Short Notes on Robert Fleming’s 1701 book “Eschatological Key”

Koot van wyk (DLitt et Phil; ThD) Visiting Professor, Department of Liberal Arts Education, Kyungpook National University, Sangju Campus, South Korea, Conjoint lecturer of Avondale College Australia

Flemming’s content was cast between February 9, 1687-1688 (Fleming 1701: 20; see 1843: 20). He saw some errors later and corrected it.

Fleming says that if he can fix the starting date of the papacy or Antichrist he will be able to calculate its downfall (p. 29).

His sources were Mede, More, Durham and Crossener (29).

Fleming insisted that the 1260 days of Revelation should be interpreted as years (30). He based it on the appearance of 1260 in three forms (42 months, 3 and a half years, 1260) as synchronic. Also on biblical passages in Ezechiel 4:5-6 and Exodus 23:10-11 compared to verse 12. Daniel 4:32, 34 where Nebuchadnezzar’s seven years madness are called days or times. In Luke 13:32 Christ is said to talk in day for year principle. Daniel 9:24 is considered by Fleming the most remarkable evidence of the year-day principle. Also in Numbers 14:32 God punished Israel with 40 years for the 40 days spying.

Fleming claims that the 3 and a half years could not be literal as it is impossible for the events to take place in such a short time as predicted namely all nations and tongues and emperors to be impressed by the beast (32). The destruction of this beast is by Christ Himself and could not be placed in history (32-33). 2 Thessalonians 2:8 reserved that time for the coming of Christ.

Fleming explained that it is not Julian years but prophetic years of 30 days per month for 12 months (34). The 1260 years with prophetic calculation are 18 years short with Julian years counting (34). He checked Petavius, Tycho and Kepler.

The Prophetic Year                                                                       The Julian Year

One                           360                                                                One                                             365

                                   360                                                                                                                     365

Two                            720                                                                Two                                             730

Three                         1080                                                             Three                                           1095

Half                           180                                                                Half                                             183

Three years and      1260                                                             Three years and                        1278

a half                                                                                               a half

Source: Fleming 1701 in 1843: 35

If the papacy started in 606 + 1260 (Julian) years the fall would be in 1866.

If the papacy started in 606 + 1260 prophetic years the fall would be in 1848 (35).

“Though I confess Justinian’s conquest of Italy laid a foundation for the Pope’s rise, and paved the way for his advancement, both by the penal and sanguinary laws which he made against all those that dissented from the Romish Church, and by the confusions that followed upon Narses his bringing in the Lombards; during the struggles of them and the Exarchat, the Pope played his game so, that the Emperor Phocas found it his interest to engage him to his party, by giving the title of Supreme and Universal Bishop” (37-38). Fleming felt that the title was given in 606 but should be calculated when Boniface IV in 608 publicly authorize idolatry by dedicating the Pantheon to the worship of Mary and the saints (38).

Irenaus in Adversus Haeresis Bk. V. chapter 30 said “that the characteristical number of the Beast, viz. 666, answering to the number of a man’s name, was to be found in the word latines, from whence he concluded that he was to be a Roman. I cannot but think there is something remarkable in this” (38).

According to Daniel 2:37 and Daniel 7:8, says Fleming, the papacy arises upon the ruins of the Exarchat, the Lombards and the authority of the Emperors of Italy (39).

Bellarmine objected that Latinus should be written with a single iota but Fleming says that Lateinei was used for Latini (39).

 30  1     300 5     10   50   70   200

Gregrory the Great prophesied that the Antichrist would be known by the title Universal Bishop (40).

Fleming thought the time of the end would be in or around 2000 (40).

He calculated 2018 from 758 when the donation of Pepin is dated (40).

Between 2000 and 3000 Fleming says that the saints will reign on earth and Satan will be set loose to play another game, but Christ would come in 3000 (41).

Apostacy will occur and the church reduced and gathered under Gog and Magog (41).

Then at His appearance hell fire would follow (41). He speculates that the fire would burn until 4000 (41).

He rejects the momentary hell extinction because he felt that the angels have to be convinced of the equity of the justice system of punishment (41) but that is what the Investigative Judgment is doing and that doctrine Fleming was not familiar with.

Fleming discussed three sets of sevens following each other in chronological order.

Seven seals, the seven trumpets and the seven vials. (44-46). The first trumpet starts for example after the death of Constantine.

Fleming took the time of Justinian and suggested that 552 is the beginning of the 1260 Julian years until 1812 but 1794 by prophetic years (64-65).

“But seeing I pretend to give my speculations of what is future no higher character than guesses, I shall still venture to add something to what I have already said” (65).

Fleming predicted that at the end of the century the French monarchy would fall and that a war against it would be with allies and friends and the help of resources from the USA (68-69).

His thoughts were expressed already in 1692-1693 (69).

He predicted that the judgment on the beast or papal power would be in 1794 and lasting to 1848 (70). The papacy will not be totally destroyed (70).

He also predicted the fall of the Turkish empire with Revelation 16:12 (70).

Deserters of Islam will join the apostate Christianity and will attack true saints. “But when the Pope has got himself at the head of this vast army, and has brought them to the place of battle, called Armegeddon – that is, the place where there will be a most diabolical, cunning, and powerful conspiracy against Christ’s followers – then immediately doth the seventh angel pour out his vail, to their ruin and destruction” (70). Revelation 16:17.

“Supposing, then, that the Turkish monarchy should be totally destroyed between 1848 and 1900, we may justly assign seventy or eighty years longer to the end of the sixth seal, and but twenty or thirty at the most to the last” (72).

“By all which I hope I have given the world such a key to unlock all the chambers of the Book of the Revelation as I hope I may venture to say” (74).

On page 77 Fleming has a cautious note if what he outlined may not happen the way as he predicted. “Therefore we must make allowance for the different representation of the one and the other of these, for they only that shall live after the great battle of Armageddon is over, can see the exact fulfilling of this prophecy in the destruction of the Antichrist. .  .” (77).

Fleming used the book by Cressener “Demonstration of the First Principles of the Protestant Application of the Apocalypse” that Grotius and Hammond will not be accepted widely (78).

Two things are baffling to Fleming:

“That the Jews should own the verity of the Old Testament, and particularly of Daniel’s Prophecy, and not see that the Messiah is come; and that the Papists should believe the divinity of the New Testament, and particularly the Revelation, and not see that their Church is Antichristian” (78).

Born 1630 and died 24 May 1716.

“That this book [Revelation and the Bible] represents to us, as on a small but exact map, the steadiness and exactness of providence, and Christ’s government of the world. For here we see the various and seemingly confused events of providence so exactly methodized as to make up one uniform and noble piece; the seeming discords and jarring sounds of things being so disposed by infinite wisdom as to make up one perfect harmony.” (78).

“Now, as Daniel makes up the hiatus or defect of the history of the Old Testament, so the Revelation of John supplies that of the New, by leading us down from Christ’s first to his second coming” (79).

Christ will destroy the papacy in 2000 (81). Christ will not personally come to destroy him. It is a time of Christocracy (82).

Fleming understood that the Spirit of God does not want that they see Daniel 8:14 as 2300 prophetic years but as natural years (83).

Fleming discussed the time, times and half a time as three and half years (Daniel 12:7) and the 1290 as days or years in Daniel 12:11 (83).

The abomination that makes desolate (Daniel 12:11) is considered by Fleming to be completed in 135 CE and from that date to 1425 (Julian) or 1407 (prophetic) is the 1290 years. Adding the 1335 (Daniel 12:13)  to 1407 he ended in 2742 (Julian) or 2722 (prophetic) for the conversion of the Jews during the millennium (85).

The first angel of Revelation 14 is said to start with Zwingli and the second one will proclaim the Fall of Babylon at the beginning of the millennium and the third one will be during the millennium shortly before the final Hell event (86).  [If Zwingli was the first angel’s message and 1798 is the fall of Babylon message of the second angel then the third angel will be 1844 message].

By using Matthew 24 Fleming speculates that two applications for the New Jerusalem are in order for a situation during the millennium and in heaven (87).

Chamierus, Heydegerus (de Babylone Magna), Turretinus (de Necessaria Secessione ab Ecclesia Romana), Stillingfleet sources against the papacy (88).

Keeping the fourth commandment

“Improve the morning of every week carefully, viz., the Lord’s-day. For as we discharge our duty then, we may expect God’s blessing through the week more or less; but if we refuse to give God what is his due on his own day, we must not think it strange if God withdraw from us on those days that he has allowed us to serve ourselves upon” (96).

“There is, therefore, no more unreasonable desire in the world than to live long where there is no concern to live well; for this is only to wish to have more time to mis-spend – to sin longer than others, and to be more miserable in the other world” (100).

Humble Bible study without prejudices

“And to become thus the humble, impartial, and obedient scholars of Christ, let me put you in mind of one thing, than which nothing is more neglected, and yet nothing more necessary in order to profit truly by the Bible, namely, that ye have a care of laying down any opinion or scheme of opinions in matters religious, previously to your having impartially examined the Sacred Scriptures in such matters; for they that do so come not to be taught of God, but to dictate to the Almighty, and are not afraid often to wire-draw the sacred text, in order to force it to speak, not what it really does, but what they would have it do, as best suits with their prejudices, passions, and party designs, that I say not lusts also” (114)

He cited Senecca and Sextius account of reflection at night in bed (116-117).

He suggests the Christian needs to propose, reflect and examine (122).

He cites Basil on true virtues of conduct in difficult circumstances in Magn.

Letter of Robert Fleming to his friend

“True friendship is a divine and spiritual relation of minds, an union of souls, a marriage of hearts, and a harmony of designs and affections, which being founded on a known agreeableness, and entered into by a mutual hearty consent, growth up into the purest kindness, and most endearing love; maintaining itself by the openest freedom, the warmest sympathy, and the closest secrecy. And such friends are as twins – every way alike; or like sweet flowers, agreeing in beauty, though perhaps differing in colour, like the rose and lily, the primrose and violet, twisted round one another, and mixing both colours and smells. Or they may be compared to two pleasant rivulets flowing from one spring and fountain, though separated, perhaps, by some unlucky rising of the ground, yet meeting again in some kind and flowery mead, which they bless by their cheerful and gentle meanders; and, it may be, thence separated again at some distance, where they glide along silently, murmuring now and then to one another, and mutually complaining of the rude banks that obstruct their joining ; until at length, having run their full course, and becoming one stream, they pour themselves forth into the great ocean itself, and become one with it also. So that, like the rest of the bitter sweets of this life, friendship has its ups and downs until it flow into heaven, from whence it took its rise; which is the consummation of all divine friendships, and where all true friends do at length happily meet, never to part” (124)

Inspiration of Revelation

“For besides the augustness of its style, the wisdom of its contexture, and the purity of its design and counsels, there is something that I want a name for that commands my belief and veneration, and insinuates itself into my affection and conscience, as if Christ himself breathed something divine in every line” (128)

The 1843 edition the editor (James M. Campbell?) added a chronology of events by Bicheno’s “Signs of the Times”

Vicarius filii dei is by Campbell in 1843 not Fleming. It is added as he stated on page 48.

The 1260 years started in 525 and ended in 1789 in this diagram (page 74).

http://books.google.co.kr/books?id=iAxKAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&hl=ko&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false