The history of God's Church is a roller coaster ride of spiritual ups and downs. Ancient Israel was constantly wavering between following God's commands and choosing the ways of the pagan nations around them, and Church since Bible times has been no different.

New covenant Israel, just like literal Israel, experienced a moral decline and turned towards the worship of other gods. The principles of heathen sun worship found their way into the Church. And under the guidance of the Roman Church, sun worship even began to counterfeit the very Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Throughout this period of spiritual decline, there were people who clung to the Word of God, but they were persecuted for their faith. Among these were the Waldenses in Europe. After withdrawing to the Alps because of persecution, they fully separated from the Roman Church.

The Waldenses were a remnant that kept the light of God’s Word alive in this period of terrible spiritual darkness. They were ruthlessly massacred for their faith by Catholic leaders in a series of campaigns—particularly those led by D’Oppede in 1544, the Marquis of Pianesse in 1655, and Gabriel of Savoy in 1686. Read more about the Waldenses and other martyred heroes

The Protestant Reformation: Victory and Defeat

In England, John Wycliffe wrote about a need to reform. Huss and Jerome, invigorated by his writings, brought reform to Bohemia. They were both burned at the stake in the early 15^th century, but the Reformation forged ahead despite persecution.

One by one, the reformers uncovered precious truths that had been hidden among false doctrine and superstition. Justification by faith and the once-for-all atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ were the cornerstones of the reformers’ faith.

The reformers discarded many unBiblical teachings, such as veneration of saints and relics, the mass, purgatory, celibacy, the numerous sacraments, and faith in tradition rather than in the Word of God. The Protestant reformers were also virtually unanimous in identifying the papal system as the “man of sin,” equated with the little horn of Daniel 7.

Martin Luther was one of the most prominent reformers used by God to call the world out of darkness. Luther and many others each rediscovered a piece of the truth. Together, they could have created a highway for the Gospel.

However, the followers of Luther, Calvin, Knox, Wesley, and other great reformers ventured no further along the path of Gospel light than their leaders had. They crystallized their beliefs, shutting out any doctrine that did not fit into their creed.

Instead of forging a way for collective truth, the Reformation resulted in the formation of many denominations. Each held aspects of the truth, but none accepted total truth. Satan had once again achieved a victory.

The present wave of cooperation between the churches is based not on issues of the Gospel, but on social issues. There is no longer a separation between the reformed churches and Rome. The Reformation's aim—the unveiling of the Gospel—has once again been curtailed.

The Final Reformation

The ups and downs of the Church continue even to this day. But we can have hope, knowing that God is the strongest and He will prevail.

God has promised that His power will come in these end times, just like at Pentecost when He empowered the newborn Church to preach the Gospel. This time, however, God is empowering His people to finish His work on the earth.

The Old Testament prophets used the symbols of an early rain and a latter rain to tell of these events.

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