"IN PROPHECY"

By

ALAN CAMPBELL B.A.

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"LIBERTY LEADING THE PEOPLE" by Eugene Delacroix

INTRODUCTION

The year 1989 marked the 200^th anniversary of the outbreak of the French Revolution. On 14^th July, a frenzied mob stormed the Bastille, the fortress prison, which although it contained few prisoners at that moment, had become the very symbol of Royal tyranny. With that momentous event the interlocking conspiracies of many years reached fruition. Events were soon to be out of control, the seemingly immovable edifices of an absolute monarchy and a hierarchical church system were overthrown in an orgy of bloodshed known as The Reign of Terror, and France, Europe and ultimately the World were never to be the same again.

These major political events in European history were part of the overall plan of Almighty God, Who knows the end from the beginning, and Who, in His Sovereign Will, had purposed that ultimately the nations of Roman Catholic Europe would turn upon the Apostate Church and be instrumental in bringing about its destruction. The events which began in Paris in 1789 mark the commencement of what the Scriptures call "the stripping and burning" of the Harlot Church System - Mystery Babylon the Great (Revelation 17:16) The French Revolution was the beginning of the outpouring of the Vials of God's wrath; and strange though it may seem, everything which took place had been predicted centuries earlier and recorded for our enlightenment in the Book of Revelation, especially in the first eleven verses of the sixteenth chapter.

Before going on to give a detailed explanation of these verses and their historic fulfilment, it is of importance to note that: -

STUDENTS OF PROPHECY HAD PREDICTED THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

For over a century before the outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789, a line of prophetic expositors from the Protestant Historist School of interpretation had been predicting the approaching end of the 1260 years of Papal supremacy, and that France would be the instrument of the overthrow and downfall of the Papacy. Let us look at some examples from the writings of these learned and godly men:

 THOMAS NEWTON (1704 - 1782) in his book entitled "Dissertations on the Prophecies" stated that: -

"Rome therefore will finally be destroyed…as the Kings of France have contributed greatly to her advancement, it is not impossible or improbable that some time or other they may also be the principal agents of her destruction. France hath already shown some tendency toward a reformation and therefore may appear more likely to effect such a revolution."

THE STORMING OF THE BASTILLE, JULY 1789

  ROBERT FLEMING (1660 - 1716) was a learned Presbyterian minister, who for a time pastored the Scots Church at Rotterdam, and was frequently consulted on spiritual matters by William of Orange. In 1701 he published a treatise entitled "A Discourse on the Rise and Fall of the Papacy" in which he not only predicted the French Revolution, but also the chronological period during which it would occur.

"I cannot but hope that some new mortification of the chief supporters of the Anti-Christ will then happen; and perhaps the French Monarchy may begin to be considerably humbled about this time; that whereas the present French King takes the Sun for his emblem, and this for his motto, "Nec pluribus impar," he may at length or rather his successor and the monarchy itself at least before the year 1794 be forced to acknowledge that he is even "singulus impar."

 PETER JURIEU - The French Protestant Pastor at Rotterdam in 1689 published a treatise entitled "The Accomplishment of the Prophecies of Scripture" in which he said that: -

"Who must begin this last revolt? (against the Papacy). 'Tis most probable that France shall. Not Spain, which, as yet, is plunged in superstition and is as much under the tyranny of the clergy as ever. Not the Emperor…the Pope can take away the Imperial Crown from him. It cannot be any country but France, which a long time ago hath begun to shake off the yoke of Rome."

 JAQUES PHILPOT - The Huguenot expositor in his book, "Elucidations on the Apocalypse of St. John" written in 1685 says: -

"As the King of France did his utmost to enhance the glory of Popery, it will be the king of France who shall mostly contribute to her ruin."

He goes on: -

"It is a sure thing that earthquakes in the Scriptures mean great changes occurring in the nations…there will be a surprising change in France…the world will be glad except the clergy, the monks and the Jesuits…I take it for granted that France is one of the Ten Horns of the Beast, one of the Ten Kingdoms which should be formed according to Daniel out of the debris of the Roman Empire…the French Monarchy…was established upon the ruins of the Roman Empire and grew at the same time as the Bishop of Rome. I take it for granted that France is part of the city (Babylon) that is of the Papal Empire…why should there be any hesitation in concluding that this tenth part of the city which shall fall, is France?"

 REV. JOHN WILLISON (1680 - 1750) - Presbyterian minister of Dundee, Scotland, and author of "Popery Another Gospel" produced two sermons which were reprinted in 1793 under the title: "A Prophecy of the French Revolution and the Downfall of Anti-Christ." In this work Willison stated: -

"Before Anti-Christ's fall, one of the Ten Kingdoms which supported the Beast shall undergo a marvellous (amazing) Revolution. The same hour there was a great earthquake and the tenth part of the city fell. By which tenth part is to be understood one of the Ten Kingdoms, into which the great city Romish Babylon was divided. This many take to be the Kingdom of France, it being the tenth and last of the Kingdoms as to the time of its rise, and that which gave Rome domination of the Beast with Ten Horns…however unlikely this and other prophesied events may appear at the time, yet the Almighty Hand of the Only Wise God can soon bring them about when least expected."

These are just a few of the many examples, which could be given. Joseph Towers in his book, "Illustration of Prophecy" based on predictions in Daniel and Revelation of a "Revolt in France", lists amongst others who predicted this event: -

 BRIGHTMAN (1644)

 DURHAM (1660)

 MEDE (1663)

 GOODWIN (1683)

 WHISTEN (1706)

 VITRINGA (1719)

 ROBERTS (1730)

BISHOP NEWTON (1748)

Now let us turn to the symbolism of: -

THE VIALS OF GOD'S WRATH

"And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled." (REVELATION 15:5-8)

THE SACRIFICIAL SYMBOLS

As there were no chapter divisions in the original Scriptures, these verses obviously serve as an introduction to the Vials of Wrath, which are poured out in chapter 16. It is interesting to note that the Seven Angels, who are commissioned to pour Divine Retribution upon the Gentile World Order, are attired in the same manner as the Lord Jesus in the opening chapter of the Apocalypse. Their garments of pure white linen symbolize righteousness and purity, whilst the golden girdle was one of the garments of the High Priest of Israel. The fact that these Angels are described as being "girded" indicates that they are ready and fully equipped to carry out the Divine Command. We then read that one of the Cherubim gives to each one of the Angels a Vial containing the Wrath of God. The word used for "Vial" in the original language indicates a broad shallow vessel or bowl-like dish, similar to that used in the Temple to contain the incense which was used on the Golden Altar. This sacrificial symbolism indicates the fact that God views the judgement of the world system as being in the nature of a sacrifice. Two other Scriptures come to mind in relation to this theme: -

"For the Lord hath a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea." (ISAIAH 34:6)

"For the Day of the Lord is at hand: for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests. And it shall come to pass in the day of the Lord's sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange (alien) apparel. (the vestments of Babylon's priesthood)" - (ZEPHANIAH 1:7-8)

THE FIRST FIVE VIALS OF REVELATION 16

SIMILARITY TO THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT

We should also note that the Vials of Wrath have a marked similarity to the plagues, which fell on Pharaoh's Egypt at the time of the Exodus e.g.

1. Boils or Sores
2. Rivers turned to Blood
3. Thick Darkness

Just as the Pharaoh hardened his heart so the adherents of the Babylonish system, in similar manner, repented not of their sorceries. One of the symbolic titles which the Spirit of God ascribes to the Papacy is "Spiritual Egypt" (REVELATION 11:8) and just as ancient Israel emerged unscathed from the Plagues upon Egypt, triumphant over every foe, so modern Israel, the Celto-Anglo-Saxon nations, remained untouched and unharmed by the cataclysmic judgements which fell on Continental Europe, the Roman Earth of prophecy.

Before passing on to look at each of the first five Vials in detail, we should also note that these Vials and the Plagues of Retributive Judgement contained in them mark the winding up of the Divine purposes; they are the final judgements of Almighty God for we read: -

"And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God." - (REVELATION 15:1)

The French Revolution marks the commencement of a series of retributive judgements on the world systems of the Babylonish order in their religious, political, military and economic manifestations. Two centuries after these events we are living in the era of the Sixth and Seventh Vials, and we are that privileged generation which will witness the final overthrow of Babylon, and the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to establish His Kingdom on the earth.

Let us now see how the prophecies concerning these events were fulfilled in history. Let us first examine these vials in the following sections : -