Manuel Lacunza
The Jesuit Priest responsible for Dispensationalism.
Manuel de Lacunza y Díaz, S.J. (July 19, 1731 – c. June 18, 1801) was a Jesuit priest who used the pseudonym Juan Josafat Ben-Ezra in his main work on the interpretation of the prophecies of the Bible, which was entitled The Coming of the Messiah in Majesty and Glory.
Cited from Wikipedia
Please read this article about the Jesuits' role in the Roman Catholic counter-reformation strategy and watch this video on the Roman Catholic Church's counter-reformation movement.
Manuel Lacunza was one of the most influential people in the Evangelical Movement of Christianity in the early 1800’s.
Lacunza's developed system was introduced to the European Protestant English world by a Presbyterian Pastor, Edward Irving. It was popularized by a former Anglican, John Nelson Darby. It was systematized by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield (1843–1921). Thus from one man, Lacunza, the system became the standard for Christian thought for many generations … The influence of the Plymouth Brethren (who adapted the system, c. 1830) upon Christianity after the late 1800s is readily apparent as one reads later Baptist creeds, confessions and messages … While many good, sincere people claim to be Christians of various stripes (Baptist, Presbyterian, Pentecostal &c.), in reality they cling tenaciously to a common system having deep roots in Ben-Ezra. Though the view had been offered several times before, the successful offering was a 1790 manuscript published by Rome in 1812. In 1827, it was translated and published in English by Edward Irving. To Lacunza's basic system, Irving added a 'pre-trib rapture,' an idea he may have obtained from a Scottish lass, Margaret Macdonald. However, it was under Darby's name (Darbyism) and skillful guidance that the system spread over the whole earth. It became the foundation for the Plymouth Brethrenism. In the early 1900s, it was codified by Scofield. Irving's system was adapted by various denominations with only minor differences among them.
Cited from Need, Ovid (June 2002). Death of the Church Victorious. Sovereign Grace Publishers. pp. 10–12. ISBN 9781589603011.
In short, the early Evangelicals grabbed hold of Dispensationalism with both arms, even though it represented a twisting of scriptural interpretation, mainly the use of symbolic language as literal interpretations, but also the plain making meanings up, like the gap between the 69th and 70th Week of the Daniel 9:24-27 prophecy.
The Reformation movement gave birth to Protestantism as a breakaway movement from the Catholic Church. However, it failed to unify believers under Christ and instead fractured faithful believers into denominations based on the emphasis on a verse or passage of scripture.
The Reformation commenced because a Catholic monk, Martin Luther, was incensed at selling indulgences, the practice of selling shortened purgatory for the purchaser. The Catholic Church financed the construction of St Peter’s Basilica in St Peter’s Square with the millions made from this abhorrent practice.
Anyone who believes the Catholic Church is Christian is deluded. The Pope embodies Satan at every turn. The Institution is corrupt and the antichrist spirit. It is estimated that the RCC has murdered up to 50 million believers in their 1,600 years because they defied them. The Tribulation referred to in Revelation is historically provable, not some fantasy future Tribulation reserved for the Jews. The Two Witnesses of Revelation 11 are the murdered saints by the RCC, not Moses and Elijah, who will return someday and breathe fire in the rebuilt Jewish Temple. We love fantasies because the truth is uncomfortable.
The Reformers failed because they did not contain the Institutionalisation of The Way. Protestantism has syncretized many of the Pagan practices into what we call “church”, and the masses attend every Sunday, never questioning the origins of the liturgy.
Even the Blessed Trinity has its roots in Paganism. All Pagan religions have three deities: Father God, Mother God, and Son of God. The Catholic Church adopted this without question from anyone. Roman Emperor Constantine, one of the most influential figures in Church History, was a Pagan politician who saw significant gain for Rome in merging Paganism with this new religion of Christ for the benefit of Rome. He sponsored the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD to bring uniformity to the hundreds of opinions about doctrine, with the Trinity, God in three persons, as the result, and being reaffirmed by the Council of Constantinople in 360 AD.
We celebrate Christmas as the day Christ was born and Easter as the day Christ died. Neither of these dates is accurate. We worship on Sun Day, and Pagan worship is instituted long before Christ. I could go on, but I recommend you read the book Pagan Christianity by Frank Viola and George Bana to appreciate the depths of pagan influence in the modern-day “Church.”
Anyone who disagreed with RCC was eliminated.
Daniel 7:23-25 ESV “Thus he said: ‘As for the fourth beast, there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all the kingdoms, and it shall devour the whole earth, and trample it down, and break it to pieces. (24) As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise, and another shall arise after them; he shall be different from the former ones, and shall put down three kings. (25) He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.
The fourth Kingdom was Rome, and the Ten Horns were the ten tribes of Europe under Roman rule. The Pope eliminated three tribes from the Earth because they disagreed with him. Not a document was left after their obliteration. The three eliminated tribes were the Ostrogoths, the Heruli, and the Vandals.
History verifies prophecy. Futurism destroys biblical prophecy's intent of informing us in advance of verifiable events. The glory of YAH is revealed in the fulfilment of biblical prophecy.
The delusion of Futurism is the work of Satan.
Bless you all.
Geoff