The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 3

VI. Theologian Hopkins-Places Millennium Before Advent

SAMUEL HOPKINS (1721-1803), Congregationalist theologian, was born at Waterbury, Connecticut. After graduating from Yale in 1741, he studied theology with Jonathan Edwards. In 1743 he was ordained pastor at Great Barrington. Since he was severe in preaching and dull in delivery, his congregation dismissed him in 1769 because of the decreasing membership. In 1770 he became pastor of the First Congregational Church at Newport, Rhode Island. PFF3 217.4

In 1776 the British took possession of Newport, and Hopkins was compelled to seek refuge in Great Barrington. From 1777 onward he preached in several places. In 1780 he returned, after the evacuation of the British, to find his church in ruins and his congregation in poverty. An indefatigable student, he put in fourteen hours a day in study, living abstemiously and taking no exercise. In 1790 Brown University bestowed upon him the degree of Doctor of Divinity. He was afflicted with paralysis, however, from 1799 until his death. PFF3 217.5

Hopkins was one of the first Congregationalist ministers to denounce slavery. In his Dialogue Concerning the Slavery of the Africans (1776) he pointed out that the slaves were sunk down in a state of heathenism, with very little being done to help them to be civilized. He urged universal liberty for both whites and blacks, contending that to continue holding men in slavery might bring down the wrath of God upon us. ⁵² This called for exceptional heroism, since Newport was then the center of the slaveholding interests. He raised money to free slaves, and in 1773 joined in an appeal for raising money for the training of colored missionaries for Africa. PFF3 217.6

Hopkins profoundly influenced New England theology. Pupil and friend of Jonathan Edwards, he carried Edwards’ principles to their ultimate conclusions. He was the first to form the principles into a closely articulated system, and was a strong postmillennialist, being influenced by the British Lowman, disciple of Whitby. He wrote voluminously, but his most famous work was The System of Doctrines Contained in Divine Revelation (1793), with which was published his Treatise on the Millennium (1793). This he anticipated as beginning some two hundred years distant, after a gradual fall of the Papacy and recovery of the purity of the church-with the advent at its close. Postmillennialism was now firmly entrenched in the Protestant church, though still held by the minority. PFF3 218.1

1. TYPE AND TIME OF THE MILLENNIUM

Hopkins holds to the seventh thousand years as the millennium but insists that “the particular years of the beginning or end of this time can not be known before it actually takes place,” as “it will be introduced gradually.” ⁵³ He stresses seven as a “sacred number,” and the seventh month in each year under the Mosaic ritual the supreme “festival and sacred month” of the year, with its Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Feast of Tabernacles-the latter typifying the “happy, joyful millennium.” ⁵⁴ Likewise in the prophecies of Daniel, the rise and 1260-year continuance of the Little Horn (the same as the Beast of Revelation), and the affliction of the church during that time, will lead to the seventh thousand years of the millennium. ⁵⁵ The forty-two months of the Beast of Revelation, and the three and a half times, are the same as the Little Horn’s 1260 years. Then, says Hopkins: PFF3 218.2

“So long the beast, the idolatrous persecuting power, exercised by the Bishop of Rome, the Pope, is to continue; during which time, the church of Christ is to be oppressed, afflicted and opposed, represented by the holy city being trodden under foot by the Gentiles; the two witnesses prophecying in sackcloth; and a woman persecuted and flying into the wilderness, to hide herself from her enemies, where she is fed and protected during the reign of the beast, which is to continue a thousand two hundred and sixty years, a prophetical day being a year.” ⁵⁶ PFF3 219.1

This will be followed by the destruction of the Church of Rome and the kingdom of the devil in the world-and then will come the millennium not long thereafter. ⁵⁷ PFF3 219.2

2. MILLENNIAL TRIUMPHS FOLLOW LITTLE HORN’S REIGN

The question then arises, When did the 1260 years begin? Hopkins believes this to have been in 606, which by adding 1260 years would lead to the year 1866. ⁵⁸ But as the Pope did not acquire temporal power till 756, it is more probable that this delays the terminus until 1260 years from that date. ⁵⁹ Hopkins holds that Rome was the fourth empire of prophecy, that the ten horns arose historically, and the Little Horn is indeed the Pope of Rome. ⁶⁰ The kingdom of God will succeed in the “universal prevalence and reign of his church and people.” ⁶¹ PFF3 219.3

3. MILLENNIAL REIGN BEGINS AS 2300 YEARS END

The exceeding great horn of Daniel 8, coming out of one of the Greek divisions, is also Rome standing up against the Prince of princes, and persecuting the saints under both paganism and the power of Antichrist in the Church of Rome. ⁶² After its destruction the kingdom of Christ will prevail. ⁶³ The time prophecy of this chapter-the treading of the sanctuary under foot-is 2300 years, “a day being put for a year.” The sole difficulty ill “fixing on the time of the end of these days, lies in determining at what time the reckoning begins.” ⁶⁴ Concerning this, Hopkins is in uncertainty. He rehearses the developments in Grecia and Rome, suggesting that the period might be from the time when the western horn, or Rome, began (at the partitioning of Greece) about 300 years before Christ. ⁶⁵ In any event, when the reign of Antichrist ends, the millennial reign of Christ begins. PFF3 219.4

4. MILLENNIAL RECOVERY WITHIN 200 YEARS

In Daniel 12 the 1260 years are repeated. ⁶⁶ Then the 1290 and 1335 years are brought in. Hopkins is not clear as to the beginning of these two periods, but he thinks they possibly start with the 1260 years, and therefore end after their close, ⁶⁷ for their closing events are not the same but reach to the recovery of the church of Christ. This will take time after the Church of Rome is destroyed, and the restoration of the pure state is beyond that, Hopkins holds. The first resurrection symbolizes this recovery. ⁶⁸ PFF3 220.1

5. PAPAL FALL GRADUAL LIKE ITS RISE

As the Papacy was gradual in its rise, till its height in 756, so its fall will doubtless be gradual, Hopkins declares. ⁶⁹ Then will come the casting out and binding of Satan. The fall of the Papacy has been going on since Reformation times. Religious liberty has advanced. ⁷⁰ So Hopkins looks for the millennium to “begin about 200 years from the end of the present century.” ⁷¹ PFF3 220.2

6. FIFTH VIAL POURED DURING REFORMATION

The judgments of the seven vials Hopkins begins centuries previous, the fifth being poured out on the seat of the Beast in Reformation times. ⁷² He believes the sixth vial had been running for per haps a century. Babylon is the type of the Church of Rome. ⁷³ The seventh will follow with the great battle of the day of the Lord. ⁷⁴ PFF3 220.3

7. CHRIST COMES AT END OF MILLENNIUM

Christ will at last come in flaming fire at the end of the thousand years, Hopkins insists, taking vengeance on those who have obeyed not the gospel. ⁷⁵ Such is the intriguing millennial theory of postmillennialist Hopkins. PFF3 221.1