Almost 500 years ago, William Tyndale had a prophecy for the last age of the earth. Do we see it being fulfilled now? He found this prophecy in the 3rd chapter of Peter’s second epistle. I will let him explain in his own words. Here is the entire prologue. It is not long:
Tyndale, 1534 prologue to 2 Peter (as gently updated in The October Testament): This epistle was written against those who thought that Christian faith might be idle and without works, when yet the promise of Christ is made to us upon the condition that henceforth we should work the will of God, and not of the flesh. Therefore he exhorts them to exercise themselves diligently in virtue and all good works, thereby to be sure that they have the true faith, as a person knows the goodness of a tree by its fruit.
Then he commends and extols the gospel, and wants the people to hearken to it only, and not at all to men’s doctrine. For as he says, no prophetic scripture came by the will of man, but by the will of the Holy Spirit, who alone knows the will of God. Neither is any scripture of private interpretation; that is to say, no scripture may be otherwise expounded than agreeing to the clear places and general articles of the faith, the covenants of God, and all the rest of the scripture.
And therefore in the second chapter he warns them of false teachers that would come, and who, through preaching confidence in false works to satisfy their covetousness, would deny Christ. Whom he threatens with three terrible examples: the fall of the angels, the flood of Noah, and the overthrowing of Sodom and Gomorrah. And he so describes them with their insatiable covetousness, pride, stubbornness, and disobedience to all temporal rule and authority, and with their abominable whoredom and hypocrisy, that a blind man may see that he prophesied it of the pope’s holy men and clerics, who devoured the whole world with their covetousness, living in all lust and pleasure, and reigning as temporal tyrants.
In the third chapter, he shows that in the latter days the people, through unbelief and lack of fear of the judgment of the last day, will be even as Epicures, wholly given to the flesh. Which last day shall yet surely and shortly come, he says, for a thousand years and one day is with God the same thing. And he shows also how terrible that day will be, and how suddenly it will come. Therefore he exhorts all to look earnestly for it, and to prepare themselves for it with holy conduct and godly living.
Finally, the first chapter shows how it would go in the time of the pure and true gospel, the second how it would go in the time of the pope and men’s doctrine, and the third how at the last people will believe nothing, and not fear God at all. (W. T., 1534)
The above is taken from The October Testament, first published in 2016 by Baruch House Publishing. The October Testament is the New Testament of William Tyndale (his final revision) as it was published by John Rogers in the Matthew Bible, complete with original commentaries, and all gently updated. The Matthew Bible was first published in 1537. Few people are aware that it formed the basis of the King James Version (though that awareness is growing).
Baruch House added back into the October Testament some of Tyndale’s prologues that Rogers (presumably for space or political reasons) had omitted from the Matthew Bible: this is one of them. So we are doubly blessed.
Tyndale’s words require no elaboration.
P.s. – note from Ruth: here is a link to my favourite edition of the October Testament – the hardcover
©Ruth Magnusson Davis, November 2017
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Information about The October Testament is linked from our “Books” page above.
The paperback can be purchased on Amazon here: The October Testament: The New Testament of the New Matthew Bible
