The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 4

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: Scholarly Treatises Stress Expectancy of Times

I. Ramsey of Philadelphia-Ardent Presbyterian Premillennialist

Still another advocate of the imminent second advent of Christ was Dr. WILLIAM RAMSEY, ¹ pastor of the Cedar Street Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia, and former missionary to India. Like scores of other earnest ministers at that time, he delivered a series of forceful addresses on “unfulfilled prophecy” that aroused city-wide interest. Out of this came a book entitled The Second Coming of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, in Power and Great Glory Before the Millennium (1841), an autographed copy of which he sent to the “Rev. Wm. Miller:—With the kind and Christian regards of his Brother in Christ. [Signed] William Ramsey, Philad’a, Feb. 4th, 1843.” ² PFF4 366.1

But Ramsey, it should be added, was in no way associated with William Miller and his group. In a sermon (March 10, 1844) on the millennium, he expressed his emphatic disagreement from their views “as to the time, ... also as to the Jews and the order of events.” ³ Ramsey also wrote Thessalonica, or the Model Church. In his forthright treatise on Spiritualism a Satanic Delusion, and a Sign of the Times (several editions, 1856 and on), he described spirit manifestations as the trickery of Satan’s emissaries, and prophesied departing from the faith and giving heed to seducing spirits as a prelude to the millennial period. PFF4 366.2

1. APOSTOLIC AND MODERN MISCONCEPTIONS

Deploring the failure of the church at large to study the unfulfilled prophecies, Ramsey declared in his lectures that prophecy has in all the ages been “the grand instrument in the hand of God of cheering the Church in the midst of her darkest hours, and in her deepest distress.” Beginning with Adam and Noah, Ramsey continued on through patriarch, prophet, and apostle. It was prophecy that started off the infant church on her mission, and sustained her in the heroic early centuries, as well as later in the Reformation Era. So, in the summer of 1840, Ramsey’s series of lectures to his deeply interested parishioners stressed the premillennial return of Christ in power and glory-though “well aware that the sentiments expressed in the discourse do not agree with the popular opinion.” Nevertheless, he held that the cry was going forth, “Behold! the Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him.” But, he added, while the wise and foolish both slumbered and slept, the Lord would come. ⁴ PFF4 367.1

The Jewish church mistakenly looked for the Messiah to come in glory and majesty instead of in humility. Yet the prophets had foretold the Messiah’s trial and rejection, His bruising and death, and His brief sojourn in the grave. So today many Christians reject or spiritualize the predictions of Christ’s second coming in transcendent power, glory, and majesty—to destroy Antichrist, to bind Satan, and to reign with His saints. Ramsey then outlines seven vital points: (1) Christ will return again; (2) He will return visibly and bodily; (3) His advent will be sudden and unexpected to both church and world; (4) it will be in great glory; (5) this was the hope and expectation of the early apostolic church; (6) the day and hour cannot be known by us; and (7) His return will take place before the millennium. ⁵ PFF4 367.2

2. SIGNS OF TIMES INDICATE ADVENT NEAR

Ramsey then presents an array of proof texts and prophetic promises for each point-such as Acts 1:9-11; Hebrews 9:28; 1 Corinthians 11:26; John 14:1-3, 18, 28; Revelation 1:7; 2 Timothy 4:1; etcetera. He discusses the prophecies of Matthew 24, the great image of Daniel 2, symbolizing the kingdoms of the world which will be crushed to powder, and the parallel prophecy of Daniel 7, with the fourth beast consumed by the burning flame. But the “times of the Gentiles” must first be fulfilled, the gospel carried to all nations, and the time of great tribulation come. The signs of the times will declare it. The days of Noah are to be repeated, Christ’s coming is therefore compared to an overwhelming deluge of fire (2 Peter 3:9), in the midst of the world’s busy activities and prideful plans. He will appear suddenly, unexpectedly, and alas! disastrously to those who are unprepared.” ⁶ PFF4 368.1

3. ANTICHRIST MUST FIRST BE DESTROYED

Many mistakenly look for a spiritual coming, irrespective of its direct conflict with Bible prophecy. The early church, he says, looked for her returning Lord. But soon, pride and worldliness and ambition took possession of her, and a hierarchy and a fatal apostasy developed. The “falling away” took place and the Papacy arose and waxed powerful and persecuting. But it will be destroyed at the second advent, in its civil and ecclesiastical form, by “the spirit of his mouth.” ⁷ Antichrist must first be destroyed before the millennium; therefore the second advent premillennial. ⁸ By this designated power Ramsey evidently means the Papacy, for it is to be destroyed in like manner as the Man of Sin; and he says expressly: PFF4 368.2

“It will be evident to all that the ‘Man of Sin,’ ‘Son of Perdition,’ or ‘Wicked’ of Paul, is the same as the ‘Beast’ of Daniel, and the ‘Babylon’ and ‘Scarlet-coloured’ woman of John, which go by the general name of antichrist.” ⁹ PFF4 369.1

In Revelation 14 the symbolic flying angel, with the everlasting gospel to preach to all the world, is followed by another angel declaring, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen.” And the destruction of “that Wicked” one, by the brightness of the Lord’s return, takes place before the binding of Satan. With most others, Ramsey looked for the restoration and conversion of the Jews. This he places before the millennium, in connection with the second advent. His fourth evidence is the prophetic parables of the advent—those of the pounds, the ten virgins, and the talents, and the fifth is the expectation of the early church. ¹⁰ PFF4 369.2

Paul tells of the great apostasy that will come before the second advent, and the final acts of the Mystery of Iniquity. The early church was mistaken in the time and the order of events. Hence the faith of the early church was overthrown. Of contemporary times he adds: PFF4 369.3

“The signs of the times will tell us that the time is near, very near; but, that day and hour is known to none of the human family. God has told us that certain things will take place before the great day of the Lord shall come,—from these we may learn that the day is nigh at hand.” ¹¹ PFF4 369.4

Ramsey’s sermon of March 10, 1844, was of similar intent and importance. He distinguished the eternal, new-earth state from the intervening thousand years-the fifth dispensation—during which he expected the Jewish Temple to be restored and Israel and Judah to have priority among a still mortal race, under the reign of Christ and the resurrected saints and martyrs. While he decried attempts to set the time of the Lord’s return, he nevertheless held that soon the “times of the Gentiles” would expire, the kingdoms of the world would be overturned and become the kingdoms of our Lord, Satan would be bound, and the world be filled with the glory of God. Ramsey consistently held that Christ will return personally, at the first resurrection, a thousand years before the second. ¹² PFF4 369.5