A Trio of 19th Century Deceptions

Three huge deceptions were hatched in the nineteenth century – Evolution, Mormonism, and the Great Tribulation. Each one caught on like wildfire, and gained a huge, loyal following. And all three continue to have a solid base of believers in the 21^st century.

Charles Darwin devised his theory of natural
selection in 1838. He published his book, The Origin of Species, in 1859. By the 1870’s evolution was accepted as fact. The concept of creative design by an Almighty God was swept away. Evolution is now the presumptive foundation of all discourse on biological science.

Joseph Smith wrote the Book of Mormon in 1830. His new religion was based on visions he claimed to have received, and golden plates that the angel Moroni directed him to find. The number who ascribe to Mormon theology has grown to over 16 million, worldwide. Smith claims that Moroni helped him to restore the true Christ-centered church. While they revere the moral teachings of Jesus, His divine sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin is not a tenet. Moralism replaced the miracle of grace.

John Darby broke from the Anglican Church and founded the Plymouth Brethren in the 1830’s. He was an avid theologian, re-writing the book on ecclesiology and eschatology. His teaching on dispensationalism helped turn the tide on viewing Revelation as prophetic of future events, as well as restoring the belief that God still has a future plan for Israel. But he went too far when he developed the theory of a seven-year mini-dispensation, called the Great Tribulation. It is based on his own far-fetched interpretation of Daniel’s prophecy of the seventy weeks. His Tribulation hoax, coupled with his theory of the church being raptured before the Tribulation, became imbedded in teaching on the last days. By the 20^th century it was part of Scofield’s Bible notes, and taught in Bible Schools and seminaries throughout America. Today it is the foundational cornerstone of interpreting end-times prophecy in America.

The followers of each of these deceptions would swear that their beliefs are true and accurate. “The other beliefs may be deception, but my belief is not”. Is it fair to lump the three deceptions together? Maybe, maybe not. But it is interesting to note that all three deceptions were hatched in the wake of the age of reason and enlightenment that swept through Europe and captured nearly all of mankind. Reason replaced faith as the power by which humans understand the universe. Long established beliefs, including the authority of the Bible and the Church, were free game for questioning.

Obviously, my main concern here is the Great Tribulation deception. It was conceived in the same hotbed of creative reasoning as the other great deceptions. And the concept of a 7-year Great Tribulation had never found the light of day before John Darby.