As we embark on this new series to research Daniel's 70-Week Vision, we will find that historians have a lot to say on the subject - much of it you have never heard. Why haven't you heard? You haven't heard because the historical documentation doesn't fit into the modern viewpoint on eschatology. If historians prove that the 70th week of Daniel's vision has already been fulfilled, the modern viewpoint crumbles like a house of cards.
What is the origin of the the modern viewpoint on end-time matters? About a hundred years ago the American church began a rapid and radical transformation of their understanding of Revelation, Daniel's 70-week vision, and the Olivet Discourse regarding end-time events. This transformation from the historical viewpoint that was embraced by the church for centuries, to the modern viewpoint, pretty much discarded sound doctrine. How did this happen?
Cyrus Scofield published a reference Bible in 1909 with extensive commentary that carefully outlined a new and innovative viewpoint of end-time events, literally invalidating the historical viewpoint embraced by Christians for centuries. He sold millions of copies, still popular today. Who is Cyrus Scofield?
Cyrus Scofield was a lawyer of Jewish descent, who claimed to be a Christian, but certainly lacked the fruits of a follower of Christ. After he was appointed U.S. District Attorney of the state of Kansas, he later had to resign under a cloud of scandal. - suspected of taking bribes. After his resignation he was later jailed on forgery charges. In the late 1800's, on the pretense of investment, he took $1,300 (a million in today's dollars) from his wife's mother - her life savings - and never returned it.
In 1883 his first wife divorced him for abandoning her and their two children, whom he refused to financially support - admitting he drank too much alcohol. During the divorce process, he was ordained as a Congregational minister - later becoming a Southern Presbyterian. He bestowed upon himself the title C.I. Scofield, D.D., although no record has ever been found to prove he had attained this degree.
How did Cyrus Scofield obtain information he inserted into his Bible as a new end-time doctrine? Most of his research was from the writings of an itinerant preacher from Great Britain, John Darby, who founded "The Brethren" denomination. Mr. Darby was also a lawyer, who visited the United States several times sharing his modern viewpoint on eschatology. After reading Mr. Darby's writings, Mr. Scofield was convinced that the 70th week of Daniel had not been fulfilled - even though historians had proven otherwise.
From whom did John Darby glean his new end-time doctrine? After millions of people bolted from the Holy Roman Empire, because of the new revelations of truth presented to them by Martin Luther, the Empire had to offer a counter doctrine. Luther had proven the Empire was the 7th head of the beast in Revelation - man of sin. What did the Empire do?
A Spanish priest named Francisco de Ribera, a member of the Society of Jesus, decided he would write a scholarly commentary of the book of Revelation that could definitely cast doubt on Luther's proclamation. In his commentary, a fabrication of his imagination, he said that at the end of time a political antichrist - man of sin - will arise when the "church" falls away. This antichrist figure will pretend to be God, appearing prior to a seven-year tribulation, where he will persecute the saints and abolish the Christian religion. He will rebuild the temple at Jerusalem for the third time, after making a covenant with the Jews for three and a half years.
This priest made sure he emphasized that all these things will take place far into the future - at the end of the world - then Jesus will return. Francisco believed that his grandiose end-time fabrication would definitely convince the populous that Martin Luther lied when he called their religious leader of the 1500's - the man of sin described by the Apostle Paul...II Thes. 2:3.
Did the public ever read Francisco's fictional end-time commentary? Stay tuned...
God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question~~~
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