The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 3

V. Bayford-The Judgment-Hour Angel Flying

JOHN BAYKORD, F.A.S. ¹⁰⁰ was most active in the Society for Promoting Christianity Among the Jews, and with Henry Drummond was one of the joint patrons” ¹⁰¹ of Joseph Wolff, making possible his extensive missionary journeys. He also edited Wolff’s Missionary Journal and Memoirs (1824). Bayford was a participant in the Albury Park Prophetic Conferences of 1826 and onward. ¹⁰² His part in the published Dialogues on Prophecy appeared under the pseudonym “Evander.” ¹⁰³ Later, when the Catholic Apostolic (or Irvingite) Church was formed, Bayford, along with Drummond, came to have a leading part. ¹⁰⁴ PFF3 409.1

1. STANDARD EXPOSITION OF Daniel 2 and 7

Bay ford’s Messiah’s Kingdom, or, A Brief Inquiry Concerning What is Revealed in Scripture, Relative to the Fad, the Time, the Signs, and the (Circumstances of the Second Advent (1820), bore on the title page the text Revelation 14:7. It covered the leading prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation. The standard exposition of the four empires of Daniel 2, a divided Europe, and finally the stone kingdom of Messiah, is followed by the standard interpretation of Daniel 7. ¹⁰⁵ Bayford follows Machiavelli’s list of the ten horn-kingdoms, and applies the Little Horn to the ecclesiastical power of the Bishop of Rome, with the three horns as those divisions making way for the ecclesiastical states of the Papacy. ¹⁰⁶ PFF3 409.2

2. 1260 YKARS (529-1789) AND 1290 AND 1335

The 1260 year-days arc put from 529 to 1789. ¹⁰⁷ The differential between the 1260 and 1290 and 1335 years is taken as the time required to accomplish “the great wonders-cleansing the church from every unclean tiling, and to restore Jew and Gentile, as Judah and Israel.” ¹⁰⁸ PFF3 409.3

3. DAILY SACRIFICE: BLOOD OF LAMB OF GOD

Of the daily sacrifice of Daniel 8:11-14, and the trampling power, Bayford says, “The daily sacrifice which he hath taken away, is doubtless the Lamb of God, the blood of which, the Mahometan tramples underfoot, counting it an unholy thing.” ¹⁰⁹ PFF3 410.1

4. 2300 YEAR PROBLEM (POSSIBLY 481-1819)

Of the dating of this treading underfoot, Bayord is not clear. The 2300 are assuredly years, but their commencement is difficult to determine. And some have applied it to popery, others to Mohammedanism. o connection is made with the seventy weeks, to which he gives the standard interpretation.” ¹¹⁰ Bayford adds: PFF3 410.2

“From the commencement to the close of the vision, there will be 2,300 years, al which lime, the Church of Christ being cleansed from all impurity, the Millennial dispensation will commence: for it should be recollected, that the sanctuary cannot be cleansed until the Lord comes to his temple. as Malachi 3. intimates. The exact commencement of the vision is not defined clearly, lest men should know the seasons, which God keepeth in his own power; and many different opinions have been maintained by different commentators.” ¹¹¹ PFF3 410.3

But it is not from the time of the vision, and not from 555 H.C., for 2300 would end in 1747 not in 1847 as the advocates for the 2400 years place it. He seeks to eliminate improbabilities: PFF3 410.4

“The event has certainly made it manifest, that the commencement is not to be computed from the time when the prophet saw the vision, for that was the third year of Belshazar. or before Christ 553, which gives the close at the year 1747, when the changes foretold, did not in any respect take place.” ¹¹² PFF3 410.5

A possible date, suggested by some, is 481 B.C. -that of the expedition of Xerxes against Greece. Time will put speculation to test: PFF3 410.6

“If this should be the date, the vision terminates in the year 1819, being thirty years horn the French revolution, and 1290 years from the setting up of the power of Popery, according to the scheme which is given in p. 71. Whenever the appointed epoch shall arrive, events will speak for themselves; and a few months may be sufficient lo bring to its test, the date that is now suggested. Our opinion, therefore, may well be suspended for a short time; and it may be sufficient lo search for another date, when this is found not to be the true one.” ¹¹³ PFF3 410.7

5. PAPACY PLACED IN Daniel 11:36 ff

Bayford puts the Papacy in Daniel 11, from verse 36 onward, dissenting from Faber, who suggests France.” ¹¹⁴ The magnification referred to inverse 37 is his blasphemous assumptions and false intercessors and mediators in verse.’38. ¹¹⁵ PFF3 411.1

6. THE CHURCHES AND THE TRUMPETS

Coming to the Apocalypse, Bayford deals with the four sets of symbols-candlesticks, seals, trumpets, and vials. The seven churches are the “seven principal epochs, or periods of the church,” and disclose its spiritual condition.” ¹¹⁶ Of the present state Bayford observes that it is more or less apparent that “the church is now in Laodicea,” ¹¹⁷ with the final judgments impending at the second advent. The fifth and sixth trumpets represent the Saracenic and Ottoman judgments upon the Greek Empire. ¹¹⁸ The five months, or 150 years, are placed from 612 to 762, and the 391 years of the sixth trumpet from 1281 to 1672 ¹¹⁹ PFF3 411.2

7. THE WILD BEAST Is THE PAPACY

The second wild Beast, of Revelation 13 is the “ecclesiastical power arising from out of the earth, or from out of a carnal and worldly profession of Christianity, connecting itself with the civil power of the ten kingdoms, gaining the ascendancy over it.” ¹²⁰ The paralleling of the fourth monarchy symbols of Daniel 2, 7, and 11-the legs and feet of the image, the fourth beast, and Little Horn, and the willful king who exalts himself above even God-is matched by the dragon, the wild beast, and the scarlet-colored beast in Revelation 12, 13, and 17.” ¹²¹ The seven heads are kings, consuls, dictators, decemviri, military tribunes, triumviri, and emperors. ¹²² And the time of making war with the saints is from Justinian to 1789. ¹²³ PFF3 411.3

8. VICARIUS FILII DEI “HARDLY SATISFACTORY.”

As to the number of the beast-666-~Latinus and Vicarius Filii Dei have been suggested; but Bayford declares them “hardly satisfactory, “and adds, “The true name remains yet to be discovered.” ¹²⁴ PFF3 412.1

9. THK HOUR OF GOD’S JUDGMENT IMPENDS

Again we note the contemporary application of the angels of Revelation 14. Verses 1-5 are applied to the church of the Reformation, having just emerged from popery. Verses 6 and 7 are applied to the Bible societies and similar organisations, from 1803 onward. ¹²⁵ Of this angel, Bayford says: PFF3 412.2

“When the event takes place, which is signified by this symbol, the day of the Lord’s judgment is actually at hand, for the angel cries unto all men. ‘Fear God, and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come. ¹²⁶ PFF3 412.3

10. SECOND AND THIRD MESSAGES THEN FUTURE

But of the second angel’s message Bayford says: PFF3 412.4

“Whether the two angels who are spoken of, are yet future, it is not easy to determine.” ¹²⁷ PFF3 412.5

“If these two angels are, indeed, made manifest, the fulfillment may probably be traced in the general stir which is now seen to have taken place, throughout many parts of Christendom, evincing an universal and an increasing sense of the corruptions of the Romish Church.” ¹²⁸ PFF3 412.6

11. THE SECOND ADVENT NEAR AT HAND

Stressing the future but imminent character of these events, as preparatory tothe event of the second advent of verses 14-20, he says: PFF3 412.7

“The circumstances, however, are as yet but imperfectly known; and it may require that the events should be more fully developed, before an opinion is hazarded, as to whether this portion of the prophecy has, or has not been accomplished. A short period, however, may decide: for all things seem preparing for the great event, which is announced in the following verses.” ¹²⁹ PFF3 412.8

Bayford then stresses the “tremendous day” of the Lord, when He shall descend from heaven. He then deals with the 1260, 1290, 1335, and 2300 years-the 2300 years must end with one of the other periods, possibly in 1819.’ ¹³⁰ PFF3 412.9

12. Two RESURRECTIONS MARK THE MILLENNIUM

The three unclean spirits from heathenism, the Papacy, and infidelity have already gone into action. The old papal power is in resurgence, recovering its lost powers and prerogatives. ¹³¹ The millennium, to be introduced by the second advent, is bounded by the two resurrections-one at the beginning, the other at the close. ¹³² PFF3 413.1