A major component of this "counter-reformation" was the publication
of a commentary on the book of Revelation in 1690 by a Jesuit priest named
Francisco Ribera. He proposed a method of interpretation called futurism.
According to this view, the great prophecies of Daniel and Revelation
did not apply to the Christian church through the ages, but were focused
on the final seven years of history. In other words, the Bible's
warning about the antichrist could not possibly apply to the church, but
rather predicted the appearance of a lone and powerful evil person who
would rule during earth's final years.
This strategy of the counter-reformation worked. In less than
300 years from Ribera's formulation of this view, futurism found
a new home within Protestantism itself.
John Nelson Darby, a 19th century Irish lawyer turned Anglican preacher,
developed a method of biblical interpretation called dispensationalism
in which he incorporated Ribera's futuristic views. Darby became
"the father of the rapture doctrine." He was the first to develop
a full-blown theology that incorporated the teaching that Jesus would return
secretly (His "second" coming) to rapture His true followers, leaving the
rest behind to be ruled by an evil antichrist for seven years, and then
return again (His "third" coming) in a visible, glorious coming to destroy
antichrist, save those who were converted during the seven-year tribulation,
and establish His own kingdom.
Cyrus Scofield, a disciple of Darby's, later published a Bible with
explanatory notes in which he incorporated Darby's views on the rapture.
The Scofield Bible is still the most popular Bible sold today.
Thus the rapture theory made its way into the psyche and formal teaching
of much of the Christian world.
