Historicist Only Historicist Resources

jgr said:

Not one myself, but they are faithful to, and in many respects arguably even the standard for, Reformation historicism. Froom's "Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers" is unsurpassed.

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As far as the discipline of Reformation historicism, the Adventist took the lead in the middle of the nineteenth-century in maintaining the historicist’s interpretation that the sea beast is the papacy and the two-horned beast represents America. Others, like the fractured Church of God, also hold the papacy is the antichrist but maintain the sea beast represents pagan Rome and the two-horned beast papal Rome. Such disparities have diminished the preeminence of historicism amongst the Protestants and fractured them into accepting the Papacy’s interpretations of Preterism and Futurism. It also led to the inordinate acceptance of Amillennialism.

The criticism concerning disparities is a failure to comprehend that one of the principles of historicism is progressive revelation. As historicist Sanford Calvin Yoder affirmed, “In the light of everything that has happened to the interpreters, who so minutely interpret the predictive elements of Scripture, the old adage of the fathers still stands—that prophecies are best interpreted after they are fulfilled.”1 The object of historicism is to correlate history with apocalyptic prophecy and as history unremittingly advances it follows that revision must occur, which justifies the disparities. So long as the sine qua non that the papacy is the antichrist is not abandoned, historicism is maintained but revision will occur right up to entering the time of the antitypes of the Hebraic autumnal festivals of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. This is why the interpretations of Elliott and Guinness are no longer held with the same regard by many in Protestantism; their foundational perceptions are still viable but they failed to account for reconciling the antitypes of the autumnal festivals in rendering Daniel and especially the Revelation.

Elliott held the first seal represented the “triumph, prosperity, and health of the Roman empire”2 while Guinness held it as “the view of the early Church.”3 These views are inflexibly held by many historicists today, but they have ultimately led to untenable interpretations such as holding that the two witnesses (Revelation 11:7-11) are the Old and New Testaments that were killed at the French Revolution and etcetera. The huge disparity with this is that the phenomenon is perceived as having the beast from the abyss suffering its deadly wound and commence its “is not” stage (Revelation 17:10-11) at the same time it rises from the abyss to kill the two witnesses. The inflexibility of these view has led to the untenable interpretation that the Ottoman Turks as the locust of the fifth trumpet that relented in persecuting Christians with the seal of God, those who held the 7th-day Sabbath as sacred, which has no weight in history.

Yet, in all this inflexibility there are some contemporary historicists that are breaking with tradition to move toward a greater consistency with history and maintain Yoder’s principle that “prophecies are best interpreted after they are fulfilled.” One such example of progressive historicism concerns the reevaluation of the throne scene in Revelation 4–5, which the contemporary historicists Frank W. Hardy, Ph.D., creator of Historicism.org, and R. Dean Davis, Professor of Religion at Atlantic Union College in South Lancaster, Massachusetts, have proposed. Historicist’s of the past, like H. Grattan Guinness, held that the throne scene depicted in Revelation 4–5 occurred at Christ’s ascension, at the first advent.


Perceiving the first seal as a first-century phenomenon maintains the throne scene in Revelation 4-5 occurred when Christ was caught up at the first advent. Davis and Hardy have reevaluated the traditional interpretation with the sound proposal that the throne scene is the same one depicted in Daniel 7 and that it is concurrent with the Laodicean church era.


Note that the phrase “investigative-type judgment” appears in the quote from Dean so there is no mistake he and Hardy are referring to the same time “the time of the end” which they perceive as the final church era. Their reevaluation of the traditional interpretation of Revelation 4–5 actually furthers a linear progression starting in chapter 1 up until the time of the seventh trumpet in chapter 11, inasmuch as historicism has already reevaluated the seven vials as a break in the pattern of their severe view of recapitulation. My work concerns the in-depth analysis of the symbolism of the seven seals and the seven trumpets as well as the in depth look at the patterns in the Hebraic cultus that warrants a departure from the extreme use of recapitulation for a greater linear narration in the book of Revelation, while still adhering to the historicist’s sine qua non of a year-for-a-day principle and the recognition of the papacy as the antichrist. Under this new interpretation, John's use of recapitulation was modest as compared with the traditionalist's view. The new view correlates the prophecies and illustrations of the seven seals with our modern-day market-driven society, the prophetic era of the Laodicean church, the autumnal festivals, and the "the time of the end" in Daniel 8:17. The correspondence of the apocalyptic horsemen of the seven seals with the historical accounts of the Protestant's rise to prominence and their termination of the churches' influence in our modern-day commerce is incendiary. Moreover, the correspondence pertaining to autumnal festivals regarding the final judgment and the apocalyptic horsemen of the seven seals is no less provocative. As is the case of all such correlations that come to light through progressive revelation, they become a blessing for the sons and daughters of God and a reproof for those who walk in darkness (Revelation 1:3).


1) Sanford Calvin Yoder, He Gave Some Prophets (Wipf & Stock Pub., October 1, 1998), 73.
2) Tucker, Brief historical explanation of the Revelation of St. John, Accordingto the ‘Hora Apocalyptica’ of the Rev. E.B. Elliott, 11, 103.
3) Henry Grattan Guinness, History unveiling prophecy; or, Time as an interpreter (F.H. Revell, 1905), 29.
4) Ibid.
5) Frank W. Hardy, Ph.D., “Historicism and the Judgment A Study of Revelation 4-5 and 19a,” Historicism.org, (August 8, 2006, Modified April 15, 2010), 1, http://www.historicism.org/Documents/Lecture1Rev4-5.pdf
6) R. Dean Davis, “The Heavenly Court Scene of Revelation 4-5” (Andrews University Dissertations, Paper 31, 1986), 243-244, https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/...tpsredir=1&article=1030&context=dissertations

The Seven Seals Of Revelation Overview


1st Seal – The white horse represents the conquering Roman Empire, from 96 – 180 A.D., as it was a time of its greatest expansion and their military conquests were celebrated by riding white horses in their victory parades. Cretan Roman Emperors Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius, each had a bow as their symbol. The crown represents the laurel wreathes of victory that were worn by the Caesars after their armies had won a military battle.

2nd Seal – The Red horse represents a bloody time in the Roman Empire from 185-284 A.D., as it went into a phase of revolution and civil war for 90 years, during which there were 32 emperors and 27 contenders for the throne.

3rd Seal – The Black horse represents a period gloom and despair, as the Romans suffered under excessive taxes that were needed to pay for wars. The prices for wheat and barley that the Lord decreed were the exact prices from 222-235 A.D.

4th Seal – The Pale horse represents 1/4th of Romans dying from famine, plague, pestilence and violence, from 250-300 A.D. The word ‘earth‘ means land, not the whole Earth. The Roman Empire is the land/earth of prophecy.

5th Seal – It represents the millions of martyrs who were killed by the Roman Empire, especially the Smyrna church martyrs who Emperor Diocletian persecuted for 10 years, from 303-312 A.D. Their blood is crying out for the Lord to avenge their deaths.

6th Seal – Earthquakes in the prophecy represent great political upheavals. Eastern Emperor Constantine defeated Diocletian’s army in 312 A.D., which ended the persecutions. Diocletian (the Sun) was so panic stricken, he died insane. Constantine defeated emperors Maxentius and Licinius to become sole ruler of both west and east by 324 A.D. The Roman leaders (stars) fell and their power receded as a scroll. The mountains and islands that were moved out of place, were the countries and people that were affected by this political change.

7th Seal – It represents the Lord sealing His servants before He sounds the 7 trumpets of judgment against the Pagan Roman Empire.

Meester-Chung said:

The Seven Seals Of Revelation Overview


1st Seal – The white horse represents the conquering Roman Empire, from 96 – 180 A.D., as it was a time of its greatest expansion and their military conquests were celebrated by riding white horses in their victory parades. Cretan Roman Emperors Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius, each had a bow as their symbol. The crown represents the laurel wreathes of victory that were worn by the Caesars after their armies had won a military battle.

2nd Seal – The Red horse represents a bloody time in the Roman Empire from 185-284 A.D., as it went into a phase of revolution and civil war for 90 years, during which there were 32 emperors and 27 contenders for the throne.

3rd Seal – The Black horse represents a period gloom and despair, as the Romans suffered under excessive taxes that were needed to pay for wars. The prices for wheat and barley that the Lord decreed were the exact prices from 222-235 A.D.

4th Seal – The Pale horse represents 1/4th of Romans dying from famine, plague, pestilence and violence, from 250-300 A.D. The word ‘earth‘ means land, not the whole Earth. The Roman Empire is the land/earth of prophecy.

5th Seal – It represents the millions of martyrs who were killed by the Roman Empire, especially the Smyrna church martyrs who Emperor Diocletian persecuted for 10 years, from 303-312 A.D. Their blood is crying out for the Lord to avenge their deaths.

6th Seal – Earthquakes in the prophecy represent great political upheavals. Eastern Emperor Constantine defeated Diocletian’s army in 312 A.D., which ended the persecutions. Diocletian (the Sun) was so panic stricken, he died insane. Constantine defeated emperors Maxentius and Licinius to become sole ruler of both west and east by 324 A.D. The Roman leaders (stars) fell and their power receded as a scroll. The mountains and islands that were moved out of place, were the countries and people that were affected by this political change.

7th Seal – It represents the Lord sealing His servants before He sounds the 7 trumpets of judgment against the Pagan Roman Empire.

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After the seventh church, Revelation 4 declares.


After what? After the prophetic era of the last church is revealed, which substantiates the throne scene in 4-5 and the seven seals are phenomena during the time of the Laodicean church, which we entered in the middle of the nineteenth century; contemporary Adventists have conceded the this. Moreover, the four horsemen of the apocalypse depict the antitype of the horsemen/locust in Joel 2:4, which have the “appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.” They cause the people of God to cry our “Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them” (Joel 2:17), which is rendered as the sixth seal in the Revelation and leads to the jubilee trumpet of Yom Kippur to sound in Leviticus.


The seventh seal, which consists of the seven trumpets, illustrates the antitype of Yom Kippur, which LeRoy Froom affirmed.



1) LeRoy Edwin Froom, “The Background of the Sanctuary Doctrine,” (Review and Herald Paper, vol. 125, No. 36, Sep. 2, 1948), 9.

Find out how you have been lied to, and why. From ancient Ephesus, to modern day Tele-evangelists, trace the origin and promotion of the "Rapture" doctrine. (Whose been teaching it, why they have taught it, and what does the Bible really have to say about it)

Tracking the footsteps of the Antichrist in the Scriptures. Political operatives and commercial opportunists pose as "Evangelical ministers" as part of Rome's "counter-reformation" program and offer all their various political targets on the "Antichrist" altar in the place of the Biblical Antichrist, from American Presidents, to Atheists, Jews, Muslims, New Agers or even just "Liberals". Tracking the geography of the Antichrist as found in the Scriptures eliminates their intentional attempt at subterfuge using confusion and diversion. Counter-reformationists are frauds, and so are their substitute "Antichrists". Here's the proof from the Scriptures. The same proof that has been known for hundreds of years, in western civilization, and by every historic Christian denomination on earth.

"Come out of her" It's not a casual suggestion. It's a command, not just to Christians, but to all the people of the earth. Come out of it or perish in it. It is a choice everyone must make, and it is a choice that will determine your eternal destiny... or perhaps indicate what you have chosen. (Either way, the results are the same)

Summary: The Two Witnesses are the Word of Elohim and the Church of Messiah, which testified during the 1,260 year reign of the antichrist beast Popes of Rome, about the pure Gospel of salvation through Messiah’s atoning blood, not by works through the Catholic Church; and they testified that the Popes of Rome were the antichrist of Revelation.

Messiah told us that the Scriptures testify. The Greek word for testify is martureo, which means to be a witness, to give evidence, to bear record, to give testimony.

“You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.” John 5:39

Messiah told us that His Church would be His witnesses. The Greek word for witnesses is martus, which can mean a martyr, a record, a witness. This is the same word that is used in Revelation 11:3 about the Two Witnesses, the saints, who were indeed martyred.

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8

Revelation 11:4 says “These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth.”

Revelation 1:20 tells us “the seven candlesticks (Greek word luchnia = lampstands) which thou sawest are the seven churches.” Using Messiah’s definition we know that two candlesticks are the two church eras of Thyatira and Sardis, which existed during the reign of the Roman Catholic Church from 538-1798 A.D.

The oil of the Old and New Testaments (the two olive trees) feed the Church of Christ (the two lampstands).

From 538-1514 A.D, the Thyratira Church era had people groups (the Waldenses, Albigenses, Bohemian Brethren, Vaudois and Wycliffites) who witnessed about the pure gospel of Christ, and testified against the Catholic Church.

During this time period called the Dark Ages, the Catholic Church systematically destroyed most copies of Elohim’s Word, and killed millions of saints who possessed them.

The Papal Church was so effective is eliminating the witnesses against them, that in 1514 A.D they proclaimed that all of Christendom was under their power, and that there were no witnesses against them. They celebrated with great feasts.

And for 3 1/2 years the Church of Christ was silent, as they did not have the Word of Elohim and they had become spiritually dead.

Messiah’s letter to the Sardis Church in Revelation 3 proclaimed that they were dead. “you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.” Obviously they weren’t really dead, as Messiah commanded them to take action.

During this 3 1/2 year period the Spirit was having Martin Luther read the Scriptures, to learn that the Papal Church was an apostate Church, and that the Pope was the antichrist beast of Revelation.

Then exactly 3 1/2 years after the Papal Church had proclaimed the witnesses against them were dead, Luther posted his 95 Thesis on the door of the Church of Wittenberg, which sparked the Protestant Reformation, which brought the Church back to life.

Thanks to Messiah having the Bible translated into English, German and other languages, and the advent of the printing press, the saints had the Bible, the rod of iron, in their hands, and they took back control of the European nations.

From 1514-1798 A.D, the Sardis Church era was the time that the Protestant Reformation caused millions of people to be saved by faith, to come out of the Catholic Church and form the Protestant Churches. It led to the Great Awakening where worldwide missions led to millions of people being saved.

What is the context of the Two Witnesses of Revelation?

Satan learned that when he had the Romans persecute the Christians, the church only grew faster, so he created a new strategy.

He created a false Christian Church to seek to destroy Christianity from the inside.

He created the Roman Catholic Church, which pretends to be Christian, but is really the old religion of Babylon, of Sun worship and Satan worship.

The word ‘catholic‘ means ‘universal‘, which is appropriate as they claim to be the Universal Church that leads to God.

The Satan-empowered Catholic Church reigned for 1,260 years, from 538-1798 A.D., which matches the time that the Two Witnesses prophesied.

It is not 3 1/2 years during the end times, like many Pastors teach.

And it obviously is not two people who prophesied for 1,260 years.

The Two Witnesses Of Revelation 11

In a time when many are afraid to point out who the true enemy of mankind is, it is important that we are on point when sharing truth. The Papacy is a system that has been patiently waiting for years to conquer the entire planet. She failed at it twice with giving her support of Germany in two World Wars. She has openly been pushing for a one world government in her newspapers and books, but people just can't see. In this study Bible Prophecy will be used as the ultimate guide to steer the skeptic in the right direction.

https://www.preteristarchive.com/StudyArchive/h/historicism.html

Historicism

Apocalypse: The Historicist Interpretation

APOCALYPSE
The Historicist Intepretation

This study demonstrates that all of AD History can be found encoded in the prophetic verses of Revelation.

Most people view the Apocalypse of John as a prophecy about some terrifying events that will take place sometime in the future. The present study intends to show that this view is not correct. Through the use of a relatively unknown method of interpretation, during the course of a verse-by-verse analysis, it will be demonstrated that the Apocalypse is in fact a History book, written in symbolic language, and dealing with that part of History that was still future when the book was written. Here are the Revelations that were given to us almost two thousand years ago:
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B. W. Johnson in his introduction to the book of Revelation states, "In my opinion this system [Historical] is more nearly correct, and yet it needs to be modified by the others [Preterist, Futurist], and carefully guarded."

Halley in his Bible Handbook states, "To us, it seems, taking the language in its [book of Revelation] most apparent meaning, that the simplest, most obvious, most natural, most evident, and most reasonable interpretation is a sort of combination of the dHistorical land Futurist interpretations: some of the visions picturing epochal events and features of Church History; some forecasting the momentous upheavals of the Last Days; and some, possible, referring to both, the earlier, perhaps, being typical and predictive of the later."

The Historicist method utilizes the elements of both Preterist and Futurist methods. This is a picture of a both/and or the best of all worlds. It is a mediating (including) approach rather than an approach of either/or.

No two historicists are fully in agreement. Is this not the case also with preterists and futurists? Since historicists go back more than 500 years, history is viewed from their perspective in history and the more history is played out in time the more light is shown and perceived in this system.

The value of historicism is the same as the value of knowing church history. What is the value of church history? Just read Halley's very brief church history and you will see! - Dave Opel
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Christs Second Coming and Unfulfilled Prophecies - Historicist.com

To you who have read these Scriptures pertaining to the Second coming of Christ, a question: "How readest thou?"

Historicists have been forced to the conclusion that those who can read these Scriptures and maintain they do not mean what they clearly state, but need changing, twisting, or spiritualizing, must have come to the Bible with preconceived conclusions and are desperately looking for Scriptures to hang them on.

Notice to Readers
In an attempt to provide a wide range of opinions and applications within the bounds of the Historicist interpretation of Bible prophecy, we have utilized the research and writings of a variety of scholars and historians. Being that the material found on this website has been written over a period of several hundred years, there will naturally be a difference of opinions and interpretations on various prophecies. This is due to the experience and knowledge along with the political and religious conditions which existed during the life time of each respective writer. For example; the perspective of John Wycliffe of the 14th century in England as opposed to the perspective of a 21st century writer in North America may somewhat differ on the same prophecy due to their respective vantage points of time, location and development of historical events.

These differences by no means invalidate the truthfulness of the Historicist approach to the all-important subject of Bible prophecy. Even though some teachers and writers may differ on some major beliefs such as the rapture, the nature of the Second Coming of Christ, the identification of Israel, or the modern Zionist state of Israeli, each writer sets forth a traditional Protestant view of Bible prophecy that has been unfolding in fulfillment throughout time extending from the Apostolic age until our present age.

Every opinion and/or interpretation presented on this website may not necessarily be the accepted belief of those who have made this website available.

The United States is not just an extension of the Euro-American Empire with a huge influence over the entire planet via its entertainment industry, sportswear and tech companies, but she plays a central role not only in world politics, but in Bible prophecy. This in-depth study quoting from authentic documents, newspapers and rare scholars will take you on a journey from the past to the present, clearing showing the United States as a key player in the winding down and closing stages of world events.

The Ecumenical Movement is a strategy masterminded by the Papacy in the early 1960s to strengthen so-called Christian Unity, to bring every Christian in every denomination and church under the control of the Pope. Protestant North America is leading out in this Christian apostasy and only those who learn to totally depend on God will be able to resist. The build up is getting closer and closer and while many Christians in theWest complain of persecution by the secular powers, they are unaware that there biggest resistance will be among their own fellow Christians.

Meester-Chung said:

The United States is not just an extension of the Euro-American Empire with a huge influence over the entire planet via its entertainment industry, sportswear and tech companies, but she plays a central role not only in world politics, but in Bible prophecy. This in-depth study quoting from authentic documents, newspapers and rare scholars will take you on a journey from the past to the present, clearing showing the United States as a key player in the winding down and closing stages of world events.

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Have you studied Isaiah 18:1-7?
That chapter is all about the United States of America, who else?

It seems that they won't be as much of a 'key player', as you think.

keras said:

Have you studied Isaiah 18:1-7?
That chapter is all about the United States of America, who else?

It seems that they won't be as much of a 'key player', as you think.

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The label of this thread is "Historicist Only". When did you convert?