The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 3
V. Vaughan-No Cleansing of Sanctuary Expected Before 1843
Still another defensive voice was that of EDWARD T. VAUGHAN (1777-1829), vicar of St. Martin’s, Leicester. He was educated at Rugby and then at Trinity College, Cambridge, from which he received a B.A. in 1796 and an M.A. in 1799. Then he became vicar of St. Martin’s, Leicester, and rector of Foston, Leicestershire.” 91 His sermon on the second advent, called The Church’s Expectation (1828), was preached in 1827 before the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. He said that in the past his eyes had been holden on the prophecies, but now the prophecies shone forth in midday luster. PFF3 548.1
1. CHAMPIONS HISTORICAL SCHOOL OF INTERPRETATION
Vaughan opposes the Antiochus Epiphanes theory and the scheme of literal time for the prophetic periods. From Jerome to Bishop Newton, Porphyry’s scheme has often been refuted. Antiochus is made “a general receipt for all ails.” 92 Vaughan speaks of the nobility, the naturalness, and the ease of the Historical scheme of prophetic interpretation “from the first establishment of the Persian empire to the general resurrection.” 93 The time of the end represents a definite period. The stone that smites the image is Christ, the Little Horn of the fourth beast is the Papacy, but the little horn of the Ram and He-Goat, in Daniel 8, is made the Turk. PFF3 548.2
2. CLEANSING OF SANCTUARY INVOLVES JERUSALEM
Vaughan holds that immediately after the tribulation, when the “times of the Gentiles” are fulfilled, and Jerusalem and its temple are no longer trodden underfoot of the Gentiles, then “the sanctuary shall have been cleansed.” 94 Then will come the signs foretold, the great tribulation, the Gentile judgment, the shaking of the nations, “which is closed by the Lord’s terrible but most welcome appearing.” 95 Thus, continues Vaughan, “a clear date has been vouchsafed; viz. 2300 years from a notorious epoch.” This “cleansing of the sanctuary,” he feels, is “the delivering up of the Jewish City and Temple from Gentile into Jewish hands.” 96 PFF3 548.3
3. NOT LOOKED FOR UNTIL 1843
No one knows just, how soon “the preparation for this beginning of the consummation shall be made manifest.” When, in 1827, the navies of Great Britain, France, and Russia struck an unprecedented blow at the Turkish navy at Navarino, many were looking for the “courier who may announce a Christian possessor of Constantinople.” 97 Then Vaughan adds the significant sentence, “Howbeit I do not look for the completion of this sign till 1843.” In this he concurred with two score other leaders who had fixed upon this approximate date. PFF3 549.1
4. SIXTH VIAL INVOLVES SAME EXPECTATION
Moreover, Revelation 16 “leads us to precisely the same expectation. “Vaughan continues: PFF3 549.2
“The sixth vial of judgment comprehends the drying up of the Euphrates, that the way of the Kings of The East-the rightful Sovereigns- God’s kings-may be prepared; and synchronously with it, the preparation of the kings of the earth, (the Papal earth,) and of the whole world, (all (he nations of Christendom.) for the last conflict: and the seventh comprehends those very judgments which are thus to be introduced.” 98 PFF3 549.3
5. DATES 1260 YEARS FROM JUSTINIAN’S EDICT
Before closing his discourse Vaughan speaks of the “great keys” which God has put in our hands, “viz. Daniel’s prophecies, and the Revelation of John the Divine.” And on the 1260 years he says, “I can find nothing which satisfies me as to the commencement of the 1260 years, like the edicts of Justinian.” 99 He prefers the span of 537 to 1797 for this period. PFF3 549.4
Picture 2: OTHER TYPICAL BRITISH EXPOSITORS OF 2300 YEARS
Thomas Keyworth in 1828 (Upper left, with inset) places 2300 years from 457 B.C. to A.D. 1843; E. T.vaughan in 1828 (upper right) takes the same position; alfred addis in 1829 (lower left) Puts the period in a chapter heading, “B.C. 457-A.D. 1844”; and matthew hahershon in
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