A Brief history of Eschatological
Speculations
By George C. Stewart
Some
headlines from Uganda in 2000 highlighted the awful consequences of following
some that claim to speak for God concerning the Lord’s return. A cultic group
led by a former Roman Catholic priest had predicted that December 31, 1999
would be the end of the world. It seems that cult members had been persuaded to
sell their properties and assemble for the final event. After the end did not
come some began to ask about the money from their property sales. If the
accounts were accurate, this led to the death of over 900 men, women and
children.
Many
dispensationalists will dismiss this as a good theory misinterpreted. Actually
this theory lends itself very well to anyone who has a penchant toward
extremism.
The many speculations concerning the end of the world are not a recent
phenomenon. This very fact should cause every Christian to look very critically
at every new “prophet” with a new “revelation.” The following brief review may
be of some help.
Date Setting
Jesus foretold that
there would be many false Christs before the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70
(Matthew 24:5). The Jewish historian Josephus reported that this happened
around AD 40 (Antiquities, 20.8.6). Those who had determined that Christ
would certainly come immediately, misunderstood Paul’s
first letter to the church at Thessalonica (written about AD 51). Consequently,
Paul had to follow up with a second letter to correct this error. So he writes
in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2: “Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him, that you
may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a
spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of
the Lord has come.”
Some were so certain of
Christ’s immediate return that they had apparently stopped working. So Paul
writes, “if anyone will not work, neither let him eat”
(2 Thessalonians 3:10).
In the latter part of
the second century a group who became followers of Montanus held a strong belief
in the early end of the world and the Second Coming of Christ, and an earthly
kingdom. This same group believed in speaking in “tongues” and “prophesying.
It is worth noting that many individuals and groups who speculate about “the
end” also hold other false doctrines. For
example, David Reagan, who is welcomed into many Restoration churches, holds to
the doctrine that miraculous gifts are available today.
The Crusades (12th
and 13th Centuries AD were
partly inspired by prophecies of the end. Russell Chandler says that during the
third Crusade (1189-1192 AD) “Endtime fever was particularly rampant... and
prophecies telling of a new world order were circulating” (Russell Chandler, Doomsday, p. 42).
Even before the Crusades
many believed the end would come on AD 1000. “Many tenth-century Christians,
quoting from Revelation 20:7-8, firmly believed that the end of the world would
occur when Satan was unleased exactly a thousand years after Christ’s birth.” (Chandler, Doomsday, p.
51).
Some predicted that the
so-called “millennium” would begin in AD 1033 because that marked 1,000 years
since Christ’s crucifixion. Today some are using similar speculations to
predict AD 2033 (or 2034) as the “end.” Martin Luther (16th century)
thought Christ would return within 40 years. And many still haven’t caught on.
“The French Revolution
(1790s) brought traumatic upheavals, the destruction of Papal power in France,
and the confiscation of church property. Some theorized that the papacy came to
power in 538, and applying the year-day method to Revelation 13 (1260 days)
concluded that the end of the world would be in 1798.” (See George C. Stewart, Our Reigning King and Returning Lord, p.
9).
The Jehovah’s Witnesses
predicted 31 dates between 1874 and 1984. Seventh-Day Adventists originally
predicted that Christ would return between March 21, 1843 and March 21, 1844.
Most of the cults are famous for (among other things) their teaching about the
“end.” Remember David Koresh?
Another prognosticator, who called
himself a mathematician, philosopher, cosmetician, chef, and celestial
scientist, also is known as Nostradamus. This 16th century
astrologist is still followed today by many who are ignorant of the word of
God. You would think that the failure of his predictions that in “the year 1999
and seven months, the great king of terror will come from the sky” (Chandler, Doomsday, p. 55) would discourage his
followers. No such thing happened. When people want to believe a lie—they will
believe almost any lie.
The source and failures
of centuries of predictions of the “end” should be enough to cause Christians
to be wary and wise. But don’t expect that to happen any time soon either.
In the minds of many the
“end” is associated with a great event called “Armageddon.”
Dwight Wilson, an
Assembly of God dispensationalist, has chronicled the predictions of Armageddon
in a book by that title (Baker Book House, 1977). The book is subtitled: “The
Premillenarian Response to Russia and Israel Since 1917.” Wilson’s work is an
objective critique of the multitudes of failed predictions. He issues a strong
warning to his fellow dispensationalists that their continued predictions call into question their credibility.
Reading Wilson’s
conclusions makes it difficult to see how he could remain a dispensationalist.
His “Epilogue” addresses three very serious errors of that system. First, he
points out that their Literalism has
left a history “strewn with a mass of erroneous speculations” (p. 216). He
correctly charges dispensationalists with using every “current crisis” to
speculate on the “revival of the Roman Empire,” the “antichrist,” and the
“supposed restoration of Israel” (p. 216).
The second error that
Wilson correctly credits to the dispensationalists is that of Determinism. He says, “the premillenarians are guilty of the charge of determinism
even to the extent of heretical antinomianism” (p. 217). In other words, this
system believes that Israel can do no wrong, and they will remain God’s “chosen
people” regardless of their response to Him. Of course this is totally contrary
to the way God has interacted with man since the Creation. God offers grace.
Man must respond in faith and obedience.
The
third charge Wilson makes against Dispensationalism involves Opportunism. He writes: “The
premillenarians’ credibility is at a low ebb because they succumbed to the
temptation to exploit every conceivably possible prophetic fulfillment for the
sake of their prime objective: evangelism” (p. 218).
Events
leading up to World War II led many to speculate about the end of the world.
An
article appearing in a December 1934 magazine states that “Authoritative voices
in every land are telling us in no uncertain tones that it is not a matter of
years, but months, when the battle flags of the nations will again unfurl, and
the scourge of the earth will be on the march—to Armageddon!” (Quoted by Wilson, p. 111).
Many
have speculated about the “kings from the east” (Revelation 16:12) being the
instrument-nation initiating the “battle of Armageddon” (Revelation 16:16). In
January of 1938 H. A. Ironside identified the nation as Japan,
despite the fact the “kings” is plural. At different times during the past
seventy years dispensationalists have been sure of at least three nations—Italy, China and Russia—being
the one referred to in Revelation 16:12. All of these nations have miserably
failed the soothsayers.
Predictions
about “the end” have not been limited to “Christian prophets.” Astrologists,
scientists, politicians, science fiction writers, extreme environmentalists,
New Agers, and even Native Americans have issued predictions. (See Doomsday, by Russell Chandler, for an
excellent study on this subject.)
There must be a lesson here somewhere!
For
additional information on Revelation 16,
see my book, Our Reigning King and
Returning Lord, pp. 196-198.
The fifth bowl of God’s wrath is poured out on the
beast (16:10-11). This beast probably represents the anti-Christian world, the
same as the first beast of Revelation 13. This is consistent with the sixth
bowl being poured out against Babylon (16:12-16), which represents spiritual
evil (as the second beast of Revelation 13).
The sixth bowl
is the battle of Armageddon (“Har-Magedon,” v.16, NASB) There
has been much speculation about this event. Revelation 20:7-9 is thought to be
a description of the same event. There are a few terms that need to be
mentioned before we proceed. First of all, Megiddo was a town in northern
Israel. Sometimes reference is made to the Valley of Megiddo. These are located
in the Plain of Esdraelon (or Jezreel), a place associated with many battles
(see 2 Chronicles 35:22; Judges 1:27, 5:19; 2 Kings 9:27; 23:29-30). Armageddon
(Har-Magedon) is the Mount of Megiddo, near the city of Megiddo. The terms Gog and
Magog are also mentioned in Ezekiel 38 and Revelation 20. In Ezekiel 38 Gog is
a man and Magog is the land, while in Revelation 20 Gog and Magog are nations
from the four corners of the earth. In the history of the Old Testament we see
that Magog was the son of Japheth (Genesis 10:2; 1 Chronicles 1:5), and Gog was
a descendent of Reuben (1 Chronicles 5:4). While all of this may be a bit confusing, it ought to alert us to the very
good possibility that God is using some physical identities to reveal some spiritual
truth.
Dispensationalists believe
that Armageddon will be the world’s worst military conflict just prior to the
Second Coming of Christ. It will begin, they say, when the antichrist turns on
the Jews and begins to persecute them. The Arabs then attack Israel; Russia
then overruns both Israel and the Arabs; and God then destroys the Russian
armies. After this 200 million Chinese march overland toward Israel and the
antichrist gathers a European army to meet them there. These two mighty forces
clash in the plain or valley of Megiddo in Israel. In the midst of an
unprecedented slaughter, Israel herself is almost overwhelmed. But at the last
moment Jesus returns visibly, rescues the believing Jews and annihilates the
antichrist and the other enemies of Israel (J. Dwight Pentecost, Things to Come, pp. 340-358).
Although all dispensationalists do not agree on all the
details, the above summary is fairly typical of their overall view. But is
Armageddon really a great military battle? Or could the scenes of military
destruction simply be figurative representations of spiritual conflict?
According to God’s own word about the nature of prophecy it is often given in
signs or symbols. For example, God said to Israel, “If there is a prophet among
you, I, the Lord, shall make Myself known to him in a
vision. I shall speak with him in a dream” (Numbers 12:6). Through Hosea God
said, “I have also spoken to the prophets, and I gave numerous visions; and
through the prophets I gave parables” (Hosea 12:10). And we know that John
refers to receiving visions and signs (e.g., Revelation 9:17; 12:1,3; 15:1). The number of times John uses, “I saw,” would
seem to imply a vision or sign. In prophecy God uses physical figures to
represent spiritual realities. This is true as regards Israel, the kingdom, the
millennium and Armageddon.
Revelation 16:12 indicates that Armageddon is God’s
punishment upon the wicked, symbolized by the fall of Babylon to the Medes and
Persians in 539 BC (Daniel 5:22-31). This paved the way for Israel to return to
their homeland, beginning with Zerubbabel. In like manner this final wrath of
God (Revelation 15-16) brings about the restoration of the redeemed of God to
their home (heaven). A fifth century Greek historian said the Persians entered
Babylon by lowering the level of the Euphrates, which went through the city.
Note
that in this final battle the water of the Euphrates is dried up (Revelation
16:12). Indications that John is viewing a spiritual battle include the use of
terms like “false prophet,” and “spirits of demons” who
are “performing signs” (16:13-14). We saw in Revelation 13 that the second
beast performed signs that deceived many. So here in this
chapter is a warning to be alert against spiritual deception (“keeps his
garments” pure, 16:15).
The seventh bowl (16:17-21) is God’s exclamation
point: “It is done” (v. 17). But God’s promise is that the victorious saint
will escape God’s wrath, which is directed against the wicked who worship the
beast (16:2). Those who have their robes washed white, and remain alert against
the wiles of the devil, will stand before God (“sea of glass,” 15:2; 4:6) and
rejoice with Moses (15:3). In that beautiful scene all glory is given to God
(15:3-4).
So - When Is the End?
What did all those people
to do with all those Y2K “survival kits?” Don’t panic, there is always another
dispensationalist riding to the rescue. Their ingenuity to create another
prediction out of failed promises is pretty preponderant.
So—what’s on the horizon?
In May of 2000 the sun and earth came into alignment with Mercury, Venus, Mars,
Jupiter and Saturn. “So what?” you might ask. If that’s your response it just
goes to show how uncreative you are.
Seen by the eyes of the
soothsayer/doomsayer this alignment of the sun with the six planets could shift
the earth’s poles, triggering earthquakes, causing tidal waves and volcanoes,
and (of course) crash the stock market. How could you not have seen that?
Of course that didn’t happen. But there is another
minor problem with these doomsday predictions. You see, these planets also came
into alignment in 1962 and 1982. And in about every 20 years
before that. However, since the world did not end in May 2000 just wait
until 2020. Or, whatever date the next dreamer can
dream up.
I think this is the end!