dgregory

January 30.
I have been away from this for awhile, but am excited to get back into it.

The below is the first of a series of verbatim quotes from the Preface to Grattan Guinness' monumental work, History Unveiling Prophecy, and in the recently republished book, page 21. I would strongly suggest that anyone with even a modicum of interest in this subject order the book from Amazon. The knowledge and understanding that one will acquire, long hidden from today's religious world, will be well worth the $33 cost of the book.

"The lofty decree of Papal Infallibility issued by the Vatican Council of 1870, immediately followed by the sudden and final fall of the Papal Temporal Power, after a duration of more than a thousand years, was the primary occasion of my writing the series of works on the fulfillment of Scripture prophecy which has appeared during the last quarter of a century.

"I left Paris, where I have been labouring in the Gospel, at the outbreak of the Franco-German war in July, 1870. It was in the light of the German bombardment of that city, of the ring of fire which surrounded it, and of the burning of the Tuileries, that I began to read with interest and understanding the prophecies of Daniel and the Apocalypse. Subsequent visits to Italy and Rome enlarged my view of the subject. A library of books bearing on it was accumulated, historical, astronomical, and prophetic, including 150 commentaries on the Apocalypse, ancient and modern, from the commentary of Victorinus in the third century, down to those of Elliot and others in the nineteenth. These studies laid the foundation for my works on prophecy.

"The present work, which differs in important respects from my previous works, as being chiefly historical in character, may be fitly introduced by a brief explanation of the method of interpretation which it follows.

"A great and incontrovertible principle underlies the method it pursues in the interpretation of the Apocalypse. Simply stated that principle is that

GOD IS HIS OWN INTERPRETER

"In two ways does the great Revealer of the prophecy explain its meaning--by words, and deed; by written words, and acted deeds. He has given us a verbal explanation of its most central and important vision, one which stands in close and commanding connection with all its other visions; and in the long course of Christian history he has fulfilled its predictions.

"Thus Scripture is the key to Scripture; and Providence to Prophecy.

"The historical interpretation of the Apocalypse which rests on this twofold foundation has been slowly developed under the influence of divine action in Providence; it has changed in details with the changing currents of Providence; it has grown with the growth of the knowledge of the plans of Providence; it has been confirmed and sealed by the whole course of Providence. It is no vain, or puerile, or presumptuous speculation. It is a reverent submission to the very words of God, and a reverent recognition of His acts. God has spoken; He has given an explanation of the central and commanding vision of the prophecy; and God has acted; He has fulfilled its predictions. In pointing to the words and deeds of God we act as His witnesses. What hath God said? What hath He done? These are the questions. We are wearied with vain speculation as to the meaning of the prophecy which have no other foundation than the assertions of men. We are wearied with speculations as to imaginary future fulfilments of prophecies which have been plainly accomplished before our eyes in the past; prophecies on whose accomplishment in the events of Christian history the structure of the great Reformation of the sixteenth century was built; on the fact of whose accomplishment in their days the confessors stood, and the martyrs suffered. Alas! the speculations of men have clouded these facts and brought into disrepute the Holy Word of God. Even good men have been led to neglect the voice of divine prophecy, and to refuse its lamp to light their steps, through the follies of its exponents. Is it not time that the last prophetic book in the Word of God, a book bearing the seal of the signature of the name of "Jesus" should be lifted up from the dust of neglect, and set upon a candlestick in the midst of the house, to shed it clear light and cheering beams on all around? Let the reverent believer who 'trembles' at God's Word, the patient student who has searched the records of the past, the uncompromising witness who fears not the faces of men, lift up that fallen lamp from the soil on which men have cast it, and place it where Copernicus placed the sun, as a kingly light enthroned in the centre of its system" End of quote.

For your information, other books by Guinness include:
Light for the Last days
Romanism and The Reformation.
The Approaching End of The Age

In my next post I will offer Guinness' outline of the book.

Footnote: In the first paragraph the bold print of 150 commentaries was added. Otherwise, the italics throughout were in the original.