The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2

V. Cramer-One of the First German Premillennialists

DANIEL CRAMER (1568-1637), stanch Lutheran pastor and professor, at the gymnasium in Stettin, wrote a book on the Apocalypse which is largely a treatise against the empire of Antichrist in the Orient and the Occident. ³⁶ In this exposition the characteristics of the seven churches are found in the different religious movements and churches of his day, including the Waldenses and Hussites. According to Cramer, many of the Reformation churches have now a name to live, but are dead—especially the Zwinglians and Calvinists. ³⁷ The Laodiceans are neutral and lukewarm, halting between two opinions. The seals and trumpets indicate persecutions and tribulations, with the fifth trumpet applied to the pope and his retinue, and the sixth to Mohammed and his hordes. Antichristianism comes to its climax in the Roman popes, with the forty-two prophetic months as the time of his power. ³⁸ PFF2 608.4

Cramer holds that the woman of Revelation 12 is the true church, and that the dragon is Satan, whereas the first beast of chapter 13 is pagan Rome-the same as the fourth beast in Daniel 7. ³⁹ Cramer repeatedly calls seven-hilled Rome the seat of Antichrist, and makes the second beast papal Rome, and the forty-two months the time of the popes, who seek to wield both kingly and priestly swords. ⁴⁰ On the 666 he gives both versions. He reckons it as years, and also considers it possible that it could be applied to a person, for instance Lateinos, or PAULO V. VICE DEO. ⁴¹ PFF2 609.1

The plagues are punishments upon papal Christianity spread back over the centuries. ⁴² The woman of Revelation 17 is the Papacy, borne up by the kings of the earth-Germany, Bohemia, Hungary, Poland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Scot land, England and France—the bird being “known by its feathers.” ⁴³ The thousand years are neither the old earthly chiliastic view of Cerinthus, nor the first millennium of the Christian Era, nor a thousand years beginning with Constantine, but are introduced, and the reign of grace begins, with the preaching of Luther. Cramer was thus one of the first German premillennialists. We are living, God be praised, in this evangelical kingdom. Therefore the reign of the gospel will continue for one thousand years as the real Regnum gratiae. As nobody lives for a thousand years, therefore the end cannot be seen till the last day. But the closer we come to the end, the more we shall find that the devil will take hold of his old helpers, the pope and the Turk, until their abominable teachings will be accepted practically by everybody, and when Christ comes, faith will hardly be found on earth, according to an old prophecy.” ⁴⁴ PFF2 609.2