The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 3

VII. Bellamy-Millennium Begins After Papacy Falls

JOSEPH BELLAMY (1719-1790), minister at Bethlehem, Connecticut, was born in Connecticut. Graduating from Yale in 1735, he then studied for the ministry, partly under Jonathan Edwards, for two years. He served as supply for the pulpit at Bethlehem from 1738 onward, and was ordained in 1740. He was then given full charge of the Bethlehem congregation, which post he held for fifty years, until his death. He also traveled considerably as an itinerant missionary. At Bethlehem he opened a theological school. PFF3 195.6

Bellamy was full of enthusiasm over the Great Awakening inaugurated by Edwards, and helped found the system of theology associated with Jonathan Edwards. He received a D.D. from Aberdeen in 1768, and wrote several books. In 1750 his True Religion delineated, dealing with the great revival, was published, with Preface by Edwards, as a result of careful re search and wide reading. Then, in 1758, there appeared his Sermons Upon the following Subjects, viz. The Divinity of Jesus Christ, The Millennium, The Wisdom of God, in the Permission of Sin. With Edwards and Hopkins he held to the new Whitbyan view of a temporal millennium and repudiated the premillennial advent. But he was crystal clear on the identity of Antichrist, and its period of 1260 year-days. PFF3 196.1

1. MILLENNIUM HAS Nor YET BEGUN

Holding to the millennium as a time when Satan shall be bound, when Christ shall reign, and the church “ ‘enjoy Purity of Religion in Peace,’” Bellamy contends first that it is not in the past, ⁴⁸ as Catholics assert. PFF3 196.2

“They were not accomplished in the Days of Constantine the Great: for, it is since then that the Man of Sin has been revealed. Nor are they accomplished to this Day: for, Satan is still walking to and fro thro’ the Earth, and going up and down therein.” ⁴⁹ PFF3 196.3

2. CANNOT BEGIN TILL PAPAL PERIOD ENDS

Answering the question, “When shall they be accomplished?” Bellamy gives this answer: PFF3 196.4

“Not till ‘the Woman has been in the Wilderness a Time and Times and half a Time.’ (Revelation 12:14.) Now a Time and Times and half a Time, i.e. three Years and a half, is equal to forty two Months; which is equal to one Thousand two Hundred and sixty Days; which doubtless means 1260 Years, a Day for a Year.” ⁵⁰ PFF3 196.5

3. UNIVERSAL BISHOPRIC RECOGNIZED IN 606.

Insisting that the seventy weeks of years, or 190 years, prove the year-day principle? Bellamy tells of the steady rise of the Roman Bishop to power, reaching the place of recognition of his claimed universal popeship in 606. But as his temporal powers came not till later (756), so hundreds of years were consumed in reaching the height of his power. In like manner, since the Reformation it has been falling, and will continue to do so till “Babylon sinks as a millstone into the sea.” ⁵¹ PFF3 197.1