11/03/04
ANSWERING SOME
QUESTIONS CONCERNING HISTORICISM
Periodically we get questions concerning historicism. Recently I received an email asking this question:
> For a while I've thought the Papacy was involved
with the end times but never knew exactly how it fit in the futurist view. I
had never heard the Historicism view on eschatology until recently. I study
quite often about everything and realized the errors of the futurist view and
could never take the preterist view for their claims. I seem to have lots of
knowledge now on the subject of Historicism and loved your critiques on
preterism. There are a few things I’m confused with and wondered if you could
help me out. So far all the Historicist I’ve run across either won’t return my
request or even point me in any direction. The only ones that want to help are
the seventh-day adventists which is really frustrating. What I’m confused about
is the numbers prophecies in Daniel. I can understand the 1260 day/year
prophecy of the Papal system in power and the
head being wounded, yet I can’t find a congruent answer for the 2300 days, the
1290 days, etc. etc. This is the whole
reason I'm trying to stay away from the Seventh-Day Adventist interpretation. I
simply cannot take the investigative judgment doctrine. If Jesus is God, and he
is I might add, what does he need to investigate? He knows all! Please help me
out with these things it would be greatly
appreciated.
Here was my response:
My history book entitled Thy Kingdom Come
presents the historicist view of church history. Please see:
http://www.puritans.net/curriculum/Thy%20Kingdom%20Come%20II/
Within the book there is a timeline of church
history at:
http://www.puritans.net/curriculum/Thy%20Kingdom%20Come%20II/timeline.pdf
Please note:
Daniel 12:11- "And 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."
In 70 AD this occurred - " the daily
[sacrifice] shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set
up"
70 AD + 1260 years = 1330 AD (John Wyckliffe,
the Morningstar of the Reformation, was born)
70 AD + 1290 years = 1360 AD (John Wyckliffe,
the Morningstar of the Reformation, began his public ministry and the era of
Reformation)
The Reformation brought to an end the
wilderness years of the church.
I explain my views, such as the above, also
in the online book at:
http://www.puritans.net/letmypeoplego.html
The reason I would rather you read my books
is because I can only give you brief answers here, but sometimes such questions
require long answers to do justice to the questions.
So I can give you my brief answer, but it
really does not do justice to your question:
Daniel 8 - "Yea, he magnified [himself]
even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily [sacrifice] was taken
away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. And an host was given [him]
against the daily [sacrifice] by reason of transgression, and it cast down the
truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered. Then I heard one saint
speaking, and another saint said unto that certain [saint] which spake, How
long [shall be] the vision [concerning] the daily [sacrifice], and the
transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be
trodden under foot?
The event being described concerning
Antiochus Ephiphanes occurred in 167 BC.
167 BC + 2300 years = 2133 AD
I believe in 2133 AD, to use the words of
Daniel, "the sanctuary will be cleansed".
**BUT**
Matthew 14:15 - "When ye therefore shall
see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in
the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)..."
and
Daniel 12:11 - "And 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."
I believe are referring to 70 AD, when the
Romans desolated Jerusalem.
**SO**
The 1290 years should be added to 70 AD.
and
The 2300 years should be added to 167 BC.