The Oldest Recorded Christian End Time Belief
So far we have looked at the effects that society has played on Christian eschatology throughout history. We have seen the effects that media, scholastics, and the threat of heresy has had on the end time belief system of mainstream Christianity. But amidst all of the different beliefs, there is one theory that is older than any other form of recorded Christian eschatology. This theory is termed Historic Premillennialism by Bible scholars because of the strength of its historic authenticity.
Many of the disciples had disciples of their own. Actually, this was a common practice in the early church that the modern church has forgotten, but that is another blog altogether. The Apostle John had several men he had discipled that had written records of John’s beliefs. One of these men was named Polycarp. Jerome records the following concerning Polycarp, “Polycarp disciple of the apostle John and by him ordained bishop of Smyrna was chief of all Asia, where he saw and had as teachers some of the apostles and of those who had seen the Lord”. It is believed that John was writing to Polycarp when he wrote to the church in Smyrna, Revelation 2: 8-10.
Polycarp did not have written accounts of his end time beliefs, but several of his pupils had many written records leaving no doubt of their end time beliefs. Because so many of Polycarp’s students were unanimous on their views, it is extremely probable that they were taught this view from Polycarp who was directly discipled by John, the author of Revelation, the Book of John, I John, II John, and III John. Here are a few examples of Polycarp’s pupils’ writings and other church fathers:
And therefore, when in the end the Church shall be suddenly caught up from this, it is said, "There shall be tribulation such as has not been since the beginning, neither shall be." (Matt.24:21) For this is the last contest of the righteous, in which, when they overcome, they are crowned with incorruption. Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 5:29:1 (A.D. 180)
“O unreasoning men! understanding not what has been proved by all these passages,
that two advents of Christ have been announced: the one, in which He is set forth as
suffering, inglorious, dishonoured, and crucified; but the other, in which He shall come
from heaven with glory, when the man of apostasy, who speaks strange things against
the Most High, shall venture to do unlawful deeds on the earth against us the
Christians, who, having learned the true worship of God from the law, and the word
which went forth from Jerusalem by means of the apostles of Jesus, have fled for safety
to the God of Jacob and God of Israel.” Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, 110 (A.D. 155)
“But he indicates the number of the name now, that when this man comes we may
avoid him, being aware who he is: the name, however, is suppressed, because it is not
worthy of being proclaimed by the Holy Spirit. For if it had been declared by Him, he
[Antichrist] might perhaps continue for a long period.” Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 5:30:4 (A.D. 180)
“[Taught, I say, to wait], in order that the world may first drink to the dregs the plagues
that await it out of the vials of the angels, and that the city of fornication may receive from
the ten kings its deserved doom, and that the beast Antichrist with his false prophet
may wage war on the Church of God; and that, after the casting of the devil into the
bottomless pit for a while, the blessed prerogative of the first resurrection may be
ordained from the thrones; and then again, after the consignment of him to the fire, that
the judgment of the final and universal resurrection may be determined out of the
books.” Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Flesh, 26 (A.D. 220)
“’And the dragon,’ he says, ‘saw and persecuted the woman which brought forth the
man- child. And to the woman were given two wings of the great eagle, that she might
fly into the wilderness, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time,
from the face of the serpent.’ That refers to the one thousand two hundred and
threescore days (the half of the week) during which the tyrant is to reign and persecute
the Church,” Hippolytus, On Christ and Antichrist, 61 (ante A.D. 235)
“The little season signifies three years and six months, in which with all his power the
devil will avenge himself under Antichrist against the Church. Finally, he says, after that
the devil shall be loosed, and will seduce the nations in the whole world, and will entice
war against the Church, the number of whose foes shall be as the sand of the sea.”
Victorinus, On the Apocalypse of John, 20:1-3 (A.D. 270)
“But he who reads this passage [Daniel 7:15-28], even half asleep, cannot fail to see
that the kingdom of Antichrist shall fiercely, though for a short time, assail the Church
before the last judgment of God shall introduce the eternal reign of the saints.”
Augustine, City of God, 20:23 (A.D. 419)
Believe it or not, this is only a few exerts from many documents that our church fathers left concerning an overwhelming harmonious view of their post-tribulation belief. Many proponents of a pre-tribulation rapture (dispensational pre-millennialism – see History of Rapture part 1) will claim that they adhere to the oldest form of eschatology, while in fact it is the youngest. Both pre and post tribulationist believe in a literal 1000 year reign of Christ, but before the early 1800s, there are no historical records of a belief in a pre-tribulation rapture. There are some speculations of isolated occurrences, but it is just that; speculations.
What I have written over the past few weeks is very rare information within the pulpits. Most teachers who focus on end time beliefs do not want to bring in the historical evidence, because it is strongly against modern eschatology. I will admit that the historical evidence does not prove one theory over another, but most theologians agree that the views of these men that I introduced you to today probably were passed down to them from the original apostles. But I encourage you to study this out for yourself. Please do not take my word for it.
