The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 4

VIII. Comprehensive Coverage of the Major Prophecies

Professor Bell’s coverage of Daniel and the Apocalypse, briefly presented herewith, is succinct but comprehensive. It is phrased clearly and presents one of the remarkably able interpretations of that early time, meriting more attention than is usually accorded it. It had a molding influence upon the youth, who followed it through the Sabbath schools and other Bible classes. Here is an epitome, again showing the essential unity of all these pioneer writers on prophecy. PFF4 1132.3

1. FOUR WORLD POWERS AND THEIR AFTERMATH

In dealing with “The Four Great Kingdoms,” Bell’s Progressive Bible Lessons for Youth (1875) traces Babylonia, Medo-Persia, Grecia, and Rome, then Rome’s divisions from its breakup to the present time, and on to the establishment of the everlasting kingdom of God. The same four kingdoms are then considered under the beast symbols of Daniel 7. The ten horns represent the ten kingdoms—the Huns, Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Franks, Vandals, Suevi, Burgundians, Heruli, Anglo-Saxons, and Lombards. In his notes Bell cites Rollin, Joseph us, Scott, Clarke, Machiavelli, Lloyd, Hales, and others. PFF4 1133.1

The Little Horn is identified as the Papacy, persecuting the saints, changing the Sabbath, and making presumptive claims of power. The three uprooted horns are the Heruli, Vandals, and Ostrogoths. And the driving away of the latter from Rome in A.D. 538—when Justinian’s decree became effective—dates the beginning of the special allotment of 1260 years of papal power, which ended in 1798 at the captivity of the pope by Berthier. ³⁶ PFF4 1133.2

2. 2300 YEARS, AND 70 WEEKS TO CHRIST

Then follow the Persian ram and Grecian goat, with Alexander as its notable horn. The exceeding great horn development is again the Roman power, finally putting the Prince of the Host, Jesus Christ, to death, and under its papal form casting down the truth to the ground. Next comes the 2300 years, from Persia, with the 70 weeks of years, “cut off” for the Jews, according to Gesenius. This leads from 457 B.C. to the crucifixion of the Messiah, with the reconciliation for iniquity made by His atoning blood, and ending with the anointing of the true sanctuary in heaven. The key dates of the seventieth week are the autumn of A.D. 27, the spring of A.D. 31, and the autumn of A.D. 34, citing William Hales. ³⁷ PFF4 1133.3

3. THE SANCTUARY SERVICE AND THE JUDGMENT

To Bell, as with Smith, the “daily” was simply paganism, and the taking away was its suppression—thus differing from White and others, but without controversy, as this was considered a minor point. The sanctuary trodden underfoot was the new covenant sanctuary in heaven, and the treading underfoot is by the setting up of rival sanctuaries. It has been trodden underfoot the same as the Son of man has, and that was by blasphemous presumptions. ³⁸ Then follows a discussion of the sanctuary, its vessels, the two phases of its service, and Christ’s ministry in the heavens. And next comes the nature of the judgment, the Judge, the Witnesses, the books and their examination, our Advocate, and the cleansing of the sanctuary. ³⁹ Bell was methodical and thorough. PFF4 1133.4

4. SEALS, TRUMPETS, AND FIRST Two MESSAGES

The seven seals are understood to portray the development of apostasy in the church, including the period of papal persecution. The trumpets reach their climax with the sixth, or Turkish, trumpet, ending in August, 1840. And the “time of the dead that they should be judged” refers to the “investigative judgment.” The “sealed” book, which was the book of Daniel, was opened in the “time of the end,” and then comes the finishing of the mystery of God. Then follows the first angel’s message, which proclaims the hour of God’s judgment. The message of the approaching advent was sounded in Britain by some seven hundred members of the English clergy, according to Brock, ⁴⁰ along with doubtless a far greater number of Nonconformists, and heralded all over the Old World, as well as by Miller and hundreds of his associates in the New World. PFF4 1134.1

Next comes the second message, and the relation of the true and false churches thereto. The dragon was pagan Rome, the woman in white the true church, and the ten-horned leopard-like beast was the Papacy, the same as is the Little Horn of Daniel. The 1260 days are the years of persecution of the woman in the wilderness. The second beast is the United States, and its two horns civil and religious liberty. The image of the Beast is “another ecclesiastical establishment, clothed with similar power.” ⁴¹ The pattern is now clear, distinct, and commonly accepted by all Seventh-day Adventists. PFF4 1134.2

5. PAPAL CHURCH AND STATE IN Revelation 17

The beast of Revelation 17, with its ten horns, had already been defined as the Roman Empire-the horns being the kingdoms into which it was divided, and the seven heads the forms of government-kingly, consular, decemvirate, dictatorial, triumvirate, imperial, and papal. ⁴² Dire persecution came under the religious phase, when the church became corrupt. And this last power is the eighth head. The distinction or relationship between the church and the state is indicated by the corrupted woman upborne by the beast, which she guides and controls. PFF4 1135.1

6. PERVERSIONS POLLUTE THE DAUGHTER CHURCHES

Corruption in the Christian church was introduced early in the Christian Era, according to Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2. The transition from purity to error and corruption was indicated by the seven seals of Revelation 6-changing from white to red to black and then to pale, as pagan doctrines and modes of worship L were introduced, until it reached the flood tide in the Middle Ages. Constantine’s earlier part is noted, and finally the apostasy becomes the Papacy. But the corruption of the Protestant churches, through unlawful connection with worldly policies “I*and powers, has similarly polluted the daughter churches. And * various admissions from both Old World and New World expositors are cited in justification of the message of “Babylon’s fall,” heralded by the Millerites in 1843 and 1844.” ⁴³ PFF4 1135.2

7. UNITED STATES-SECOND POWER OF Revelation 13

The third message concerns the two beasts of Revelation 13—the Papacy being commonly acknowledged to be the first, with its presumptive claims and persecuting power, and its identification with the Little Horn of Daniel 7:25. Next, the rise of the second power was at the very time the pope went into captivity in 1798. This captivity was the same as the wounding, but which wound was healed by the installation of another pope in 1800. Wesley, in his day, looked for the appearance of the two-horned beast as not far off. Bell locates the peaceful rise of this power in the New World, and identifies it as the United States ok America. Its growth, resources, mechanical advances, and its peaceful character are portrayed, and its lamblike horns indicate its “youth and mildness.” But later it is to speak through its laws in legislative enactment, and will finally persecute dissenters. Thus it at last becomes the false prophet. ⁴⁴ PFF4 1135.3

8. SPIRITUALISM, IMAGE OF THE BEAST, AND THE MARK

The rise of Spiritualism, in 1848, is next noted-pretended communication with the dead, with millions of devotees claimed as early as 1875. These spirits are lying spirits, but have wonder working power. The “image of the beast” is a likeness to the papal ecclesiastical establishment-power to define and punish heresy, and its dogmas enforced by civil law. And finally the mark of the Beast is given as the change the Papacy has made in the law of God, with the resultant test of loyalty. The papal claim for the change is cited from various standard Catholic catechisms. And the early steps toward the ultimate formation of the predicted “image,” already taken in Bell’s day, are noted. ⁴⁵ PFF4 1136.1

9. FINAL EVENTS, INCLUDING THE MILLENNIUM

The seven last plagues fall following the close of probation. The dragon, Beast, and false prophet, Bell adds, represent paganism, Catholicism, and apostate Protestantism. The “River Euphrates” is a symbol of Turkey, watered by the Euphrates. The final out pouring of the plagues, the time of trouble, and the battle of the great day, appear in swift succession, and are all intertwined. And the millennium follows, with the saints in heaven and the earth barren and desolate, ending with the loosing of Satan for a little season at its close, the destruction of the wicked following, and then the new earth eternal. ⁴⁶ Such was Bell’s over-all portrayal. The pattern is clear. There is now essential unity of exposition among all Sabbatarian Adventists. And this was a textbook for Bible classes. PFF4 1136.2