The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2

VI. Alsted Ends the 1335 Year-Days in A.D. 1694

JOHANN HEINRICH ALSTED (1588-1638), noted teacher and prolific writer, was born and educated at Herborn. He became professor of philosophy there in 1615, and professor of theology in 1619. He represented the Reformed Church at the Synod of Dort (1618-1619), and in 1629, as a result of the unrest of the war in Germany, went to the newly founded University of Weissenburg, in Transylvania. His Tractatus de Mille Annis (Treatise on the Thousand Years) (1618) was followed by his Theologia Prophetica (Prophetic Theology), and then his Triumphus (1675), which appeared in English as Beloved City, or the Saints Reign on Earth a Thousand Years. He contended that before it is fulfilled, every prophecy is a riddle. But when fulfilled, it is plain and understandable. PFF2 610.1

The Little Horn of Daniel 7 was applied literally to Antiochus Epiphanes, and in type to the “Roman Antichrist,” which powers Alsted similarly saw in Daniel 11. ⁴⁵ The seven seals in the Apocalypse represent the history of the church. Under the first four seals the four horses indicate the following: the white horse, the apostolic church; the red horse, the church under pagan tyrants; the black horse, the time of the heresies; the pale horse, the sick condition of the church under the rise of Antichrist in the time of Boniface III (606); the fifth seal, the time of the martyrs; the sixth seal, the reign of Antichrist from 606 onward for a thousand years.” ⁴⁶ he seven trumpets, according to Alsted, are included in the seventh seal, symbolizing the apostasy of the church, beginning with the time of Boniface III, progressing through the corruption of gospel doctrines, the time of growing papal power, the pollution of the sweet waters of the Scripture by the papal decretals, the darkness of Antichristian error. Under the fifth trumpet comes the fall of the Roman Antichrist from the heavenly church, the locusts representing the clergy. Under the sixth trumpet comes the full revelation of Antichrist, and the mighty angel, Christ, with the open Book, sounding the call for the Reformation; and under the seventh, the completion of the Reformation and the conversion of the Jews, followed by the kingdom of Christ.” ⁴⁷ PFF2 610.2

The treading underfoot of the city for the period of forty-two months is 1260 years from the time of Sylvester, when the falling away of the church began as Constantine removed from Rome to Constantinople, which apostasy reached its climax in the time of Phocas and Boniface. ⁴⁸ PFF2 611.1

The two beasts of Revelation 13, Alsted envisions as the two stages of Roman Antichrist-the ten-horned beast from the sea, imperial Rome; and the two-horned beast, papal Rome. The term Lateinos is linked with the mystic number 666. ⁴⁹ PFF2 611.2

This same dual form of Rome is likewise seen in the Beast of Revelation 17, with the seven heads as the seven forms of government of imperial Rome leading up to papal Rome. The ten horns, in turn, are tabulated as standing for “Hispania, Hungaria, Anglia, Dania, Polonia, Dalmatia, Croatia, Portugallia, Bohemia, and Svevia.” ⁵⁰ PFF2 611.3

Revelation 18 and 19, in Alsted’s mind portray the down fall and destruction of the papal rule. ⁵¹ PFF2 611.4