Reformation 1

Bookends101

Reformation Era Bookends

1453 - 1789

And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues

(first two woes) yet repented not of the works of their hands, that

they should not worship devils [daimonion], and idols of gold, and

silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see,

nor hear, nor walk: Rev 9:20

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times some shall

depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines

of devils [daimonion]. I Tim 4:1

The Great Apostasy

Heathen Idolatry Morphed into the Church

Daimonion or demons were the souls of men deified after death.

Pagan heroes and Demi-gods like Jupiter and Apollo were mediators

between the Gods and mortals. Pillars and images were consecrated

for demons to dwell in and became objects of worship.

After Constantine, this pagan system was by stages morphed into

the worship of saints and angels. Praying to dead saints as mediators

is idolatry in that it supplants Christ our High Priest. This was the

essential characteristic of the apostasy foretold by Paul.

The Second Woe

Wrath Falls on Eastern Christendom

Babylon is fallen. Come out of her, my people that ye receive not of

her plagues. Rev 18: 2, 4

Saint worship first took root in Alexandria in the 4^th century and

quickly corrupted the Eastern churches. God's judgments fell there

in the first two woe judgments. The Saracens and the Turks were

the chosen instruments of His wrath.

After the fall of Eastern Christendom in 1453, the West was ripe for

judgment. There the church had become very Babylon.

But, judgment was delayed. First, the Gospel light polarized Europe

separating the wheat from the chaff. A faithful remnant came

out of Babylon into to the safety of England and America.

Then the lightening fell on unrepentant Papal Europe.

The Third Woe

Judgement Falls on the West

The second woe is past, the third woe cometh quickly. Rev 11:14

Russia turned back the Turkish flood in the late 18^th century and the

2^nd woe was past. The 3^rd woe followed quickly with the outbreak of

the French Revolution.

Chapter 9 concludes at the fall of Constantinople, the climax of the

2^nd woe. Chapter 11 introduces the 3^rd woe. Therefore, these two

woes are bookends for chapter 10.

In the late 19^th century, Grattan Guiness wrote that all protestant

expositors believed that chapter 10 was the Protestant Reformation.

All Historicists Agree

Except the Adventists

Most of the historicist web sites on the internet are by Adventists.

They are excellent on chapter 9, but ignore chapter 10. This is

because chapter 10 was not generally understood during the Advent

movement (1830-1844) nor was it the focus of expositors at that

time.

E.B. Elliot wondered how anyone who interprets the sixth trumpet as

the Turks (as all historicist expositors do) could fail to see that

chapter 10 signifies the Reformation. Horae shed a flood of light on

chapter 10, but it wasn't published until 1844. The founders of the

Seventh Day Adventist church never mention it.

The Second Woe (Chapter 9) and the Third Woe (Chapter 11 are

bookends into which the Reformation (Chapter 10) naturally fits.

The fall of the Western Roman Empire

1^st trumpet

2^nd trumpet

3^rd trumpet

4^th trumpet

The Judgments on the Eastern Church

5^th trumpet 1^st woe

6^th trumpet 2^nd woe

The Protestant Reformation

Judgment on the West to Armageddon

7^th trumpet 3^rd woe the seven vials