The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2

VIII. Bell-France Accomplishing the Fall of Antichrist

In the London Evangelical Magazine of 1796 appear two illuminating articles by GEORGE BELL, on the “Downfal of Anti- christ,” written July 24, 1795. He contends first that though man may not presumptuously inquire into God’s secrets, it is our duty to seek knowledge of those things He has revealed. Then he asserts that God often overrules the actions of men to bring to pass entirely different objectives. He then comes directly to the time of the rise and fall of Antichrist, based on the internal evidence of the prophecy. First, its rise would not be until after Western Rome’s division, and we are therefore “not to look for his appearance before the year 407.” ²¹ PFF2 741.4

1. BELIEVES ANTICHRIST AROSE ABOUT 537

Again, he would not appear until after the “subversion of the imperial government of Rome,” and “this obstacle was taken out of the way in the year 476.” It would appear soon thereafter, but “not instantly.” ²² Bell’s third point is based on the seven heads or governments, the sixth being the emperors—that form falling in 476 under Augustulus. Then the Gothic kings chose Ravennaas their seat of government, but held Italy from 476 to 553—but“lost the government of Rome in the year 537.” ²³ So the papal was to follow the imperial. He concludes: PFF2 742.1

“If this be a right application of events to the prophecy, then Antichrist arose about the year 537, or at farthest about the year 553. He continues 42 months, or 1260 prophetical days, that is, 1260 years, Revelation 13:5.; consequently we may expect his fall about the year 1797, or 1813.” ²⁴ PFF2 742.2

2. DATING THE 1260, 1290, AND 1335 PERIODS

Turning next to the evidence from Daniel, Bell alludes to the oft-repeated 1260 years, or forty-two months, or three and a half times, during which Antichrist will “scatter the power of the holy people.” ²⁵ The 1290 years “takes its date from a time of remarkable apostasy.” Of this period Bell says: PFF2 742.3

“The holy city is to be trodden under foot by the Gentiles, or Papists, who, though they are Christians in name, are Gentiles in worship and practice; worshiping angels, saints, and images, and persecuting the followers of Christ. These Gentiles take away the daily sacrifice, and set up the abomination that maketh the visible church of Christ desolate for the space of 1260 years. But this is a longer period by 30 years.” ²⁶ Then the 1335 years extend forty-five years beyond the 1290 years and seventy-five years beyond the reign of Antichrist. ²⁷ PFF2 742.4

3. 1260 YEARS FROM JUSTINIAN TO REVOLUTION

The second article concentrates on the Justinian date when, after the Ostrogothic withdrawal to Ravenna, the army of Belisarius approached Rome, which opened its gates to the Roman general in December, 537; tracing the transfer of the Roman emperor to Constantinople, and then the shift of the Goths to Ravenna, Bell says the pope is left, “as it were, the governor and principal at Rome.” ²⁸ Then, logically coming to the predicted earthquake, which “signifies a revolution,” and France as the tenth part of the Babylonian City—when “One of the ten kingdoms under the dominion of Rome would fall off, or revolt from her jurisdiction”—he declares, “Have we not seen, in one of the ten kingdoms, a most astonishing revolution? Have we not also seen that kingdom fall off of the papal jurisdiction?” Bell then concludes, saying, “Have we not good ground to hope that the accomplishment of the prophecies, respecting the rising of the witnesses and the fall of antichrist, is near at hand?” ²⁹ PFF2 743.1