The book of Revelation, along with the book of Daniel, prophesies the ministry of John Wyckliffe as leading the church out of its wilderness experience and into the ‘Promised Land’ of the Protestant Reformation. It accurately predicts his birth around 1330 A.D., which is 1,260 years after 70 A.D. It also accurately predicts the inception of his public ministry around 1360 A.D. And it anticipates the establishment of the reformation movements on the European continent as well as the British Isles by 1405 A.D. In addition, it foretells how this reformation would result in Biblical Protestant nations, where many of the leading kingdoms of this world truly became kingdoms of the Lord. The Protestant Reformation thus served as a triumph for Christ’s church, and as a foretaste of the much later millennial restoration and even later new earth.

7. We are now in the general epoch marked by the “Babylonian” oppression of Christ’s church, which followed in the aftermath of the Protestant Reformation. It is a period characterized most predominantly by the humanistic Enlightenment, which deceived most of the reformed Protestant world and led her into whoredom.

8. Revelation 17:11 refers to an eighth and final kingdom of the Beast. This is most likely the Jesuit empire led by its infamous Black Pope (i.e., the Secretary General of the Jesuit order), which nurtures and is nurtured by the Papal False Prophet. This renewed Beast furtively wields influence over the nations of the world, through its various schools and universities, and its manipulation of the Roman Catholic Church, freemasonry, and many civil governments. She has played the central role in establishing and promoting the humanistic Enlightenment, as a means to thwart and overturn the Protestant Reformation and true reformed Protestantism. But she is working secretly in the background so long as the great city referred to as the mysterious “Babylon” in Revelation 17 reigns.

9. The whorish woman of Revelation 17 probably is Washington, DC, the fruit, seat, and power base of the wicked humanist Enlightenment. If this is true, she would be the mysterious Babylon there foretold, who is manipulated and inspired by the Beast. This whorish woman rides on the Beast during the time of the whore’s preeminence, according to Revelation 17:3. Washington, D.C. is indeed a product of the Enlightenment and Jesuit intrigues, and Washington is the seat of the world’s superpower.

10. We are quite possibly nigh upon the decades when Washington, DC will fall by God’s judgment plagues, including the release of wicked kings from the East (Revelation 16:12) who will participate and cooperate in her destruction.

11. After the fall of the whore, it should be expected that the evil role of the Beast – led by the Black Pope and his wicked Jesuit regime and supported by the Papacy – will become more obvious and apparent. Indeed, the Beast will assume the reigns of power which was lost by the whore. But this wicked regime which has promoted the Enlightenment will ultimately be overturned through the preaching of the gospel.

12. The millennial restoration of the Protestant Reformation will then be ushered in once the mysterious Babylon has fallen, and the Pope and the Black Pope have been removed. This millennium would be consistent with an historic post-millennial eschatology.

13. The millennium will perhaps last a century, as a type and representative foretaste of the eternal eighth day millennium of the new heavens and new earth.

14. The new heavens and new earth will be ushered in by Christ’s Second Advent and the Great Day of Judgment, which follow the millennium.

In order to understand better the rationale for my conclusions, I would recommend readers of this book read some other books as well. For instance, the Biblical rationale for the conclusions in this book is in certain points more thoroughly addressed in my book Sabbath Bible Survey Tests and Assignments, especially its coverage of the book of Revelation. In the process of engaging in research for Sabbath Bible Survey Tests and Assignments as well as research for various history textbooks I am writing, I happened upon F. Tupper Saussy’s book Rulers of Evil (http://tuppersaussy.com/). I found that much of his historical analysis corresponded with conclusions I was coming to as well, and he has presented it in a quite effective manner. His historical examination of the role of the Jesuits in American and world history is especially instructive, and much of his presentation of the data I do not present in this book, rather assuming readers of this book will also read his book. So I would recommend that readers of this book take time to read his book in order to better understand what I write here. I should add, however, that there are some areas where I would take exception with Saussy, and most of these I address in this book.

I would recommend other books as well. Some of these would include Alexander Hislop’s The Two Babylons (http://www.biblebelievers.com/babylon/ ) and J. A. Wylie’s The History of Protestantism (http://www.whatsaiththescripture.com/Fellowship/James.A.Wylie.html). I am preparing a course focused upon topics addressed in this book, entitled “Reformed Historical Studies on the Enlightenment Era”, for The Puritans’ Home School Curriculum. Finally, those who need to become more conversant with world history in order to understand this book may find my book The Real Story of Mankind (which is also available through The Puritans’ Home School Curriculum at www.puritans.net) helpful. The population suffers from a general lack of knowledge of history, and undoubtedly many Roman Catholics are as unaware of the historical political machinations of the Jesuits and the Papacy as are Protestants. The cover-up of the sodomizing of male youth by Romish clerics is only the tip of this diabolical iceberg.

I have added a section of appendices to this book in order to provide the reader with at least some of the historical information and sources that have assisted me in arriving at the conclusions in the body of the book. I encourage the reader to peruse this information in order to better understand my interpretation of history.

Over the course of my investigations, I have been surprised at how God not only prophesies events in His word, but also sometimes prophesies their timing in amazing ways. Obviously He limited the time Israel had to repent and He prophesied the time Messiah would come by His pronouncement relating to the Seventy Weeks in Daniel 9:24. But it was much to my own surprise when I discovered how He even indicated the beginning date of the “time, times, and half a time”. The books of Daniel and Revelation offer independent confirmation that the "time, times and half a time" began in 70 A.D. Daniel 12:11 implies it began when the abomination of desolation was set up, and Revelation 11:2 implies it began when Jerusalem was trodden under foot. Both occurred in 70 A.D. Even more amazing are clues in God’s word concerning the time of the millennium and the Second Advent. I will address all of this in the coming chapters.

Do I expect most Christians to agree with my conclusions in this book at this point in time? I think that is unlikely, and I would even admit that some of my opinions outlined in this book- especially concerning future chronology- are more speculative in nature. Nevertheless, I hope people will be persuaded as they weigh the evidence and if the evidence continues to unfold in its favor. And I would expect more to be persuaded if some of the conclusions in this book relating to future events actually come to pass, such as the downfall of the United States federal government in Washington, D.C.

The devious role and power of the Black Pope, working alongside the “White” Pope, should become ever more apparent to Christians as well. As this information is disseminated, and as the reformed gospel so ably outlined in the Westminster Standards is promulgated, the people and their governments will adopt the reformed Christian faith, and the Black Papacy and the “White” Papacy will be extinguished.

And if I am right in my conclusions in this book, then it suggests that the mysterious Babylon’s days of preeminence are quite numbered. I think there is mounting evidence the mysterious Babylon that has been thwarting Christian rule is headed for its demise. And those who oppose reformed Christian rule are thus especially warned of God’s hatred of rebellion. This then calls us all to repentance and reformation. As individuals, families, churches, and states we must clean our house. But if we do not, we are in serious peril of the judgment of God upon us. And to the kings and rulers of this earth- especially civil and ecclesiastical- I implore you, “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish [from] the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little.”

The oppression by wicked rulers bent on thwarting Christ’s glory and Christ’s rule through reformed Christian government will surely come to an end. So the cry goes up to the rulers of this world, “let my people go” into the millennial restoration, and let us be ruled by Christ and Christ’s Commandments, as they are revealed in His word.

CHAPTER TWO : HERE WE STAND

In order to know where we stand now, we need to know from where we have come and to where we are going. It is analogous to the way a point on a line is located by knowing the points on the line on either side of it. So let me explain where we stand in this manner.

Roughly six thousand years ago man was created by God. But man sinned and fell. Nevertheless, God promised to save him through a Savior. God raised up the church of Israel, from which the promised Savior and Messiah would come. Roughly two thousand years ago this Savior came in the person of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He died on the Cross to atone for the sins of His people, and He rose again on the third day. In rising He became the mediatorial King of the Nations. And so, all nations owe their allegiance to Him. He raised up a new church out of the old Israel and has used the church to spread His gospel and His kingdom on earth. But during the last two thousand years, just as it was prophesied, His enemies used all manner of cunning and deception to thwart Christ’s rightful rule. But the time is coming – and perhaps shortly - when this will cease, and we will enter a period of gospel prosperity, the millennium. Men will still be sinful during this time, but the nations of the earth will be reformed Christian with reformed established churches, albeit imperfect. Following that, God’s people will be ushered into the new heavens and new earth, where there will be no sin and that will last for eternity. But the wicked will be eternally condemned to hell at the Great Day of Judgment.

That is the history of the world in brief, along with where we stand in it. But in order to understand how scripture teaches this outline of history, you must first understand scriptural typology. So let me first define the terms and give some examples, and then describe how God employs the typology in His word.

A ‘type’ is a figure, representation, or symbol of something to come, such as an event in the Old Testament that foreshadows and prophesies of another in the New Testament. An ‘antitype’ is one that is foreshadowed by or identified with an earlier symbol or type, such as a figure in the New Testament who has a counterpart in the Old Testament. And ‘typology’ is simply the theory or use of scriptural types.

Here are some examples of types in scripture:

1. The rest that the Israelites enjoyed in Canaan when they came out of Egypt is a type of the promised Sabbath rest believers will enjoy when they enter heaven, according to Hebrews 4. And indeed the weekly Christian Sabbath is a type of this promised eternal Sabbath rest.

2. King David, who the prophet Ezekiel prophesied would rule in the glorious days ahead, is a type of King Jesus. Circumstances in David’s life foreshadowed and prophesied of circumstances in the life of the Son of David.

3. The Old Testament Jewish Temple is a type of Jesus Christ Himself (see Hebrews 9:24).

4. The Babylonian conquest in the Old Testament is a type of the Babylonian oppression described in the book of Revelation.

5. Gog and Magog described in Ezekiel were a type of the Gog and Magog we find prophesied in Revelation 20, which even full preterist James Stuart Russell somewhat acknowledged with these words in his book Parousia: “There is an evident connection between this prophecy and the vision in Ezekiel concerning Gog and Magog (chaps. xxxviii. xxxix.)”

6. The Old Testament church- in other words, Israel - was a type of Christ, so that events described in its history foreshadowed and prophesied events in the life of Jesus Christ.

7. The Old Testament church was a type of the New Testament church, so that events described in its history foreshadowed and prophesied events in the life of the New Testament church.

8. The shaking of the heavens and the earth described in Haggai 2:6 (in which we read these words: “For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it [is] a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry [land];”) was a type of the shaking of the earth accomplished in Christ’s First Advent, according to Hebrews 12:26b-28a (“but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this [word], Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace…”), and is a type of Christ’s Second Advent, which is described in Matthew 24:29 with these words: “Immediately after the tribulation of those days 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:”

Let’s now consider in more detail how Old Testament Israel was a type of Jesus Christ. To understand this, let’s recall the words of Exodus 4, where God says of Israel: "Thus saith the Lord, Israel is My son, My first-born; and I say unto thee, Let My son go.” By calling Israel His first-born son, God was in effect saying that the Old Testament church was a type of His true Son, Jesus. For example, consider how that at an early age Jesus went into Egypt before returning to Nazareth, which Matthew 2:15 indicates fulfilled the experience of Israel, “out of Egypt have I called my son.”

And we can see how the rest of Jesus’ life also was foreshadowed by the history of Israel. Thus, Israel was baptized in crossing the Red Sea according to I Corinthians 10, paralleling how Jesus was baptized in the Jordan. And Israel endured a 40 year wilderness experience, as Christ endured 40 days in the wilderness. And Israel was destroyed in the Babylonian conquest, as Christ was killed. Following the Babylonian captivity, we learn in Ezekiel 37 that Israel was resurrected from dry bones, paralleling how Jesus rose from the dead, and the Temple of Himself was re-built.

Let’s now also consider how the Old Testament church was a type of the New Testament church. Just as Israel was baptized in crossing the Red Sea, the New Testament church was baptized by the Spirit at Pentecost. This New Testament church came out of the earthly Jerusalem. This earthly Jerusalem had mis-used its 70 weeks prophesied in Daniel, which is equal to 490 years according to the year-day principle. In so doing, the earthly Jerusalem ruled by Judaists henceforth took on the status of a figurative Egypt, as we read in Revelation 11:8, which says “…Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified…”. And it was out of this figurative Egypt that the New Testament church came, just as the Old Testament church came out of ancient Egypt. It came out in 70 A.D., when the Roman army besieged and destroyed the Judaists in Jerusalem, after the Christians had fled, as was prophesied in Revelation 11:2, Luke 21:24, and Daniel 12:11.

And just as Israel went through the wilderness following its baptism, so we read in Revelation chapters 11-12 how the New Testament church had a wilderness experience of 1,260 years (according to the year-day principle which I shall explain in more detail a little later). We read in Revelation chapters 12 and 13 how Christ’s true church is sorely oppressed during this wilderness experience. It is oppressed by the civil Roman Empire, referred to as the sea-beast in Revelation chapter 13. This civil Roman Empire is wounded during the course of the church’s 1,260 year wilderness experience, being transformed then from a pagan Roman Empire to a nominally Christian Roman Empire. When it is wounded, the lamb-like, deceptive land beast (later referred to as ‘the false prophet’) arises and promotes worship of Romanism. This is the deceptive, Anti-Christian Papacy (it is important to distinguish the wicked Romish Papacy from the rank-and-file members of the Roman Catholic Church, many of whom are unaware of what its leadership does). In II Thessalonians 2 it has the title ‘Son of Perdition’ – the very same title ascribed in scripture to the traitorous Christian Judas Iscariot. Just as Israel came through its wilderness experience and entered Canaan, and as Christ had overcome Satan after His wilderness experience, so the Christian church came out of its wilderness experience in the Protestant Reformation. But we read in Revelation 12:17 how only a remnant of the church is pure, for a large segment of Christendom has been deceived by the false prophet, becoming a whore in the process.

And how do the books of Daniel and Revelation prophesy the timing of the Protestant Reformation, following a church wilderness experience? According to Daniel 12:11, “from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.” The abomination that maketh desolate refers to the destruction of the earthly Jerusalem and Temple in 70 A.D. In 70 A.D. the church definitively left the figurative Egypt of earthly Jerusalem, and earthly Jerusalem ruled by Judaists was destroyed like Pharoah and his armies. This was followed by the church’s wilderness experience according to Revelation 12. Revelation 12 describes it as lasting 1,260 years (according to the year-day principle which I shall explain in more detail shortly), while Daniel 12 describes it as lasting 1,290 years. The difference is 30 years. Now 30 years was the time from Christ’s birth to His public ministry (Luke 3:23), and it symbolizes the time of birth to public ministry in His prophets. If we add 1,260 years to 70 A.D., we get 1330 A.D. And 30 years later is 1360 A.D. So who was born in 1330 A.D. and began his public ministry in 1360 A.D.? John Wycliffe, the Morningstar of the Reformation. Daniel 12:12 goes on to speak of the blessing of those who will make it to 1,335 years, which is 1405 A.D. By 1405, the Reformation was firmly planted in the British Isles with the Lollards, and it had been planted in continental Europe with Huss. But just as in Israel’s history, there remained and remains a long saga even after coming out of the wilderness.

Just as Israel went through many trials even after its wilderness experience, so has the church. And as Old Testament Israel was subject to Babylonian oppression, so Christ’s church we read in Revelation 17 was subject to a mysterious Babylonian oppression. But just as the Babylonian oppression ceased for Israel, so we read it will cease in the future for the church. The mysterious Babylonian whore will be destroyed.

Then we read how the church will be purified through the instrumentality of the preaching of the gospel according to Revelation 19:15 and 19:21 (described as the sword proceeding out of Christ’s mouth). (This parallels the effect of such preaching in the Protestant Reformation era, as described at Revelation 14:6.)

And just as Israel enjoyed a time of restoration, so we read the church will yet enter an era of millennial restoration. Then as Magog was released against Israel, the figurative Magog will be released upon the New Testament church. But just as Christ came to the rescue of His Old Testament church in the First Advent, so Christ will come to the rescue of His church in the coming Second Advent. And just as the First Advent ushered in a typical new heavens and new earth according to Isaiah 65, so the Second Advent will usher in the ultimate new heavens and new earth we find in Revelation 21.

Now that we have covered some definitions relating to typology, as well as how scriptural typology helps our understanding of history, let’s now consider some additional concepts in typology, to help understand additional aspects of prophecy and history. First, not only are there types which we must recognize in scriptural prophecy, there are types within types. And each type symbolizes and pictures the whole. For example, the history of how Israel endured the wilderness experience and entered the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua, we read in Hebrews 4 is not only a type of the whole history of Old Testament Israel, it is a type of all of human history, in which Jesus brings His elect church into the eternal Promised Sabbath rest. Similarly, the period described in the opening of the 7 seals - which seems to describe the era up to the judgment on the earthly Jerusalem in 70 A.D.– is a type of the history of the New Testament church up to the millennium, as well as a type of the history of the New Testament church up to the Great Day of Judgment ushering in the new heavens and new earth.

Second, we find that by use of typology a prophesied event can be said to occur soon yet still be prophesying a distant anti-type. A good example is Haggai 2:6, speaking of the shaking of heaven and earth. The type itself concerns the restoration in Jerusalem and specifically the re-building of the Old Testament Temple then, following the Babylonian captivity. When just this prophetic type is considered, it is certainly true that it was fulfilled in a very short time. The prophet Haggai was part of the generation which returned to Jerusalem from the Babylonian captivity, and Haggai’s prophecies prompted the re-building of the Temple within a short time span, to great effect. Hence we read in Haggai 2:6, “Yet once, it [is] a little while, and I will shake the heavens…” Now this re-building of the Temple in Haggai’s day was a type of Christ’s passion and resurrection on the third day, for Christ described that event too as a building of the Temple (which was Christ Himself), according to John 2:19. This rebuilding of the Temple of Christ’s body in His First Advent shook heaven and earth in typological fulfillment of the Haggai 2:6 prophecy, as we read in Hebrews 12:26-28 (“…Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this [word], Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace…”) So Haggai 2:6 not only prophesied the re-building of the Temple in Haggai’s day, but also the work and resurrection associated with Christ’s First Advent, which was centuries later. And as previously noted, it has typologically prophesied as well the yet future Second Advent, when the heavens and earth will again be shaken, and the Temple of Christ’s body will dwell with man in the New Earth. Finally, as previously noted as well, we learn an important lesson from the Haggai 2:6 prophecy about prophetic interpretation. A scriptural prophecy can employ language of imminence because the prophesied type itself is to occur shortly, even if the anti-type which it also prophesies occurs centuries later. While I do not believe this is the only reason why we find language of imminence used in prophecy of the Day of Judgment and in the book of Revelation’s prophecies (as I address in my critique of full preterism), I think it goes a long way in explaining it. To take another example, the Apostles wrote of an Advent that was in their past (speaking of the first advent, they said things like “Jesus *came* to save sinners”) as well as one in their future (speaking of the second advent, they would warn the disciples to be prepared). That the Apostles spoke of an imminent coming of Christ that was typical of a yet future ultimate coming, this would follow the pattern of the Haggai 2:6 prophecy to the T.

Earlier I had mentioned the year-day principle in interpreting time in scriptural prophecy. Let me explain what I meant by this principle. We find in scriptural prophecy that a day in prophetic time stands for one human year. Accordingly, we should interpret the Seventy Weeks of Daniel 9:24 (“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.”) as Seventy Weeks of years (490 years), as most expositors have historically interpreted it. This Seventy Weeks of years was completed shortly after Christ’s Resurrection and Pentecost, which concluded the 70 weeks of years beginning with the decree of Cyrus to re-build the Temple. (Dispensationalists err when they suggest a gap in these Seventy Weeks. For a treatment of this topic by John Calvin, see Appendix 2 of my unabridged critique of full preterism at http://www.puritans.net/ .) This conforms to its use in Leviticus 25:8 (“And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years.”) Two additional places where we find it explicitly declared, besides Leviticus 25:8, are Ezekiel 4:6 (“And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year.”) and Numbers 14:34 (“After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, [even] forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, [even] forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.”). It is an important principle for interpreting the “1,260 days” (or “42 months”) in the book of Revelation, as I already showed in its prediction of the Protestant Reformation. In chapter six I show its potential relevance in calculating the period of the Second Advent.

But let’s first consider the mysterious Babylon which oppresses Christ’s church.

CHAPTER THREE : THE MYSTERIOUS BABYLON THE GREAT

The Seven Plagues described in Revelation chapter 16 fell a mysterious Babylon the Great. It would seem this Babylon had done much to corrupt humanity and to promote the oppression of Christ’s church, according to the Apocalyptic testimony. Although this Babylon is supposed to figure prominently in the world and its history, its identity is said to be shrouded in mystery (Revelation 17:5).

In order even to begin to identify this Babylon, we first must consider the context in which it appears within the book of Revelation and within history. The following table presents a general outline of the book of Revelation as a whole, as suggested in Revelation 1:19 (“Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;”) and confirmed in Revelation 4:1 (“After this I looked, and, behold, a door [was] opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard [was] as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.”):

Section #	Chapters in Revelation	General Topic Covered
1	1	the things which thou hast seen
2	2 - 3	the things which are
3	4 – 22	the things which shall be hereafter

The book of Revelation thus contains the three sections listed above. This outline itself suggests that Revelation is organized basically in chronological order, an idea that is important to remember as we seek a detailed outline of the events described in chapters 4-22, for it is accordingly arranged in chronological order as well.

I would divide the third section of the book of Revelation into sub-sections, for the account of “the things which shall be hereafter” presents itself in these sub-sections, occurring in successive chronological order. Those expositors who have interpreted some or all of these sub-sections as synchronously occurring have pointed to the