We need to understand the ORIGIN and REASON
some views of Bible prophecy exist today.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, Reformation leaders were
calling the Roman Catholic hierarchy the “Whore of Babylon”
of Rev 17. To stop it, the Roman Catholic Church began a
counter-reformation, during which two Jesuit priests were
commissioned to develop doctrines that would derail the
reformation, and they almost succeeded.
FIRST, IN 1591 A.D.: THE FUTURIST VIEW
Developed and popularized by Fr. Ribera, a Jesuit. His view
claimed that Revelation would not be fulfilled until the end of
the Christian Era. Ribera taught a rebuilt Babylon, a rebuilt
temple in Jerusalem, the restoration of animal sacrifices and
a future Antichrist.
Sound familiar? It should, Ribera is the father of
futurist (i.e., dispensational) eschatology.
THEN IN 1614 A.D.: THE PRETERIST VIEW
Created for the same reason by Alcazar, another Jesuit,
who claimed the Olivet Discourse and the book of Revelation
were fulfilled by the fall of Jerusalem in 70AD!
Preterism, as this view is called, supports “Replacement
Theology” (the idea that God broke covenant with the physical
Seed of Abraham after the Cross and the Church is the only
Israel of this era). Despite the evidence of their own eyes (the
new nation of Israel chock full of returned Jews), this dubious
view is still accepted by many evangelical churches.
Both of the above views
were initiated by Jesuits to derail the Reformation,
nevertheless, both views are now considered
acceptable doctrine by most Protestant churches.
Problem is, both go directly against
Scripture and history!
1745AD, MANUEL DE LACUNZA Y DIAZ
Born in Chile, but sails to Spain to become Jesuit priest. In
1765, all Jesuits including Lacunza, are expelled from Spain
because of their cruelty. Though not implicated, de Lacunza
immigrates to Imola, Italy where he then claims to be a
converted Jew named Rabbi Juan Josafat Ben Ezra.
Based on the earlier views of Ribera, in 1785 de Lacunza
writes “The Coming of Messiah in Glory and Majesty.” From
Daniel 12:11 and 12:12, de Lacunza then theorizes a 45-day
mini-tribulation to take place at the end of the Christian Era.
Manuel de Lacunza y Diaz’s book is
published in Spain in 1821.
1827AD, EDWARD IRVING
Founder of the Irvingite cult.
Translates Lacunza’s book
into English.
Publishes Lacunza’s view
in his Irvingite periodical,
“The Morning Watch”
1870AD, JOHN N. DARBY
Darby, the founder of Plymouth Brethren, goes to Irvingite meetings
where he hears Lacunza’s views. Darby then falls off his horse and
lands on his head. While recovering, Darby decides that Lacunza’s,
mini ) 45-day ) tribulation is wrong so he modifies it by adding
Daniel’s 70th Week!!!
1. And thus Darby invents a “Seven-Year-Great-Tribulation” to take
place at the end of the Christian era.
2. To make his new concept fit reality, he then theorizes a “2000 year
gap” between the 69th and 70th weeks.
Both concepts were unsupportable creative theology!
But knowing Irvingites to be cultish, the Plymouth Brethren now hide
the origin of the view, claiming it to be their own. Darby then travels
to the United States where he meets the distinguished Dr. C. I. Scofield
(of Scofield Bible fame).
1830AD, MARGARET MACDONALD
A sickly, 15 year old Scottish girl, Christian for only a
year, claims to have a“secret rapture” vision. Also said
to have been in the occult, including a documented
levitation!
1831AD, ROBERT NORTON
Robert Norton, an Irvingite evangelist, meets Margaret
Macdonald. Norton is captivated by her “secret rapture”
vision so he spreads it all over England.
And that’s how all the doctrinal pieces came together,
but how is the enemy going to spread this
fabrication throughout the Western Church?
1909AD, C.I. SCOFIELD
Scofield accepts Darby’s “Seven Year Tribulation” invention.
Three members of his revision committee resign because it
could not be supported by the Bible, nevertheless, Scofield
includes the Ribera-Lacunza-Macdonald-Darby creation in
the 1909 –and future editions – of the Scofield Bible.
The Scofield group knows true origin of the “seven-year”
and “pre-tribulation” rapture views, but since Irvingites were
known to be cultish, hides the knowledge from the public.
The view supported anyway because of its great fund-raising
capability and because it increased the sales of the Scofield
annotated Bible.
Copy of Lacunza’s original work is in Oxford University Library, Oxford, UK. Documentation for
the above is voluminous, but three readily accessible sources are: Dave McPherson’s The Rapture
Plot or The Great Coverup, and Michael de Semlyen’s All Roads Lead to Rome?
