The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Herald

all who in any way uphold these. . . . The Futurist school denies the application of these
important, practical prophecies to the conflicts of the Church during the last eighteen
centuries. It robs the Church of their practical guidance all through that period. This is the
position taken by the Church of Rome, this is the position taken by the popes, cardinals,
bishops, and other great teachers of that apostate Church. This is the prophetic
interpretation they have embodied in a thousand forms and insisted upon with dogmatic
authority. This has been the interpretation of proud Papal usurpers, of cruel persecutors,
of merciless tyrants, of the Romanist enemies of the Gospel and of the saints and servants
of God."
Solidity and reliability of Historical interpretation
The Historical interpretation given by the Reformers and the long line of martyrs and
Christian confessors prior to the Reformation, was taken up by reverent, and able men of
God after their predecessors had laid down the lamp of prophecy. Protestant interpreters
have built upon the foundations erected by these saints of old, the true historic
interpretation of the wonderful Apocalypse of Jesus Christ.
"They have built up a solid and symmetrical system, a system which has developed
slowly, which has progressed constantly, which has been born out of diligent
investigations only, but of profound experience; a system whose truth has been sealed and
demonstrated by its ever-growing correspondence with the actual course of events."
Let us mention the names of some of these men who have unquestionably been used of
God since the Reformation to further unravel the mysteries of the Apocalypse. We notice
first, Joseph Mede, who lived in the first half of the seventeenth century. It is said that he
was distinguished for meekness, modesty, and liberality, and that he devoted the tenth of
his small income to charitable and pious purposes. His learning is spoken of as profound
and extraordinary. His chief work was an exposition of the Apocalypse, which was
translated into English in 1640. This godly and learned man prefaced his work with the
prayer,
"Thou who sittest upon the throne, and Thou, O Lamb, Root of David, who only wast
worthy to take and open this book, open the eyes of Thy servant, and direct his hand and
mind, that in these Thy mysteries, he may discern and produce something which may
tend to the glory of Thy name and profit the Church."
It will not be our purpose to note his particular interpretations save to say that he followed
the well-beaten track of the Historical interpretation; that his work on the Apocalypse was
endorsed by the Puritan Church leaders; and that it was endorsed also by the Westminster
confession, as is seen from the words recorded in the twenty-fifth chapter of their solemn
confession:
"There is no other head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ, nor can the Pope of Rome
in any sense be head thereof; but is that Antichrist, that man of sin and son of perdition,
that exalteth himself in the Church against Christ and all that is called God."