'ANEL AND THE EVEIATION ^^.vS^mitKj, t\hv, 15, this work is commended to the candid and careful attention of all who are interested in prophetic themes. U. S. Battle Creek, ^Micii., January, 1897. ^ ONTENTS XTbe Book of 2)aniel CHAPTEIi I Daniel ix Captivity - - - - - Characteristics of the Sacred Writings — Five Historical Facts — Prophecy of Jerusalem's Captivity — The Holy City Three Times Overthrown — God's Testimony against Sin — Condition and Treatment of Daniel and His Companions — Character of King Nebuchadnezzar — Signification of Pagan Names — Daniel's Integrity — The Result of His Experiment — ■ Daniel Lives till the Time of Cvrus. 23 CHAPTER II The Great Eaiage - - - - - - 33 A Difficulty Explained — Daniel Enters upon His Work — WIio VvVre the Magicians? — -Trouble lietween the King and the Wise Men — The Ingenuity of the Magicians — The King's Sentence against Them — Remarkable Providence of God — The Help Sought by Daniel — -A Good Example — Daniel's Magnanimity — A Natural Character — The Magi- cians Exposed — What the World Owes to the People of Goression of the Saints Will End — The 2300 Days not Here Explained — The Sanctuary Explained — Wl^ ft the Cleansing of the Sanctuary Is — The King of Fierce Countenance — By 10 COXTEXTS What Cleans the lionians Prospered — The Exi)kinatiuii not Finished — Tlu^ Reason Wliy. CHAPTER IX The Sevextv Weeks - . . _ . 233 '1 he Short Time between the Visions — Daniel's Understand- ing- of Jeremiah's Prophecy — Daniel's Wonderful Prayer — Gabriel again Appears — Vision of Chapter 8 Explained- — Connection between Chapters Eight and Xine Established — The Time Explained — The Seventy Weeks — The Meaning of ''Cut Off" — Testimony of Dr. Hales — Date of the Sev- enty Weeks — The Decree of (^rus — The Decree of Darius — The Decree of Artaxerxes — The Year -i5T before Christ — Date of Christ's Baptism — Date of Christ's Crucifixion — Invention of the Christian Era — Intermediate Dates — Harmony Established — The Genuine Jleading — Ptole.iy's Canon — The End of the 2300 Days. CHAPTER X Daniel's Last Vision . - . . . 270 Time of Daniel's Various Visions — How Cyrus Became Sole Monarch — Daniel's Purpose in Seeking God — Scriptural Fasting — Another Appearance of the Angel Gabriel — The Effect upon Daniel — Daniel's Age at This Time — The An- swer to Prayer Sometimes not Immediately Apparent — ■ Who Michael Is — Daniel's Solicitude for His People — The Re- lation of Christ and Gabriel to the King of Persia and the Projihet Daniel. CHAPTER XI A LiTEHAL Prophecy ..... 279 Succession of Kings in Persia — The Rich King — ■ The Larg- est Army ever Assembled in the World — Meaning of the Phrase " Stand Up " — Alexander in Eclipse — His Kingdom Divided among His Four Leading Generals — Location of the King of the North and the King of the South — jMacedon and Thrace Annexed to Syria — The Syrian Kingdom Stronger than the Kingdom of Egyi^t — Divorce and Mar- riage of Antiochus Theos — Laodice's Revenge — Berenice and Her Attendants Murdered — Ptolemy Eucrgetes Avenges the Death of His Sister— Syria Plundered- 2,500 Idols Carried to Egypt — Antiochus Magnus Avenges the Cause of His Father — Defeated l:y the Egyptians — Ptolemy Over- CONTENTS 11 come by His Vices — Another Syrian Campaign against Egypt — New Complications — Kome Introduced — Syria and Mac- edonia Forced to Ketire — Kome xVssumes tiie Guardianship of the Egyptian King — The Egyptians Defeated — Autio- chus Falls before the Romans — Syria Made a lioman Prov- ince— Judea Conquered by Pompey — Caesar in Egypt — Exciting Scenes — Cleopatra's Stratagem — Caesar Triumph- ant— Venl, Vidl, Vici — ^ Caesar's Death — Augustus Caesar — The Triumvirate — The Augustan Age of Rome — The Birth of Our Lord — Tiberius, the Vile — Date of Christ's Baptism — Rome's League with the Jews — Caesar and An- tony— -The Battle of Actium — Final Overthrow of Jerusa- lem — What is Meant by Chittim — The Vandal War — The '•' Daily " Taken Away — Justinian's Famous Decree — The Goths Driven from Rome — Long Triumph of the Papacy — The Atheistical King — The French Revolution of 179-5 — The Bishop of Paris Declares Himself an Atheist — France as a Nation Rebels against the Author of the L'niverse — The Marriage Covenant Annulled — God Decleared a Phantom, Christ an Impostor — Blasphemy of a Priest of Illuminism — A Dissolute Female the Goddess of Reason — Titles of Nobility Abolished — Their Estates Confiscated — The Land Divided for Gain — Termination of the Reign of Terror — Time of the End, 1798 — Triple War between Eg^q:)t, France, and Turkey — Napoleon's Dream of Eastern Glory — He Diverts the War iVom England to Egypt — His Ambition Embraces all Historical Lands of the East — Downfall of the Papacy — Embarkation from Toulon — Alexandria Taken — Battle of the Pyramids — The Combat Deepens — Turkey, the King of the North, Declares War against France — Na- poleon's Campaign in the Holy Land — Beaten at Acre — Re- tires to Egypt — Called back to France — Eg-j^it in the Power of Turkey — Tidings out of the East and North — The Cri- mean War of 1853 — Predicted by Dr. Clarke from this Prophecy in 1825 — The Sick Man of the East — The East- ern Question ; What is It ? — Russia's Long-Cherished Dream — The Last Will and Testament of Peter the Great — Start- ling Facts in Russian History- — -The Prophecy of Napoleon Bonaparte — Kossuth's Prediction — Russia's Defiant Atti- tude in 1870 — The Russo-Turkish War of 1877 — Tlie Berlin Congress — Turkey Bankrupt — The Whole Empire Mort- gaged to the Czar — Wonderful Shrinkage of Turkish Terri- tory— The Wonder of Statesmen — The Eastern Question in the Future. 1-2 COXTENTS CHAPTER XII Closing Scenes -.-... 3gg The Keigii of Christ — The Grand Signal of Its Approach — What Events are Next in Order — The Time of Trouble — The Resurrection — The Key to the Future — Some to Life, Some to Shame — Promised Rewards of the Coming Daj^ — The Sealed Book Opened — Knowledge Wonderfully Increased — The Progress of a Thousand Years Made in Eif ty — The Wise Understand — Daniel Stands in His Lot. ^be Book of IRevelation CHAPTER I The Opening Vision - - - - - 399 The Title and Character of the Book — Its Object — Christ's Angel — His Benediction — The Churches in Asia — The Seven Spirits — Prince of the Kings of the Earth — His Coming Visible — The Church's Response — John's Experi- ence — The Cause of Banishment — In the Spirit — The Lord's Day — Alpha and Omega — The Revelation to be Un- derstood. CHAPTER II The Seven Churches . . . . . 422 The Church of Ephesus — • Definition — The Cause of Com- plaint— The Nicola itanes — The Promise to the Victor — The Tree of Life — -The Church in Smyrna — Tribulation Ten Days — The Overcomer's Reward — The Church in Pergam.os — Satan's Seat — Antipas — The Cause of Cen- sure — The Promise — The New Name — Thyatira — The Woman Jezebel. CHAPTER III The Seven Churches. — Continued - . - . 442 Sardis, Delinition of — -Wliitc Raiment — The Book of Life — Philiidelphia Defined — The Kty of David — Signification of Laodicea — Neither Cold nor Hot — The Counsel — The Final Promise. CONTENTS 13 CHAPTER IV New Vision. — The Heavenly Sanctuary - - - 403 Four and Twenty Elders — Seven Lamps of Fire — The Sea of Glass — The Happy Unrest. CHAPTER V The Heavenly Sanctuary. — Continued - - - 470 The Book — The Angelic Challenge — Christ Prevails — The Anticipation — A Clean Universe. CHAPTER VI The Seven Seals - • - - - - - 481 Symbols Explained — Souls under the Altar — The Great Earthquake at Lisbon — Darkening of the Sun and Moon — Falling of the Stars — An Objection Answered — The Great Prayer-Meeting. CHAPTER VII The Sealing - - - - - - 520 Symbols Explained — The Seal of God — The 144,000 — The True Israel — The New Jerusalem a Christian City — Out of the Great Tribulation. CHAPTER VIII The Seven Trumpets . . . . . 537 Encouragement for Christians — Complement of Daniel's Prophecy — Testimony of Standard tlistorians — Rome Di- vided — The Western Empire Extinguished — Alaric, Gen- seric, Attila, and Theodoric. CLIAPTER IX The Seven Trumpets. — Continued - - - - 561 Rome and Persia — Chosroes Overthrown — ■ The Rise of Mohammedanism — The Bottomless Pit — The Five Months' Torment — An Established Date — Surrender to the Turks — Constantinople Taken — The Use of Firearms Foretold — Cessation of the Ottoman Supremacy — A Remarkable Proph- ecy Fulfilled. CHAPTER X Proclamation of the Advent .... 588 The Book Opened — The Time of the End — Close of the 14 CONTENTS Prophetic Periods — Sounding of the Seventli Trumpet — ■ The Sweet and the Bitter. CHAPTER XI The Two Witnesses . . - . . gyi An Important Message — The French Revolution of 1793 — Spiritual Sodom — Crush the Wretch! — The Bible Tri- umphant— -The Nations Angry — God's Temple in Heaven Opened. CHAPTER XII The Gospel Church ----- 619 A Wonderful Scene in Heaven — Definite Data — Satan De- feated — ■ The Trial of the Church — The Coming Joy. CHAPTER XIII ^ - Persectting Powers Professedly Christlvn - - 636 A Change of Symbols — The Papacy — Comparison with the Little Horn of Daniel 7 — Deadly Wound — -How It was Healed — ■ Another Beast — ■ The United States in Prophecy — Wonderful Growth of Our Country - — "A Place for Every- thing, and Everything in Its Place " — The Coming Crisis — The Path of Safety ^^ The Beginning of the End — The Number of His Name. . CHAPTER XIV The Three Messages - - - - .--... .705 A Glorious Culmination —^ The 144,000 — ■ The Proclamation of the Advent — A Moral Fall — The Severest Denunciation of Wrath in All the. Bible -^ The Commandments of God — A Blessing on the Dead — Wickedness Swallowed Up. CHAPTER XV The Sevex Last Plagies - - - - -. 764 Preparation for the Plagues — An Impressive Scene — God's Judgments Righteous — Mertry Withdrawn from the Eearth Tlie Sea of Glass — The GlorioTis Victory — Well with the Riuhteous. CHAPTER XVr The Placues Poi red Oct - ... - 7(^7 Th(> Plagues of Egyi^t — Death in the Sea — Fountains of Blood-— A Scorching Sun — Egyptian Darkness — Decay of Turkey — : The Eastern Question — Spirits of Devils — The CONTENTS 15 Battle of Armageddon — The Air Infected — Babylon Judged — Terrific Effects of the Great Hail — Close of the Scene. CHAPTER XYII Babylox — THE Mother . . . . - 7^7 Church and State — Different Forms of Roman Government — The Eighth Head — Waning Away of Papal Power — Symbolic Waters. CHAPTER XVIII Babylon — the Dalghtehs ----- 795 Popery beyond Reformation — Its Influence still Felt — Apostate Christendom — Separation between the Good and the Bad — ■ Amazing Judgments — The Will for the Deed. CHAPTER XIX Triumph of the Saints - - - - - . 813 The Marriage of the Lamb — -The Bride the Lamb's Wife — The Marriage Supper — Heaven Opened — A Startling Con- trast — The Beast Taken — The Lake of Fire. CHAPTER XX The First and Second Resurrections . - - - 820 The Bottomless Pit — Binding of Satan — Exaltation of the -Saints — The Second Resurrection — The Second Lake of Fire — The Sentence Executed. CHAPTER XXI The Xew Jerusalem - - - - - - 837 The Xew Heaven and Earth — The Holy City — Wonderful Dimensions — Precious Stones — The Rainbow Foundations ■ — No Need of the Sun. CHAPTER XXTI The Tree and the River of Life - - . - 855 The Home of Peace — The Tree of Life — John's Emotions — Without the City — -The Gracious Invitation — "Through the Gates " — • The Lord's Promise — The Church's Response — God All in All. Appendix ------- 871 Index of Ai'thors - - - - - - 887 Index of Texts ------- 890 General Index ------ 895 Portrait of Author ----- Frontispiece SiF.GK OF Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar ----- 25 Daa^iel and His Fellows are Sought to be Slain - - 38 The Great World-Kingdom Iimage, Dan. 2 : 31 - 34 - - - 45 A Babylonian Palace --- 52 Babylon Taken by the IIedo-Persians 58 Alexander Removing the Ruins at Babylon ... ei Alexander Commanding the Conflagration of Persepolis - 67 Map Showing Territory Covered by the Four Universal Kingdoms . . . . . ... go The Three Worthies Refusing to Bow to the Image - - 93 The Three Hebrews in the Fiery Furnace . - . 93 The Humiliation of Nebuchadnezzar 108 Belshazzar's Feast 118 Daniel in the Den of Lions 132 The Lion — Symbol of Babylon 138 The Bear — Symbol of Medo-Persia 142 The Leopard — Symbol op Grecia 145 The Fourth Beast — Symbol of Rome 148 The Little Horn — Symbol of the Papacy - - - 151 Waldenses Fleeing from Papal Persecution - - - - 160 The Law of God 163 The Decalogue as Changed by the Papaiy . . . . 167 Belisarius Entering Rome 175 Prominent Martyrs 180 The Ram — Syjibol of Medo-Persia . . - . - 190 The He-Goat — Symbol of Grecia 193 The Little Horn of Daniel VTTI 199 The Tejiple at Jerusalem at the Time of Christ - - 215 (16) ILLUSTRATIONS 17 The Angel Gabriel Sent to Instruct Daniel - - . 238 Diagram of the TO Weeks and 2300 Days . . . . 244 Rebuilding the Walls of Jerusalem ----- 251 The Crucifixion . - - - 260 Alexander Viewing the Dead Body of Darius - - - 281 The Alexandrun Library 297 The Battle of Actium: Fulfilling Dan. 11:25 - - - 308 A EoMAN Triumph 314 Imprisonment of Huss 328 Storming of the Tuilleries 335 The Goddess of Reason - - 339 Peter the Great - 356 " Many Shall Run To and Fro, and Knowledge Shall be Increased" 382, 383 John Writing the Revelation ------ 396 The Isle of Patmos -------- 413 Christl\n Martyrs in Ai^ena ---...- 431 Arch of Constaxtine -------- 484 The Lisbon Earthquake - - - - - - - - 497 Meteoric Shower, or Falling of the Stars, Nov. 13, 1833 - 506 The V.\ndals Invading Africa ------ 5-^4 Attila, King of the IIuns - 550 Surrender of Western Ro^ie to Odoacer - - - - 555 " Woe, Woe, Woe, to the Inhabiters of the Earth ' ' - - 560 Mohammed and Mohammed II 565 Saracen Warrior . . - 57I Entry of Mohammed II into Constantinople - - - - 578 Turkish Warrior -------- 531 The Angel on Sea and Land ------- 589 Preaching the Advent Message in Norway - - - 594 Fugitive Huguenots - - - 606 The Berlin Insurrection of 1848 613 The Gospel Church - - ' 618 Pagan and Papal Rome 623 Burning the Papal Bull - - 629 Eminent Reformers - 633 Symbol of the United States in Prophecy - - - - G44 Landing of the Pilgrims ------- 655 2 18 ILLUSTRATIONS Map Showing the Tkhuitohial (Irowtii of tiik Ilnitkd States 056 The Pope's Tiaha ^ — ^Fuo.m a PHoTixiRAPii Taken in the Vatican MUSEI'M ----- (399 The Everlasting Gospel ------- 709 The Three Messages of Revelation 14 - - - - - 72(3 The Seven Angels Poi'ring Out the Seven Last Plagues - 772 The Great Earthquake .-....- 78I The Message of Eev. 18 : 1 - - - - - - - 791 Babvlon Falls, like a Millstone Cast into the Ska - - 810 The Investigative Judgment ----.. ^31 The Angel Showing John the PIoly City - - - . 842 Foundation Walls of the ^ew Jerusalem - - - 850 Banyan Tree Illustrating the Tree of Life . - - 858 " Visions of Beauty are There, Fields of Living Green " - 866 wn®N THAT the book of Daniel was written by the person whose name it bears, there is no reason to donbt. Ezekiel, who was contemporary with Daniel, bears testimony, throng'h the spirit of prophecy, to his piety and nprightness, rankin£>- him in this respect with Xoali and Job: '^ Or if T send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast; thougb Xoah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter ; they shall but deliver their o^vn souls by their righteousness." Eze. 14: 19, 20. His wis- dom, also, even at that early day, had become proverbial, as appears from the same writer. To the prince of Tyrus he was directed by the Lord to say, "" Behold, thou art wiser than Dan- iel ; there is no secret that they can hide from thee." Eze. 28:3. But above all, our Lord recogTiized him as a prophet of God, and bade his disciples understand the predictions given through him for the benefit of his church : " "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place (whoso readeth, let him understand), tlien let them which be in Judoa flee into the mountains." :\Latt. 24:15, Ki. Though we have a more minute account of his early life than is recorded of that of any other prophet, yet his birth and lineage are left in complete obscurity, except that he was of the royal line, probably of tlie liouse of David, whicli had at this time become very numerous. He first appears as one of the noble captives of Judali. in the first year of ISTebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, at the commencement of the seventy years' captivity, e. c. 000. Jeremiah and Ilabakkuk were yet utter- (19) 20 INTRODUCTION iiig their propliecies. Ezekiel commenced soon after, and a little later, Obadiali ; but both these finished their work years before the close of the long and brilliant career of Daniel. Three projohets only succeeded him, Haggai and Zechariah, who exercised the prophetic office for a brief period contemporane- ously, B. c. 520-518, and Malachi, the last of the Old Testa- ment prophets, who flourished a little season about b. c. 397. During the seventy years' captivity of the Jews, b. c. COG - 5oG, predicted by Jeremiah (Jer. 25:11), Daniel resided at the court of Eabylon, most of the time prime minister of that brilliant monarchy. His life affords a most impressive lesson of the importance and advantage of nuiintaining from earliest youth strict integrity toward God, and furnishes a notable in- stance of a man's maintaining eminent piotv, and faithfully dis- charging all the duties that pertain to the service of God, Avhile at the same time engaging in the most stirring activities, and bearing the Aveightiest cares and responsibilities that can de- volve upon men in this earthly life. What a rebuke is his course to many at the present day, who, having not a hundredth part of the cares to alisorb their time and engross their attention that he had, yet plead as an excuse for their almost utter neglect of Christian duties, that they have no time for them. What will the God of Daniel say to such, when he comes to reward his servants impartially, ac- cording to their improvement or neglect of the opportunities offered them ? But it is not alone nor chiefly his connection with the Chial- dean monarchy, the glory of kingdoms, that perpetuates the memory of Daniel, and covers his name with honor. From the height of its glory ho saw tliat kingdom decline, and pass into other hands. Its period of greatest prosperity Avas em- braced Avithin the limits of the lifetime of one man. So brief Avas its snju'emacy, so transient its glory. But Daniel was intrusted Avith more enduring honors. While beloved and hon- ored by the princes and potentates of Dabylon, he enjoyed an infinitely higher exaltation, in being beloved and honored by God and his holy angels, and admitted to a knowledge of the counsels of the Most Ilich. IXTRODI'CTIOX 21 His prophecy is, in many respects, the must remarkable of any in the sacred record. It is the most comprehensive. It was the first prophecy giving- a consecutive history of the worhl from that time to tlie end. Jt h:)cated tlie most of its predictions witliin -well-defined proj^hetic periods, though reaching manv centuries into the future. It gave the first definite chronolog- ical prophecy of the coming of the Messiah. It marked the time of this event so definitely that the Jews forbid any at- tempt to interpret its numbers, since that prophecy shows them to be Avithout excuse in rejecting Christ ; and so accurately had its minute and literal predictions been fulfilled down to the time of Porphyry, a. d. 250, that he declared (the only loop- hole he could devise for his hard-pressed skepticism) that the predictions were not written in the age of Babylon, but after the events themselves had transpired. This shift, however, is not now available; for every succeeding century has borne ad- ditional evidence to the truthfulness of the prophecy, and we are just now, in our own day, approaching the climax of its fulfilment. The personal history of Daniel reaches to a date a few years subsequent to the subversion of the Babylonian kingdom by the Medes and Persians. He is supposed to have died at Shu- shan, or Susa, in Persia, about the year r>. c. 530, aged nearly ninety-four years ; his age being the probable reason why he returned not to Judea with other Hebrew captives, under the proclamation of Cyrus (Ezra 1:1), b. c. 536. which marked the close of the seventy years' captivity. ^tsTfiXivist nf Htstorg ta flic CHAPTER I. Versk 1. In the third year of the reigu of Jehoiakim king of Jndah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon nnto Jerusalem, and besieged it. 2. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part 'if the vessels of the house of God; which he car- ried into the lan^^ of Shinar to the house of his god ; and he brought the vessels into the treasure-house of his god. WITH a directness characteristic of the sacred writers, Daniel enters at once upon his subject. Tie com- mences in the simple, historical style, his book, with the exception of a portion of chapter 2, being of a historical nature till we reach the seventh chapter, when the prophetical portion, more properly so called, commences. Like one con- scious of uttering only well-known truth, he proceeds at once to state a variety of particulars bv which his accuracy could (23) 24 PROPHECY OF DANIEL at once be tested. Thus in the two verses quoted, he states five particulars purporting to be historical facts, such as no writer Avould be likely to introduce into a fictitious narrative: (1) That Jehoiakim was king of Judah; (2) That Xebuchad- nezzar was king of Babylon; (3) That the latter came against the former; (4) That this was in the third year of Jehoiakim's reigii; and (5) That Jehoiakim was given into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, who took a portion of the sacred vessels of the house of God, and carrying them to the land of Shinar, the country of Babylon (Gen. 10: 10), placed them in the treasure- house of his heathen divinity. Subsequent portions of the narrative abound as fully in historical facts of a like nature. This overthrow of Jerusalem was predicted by Jeremiah, and immediately accomplished, b. c. 006. Jer. 25:8-11. Jeremiah places this captivity in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, Daniel in the third. This seeming discrepancy is explained by the fact that Xebuchadnezzar set out on his expedition near the close of the third year of Jehoiakim, from which point Daniel reckons. But he did not accomplish the subjugation of Jerusalem till about the ninth month of the year following; and from this year Jeremiah reckons. (Prideaux, Vol. I, pp. 99, 100.) Jehoiakim, though bound for the purpose of being taken to Babylon, having humbled himself, was permitted to remain as ruler in Jerusalem, tributary to the king of Babylon. This was the first time Jerusalem was taken by Xcbuehad- nezzar. Twice subsequently, the city, having revolted, was captured by the same king, being more severely dealt with each succeeding time. Of these subsequent overthrows, the first was under Jehoiachin, son cf Jehoiakim, b. c. 599, when all the sacred vessels were either taken or destroyed, and the best of the inhabitants, with the king, were led into captivity. The second was under Zedekiah, when the city endured the most formidable siege it ever sustained, excejjt that by Titus, in A. D. 70. During the two years' continuance of this siege, the inhabitants of the city suffered all the horrors of extreme fam- ine. At length the garrison and king, attempting to escape from the city, were captured by the Chaldeans. The sons of the king were slain before his face. His eyes were put out. CHAPTER 1, YEESES 1-5 27 and ho was taken to IJiibyloii ; and tlins \va.s fultilled the pre- diction of Ezekiel, who dechired that he shonld he carried to Babylon, and die there, but yet shouhl not see the phice. Eze. 12:13. The city and temple were at this time utterly de- stroyed, and the entire population of the city and country, witli the exception of a few husbandmen, were carried captive to Babylon, b. c. 5S8. Such was God's passing testimony against sin. Xot that the Chaldeans were the favorites of Heaven, but God made use of them to punish the iniquities of his people. Had the Israelites been faithful to God, and kept his Sabbath, Jerusa- lem would have stood forever. Jer. 17:24-27. But they departed from him, and he abandoned them. They first pro- faned the sacred vessels by sin, in introducing heathen idols among them ; and he then j)rofaned them by judgments, in letting them go as trophies into heathen temples abroad. During these days of trouble and distress upon Jerusalem, Daniel and his companions were nourished and instructed in the palace of the king of Babylon; and, though captives in a strange land, they were doubtless in some respects much more favorably situated than they could haA'e been in their native country. Verse 3. And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eu- nuchs, that he should bring- certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes ; 4. Children in whom was no blem- ish, but well-favored, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in tliem to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. 5. And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank; so nourishhig them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king. We have in these verses the record of the probable fulfil- ment of the announcement of coming judgments made to King Hezekiah by the jorophet Isaiah, more than a hundred years before. When this king had vaingloriously sho\\Ti to the mes- sengers of the king of Babylon all the treasures and holy things of his palace and kingdom, he was told that all these good things should be carried as trophies to the city of Baby- 28 PROPHECY OF DANIEL Ion, and nothing should be left ; and that even his own children, his descendants, should be taken away, and be eunuchs in the palace of the king- there. 2 Kings 20 : 14 - IS. It is probable that Daniel and his companions were treated as indicated in the prophecy ; at least we hear nothing of their posterity, which can 1)0 more easily accounted for on this hypothesis than on any other; though some think that tlie term eunuch had come to signify office rather than condition. The word children, as applied to these captives, is not to be confined to the sense to which it is limited at the present time. It included youth also. And we learn from the record that these children were already skilful in all wisdom, cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and had ability in them to stand in the king's palace. In other words, they had already acquired a good degree of education, and their physical and mental powers were so far developed that a skilful reader of human nature could form quite an accurate estimate of their capabilities. They are supposed to have been about eighteen or twenty years of age. In the treatment which these Hebrew captives received, we see an instance of the wise policy and the liberality of the rising king, Xobuchadnezzar. 1. Instead of choosing, like too many kings of later times, means for the gratification of low and base desires, he chose young men ^\'lio should be educated in all matters pertaining to the kingdom, that he might have efficient help in administering its affairs, 2. He appointed them daily provision of his o\^ti meat and wine. Instead of the coarse fare which some would have thought good enough for captives, he offered them his ovra royal viands. For the space of three years, they had all tlie advantages the kingdom afforded. Though captives, they were royal chil- dren, and they were treated as such by the humane king of the Chaldeans. The question may be raised, M'hy these persons were selected to take part, after suitable preparation, in the affairs of the kingdom. Were there not enough native Babylonians to fill CHAPTER 1, VERSES 6 - 16 29 these pusitious of trust and liouor ? It could have been for no other reason than that the Chaldean youth could not com- pete with those of Israel in the qualifications, both mental and physical, necessary to such a position. Veuse 6. Now among these were of the children of Jiidah, Daniel, Hananiali, Mishael, and Azariah : 7. Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names; for he gave unto Daniel the name of Behe- shazzar ; and to Ilananiah, of Shadrach ; and to Mishael, of Meshach ; and to Azariah, of Abed-nego. This change of names was probably made on acount of the signification of the words. Thus, Daniel signified, in the He- brew, God is my judge; Ilananiah, gift of the Lord; Mishael, he that is a strong God ; and Azariah, help of the Lord. These names, each having some reference to the true God, and sig- nifying some connection with his worship, were changed to names the definition of which bore a like relation to the heathen divdnities and worship of the Chaldeans. Thus Belteshazzar, the name given to Daniel, signified keeper of the hid treasures of Eel ; Shadrach, inspiration of the sun (which the Chal- deans "worshiped) ; Meshach, of the goddess Shaca (under which name Venus was worshiped) ; and Abed-nego, servant of the shining fire (which they also worshiped). Verse 8. But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he dranlv; therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. 9. Now God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. 10. And the prince of the eunuchs said inito Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink; for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort ? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king. 11. Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Dan- iel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12. Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days ; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. 13. Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat ; and as thou seest, deal with thy servants. 14. So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days. 15. And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat. 16, Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse. 30 PROPHECY OF DANIEL Xebuchadnezzar appears upon this record wonderiullv free from bigotry. It seems that he took no means to compel his royal captives to change their religion. Provided they had some religion, he seemed to be satisfied, whether it was the religion he professed or not. And although their names had been changed to signify some connection with heathen worshij:), this may have been more to avoid the use of Jewish names by the Chaldeans than to indicate any change of sentiment or practice on the part of those to whom these names were given. Daniel purposed not to defile himself with the king's meat nor with his wine. Daniel had other reasons for this course than simply the effect of such a diet upon his physical system, though he would derive great advantage in this respect from the fare he proposed to adopt. But it was frequently the case that the meat used by the kings and princes of heathen nations, who were often the high priests of their religion, was first of- fered in sacrifice to idols, and the wine they used, poured out as a libation before them; and again, some of the meat of \vhich they made use, was pronounced unclean by the Jewish law; and on either of these grounds Daniel could not, consist- ently with his religion, partake of these articles; hence he requested, not from any morose or sullen temper, but from conscientious scruples, that he might not be obliged to defile himself; and he respectfully made his request known to the ])roper ofiicer. The prince of the eunuchs feared to grant Daniel's request, since the king himself had appointed their meat. This shows the great personal interest the king took in these persons. He did not commit them to the hands of his servants, telling them to care for them in the best manner, without himself entering into its details; but he himself appointed their meat and drink. And this Avas of a kind which it was honestly supposed would be best for them, inasmuch as the prince of the eunuchs thought that a departure from it would render them poorer in flesh and less ruddy of countenance than those \\\\o continued it; and tlins he would be brought to account for neglect or ill-treatment of them, and so lose his head. Yet it was equally well under- •itood that if they maintained good ])hysical conditions, the CHAPTER 1, VERSES 8-21 31 king would take uo exception to the means used, though it might be contrary to his own express direction. It appears that the lying's sincere object was to secure in them, by what- ever means it could be done, the very best mental and physical development that could be attained. How different this from the bigotry and tyranny which usually hold supreme control over the hearts of those who are clothed with absolute power. In the character of Xebuchadnezzar we, shall find many things W'Orthy of our highest admiration. Daniel requested pulse and water for himself and his three companions. Pulse is a vegetable food of the leguminous kind, like peas, beans, etc. Bagster says, " Zeroim denotes all le- guminous i^lants, wdiich are not reaped, but pulled or plucked, which, however wholesome, were not naturally calculated to render them fatter in flesh than the others." A ten days' trial of this diet resulting favorably, they were permitted to continue it during the whole course of their train- ing for the duties of the palace. Their increase in flesh and improvement in countenance Avhich took place during these ten days can hardly be attributed to the natural result of the diet; for it would hardly produce such marked effects in so short a time. Is it not much more natural to conclude that this re- sult was produced by a special interposition of the Lord, as a token of his approbation of the course on which they had entered, which course, if persevered in, would in process of time lead to the same result through the natural operation of the law^s of their being ? Verse 17. As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom ; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18. Now at the end of the days that the king had said that he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 10. And the king communed with them ; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore stood they be- fore the king. 20. And in all matters of wisdom and iniderstanding that the king inquired of them, he foiuid them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm. 21. And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus. To Daniel alone seems to have been committed an under- standing in visions and dreams. But the Lord's dealing wath 32 PROPHECY OF DANIEL Daniel in this respect does not prove tlie others anv the less accepted in his sight. Preservation in the midst of the fiery furnace was as good evidence of the divine favor as they could have had. Daniel probably had some natural qualifications that peculiarly fitted him for this special work. The same personal interest in these individuals heretofore manifested by the king, he still continued to maintain. At the end of the three years, he called them to a personal interview. He must know for himelf how they had fared, and what pro- ficiency tliey had made. This interview also shows the king to have been a man ^^'cll versed in all the arts and sciences of the Chaldeans, else he would not have been qualified to ex- amine others therein. As the result, recognizing merit wher- ever he saw it, without respect to religion or nationality, he acknowledged them to be ten times superior to any in his own land. And it is added that Daniel continued even unto the first year of King Cyrus. This is an instance of the somewhat singular use of the word unto, or until, which occasionally occurs in the sacred writings. It does not moan that he con- tinued no longer than to the first year of Cyrus, for he lived some years after the commencement of his reign ; biTt this is the time to which the writer wished to direct special attention, as it brought deliverance to the captive Jews. A similar use of the word is found in Ps. 112:8 and Matt. 5:18. m $M mm CHAPTER IL Verse 1. And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezznr, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him. DAX lEL Avas carried into captivity in the first year of Xebiicliadnezzar. For three years he was placed under instnictors, during wliich time he would not, of course, be reckoned among the wise men of the kingdom, nor take part in public affairs. Yet in the second year of ISTebuchad- nezzar, the transactions recorded in this chapter took place. HoAV, then, could Daniel be brought in to interju^et the king's dream in his second year? The explanation lies in the fact that Nebuchadnezzar reigned for two years conjointly with his father, Xabopolassar. From this point the Jews reck- oned, whilo the Chaldeans reckoned from the time lie com- 2 . , (^3) 34 PROPHECY OF DANIEL iiieiiced to reigii aluiie, on the death of his father. Hence, the 3'ear here mentioned was the second year of his reign ac- cording to the Chaklean reckoning, hnt the fourth according to the Jewish. It thus appears that the very next year after Daniel had completed his preparation to participate in the affairs of the Chaldean empire, the providence of God brought him into sudden and wonderful notoriety throughout all the kingdom. Verse 2. Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to show the king his dreams. !So they came and stood before the king. The nuigicians were such as practiced magic, using the term in its bad sense; that is, they practiced all the supersti- tious rites and ceremonies of fortune-tellers, casters of nativi- ties, etc. Astrologers were men who pretended to foretell future events by the study of the stars. The science, or the superstition, of astrology was extensively cultivated by the Eastern nations of antiquity. Sorcerers were such as pre- tended to hold communication with the dead. In this sense, we believe, it is always used in the Scriptures. Modern Spirit- ualism is simply ancient heathen sorcery revived. The Chal- deans here mentioned were a sect of philosophers similar to the magicians and astrologers, who made physic, divinations, etc., their study. All these sects or professions abounded in Baby- lon. The end aimed at by each was the same ; namely, the explaining of mysteries and the foretelling of future events, the principal difference between them being the means by which they sought to accomplish their object. The king's difficulty lay equally within the province of each to explain; hence he summoned them all. "With the king it was an important mat- ter. He was greatly troubled, and therefore concentrated upon the solution of his perplexity the whole wisdom of his realm. Verse 3. And the king said \nito them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream. 4. Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriae, O king, live forever; tell thy serv- ants the dream, and w(! will show the interpretation. Whatever else the ancient nuigicians and astrologers may liave been efficient in, ihey seem 1<> have been thoronghly CHAPTER 2, VERSES 5-13 35 scliooled in the art of drawing out siifficieut information to form a basis for some shrewd calculation, or of framing their answers in so ambiguous a manner that thej would be equally applicable, let the event turn either war. In the present case, true to their cunning instincts, thej called upon the king to make knoMTi to them his dream. If they could get full infor- mation respecting this, they could easily agree on some inter- pretation which would not endanger their reputation. They addressed themselves to the king in Syriac, a dialect of the Chaldean language which was used by the educated and cul- tured classes. From this point to the end of chapter T, the record continues in Chaldaic. Verse 5. The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from nie; if ye will not make known vmto nie the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill. 6. But if ye show the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honor; therefore show me the dream, and the interpreta- tion thereof. 7. They answered again and said. Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation of it. 8. The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me. 9. But if ye will not make kno^^^l unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you ; for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed ; therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can show me the interpretation thereof. 10. The Chal- deans answered before the king, and said. There is not a man \\\)o\\ the earth that can show the king's matter; therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean. 11. And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh. 12. For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 13. And the decree went forth that the wise men shoi:ld be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain. These verses contain the record of the desperate struggle between the Avise men, so called, and the king; the former seeking some avenue of escape, seeing they were caught on their own ground, and the latter determined that they should make known his dream, which was no more than their profes- sion would warrant him in demanding. Some have severely censured Xebuchadnezzar in this matter, as acting the part of 36 PROPHECY OF DANIEL a heartless, unreasonable tyrant. But what did these magi- cians profess to be able to do ^ — To reveal hidden things ; to foretell future events; to make known mysteries entirely be- yond human foresight and penetration ; and to do this by the aid of supernatural agencies. If, then, their claim was Avortli anything, could they not make known to the king what he had dreamed i — They certainly could. And if they were able, knowing the dream, to give a reliable interpretation thereof, would they not also be able to make kno^^^l the dream itself when it had gone from the king ? — Certainly, if there was any virtue in their pretended intercourse with the other world. There was therefore nothing unjust in Xebuchadnezzar's de- mand that they should make knoMTi his dream. And when they declared (verse 11) that none but the gods whose dwelling was not with flesh could make known the king's matter, it was a tacit acknowledginent that they had no communication with these gods, and knew nothing beyond what human wisdom and discernment could reveal. For this cause, the king was angry and very furious. He saw that he and all his people were being made the victims of deception. He accused them (verse 9) of endeavoring to dally along till the "time be changed," or till the matter had so passed from his mind that his anger at their duplicity should abate, and he would either recall the dream himself, or be unsolicitous whether it were made known and interpreted or not. And while we cannot justify the ex- treme measures to which he resorted, dooming them to death, and their houses to destruction, we cannot but feel a hearty sympatliy with him in his condemnation of a class of miser- able impostors. The severity of his sentence was probably attributable more to the customs of those times than to any malignity on the part of the king. Yet it was a bold and desperate step. Con- sider M'ho these were who thus incurred the wrath of the king. They were numerous, opulent, and influential sects. More- over, they were the learned and cultivated classes of those times; yet the king was not so wedded to his false religion as to spare it even with all lhis iiiflnoiiee in its favor. If the system Avas one of fraud and imposition, it mu-^t fall, hoAv- DANIEL AND HIS FELLOWS ARE SOUGHT TO BE SLAIN CHAPTER 2. VERSES U-18 39 ever liigh its votaries luiglit slund iii. numbers or position, or liowever many of them might he involved in its ruin. The king would l)e no party to dishonesty or deception. Verse 14. Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Ariocli the captain of the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Bahylon. 15. lie answered and said to Arioch the king's captain. Why is the decree so hasty from the king i Then Arioch made the thing kno^^'n to Daniel. 16. Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king tliat he would give him time, and that he would show the king the interpretation. 17. Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Aza- riah, his companions; 18. That they would desire mercies of the God of hearcn concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babjdon. In this narrative we see tlie providence of God working in several remarkahle particulars. 1. It was providential that the dream of the king should leave such a powerful impression upon liis mind as to raise him to the greatest height of anxiety, and yet the thing itself should be held from his recollection. This led to the complete exposure of the false system of the magicians and other pagan teachers ; for Avhen put to the test to make kno^vn the dream, it was found that they were unable to do what their profession made it incumbent on them to do. 2. It was remarkable that Daniel and his companions, so lately pronounced by the king ten times better than all his magicians and astrologers, should not sooner ha\'e been con- sulted, or, rather, should not have been consulted at all, in this matter. But there was a providence in this. Just as the dream was held from the king, so he was unaccountably h('ld from appealing to Daniel for a solution of the mystery. For had he called on Daniel at first, and had he at once made known the matter, the magicians would not have been brought to the test. But God would give the heathen systems of the Chaldeans the first chance. He would let them try, and igiio- miniously fail, and confess their utter incompetency, even under the penalty of death, that they might be the better pre- pared to acknowdedge his hand when he should finally reach it down in behalf of his captive servants, and for the honor of his OA\Ti name. 40 PROPHECY OF DANIEL 3. It aj^pears that the iirst intimation Daniel had of the matter ^vas the presence of the executioners, come for his ar- rest. His own life being thus at stake, he Avould be led to seek the Lord with all his heart till he should work for their deliverance. Daniel gains his request of the king for time to ■ consider the matter, — a privilege Avhich ])robably none of the magicians could have secured, as the king had already accused them of preparing lying and corrupt words, and of seeking to gain time for this very purpose. Daniel at once went to his three companions, and engaged them to unite with him in de- siring mercy of the God of heaven concerning this secret. He coidd have prayed alone, and doubtless would have boon heard ; but then, as now, in the union of God's people tliere is pre- vailing poAver ; and the promise of the accomplishment of that which is asked, is to the two or three who shall agree concerning it. Matt. IS: 10, 20. Verse 19. Then was the secret revealed imto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. 20. Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God forever and ever; for wisdom and might are his; 21. And he changeth the times and the seasons; he removetli kings, and setteth up kings; he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding; 22. He roveal- eth the deep and secret things ; he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. 23. I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee; for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter. Whether or not the answer came while Daniel and his companions were yet offering up their petitions, w^e are not informed. If it did, it shows their importunity in the matter; for it was through a night vision that God revealed himself in their behalf, wliich would show that they continued their sup- plications, as might reasonably be inferred, far into the night, and ceased not till tlie answer Avas obtained. Or, if their season of ])rayer had closed, and God at a subsequent time sent the answer, it would sIioav us that, as is sometimes the case, ])rayers are not unavailing though not immediately answercMl. Some think lhe matter was nuule known to Daniel by his dream- inir the same dream that Xebu('ha(ln(>zzar had dreanu^d ; but CHAPTER 2, VERSES 19 - 24 41 Matthew Henry considers it more probable that '' when he was awake, and continning instant in prayer, and watching in the same, the dream itself and the interpretation of it were com- municated to him by the ministry of an angel, abundantly to his satisfaction." The words " night vision " mean anything that is seen, whether through dreams or visions. Daniel immediately offered up praise to God for his gracious dealing with them ; and while his prayer is not preserved, his responsive thanksgiving is fully recorded. God is honored by our rendering him praise for the things he has done for us, as well as by our acknowledging through prayer o\ir need of his help. Let Daniel's course be our example in this respect. Let no mercy from the hand of God fail of its due return of thanksgiving and praise. Were not ten lepers cleansed ? ^' But where," asks Christ sorrowfully, " are the nine ? " Luke 17:17. Daniel had the utmost confidence in what had been shown him. He did not first go to the king, to see if what had been revealed to him was indeed the king's dream ; but he immedi- ately praised God for having answered his prayer. Although the matter was revealed to Daniel, he did not take honor to himself as though it were by his prayers alone that this thing had been obtained, but immediately associated his companions with himself, and acknowledged it to be as much an answer to their prayers as to his own. It was, said he, " what we desired of thee," and thou hast made it " kno\\Ti unto vs." Verse 24. Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon; he went and said thus unto him : Destroy not the wise men of Babylon ; bring me in before the king, and I will show unto the king the interpretation. Daniel's first plea is for the wise men of Babylon. Destroy them not, for the king's secret is revealed. True it was through no merit of theirs or their heathen systems of divination that this revelation was made; they were worthy of just as much condemnation as before. But their own confession of utter impotence in the matter was humiliation enough for them, and Daniel was anxious that they should so far partake of 42 PROPHECY OF DANIEL the benefits shown to him as to have their own lives spared. Thus thej were saved because there was a man of God among them. And thus it ever is. For the sake of Paul and Silas, all the prisoners with them were loosed. xVcts 10: 20. For the sake of Paul, the lives of all that sailed M'ith him were saved. Chapter :27:24. Thus the wicked are benefited bv the presence of the righteous. Well would it be if they would remember the obligations under which they are thus placed. What saves the world to-dav i For whose sake is it still spared ? — • For the sake of the few righteous persons w^ho are jet left. Remove these, and how long would the wicked be suffered to run their guilty career ? — Xo longer than the ante- dihivians were suft'ered, after jSToah had entered the ark, or the Sodomites, after Lot had departed from their polluted and polluting presence. If only ten righteous persons could have been found in Sodom, the multitude of its wicked inhabitants would, for their sakes, have been spared. Yet the wicked will despise, ridicule, and oppress the very ones on whose account it is that they are still permitted the enjoyment of life and all its blessings. Verse 25. Then Arioch brought in Daniel before tlie king- in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah. that will make known unto the king the interpretation. It is ever a characteristic of ministers and courtiers to in- gratiate themselves with their soyereign. So here Arioch rep- resented that he had found a man who could make known the desired interpretation; as if with great disinterestedness, in behalf of the king, he had been searching for some one to solve his difiiculty, and had at last found him. In order to see through this deception of his chief executioner, the king had but to remember, as he probably did, his interview with Daniel (verse 10), and Daniel's ]u'()mise, if time could be granted, to show th(^ inter]U'etation thereof. Vehse 26. The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof? 27. Daniel an- swered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the kiiig hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magi- CHAPTER 2, VERSES 26 -SO 4:3 cians, the soothsayers, show unto the king; 2S. But there is a (Jod in heaven tliat revealeth secrets, and inaketh known to the king Nebu- chadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these. Art thou able to make known the dream ? was the king's doubtful salutation to Daniel, as he came into liis presence. Xotwithstanding bis previous ac<|uaintance with Daniel, the king seems to have questioned his ability, so yotmg and inex- perienced, to make known a matter in wbicli the aged and venerable magicians and soothsayers had utterly failed. Daniel declared plainly that the wise men, the astrologers, the sooth- sayers, and the magicians could not make known this secret. It was beyond their power. Therefore the king should not be angry with them, nor put confidence in their inefficient super- stitions. He then proceeds to make known the true God, who rales in heaven, and is the only revealer of secrets. And he it is, says Daniel, who maketli kno\^'n to the king T^ebuchad- nezzar what shall be in the latter days. Verse 29. As for thee, O king-, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter; and he that re- vealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass. 30. But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of tliy heart. Here is brought out another of the commendable traits of IS^ebuchadnezzar's character. Unlike some rulers, who fill up the present with folly and debauchery without regard to the future, be thought forward upon the days to come, with an anxious desire to know with what events they should be filled. His object in this was, doubtless, that he might the better know how to make a wise improvement of the present. For this rea- son God gave him this dream, which Ave must regard as a token of the divine favor toward the king, as there were many other ways in which the truth involved in this matter could ha^'c^ been brotight out, equally to the honor of God's name, and the good of his people both at that time and through sul~>sequent generations. Yet God would not Avork for the kiuir independ- ently of his own people ; hence, though he gave the dream to 44 PROPHECY OF DANIEL the king, he sent the interpretation tliruugii one of his own acknowledged servants. Daniel lirst disclaimed all credit for himself in the transaction, and then to modify somewhat the feelings of pride which it Avould have been natnral for the king to have, in view of being tlins noticed by the God of heaven, he informed him indirectly, that, althongh the dream had been given to him, it was not for his sake altogether that the inter- pretation was sent, but for their sakes through whom it should be made known. Ah ! God had some servants there, and it was for them that he was working. They are of more value in his sight than the mightiest kings and potentates of earth. Had it not been for them, the king would never have had the inter- pretation of his dream, probably not even the dream itself. Thus, when traced to their source, all favors, upon whomsoever bestowed, are found to be due to the regard which God has for his own children. How comprehensive was the work of God in this instance. Ey this one act of revealing the king's dream to Daniel, he accomplished the following objects: (1) He made known to the king the things he desired; (2) He saved his servants who trusted in him; (3) He brought conspicuously before the Chaldean nation the knowledge of the true God; (4) He poured contempt on the false systems of the soothsayers and magicians; and (5) He honored his own name, and exalted his servants in their eyes. Verse 31. Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. 32. This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, 33. Ilis logs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. 34. Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. 35. Then was 1he iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, l)roken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the siunmer threshing-floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was foTiud for tb.em ; and the stone that smote the image became a great mountaiu, nud filled the whole earth. Xebuchadnezzar, ])racticing tlie CMnddean religion, was an idolater. \u image was an object which would at once com- nmnd his attention and respect. ^Moreover, earthly kiiu^iloms, whicli, as we shall hereafter see, were rej">rescnt(Ml by this THE GREAT W O R L D- K I N G DO M IMAGE DAN. 2:31-34. CHAPTER 2, VERSES 31 - 35 47 image, wore objects of esteem ami \'ulue iu his eyes. With a mind unenlightened by the light of revelation, he was unpre- pared to put a true estimate upon earthly wealth and glory, and to look upon earthly governments in their true light. Hence the striking harmony between the estimate which he put upon these things, and the object by which they were symbolized before him. To him they were presented under the form of a great image, an object in his eyes of worth and admiration. With Daniel the case was far different. He was able to view in its true light all greatness and glory not built on the favor and approbation of God; and therefore to him these same earthly kingdoms were afterward shown (see chap- ter 7) under the form of cruel and ravenous wild beasts. But how admirably adapted Avas this representation to con- vey a great and needful truth to the mind of "N"ebuchadnezzar. Besides delineating the progress of events through the whole course of time for the benefit of his people, God would show Xebnchadnezzar the utter emptiness and worthlessness of earthly pomp and glory. And how could this be more im- pressively done than by an image commencing with the most precious of metals, and continually descending to the baser, till we finally have the coarsest and cnulest of materials, — iron mingled with the miry clay, — the whole then dashed to pieces,, and made like the empty chaff, no good thing in it, but alto- gether lighter than vanity, and finally blown away where no place could be found for it, after which something durable and of heavenly worth occupies its place ? So would God show to the children of men that earthly kingdoms were to pass away, and earthly greatness and glory, like a gaudy bubble, would break and vanish; and the kingdom of God, in the place so long usurped l)y these, should be set up, to have no end, and all who had an interest therein should rest under the shadow of its peaceful M'ings forever and ever. But this is anticipating. Verse 36. This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king:. 37. Thou, O king-, art a king of kings; for the God of lieaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. 38. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the 48 PROPHECY OF DANIEL beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of grold. Xow opens one of the subliniest chapters of human history. Eight short verses of the inspired record tell the whole story; yet that story embraces the history of this world's pomp and l)ower. A few moments will suffice to connnit it to memory; yet the period M'liich it covers, commencing more than twenty- five centuries ago, reaches on from that far-distant point past the rise and fall of kingdoms, past the setting up and over- tlirow of empires, past cycles and ages, past our o^\ti day, over into the eternal state. It is so comprehensive that it embraces all tins; yet it is so minute that it gives us all the great out- lines of earthly kingdoms from that time to this. Human wisdom never devised so brief a record which embraced so much. Human language never set forth in so few words, so great a volume of historical truth. The finger of God is here. Let lis heed the lesson well. "With what interest, as Avell as astonishment, must the king have listened, as he Avas informed by the prophet that he, or rather his kingdom, the king being here put for his kingdom (see the following verse), was the golden head of the magnifi- cent image which he had seen. Ancient kings were grateful for success; and in cases of prosperity, the tutelar deity, to whom they attributed their success, was the adorable object upon which they would lavish their richest treasures and be- stow their best devotions. Daniel indirectly informs the king that in this case all these are due to the God of heaven, since he is the one who has given him his kingdom, and made him ruler over all. This would restrain him from the pride of thinking tliat he had attained his position by his ovm poAver and wisdom, and Avould enlist the gratitude of liis heart toward the true God. The kingdom of Babylon, M'hicli finally developed into the golden head of the great historic image, was founded by l^im- rod, the great-grandson of Xoah, over two thousand years before Thrist. Gen. 10:8-10: "And Cush begat Nimrod ; he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He Avas a mighty CHAPTER 2, VERSES 36 - 38 49 hunter before the Lord; wherefore it is said, Even as Xinirod, the mighty hunter before the Lord. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel \_inay(jin, Babylon], and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in tlie land of Shinar." It appears that Xinirod also founded the city of Xineveh, which afterward became the capital of Syria. (See marginal reading of Gen. 10: 11, and Johnson's Cyclopedia, art. Syria.) The following sketch of the history of Babylon, from Johnson's Universal Cyclopedia, art. Babylon, is according to the latest authorities on this subject :- — ■ "About 1270 B. c, the Assyrian kings became masters of Chaldea, or Babylonia, of which Babylon was the capital. This country was afterward ruled by an Assyrian dynasty of kings, who reigned at Babylon, and sometimes waged w'ar against those who reigned in Assyria proper. At other times the kings of Babylon were tril)utary to those of Assyria. Sev- eral centuries elapsed in wliich the liistory of Babylon is almost a blank. In the time of Tiglath-pileser of Assyria, Xabonassar ascended the throne of Babylon in YlT b. c. He is celebrated for the chronological era which l)ears his name, and w^liich began in 747 b. c. About 720 Merodach-baladan became king of Babylon, and sent and^assadors to Ilezekiah, king of Judah (see 2 Kings 20, and Isa. 30). A few years later, Sargon, king of Assyria, defeated and dethroned Merodach-baladan. Sennacherib completed the subjection of Babylon, which he annexed to the Assyrian empire about 690 b. c. The con- (piest of Xineveh and the subversion of the Assyrian empire, which was effected about 025 b. c, by Cyaxares the Mede, and his ally Xalwpolassar, the rebellious governor of Babylon, enabled the latter to found the Bal)ylonian empire, which was the fourth of Rawlinson's ' Five Great ^NFouarchies,' and in- cluded the valley of the Euphrates, Susiana, Syria, and Pales- estine. His reign lasted about twenty-one years, and was probably pacific, as tlie history of it is nearly a blank; but in 605 b. c. his army defeated Xecho, king of Egypt, who hamselv(>s over to the most "If,, d 'v\ '""'^»nuuv,n " mm** '.' * ^ •1"!' BABYLON TAKEN BY THE M E D O - P t. .^ S I A N S CHAPTER 2. VERSE 39 59 reckless carelessness and presumption, a state of things upon wliicli Cyrus calculated largely for the carrying out of his purpose. For on each side of the river, through the entire length of the city, were walls of great height, and of equal thickness with the outer walls. In these walls were huge gates of solid brass, which A\hen closed and guarded, debarred all entrance from the river-bed to any and all of the twenty- five streets that crossed the river ; and had they been thus closed at this time, the soldiers of Cyrus might have marched into the city along the river-bed, and then marched out again, for all that they would have been able to accomplish toward the subjugation of the place. But in the drunken revelry of that fatal night, these river gates were all left open, and the entrance of the Persian soldiers was not perceived. Many a cheek would have paled with terror, had they noticed the sud- den going do^vn of the river, and understood its fearful import. Many a tongue would have spread wild alarm through the city, had they seen the dark forms of their armed foes stealthily treading their way to the citadel of their strength, l^ut no one noticed the sudden subsidence of the waters of the river; no one saw the entrance of the Persian warriors ; no one took care that the river gates should be closed and guarded; no one cared for aught but to see how deeply and recklessly he could plunge into the wild debauch. That night's work cost them their kingdom and their freedom. They went into their brut- ish revelry subjects of the king of Babylon ; they awoke from it slaves to the king of Persia. The soldiers of Cyrus first made known their presence in the city by falling upon the royal guards in the very vestibule of the palace of the king. Belshazzar soon became aware of the cause of the disturbance, and died vainly fighting for his imperiled life. This feast of Belshazzar is described in the fifth chapter of Daniel; and the scene closes with the simple record, " In that night was Belshazznr the king of the Chal- deans slain. And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old." Tims the first division of the great image was completed. Another kingdom had arisen, as the propliet had declared. 60 PBOPIIECY OF DANIEL The iirst instalment of the prophetic dream was fulfilled. But before ^ve take lea^-e of Babylon, let us glance forward to the end of its thenceforth melancholy history. It would naturally be supposed that the conqueror, becoming possessed of so noble a city, far surpassing anything in the world, would have taken it as the seat of his empire, and maintained it in its primitive splendor. But God had said that that city should become a heap, and the habitation of the beasts of the desert ; that their houses should be full of doleful creatures ; that the wild beasts of the islands should cry in their desolate dwellings, and dragons in their pleasant palaces. Isa. 13:19- 22. It must first be deserted. Cyrus removed the imperial seat to Susa, a celebrated city in the province of Elam, east from Babylon, on the banks of the River Choaspes, a branch of the Tigris. This was probabW done, says Prideaux (i. 180), in the first year of his sole reign. The pride of the Babylonians being particularly provoked by this act, in the fifth year of Darius Hystaspes, b. c. 517, they rose in rebellion, which brought upon themselves again the whole strength of the Per- sian empire. The city was once more taken by stratagem. Zopyrus, one of the chief conmianders of Darius, having cut off his own nose and ears, and mangled his body all over with stripes, fled in this condition to the besieged, apparently burn- ing with desire to be revenged on Darius for his great cruelty in thus mutilating him. In this way he won the confidence of the Babylonians till they at length made him chief commander of their forces ; whereupon he betrayed the city into the hands of his master. And that they might ever after be deterred from rebellion, Darius impaled three thousand of those who had been most active in the revolt, took away the brazen gates of the city, and beat down the walls from two hundred cubits to fifty cubits. This was the commencement of its destruction. By this act, it was left exposed to the ravages of every hostile band. Xerxes, on his return from Greece, plundered the tem- ple of Belus of its immense wealth, and then laid the lofty structure in ruins. Alexander the Great endeavored to rebuild it; but after employing ten thousand men two months to clear' awav the rubbish, he died from excessive drunkenness and de- CHAPTER 2, VERSE 39 63 baucliery, and the work was suspended. In the year 294 b. c, Seleucus Xieator built the city of New liabylon in its neighbor- hood, and took much of the material and many of the inhabit- ants of the old city, to build up and people the new. Xow almost exhausted of inhabitants, neglect and decay were telling fearfully upon the ancient city. The violence of Parthian princes hastened its ruin. About the end of the fourth century, it was used by the Persian kings as an enclosure for wild beasts. At the end of the twelfth century, according to a celebrated traveler, the few remaining ruins of Xebucliadnez- zar's palace were so full of serpents and venomous reptiles that they could not, without great danger, be closely inspected. And to-day scarcely enough even of the ruins is left to mark the spot where once stood the largest, richest, and proudest city the world has ever seen. Thus the ruin of great Babylon shows us how accurately God will fulfil his word, and make the doubts of skepticism appear like wilful blindness. '^And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee." The use of the word hingdom here, shows that king- doms, and not particular kings, are represented by the different parts of this image; and hence Avhen it was said to Nebu- chadnezzar, " Thou art this head of gold," although the per- sonal pronoun was used, the kingdom, not the person of the king, was meant. The succeeding kingdom, Medo-Persia, is the one which answers to the breast and arms of silver of the great image. It was to be inferior to the preceding kingdom. In what re- spect inferior ? !N^ot in power ; for it was its conqueror. Xot in extent ; for Cyrus subdued all the East from the ^Egean Sea to the River Indus, and thus erected the most extensive empire that up to that time had ever existed. But it was inferior in wealth, luxury, and magiiifieence. Viewed from a Scriptural standpoint, the principal event under the Babylonish empire was the captivity of the children of Israel ; so the principal event under the Medo-Persian king- dom was the restoration of Israel to their own land. At the taking of Babylon, b. c. 538, Cyrus, as an act of courtesy, assigned the first place in the kingdom to his uncle, Darius. 64 PROPHECY OF DANIEL liut, two years afterward, b. c. 536, Darius died; and in the same year also died Canibyses, king of Persia, Cyrus's father. By these events, Cyrus was left sole monarch of the whole empire. In this year, which closed Israel's seventy years of ca])tivity, Cyrus issued his famous decree for the return of the Jews and the rebuilding of their temple. This was the first instalment of the great decree for the restoration and building again of Jerusalem (Ezra G: 14), which was completed in the seventh year of the reign of Artaxerxes, b. c. 457, and marked, as will hereafter be shown, the commencement of the 2300 days of Daniel 8, the longest and most important prophetic period mentioned in the Bible. Dan. 0:25. After a reign of seven years, Cyrus left the kingdom to his son Cambyses, called Ahasuerus in Ezra 4 : G, who reigned seven years and five months, to b. c. 522. Eight monarchs whose reigns varied from seven months to forty-six years each, took the throne in order till the year b. c. 33 G, as follows: Sraerdis the Magian, called Artaxerxes in Ezra 4 : 7, seven months, in the year b. c. 522; Darius Ilystaspes, from b. c. 521 to 48G ; Xerxes, from b. c. 485 to 4G5 ; Artaxerxes Lon- gimanus, from b. c. 464 to 424 ; Darius iSTothus, from b. c. 423 to 405 ; Artaxerxes Mnemon, from b. c. 404 to 359 ; Oehus. from B. c. 358 to 338 ; Arses, from b. c. 337 to 336. The year 335 is set down as the first of Darius Codomanus, the last of the line of the old Persian kings. This man, according to Prideaux, was of noble stature, of goodly person, of the great- est personal valor, and of a mild and generous disposition. II;id ho lived at any other age, a long and splendid career w(.uld undoubtedly have been his. But it was his ill-fortune to have to contend with one who was an agent in the fulfilment of prophecy; and no qualifications, natural or acquired, could render liim successful in the unequal contest. Scarcely was he warm upon the throne, says the last-named historian, ere he found his formidable enemy, Alexander, at the head of the Greek soldiers, preparing to dismount him from it. The cause and particulars of the contest between the Greeks aTid Persians we leave to histories specially devoted to such matters. Suliicc it here to say that the deciding point was CHAPTER 2, VERSE 39 65 reached on the field of Arbela, b. c. 331, in wliich tlie Grecians, though only one to twenty in number as compared with the Persians, were entirely victorious ; and Alexander thenceforth became absolute lord of the Persian empire to the utmost ex- tent that it was ever possessed by any of its own kings. "And another third kingdom of brass shall bear rule over all the earth," said the prophet. So few and brief are the inspired words which involved in their fulfilment a change of the world's rulers. In the ever-changing political kaleidoscope, Grecia now comes into the field of vision, to be, for a time, the all-absorbing object of attention, as the third of what are called the great universal empires of the earth. After the fatal battle which decided the fate of the empire, Darius still endeavored to rally the shattered remnants of his army, and make a stand for his kingdom and his rights. But he could not gather, out of all the host of his recently so nu- merous and Avell-appointed army, a force with which he deemed it prudent to hazard another engagement with the victorious Grecians. Alexander pursued him on the wings of the wind. Time after time did Darius barely elude the grasp of his swiftly following foe. At length two traitors, Bessus and Xabarzanes, seized the unfortunate prince, shut him up in a close cart, and fled with him as their prisoner toward Bactria. It was their purpose, if Alexander pursued them, to purchase their own safety by delivering up their king. Hereupon Alexander, learning of Darius's dangerous position in the hands of the traitors, immediately put himself with the lightest part of his army upon a forced pursuit. After several days' hard march, he came up with the traitors. They urged Darius to mount on liorseback for a more speedy flight. Upon his refusing to do this, they gave him several mortal wounds, and left him dying in his cart, while they mounted their steeds and rode away. ^^Tien Alexander came up, he beheld only the lifeless form of the Persian king. As ho gazed upon the corpse, he might have learned a profitable lesson of the instability of human fortune. Here was a man who but a few months before, possessing many noble and generous qualities, was seated upon the throne of universal empire. Disaster, overthrow, and de- 66 rnuPUECY Ui'' JJAXIEL dertion had come suddenly upon him. His kingdom had been conquered, his treasure seized, and his family reduced to cap- tivity. And now, brutally slain by the hand of traitors, he lay a bloody corpse in a rude cart. The sight of the melan- choly spectacle drew tears even from the eyes of Alexander, familiar though he was with all the horrible vicissitudes and bloody scenes of war. Throwing his cloak over the body, he commanded it to be conveyed to the captive ladies of Susa, himself furnishing the necessary means for a royal funeral. Por this generous act let us give him credit; for he stands sadly in need of all that is his due. When Darius fell, Alexander saw the field cleared of his last formidable foe. Thenceforward he could spend his time in his own manner, now in the enjoyment of rest and pleasure, and again in the prosecution of some minor conquest. He entered upon a pompous campaign into India, because, accord- ing to Grecian fable, Bacchus and Hercules, two sons of Jupi- ter, whose son he also claimed to be, had done the same. With contemptible arrogance, he claimed for himself divine honors. He gave up conquered cities, freely and unprovoked, to the absolute mercy of his blood-thirsty and licentious soldiery. He himself often murdered his own friends and favorites in his drunken frenzies. He sought out the vilest persons for the gratification of his lust. At the instigation of a dissolute and drunken Avoman, he, with a company of his courtiers, all in a state of frenzied intoxication, sallied out, torch in hand, and fired the city and palace of Persepolis, one of the then finest palaces in the world. He encouraged such excessive drinking among his followers that on one occasion twenty of them together died as the result of their carousal. At length, having sat through one long drinking spree, he was immediately invited to another, when, after drinking to each of the twenty guests present, he tAvice drank full, says history, incredible as it may seem, the Herculean cup containing six of our (luarts. He thereupon fell dowm, seized with a violent fever, of wliich lie died eleven days later, in ^lay or .Tune, b. c. 32.'], while yet he stood only at the thresliold of mature life, in the tliirtv- socond venr of liis aire. CHAPTER 2, VERSE 40 69 The progress of the Grecian empire we need not stop to trace here, since its distinguishing features will claim more particular notice under other prophecies. Daniel thus con- tinues in his interpretation of the great image: — Verse 40. And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron; foras- much as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things; and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. Thus far in the application of this prophecy there is a gen- eral agTeement among expositors. That Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Grecia are represented resiDCctively by the head of gold, the breast and arms of silver, and the sides of brass, is acknowl- edged by all. But with just as little ground for a diversity of views, there is strangely a difference of opinion as to what kingdom is symbolized by the fourth division of the great image, — the legs of iron. On this point we have only to in- quire, What kingdom did succeed Grecia in the empire of the world ? for the legs of iron denote the fourth kingdom in the series. The testimony of history is full and explicit on this point. One kingdom did this, and one only, and that was Rome. It conquered Grecia; it subdued all things; like iron, it broke in pieces and bruised. Gibbon, following the sym- bolic imagery of Daniel, thus describes this empire: — " The arms of the Republic, sometimes vanquished in bat- tle, always victorious in war, advanced with rapid steps to the Euphrates, the Danube, the Rhine, and the ocean; and the images of gold, or silver, or brass, that might serve to represent the nations or their kings, were successively broken by the iron monarchy of Rome." At the opening of the Christian era, this empire took in the whole south of Europe, France, England, the greater part of the ISTetherlands, Switzerland, and the south of Germany, Hungary, Turkey, and Greece, not to speak of its possessions in Asia and Africa. Well, therefore, may Gibbon say of it : — " The enquire of the Romans filled the world. And when that empire fell into the hands of a single person, the world became a safe and dreary prison for his enemies. To resist was fatal : and it was impossible to fly." 70 PROPHECY OF DANIEL It will be noticed that at first the kingdom is described un- qualifiedly as strong as iron. And this was the period of its strength, during -which it has been likened to a mighty Colos- sus, bestriding the nations, conquering everything, and giving laws to the world. But this was not to continue. Verse 41. And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of pot- ters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. 42. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. The element of weakness symbolized by the clay, pertained to the feet as well as to the toes. Rome, before its division into ten kingdoms, lost that iron tenacity which it possessed to a superlative degree during the first centuries of its career. Luxury, with its accompanying effeminacy and degeneracy, the destroyer of nations as well as of individuals, began to corrode and weaken its iron sinews, and thus prepared the way for its subsequent disruption into ten kingdoms. The iron legs of the image terminate, to maintain the con- sistency of the figure, in feet and toes. To the toes, of which there were of course just ten, our attention is called by the explicit mention of them in the prophecy; and the kingdom represented by that portion of the image to which the toes belonged, was finally divided into ten parts. The question therefore naturally arises. Do the ten toes of the image repre- sent the ten final divisions of the Roman empire? To those who prefer what seems to be a natural and straightforward interpretation of the word of God, it is a matter of no little astonishment that any question should here be raised. To take the ten toes to represent the ten kingdoms into which Rome was divided seems like such an easy, consistent, and matter-of-course procedure, that it requires a labored effort to interpret it other- wise. Yet such an effort is made by some — by Romanists universally, and by such Protestants as still cling to Romish errors. A volume by 11. Cowles, D. D., may perhaps best be taken as a representative exposition on this side of the question. CHAPTER 2, VERSES Jkh k^ 71 The writer gives every evidence of exteiisive erudition and great ability. It is the more to be regretted, therefore, that these powers are devoted to the propagation of error, and to misleading the anxious inquirer who wishes to know his where- abouts on the great highway of time. ^Ye can but briefly notice his positions. They are, (1) That the third kingdom was Grecia during the lifetime of Alexander only; (2) That the fourth kingdom Avas Alexan- der's successors; (3) That the latest point to which the fourth kingdom could extend, is the manifestation of the Messiah ; for (4) There the God of heaven set up his kingdom; there the stone smote the image upon its feet, and commenced the process of grinding it up. ISTor can we reply at any great length to these positions. 1. We might as well confine the Babylonian empire to the single reign of Xebuchadnezzar, or that of Persia to the reign of Cyrus, as to confine the third kingdom, Grecia, to the reign of Alexander. 2. Alexander's successors did not constitute another king- dom, but a continuation of the same, the Grecian kingdom of the image ; for in this line of prophecy the succession of king- doms is by conquest. AVhen Persia had conquered Babylon, we had the second empire ; and when Grecia had conquered Persia, we had the third. But Alexander's successors (his four leading generals) did not conquer his empire, and erect another in its place ; they simply divided among themselves the empire which Alexander had conquered, and left ready to their hand. " Chronologically," says Professor C, " the fourth empire must immediately succeed Alexander, and lie entirely between him and the birth of Christ." Chronologically, we reply, it must do no such thing; for the birth of Christ was not the introduction of the fifth kingdom, as will in due time appear. Here he overlooks almost the entire duration of the third di- vision of the image, confounding it with the fourth, and giving no room for the divided state of the Grecian empire as sym- bolized by the four heads of the leopard of chapter 7, and the four horns of the goat of chapter 8. ^2 PROPHECY OF DAXIEL " Territorially," continues Professor C, '' it [the fourth kingdom] should be sought in Western Asia, not in Europe; in general, on the same territory where the first, second, and third kingdoms stood." VThj not Europe? we ask. Each of the first three kingdoms possessed territory which was pecul- iarly its own. Why not the fourth? Analogy requires that it siiould. And was not the third kingdom a European king- dom ^ that is, did it not rise on European territory, and take its namo fn.m the land of its hirth ? Why not, then, go a degree farther west for the place where the fourth great king- dom should he founded ? And how did Grecia ever occupy the territory of the first and second kingdoms ( — ■ Only by concpiest. And Eome did the same. Hence, so far as the territorial recpiirements of the professor's theory are concerned, Rome could be the fourth kingdom as truthfully as Grecia could be the third. " Politically," he adds, " it should be the immediate suc- cessor of Alexander's empire, . . . changing the dynasty, but not the nations." Analogy is against him here. Each of the first three kingdoms was distinguished by its own peculiar nationality. The Persian was not the same as the Babylonian, nor the Grecian the same as either of the two that preceded it. Xow analogy requires that the fourth kingdom, instead of being composed of a fragment of this Grecian empire, should possess a nationality of its own, distinct from the other three. And this we find in the Roman kingdom, and in it alone. But, 3. The grand fallacy which nnderlies this whole system of misinterpretation, is the too connnonly taught theory that the kingdom of God Avas set up at the first advent of Christ. It can easily l)e seen how fatal to this theory is the admission that flic fonrth empire is Rome. For it was to be after the division of tliat fonrtli empire, that the God of heaven was to set up his kingdom. Ihit the division of the Ronian enqfire into ten parts was not acconq)li shell previous to a. d. 470; consequently the kingdom of God conld not have been set up at the first advent of Christ, nearly five hnnf lh(^ image does the stone smite? - — Tlie feet and toes. lUit these were not developed until CHAPTER 2, VERSES U, 45 85 four centuries and a half after the crucifixion of Christ. The image was, at the time of the crucifixion, only developed to the thighs, so to speak ; and if th(i kingdom of God was there set up, if there the stone smote the imago, it smote it upon the thighs, not upon the feet, where the prophecy places the smiting. o. The stone that smites the iuiage is cut out of the moun- tain without hands. The margin reads, "• Which was not in hand." This shows that the smiting is not done by an a^"-ont acting for another, not by the church, for instance, in the hands of Christ; but it is a work which the Lord does by his own divine power, without any human agency. 4. Again, the kingdom of God is placed before tho church as a matter of hope. The Lord did not teach his disciples a prayer which in two or three years was to ])eeome obsolete. The petition may as appropriately ascend from the lips of the patient, waiting flock in these last days, as from the lips of his first disciples, " Thy kingdom come." 5. We have plain Scripture declarations to establish the following propositions: (1) The kingdom was still future at the time of our Lord's last Passover. Matt. 20:29. (2) Christ did not set it up before his ascension. Acts 1:6. (3) Flesh and blood cannot inherit it. 1 Cor. 15: 50. (4) It is a matter of promise to the apostles, and to all those that love God. James 2:5. (5) It is promised in the future to the little flock. Luke 12: 32. (6) Through much tribulation the saints are to enter therein. Acts 14: 22. (7) It is to be set up when Christ shall judge the living and the dead. 2 Tim. 4:1. (8) This is to be when he shall come in his glory Avith all his holy angels. Matt. 25:31- 34. As militating against the foregoing view, it may be asked if the expression, '^ Kingdom of heaven," is not, in the New Testament, applied to the church. In some instances it may be; but in others as evidently it cannot be. In the decisive texts referred to above, which show that it was still a matter of promise oven after the church was fully established, tliat mortality cannot inherit it, and that it is to be set up only in connection with the coming of our Lord t<> judgment, the refer- 8(3 PROPHECY OF DANIEL ence cannot be to any state or organization here upon earth. The object we have before ns is to ascertain what constitutes the kingdom of Dan. 2 : 44 ; and we have seen that the prophecy utterly forbids our applying it there to the church, inasmuch as by the terms of the prophecy itself w^e are prohibited from looking for that kingdom till over four hundred years after the crucifixion of Christ and the establishment of the gosjoel church. Therefore if in some expressions in the ISTew Testament the M'ord " kingdom " can be found applying to the work of God's grace, or the spread of the gospel, it cannot in such instances be the kingdom brought to view in Daniel. That can only be the future literal kingdom of Christ's glory, so often brought to view in both the Old Testament and the J^ew. It may be objected again, that when the stone smites the image, the iron, the brass, the silver, and the gold are broken to pieces together ; hence the stone must have smitten the image when all these parts wore in existence. In reply Ave ask. What is meant by their being broken to pieces together ? Does the expression mean that the same persons who constituted the kingdom of gold would be alive when the image was dashed to pieces ? — ISTo ; else the image covers but the duration of a single generation. Does it mean that that would be a ruling kingdom ? — Xo ; for there is a succession of kingdoms down to the fourth. On the supposition, then, that the fifth king- dom was set up at the first advent, in what sense were the brass, silver, and gold in existence then any more than at the present day ? Does it refer to the time of the second resurrec- tion, when all these wicked nations will be raised to life ? — N^o; for the destruction of earthly governments in this present state, which is here symbolized by the smiting of the image, certainly takes place at the end of this dispensation; and in the second resurrection national distinctions will be no more known. Xo objection really exists in the point under consideration; for all tlio kingdoms s^Tubolized by the image are, in a certain sense, still in existence. Chaldea and Assyria are still the first divisions of the image; Media and Persia, the second; Macedo- nia, Greece, Thrace, Asia Minor, and Egypt, the third. Polit- CHAPTER 2, VERSES U, ^ 87 ical life and dominion, it is true, have passed from one to the other, till, so far as the image is concerned, it is all now con- centrated in the divisions of the fourth kingdom; but the others, in location and substance, though without dominion, are still there; and together all will be dashed to pieces when the fifth kingdom is introduced. It may still further be asked, by way of objection, Have not the ten kingdoms, in the days of which the kingdom of God was to be set up, all passed away ? and as the kingdom of God is not yet set up, has not the prophecy, according to the view here advocated, proved a failure ? We answer : Those kingdoms have not yet passed away. We are yet in the days of those kings. The following illustration from Dr. Nelson's " Cause and Cure of Infidelity," pp. 374, 375, will set this matter in a clear light: — " Suppose some feeble people should be suffering from the almost constant invasions of numerous and ferocious enemies. Suppose some powerful and benevolent prince sends them word that he will, for a number of years, say thirty, maintain, for their safety along the frontier, ten garrisons, each to contain one hundred well-armed men. Suppose the forts are built and remain a few years, when two of them are burned to the ground and rebuilt without delay; has there been any violation of the sovereign's word ? — No ; there was no material interruption in the continuance of the walls of strength; and, further- more, the most important part of the safeguard was still there. Again, suppose the monarch sends and has two posts of strength demolished, but, adjoining the spot where these stood, and immediately, he has other two buildings erected, more capa- cious and more desirable ; does the promise still stand good ? We answer in the affirmative, and we believe no one would difi^er with us. Finally, suppose, in addition to the ten gar- risons, it could be sho^^Ti that for several months during the thirty years, one more had been maintained there ; that for one or two years out of the thirty, there had been there eleven instead of ten fortifications ; shall we call it a defeat or a fail- ure of the original undertaking? Or shall any seeming inter- ruptions, such as have been stated, destroy the propriety of 88 PROPHECY OF DANIEL our calling these the ten garrisons of the frontier ? The answer is, Xo, Avithout disj^ute. " So it is, and has been, respecting the ten kingdoms of Europe once under the Roman scepter. They have been there for twelve hundred and sixty years. If several have had their names changed according to the caprice of him who concpiered, this change of name did not destroy existence. If otliers have had their territorial limits changed, the nation was siill there. If others have fallen while successors were forming in their room, the ten horns were still there. If, during a few years out of a thousand, there were more than ten, if some tem- porary power reared its head, seeming to claim a place with the rest and soon disappeared, it has not caused the beast to have less than ten horns." Scott remarks : — '' It is certain that the Roman empire Avas divided into ten kingdoms; and though they might be sometimes more and sometimes fcAver, yet they Avere still knoAAm by the name of the ten kingdoms of the "Western empire." Thus the subject is cleared of all difficulty. Time has fully developed this great image in all its parts. Most strictly does it represent the important political events it Avas designed to SAnnbolize. It stands complete upon its feet. Thus it has been standing for OA-er fourteen hundred years. It Avaits to be smitten upon the feet by the stone cut out of the mountain Avithout hand, that is, the kingdom of Christ. This is to be accomplished Avhen the Lord shall be revealed in flaming fire, taking A'engeance on them that knoAv not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. (See Ps. 2: 8, 9.) In the days of these kings the God of lieaA'en is to set up a kingdom. We liaA'e been in the days of these kings for oA-er fourteen centuries, and aa'o are still in their days. So far as this prophecy is concerned, the A-ery next eA'ent is the setting up of God's eA'^erlasting kingdom. Other prophecies and innumer- able signs show unmistakably its innnediate proximity. The coming kingdom! This ought to be the all-absorbing topic Avith the present generation. Reader, are you ready for thf issue? lie Avho enters this hingdom enters it not merely CHAPTER 2, VERSES U-V^ 89 for such a lifetime as men live in this present state, not to see it degenerate, not to see it overthrown by a succeeding and more powerful kingdom ; but he enters It to participate in all its privileges and blessings, and to share its glories forever ; for this kingdom is not to " be left to other peo})le." Again we ask you, Are you ready ? The terms of heirship are most liberal: " If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Are you on terms of friend- ship with Christ, the coming King I Do you love his char- acter ? Are you trying to walk humbly in his footsteps, and obey his teachings ? If not, read your fate in the cases of those in the parable, of whom it was said, " But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reigii over them, bring hither, and slay them before me." There is to be no rival kingdom where ^you can find an asylum if you remain an enemy to this; for this is to occupy all the territory ever pos- sessed by any and all of the kingdoms of this world, past or present. It is to fill the whole earth. Happy they to whom the rightful Sovereign, the all-conquering King, at last can say, " Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Verse 46. Then th3 king Nebuchadnezzar fell u])on his face, and worshiped Daniel, and commanded that they should otfer an obla- tion and sweet odors unto him. 47. The king answered unto Daniel, and said. Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret. 48. Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon. 49. Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Dan- iel sat in the gare of the king. Wq have dwelt quite at length on the interpretation of th(^ dream, which Daniel made known to the Chaldean monarch. From this we must now return to the palace of Nebuchadnez- zar, and to Daniel, as he stands in the presence of the king, having made kno^\^l to him the dream and the interpretation thereof, v.hile the courtiers and the baffled soothsayers and astrologers wait around in silent awe aner])('tual. Tt is ])robable tliat the height here mentioned, ninety feet at the lowest estimate, was not the height of the image proper, (92) THE THREE HEBREWS REFUSING TO BOW TO THE IMAGE CHAPTER 8, VERSES 1-7 95 but included the pedestal also. Nor is it probable that any more than the image proper, ii even that, was of solid gold. It could have been overlaid with thin plates, nicely joined, at a much less exj)ense, without detracting at all from its external appearance. Verse 2. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasur- ers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 3. Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood be- fore the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4. Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, mations, and lan- guages, 5. That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up; C. And whoso falleth not down and worshipeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 7. Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. The dedication of this image was made a great occasion. The chief men of all the kingdom were gathered together ; so much pains and expense will men undergo in sustaining idola- trous and heathen systems of worship. So it is and ever has been. Alas, that those who have the true religion should be so far outdone in these respects by the upholders of the false and counterfeit ! The worship was accompanied with music ; and whoso should fail to participate therein was tlireatened with a fiery furnace. Such are ever the strongest motives to impel men in any direction, — pleasure on the one hand, pain on the other. Verse G contains the first mention to l)e found in the Bible of the division of time into hours. It was probably the inven- tion of the Chaldeans. Verse 8. Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. 9. They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnez- zar, O king, live forever. 10. Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackb\it. (j,^; PROPHECY OF DAXIEL psaltery, and dulciiner, and all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image; 11. And whoso falleth not down and wor- shipeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery fur- nace. 12. There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee; they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Those Chaldeans who accused the Je^vs were probably the sect of philosophers wlio M'ent by that name, and who were .'till smarting under the chagrin of their ignominions failure in respect to their interpretation of the king's dream of chapter 2. They were eager to seize wpon any pretext to accnse the Jews before the king, and either disgrace or destroy them. They worked upon the king's prejndice by strong insinuations of I heir ingratitude: Thou hast set them over the affairs of Baby- lon, and yet they liavo disregarded thee. Where Daniel was upon this occasion, is not known. lie was probably absent on some business of the empire, the importance of which demanded his presence. But why should Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed- nego, since they knew they could not worshij) the image, be present on the occasion ? Was it not because they were willing to comply with the king's requirements as far as they could without compromising their religious principles? The king re([nire(l them to be present. With this requirement they could comply, and they did. He required them to worship ihe image. This their religion forbade, and this they therefore refused to do. Vehsk 1.'3. Then Xebuchadnozzar in his rage and ftiry commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought these men before the king. 14. Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? 15. Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of nuisic, ye fall down and worshi]) the image which I have made, well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? 16. Sliadrach. IMeshach, and Abed-nego an- swered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 17. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will de- Hvcr us out of thine hand, O king. 18. But if not, be it known unto THE THREE. HEBREWS IN THE FIERY FURNACE CHAPTER S, VERSES IS - 25 99 thee, 0 king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. The forbearance of the king is shown in his granting Shad- racli, Meshach, and Abed-nego another trial after their tirst failure to comply Avitli his requirements. Doubtless the mat- ter was thoroughly understood. They could not plead igno- rance. They knew just what the king wanted, and their failure to do it was an intentional and deliberate refusal to obey him. With most kings this would have been enough to seal their fate. Jiut no, says Xebuchadnezzar, I will overlook this offense, if upon a second trial they comply w'ith the law. lUit they in- formed the king that he need not trouble himself to repeat the farce. " We are not careful," said they, " to answer thee in this matter." That is, you need not grant us the favor of another trial; our mind is made up. We can answer just as well now. as at any future time; and our answer is, We will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden inuige wdiich thou hast set up. Our God can deliver if he will ; but if not, it is just the same. We know his will, and to that w^e shall render unconditional obedience. Their answer was both honest and decisive. Verse 19. Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego ; therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. 20. And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to cast them into the burn- ing fiery furnace, 21. Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 22. Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. 23. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 24. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counselors. Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said imto the king, True, O king. 25. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. Xebucbadnezzar was not entirely free from the faults and follies into which an absolute monarch so easily runs. Intox- iOO PROPHECY OF DANIEL icated with unlimited power, he could not brook disobedience or contradiction. Let his expressed authority be resisted, on how- ever good grounds, and he exhibits the weakness common to our fallen humanity under like circumstances, and flies into a passion. Ruler of the world, he was not equal to that still harder task of ruling his o^^^l spirit. And even the form of his visage was changed. Instead of the calm, dignified, self-pos- ' sessed ruler that he should have appeared, he betrayed him- self in look and act as the slave of ungovernable passion. The furnace Avas heated one seven times hotter than usual ; ill other words, to its utmost capacity. The king overreached himself in this; for even if the fire had been suffered to have its ordinary effect upon the ones he cast into the furnace, it would only have destroyed them the sooner. ISTothing would have been gained by that means on the part of the king. But seeing they were delivered from it, much was gained on the part of the cause of God and his truth ; for the more intense the heat, the greater and more impressive the miracle of being delivered from it. Every circumstance was calculated to show the direct power of God. They were bound in all their gar- ments, but came out with not even the smell of fire upon them. The most mighty men in the army were chosen to cast them in. These the fire slew ere they came in contact with it; while on the Hebrews it had no effect, though they were in the very midst of its flames. It was evident that the flre was under the control of some supernatural intelligence ; for while it had effect upon the cords with which they Avere bound, destroying them, so that they were free to walk about in the midst of the fire, it did not even singe their garments. They did not, as soon as free, spring out of the fire, but continued therein; for, first, the king had put them in, and it was his place to call them out; and, secondly, the form of the fourth was Avith them, and in his presence they could be content and joyful, as Avell in the furnace of fire as in the delights and luxuries of the palace. Lot u.s in Jill oiir trials, afflictions, persecutions, and straitened places, but have the " form of the fourth " Avith us, and it is cnougli. CHAPTER S, VERSES 19-30 loi The king said, "And the form of the fourth is like the Son of God." This language is by some supposed to refer to Christ ; but it is not likely that the king had any idea of the Saviour. A better rendering, according to good authorities, would be '' like a son of the gods ; " that is, he had the appearance of a supernatural or divine being, Xebuchadnezzar subsequently called him an angel. AMiat a scathing rebuke upon the king for his folly and madness was the deliverance of these worthies from the fiery furnace ! A higher power than any on earth had vindicated those who stood firm against idolatry, and poured contempt on the worship and requirements of the king. None of the gods of the heathen ever had wrought such deliverance as that, nor were they able to do so. Verse 26. Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego came forth of the midst of the fire. 27. And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. 28. Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said. Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any God, except their own God. 29. Therefore I make a decree. That every people, nation, and language, which speak anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill; because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. 30. Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed- nego in the province of Babylon. When bidden, these three men came forth from the fur- nace. Then the princes, governors, and king's counselors, through whose advice, or at least concurrence, they had been cast into the furnace (for the king said to them, verse 24, " Did not ive cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?"), Avere gathered together to look upon these men, and have optical and tangible proof of their Avonderful preservation. The worship of the great image was lost sight of. The whole 102 PROPHECY OF DAXIEL interest of this vast concourse of people was now concentrated upon these three remarkable men. All men's thoughts and minds were full of this wonderful occurrence. And how the knuwledge of it would l)e spread abroad throughout the empire, as they should return to tlieir respective provinces! What a notable instance in which God caused the wrath of man to praise him ! Then the king blessed the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and made a decree that none should speak against him. This the Chal leans had undoubtedly done. In those days, each nation had its god or gods ; for there were '' gods many and lords many." And the victory of one nation over another was supposed to occur because the gods of the con- quered nation were not able to deliver them from the con- querors. The Jews had been wholly subjugated by the Babylonians, on which account the latter had no doubt spoken disparagingly or contemptuously of the God of the Jews. This the king now proliil)its ; for he is plainly given to understand that his success against the Jews was owing to tlieir sins, not to any lack of power on the part of their God. Tn what a con- spicuous and exalted light this placed the God of the Hebrews in comparison with the gods of the nations ! It was an ac- knowledgment that he held men amenable to some high standard of moral character, and that he did not regard with indifference their actions in reference to it ; since he would visit with pun- ishment those who transgressed it, and would consequently bestow his blessing on those who complied with it. Had these Jews been time-servers, the name of the true God had not thus been exalted in Babylon. "\Miat honor does the T^ord put upon them that are steadfast toward him ! The king promoted them ; that is, he restored to them the offices which they held before the charges of disobedience and treason were brought against them. At the end of verse 30 tlie Septuagint adds: "And he advanced them to be governors f)ver all the Jews that were in his kingdom." Tt is not prol)- able that lie insisted on any further Avorship of liis image. '^v-^iVSvVix CHAPTEE IV. Verse 1. Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. 2. I thought it good to show the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me. 3. ITow great are his signs I and how mighty are his wonders ! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation. TTTTS chapter opens, says Dr. Clarke, ^vith ''' a reo-iilar decree, and one of the most ancient on record." Tt was from the pen of Xebnchadnezzar, and was promnl- gated in the usual form. lie wishes to make kno^^ni, not to a few men only, hut to all peoples, nations, and languages, the wonderful dealings of God with him. People are ever ready to tell what God has done for them in the way of bene- fits and blessings. We ouglit to be no less ready to tell what God has done for us in the Avay of humiliation and chasfise- ments; and Xelmchadnezzar sets us a good example in this (103) 1U4 PROPHECY OF DANIEL respect, as we shall see from the subsequent portions of this chapter. He frankly confesses the vanity and pride of his heart, and the means that Goious revelries. A hand silently a]>peare(l, tracing mystic characters upon the M\all. It wrote over against the candlestick. In the light of their own lamp they saw it. Terror seized upon the king; for his conscience accused him. .Mthough he could not read the writing, lie knew it was no message of peace and 110 PROPHECY OF DANIEL blessing that was traced in glittering characters Tii3on his palace >vall. And the description the prophet gives of the effect of the king's fear cannot he excelled in any particular. The king's countenance Avas changed, his heart failed hiui, pain seized upon him, and so violent was his trembling that his knees smote one against another. lie forgot his boasting and revelry; he forgot his dignity; and he cried aloud for his as- trologers and soothsayers to solve the meaning of the terrible apparition. Verse 10. Xow tlie queen by reason of the M^ords of the king and his lords came into the banquet house : and the queen spake and said, O kins', live forever; let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed. 11. There is a man iu thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him ; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; 12. Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and showing of bard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Beltesbazzar : now let Daniel be called, and lie will show the interpretation. 13. Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, wliom the king my father brought out of Jewry? 14. I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and miderstanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee. 15. And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known luito me the interpretation thereof: but they could not show the interpretation of the tbing. 16. And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make inter- pretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thoii sbalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and sbalt be the third ruler in the kingdom. It appears from the circumstance here narrated, that the fact that Daniel was a prophet of God had by some means been lost sight of at the court and ])alace. This was doubtless owing to his having Ikhmi al)S('iit at Shnshan, in the province of Elam, as narrated in cha]iter S: 1, 2, 27, whither he had been sent to attend to the business of tlie kingdom there. The counfry being swept by th(^ Persian army Avould compel his return to Ihibylon at this time. The (jueen, who came in and CHAPTER 5. VERSES 10 - 2k 119 made known to the king that tliere was such a person to whom appeal could be made for knowledge in supernatural things, is supposed to have been the queen mother, the daughter of iS'ebu- chadnezzar, in whose memory the wonderful part Daniel had acted in her father's reign would still be fresh and vivid. Nebuchadnezzar is here called Belshazzar's father, according to the tlien connnon custom of calling any paternal ancestor father, and any male descendant son. Xebuchadnezzar was in reality his grandfather. The king inc^uired of Daniel, when he came in, if he was of the ehihh'en of the captivity of Judah. Thus it seems to have been ordered, that while they were holding impious revelry in honor of their false gods, a servant of the true God, and one whom they were holding in captivity, was called in to pronounce the merited judgment upon their wicked course. Vehse it. Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the inter- pretation. 18. O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honor; 19. And for the majesty that he g^ve him, all peoples, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him : whom he would he slew ; and wliom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down. 20. But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took iiis glory from him: 21. And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling- was with the wild asses : they fed him with grass like oxen, ami his body was wet with the dew of heaven ; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will. 22. And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this ; 23. But hast lifted up thyseff against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them ; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified : 24. Theii was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written. Daniel iirst of all disclaims the idea of i)eing influenced by such motives as governed the soothsayers and astrologers. Tie says. Let thv rewards he to another. Tie wishes it distinctly understood that he does not enter u])on the work of interpret- 120 PROPHECY OF DANIEL ing this matter on account of the offer of gifts and rewards. He then rehearses the experience of the king's grandfather, Xebuchadnezzar, as set forth in the preceding chapter. He told the king that though he knew all this, yet he had not humbled his heart, but had lifted up himself against the God of heaven, and even carried his impiety so far as to profane his sacred vessels, praising the senseless gods of men's making, and failing to glorify the God in whose hand his breath was. For this reason, he tells him, it is, that the hand has been sent forth from that God whom he had daringly and insultingly challenged, to trace those characters of fearful, though hidden import. He then proceeds to explain the writing. Verse 25. And this is the writing that was written, MENE. MENE, TEKEL, UPHAKSIN. 26. This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE ; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. 27. TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art foiuid wanting. 28. PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. 29. Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he shoidd be the third ruler in the kingdom. It is not known in what language this inscription was writ- ten. If it had been in Chaldaic, the king's wise men would have been able to read it. Dr. Clarke conjectures that it Avas written in the Samaritan, the true Hebrew, a language with which Daniel was familiar, as it w^as the character used by the Jews previous to the Babylonish captivity. It seems much more likely that it was a character strange to all the parties, and that it was specially made known to Daniel by the Spirit of the Lord. In this inscription each word stands for a short sentence. Menr, numbered; Tehel, weighed; Upharsin, from the root percs, divided. God, whom thou hast defied, has thy king- dom in his own hands, and has numbered its days and finished its course just at the time thou thoughtest it at the height of its prosperity. Thou, who hast lifted up thy heart in pride as the great one of the earth, art weighed, and found ligliter than vanity. Thy kingdom, which thou didst dream M'as to stand forever, is divided between the foes already waiting at CHAPTER 5, VERSES 2.J-31 121 tliv gates. XotwitlistaiKling this terrible denimciiition, Ijel- sliazzar did not forget liis promise, Imt had Daiiicd at once invested with the scarlet rohe and chain of gold, an,; PROPHECY OF DANIEL Fearfully as the troubled clouds of nigrht Shrink from before the coming of its light, So through the hall the prophet passed along, So from before him fell the festal throng. By broken wassail-cup, and wine o'erthrown. Pressed he still onward for the monai'ch's throne; His spirit failed him not, his quiet eye Lost not its light for earthly majesty; If is lip was steady and his accent clear — " The king hath needed me, and I am here." "Art thou the prophet? Read me yonder scroll. Whose undeciphered horror daunts my send. There shall be guerdon for the grateful ta^k. Fitted for me to give, for thee to ask, — A chain to deck thee, and a robe to grace, Thine the third throne, and thou the third in placr-. lie heard, and turned him where the lighted wall Dimmed the red torches of the festival, r.azed on the sign with steady gaze and set; And he who quailed not at a kingly threat Bent the true knee and bowed the silver hair, For that he knew the King of kings was there ; Then nerved his soul the sentence to unfold, While his tongue trembled at the tale it told. And never tongue shall echo tale r.s strange Till that change cometh which shall never change. "' Keep for thyself the guerdoii and the gold ; What God hath graved, God's prophet must mifold : Gould not thy father's crime, thy father's fate, Teach thee the terror thou hast learned too late? Hast thou not read the lesson of his life, — Who wars with God shall strive a losing strife? His was a kingdom mighty as thine own. The sword his scepter and the earth his throne; The nations trembled when his awful eye Gave to them leave to live or doom to die: The lord of life, the keeper of the grave, His frown could wither, and his smile could save. Yet, when his heart was hard, his spirit high, God drave him from his kingly majesty. Far from the brotherhood of fellow-men, To seek for dwelling in the desert den; Where the wild asses feed and oxen roam. He sought his pasture and he made his home; And bitter-biting frost and dews of night. Schooled him in sorrow till he knew the right. — That God is ruler of the rulers still. And setteth up the sovereign that he will. CHAPTER 5, VERSES 17 - 31 127 Oh! liadst thou treasured in. repentant breast I lis pride and fall, his penitence and rest, And bowed submissive to Jehovah's will. Then had thy scepter been a scepter still. But thou hast mocked the Majesty of heaven; And shamed the vessels to his service given. And thou hast fashioned idols of thine own, — Idols of gold, of silver, and of stone; To them hast bowed the knee, and breathed the breath, And they must help thee in the hour of death. Woe for the sight unseen, the sin forgot ! God was among ye, and ye knew it not ! Hear what he sayoth now: ' Thy race is run, Thy years are numbered, and thy days are done; Thy soul hath mounted in the scale of fate, The Lord hath weighed thee, and thou lackcst weight , Now in thy palace porch the spoilers stand. To seize thy scepter, to divide thy land.' " Tie ended, and his passing foot was heard. But none made answer, not a lip v/as stirred; Mute the free tongue, and bent the fearless brow ; The mystic letters had their meaning now. Soon came there other sound, — the clash of steel. The hea\'y ringing of the iron heel. The curse in dying, and the cry for life, — The bloody voices of the battle strife. That night they slew him on his father's throne. The deed unnoticed and the hand unknown : Crownless and scepterless Belshazzar lay, A robe of purple round a form of clay. CHAPTEK VI. Verse 1. It pleased Darius to set over the king-dom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom ; 2. And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first; that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage. 3. Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was found in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. 4. Then the presi- dents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom ; but they could find none occasion nor fault ; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was tliere any error or fault found in him. 5. Then said these men. We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God. BABYLOy was taken by the Persians, and Darius the ^Median placed upon tlie throne, b. c. 538. Two years later, u. c. 536, Darius dying, Cyrus took the throne. Somewhere, therefore, between these two dates the event here narrated occurred. Daniel was a chief actor in the kingdom of Babylon in the height of its glory; and from that time on to the time wlien the l\fedes and Persians took the throne of universal empire, he was at least a resident of that citv, and ac(piaint(Ml with all (128) CHAPTER 6, VERSES 1-7 129 the affairs of the kiugdoni; yet he gives us no consecutive account of events that occurred during his long connection with these kingdoms. He only touches upon an event here and there such as is calculated to inspire faith and hope and cour- age in the hearts of the people of God in every age, and lead them to be steadfast in their adherence to the right. The event narrated in this chapter is alluded to by the apostle Paul in Hebrews 11, where he speaks of some who through faith have " stopped the mouths of lions." Darius set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty princes, there being, as is supposed, at that time a hundred and twenty provinces in the empire, each one having its prince, or gov- ernor. By the victories of Cambyses and Darius Hystaspes, it was afterward enlarged to a himdred and twenty-seven prov- inces. Esther 1:1. Over these one hundred and twenty princes were set three, and of these Daniel was chief. Pref- erence was given to Daniel because of his excellent spirit. Daniel, wdio, for being a great man in the empire of Babylon, might have been esteemed an enemy by Darius, and so have been banished or otherwise put out of the way; or, being a captive from a nation then in ruins, might have been despised and set at naught, was not treated in either of these ways; but to the credit of Darius be it said, Daniel was preferreti over all the others, because the discerning king saw in him an excellent spirit. And the king thought to set him over the whole realm. Then was the envy of the other rulers raised against him, and they set about to destroy him. But Daniel's conduct was perfect so far as related to the kingdom. He was faithful and true. They could find no ground for complaint against him on that score. Then they said they could find no occasion to accuse him, except as concerning the law of his God. So let it be with us. A person can have no better recommendation. Verse 6. Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live forever. 7. All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counselors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he 130 PliOPIIECY OF DANIEL shall be cast into the den of lions. 8. Now, 0 king, establish the de- cree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. 9. Wherefore king Darius signed the w^riting and the decree. 10. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. Mark the course these persons took to accoinplisli their nefarious purposes. Thev came together to the king, — came tumultously, savs the margin. They came as thougli some urgent matter had suddenly sprung up, and they had come unanimously to present it before him. They claimed that all were agreed. This was false; for Daniel, the chief of them all, was not, of course, consulted in the matter. The decree they fixed upon v.-as one which would flatter the king's vanity, and thus the more readily gain his assent. It would be a position before unheard of, for a man to be the only dispenser of favors and granter of petitions for thirty days. Hence the king, not fathoming their evil designs, signed the decree, and it took its place on the statute-books as one of the unalterable laws of the Medes and Persians. ]\Iark the subtlety of these men • — the length to which peo- ])\e will go to accomplish the ruin of the good. Tf they had made the decree read that no petition should be asked of the God of the Hebrews, which was the real design of the matter, the king would at once have divined their object, and the de- cree would not have been signed. So they gave it a general application, and were willing to ignore and heap insult upon their whole system of religion, and all the niultitiule of their gods, for the sake of ruining the object of their hatred. Daniel foresaw the conspiracy going (m against him, but took no means to thwart it. He simply committed himself to God, and left the issue to his providence. He did not leave the empire on ])retende(l business, or perform his devotions with more than ordinary secrecy; but when he knew the writ- ing was signed, just as aforetime, with his face turned toward his beloved Jerusalem, he kneeled down in his chamber three times a day, and ]X)ured out his ])ray('rs and sup])lications to God. CHAPTER 6, VERSES 11-17 133 Verse 11. Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. 12. Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's decree: Ilast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions ? The king answered and said, The thing is true according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. 13. Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the .captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day. 14. Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to de- liver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him. 15. Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king. Know, O king, that the law of the Modes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed. 16. Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Xow the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God, whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee. 17. And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords, that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel. It only remained for these men, having set the trap, to watcli their victim that they might ensnare him therein. So they again came tumiiltiionsly together, this time at the resi- dence of Daniel, as though some important business had called them suddenly together to consult the chief of the presidents ; and lo, they found him, just as they intended and hoped, 2:)raying to his God. So far all had worked well. They were not long in going to the king with the matter, and, to render it more sure, got an acknowledgment from the king that such a decree Avas in force. Then they were ready to inform against Daniel; and mark their mean resort to excite the prej- udices of the king: "That Daniel, which is of the children vi the captivity of Judah." Yes; that poor captive, who is entirely dependent on you for all that he enjoys, so far from being grateful and appreciating your favors, regards not you, nor pays any attention to yonr decree. Then the king saw the trap that had been prepared for him as well as for Dan- iel, and ho labored till the going down of the sun to deliver liim, ])robably by personal efforts with tlie conspirators to cause lliom to relent, or by arginnents and endeavors to procure the repeal of the l•A^\■. But they were inexorable. The law was 134 PROPHECY OF DANIEL sustained; and Dauiel, the venerable, the grave, the upright and faultless servant of the kingdom, ^vas thrown, as if he had been one of the vilest malefactors, into the don of lions to be deA'Oured by them. Verse 18. Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting; neither were instruments of nnisic brought before him; and his sleep went from him. 19. Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. 20. And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice luito Daniel; and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? 21. Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live forever, 22. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me; forasmuch as before him inno- ccncy was found in me ; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt. 23. Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, be- cause he believed in his God. 24. And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions bed the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den. The course of the king after Daniel had been cast into the den of lions attests his genuine interest in his behalf, and the severe condemnation he felt for his own course in the matter. At earliest dawn he repaired to the den Avhere his prime min- ister had passed the niglit in company with hungry and rav- enous beasts. Daniel's response to his first salutation was no word of reproach for the king's course in yielding to his per- secutors, but a term of respect and honor, " O king, live for- ever." He afterward, however, reminds the king, in a manner whicli lie mitst have keenly felt, l)nt to whicli he could take no exception, that before him he had done no linrt. And on account of his innocency, God, whom he served continually, not at intervals, nor by fits and starts, had sent his angel, and shut the lions' months. TTere, then, stood Daniel, preserved by a power higher than any jwwer of earth. His causc^ vas vindicated, his innocency (Icchired. "X<> hnri was found on him, becanse he believed in his God. Faith did it. A iniraeh' liad l)een wruuiilit. Whv, CHAPTER 6, VERSES 18 - 28 135 then, were Danicr.s accusers brought and cast in ^ It is con- jectured that they attributed the preservation of Daniel, not to any miracle in his behalf, hut to the fact that the lions chanced at that time not to he hungry. Then, said the king, they will no more attack you than him, so we will test the matter by putting you in. The lions were hungry enough when they could get hold of the guilty; and these men were torn to pieces ere they reached the bottom of the den. Thus was Daniel doubly vindicated ; and thus strikingly were the words of Solomon fulfilled: ''The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead." Prov. 11 : 8. Verse 25. Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied unto you. 26. I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; for he is the living God, and steadfast forever, and his kingdom that which shall not be de- stroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. 27. He deliver- eth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. 28. So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Pei'sian. The result of Daniel's deliverance was that another })rocla- niation went out through the emi)ire in fa\-<>r of the true God, the God of Israel. All men were to fear and tremble before him. What Daniel's enemies designed to ])rove his ruin, re- sulted only in his advancement. In this case, and in the case of the three Hebrews in the fiery furnace, the seal of God is set in favor of two great lines of duty: ( 1 ) As in the case of the three in the fiery furnace, not to yield t<~> any known sin; and (2) As in the present case, not to (vmir any known duty. And from these instances, the people of God in all ages are to derive encouragement. The decree of the king sets forth the chara('t(>r of the true God in tine terms. (1) He is the living (Jod ; all others are dead. (2) lie is steadfast forever; all others change. f-"]) He has a kingdom; for he made and governs all. (4) llis kingdom shall not be destroyed ; all others come to an (Mid. (T)) His dominion is without end; no human ])ow('i' can prcx'ail acainst it. ft'O lie (hdivcrcMh those who are in bondaiic (7) 130 PROPHECY OF DANIEL He rescueth his servants from their enemies when they call upon him for help. (8) He worketh wonders in the heavens and signs upon the earth. (9) And to complete all, he hath delivered Daniel, giving before onr own eyes the fullest proof of his jDOwer and goodness in rescuing his servant from the power of the lions. How excellent an eulogium is this on the great God and his faithful servant ! Thus closes the historical part of the hook of Daniel. We now come to the prophetic portion, which, like a shining bea- con light, has throAvn its rays over all the course of time from that point to the present, and is still lighting up the pathway of the church onward to the eternal kingdom. THE LION -- SYMBOL. OF" BADYLON CHAPTER VII. Verse 1. In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed; then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters. THIS is the same Belshazzar mentioned in cliajiter 5. Chronologically, therefore, this chapter precedes cha}>ter 5 ; but chronological order has been disregarded in order that the historical part of the book might stand by itself, and the prophetic part, on which -we now enter, might not be interrupted by writings of that nature. Verse 2. Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea. 3. And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another. All Scripture language is to be taken literally, unless there exists some good reason for supposing it to be figurative ; and all that is figurative is to be interpreted by that which is lit- eral. That the language here used is symbolic, is evident frinn verse 17, which reads, '^ These great beasts, M'hicli are four, are four kings which shall arise out of the earth." And to show- that kingdoms are intended, and not merelv individual kings, (130) 140 PROPHECY OF DANIEL the angel continues, " JJut tlie saints of the ^Most Higli shall take the kingdom." And further, in the explanation of verse 2'6, the angel said, " The fourth beast shall be the fourth king- dom ui)on earth." These beasts are therefore symbols of four great kingdoms; and the circumstances under which they arose, and the means by which their elevation was accomplished, as represented in the prophecy, are symbolic also. The sym- bols introduced are, the four winds, the sea, four great beasts, ten horns, and another horn which had eyes and a mouth, and rose up in war against God and his people. We have now to inquire what they denote. Winds, in symbolic language, denote strife, political com- motion, and war. Jer. 25: 31, ;>2, oo: " Thus saith the Lord of hosts. Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth. And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth." Here the in-ophet speaks of a controversy which the Lord is to have with all nations, when the wicked shall be given to the sword, and the slain of the Lord shall be from one end of the earth to the other; and the strife and commotion which ])ro- duces ill! this destruction is called a great whirlwind. That winds denote strife and war is further evident from a consideration of the vision itself; for as the result of tlio striving of the winds, kingdoms arise and fall ; and these events are accomplished through political strife. The Lible definition of sea, or waters, when used as a sym- bol, is i)eoples, and nations, and tongues. In proof of this, see liev. 17:15, where it is expressly so declared. Tlic definition of the symbol of the four beasts is given to Daniel ere the close of the vision. Verse 17: " These great beasts, which are four, are four kings which shall arise out of the earth." The field of the vision is thus definitely opened before us. Vkrse 4. The first was like a lion, and liad eagle's wings; I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it. THE BEAR --SYMBOL OF MEDO-PERSIA CHAPTER 7, VERSES Jf, 5 143 As these beasts denote four kings, or kingdoms, we inc^uire, What four ? Where shall we commence to enumerate i These beasts do not rise all at once, but consecutively, as they are spoken of as first, second, etc. ; and the last one is in existence when all earthly scenes are brought to an end by the final Judgment. Xow, from the time of Daniel to the end of this world's history, there were to be but four universal kingdoms, as we learn from Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the great image in chapter 2. Daniel was still living under the same king- dom which he had declared, in his interpretation of the king's dream, about sixty-five years before, to be the head of gold. The first beast of this vision must therefore denote the same as the head of gold of the great image, namely, the kingdom of Babylon, and the other beasts the succeeding kingdoms shown by that image. But if this vision covers essentially the same ground as the image of chapter 2, the (juery may arise why it is given ; why was not the vision of chapter 2 sufficient i We answer. The ground is passed over again and again that additional characteristics may be brought out, and additional facts and features may be presented. It is thus that we have " line upon line." Here earthly governments are viewed as represented in the light of Heaven. Their true character is shown by the symbol of wild and ravenous beasts. At first the lion had eagle's wings, denoting the rapidity with which Babylon extended its conquests under Xebuchad- nezzar. At this point in the vision a change had taken place ; its wings had been plucked. It no longer flew like an eagle upon its prey. The boldness and spirit of the lion were gone. A man's heart, weak, timorous, and faint, had taken its place. Such was emphatically the case with the nation during the clos- ing Years of \\^ history, when it had become enfeel)led and effeminate through wealth and luxury. Verse 5. And behold another beast, a second, like to a hear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it; and they said thus unto it. Arise, flevour much flesh. As in the great image of (•ha])ter 2, so in this series (d' sym- bols a marked deterioration will be noticed as we descend from -^44- PROPHECY OF DANIEL one kin2;dom to another. The silver of the breast and arms was inferior to the gohl of the head. The bear was inferior to the lion. ]\Iedo-Persia fell short of liabylon in wealth and magnificence, and the brilliancy of its career. And now Ave come to additional particulars respecting this power. The bear raised itself np on one side. This kingdom was composed of two nationalities, the JMedes and Persians. The same fact is represented by the two horns of the ram of chapter 8. Of these horns it is said that the higher came up last ; and of the bear that it raised itself up on one side ; and this was fulfilled bv the Persian division of the kingdom, which came \\\) last, but attained the higher eminence, becoming the controlling in- fluence in the nation. (See on chapter 8 : 3.) The three ribs perhaps signify the three provinces of Babylon, Lydia, and Egypt, which were especially ground down and oppressed by this power. Their saying unto it, "Arise, devour much flesh," Avould naturally refer to the stimulus given to the ]\redes and Persians, by the overthrow of these provinces, to plan and undertake more extensive conquests. The character of the power is well represented by a bear. The ]\Iedes and Persians were cruel and rapacious, robbers and spoilers of the people. As already noticed in the exposition of chapter 2, this king- dom dated from the overthrow of Babylon by Cyrus, b. c. 538, and continued to the battle of Arbela, b. c. 331, a period of 207 years. Verse 6. After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads ; and dominion was given to it. The third kingdom, Grecia, is represented by this symbol. Tf wings upon the lion signified rapidity of conquest, thev A\-ould signify the same here. The leopard itself is a swift- friotf'(l beast, bnt this was not sufficient to represent the career of the nation A\hich it sAnnbolized in this respect; it must have M-ings in addition. Two wings, the number the lion had, Avere nf>t snfiicient, it mnst have four; this Avould denote unparal- leled celerity of movement, which Ave find to be historicallv true of the Grecian kingdom. The conquests of Grecia under THE LEOPARD -- SYMBOL OF GRECIA THE FOURTH B E A S T - - S Y M □ O L O F ROME CHAPTER 7, VERSES 6, 7 149 Alexander have no parallel in historic annals for snddenness and rapidity. Ilollin, Ancient History, h. 15, sec. 2, gives the following brief synopsis of Alexander's marches : — " From Macedonia to the Ganges, which river Alexander nearly approached, is computed at least eleven hundred leagues. Add to this the various turnings in Alexander's marches ; first, from the extremity of Cilicia, where the battle of Issus was fought, to the temple of Jupiter Amnion in Libya ; and his returning from thence to Tyre, a journey of three hundred leagues at least, and as much space at least for the windings of his route in different places ; we shall find that Alexander, in less than eight years, marched his army upward of seven- teen hundred leagues [or more than fifty-one liundrcd miles~\, without including his return to Babylon." '' The beast had also four heads." "The Grecian empire maintained its unity but little longer than the lifetime of Alexander. Within fifteen years after his brilliant career ended in a fever induced by a drunken debauch, the empire was divided among his four leading generals. Cassander had Macedon and Greece in the west ; Lysimachus had Thrace and the parts of Asia on the Hellespont and Bosphorus in the north ; Ptolemy received Egypt, Lydia, Arabia, Palestine, and Coele-Syria in the south; and Seleucus had S_^Tia and all the rest of Alexander's dominions in the east. These divisions were denoted by the four heads of the leopard; b. c. 308. Thus accurately were the words of the prophet fulfilled. As Alexander left no available successor, why did not the huge em])ire lireak up into countless petty fragments ? Why into just four parts, and no more ? — Because the })rophecy had said that there should be four. The leopard had four heads, the rough goat four horns, the kingdom was to have four di- visions; and thus it was. (See more fully on chapter 8.) Verse 7. After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadfid and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had groat iron teeth; it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it; and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. 150 PROPHECY OF DANIEL Inspiration linds no beast in nature Avhicli it can make even the basis of a s;>Tnbol to represent the power here illustrated. Xo addition of hoofs, heads, horns, wings, scales, teeth, or nails to any beast found in nature, would answer. This power was diverse from all the others, and the symbol wholly nondescript. The foundation for a volume is laid in verse 7, just quoted; but we are compelled to treat it the more briefly here, because anything like a full history is entirely beyond the spiice that can be allowed in this brief exposition. This beast, of course, corresponds to the fourth division of the great image — the legs of iron. Under chapter 2 : 40 are given some reasons for supposing this power to be Rome. The same reasons are applicable to the present prophecy. IIow accurately Rome answered to the iron division of the image ! IIow accurately it answers to the beast before us! In the dread and terror which it inspired, and in its exceeding strength, the world has never seen its equal. It devoured as with iron teeth, and brake in pieces; and it ground the nations into the very dust l)cneath its brazen feet. It had ten horns, which are explained in verse 24 to be ten kings, or kingdoms, whidi should arise out of this empire. As already noticed in chapter 2, Rome was divided into ten kingdoms, enumerated as follows: The Huns, the Ostrogoths, the Visigoths, the Franks, the Vandals, the Suevi, the.Burgundians, the ITeruli, the Anglo-Saxons, and the Lombards. These divisions have ever since been spoken of as the ten kingdoms of the Roman empire; a. d. 351 - 483. See on chapter 2:41, 42; also Appendix III. Verse 8. I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots; and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. Daniel considered the horns. Indications of a strange movement ap]>eared among thein. A little horn (at first lit- tle, but afterward more sto\it than its fellows) thrust itself up among them. It was not content quietly to find a place of itg own, and fill it; it must thrust aside some of the others, :ind usur]) their ])laces. Three kingdoms were plucked up before it. This little horn, as we shall have occasion to notice THE LITTLE HORN -- SYMBOL OF THE PAPACY CHAPTER 7, VERSES 8 - 10 153 more fully hereafter, was the papacy. The three horns plucked up before it were the Ileruli, the Ostrogoths, and the Vandals. And the reason why they were plucked up was because they were opposed to the arrogant claims of the papal hierarchy, and hence to the supremacy in the church of the bishop of Rome. And " in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things," — the eyes, a*^ fit emblem of the shre^vdness, penetration, cunning, and foresight of the papal hierarchy; and the mouth speaking great things, a fit symbol of the arrogant claims of the bishops of Eonie. Verse 9. I belield till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool; his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. 10. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him; thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the judgment was set, and the books were opened. A sublimer description of a sublimer scene is not to be found in the English language. But not only on account of the grand and lofty inuigcry introduced should it arrest our attention; the nature of the scene itself is such as to demand most serious consideration. The Judgment is brought to view ; and whenever the Judgment is mentioned, it ought to take an irresistible hold upon every mind; for all have an interest in its eternal issues. By an unfortunate translation in verse 9, a wrong idea is almost sure to be conveyed. The words cast down are from a word which in the original signifies just the opposite, namely, to set up. The Avord n^"1 \r'mah^ Gesenius defines as follows: "Chald. 1. To cast, to throw, Dan. 3:20, 21, 24; 6:1G. 2. To set, to place, c. c/., thrones, Dan. 7: 9. Comp. Rev. 4: 2, Opovo{ investigative judgment. Looking into the sanctuary (as we learn from Revelation 4 that he was doing), in chapter .^ : 11 CHAPTER 7. VERSES 9-12 155 he says, "And I beheld, and I heard tlie voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands." It will appear from the testimony of chapter S : 14, that this solenm work is even now transpiring in the sanctuary above. Verse 11. I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake; I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. 12. As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away; yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. There are persons who believe in a thousand years' triumph of the gospel and reign of righteousness over all the world be- fore the Lord comes ; and there are others who believe in pro- bation after the Lord comes, and a mixed millennium, the immortal righteous still proclaiming the gospel to mortal sin- ners, and turning them into the way of salvation. But both of these systems of error are completely demolished by the verses before us. 1. The fourth terrible beast continues without change of character, and the little horn continues to utter its blasphemies, and hold its millions of votaries in the bonds of a blind super- stition, till the beast is given to the burning flame; and this is not its conversion, but its destruction. (See 2 Thess. 2:8.) 2. The life of the fourth beast is not prolonged after its dominion is gone, as were the lives of the preceding beasts. Their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season. The territory and subjects of the Babylonian kingdom still existed, though made subject- to the Persians. So of the Persian kingdom in respect to Grecia, and of Grecia in respect to Pome. But what succeeds the fourth kingdom ? ■ — Xo government or state in which mortals have any part. Its career ends in the lake of fire, and it has no existence be- yond. The lion was merged into the bear; the hear into the leopard; the leopard into the fourth beast; and the fourth beast into what? — Xot into another beast; but it is cast into the lake of fire, under which destruction it rests till men shall 156 PROPHECY OF DANIEL suifer the second death. Then let no one talk of probation or a mixed millennium after the Lord comes. The adverb then, in the sentence, " I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake," etc., seems to refer to some particular time. The work of the in- vestigative judgment is introduced in the previous verses; and this verse would seem to imply that while this work is going for- ward, and just before this power is destroyed and given to the burning flame, the little horn utters its great words against the Most High. Have we not heard them, and that, too, within a few years ? Look at the decrees of the Vatican Council of 1870. AMiat can be more blasphemous than to attribute in- fallibility to a mortal man ? Yet in that year the world beheld the spectacle of an Ecumenical Council assembled for the pur- pose of deliberately decreeing that the occupant of the papal throne, the man of sin, possesses this prerogative of God, and can not err. Can anything be more presumptuous and blas- phemous ? Is not this the voice of the great words which the horn spake ? and is not this power ripe for the burning flame, and near its end I Verse 13. I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, na- tions, and languages shoidd serve him : his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. The scene here described is not the second advent of Christ to this earth, unless the Ancient of days is on this earth ; for it is a coming to the Ancient of days. There, in the presence of the Ancient of days, a kingdom, dominion, and glory are given him. The Son of man receives his kingdom before his return to this earth. (See Luke 19:10-12 and onward.) This is a scene, therefore, which transpires in the heavenly temple, and is closely connected with that brought to view in verses 9 and 10. Lie receives the kingdom at the close of his priestly work in the sanctuary. The people, nations, and lan- guages, that shall serve him, are the nations of the saved (Rev. CHAPTER 1, VERSES IS - 20 157 21:24), not the wicked nations of the earth; for these are clashed in pieces at the second advent. Some out of all the nations, tribes, and kindreds of the earth will find themselves at last in the kingdom of God, to serve him there with joy and gladness forever and ever. Verse 15. I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. 10. I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things. IT. These great beasts, which are four, are four kings which shall arise out of the earth. IS. But the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever. Xo less anxious should we he than was Daniel to under- stand the truth of all this. And whenever we inquire with equal sincerity of heart, we shall find the Lord no less ready now than in the days of the prophet to lead to a correct knowl- edge of these important truths. The beasts, and the kingdoms wliich they represent, have already been explained. We have followed the prophet down through the course of events, even to the complete destruction of the fourth and last beast, the final subversion of all earthly governments. What next ? Verse 18 tells us: " The saints shall take the kingdom." The saints! those of all others held in low esteem in this world, despised, reproached, persecuted, cast out ; those who were considered the least likely of all men ever to realize their hopes ; these shall take the kingdom, and possess it forever. The usurpation and misrule of the wicked shall come to an end. The forfeited inheritance shall be redeemed. Peace shall be restored to its distracted borders, and righteousness shall reign over all the fair expanse of the renovated earth. Verse 19. Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet ; 20. And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. Of the first three beasts of this series, Daniel had so clear an understanding that he had no trouble in reference to them. 158 PROPHECY OF DANIEL But he was astonished at this fourth hoast, so unnatural and dreadful ; for the further we eonie down the stream of time, the further it is necessary to depart from nature in fornung symbols to represent accurately the degenerating governments of this earth. The lion is a production of nature ; but it must liave the unnatural addition of two wings to represent the kingdom of Ijabvlon. The bear we also find in nature; but as a symbol of ]\Iedo-Persia an unnatural ferocity must be denoted by the insertion of three ribs into its mouth. So the leopard is a beast of nature ; but fitly to represent Grecia there is a departure from nature in respect to wings, and the number of heads. But nature furnishes no symbol which can fitly illustrate the fourth kingdom. A beast the likeness of which never was seen, is taken ; a beast dreadful and terrible, with nails of brass, and teeth of iron, so cruel, rapacious, and fierce that from mere love of oppression it devoured, and brake in pieces, and trampled its victims beneath its feet. Wonderful Avas all this to the prophet ; but something still more wonderful appeared. A little horn came up, and, true to the nature of the beast from which it sprang, thrust aside three of its fellows ; and lo ! the horn had eyes, not the uncul- tivated eyes of a brute, but the keen, shrewd, intelligent eyes of a man ; and, stranger yet, it had a mouth, and with that mouth it uttered proud sayings, and put forth preposterous and arrogant claims. ^lS^o wonder the prophet made special in- quiry respecting tliis monster, so unearthly in its instincts, and so fiendish in its works and ways. In the following verses some specifications are given respecting the little horn, which enable the student of prophecy to make an application of this SAnnbol without danger of mistake. Verse 21. I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them ; 22. Until the Ancient of days came, and judfimont was given to the saints of the Most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. The wonderful wrath of this little liorn against the saints ])articularly attracted the attention of Daniel. The rise of the ten horns, or the division of Rome into ten kingdoms, between the years a. d. 851 and 483, has already been noticed. (See C?I AFTER 7, VERSES 21, 22 loi on chaiDtcr 2 : 41. ) As these horns denote kingdoms, the little horn must denote a kingdom also, but not of the same nature, because it ^vas diverse from the others. They were political kingdoms. And now we have but to inquire if any kingdom has arisen among the ten kingdoms of the Roman empire since A. D, 483, and yet diverse from them all; and if so, what one. The answer is. Yes; the spiritual kingdom of the papacy. This answers to the symbol in every particular, as is easilv proved; and nothing else Avill do it. See the specifications more particularly mentioned in verse 23. Daniel beheld this horn making war upon the saints. lias such a war been waged by the papacy? Fifty million mar- tyrs, with a voice like the sound of many waters, answer. Yes. Witness the cruel persecutions of the Waldenses, the Albigen- ses, and Protestants in general, by the papal power. It is stated on good authority that the persecutions, massacres, and religious wars excited by the church and bishop of Rome, have occasioned the shedding of far more blood of the saints of the Most High than all the enmity, hostility, and persecutions of professed heathens from the foundation of the world. In verse 22 three consecutive events seem to be brought to view. Daniel, looking onward from the time when the little horn was in the height of its poAver, to the full end of the long- contest between the saints and Satan with all his agents, notes three prominent events that stand as mile-posts along the way. (1) The coming of the Ancient of days; that is, the position which Jehovah takes in the opening of the judgment scene de- scribed in verses 9, 10. (2) The judgment that is given to the saints; that is, the time when the saints sit with Christ in judgment a thousand years, following the first resurrection (Rev. 20:1-4), apportioning to the wicked the ]")unishment due to their sins. Then the martyrs will sit in judgment upon the great antichristian, persecuting power, which, in the days of their trial, hunted them like the beasts of the des- ert, and poured out their blood like water. (3) The time that the saints possess the kingdom; that is, the time of their en- trance upon the possession of the new earth. Then the last vestige of the curse, of sin, and of sinners, root and branch, I(j2 PROPHECY OF DANIEL will have been wiped away, and the territory so long mis- ruled by the wicked powers of earth, the enemies of God's people, will be taken by the righteous, to be held by them forever and ever. 1 Cor. 0 : iJ, 3; ]\Iatt. 25:34. Verse 23. Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kiiigxlom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole eartb, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. 24. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise; and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. 25. And he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change times and laws : and they shall be given into his hand luitil a time and times and the dividing of time. 26. But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. We have here further particulars respecting the fourth beast and the little horn. Perhaps enough has already been said respecting the fourth beast (Rome) and the ten horns, or ten kingdoms, Avhich arose therefrom. The little horn now more particularly demands attention. As stated on verse 8, we find the fulfilment of the prophec}' concerning this horn in the rise and work of the papacy. It is a matter of both interest and importance, there- fore, to inquire into the causes which resulted in the develop- ment of this antichristian power. The first pastors or bishops of Rome enjoyed a respect pro- portionate to the rank of the city in which they resided ; and for the first few centuries of the Christian era, Rome was the largest, richest, and most powerful city in the world. It was the seat of empire, the capital of the nations. ''All the inhab- itants of the earth belong to her," said Julian ; and Claudian declared her to be " the fountain of laws." " If Rome is the queen of cities, why should not her pastor be the king of bishops ? " was the reasoning these Roman pastors adopted. " Why should not the Roman Church be the mother of Chris- tendom ? Why should not all nations be her children, and her authority thoir sovereign law? It was easy," says D'Aubigne, from whom we quote these words f History of the Reforma- tion," Vol. I, chap. 1), "for the ambili(nis heart of man to reason thus. Ambitious Rome did so." Bn^ oo^ evvinc M\ tbcvc w..'r.\ ?armti. H nni 5c^o^ab thv ijot*^. who t'roiidl>I tncc out ot iliL- Ian? of eoppi. out of tlx houec of fonMijc. I. Choii shall I5avc no otncr r.ofs Dcforc mc. II. Choii fhalt not nmnc unto tbtc a oiavcn imaoc. nor anp licences of anpthino that t& til K-av.'ii alvvc, or ihat \~ m the earth hciKaih, or that i? in Ihc water unfcr the earth- thou -halt not Ivw Knvn thc^elf unto them, not serve them; [or 11 JehoMh ih? coP am a lealou? Gof. vi?itnifl the inuiiiin' of the father? upon the cbilfren. upon the thirO ano upon the lourth r.eneranon of them that hate me. anP showing lovinokinPnees unto thoueanPs of them that love me anO heep mv commanfmente Ihou Shalt not tafie the name o( Tehovah thp 6o!> In vain; tot 3ehovah will no' holO mm ouiltle59 that taneth hi? name m vam. IV. ■Rememher Ihc saht-aih Pap. to |-,eep it holv. Six Paps shall thou latvr. anP Po all thp won:; tnii the seventh Pap is a Sahhaih unio 3ehovah Ihp C-op in It thou shall not Po anp worh. thou, nor thp son. nor thp Paiuihtei. thp man.serv.mt. nor Ihp maip-servanl. nor thp cattle, nor thp strancier that is withni thp (laies; foi in si\ Paps Jehovah mape heaven nnP earth, the sea. anP all that in them is. anP lesleP the seventh pap: wh.ielote 3chovah I'lesscP Ihc Sahhath Pap, anP haUoweP il. Honor tbv father anP ihp mother, that thp Paps map he lonii In the lanP wbuh Jcbo- tab thp (5oP oivctb thee. Chon Shan not hill. Chou Shalt not commit apuiterp. VIII. Cbou shall not steal. i.v. Cbou shall not bear t.ilse witness aoainst Ibp iielflbbot. Chou Shalt not covet Ibp nclobbor-s bouse, thou Shalt noi (ovct thp nciobbore »Hc. nor his man-servant, nor 1)19 maip-servant. nor bis o.v, nor bis ass, nor anptbina that 16 thp neiflbbor's. CHAPTER 7, VERSES 23 -26 165 The bishops in the different parts of the Konian empire felt a pleasure in yielding to the bishop of Eome some portion of that honor which Rome, as the queen city, received from the nations of the earth. There was originally no dependence im- plied in the honor thus paid. " But," continues U'Aubigne, " usurped power increases like an avalanche. Admonitions, at first simply fraternal, soon became absolute commands in the mouth of the pontiff. Tlie Western bishops favored this en- croachment of the Roman pastors, either from jealousy -of the Eastern bishops, or because they preferred submitting to the supremacy of a pope rather than to the dominion of a temporal power." Such were the influences clustering around the bishop of Rome, and thus was everything tending toward his speedy ele- vation to the supreme spiritual throne of Christendom. But the fourth century was destined to witness an obstacle thrown across the path of this ambitious dream. Arius, parish priest of the ancient and influential church of Alexandria, sprung his doctrine upon the world, occasioning so fierce a controversy in the Christian church that a general council was called at Nica?a, by the emperor Constantino, a. d. 325, to consider and adjust it. Arius maintained '' that the Son was totally and essentially distinct from the Father; that he was the first and noblest of those beings whom the Father had created out of nothing, the instrument by whose subordinate operation the Almighty Father formed the universe, and therefore inferior to the Father both in nature and dignity." This opinion was condemned by the council, which decreed that Christ was of one and the same substance with the Father. Hereupon Arius was banished to Illyria, and his followers were compelled to give their assent to the creed composed on that occasion. (Mosheim, cent. 4, part 2, chap. 4; Stanley, History of the Eastern Church, p. 239.) The controversy itself, however, was not to be disposed of in this summary manner, but continued for ages to agitate the Christian world, the Arians everywhere l")ecoming the bitter enemies of the pope and of the Roman (^Uliolic Church. From these facts it is evident that the spread of Arianism 11 l(;(l PROPHECY OF DANIEL would check the influence of the Catholics; and the possession of Rome and Italy by a people of the Arian persuasion, would be fatal to the supremacy of a Catholic bishop. But the prophecy had declared that this horn would rise to supreme power, and that in reaching this position it would subdue three kings. Some difference of opinion has existed in regard to the par- ticular powers Avhieh were overthrown in the interest of the papacy, in reference to which the following remark by Albert Barnes seems very pertinent : " In the confusion that existed on the breaking up of the Roman empire, and the imperfect accounts of the transactions which occurred in the rise of the papal power, it would not be wonderful if it should be difficult to find events distinctly recorded that would be in all respects an accurate and absolute fulfilment of the vision. Yet it is possible to make out the fulfilment of this with a good degree of certainty in the history of the papacy." — Notes on Daniel 7. Mr. Mede supposes the three kingdoms plucked up to have been the Greeks, the Lombards, and the Franks ; and Sir Isaac N'ewton supposes they were the Exarchate of Ravenna, the Lombards, and the Senate and Dukedom of Rome. Bishop J^ewton (Dissertation on the Prophecies, pp. 217, 218) states some serious objections to both these schemes. The Franks could not have been one of these kingdoms; for they were never plucked up before the papacy. The Lombards could not have been one; for they were never made subject to the popes. Says Barnes, " I do not find, indeed, that the king- dom of the Lombards was, as is commonly stated, among the number of the temporal sovereignties that became subject to the authority of the popes." And the Senate and Dukedom of Rome could not have been one ; for they, as such, never constituted one of the ten kingdoms, three of which were to be plucked up before the little horn. But we apprehend that the chief difficulty in the applica- tion made by these eminent commentators, lay in the fact that they supposed that the prophecy respecting the exaltation of the papacy had not been fulfilled, and could not have been, till the pope became a temporal prince; and hence they sought M^ikLJm 2 cxm tire L,ard tlrg Ciatl: than slralt not IrauB strange gods htfarz mr. Tlrait strait not takt tire name of l^ard tht) (Sari in uain. III. lilEmembEr that tlraix kctp l)oIr Sabbattr da». IV. Hanauf tiro fatlTcr and tbr? motlrc TtTOu Shalt not kill. VI. TlTOu slralt not commit adulterr. VII. Tlrau slTalt not steal. VIII. Thon Strait not bear false luitnrss against ttrg neigtrbar. IX. TtTOtt strait itot rouet tlip neigtibor's mife. TlTOu slralt not rouet ttir neiglibor's goods. CIIAPTEli :. VERSES 23-26 169 to find an accomplishment of the prophecy in the events which led to the pope's temporal sovereignty. Whereas, evidently, the prophecy of verses 24, 25 refers, not to his civil power, but to his power to domineer over the minds and consciences of men; and the pope reached this position, as will hereafter appear, in a. d. 538; and the phicking- up of the three horns took i^lace before this, and to make way for this very exalta- tion to spiritual dominion. The insuperable difficulty in the way of all attempts to apply the prophecy to the Lombards and the other powers named above is that they come al- together too late in point of time ; for the ]irophecy deals with the arrogant efforts of the Roman pontiff to gain power, not with his endeavors to oppress and humble the nations after he had secured the supremacy. The position is here confidently taken that the three powers, or horns, plucked up before the papacy, were the Tleruli, the Vandals, and the Ostrogoths ; and this position rests upon the following statements of historians. Odoacer, the leader of the Heruli, was the first of the bar- barians ^^'ho reigned over the Romans. He took the throne of Italy, according to Gibbon (Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Vol. Ill, pp. 510, 515), in 470. . Of his religious belief Gibbon (p. 516) says: " Like the rest of the barbarians, he had been instructed in the Arian heresy ; but he revered the monastic and episcopal characters, and the silence of the Cath- olics attests the toleration which they enjoyed." Again he says (p. 547) : " The Ostrogoths, the Burgundians, the Suevi, and the Vandals, who had listened to the elo(]uence of the Latin clergy, preferred the more intplligil)le lessons of their domestic teachers; and Arianism was adopted as the na- tional faith of the warlike converts Avho were seated on the ruins of the Western empire. This irreconcilable diflference of religion was a perpetual source of jealousy and hatred; and the reproach of barbarian was embittered by the more odious epithet of heretic. The heroes of the Xorth, who had sub- mitted, with some reluctance, to believe that all their ances- tors were in hell, were astonished and exasperated to learn 170 PROPHECY OF DANIEL that tliej thenisclvcs li;ipressed the Arians wherever their CHAPTER 7, VERSES 23-26 177 influence and authority could reach ; but the Nicenians, in their turn, were not less rigorously treated by their adversa- ries [the Arians], particularly in Africa and Italy, where they felt, in a very severe manner, the weight of the Arian power, and the bitterness, of hostile resentment. The triumphs of Arianism Avere, however, transitory, and its prosperous days were entirely eclipsed when the Vandals were driven out of Africa, and the Goths out of Italy, by the arms of Justinian." — Moslieim's Church History, cent. 6, part 2, chap. 5, sec. .3. Elliott, in his Horse Apocalypticse, makes two enumerations of the ten kingdoms which rose out of the Roman empire, vary- ing the second list from the first according to the changes which had taken jilace at the later period to which the second list applies. His first list differs from that mentioned in re- marks on chap. 2 : 42, only in that he put the Alemanni in place of the Iluns, and the Bavarians in place of the Lombards, a variation which can be easily accounted for. But out of this list he names the three that were plucked up before the papacy, in these words : " I might cite three that were eradicated from before the pope out of the list first given; namely, the Heriill under Odoacer, the Vandals, and the Ostrogoths." — Vol. Ill, p. 152, note 1. Although he prefers the second list, in which he puts the Lombards instead of the Heruli, the foregoing is good testi- mony that if we make the enumeration of the ten kingdoms while the Heruli were a ruling power, they were one of the horns which were j)l^^icked up. From the historical testimony above cited, we think it clearly established that the three horns plucked up were the powers named ; viz., the Heruli in a. d. 493, the Vandals in 534, and the Ostrogoths in 538. 1. " He shall speak great words against the Most High." Has the papacy done this ? Look at a few of the pope's self- assumed titles: "Vicegerent of the Son of God," "Our Lord God, the Pope," " Another God upon earth," " King of the Avorld," " King of kings and Lord of lords." Said Pope TsTich- olas to Emperor ]\Iichael, ^'' The pope, who is called God by Constantine, can never be bound or released l)y man; for God 178 PROPHECY OF DAXIEL can ]iot he judged by man.'' Is there need of bolder blas- phemy than this i Listen also to the adulation the popes have received from their followers Avithont rebuke. A Venetian prelate, in the fourth session of the Lateran, addressed the pope as follows: "Thou art our Shepherd, our Physician, in short, a second God upon earth." Another bishop called him '' the lion of the tribe of Judah, the promised Saviour." Lord Anthony Pucci, in the fifth Lateran, said to the pope, '' The sight of thy divine majesty does not a little terrify me; for I am not ignorant that all power both in heaven and in earth is given unto you; that the prophetic saying is ful- filled in you, ' All the kings of the earth shall worship him, and nations shall serve him.'" (See Oswald's Kingdom Which Shall Xot Be Destroyed, pp. 97-00.) Again, Dr. Clarke, on verse 25, says: "'Lie shall speak as if he were God.' So St. Jerome quotes from Symmachus. To none can this apply so well or so fully as to the popes of Kome. They have assumed infallibility, which belongs only to God. They profess to forgive sins, which belongs only to God. They profess to open and shut heaven, which belongs only to God. They profess to be higher than all the kings of the earth, which belongs only to God. And they go beyond God in pretending to loose Avhole nations from their oath of allegiance to their kings, when such kings do not please them. And they go against God when they give indulgences for sin. This is the worst of all blasphemies." 2. "And shall wear out the saints of the Most High." Has the papacy done this? For the mere information of any student of church history, no answer need here be given. All know that for long years the papal church has ]uirsued its re- lentless work against the true followers of God. Chapter after chapter might be given, would our limited space permit. Wars, crusades, massacres, inquisitions, and persecutions of all kinds, — these were their weapons of extinction. Scott's Church History says: "No computation can reach the numbers who have been put to death, in different w^ays, on account of their maintaining the profession of the gospel, and opposing the corruptions of the Church of "Rome. A mil- PROMINENT MARTYRS "v1»./ he Khnll „■,'„,■ ,,„! I,;,- s„i:ils „/ Ihr .l/,,s7 llijity IXin. 7; ^J. Kor blogr.ii lilcal sketr'ic:;, s.-c ApimmkIIn. CHAPTER 7. VERSES 28-26 181 lion of poor Waldenses perished in Franco ; nine hundred thou- sand orthodox Christians were slain in less than thirty years after the institution of the order of the Jesuits. The Duke of Alva boasted of having put to death in the Netherlands thirty-six thousand by the hand of the common executioner during the space of a few years. The Inquisition destroyed, by various tortures, one hundred and fifty thousand within thirty years. These are a few specimens, and but a few, of those which history has recorded. But the total amount will never be known till the earth shall disclose her blood, and no more co\'er her slain." Commenting on the prophecy that the little horn should " wear out the saints of the Most High," Barnes, in his Xotes on Dan. 7: 25, says: " Can any one doubt that this is true of the papacy ? The Inquisition, the persecutions of the Wal- denses, the ra\-ages of the Duke of Alva, the fires of Smith- field, the tortures of Goa, — indeed, the whole history of the papacy, may be appealed to in proof that this is applicable to that power. If anything could have worn out the saints of the Most High, — could have cut them off from the earth so that evangelical religion would have become extinct, — it would have been the persecutions of the papal power. In the year 1208 a crusade was proclaimed by Pope Innocent III against the Waldenses and Albigenses, in which a million men per- ished. From the beginning of the order of Jesuits in the year 1540 to 1580, nine hundred thousand were destroyed. One hundred and fifty thousand perished by the Inquisition in thirty years. In the Low Countries fifty thousand persons were hanged, beheaded, burned, or buried alive, for the crime of heresy, within the space of thirty-eight years from the edict of Charles V against the Protestants to the peace of Chateau Cambresis in 1550. Eighteen thousand suffered by the hand of the executioner in the space of five years and a half, during the administration of the Duke of Alva. Indeed, the slight- est acquaintance with the history of the papacy will convince any one that what is here said of ' making war with the saints ' (verse 21), and 'wearing out the saints of the Most High' (verse 25), is strictly applicable to that power, and will accu- 12 Ig2 PROPHECY OF DANIEL rately describe its history." (See Buck's Theological Diction- ary, art., Persecutions; Oswald's Kingdom, etc., pp. 107 - 133; Bowling's History of Romanism; Fox's Book of Martyrs; Charlotte Elizabeth's Martyrology; The ^Yars of the Hugue- nots; The Great Red Dragon, by Anthony Gavin, formerly one of the Roman Catholic priests of Saragossa, Spain; His- tories of the Reformation, etc.) To parry the force of this damaging testimony from all his- tory, papists deny that the church has ever persecuted any one ; it has been the secular power; the church has only passed decision upon the question of heresy, and then turned the offenders over to the civil power, to be dealt with according to the pleasure of the secular court. The impious hypocrisy of this claim is transparent enough to make it an absolute insult to common sense. In those days of persecution, what was the secular power ? — Simply a tool in the hand of the church, and under its control, to do its bloody bidding. And when the church delivered its prisoners to the executioners to be de- stroyed, with fiendish mockery it made use of the following formula : '"And we do leave thee to the secular arm, and to the power of the secular court; but at the same time do most earnestly beseech that court so to moderate its sentence as not to touch thy blood, nor to put thy life in any sort of danger." And then, as intended, the unfortunate victims of popish hate were immediately executed. (Geddes's Tracts on Popery; View of the Court of Inquisition in Portugal, p. 446 ; Lim- borch. Vol. II, p. 289.) But the false claims of papists in this respect have been flatly denied and disproved by one of their own standard writ- ers, Cardinal Bellarmine, who Avas born in Tuscany in 1542, and who, after his death in 1(121, came very near being placed in the calendar of saints on account of his great services in behalf of popery. This man, on one occasion, under the sjour of controversy, betrayed himself into an admission of the real facts in the case. Luther having said that the church (mean- ing the true church) never burned heretics, Bellarmine, un- derstanding it of the Romish Church, made answer: "This argument proves not the sentiment, l>ut the ignorance or im- CHAPTER 1, VERSES 23-26 183 pudence of Luther; for as almost an infinite numher were either burned or otherwise put to death, Luther either did not know itj and was therefore ignorant ; or if he knew it, he was convicted of impudence and falsehood ; for that heretics were often burned by the church, may be proved by adducing a few from many examples." To show the relation of the secular power to the church, as held by Komanists, we quote the answer of the same writer to the argument that the only weapon committed to the church is " the sword of the Spirit, which is the Avord of God." To this he replied : "As the church has ecclesiastical and secular princes, who are her two arms, so she has two swords, the spiritual and material; and therefore when her right hand is unable to convert a heretic Avith the sword of the Spirit, she invokes the aid of the left hand, and coerces heretics with the material sword." In answer to the argument that the apostles never invoked the secular arm against heretics, he says, " The apostles did it not, because there was no Christian prince whom tliy could call on for aid. But afterward, in Constantine's time, . . ^ the church called in the aid of the secular arm." — Dowling's History of Bomanism, pp. 5^7, 5J^8. In corroboration of these facts, fifty million martyrs • — this is the lowest computation made by any historian — Avill rise up in the judgment as witnesses against her bloody work. Pagan Rome persecuted relentlessly the Christian church, and it is estimated that three million Christians perished in the first three centuries, yet it is said that the primitive Chris- tians prayed for the continuance of imperial Rome; for they knew that when this form of government should cease, another far Avorse persecuting power Avould arise, Avhich would literally, as this prophecy declares, " Avear out the saints of the Most High." Pagan Pome could slay the infants, but spare the mothers; but papal Pome sIcav both mothers and infants to- gether. ISTo age, no sexj no condition in life, Avas exem]^t from her relentless rage. " AMien Herod died," says a forcible Avriter, "he Avent doAvn to the graA^e AA'ith infamy; and earth had one murderer, one persecutor, less, and boll one victim 1S4 PROPHECY OF DANIEL more. O Kome! what will not be tliv hell, and that of thy votaries, when thy judgment shall have come ! '" 3. ^Vnd shall " think to change times and laws." Y/hat laws and whose ? Xot the laws of other earthly governments ; for it was nothing marvelous or strange for one power to change the laws of another, Avhenever it could bring such power under its dominion. Xot human laws of any kind ; for the little horn had power to change these so far as its jurisdiction extended; but the times and laws in question were such as this power should only think to change, but not be able to change. They are the laws of the same Being to whom the saints belong who are worn out by this power ; namely, the laws of the Most High. And has the papacy attempted this I — Yes, even this. It has, in its catechisms, expunged the second commandment of the decalogue to make way for its adoration of images. It has divided the tenth commandment to make up the number ten. And, more audacious than all! it has taken hold of the fourth commandment, torn from its place the Sabbath of Je- hovah, the only memorial of the great God ever given to man, and erected in its place a rival institution to serve another purpose. ^ 4. "And they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time." The pronoun tlicy embraces the saints, the times, and the laws just mentioned. How long a time were they to be given into the hands of this power ? A time, as Ave haA^e seen from chapter 4:23, is one year; tAvo times, the least that could be denoted by the plural, two years, and the dividing of time, or half a time (Sept., ■^fua-v,) half a year. Gesenius also gives " 3 >'2, Chald., a half. Dan. 7 : 25." ^Ye thus have three years and a half for the continuance of this poAver. The HebreAV, or rather the Chaldaic, Avord for time in the text before us, is l"!^, iddan, Avhicli Gesenius defines thus: "Time. Spec, in prophetic language for a T/crtr. Dan. Y:25, ]1^. :^5T p^^l p;;""!^ for a year, also two years and liaJf a year; i. e., for three years and a half; comp. Jos. B. J. 1. 1. 1." AYe must now consider that Ave are in the "See Catholic catechisms, atifi tht work entitleil. " Wlin Changed tlie Sahbath? " and works on the Sabbath and Law published by the i)ublislicrs of this book. CHAPTER 7, VERSES 23-26 185 midst of symbolic prophecy ; hence in this measurement the time is not literal, but symbolic also. The inquiry then arises, How long a period is denoted by the three years and a half of prophetic time ^ The rule given us in the Bible is, that when a day is used as a symbol, it stands for a year. Eze. 4:0; Num. 14:34. Under the Hebrew word for day, ^]*> (yom), Gesenius has this remark: '^ 3. Sometimes D''?5^ [Ya)ni})i^ marks a definite space of time; viz., a year; as also Syr. and Chald. I^)/ [_idddn] denotes both time and year; and as in English several words signifying time, weight, measure, are likewise used to denote certain specified times, weights, and measures.'' The ordinary Jewish year, which must be used as the basis of reckoning, contained three hundred and sixty days. Three years and a half contained twelve hundred and sixty days. As each day stands for a year, Ave have twelve hundred and sixty years for the continuation of the supremacy of this horn. Did the papacy possess dominion that length of time ? The answer again is, Yes. The edict of the emperor Justinian, dated a. d. 533, made the bishop of Rome the head of all the churches. But this edict could not go into effect until the Arian Ostrogoths, the last of the throe horns that were plucked up to make room for the papacy, were driven from Rome ; and this was not accomplished, as already shown, till A. D. 538. The edict Avould have been of no effect had this latter event not been accomplished ; hence from this latter year we are to reckon, as this was the earliest point where the saints were in reality in the hand of this power. From this point did the papacy hold supremacy for twelve hundred and sixty years ? — Exactly. For 538 + 1200 = 1798; and in the year 1798, Berthier, with a French army, entered Rome, proclaimed a republic, took the pope prisoner, and for a time abolished the papacy. It has never since enjoyed the jirivi- leges and immunities which it possessed before. Thus again this power fulfils to the very letter the specifications of the prophecy, Avhich proves beyond question that the application is correct. After describing the terrible career of the little horn, and stating that the saints should be given into his hand for 1200 186 PROPHECY OF DANIEL years, bringing us down to 1708, verse '2() declares: " But the judgment shall sit, and thej shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end." In verse 10 of the same chapter we have substantially the same expression relative to the judgment: " The judgment was set." It would seem consistent to suppose that the same judgment is referred to in both instances. But the sublime scene described in verse 10 is the opening of the investigative Judgment in the sanctuary in heaven, as will ap})ear in remarks on Dan. 8:14 and 9:25- 27. The opening of this judgment scene is located by the prophecy at 'the close of the great prophetic period of 2300 years, which terminated in 184-4. (See under chapter 9: 25 -27.) Four years after this, in 1818, the great revolution which shook so many thrones in Europe, dro\-e the ])ope also from his dominions. His restoration shortly after was through the force of foreign bayonets, by which alone he was upheld till his final loss of temporal power in 1870. The overthrow of the papacy in 1798 marked the conclusion of the prophetic period of 1260 years, and constituted the " deadly wound " prophesied in Eev. 13: 3, to come upon this power; but this deadly wound was to be "healed." In 1800 another pope was elected; his palace and temporal dominion Ave re restored, and every pre- rogative except, as Mr. Croly says, that of a systematic perse- cutor, was again under his control ; and thus the wound was healed. But since 1870, he has enjoyed no prestige as a temporal prince, among the nations of the earth. Verse 27. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting king- dom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. 28. Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart. After beholding the dark and desolate picture of papal oppression n])on the church, the ])rophet is ])evmitted once more to turn his eyes upon the glorious period of the saints' rest, when they shall have the kingdom, free from all oppres- sive powers, in everlasting possession. ITow could the children of God keep heart in this present evil world, amid tlie misrule CHAPTER 7, VERSES 21, 28 18Y and oppression of the governiuents of earth, and the abomina- tions that are done in the land, if they could not look forward to the kingdom of God and the return of their Lord, with full assurance that the promises concerning them both shall cer- tainly be fulfilled, and that speedily \ Note. — Some startling events relative to the papacy, filling up the prophecies uttered in this chapter concerning that power, have taken place within a few years of the present time. Commencing in 1798, where the first great blow fell upon the papacy, what have been the chief characteristics of its history? Answer: The rapid defec- tion of its natural svipporters, and greater assumptions on its own part. In 1844, the judgment of verse 10 began to sit; namely, the investigative judgment, in the heavenly sanctuary, preparatory to the coming of Christ. Dec. 8, 1854, the dogma of the Immaculate Con- ception was decreed by the pope. July 21, 1870, in the great Ecumen- ical Council assembled at Rome, it was deliberately decreed, by a vote of 538 against 2, that the pope was infallible. In the same year, France, by whose bayonets the pope was kept upon his throne, was crushed by Prussia, and the last prop was taken from under the pa- pacy. Then Victor Emmanuel, seeing his opportunity to carry out the long-cherished dream of a united Italy, seized Rome to make it the capital of his kingdom. To his troops, under General Cadorna, Rome surrendered, Sept. 20, 1870. The pope's temporal power was thus wholly taken away, nevermore, said Victor Emmanuel, to be re- stored; and since that time, the popes, shutting themselves up in the Vatican, have styled themselves " prisoners." Because of the great words which the horn uttered, Daniel saw the beast destroyed, and given to the burning flame. This destruction is to take place at the second coming of Christ a«id by means of that event ; for the man of sin is to be consumed by tlie spirit of Christ's mouth, and destroyed by the brightness of his coming. 2 Thess. 2 : 8, What words could be more arrogant, presumptuous, blasphemous, or insulting to high Heaven, than the deliberate adoption of the dogma of infallibility, thus clothing a mortal man with a prerogative of the Deity? And this was accomplished by papal intrigue and influence, July 21, 1870. Following in swift succession, the last vestige of temporal power was wrenched from his grasp. It was because of these words, and as if in almost immediate connection with them, that the propbet saw this power given to the burning flame. His dominion was to be consumed unto the end, implying that when his power as a civil ruler should be wholly destroyed, the end would not be far off. And the prophet immediately adds: "And the kingdom and dominion, and the great- ness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High." All in this line of prophecy has now been fully accomplished except the closing scene. Next comes the last, cro^niing act in the drama, when the beast will be given to the burning flame, and the saints of the Most High will take the kingdom. We must be, now, upon the very threshold of this glorio^is event. ME (MMT^ nfflrmn w CHAPTER VIII. WE now come once more," says Dr. Clarke, "to the Hebrew, the Chaldee part of the book being finished. As the Chaldeans had a particular interest both in the Jilstory and the prophecies from chapter 2 : 4 to the end of chapter 7, the whole is written in Chaldee : but as the proph- ecies which remain concern times posterior to the Chaldean monarchy, and principally relate to the church and people of God generally, they are written in the Plebrew language, this being the tongue in which God chose to reveal all his counsels given under the Old Testament relative to the Neio." Verse 1. In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto nie, even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first. One prominent characteristic of the sacred writings, and one which should forever shield them from the charge of being works of fiction, is the frankness and freedom with which the writers state all the circumstances connected with that which they record. This verse states the time when the vision re- corded in this chapter was given to Daniel. The first year of Belshazzar was b. c. 540. His third year, in which this vision was given, would consequently be 538. If Daniel, as is supposed, was about twenty years of age when he was car- (188) CHAPTER S. VERSES 1 - J, 191 ried to IJabyloii in the lirst year of Xebuchadnezzar, b. c. GOG, he was at this time about eighty-eight years of age. The vision he speaks of as the one " Avhich appeared unto him at the first/- is doubtless the vision of the seventh chapter, which he had in the first year of Belshazzar, Verse 2. And I saw in a vision ; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was at Shushan in the palace which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai. As verse 1 states the time when, this verse gives the place where, the vision was given. Shushan, as we learn from Prideaux, was the metropolis of the province of Elam. This Avas then in the hands of the Babylonians, and there the king of Babylon had a royal palace. Daniel, as minister of state, and employed about the king's business, was accordingly in that place. Abradates, viceroy or prince of Shushan, revolted to Cyrus, and the province was joined to the Medes and Per- sians; so that, according to the prophecy of Isaiah (21:2), Elam went up with the ]\[edes to besiege Babylon. Under the Medes and Persians it regained its liberties, of which it had been de]n'ived by the Babylonians, according to the projdi- ecy of Jeremiah, chapter 4-9 : 39. Verse 3. Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns ; and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last. 4. I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great. In verse 20 an interpretation of this symbol is given us in plain language : " The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of ]\[edia and Persia." We have only, therefore, to consider how well the symbol answers to the power in question. The two horns represented the two na- tionalities of \\'hich the empire consisted. The higher came up last. This represented the Persian element, which, from being at first simply an ally of the Medes, came to be the leading division of the empire. The different directions in which the ram was seen pushing, denote the directions in which 192 PROPHECY OF DANIEL the Medes and Persians carried their conquests. Xo earthly powers could stand before them while they were marching up to the exalted position to which the providence of God had summoned them. And so successfully were their conquests prosecuted that in the days of Ahasuerus (Esther 1:1), the Medo-Persian kingdom extended from India to Ethiopia, the extremities of the then known world, over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces. The prophecy almost seems to fall short of the facts as stated in history, when it simply says that this power " did according to his will, and became great." Verse 5. And as I was considering, behold, an he-goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground : and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes. 6. And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power. 7. And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns ; and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand. "As I was considering," says the prophet; and in this he sets an example for every lover of the truth, and all who have any regard for things higher than the objects of time and sense. Wlien Moses saAV the burning bush, he said, " I will now turn aside, and see this great sight." But hoAv few are willing at the present time to turn aside from their pursuit of business or pleasure to consider the important themes to which both the mercy and the providence of God are striving to call their attention. The svmbol here introduced is also explained bv the an^el to Daniel. Verse 21 : "And the rough goat is the king [or kingdom] of Grecia." Concerning the fitness of this symbol to the Grecian or JMacedonian people, Bishop Wewton observes that the Macedonians, " about two hundred years before the time of Daniel, were called .Egeada^, the goats' people;" the origin of which name he explains, according to heathen authors, as follows : " Oaranus, their first king, going with a great mul- titude of Greeks to seek new habitations in Macedonia, was advised by an oracle to take the goats for his guides to empire; CHAPTER 8. VERSES 5-7 195 and aftorward, seeing a herd of goats flying from a violent storm, lie followed tlienn to Edessa, and there tixed the seat of his empire, and made the goats his ensigns, or standards, and called the city -Ega', or the goats' town, and the people ^-Egea- dse, or the goats' people." " The city of ^Egese, or ^Ega?, was the usual burying-place of the Macedonian kings. It is also very remarkable that Alexander's son by Roxana Avas named Alexander ^gus, or the son of the goat; and some of Alex- ander's successors are represented in their coins with goats' liorns." — Dissertation on the Prophecies, p. 238. The goat came from the west. Grecia lay west of Persia. " On the face of the whole earth." He covered all the ground as he passed; that is, swept everything before him; he left nothing behind. He " touched not the ground." Such w^as the marvelous celerity of his movements that he did not seem to touch the ground, but to fly from point to point with the swiftness of the wind; the same feature is brought to view by the four wings of the leopard in the vision of chapter 7. The notable horn betw^een his eyes. This is explained in verse 21 to be the first king of the Macedonian empire. This king w^as Alexander the Great. Verses 6 and 7 give a concise account of tlie overthrow of the Persian empire by Alexander. The contests between the Greeks and Persians are said to have been exceedingly furious; and some of the scenes as recorded in history are vividly brought to mind by the figure used in the prophecy, — a ram standing before the river, and the goat running unto him in the fury of his power. Alexander first vanquished the generals of Darius at the River Granicus in Phrygia ; he next attacked and totally routed Darius at the passes of Issus in Cilicia, and afterward on the plains of Arbela in Syria. This last battle occurred b. c. 331, and marked the conclusion of the Persian empire, for by this event Alexander became complete master of the whole country. Bishop ISTewton quotes verse 6 : "And he [the goat"] came to the ram which T had seen standing be- fore the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power; " and adds : " One can hardly read these words without having 196 PROPHECY OF DANIEL some image of Darius's armj standing and guarding the River Granicus, and of Alexander on the other side, with his forces plunging in, swimming across the stream, and rusliing on the enemy with all the fire and fury that can be imagined." — Id., p. 239. Ptolemy begins the reign of Alexander b. c. 332 ; but it was not till the battle of Arbela, the year following, that he became, according to Prideaux (Vol. 1, p. 378), " absolute lord of that emj^ire to the utmost extent in Avhich it was ever possessed by the Persian kings." On the eve of this engage- ment, Darius sent ten of his chief relatives to sue for peace ; and upon their presenting their conditions to Alexander, he re- plied, " Tell your sovereign . . . that the world will not permit two suns nor two sovereigns ! " The language of verse 7 sets forth the completeness of the subjection of ]\Iedo-Persia to Alexander. The two horns were broken, and the ram was cast to the ground and stamped upon. Persia was subdued, the country ravaged, its armies cut to pieces and scattered, its cities plundered, and the royal city of Persepolis, tlie capital of the Persian empire, and even in its ruins one of the wonders of the world to the present day, wa^ sacked and burned. Thus the ram had no power to stand before the goat, and there was none that could deliver him out of his hand. Verse 8. Therefore tlie he-goat waxed very great : and when he was strong', the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven. The conqueror is greater than the conquered. The ram, Medo-Persia, became great; the goat, Grecia, became very great. And when he was strong, the great horn Avas broken. Human foresight and speculation would have said. When he becomes weak, his kingdom racked by rebellion, or paralyzed by luxury, then the horn will be broken, and the kingdom shat- tered. But Daniel saw it broken in the very prime of its strength and the height of its power, ^vhen e\'ery beholder would have exclaimed, Surely, tlie kingdom is established, and nothino: can overthrow it. Thus it is often with the wicked. CHAPTER 8, VERSES 8 - 11 197 The liorn of their strength is broken when they think they stand most firm. Alexander fell in the prime of life. (See notes on verse 39 of chapter 2.) After his death there arose much confusion among his followers respecting the succession. It was finally agreed, after a seven days' contest, that his natural brother, Philip Aridgeus, should be declared king. By him, and Alex- ander's infant sons, Alexander xEgus and Hercules, the name and show of the Macedonian empire were for a time sustained; but all these persons were soon murdered; and the family of Alexander being then extinct, the chief commanders of the army, who had gone into different parts of the empire as gov- ernors of the provinces, assumed the title of kings. They thereupon fell to leaguing and w^arring wdth one another to such a degree that within the short space of fifteen years from Alexander's death, the number was reduced to — how many ? Five ? — Xo. Three ? — ^o. Two ? — N"o. But four — just the number specified in the prophecy ; for four notable horns were to come up toward the four winds of heaven in place of the great horn that was broken. These were (1) Cassander, who had Greece and the neighboring countries; (3) Lysima- chus, who had Asia Minor; (3) Seleucus, who had Syria and Babylon, and from whom came the line of kings known as the " Seleucidse," so famous in history; and (4) Ptolemy, son of Lagus, who had Egypt, and from whom sprang the " Lagidse." These held dominion toward the four winds of heaven. Cas- sander had the western parts ; Lysimachus had the northern regions ; Seleucus possessed the eastern countries ; and Ptolemy had the southern portion of the empire. These four horns may therefore be named Macedonia, Thrace (which then included Asia Minor, and those parts lying on the Hellespont and Bos- phorus), Syria, and Egypt. Verse 9. And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land. 10. And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them. 11. Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken awav, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. 12. And an host '13 • • 198 PROPHECY OF DANIEL was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practiced and prospered. A third power is here introduced into the prophecy. In the explanation which the angel gave to Daniel of these sym- bols, this one is not described in language so definite as that concerning Medo-Persia and Grecia. Hence a flood of wild conjecture is at once let loose. Had not the angel, in language wdiich cannot be misunderstood, stated that Medo-Persia and Grecia were denoted by the ram and the he-goat, it is impos- sible to tell what applications men would have given its of those symbols. Probably they would have applied them to anything and everything but the right objects. Leave men a moment to their own judgment in the interpretation of prophecy, and we immediately have the most sublime exhibitions of human fancy. There are two leading applications of the symbol now under consideration, which are all that need be noticed in these brief thoughts. The first is that the " little horn " here introduced denotes the Syrian king, Antiochus Epiphanes ; the second, that it denotes the Poman power. It is an easy matter to test the claims of these two positions. I. Does it mean Antiochus ? If so, this king must fulfil the specifications of the prophecy ? If he does not fulfil them, the application cannot be made to him. The little horn came out of one of the four horns of the goat. It was then a sepa- rate power, existing independently of, and distinct from, anv of the horns of the goat. Was Antiochus such a power ? 1. AMio was Antiochus? From the time that Seleucus made himself king over the Syrian portion of Alexander's eiiipire, thus constituting the Syrian horn of the goat, imtil that country was conquered by the Romans, twenty-six kings rnled in succession over that territory. The eighth of these, in order, was Antiochus Epiphanes. Antiochus, then, was simply one of the twenty-six kings who constituted the Syrian horn of the goat. He was, for the time being, that horn. Hence he could not be at the same time a separate and independent power, or another and remarkable horn, as the little horn was. -^- MACEDONIA CONQUERED 68 EGYPT B.C. 30. THE LITTLE HORN OF DANIEL VI" CHAPTER 8. VERSES 9 - 12 201 2. If it were proj)er to apply the little horn to any one of these twenty-six Syrian kings, it should certainly be applied to the most powerful and illustrious of them all ; but Antiochus Epiphanes did not by any means sustain this character. Al- though he took the name Epiphanes, that is, The Illustrious, he was illustrious only in name; for nothing, says Prideaux, on the authority of Polybius, Livy, and Diodorus Siculus, could be more alien to his true character ; for, on account of his vile and extravagant folly, some thinking him a fool and others a madman, they changed his name of Epiphanes, " The Illus- trious," into Epimanes, " The Madman." 3. Antiochus the Great, the father of Epiphanes, being terribly defeated in a war with the Romans, was enabled to procure peace only by the payment of a prodigious sum of money, and the surrender of a portion of his territory; and, as a pledge that he would faithfully adhere to the terms of the treaty, he was obliged to give hostages, among whom Avas this very Epiphanes, his son, who was carried to Rome. The Romans ever after maintained this ascendency. 4. The little horn waxed exceeding great ; but this Antio- chus did not wax exceeding great ; on the contrary, he did not enlarge his dominion, except by some temporary conquests in Egypt, which he immediately relinquished when the Romans took the part of Ptolemy, and commanded him to desist from his designs in that quarter. The rage of his disappointed ambition he vented upon the unoffending Jews. 5. The little horn, in comparison with the powers that pre- ceded it, Avas exceeding great. Persia is simply called great, though it reigned over a hundred and tAventy-seven proA'inces. Esther 1 : 1. Grecia, being more extensiA^e still, is called A^ery great. N'oav the little horn, Avhicli Avaxed exceeding great, must surpass them both. Hoav absurd, then, to apply this to .Vntiochus, Avho Avas obliged to abandon Egypt at the dictation of the Romans, to Avhom he paid enormous sums of money as tribute. The Religious Encyclopedia giA^es us this item of his history: '^ Finding his resources exhausted, he resoh'ed to go into Persia to Ica'v tribute, and collect large sums AA'hich he had agreed to pay the Romans." It cannot take long for any 202 PROPHECY OF DANIEL one to decide the question wliicli was the greater jDOwer, — the one which evacuated Egyj^t, or the one whicli couinianded that evacuation ; tlie one which exacted trihute, or the one which was compelled to pay it. G. The little horn was to stand up against the Prince of princes. The Prince of princes here means, beyond contro- versy, Jesus Christ. Dan. 9:25; iVcts 3 ; 15 ; Rev. 1 : 5. But Antiochus died one hundred and sixty-four years before our Lord was born. The prophecy cannot, therefore, apply to him ; for he does not fulfil the specifications in one single particular. The question may then be asked how any one has ever come 'to apply it to him. AVe answer, Romanists talcp that view to avoid the application of the prophecy to themselves; and many Protestants follow them, in order to oppose the doctrine that the seconci advent of Christ is now at hand. II. It has been an easy matter to show that the little horn does not denote Antiochus. It will be just as easy to show that it does denote Rome. 1. The field of vision here is substantially the same as that covered by Xebuchadnezzar's image of chapter 2, and Daniel's vision of chapter 7. And in both these prophetic delineations we have found that the po^ver which succeeded Grecia as the fourth great power, was Rome. The only natural inference would be that the little horn, the power which in this vision succeeds Grecia as an " exceeding great " power, is also Rome. 2. The little horn comes forth from one of the horns of the goat. How, it may be asked, can this be true of Rome ? It is unnecessary to remind the reader that earthly governments are not introduced into prophecy till they become in some way connected with the ]ieople of God. Rome became connected with the Jews, the ])eople of God at that time, by the fnmous Jewish League, v.. c. IHL 1 Maccabees 8; Josephus's Antiq- uities, book 12, chap. 10, sec. 6; Prideaux, Vol. II, p. IHG. But seven years before tliis, that is, in b. o. 168, Rome had conquered Macedonia, and made that country a part of its em- pire. Rome is therefore introduced into projJiecy just as, from the conquered Macedonian horn of the goat, it is going forth to new conquests in other directions. It therefore ap CIIAPTEJi i'. \EBSES U-U 20:j peareJ to tlic propUcl, or iiiaj be properly spoken of in this prophecy, as coming forth from one of the horns of the goat. 3. The little horn waxed great toward the south. This was trne of Rome. T^gypt was made a province of the Roman empire b. c. 30, and continued such for some centuries. 4. The little horn waxed groat toward the east. This also was true *)f Rome. Rome conciuered Syria b. c. 05, and made it a province. 5. The little horn waxed great toward the pleasant land. So did Rome. Judea is called the pleasant land in many scriptures. The Romans made it a province of their empire, B. c. 63, and eventually destroyed the city and the temple, and scattered the Jews o\'er the face of the whole earth. 6. The little horn waxed great even to the host of heaven. Rome did this also. The host of heaven, when used in a symbolic sense in reference to events transpiring upon the earth, must denote persons of illustrious character or exalted position. The great red dragon (Rev. 12:4) is said to have cast down a third part of the stars of heaven to the ground. The dragon is ihere interpreted to symbolize pagan Rome, and the stars it cast to the ground were Jewish rulers. Evidently it is the same ])0wer and the same work that is here brought to view, which again nuikes it necessary to apply this growing horn to Rome. 7. The little horn magnified himself even to the Prince of the liost. Rome alone did this. In the interpretation (verse 25) this is called standing up against the Prince of princes. How clear an allusion to the crucifixion of our Lord under the jurisdiction of the Romans. 8. By the little horn the daily sacrifice was taken away. This little horn must be understood to symbolize Rome in its entire history, including its two phases, pagan and papal. These two phases are elsewhere spoken of as the " daily " (sacrifce is a supplied word) and the " transgression of deso- lation; " the daily (desolation) signifying the pagan form, and the transgression of desolation, the papal. (See on verse 13.) In the actions ascribed to this power, sometimes one form is spoken of, sometimes the othor. " Ry him " (the 204 PROPHECY OF DANIEL papal form) " the daily " (the pagan form) " was taken away." Pagan Kome was remodeled into papal Home. And the place of his sanctuary, or worship, the city of Rome, was cast down. The seat of government was removed by Constantine in a. d. 330 to Constantinople. This same transaction is brought to view in Eev. 13 : 2, where it is said that the dragon, pagan Rome, gave to the beast, papal Rome, his seat, the city of Rome. y. A host was given him (the little horn) against the daily. The barbarians that subverted the Roman empire in the changes, attritions, and transformations of those times, be- came converts to the Catholic faith, and the instruments of the dethronement of their former religion. Though conquer- ing Rome politically, they were themselves vanquished relig- iously by the theology of Rome, and became the perpetuators of the same empire in another phase. And this was brought about by reason of " transgression ; " that is, by the working of the mystery of iniquity. The papacy is the most cunningly contrived, false ecclesiastical system ever devised; and it may be called a system of iniquity because it has committed its abominations and. practiced its orgies of superstition in the garb, and under the pretense, of pure and undefiled religion. 10. The little horn cast the truth to the ground, and prac- ticed and prospered. This describes, in few words, the work and career of the papacy. The truth is by it hideously carica- tured ; it is loaded with traditions ; it is turned into mummery and superstition ; it is cast down and obscured. And this antichristian power has ''practiced," — practiced its deceptions upon the people, practiced its schemes of cunning to carry out its own ends and aggrandize its own power. And it has " prospered." It has made war with the saints, and prevailed against them. It has run its allotted career, and is soon to be broken without hand, to be given to the burning flame, and to perish in the consuming glories of the second appearing of our Lord. Rome meets all the specifications of the prophecy. No other power does meet them. Hence Rome, and no other, is the power in question. And while the descriptions given in the word of God of the character of this monstrous svstem are CHAPTER 8, VERSES 9 - U 205 fully met, the prophecies of its baleful history have been most strikingly and accurately fulfilled. Verse 13. Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint whicli spalie, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desola- tion, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? 1-i. And he said unto me. Unto two thousand and three hun- dred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. The time. These two verses close the vision proper of chapter 8 ; and they introduce the one remaining point which of all others would naturally be of the most absorbing interest to the prophet and to all the church ; namely, the time the desolating powers previously brought to view were to continue. How long shall they continue their course of oppression against God's people, and of blasphemy against high Heaven ? Daniel, if time had been given, might j^erhaps have asked this question himself, but God is ever ready to anticipate our wants, and sometimes to answer even before we ask. Hence two celestial ]>eings a2:)pear upon the scene, holding a conversation, in the hearing of the prophet, upon this question which it is so im- portant that the church should understand. Daniel heard one saint speaking. AMiat this saint spoke at this time we are not informed; but there must have been something either in the matter or the manner of this speaking which made a deep im- pression upon the mind of Daniel, inasmuch as he uses it in the very next sentence as a designating title, calling the angel '' that certain saint which spalie/' He may have spoken some- thing of the same nature as that which the seven thunders of the Apocalypse uttered (Eev. 10: 3), and which, for some good reason, John was restrained from writing. But another saint asked this one that spake an important question: How long the vision ? and both the question and the answer are placed upon record, which is prima-facie evidence that this is a mat- ter which it was designed that the church should understand. And this view is further confirmed by the fact that the angel did not ask this question for his o-\\ti information, inasmuch as the answer was addressed to Daniel, as the one whom it chiefly concerned, and for whose information it Avas given. 20n PROPHECY OF DANIEL "And lie said unto me," said Daniel, recording:' the answer lo the angel's question, '* Unto two thousand and three hun- dred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." Tlie daily sacrifice. AVe have proof in verse 13 that sacri- fice is the wrong- word to be supplied in connection with the Avord da ill/. If the dailv sacrifice of the Jewish service is here meant, or, in other words, the taking away of that sacrifice, as some suppose, which sacrifice was at a certain point of time taken away, there would be no propriety in the question, How long the vision concerning it ? This question evidently implies that those agents or events to which the vision relates, occupy a long series of years. Continuance of time is the central idea. And the whole time of the vision is filled by what is here called the daily and the transgression of desolation. Hence the daily cannot be the daily sacrifice of the Jews, the taking away of which, when the time came for it, occu]uod comparatively but an instant of time. It must denote something v.-hich occupies a series of years. The word here rendered dailt/ occurs in the Old Testa- ment, according to the Hebrew Concordance, one hundred and two times, and is in the great majority of instances, rendered continued or confinualhj. The idea of sacrifice does not attach to the word at all. Xor is there any Avord in the text which sig- nifies sacrifice ; that is whc.lly a supplied word, the translators putting in that w(^rd Avhich their understanding of the text seemed to demand. liut.they evidently entertained an erron;^- ous view, the sacrifices of the Jews not being referred to at all. It appears, therefore, more in accordance with both the construc- tion and the context, to suppose that the word dailij refers to a desolating power, like the '' transgression of desolation," with wliich it is connected. Then we have two desolating ])owers, wliich for a long period o])])ress, or desolate the church. The IIel)rcw,D^i^';;^^'Sni Tann justities this const niction ; the last word, Dt?u', desolation, having a common relation to the two preceding nouns, the j^erpetual and lhe transgression, which are connected by the conjunction and. laterally, it may be rendered, " How long the vision [concerning] the continu- ance and the transu'ression of desolation ? " the word desolation CHAPTER S. VEBSES 13. 1', I'oT being related to both eijiitiiiuance and irausgression, us though it were expressed in full thus : " The continuance of desolation and the transgression of desolation." Ijv tlie *' continuance of desolation," or the perpetual desolation, we must understand that paganism, through all its long history, is meant; and by " the transgression of desolation " is meant the papacy. The phrase describing this latter |)ower is stronger than that used to describe paganism. It is the transgression (or rebellion, as the word also means) of desolation; as though under this period of the history of the church the desolating power had roboll('(l against all restraint previonsly imposed upon it. From a religious point of view, the world has i)resented only these two phases of opposition against the Lord's work in the earth. Hence although three earthly governments are in- troduced in the prophecy as oppressors of the church, they are here rauged under two heads; " the daily " and the " trans- gression of desolation." — Medo-Persia was pagan ; Grecia was pagan ; Rome in its first phase was pagan ; these all were em- braced in the " daily." Then comes the papal form, — the "' transgression of desolation " — a marvel of craft and cun- ning, an incarnation of fiendish blood-thirstiness and cruelty. Xo wonder the cry has gone up from suffering martyrs, from age to age. How long, O Lord, how long? And no wonder the Lord, in order that hope might not wholly die out of the hearts of his down-trodden, waiting people, has lifted before them the vail of futurity, showing them the consecutive events of the world's history, till all these persecuting powers shall meet an utter and everlasting destruction, and giving them glimpses beyond of tlie nnfading glories of their eternal in- heritance. The Lord's eye is upon his people. The furnace will be heated no hotter than is necessary to consume the dross. It is thi'ough much tribulation we are to enter the kingdom ; and the word trihulatlon is from tnhuhn)], a tlireshing sledge. Blow after blow must be laid upon us, till all the wheat is beaten free from the chaff, and we are made fit for the heavenly gar- ner. But not a kernel of -wheat will be lost. Says the Lord to his people. Ye are the light of the Avorld, the salt of the 208 PROFHECY OF DANIEL earth. In liis eyes there is nothing else on the earth of con- sequence or importance. Hence the peculiar question here asked, How long the vision respecting the daily and the trans- gression of desolation i Concerning A\-liat I — the glory of earthly kingdoms '( the skill of renowned warriors ? the fame of mighty con(|uerors ? the greatness of human empire? — 'So; but concerning the sanctuary and the host, the people and worship of the Most High. How long shall they be trodden under foot ? Here is where all Heaven's interest and sympathy are enlisted. He who touches the people of God, touches not mere mortals, weak and helj)less, but Omnipotence ; he opens an account which must be settled at the bar of Heaven. And soon all these accounts will be adjusted, the iron heel of oppres- sion will itself be crushed, and a jDcople will be brought out of" the furnace prepared to shine as the stars forever and ever. To be one who is an object of interest to heavenly beings, one whom the providence of God is engaged to preserve while here, and crown with immortality hereafter — what an exalted position I How much higher than that of any king, president, or potentate of earth ? Reader, are you one of the number ? Kespecting the 2300 days, introduced for the first time in A'crse 14, there are no data in this chapter from which to de- termine their commencement and close, or tell what portion of the world's history they cover. It is necessary, therefore, for the present, to pass them by. Let the reader be assured, how- ever, that we are not left in any uncertainty concerning those days. The declaration respecting them is a part of a revela- tion which is given for the instruction of the people of God, and is consequently to be understood. They are spoken of in the midst of a prophecy which the angel Gabriel was com- manded to make Daniel understand ; and it may be safely assumed that Gabriel somewhere carried out this instruction. Tt will accordingly be found that the mystery which hangs over these days in this chapter, is dispelled in the next. Tlie sanciuary. Connected with the 2300 days is another subject of equal importance, which now presents itself for consideration; namely, the sanctuary; and with this is also connected the subject of its elean.sing. An examination of CHAPTER 8. VERSES IS, U 209 these subjects will iv\-eal the iiaportanee of having an under standing of the commencement and termination of the 2300 days, that we may know when the great event called "' the cleansing of the sanctuary " is to transpire ; for all the inhab- itants of the earth, as will in due time appear, have a personal interest in that solemn work. Several objects have been claimed by different ones as the sanctuary here mentioned: (1) The earth; (2) The land of Canaan; (3) The church; (4) The sanctuary, the "true tab- ernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man," which is " in the heavens," and of which the Jewish tabernacle was a type, pattern, or figure. Heb. 8:1, 2 ; 9:23, 24. These con flicting claims must be decided by the Scriptures ; and for- tunately the testimony is neither meager nor ambiguous. 1. 75 the earth the sanctuary? The Avord sanctuary occurs in the Old and J^Tew Testaments one hundred and forty-four times, and from the definitions of lexicographers, and its use in the Bible, we learn that it is used to signify a holy or sacred place, a dwelling-place for the Most High. If, there- fore, the earth is the sanctuary, it must answer to this defini- tion ; but what single characteristic pertaining to this earth is found which will satisfy the definition? It is neither a holy nor a sacred place, nor is it- a dwelling-place for the Most High. It has no mark of distinction, except as being a re- volted planet, marred by sin, scarred and withered by the curse. Moreover, it is nowhere in all the Scriptures called the sanctuary. Only one text can be produced in favor of this view, and that only by an uncritical application. Isa. 60: 13 says : " The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious." This language undoubtedly refers to the new earth ; but even that is not called the sanctuary, but only the " place " of the sanctuary, just as it is called " the place " of the Lord's feet ; an expression which probably denotes the continual presence of God with his people, as it was revealed to John when it was said, " Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God ^]y PROPHECY OF DANIEL himself shall be with them, and be their God/' Rev. 21 : 3. All that can be said of the earth, therefore, is, that when re- newed, it will be the place where the sanctnary of God will bo located. It can present not a shadow of a claim to being the sanctnary at the present time, or the sanctuary of the prophecy. 2. Is the land of Canaan the sanctuary? So far as we may be governed by the definition of the word, it can present no better claim than the earth to that distinction. If wq in- quire where in the Bible it is called the sanctuary, a few texts are brought forward which seem to be supposed by some to furnish the requisite testimony. The first of these is Ex. 15:17. Moses, in his song of triumph and praise to God after the passage of the Red Sea, exclaimed : '' Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine in- heritance, in the ]daee, O Lord, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established." A writer who urges this text, says, " I ask the reader to pause, and examine and settle the question most distinctly, before he goes further. What is the sanctu- ary here spoken of ? " But it would be far safer for the reader not to attempt to settle the question definitely from this one isolated text before comparing it with other scriptures. Moses here speaks in anticipation. His language is a predic- tion of what God would do for his people. Let us see hoAV it was accomplished. If we find, in the fulfilment, that the land in which they were planted is called the sanctuary, it will greatly strengthen the claim that is based upon this text. If. on the other hand, we find a plain distinction drawn between the land and the sanctuary, then Ex. 15:17 must be inter- preted accordingly. We turn to David, who records as a matter of history what Moses uttered as a matter of prophecy. Ps. 7*^: 5.S. 54. Tlie subject of the psalmist here, is the deliverance of Israel from Egyptian servitude, and their establishment in the promised land; and he says: "And he [Godl led them on safely, .so that they feared not: but the sea overwlielmed their enemies. And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, Avhieh hi^ riglit liand had purchased." The CHAPTER 8, VERSES 13, U 211 ■* mountain '' here mentioned by David is the same as the '' mountain of thine inheritance " spoken of by Moses, in which the i)Cople were to be planted ; and tliis mountain David calls, not the sanctuary, but only the border of the sanctuary. What, then, was the sanctuary ( Verse GO of the same psalm informs us: "And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established forever." The same distinc- tion between the sanctuary and the land is pointed out in the prayer of good king Jehoshaphat. 2 Chron. 20:7, 8: '^Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend forever? And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name." Taken alone, some try to draw an inference from Ex. 15 : 17 that the mountain was the sanctuary ; but when we take in con- nection with it the language of David, which is a record of the fulfilment of ]\[oses's prediction, and an inspired commentary upon his language, such an idea cannot be entertained ; for David plainly says that the mountain was simply the " border " of the sanctuary: and that in that border, or land, the sanctuary was " built " like high palaces, reference being made to the beautiful temple of the Jews, the center and syndiol of all their worshij). But whoever will read carefully Ex. 15:17 will see that not even an inference is necessary that Moses by the word sanctuary means the mountain of inheritance, much less the whole land of Palestine. In the freedom of poetic license, he employs elliptical expressions, and passes rapidly from one idea or object to another. First, the inheritance engages his attention, and he speaks of it; then the fact that the Lord was to dwell there: then the place he was to provide for his dwell- ing there ; namely, the sanctuary which he would cause to be built. David thus associates Blount Zion and Judah together in Ps. 78 : 68, because Zion was located in Judah. The three texts, Ex. 15:17: Ps. 78:5-1, 60, are the ones chiefly relied on to prove that the land of Canaan is the sanctuary: but, singularly enough, the two latter, in plain language, clear away the ambiguity of the first, and thereby disprove the claim that is based thereon. 212 PROPHECY OF DANIEL Having disposed of the main proof on this point, it would hardly seem worth while to spend time with those texts from which only inferences can be drawn. As there is, however, only one even of this class, we will refer to it, that no point may be left unnoticed. Isa. 63: 18: " The people of thy holi- ness have possessed it but a little while : our adversaries have trodden down thy sanctuary." This language is as applicable to the temple as to the land ! for when the land was overrun with the enemies of Israel, their temple was laid in ruins. This is plainly stated in verse 11 of the next chapter: '' Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire." The text therefore proves nothing for this view. Kespecting the earth or the land of Canaan as the sanctuary, we offer one thought more. If either constitutes the sanctuary, it should not only be somewhere described as such, but the same idea should be carried through to the end, and the puri- fication of the earth or of Palestine should be called the cleans- ing of the sanctuary. The earth is indeed defiled, and it is to be i^urified by fire ; but fire, as we shall see, is not the agent which is used in the cleansing of the sanctuary; and this puri- fication of the earth, or any part of it, is nowhere in the Bible called the cleansing of the sanctuary. 3. 75 the church the sanctuary? The evident mistrust with which this idea is suggested, is a virtual surrender of the argu- ment before it is presented. The one solitary text adduced in its support is Ps. 114: 1, 2 : " AMien Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language; Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion." Should we take this text in its most literal sense, what would it prove respect- ing the sanctuary ? It would prove that the sanctuary was confined to one of the twelve tribes ; and hence that a portion of the church only, not the whole of it, constitutes the sanc- tuary. But this, proving too little for the theory under consid- eration, proves nothing. Whj Judah is called the sanctuary in the text quoted, need not be a matter of perplexity, when we remember that God chose Jerusalem, which was in Judah, as the place of his sanctuary. ''But chose," says David, "the CHAPTER 8, VERSES 13, U 213 tribe of Judali, the Mount Zion which he loved. And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established forever." This clearly shows the connection which existed between Judah and the sanctuary. That tribe itself was not the sanctuary ; but it is once spoken of as such when Israel came forth from Egypt, because God purposed that in the midst of the territory of that tribe his sanctuary should be located. But even if it could be shown that the church is anywhere called the sanctuary, it would be of no consequence to our present purpose, which is to determine what constitutes the sanctuary of Dan. 8 : 13, 14; for the church is there spoken of as another object: ''To give both the sanctuary and the host to bo trodden under foot." That by the term host the church is here meant, none will dispute ; the sanctuary is there- fore another and a different object. 4. Is the temple in heaven the sanctuary? There now re- mains but this one claim to be examined; namely, that the sanctuary mentioned in the text is what Paul calls in Hebrews the '' true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man," to which he expressly gives the name of "■ the sanctuary," and which he locates in " the heavens ; " of which sanctuary, there existed, under the former dispensation, first in the tabernacle built by Moses, and afterward in the temple at Jerusalem, a pattern, type, or figure. And let it be particularly noticed, that on the view here suggested rests our only hope of ever understanding this question; for we have seen that all other positions are untenable. l^o other object which has ever been supposed by any one to be the sanctuary - — ■ the earth, the land of Canaan, or the church — can for a moment support such a claim. If, therefore, we do not find it in the object before us, we may abandon the search in utter despair ; we may discard so much of revelation as is still unrevealed, and may cut out from the sacred page, as so much useless reading, the numerous pas- sages which speak on this subject. All those, therefore, who, rather than that so important a subject should go by default. are willing to lay aside all preconceived opinions and cherished views, will approach the position before us with intense anx- iety and unbounded interest. They will lay hold of any evi- 14 21-i PROPHECY OF DANIEL dence that may here be given us, as a man bewildered in a labyrinth of darkness would lay hold of the thread which was his only guide to lead him forth again to light. It ^^■ill be safe for us to put ourselves in imagination in the place of Danielj and view the subject from his standpoint. What would he understand by the term sanctuarij as addressed to him i If we can ascertain this, it will not be difficult to arrive at correct conclusions on this subject. His mind would inevitably turn, on the mention of that word, to the sanctuary of that dispensation; and certainly he well knew where that was. His mind did turn to Jerusalem, the city of his fathers, which was then in ruins, and to their " beautiful house," which, as Isaiah laments, was burned with fire. And so, as was his Avont, with his face turned toward the place of their once ven- erated temple, he prayed God to cause his face to shine upon his sanctuary, which was desolate. By the word sanctuarij Daniel evidently understood their temple at Jerusalem. But Paul bears testimony which is most explicit on this point. Ileb. 9:1: " Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary." This is the very point which at present we are concerned to deter- mine: What was the sanctuary of the first covenant^ Paul proceeds to tell us. Hear him. Verses 2 - 5 : " For there was a tabernacle made; the first [or first apartment], wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the showbrcad ; which is called the sanctuary [margin, the holy]. And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; and over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercy-seat : of Avhich wo cannot now speak particularly." There is no mistaking the object to which Paul here has reference. It is the tabernacle erected by Closes according to the direction of the Lord (which was afterward merged into the temple at Jerusalem), with a holy and a most holy place, and various ^•csscls of service, as here set forth. A full de- scription (^f this building, with its various vessels and their CHAPTER 8, VER8E8 13, n 217 uses, will be found in Exodus, chapter 25 and onward. If the reader is not familiar with this subject, he is requested to turn and closely examine the description of this building. This, Paul plainly says, was the sanctuary of the first cove- nant. And we wish the reader carefully to mark the logical value of this declaration. By telling us what did positively for a time constitute the sanctuary, Paul sets us on the right track of inquiry. He gives us a basis on which to work. For a time, the field is cleared of all doubt and all obstacles. Dur- ing the time covered by the first covenant, wdiich reached from Sinai to Christ, we have before us a distinct and plainly de- fined object, minutely described by Moses, and declared by Paul to be the sanctuary during that time. P)Ut Paul's language has greater significance even than this. It forever annihilates the cljiims which are put forth in behalf of the earth, the land of Canaan, or the church, as the sanc- tuary; for the arguments which would prove them to be the sanctuary at any time, would prove them to be such under the old dispensation. If Canaan was at any time the sanctuary, it was such when Israel was planted in it. If the church was ever the sanctuary, it was such when Israel was led forth from Egypt. If the earth was ever the sanctuary, it was such during the period of which we speak. To this period the arguments urged in their favor apply as fully as to any other period ; and if they were not the sanctuary during this time, then all the arguments are destroyed which would show that they ever were, or ever could be, the sanctuary. But w^ere they the sanctuary during that time? This is a final question for these theories; and Paul decides it in the negative, by describing to us the tabernacle of Moses, and telling us that that — - not the earth, nor Canaan, nor the church — Avas the sanctuary of that dis- pensation. And this building answers in Qxery respect to the definition of the term, and the use for which the sanctuary was designed. 1. It was the earthly dwelling-place of God. '' Let them make me a sanctuary," said he to Moses, " that I may dwell among them." Ex. 25 : 8. In this tabernacle, which they erected accordins; to his instructions, he manifested his pres- 218 PROPHECY OF DANIEL ence. 2. It was a lioly, or sacred place, — " the holy sanctu- ary.'^ Lev. 10:o3. o. in the word of God it is over and over again called the sanctuary. Of the one hundred and forty instances in which the word is used in the Old Testament, it refers in almost every case to this building. The tabernacle was at iirst constructed in such a numner as to bo adapted to the condition of the children of Israel at that time. They were just entering upon their forty years' wander- ing in the wilderness, when this building was set up in their midst as the habitation of God and the center of their religious worship. Journeying was a necessity, and removals were fre- quent. It would be necessary that the tabernacle should often be moved from place to place. It was therefore so fashioned of movable parts, the sides being composed of upright boards, and the covering consisting of curtains of linen and dyed skins, tliat it could be readily taken down, conveniently transported, and easily erected at each successive stage of their journey. After entering the promised land, this temporary structure in time gave place to the magnificent temple of Solomon. In this more permanent form it existed, saving only the time it lay in ruins in Daniel's day, till its final destruction by the Ronnins in A. D. To. I'his is the only sanctuary connected with the earth con- cerning which the I5ible gives us luiy instruction or history any record. But is there nowhere any other (! This was the sanctuary of the first covenant ; with that covenant it came to an end ; is there no sanctuary which pertains to the second, or new covenant? There must be; otherwise the analogy is lacking between these covenants; and in this case the first covenant had a system of worship, which, though minutely de- scribed, is unintelligible, and the second covenant has a system of worship which is indefinite and obscure. And Paul virtu- ally asserts that the new covenant, in force since the dcntli of Christ, the testator, has a sanctuary; for wlien, in contrnsting the two covenants, as he does in the book of Hebrews, he says in chapter 9: 1 that the first covenant "had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary," it is the same as say- ing that the new covenant has likewise its services and its sane CI I APT Ell S, VERSES IS, U 2 It) tuary. Furthermore, in verse 8 of this chapter he speaks of the worklly sanctuary as the Jirst tabernacle. If that was the tirst, there must be a second ; arid as the first tabernacle existed so long as the first covenant was in force, when that covenant came to an end, the second tabernacle must have taken the place of the first, and must be the sanctuary of the new cov- enant. There can be no evading this conclusion. Where, then, shall we look for the sanctuary of the new covenant i Paul, by the rise of the word also in Pleb. 9 : 1, intimates that he had before spoken of this sanctuary. We turn back to the beginning of the previous chapter, and find him sunnuing up his foregoing arguments as follows: " Xow of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens ; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man." Can there be any doubt that ^\e have in this text the sanctuary of the new covenant ? A plain allusion is here made to the sanctuary of the first covenant. That wrs pitched by man, erected by Moses ; this was pitched by the Lord, not by man. That was the place where the earthly priests performed their ministry; this is the place where Christ, the High Priest of the new covenant, performs his ministry. That was on earth ; this is in heaven. That was therefore very properly called by Paul a "worldly sanctuary;'' this is a "heavenly one." Tliis view is further sustained by the fact that the sanctuary built by Moses was not an original structure, l)ut was built after a pattern. The great original existed somewhere else; what ]\[oses constructed was but a type, or model. Listen to the directions the Lord gave him on this point: '^Vccording to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it." Ex. 25 : 9. ''And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was showed thee in the mount." Verse 40. (To the same end see Ex. 26:30; 27:8; Acts 7 : U.) Now of what was the earthly sanctuary a type, or figure? Answer: Of the sanctuarv of the new covenant, the *' true 220 PROPHECY OF DANIEL tabernacle, which the Lord pitched and not man," The rela- tion which the first covenant sustains to the second throughout, is that of type to antitype. Its sacrifices were types of the greater sacrifice of this dispensation ; its j^riests were types of our Lord, in his more perfect priesthood; their ministry was performed unto the shadow and example of the ministry of our .High Priest above; and the sanctuary where they ministered, was a type, or figure, of the true sanctuary in heaven, where our Lord performs his ministry. All these facts are plainly stated by Paul in a few verses to the Hebrews. Chapter 8 : 4, 5 : '* For if he [Christ] were on earth, he should not be a jDriest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was ad- monished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle ; for. See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount." This testimony shows that the ministry of the earthly priests was a shadow of Christ's priesthood; and the evidence Paul brings forward to prove it, is the direction which God gave to Moses to make the taber- nacle according to the pattern showed him in the mount. This clearly identifies the pattern showed to Moses in the mount with the sanctuary, or true tabernacle, in heaven, where our Lord ministers, mentioned three verses before. In chapter 9 : 8, 9, Paul further says : " The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all [Greek, holy places, plural] Avas not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing; which was a figure for the time then present," etc. While the first tabernacle stood, and the first covenant was in force, the ministration of the more perfect tabernacle and the work of the new covenant was not, of course, carried forward. But when Christ came, a high priest of good things to come, when the first tabernacle had served its purpose, and the first covenant had ceased, then Christ, raised to the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, as a minister of the true sanctuary entered by his own blood (verse 12) " into the holy place [where also the Greek has the ]-)liiral, the holy places], having obtained eternal redemption for us." CHAPTER 8, VERSES 13, U 221 Of these heavenly holy places, therefore, the first tabernacle was a figure for the time then present. If any further testi- mony is needed, he speaks, in verse 23, of the earthly taber- nacle, with its apartments and instruments, as patterns of things in the heavens; and in verse 24, he calls the holy places made with hands, that is, the earthly tabernacle erected by ]\Ioses, figures of the true; that is, the tabernacle in heaven. This view is still further corroborated by the testimony of John. Among the things which he was permitted to behold in heaven, he saw seven lamps of fire burning before the throne (Rev. 4:5); he saw an altar of incense, and a golden censer (chapter 8:3); he saw the ark of God's testament (chapter 11 : 19) ; and all this in connection with a " temple " in heaven. Rev. 11 : 19 ; 15 : 8. These objects every Bible reader must at once recognize as implements of the sanctuary. They owed their existence to the sanctuary, and were confined to it, to be employed in the ministration connected therewith. As without the sanctuary they had not existed, so wherever we find these, we may know that there is the sanctuary; and hence the fact that John saw these things in heaven in this dispensation, is proof that there is a sanctuary there, and that he was per- mitted to behold it. However reluctant a person may have been to acknowledge •that there is a sanctuary in heaven, the testimony that has been presented is certainly sufficient to prove this fact. Paul says that the tabernacle of Moses was the sanctuary of the first covenant. Moses says that God showed him in the mount a pattern, according to which he was to make this tabernacle. Paul testifies again that Moses did make it according to the pattern, and that the pattern was the true tabernacle in heaven, which the Lord pitched, and not man ; and that of this heavenly sanctuary the tabernacle erected with hands was a true figure, or representation. And finally, John, to corroborate the state- ment of Paul that this sanctuary is in heaven, bears testimony, as an eye-witness, that he beheld it there. AMiat further testimony could be required? jSTay, more, Avhat further is conceivable ? So far as the question as to Avhat constitutes the sanctuary 222 PBOPIIECY OF DANIEL is concerned, we now have the subject hefore us in one har- monious whole. The sanctuary of the Jiible — mark it all, dispute it who can - — consists, first, of the typical tabernacle established with the Hebrews at the exode from Egypt, which was the sanctuary of the first covenant ; and, secondly, of the true tabernacle in heaven, of which the former was a type, or figure, which is the sanctuary of the new covenant. These are inseparably connected together as type and antitype. From the antitype we go back to the type, and from the type we are carried forward naturally and inevitably to the antitype. We have said that Daniel would at once understand by the word sanctuary the sanctuary of his people at Jerusalem ; so would any one under that dispensation. But does the declara- tion of Dan. 8 : li have reference to that sanctuary ? That depends upon the time to which it applies. All the declarations respecting the sanctuary which apply under the old dispensa- tion, have respect, of course, to the sanctuary of that dispensa- tion ; and all those declarations which apply in this dispensation, must have reference to the sanctuary in this dispensation. If the 2300 days, at the termination of which the sanctuary is to be cleansed, ended in the former dispensation, the sanctuary to be cleansed was the sanctuary of that time. If they reach over into this dispensation, the sanctuary to which reference is made is the sanctuary of this dispensation, — ■ the new-covenant sanctuary in heaven. This is a point which can be determined only by a further argument on the 2300 days; and this will be found in remarks on Dan. 9 : 24, where the subject of time is resumed and explained. What we have thus far said respecting the sanctuary has been only incidental to the main question in the prophecy. That question has respect to its cleansing. Fnto 2300 days, then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. But it was necessary first to determine what constituted the sanctuary, before we could understandingly examine the question of its cleansing. For this we are now prepared. Having learned what constitutes the sanctuary, the (|uestion of its clcniising and how it is accouqdished, is soon decided. It has been noticed that Avhatever constitutes the sanctuarv of CHAPTER S. VERSES 14. 1 1, 223 the Biblo, must have some service connected with it which is called its cleansing. There is no account in the Bible of any work so named as pertaining to this earth, the land of Canaan, or the church ; which is good evidence that none of these ob- jects constitutes the sanctuary; there is such a service connected \\'ith the object which we have shown to be the sanctuary, and whicli, in reference to both the earthly building and the heav- enly temple, is called its cleansing. Does the reader object to the idea of there being anything in heaven which is to be cleansed ? Is this a barrier in the way of his receiving the view here presented ? Then his con- troversy is not with this work, but with Paul, who positively affirms this fact. But before he decides against the apostle, we ask the objector to examine carefully in reference to the nature of this cleansing, as he is here undoubtedly laboring under an utter misapprehension. The following are the plain terms in which Paul affirms the cleansing of both the earthly and the heavenly sanctuary: "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood ; and without shedding of blood is no re- mission. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly l]iiu(is themselves with better sacrifices than these." Heb. 0: ■2-2, 2o. In the light of foregoing arguments, this may be para- ])hrased thus: " It was therefore necessary that the tabernacle as erected by Moses, with its sacred vessels, which were patterns of the true sanctuary in heaven, should be purified, or cleansed, with the blood of calves and goats ; but the heavenly things themselves, the sanctuary of this dispensation, the true tal)or- imcle, which the Lord pitched, and not man, must be cleansed with better sacrifices, even with the blood of Christ." We now inquire, "^Miat is the nature of this cleansiuir, and how is it to be accomplished ? According to the language of Paul, just quoted, it is performed by means of blood. The cleansing is not, therefore, a cleansing from physical uncleau- ness or impurity; for blood is not the. agent used in such a M'ork. And this consideration should satisfy the ol)jector's mind in regard to the cleansing of the heavenly things. The fact that Paul speaks of heavenly things to be cleansed, does 224 PROPHECY OF DANIEL not prove that there is any physical impurity in heaven; for that is not the kind of cleansing to which he refers. The reason Paul assigns why this cleansing is performed with blood, is because without the shedding of blood there is no reinission. Remission, then ; that is, the putting away of sin, is the work to be done. The cleansing, therefore, is not physical cleansing, but a cleansing from sin. But how came sins con- nected with the sanctuary, either the earthly or the heavenly, that it should need to be cleansed from them ? This question is answered by the ministration connected with the type, to which we now turn. The closing chapters of Exodus give us an account of the construction of the earthly sanctuary, and the arrangement of the service connected therewith. Leviticus opens with an ac- count of the ministration Avhich was there to be performed. All that it is our purpose to notice here, is one particular branch of the service, which was performed as follows: The person who had committed sin brought his victim to the door of the tabernacle. Upon the head of this victim he placed his hand for a moment, and, as we may reasonably infer, confessed over him his sin. By this expressive act he signified that he had sinned, and was worthy of death, but that in his stead he conse- crated his victim, and transferred his guilt to it. With his own hand (and what must have been his emotions?) he then took the life of his victim on account of that guilt. The law demanded the life of the transgressor for his disobedience; the life is in the blood (Lev. 17: 11, 14) : hence without the shed- ding of blood, there is no remission; with the shedding of 1)lood, remission is possible; for the demand of life by the law is thus satisfied. The blood of the victim, representative of a forfeited life, and the vehicle of its guilt, was then taken l>y tlie priest and ministered before the Lord. The sin of the individual was thus, by his confession, by the slaying of the victim, and by the ministry of the priest, trans- ferred from himself to the sanctuary. Victim after victim was thus offer(Hl by the people. Day by day the work went for- ward; and thus the sanctuary continually became the receptacle CHAPTER 8, VERSES 13, U 22 220 of tlie sins of the congregation. Bnt this was not the final disposition of these sins. The accnnmlated guilt was removed by a special service, which was called the cleansing of the sanc- tuary. This service, in the type, occupied one day in the year ; and the tenth day of the seventh month, on which it was per- formed, was called the day of atonement. On this day, while all Israel refrained from work and afflicted their souls, the priest brought two goats, and presented them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. On these goats he cast lots ; one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scape-goat. The one upon which the Lord's lot fell, was then slain, and his blood was carried by the priest into the most holy place of the sanctuary, and sprinkled upon the mercy-seat. And this was the only day on which he was permitted to enter into that apartment. Coming forth, he was then to lay both his hands upon the head of the scape-goat, confess over him all tlie iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their trans- gressions in all their sins, and, thus putting them upon his head (Lev. 16: 21), he was to send him away by the hand of a fit man into a land not inhal)ite(.l, a land of separation, or forgetfulness, the goat never again to appear in the camp of Israel, and the sins of the people to be remembered against them no more. This service was for the purpose of cleansing the people from their sins, and cleansing the sanctuary and its sacred vessels. Lev. 16:30, 33. By this process, sin was removed, — but only in figure ; for all that Avork was typical. The reader to whom these views are new will be ready here to inquire, perhaps with some astonishment, what this strange work could possibly be desigiied to typify ; what there is in this dispensation which it was designed^ to prefigure. We an- swer, A similar work in the ministration of Christ, as Paul clearly teaches. After stating, in Hebrews 8, that Christ is the minister of the true tabernacle, the sanctuary in heaven, he states that the priests on earth served unto the example and shadow of heavenly things. In other words, the work of the earthly priests was a shadow, an example, a correct represen- tation, so far as it could be carried out by mortals, of the ministration of Christ above. These priests ministered in both 22ij ' FROPHECY OF DANIEL aijartiuents of the earthly tabernacle, Christ therefore inluisters ill both apartments of the heavenly temple; for that temple has two apartments, or it was not correctly represented by the earthly; and our Lord officiates in both, or the service of the priest on earth was not a correct shadoAv of his work. But Paul directly states that he ministers in both apartments ; for he says that he has entered into the holy place ( Greek, to, ayta, tlic holy places) by his own blood. Ileb. 1):12. There is therefore a work iierformed by Christ in his ministry in the heavenly temple corresponding to that ])erformed by the i)riests in both apartments of the earthly building. But the work in the second apartment, or most holy place, Avas a sj^ecial work to close the yearly round of service and cleanse the sanctuary. Hence Christ's ministration in the second apartment of the heavenly sanctuary must be a work of like nature, and con- stitute the close of his work as our great High Priest, and the cleansing of that sanctuary. As through the sacrifices of a former disj^ensation the sins of the people were transferred in figure by the priests to the earthly sanctuary, where those priests ministered, so ever since Christ ascended to be our intercessor in the presence of his Father, the sins of all those who sincerely seek pardon through him, are transferred in fact to the heavenly sanctuary where lie ministers. Whether Christ ministers for us in the heavenly holy places with his own blood literally, or only by virtue of its merits, we need not stop to inquire. Suffice it to say, that his blood has been shed, and through that blood remission of sins is secured in fact, which was obtained only in figure through tlie blood of the calves and goats of the former dis- pensation. But those sacrifices had real virtue in tliis respect: they signified faith in a real sacrifice to come; and thus those who employed them have an equal interest in the W(n-k of Christ Avith those who in this dispensation come to him by faith, through the ordinances of the gosjiel. The continual transfer of sins to the heavenlv sanctuary (and if they are not thus transferred, will anv one, in the light of the types, and in view of the langnaae of Paul, exj)lain the nature of the work of Christ in our behalf?) — fhis continual CHAPTER 8, VERSES hi, U 227 transfer, we saj, of sins to the heavenly sanctuary, makes its cleansing necessary on the same ground that a like work was reijuired in the earthly sanctuary. .Vn important distinction between the two ministrations must here be noticed. In the earthly tabernacle, a complete round of service was accomplished every year. For three hundred and lifty-nine days, in their ordinary years, the minis- tration went forward in the first apartment. One day's work in the most holy completed the yearly round. The work then commenced again in the holy place, and went forward till another day of atonement completed the year's work. And so on, year by year. This continual repetition of the work was necessary on account of the short lives of mortal priests. ]jut no such necessity exists in the case of our divine Lord, who ever liveth to make intercession for us. (See Ileb. 7 : 23 - 25.) Ilence the work of the heavenly sanctuary, instead of being a yearly work, is performed once for all. Instead of being repeated year by year, one grand cycle is allotted to it, in which it is carried forward and finished, never to be repeated. One year's round of service in the earthly sanctuary repre- sented the entire work of the sanctuary above. In the type, the cleansing of the sanctuary was the brief closing work of the year's service. In the antitype, the cleansing of the sanc- tuary must be the closing work of Christ, our great High Priest, in the tabernacle on high. In the type, to cleanse the sanc- tuary, the high priest entered into the most holy place to min- ister in the presence of God before the ark of his testament. In the antitype, when the time comes for the cleansing of the sanctuary, our High Priest, in like manner, enters into the most holy place to make a final end of his intercessory work in behalf of mankind. We confidently affirm that no other con- clusion can be arrived at on this subject without doing despite to the unequivocal testimony of God's word. Reader, do you now see the importance of this subject ? Do you begin to perceive what an object of interest for all the world is the sanctuary of God ? Do you see that the whole work of salvation centers there, and tliat when the work is done, pro- bation is euflod, and th*^ cases of the saved and lost are eter- 228 PROPHECY OF DANIEL nallj decided ? Do jou see that the cleansing of the sanctuary is a brief and special work, by which the great scheme is for- ever finished i Do you see that if it can be made known when this work of cleansing connnences, it is a solenm anno\nicement to the world that salvation's last hour is reached, and is fast hastening to its close 'I And this is A\'hat the prophecy is de- signed to show. It is to make known the commencement of this momentous work. " Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." In advance of any argument on the nature and application of these days, the position may be safely taken that they reach to the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary, for the earthly was to be cleansed each year ; and we make the prophet utter non- sense, if we understand him as saying that at the end of 2300 days, a period of time over six years in length, even if we take the days literally, an event should take place which was to oc- cur regularly every year. The heavenly sanctuary is the one in which the decision of all cases is to be rendered. The prog- ress of the work there is what it especially concerns mankind to know. If people understood the bearing of these subjects on their eternal interests, with what earnestness and anxiety would they give them their most careful and prayerful study. See on chapter 9 : 20 and onward, an argument on the 2300 days, showing at what point they terminated, and when the solemn work of the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuarv began. Verse 15. And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood be- fore me as the appearance of a man. 16. And I heard a man's voice between the banks of Ulai. which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to miderstand the vision. We now enter upon an interpretation of the vision. And first of all we have mention of Daniel's solicitude, and his efforts to understand these things. He sought for the meaning. Those who have given to prophetic studies their careful and earnest attention, are not the ones who are imconcerned in such matters. They only can tread with indifference over a mine of gold, who do nr)t know that a bed of precious metal lies beneath thoir feet. Immediately tliere stood before the ]')rophet CHAPTER 8. VERSES 15 - ID 220 as the appearance of a man. The text does not say it was a man, as some wonhl fain have ns think, who wish to prove that angels are dead men, and who resort to such texts as this for their evidence. It says, " The appearance of a man," from which we are evidently to understand an angel in human form. And he heard a man's voice ; that is, the voice of an angel, as of a man sj)eaking. The commandment given was, to make this man, Daniel, understand the vision. It was addressed to Gabriel, a name that signifies " the mighty one.'' He con- tinues his instruction to Daniel in chapter 9. Under the new dispensation he was commissioned to announce the birth of John the Baptist to his father Zacharias (Luke 1:11); and that of the Messiah to the virgin Mary, verse 20. To Zacharias, he introduced himself with these words: "I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God." From this it appears that he was an angel of high order and superior dignity; but the one who here addressed him was evidently higher in rank, and had poAver to command and control his actions. This was probably no other than the archangel, ^lichael, or Christ, between whom and Gabriel, alone, a knowledge of the matters communicated to Daniel existed. (See chapter 10:21.) Verse 17. So he came near where I stood : and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face : but he said unto me. Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision. 18. Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on ray face toward the ground : but he toucliod me, and set me upright. 19. And he said. Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation; for at the time appointed the end shall be. Under similar circumstances to those here narrated, John fell down before the feet of an angel, but it was for the pur- pose of worship. Rev. 10:10; 22:8. Daniel seems to have been completely overcome by the majesty of the heavenly mes- senger. He prostrated himself with his face to the ground, probably as though in a deep sleep, but not really so. Sorrow, it is true, caused the disciples to sleep ; but fear, as in this case, would hardly have that effect. The angel gently laid his hand upon him to give him assurance (how many times ha\T' mortals been told by heavenly beings to "fear not"!), and from this helpless and prostrate condition set him upright. 15 230 PROPHECY OF DANIEL With a general statement that at the time appointed the end shall be, and that he will make him know what shall be in the last end of the indignation, he enters upon an interpretation of the vision. The indignation must be understood to cover a pe- riod of time. What time ? God told his people Israel that ho would pour upon them his indignation for their wickedness ; and thus he gave directions concerning the '' profane wicked • prince of Israel : " '' Remove the diadem, and take off the crown. . . . I will overturn, overturn, overturn it : and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him." Eze. 21:25- 27, 31. Here is the period of God's indignation against his cove- nant people; the period during which the sanctuary and host are to be trodden under foot. The diadem was removed, and the crown taken off, when Israel was subjected to the kingdom of Babylon. It was overturned again by the Medes and Per- sians, again by the Grecians, again by the Romans, correspond- ing to the three times the word is repeated by the prophet. The Jews then, having rejected Christ, were soon scattered abroad over the face of the earth; and spiritual Israel has taken the place of the literal seed ; but they are in subjection to earthly powers, and will be till the throne of David is again set up, — till He who is its rightful heir, the Messiah, the Prince of peace, shall come, and then it will be given him. Then the indignation will have ceased. What shall take place in the last end of this period, the angel is now to make kno^^'n to Daniel. Verse 20. The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. 21. And the rough goat is the king of Grecia : and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. 22. Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four king- doms shall stand up oiit of the nation, but not in his power. As the disciples said to the Lord, so may we here say of the angel who spake to Daniel, " Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb." This is an explanation of the vision in language as plain as need be given. (See on verses 3 - S.) The distinguishing feature of the Persian empire, the union of the two nationalities which composed it, is represented by the CHAPTER 8. VERSES 20 - 25 231 two horns of the ram. Grecia attained its greatest glory as a nnit under the leadership of Alexander the Great, a general as famous as the world has ever seen. This part of her history is represented by the first phase of the goat, during which time the one notable horn symbolized Alexander the Great. Upon his death, the kingdom fell into fragments, but almost imme- diately consolidated into four grand divisions, represented by the second phase of the goat, when it had four horns which came up in the place of the first, which was broken. These divisions did not stand in his j)0wer. Xone of them possessed the strength of the original kingdom. These great waymarks in history, on ^\-hich the historian bestows volumes, the inspired penman here gives us in sharp outline, with a few strokes of the i)cncil and a few dashes of the pen. Verse 23. And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. 24. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power : and he shall destroy won- derfully, and shall prosper, and practice, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. 25. And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand : and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes ; but he shall be broken without hand. This power succeeds to the four divisions of the goat king- dom in the latter time of their kingdom, that is, toward the termination of their career. It is, of course, the same as the little horn of verse 9 and onward. Apply it to Rome, as set forth in remarks on verse 9, and all is harmonious and clear. "A king of fierce countenance." Moses, in predicting pun- ishment to come upon the Jews from this same power, calls it ''a nation of fierce countenance." Deut, 28:49, 50. No people made a more formidable appearance in warlike array than the Romans. " Understanding dark sentences." Moses, in the scripture just referred to, says, " ^^Tiose tongue thou shalt not understand." This could not be said of the Baby- lonians, Persians, or Greeks, in reference to the Jews; for the Chaldean and Greek languages were used to a greater or less extent in Palestine. This was not the case, however, Avith the Latin. "^ When the transgressors are come to the full." All along, ^rd'l PROPHECY OF DANIEL the connection between God's peoj^le and their oppressors is kept in view. It was on acconnt of the transgressions of his people that they were sold into captivity. And their continu- ance in sin brought more and more severe punishment. At no time were the Jews more corrupt, morally, as a nation, than at the time they came under the jurisdiction of the Romans. " Mighty, but not by his own power." The success of the Konians was owing largely to the aid of their allies, and divi- sions among their enemies, of which they were ever ready to take advantage. " He shall destroy wonderfully." The Lord told the Jews by the pro])liet Ezekiel that he would deliver them to men who were " skilful to destroy." How full of meaning is such a description, and how applicable to the Romans ! In taking Je- rusalem, they slew eleven hundred thousand Jews, and made ninety-seven thousand captives. So wonderfully did they des- troy this once mighty and holy people. And ^\Iiat they could not accomplish by force, they secured by artifice. Their flatteries, fraud, and corruptions were as fatal as their thunderbolts of war. And Rome, finally, in the person of one of its governors, stood up against the Prince of princes, by giving sentence of death against Jesus Christ. " But he shall be broken without hand," an expression which identifies the destruction of this power with the smiting of the image of chapter 2. Verse 26. And the vision of the evening- and the morning which was told is true; wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days. 27. And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days ; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business ; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it. " The vision of the evening and the morning," is that of the 2300 days. In vicnv of the long period of oppression, and the calamities which were to come upon his people, Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days. He was astonished at the vision, but did not understand it. Why did not Gabriel at this time fully carry out his instructions, and cause Daniel to understand the vision?" — Because Daniel had received all that he could then bear. Further instruction is therefore deferred to a fu- ture time. CHAPTER IX. Verse 1. In the first year of Darius the son of Aliasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chal- deans ; 2. In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jere- miah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the deso- lations of Jerusalem. THE vision recorded in the preceding chapter was given in the third year of Belsliazzar, b. c. 538. In the same year, wliicli Avas also the first of Darius, the events nar- rated in this cliapter occurred. Consequently less than one year is passed over between these two chapters. Although Dan- iel, as prime minister of the foremost kingdom on the face of the earth, was cuniLered with cares and burdens, he did not let this deprive him of the privilege of studying into things of higher moment, even the purposes of God as revealed to his pro]ihets. He understood by books, that is, the writings of Jeremiah, that God would accomplish seventy years in the captivity of his people. This prediction is found in Jer. 25 : 12; 29: 10. The knowledge of it, and the use that was made of it, shows that Jeremiah was early regarded as a divinely inspired prophet ; otherwise his Avritings would not have been so soon collected, and so extensively copied. Though Daniel was for a time contemporary with him, he had a copy of his works which he carried with him in his captivity; and though he was so great a prophet himself, he was not above studying (233.^ 234 PROPHECY OF DAXIEL carefully what God might reveal to others of his servants. Commencing the seventy years b. c. 600, Daniel understood that they were now drawing to their termination ; and God had even commenced the fulfilment by overthrowing the king- dom of Babylon. Verse 3. And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes. Because God has promised, we are not released from the responsibility of beseeching him for the fulfilment of his word. Daniel might have reasoned in this manner: God has promised to release his people at the end of the seventy years, and he will accomplish this promise; I need not therefore concern myself at all in the matter. Daniel did not thus reason ; but as the time drew near for the accomplishment of the vrord of the Lord, he set himself to seek the Lord with all his heart. And how earnestly he engaged in the work, even with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes ! This was the year, probably, in which he was cast into the lions' den ; and the prayer of which we here have an account nniy have been the burden of that petition, which, regardless of the unrighteous Inunan Ir.w which had been secured to the contrary, he offered before the Lord three times a day. Verse 4. And I prayed unto the Lord niy God, and made my con- fession, and said, O Lord, the c:reat and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his comniandments. We here have the opening of Dtmiers wonderful prayer, — a prayer expressing such humiliation and contrition of heart that one must be without feeling who can rea» w «0 CM Q Z M « •:: o ■^ " ■:; ■ -i ? '= = 5 £ «i it .= a ^ ■^ 5 3 j^ ba **V -- o >. w _ g E _ s J^ > w ffs -J 5 ^ af °- s »• c 3 CU ^ . E 5 5J 0 s M ■q O >• i 5 1 o 3< i- ** -3 E i a i 'J ^ ^ £ « «i J= s u *- « i -o » •D T) 0 1 s s c C ti 111 W s a o u 0 G 'T ,; ^ ^ « X X « C CI c M SS •• T ■* tA r> » w w a a o a &-£J a n BS < < ■« ■i •<■«■< CHAPTER 9, VER^E ^k 245 of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to brinji' in ever- lasting- righteousness, and to seal up the vision and proijhecy, au''. to anoint the most Holy. Sticli arc the first words the angel utters to Daniel, toward imparting to him that instruction which he came to give. Why does he thus abruptly introduce a period of time ? V\"e must again refer to the vision of chapter S. We have seen that Daniel, at the close of that chapter, says that he did not under- stand the vision. Some portions of that vision were at the time very clearly explained. It could not have been these por- tions which he did not understand. We therefore inqtiire what it was which JJaniel did not understand, or, in other words, what part of the vision was there left unexplained. In that vision four prominent things are brotight to view: (1) The Ram; (2) The Ile-goat; (3) The Little Horn; (4) The period of the 2300 days. The symbols of the ram, the he-goat, and the little horn were explained. Xothing, however, was said respecting the time. This mtist therefore have been the point which he did not understand; and as without this the other portions of the vision were of no avail, he could well say, while the application of this period was left in obscurity, that he did not understand the vision. If this view of the subject is correct, we should naturally expect, when the angel completed his explanation of the vision, that he would connnence with the very point which had been omitted; namely, the time. And this we find to be trite in fact. After citing Daniel's attention l)ack to tlie former vision in the most direct and emphatic manner, and assuring him that he had now come forth to give him understanding in the matter, he connnences u])on the very point there omittel(Me in itself; and we doubt if there is a schoolboy of fourteen years in the CHAPTER 9, VERSES 21^-21 249 land, of ordinary capacity, who would not, on reading the ninth chapter, with an understanding of the clause before us, decide that it referred to something distinct from itself, called ' the vision.' AVhat vision it is, there is no diiiiculty in deter- mining. It naturally and obviously refers to the vision which was not fully explained to Daniel, and to which Gabriel calls his attention in the preceding verse, — the vision of the eighth chapter. Daniel tells us that Gabriel was commanded to make him understand the vision (8: 16). This was not fully done at that interview connected with the vision ; he is therefore sent to give Daniel the needed ' skill and imderstanding,' — to explain its ' meaning ' by communicating to him the pre- diction of the seventy weeks." " We claim that the ninth of Daniel is an appendix to the eighth, and that the seventy weeks and the 2300 days, or years, commence together. Our opponents deny this." — Signs of the Times, 18Ji3. '• The grand principle involved in the interpretation of the 2300 days of Dan. 8:14, is that the seventy weeks of Dan. 9 : 24 are the first 490 days of the 2300 of the eighth chapter." —Advent Shield, p. JiO."^ " If the connection between the seventy weeks of Daniel 9 and the 2300 days of Daniel 8 does not exist, the whole system is shaken to its foundation; if it does exist, as we suppose, the si/stem mvst stand." ■ — Harmony of the Prophetic Chronology, p. 33. Says the learned Dr. Hales, in commenting upon the sev- enty weeks, '" This chronological prophecy was evidently de- signed to explain the foregoing vision, especially in its chron- ological part of the 2300 days." — Chronology. Vol. IT. p. 517. Verse 25. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to bnild Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 26. And after threescore and two weeks shall Mes- siah be cut off. but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations pre fletermined. 27. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week : and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacri- 250 PROPHECY OF DANIEL fice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abomina- tions he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. The angel now gives to Daniel the event which is to mark the commencement of the seventy weeks. They were to date from the going forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem. And not only is the event given which was to determine the time of the commencement of this period, but those events also which w^ere to transpire at its close. Thus a double test is provided by which to try the application of this prophecy. But more than this, the period of seventy weeks is divided into three grand divisions, and one of these is again divided, and the intermediate events are given which were to mark the termination of each one of these divisions. If, now, we can find a date which will harmonize with all these events, we have, beyond a doubt, the true application; for none but that which is correct could meet and fulfil so many conditions. Let the reader take in at one view the points of harmony to be made, that he may be the better prepared to guard against a false application. First, we are to find, at the commence- ment of the period, a commandment going forth to restore and build Jerusalem. To this work of restoration seven weeks are allotted. As we reach the end of this first division, seven weeks from the commencement, we are to find, secondly, Jeru- salem, in its material aspect restored, the work of building the street and the wall fully accomplished. From this point sixty-two weeks are measured off ; and as we reach the termina- tion of this division, sixty-nine weeks from the beginning, we are to see, thirdly, the manifestation before the world of the Messiah the Prince. One week more is given us, completing the seventy. Fourthly, in the midst of this week the Messiah is to be cut off, and to cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease ; and, fifthly, when the last week of that period which was allotted to the Jews as the time during which they were to be the special people of God, expires, we naturally look for the going forth of the blessing and work of God to other people. We now inquire for the initial date which will harmonize with all these particulars. The command respecting Jerusalem CHAPTER 9, VERSES 25-27 253 was to include more tliau mere Ijuikliiig. There was to be restoration; and by tliis we must understand all llio, forms and regulations of civil, political, and judicial society. When did such a coinmand go forth i At the time these words wore sjjoken to Daniel, Jerusalem lay in complete and utter deso- lation, and had thus been lying for seventy years. The resto- ration, pointed to in the future, must be its restoration from this desolation. We then inquire, When and how was Jeru- salem restored after the seventy years' captivity ( There are but four events which can be taken as answering to the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem. These are, (1) The decree of Cyrus for the rebuilding of the house of God, B. c. 536 (Ezra 1:1-4); (2) The decree of Darius for the prosecution of that work, which had been hindered, b. c. 519 (Ezra 0:1-12); (3) The decree of Artaxerxes to Ezra, B. c. 457 (Ezra 7) ; and (4) The commission to Xehemiah from the same king in his twentieth year, b. c. 444. Xebemiah 2. Dating from the first two of these decrees, the seventy weeks, being weelis of years,^ 490 years in all, would fall many years short of reaching even to the Christian era ; besides, these decrees had reference principally to the restoration of the temple and the temple-worship of the Jews, and not to the restoration of their civil state and polity, all of which must be included in the expression, " To restore and to build Jerusalem." These made a commencement of the work. They were preliminary to Avhat was afterward accomplished. Dut of themselves they were altogether insufficient, both in their dates and in their nature, to meet the requirements of the prophecy; 1 The exi'Ianation of these prophetic periods is based on what is called the " year-day principle; " that is, making each day stand for a year, according to the Scriptural rule for the application of symbolic time. Eze. 4:0: Num. 14: ."4. That the time in these visions of Daniel 8 and 0 is symbolic is evident from the nature and scope of the prophecy. The question calling out the_ answers^ on this point was, " Hoz^' long the vision?" The vision, reckoning from 5:'>8 B. C. to our own time, sweeps over a period more than 2400 years in length. But if the ■2'AW days of the vision are literal days, v. e have a period of only a little over six years and a half for the duration of the kingdoms and the tra:isaction of the great events brought to view, which is absurd! The year-day principle numbers among its supporters such names as Augustine, Tichonius, Primasius, Andreas, the venerable Bede, Ambrosius, Ansbertus, Berengaud, and Bruno Astcnsis, besides the leading modern expositors. (See Elliott's "Home Apoealypticse," \'ol. Ill, p. 241; and "The Sanctuary and Its Cleansing," pp. 45-52.) But what is more conclusive than all else is the fact that the proi)hecies have actually been fulfilled on this prin- ciple,— a demonstration of its correctness from which there is no appeal. This will he found in the prophecy of the sevfnty weeks throughout, and all the prophetic periods of Daniel 7 and 12, and Revelation 0, 12, and l.S. 254 PROPHECY OF VAX I EL and tbns failing in every respect, they cannot Le bronglit into the controversy as marking the point from which the seventy weeks are to date. The only question now lies between the decrees which were granted to Ezra and to Xehemiah re- S2:)ectively. The facts between which we are to decide here are briefly these: In 457 b. c, a decree was granted to Ezra by the Persian emperor Artaxerxes Longimanns to go up to Jerusa- lem with as many of his people as were minded to go with him. The commission granted him an unlimited amount of treasure, to beautify the house of God, to procure offerings for its serv- ice, and to do wliatever else might seem good unto him. It empowered him to ordain laws, set magistrates and judges, and execute punishment even unto death ; in other words, to restore the Jewish state, civil and ecclesiastical, according to the law of God and the ancient customs of that people. In- spiration has seen fit to preserve this decree; and a full and accurate copy of it is given in the seventh chapter of the book of Ezra. In the original, this decree is given, not in Hebrew, like the rest of the book of Ezra, but in the Chaldaic (or Eastern Aramaic), the language then used at Babylon; and thus we are furnished with the original document by virtue of which Ezra was authorized to restore and build Jerusalem. Thirteen years after this, in the twentieth year of the same king, B. c. 444, Xehemiah sought and obtained permission to g'o up to Jerusalem. Xehemiah 2. Permission was granted him, but we have no evidence that it was anything more than verbal. It pertained to him individually, nothing being said about others going up with him. The king asked him how long a journey he wished to make, and when he would return. lie received letters to the governors beyond the river to hoi]) him on his way to Judea, and an order to the keeper of the king's forest for timber for beams, etc. When he arrived at Jerusalem, he found rulers and priests, nobles and people, al- ready engaged in the work of building Jerusalem. Xeh. 2 : 16. These were, of course, acting under tlie decree given to Ezra thirteen vears before. And finally, Xehemiah. having CHAPTER 9, VERSES 25-27 255 arrived at Jerusalem, finished the work he came to accomplish, in fifty-two days. Neh. 6:15. Now which of these connnissions, Ezra's or Nehemiah's, constitutes the decree for the restoration of Jerusalem, from which the seventy weeks are to he dated i It hardly seems that there can he any question on this point. 1. The grant to Nehemiah cannot he called a decree. It was necessary that a Persian decree should be put in writing, and signed by the king. Dan. 6 : 8. Such was the document given to Ezra; but Xehemiah had nothing of the kind, his commission being only verbal. If it be said that the letters given him constitute the decree, then the decree was issued, not to [N^ehemiah, but to the governors beyond the river; be- sides, these would constitute a series of decrees, and not one decree, as the prophecy contemplates. 2. The occasion of l^ehemiah's petition to the king for permission to go up to Jerusalem was the report which certain ones, returning, had brought from thence, that those in the province were in great affliction and reproach, also that the wall of Jerusalem was broken down, and the gates thereof burned with fire. Xehemiah 1. Whose work were these walls and gates that were broken down and burned with fire ? — Evidently the work of Ezra and his associates ; for it cannot for a moment be supposed that the utter destruction of the city by Nebuchadnezzar, one hundred and forty-four years previous to that time, would have been reported to Xehemiah as a mat- ter of news, nor that he would have considered it, as he evi- dently did, a fresh misfortune, calling for a fresh expression of grief. A decree, therefore, authorizing the building of these, had gone forth previous to the grant to Xehemiah ; and the attempt that had been made to execute the work, had fallen into embarrassment, which Nehemiah wished to relieve. 3. If any should contend that Nehemiah's commission must be a decree, because the object of his request was that he might huild the city, it is sufficient to reply, as shown above, that gates and walls had been built previous to his going up ; be- sides, the work of building which he went to perform was accomplished in fifty-two days ; whereas, the prophecy allows 256 PROPHECY OF DANIEL for the bnilJing of the city, seven weeks, or fortv-nine years. 4. There was nothing granted to Xeheniiah which was not embraced in the decree to Ezra ; while the latter had all the forms and conditions of a decree, and was vastly more ample in its provisions. 5. It is evident from the j^rayer of Ezra, as recorded in chapter 9:9 of his hook, that he considered himself fully em- powered to proceed with the building of the city and the wall; and it is evident that he understood, further, that the con- ditional prophecies concerning his people were then fulfilled, from the closing words of that prayer, in which he says, " Should we again break thy commandments, and join in af- finity with the jieople of these abominations ? wouldst not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no renmant nor escaping?" 6. Keckoning from the commission to Xeliemiah, b. c. 444, the dates throughout are entirely disarranged; for from that point the troublesome times which were to attend the building of tlie street and wall did not last seven weeks, or forty-nine years. Reckoning from that date, the sixty-nine weeks, or 483 years, which were to extend to the Messiah the Prince, bring us to a. d. 40 ; but Jesus was baptized of John in Jordan, and the voice of the Father was heard from heaven declaring him his Son, in a. d. 27, thirteen years before. According to this calctdation, the midst of the last or seventieth week, which is marked by the crucifixion, is placed in a. d. 44, but the cru- cifixion took place in a. d. 31, thirteen years previous. And lastly, the seventy weeks, or 490 years, dating from the twen- tieth of Artaxerxes, extend to a. d. 47, with absolutely nothing to mark their termination. Hence if that be the year, and the grant to Xeheuiinh the event, from wliieli to reckon, the ])r()])h- eey has pro\-ed a failure. A?, it is, it only proves that theory a failure which dates the seventy weeks from Xehemiah's com- mission in the twentietli year of Artaxerxes. 7. AVill these dates harmonize if we reckon from the decree to Ezra ( Let us see. In this case, 457 b. c. is our starting- point. Forty-nin(> y(>ars w(n'e allottccl to the building of the city r.nd the wall. On this point, Pridoaux (Connexion, Vol. CHAPTER 9. VERSES 25-27 257 I, p. 322) saj^s: "In the fifteenth year of Darius Xothus ended the first seven weeks of Daniel's prophecy. For then the restoration of the chnrch and state of the Jews in Jerusa- lem and Judea was fully finished, in that last act of reformation which is recorded in the thirteenth chapter of ^NTehemiah, from the twenty-third verse to the end of the chapter, just forty-nine years after it had been commenced by Ezra in the seventh year of Artaxerxes Longimanus." This was b. c. 408. So far Ave find harmony. Let us apply the measuring-rod of the prophecy still further. Sixty-nine weeks, or 4S3 years, were to extend to ^Messiah the Prince. Dating; from b. c. 457, they end in a. d. 27. And what event tlien occurred ? Luke thus informs us : " Xow when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, and the IToly Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said. Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased." Luke 3 : 21, 22 ; margin, a. d. 27. After this, Jesus came " preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying. The timers fuliilled." Mark 1:14, 15. The time here mentioned must have l^oen some specific, definite, and predicted period ; but no prophetic period can bo found then terminating, except the sixty-nine weeks of the prophecy of Daniel, which were to extend to the IMessiah the Prince. The Messiah had now come; and with his own lips he an- nounced the termination of that period which was to be marked bv his manifestation.^ ■■ Luke declares that Jesus " began to lie ahout lliirty years of age " at the time of his baiHism (Luke 3:2S); and almost immediately after this he entered upon his ministry. How, then, could his ministry commence in A. D. 27, and he still be of the age named by Luke? The answer to this question is found in the fact that Christ was born between three and four years before the beginning of the Christian era, that is, before the year marked A. D. 1. The mistake of dating the Christian era something over three years this side of the birth of Christ, instead of dating it from the year of his birth, as it was designed to be, arose on this wise: One of the most important of ancient eras was reckoned from the building of the city of Rome — • ab iirbe condita, expressed by the abbreviation A. U. C or more briefly, U. C. In the year which is now numbered A. D. 5:?2, Dionysius Exiguus, a Scythian by birth, and a Roman abbot, who flourished in the reign of Justinian, invented the Christian era. According to the best evidence at his command, he placed the birth of Christ U. C. 753. But Christ was born before the death of Herod; and it was afterward ascertained on the clearest evidence that the death of Herod occurred in April, \J. C. 7.50. Allowing a few months for the events recorded in Christ's life before the time of Herod's death, his birth is carried back to the latter part of U. C. 7451, a little over three years before A. D. 1. Christ was therefore thirty years of age in A. D. 27. " The vulgar fcommonl era began to ]irevail in the West about the time of Charles Marttl and Pope Gregory IT, A. D. 7.".i>: but was not 258 PROPHECY OF DANIEL Here, again, is indisputable harmony. But further, the Messiah was to confirm the covenant with many for one week. This would be the last week of the seventy, or the last seven years of the 490. In the midst of the week, the prophecy informs us, he should cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease. These Jewish ordinances, pointing to the death of Christ, could cease only at the cross; and there they did virtually come to an end, though the outward observance was kept up till the destruction of Jerusalem, a. d. 70. After threescore and two weeks, according to the record, the Messiah was to be cut off. It is the same as if it had read : And after threescore and two weeks, in the midst of the seventieth week, shall Messiah be cut off, and cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease. i^ow, as the word midst here means middle, according to an abun- dance of authority Mliich we might produce if necessary, the crucifixion is definitely located in the middle of the seventieth week. It now becomes an important point to determine in what year the crucifixion took place. The following evidence is sufficient to be considered absolutely decisive on this question. It is not to be questioned that our Saviour attended every Passover that occurred during his public ministry; and we have mention of only four such occasions previous to his cruci- fixion. These are found in the following passages : John 2 : 13; 5:1; 6:4; 13:1. At the last-mentioned Passover lie was crucified. From facts already established, let us then see sanctioned by any public Acts or Rescripts till the first German Synod, in the time of Carolomannus, Duke of the Franks, which, in the preface, was said to be assembled 'Anno ab incarnafione Dom. 742, 11 Calendas Maii.' But it was not established till the time of Pope Eugenius I\', A. D. 1481, who ordered this era to be used in the public Registers: according to Mariana and others." — Hales' Chron- ology, Vol. 1, pp. 8s, 84. (See also "Life of Our Lord," by S. J. Andrews.) The Christian era had become so well established before the mistake above referred to was discovered, that no change in the reckoning has been attempted. It makes no material difference, as it does not interfere at all with the calculation of dates. If the era commenced with the actual year of Christ's Isirth, the number of years B. C. in any case would be four years less, and the years A. D. four years more. To illustrate: If we have a period of twenty years, one half before and the other half since the Christian era, we say that it commenced B. C. 10 and ended A D. 10. But if we place the era back to the real point of Christ's birth, there would be no change of cither terminus of the period, but we should then say that it commenced B. C. 0 and ended .^. D. 14; that is, four years would be taken from the figures B. C. and added to those of A. D. Some have so far misapprehended • his subject as to claim that the current year should liave four years added to it, to denote the real year of the Christian era. This would be true, if the reckoning began from the actual date of Christ's birth. But this is not the case; the starting- point is between three and four years later. THE CF8UCI FIXION CHAPTER 9. VERSES 25-21 261 where this woukl locate the eriieitixicjii. As he began his min- istry in the autumn of a. d. 27, his first Passover would occur the following spring, a. d. 28 ; his second, a. d. 29 ; his third, A. D. 30; and his fourth and last, a. d. 31. This gives us three years and a half for his public ministry, and corresponds exactly to the prophecy that he should be cut off in the midst, or middle, of the seventieth -week. As that week of years commenced in the autumn of a. d. 27, the middle of the week would occur three and one half years later, in the spring of 31, where the crucifixion took place. Dr. Hales quotes Eusebius, A. D. 300, as saying: " It is recorded in history that the whole time of our Saviour's teaching and working miracles was three years and a half, which is the half of a Aveek [of years]. This, John the evangelist will represent to those who critically attend to his Gospel." Of the unnatural darkness which occurred at the crucifixion, Hales, Vol. I, pp. 69, 70, thus speaks : " Hence it appears that the darkness which ' overspread the whole land of Judea ' at the time of our Lord's crucifixion Avas pi'eternatural, ' from the sixth until the ninth hour,' or from noon till three in the after- noon, in its daration, and also in its time, about full moon, when the moon could not possibly eclipse the sun. The time it happened, and the fact itself, are recorded in a curious and valuable passage of a respectable Roman Consul, Aurelius Cas- siodorius Senator, about a. d. 514: ^ In the consulate of Tibe- rius Caesar Aug. V and ^Elius Sejanus (u. c. 784, a. d. 31), our Lord Jesus Christ sufi^ered, on the 8th of the calends of April (25th of March), when there happened such an eclipse of the sun as was never before nor since.' " In this year, and in this day, agree also the Council of Cesarea, a. d. 196 or 198, the Alexandrian Chronicle, Maxi- mus Monachus, Xicephorus Constantinus, Cedrenus : and in this year, but on different days, concur Eusebius and Epipha- nius, followed by Kepler, Bucher, Patinus, and Petavius, some reckoning it the 10th of the calends of April, others tbe 13th." (See on chapter 11:22.) Here, then, are thirteen credible authorities locating the crucifixion of Christ in the spring of a. d. 31. We may there- 17 202 PROPHECY OF DANIEL fore set this down as a fixed date, as tlie most cautious or the most skeptical could re(iuire' nothing more conclusive. This being in the middle of the last week, we have simplv to reckon backward three and a half years to find where sixty-nine of the weeks ended, and forward from that point three and a half years to find the termination of the whole seventy. Thus ffoins' back from the crucifixion, a. d. 31, spring, three and a half years, we find ourselves in the autumn of a. d, 27, where, as we have seen, the sixty-nine weeks ended, and Christ com- menced his public ministry. And going from the crucifixion forward three and a half years, we are brought to the autumn of A. D. 81, as the grand terminating point of the whole period of the seventy wrecks. This date is marked by the martyrdom of Stephen, the formal rejection of the gospel of Christ by the Jewish Sanhedrin in the persecution of his disciples, and the turning of the apostles to the Gentiles. And these are just the events which one would expect to take place when that specified period which was cut off for the Jews, and allotted to them as a peculiar people, should fully expire. A word respecting the date of the seventh of Artaxerxes, Avhen the decree for restoring Jerusalem was given to Ezra, and the array of evidence on this point is complete. Was the seventh of Artaxerxes b. c, 457 ? For all those who can ap- ])reciate the force of facts, the following testimony will be sufficient here : — ^' The Bible gives the data for a complete system of chro- nology, extending from the creation to the birth of Cyrus — a clearly ascertained date. From this period downward we have the undisputed canon of Ptolemy, and the undoubted era of Xabonassar, extending below our vulgar era. At the point where inspired chronology leaves us, this canon of undoubted accuracy commences. And thus the whole arch is spanned. It is by the canon of Ptolemy that the great prophetical period of seventy weeks is fixed. This canon places the seventh year of Artaxerxes in the year b. c. 157 ; and the accuracy of this canon is demonstrated by tlie concurrent agreement of more tlian twenty eclipses. This date we cannot change from b. c. 457, without first demonstrating the inaccuracy of Ptolemy's CHAPTER 9. VERSES 25-21 263 canon. To do this it Avonld 1)(' necessary to show that the large nuiiTber of eclipses hy which its accuracy has been re- peatedly demonstrated have not been correctly computed ; and such a result Avould unsettle every chronological date, and leave the settlement of epochs and the adjustment of eras entirely at the mercy of every dreamer, so that chronology wo-uld be of no more value than mere guesswork. As the seventy weeks must terminate in a. t>. o4 unless the seventh of Artaxerxes is wrongly fixed, and as that cannot be changed without some evidence to that effect, we inquire. What evidence marked that termination ? The time when the apostles turned to the Gentiles harmonizes with that date better than any other which has been named. And the crucifixion in a. d. 31, in the midst of the last week, is sustained by a mass of testi- mony which cannot be easily invalidated." — Advent Herald. From the facts above set forth, we see that, reckoning the seventy weeks from tlie decree given to Ezra in the seventh of Artaxerxes, b. c. 457, there is the most perfect harmony throughout. The important and definite events of the mani- festation of the Messiah at the baptism, the commencement of his public ministry, the crucifixion, and the turning away from the Jews to the Gentiles, with the proclamation of the new covenant, all come in in their exact place, and like a bright galaxy of blazing orbs of light, cluster round to set their seal to the prophecy, and make it sure. It is thus evident that the decree of Ezra in the seventh of Artaxerxes, b. c. 457, is the point from which to date the seventy weeks. That was the going forth of the decree in the sense of the prophecy. The two previous decrees were prepar- atory and preliminary to this ; and indeed they are regarded by Ezra as parts of it, the three being taken as one great whole. For in Ezra 6: 14, we read: "And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes, king of Persia." It will be noticed that the de- crees of these three kings are spoken of as one, — " fhe com- mandment [margin, " decree," singular nundier] of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes," showinc: that tliev are all reckoned 204 PROPHECY OF DANIEL as a unit, the different decrees beitig but the successive steps by which the work was accomplished. And this decree could not be said to have '' gone forth," as intended by the prophecy, till the last permission which the prophecy required was em- bodied in the decree, and clothed with the authority of the empire. This point was reached in the grant given to Ezra, but not before. Here the decree assumed the proportions, and covered the ground, demanded by the proj)hecy. and from this point its " going forth " must be dated. With the seventy weeks we are now done ; but there remain a longer period and other important events to be considered. The seventy weeks are but the first 490 years of the 2300. Take 490 from 2300, and there remain 1810. The 490, as we have seen, ended in the autumn of a. d. 34. If to this date we now add the remaining 1810 years, we shall have the ter- mination of the whole period. Thus, to a. d. 34, autumn, add 1810, and avo have the autumn of a. d. 1844. Thus speedily and surely do we find the termination of the 2300 days, when once the seventy weeks have been located. One other point should here be noticed. We have seen that the seventy weeks are the first 490 days of the 2300 ; that these days are prophetic, signifying literal years, accord- ing to the Bible rule, a day for a year (Ximi. 14:34; Eze. 4: 0), as is proved by the fulfilment of the seven *^y weeks, and as all reliable expositors agree; that they commenced in 457 B, c. and ended in a. d. 1844, provided the number is right, and twenty-three hundred is the correct reading. With this point established, there would seem to be no room for further controversy. On this point Dr. Hales remarks : — " There is no number in the Bible whose genuineness is better ascertained than that of the 2300 days. It is found in all the printed Hebrew editions, in all the MSS. of Kcnicott and De Ilosfti's collations, and in all the ancient versions, ex- cept the Vatican copy of the Septuagint, which reads 2400, followed by Symmachus ; and some copies noticed by Jerome, 2200, both evidently literal errors in excess and defect, which compensate each other and confirm the mean, 2300." — Chro- nology, Vol. II, p. 512. CHAPTER 9, VERSES 25-27 • 265 The query may here arise how the days can be extended to the autumn of 1844 if they eommence 457 b. c, as it requires only 184o years, in addition to the 457, to make the whole number of 2300. Attention to one fact will clear this point of all difficulty; and that is, that it takes 457 /;/// years before Christ, and 1843 full years after, to make 2300; so that if the period commenced with the very first day of 457, it would not terminate till the very last day of 1843. 'Now it will be evident to all that if any portion of the year 457 had passed away before the 2300 days commenced, just so much of the year 1844 must pass away before they would end. We there- fore inquire. At what point in the year 457 are we t(3 com- mence to reckon ? From the fact that the first forty-nine years were allotted to the huilding of the street and wall, we learn that the j)eriod is to be dated, not from the starting of Ezra from Babylon, but from the actual commencement of the Avork at Jerusalem ; which it is not probable could be earlier than the seventh month (autumn) of 457, as he did not arrive at Jerusalem till the fifth month of that year. Ezra 7 : 9. The whole period would therefore extend to the seventh month, autumn, Jewish time, of 1844. Those who oppose this view of the prophetic periods, have l)een wont in years past to meet vis with this objection : " The 2300 days have not ended, because the time has passed, and the Lord has not come. Why the time passed in 1S44 without the consummation of our hopes, we acknowledge to be a mys- tery; but the passing of the time is proof that the 2300 days have not ended." Time, however, is no respecter of persons nor of theories ; and with the formidable scythe which he is represented as car- rying, he sometimes demolishes in the most summary manner the grotesque and gossamer theories of men, however dear they may be to their authors and defenders. It is so here. Heed- less of the wild contortions of those who would fain compel him to stop and fulfil their darling predictions, he has kept on the swift but even tenor of his way until — what ? every limit is passed to which the 2300 days can be extended; and thus he has demonstrated that those days have passed. Let 2GG • PBOPIIECY OF DANIEL not this point be overlooked. Setting aside for a moment the argninents bj ^vhich they are shown to have ended in 1844, and letting them date from any point Avliere the least shadow of reason can be imagined for placing tlieni, or from which the wildest dreamer conld date them, it is still trne that the utmost limit to which they could extend has gone hy. They cannot possibly be dated at any point which would bring their termi- nation so late as the present time. We therefore say again, with not a misgiving as to the truth of the assertion, nor a fear of its successful contradiction, Those days have ended I The momentous declaration matle by the angel to Daniel, " Unto two thousand and three hundred days ; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed," is now explained. In our search for the meaning of the sanctuary and its cleansing, and the appli- cation of the time, we have found not only that this subject can be easily understood ; but lo ! the event is even now in process of accomplishment, and is almost finished. And here we pause a l)rief moment to reflect upon the solemn position into which we are brought. V\Q have seen that the sanctuary of this dispensation is the tabernacle of God in heaven, the house not made with hands, where our Lord ministers in behalf of penitent sinners, the place where between the great God and his Son Jesus Christ the " counsel of peace " prevails in the work of salvation for perishing men. Zech. 6: 18; Ps. 85: 10. We have seen that the cleansing of the sanctuary consists in the removing of the sins from the same, and is the closing act of tlie ministration performed therein ; that the work of salvation now centers in the heavenly sanctuary; and Avhen the sanctuary is cleansed, the work is done, and the plan is finished. Then the great scheme devised at the fall for the salvation of as many of tlie lost race as would avail themselves of its provisions, and carried forward for six thousand years, is brought to its final termi- nation, ^fcrcy no longer pleads, and the great voice is heard from the throne in the temple in heaven, saying, " It is done." "Rev. 16:17. And what then? — All the righteous are safe for everlasting life; all the wicked are doomed to everlasting death. ^o decision can be changed, no reward can be lost, CHAPTER 9, VERSES £.-> - 27 267 and no destiny of despair can be averted, beyond that point. And ^ve have seen (and this is what brings tlie solemnities of tlie Judgment to onr own door) that that long prophetic period which was to mark the commencement of this final work in the heavenly sanctuary, has met its ternihiation in our own generation. In 1S44 the days ended. And since that time the final work for man's salvation has been going forward. This work involves an examination of every man's character; for it consists in the remission of the sins of those who shall be found worthy to have them remitted, and determines who among the dead shall be raised, and who among the living shall be changed, at the coming of the Lord, and who, of both dead and living, shall be left to have their part in the fearful scenes of the second death. And all can see that such a deci- sion as this must be rendered before the Lord appears. Every man's destiny is to be determined by the deeds done in the body, and each one is to be rewarded according to his works. 2 Cor. 5 : 10 ; Eev. 22 : 12. In the books of remembrance kept by the heavenly scribes above, every man's deeds will be found recorded (Rev. 20:12); and in the closing sanctuary work these records are examined, and decision is rendered in accordance therewith. Dan. 7:9, 10. It would be most natural to suppose that the work would commence with the first members of the human race; that their cases would be first examined, and decision rendered, and so on with all the dead, generation by generation, in chronological succession along the stream of time, till we reach the last generation, — the generation of the living, M'itli whose cases the work would close. How long it will take to examine the cases of all the dead, how soon the work will reach the cases of the living, no man can know. And as above remarked, since the year 1844: this solemn work has been going forward. The light of the types, and the very nature of the case, forbid that it should be of long continuance. John, in his sublime views of heav- enly scenes, saw millions of attendants and assistants engaged with our Lord in his priestly w^ork. Revelation 5. And so the ministration goes forward. It ceases not, it delays not, and it must soon be forever finished. 268 PROPHECY OF DANIEL And here we stand — the last, the greatest, and the most solemn crisis in the history of our race immediately impending ; the great plan of salvation about finished; the last precious years of probation almost ended ; the Lord about to come to save those Avho are ready and waiting, and to cut asunder the careless and unbelieving ; and the world — alas ! what shall we say of them ! - — ■ deceived with error, crazed with cares and business, delirious with pleasure, and paralyzed with vice, they have not a moment to spare in listening to solemn truth, nor a thought to bestow upon their eternal interests. Let the people of God, with eternity right in view, be careful to escape the corruption that is in the world through lust, and prepare to joass the searching test, when their cases shall come up for examination at the great tribunal above. To the careful attention of every student of prophecy we commend the subject of the sanctuary. In the sanctuary is seen the ark of God's testament, containing his holy law; and this suggests a reform in our obedience to that great standard of morality. The opening of this heavenly temple, or the com- menceinent of the service in its second apartment, marks the commencement of the sounding of the seventh angel. Rev. 11 : 15, 19. The work performed therein is the foundation of the third message of Revelation 14, — the last message of mercy to a perishing world. This subject explains the great disaj^- pointment of the Adventists in 1844, by shoAving that they mistook the event to occur at the end of the 2300 days. It renders harmonious and clear past prophetic fulfilments, which are otherwise involved in impenetrable obscurity. It gives a definite idea of the position and work of our great High Priest, and brings out the plan of salvation in its distinctive and beau- tiful features. It reins us up, as no other subject does, to the realities of the Judgment, and shows the preparation we neoil to be able to stand in the coming day. It shows us that we are in the waiting time, and puts us upon our watch ; for we knoAv not how soon the work will be finished, and our Lord a]'>]^ear. Watch, lest coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. After stating the great events connected with our Lord's mission here upon the earth, the prophet in the last ]>art of CHAPTER 9, VERSES 26-21 269 verse 27 speaks of llic soou-i'ollowiug destruction of Jerusalem by the Homan power; aiul liually of the destruction of that power itself, called in the margin '" the desolator." !XoTE. — That the expression '" to anoint the most holy "' refers, ac- cording to remarks on verse 24 of this chapter, to the anointing of the heavenly sanctuary previous to the beginning of Cln'ist's ministry therein, and not to any anointing of tlie ]\[essiah himself, seems to be susceptible of the clearest proof. The words translated " most holy -"'are D^t^HD C^lD (/.oJtWi, iWas/im), the '' holy of holies," • T I T V ) an expression wliieli, according to Gesenivis, applies to the most holy place in the sanctuary, and which in no instance is applied to a person, unless this passage be an exception. The Advent Shield, Ko. 1, p. 75, says : "And the last event of the seventy weeks, as enumerated in verse 24, Avas the anointing of the 'most holy,' or 'the holy of holies,' or the 'sanctum sanctorum;' not that which was on earth, made with hands, but the true taber- nacle, into which Christ, our High Priest, is for us entered. Christ was to do in the true tabernacle in heaven Avhat Moses and Aaron did in its pattern. (See Hebrews, chapters 6, 7, 8, and 9; Ex. 30: 22-30; Lev. 8:10-15.)" Dr. Barnes, in his notes on this passage, and particularly on the words " most holy," says : " The phrase properly means ' holy of holies,' or most holy; it is applied often in the Scriptures to the inner sanctuary, or the portion of the tabernacle and temple containing the ark of the covenant, the two tables of stone, etc." " It is not necessarily limited to the inner sanctuary of the temple, but may be applied to the whole house." " Others have supposed that this refers to the ]\ressiah himself, and that the meaning is tliat he who was most holy would then be consecrated, or anointed, as the Messiah. It is probable, as Ilengstenberg (Christology, II, 321, 322) has shown, that the Greek translators thus understood it, but it is a sufficient objection to this that the phrase, though occurring many times in the Scriptures, is never applied to persons, unless this be an in- stance." " It seems to me, therefore, that the obvious and fair in- terpretation is, to refer it to the temple." An understanding of the subject of the heavenly sanctuary would have relieved this scripture of the perplexity in which, in the minds of some expositors, it seems to be involved. MNIBIi\^ LA^T VIRION CITAPTEK X. Verse 1. In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar ; and the thing- was true, but the time api)ointed was long: and he understood tlie thing, and had imderstanding of the vision. T JITS verse introduces lis to the last of the recorded visions of the prophet Daniel, the instruction imparted to liini at this time being continued throngli chapters 11 and 12, to the close of the Look. The third year of Cyrus was B. c. 534. Six years had consequently elapsed since Daniel's vision of the four beasts in the first year of Belshazzar, b. c. 540 ; four years since the vision of the ram, he-goat, little horn, and 2300 days of chapter 8, in the third year of Belshazzar, B. c. 538 ; and four years since the instruction given to Daniel respecting the seventy weeks, in the first year of Darius, b. c. 538, as recorded in chapter 9. On the overthrow of the king- dom of Habylon by the ]\redes and Persians, b. c. 538, Darius, through the courtesy of his nephew, Cyrus, was permitted to occupy the throne. This he did till the time of his death, about two years after. About this time, Cambyses, king of (270) ' ClIAPTKR 10. VERSES 1-3 271 Persia, father of Cyr\is, having- also died, Cyrus became sole monarch of the second universal empire of prophecy, b. c. 530. This being reckoned as his first year, his third year, in Avhicli this vision \vas given to Daniel, would be dated B. c. 534. The death of Daniel is supposed to have occurred soon after this, he being at this time, according to Prideaux, not less than ninety-one years of age. Verse 2. In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. 3. I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did 1 anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled. The marginal reading for " three full weeks " is '* weeks of days ; " which term Dr. Stonard thinks is here used to dis- tinguish the time spoken of from the iveel'S of years, brought to view in the preceding chapter. For what purpose did this aged servant of God thus humble himself and afflict his soul ? — Evidently for the purpose of understanding more fully the divine purpose concerning events that were to befall the church of God in coming time ; for the divine messenger sent to instruct him says, '' From the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand," etc. Verse 1'2. There was, then, still something which Daniel did not understand, but in reference to which he earnestly desired light. What was it I — It was undoubtedly some part of his last preceding vision; namely, the vision of chapter 9, and through that of the vision of chapter 8, of which chapter 9 was but a further ex]danation. And as the result of his sup- plication, he now receives more minute information respecting the events included in the great outlines of his former visions. This mourning of the prophet is supposed to have been accompanied with fasting; not an absolute abstinence from food, but a use of only the plainest and most simjde articles of diet. He ate no pleasant bread, no delicacies or dainties ; he used no flesh nor wine ; and he did not anoint his head, which was with the Jews an outward sign of fasting. How long he would have continued this fast had he not received the answer to his prayer, we know not ; but his course in continuing it for three full weeks shows that, being assured his re(piest 272 PROPHECY OF DANIEL was lawful, he was not a person to cease his supplications till his petition was granted. Verse 4. And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel ; 5. Then I lifted up mine eyes, aud looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz : 6. His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in color to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a mul- titude. 7. And I Daniel alone saw the vision : for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. 8. Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength. 9. Yet heard I the voice of his words : and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the g'round. By the River Hiddekel the Syriac understands the Eu- phrates ; the Vulgate, Greek, and Arabic, the Tigris ; hence Wintle concludes that the prophet had this vision at the place where these rivers nnite, as they do not far from the Persian Gulf. A most majestic personage visited Daniel on this occasion. The description of him is almost parallel to that given of Christ in the Revelation, cliai:)ter 1: 14- -IG; and the effect of his presence was about such as Avas experienced by Paul and his comjianions when the Lord met them on their way to Damascus. Acts 9:1-7. But this was not the Lord ; for the Lord is introduced as Michael in verse 13. It must there- fore have been an angel, but one of no ordinary character. The inquiry then arises, Of what angel can such a descrijition be truthfully given ? There are some points of identity be- tween this and other passages which plainly show that this was the angel Gabriel. In chapter 8: 1(> Gabriel is introduced by name. His interview with Daniel at that time produced ex- actly the same effect upon the prophet as that described in the passage before us. At that time Gabriel was commanded to make Daniel understand the vision, and he himself promised to make him know what should be in the last end of the indig- nation. Having given Daniel all the instruction he was able CHAPTER 10, VERSES J^-12 273 to bear on that occasion, he subsequently resumed his work, and explained another great point in the visiou, as recorded in chapter 9:20- 27. Yet we learn from chapter 10 that there were some points still unexplained to the prophet; and he set his heart again, with fasting and supplication, to understand the matter. A personage now appears whose presence has the same effect upon Daniel as that produced by the presence of Gabriel at the first; and he tells Daniel (verse 14), " Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days," the very information Gabriel had promised to give, as recorded in chapter 8: 19. But one conclusion can be drawn from these facts. Daniel w^as seeking further light on the very vision which Gabriel had been commanded to make him understand. Once, already, he had made a special visit to Daniel to give him additional information when he sought it with prayer and fasting. J^Tow, when he is prepared for further instruction, and again seeks it in the same manner in reference to the same subject, can it for a moment be supposed that Gabriel disregarded his instruction,, lost sight of liis mis- sion, and suffered another angel to undertake the completion of his unfinished Avork ? And the language of verse 14 clearly identifies the speaker Avith the one, who, in the vision of chap- ter 8, promised to do that work. Verse 10. And, behold, an hand touched nie, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands. 11. And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling. 12. Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself be- fore thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for tliy words. Daniel having fallen into a swoon at the majestic appear- ance of Gabriel (for so the expression "deep sleep" of verse 9 is generally understood), the angel approaches, and lays his hand upon him to give him assurance and confidence to stand in his presence. He tells Daniel that he is a man greatly be- loved. Wonderful declaration ! a member of the human fam- ily, one of the same race with us, loved, not merely in the 274 PROPHECY OF DANIEL general sense in which God loved the whole world wlien he gave his Son to die for them, but loved as an individual, and that greatly ! Well might the prophet receive confidence from such a declaration as that, to stand even in the ]:)resence of Gabriel. lie tells him, moreover, that he is come for the pur- pose of an interview with him, and he wishes him to bring his mind into a proper state to understand his words. Being thus addressed, the holy and beloved proj^het, assured, but yet trembling, stood before the heavenly angel. " Fear not, Daniel," continues Gabriel. lie had no occa- sion to fear before one, even though a divine being, who had been sent to him because he was greatly beloved, and in an- swer to his earnest prayer. ITor ought the people of God of any age to entertain a servile fear of any of those agents who are sent forth to minister to their salvation. There is,- how- ever, a disposition manifested among far too many to allow their minds to conceive of Jesus and his angels as only stern ministers of justice, inflicters of vengeance and retribution, rather than as beings who are earnestly working for our salva- tion on account of the pity and love with which they regard us. The presence of an angel, should he appear bodily be- fore them, would strike them with terror; and the thought that Christ is soon to appear, and they are to be taken into his presence, distresses and alarms them. We recommend to such more amiable views of the relation which the Christian sustains to Christ, the head of the church, and a little more of that perfect love which casts out all fear. On verse 12 Bagster has the following pointed note: '' Dan- iel, as Bishop Xewton observes, was now very far advanced in years; for the third year of Cyrus was the seventy- third of his captivity; and being a youth when carried captive, he cannot be supposed to have been less than ninety. Old as he Avas, ' he set his heart to understand ' the former revela- tions which had been made to him, and jiarticularly the vision of the ram and he-goat, as may be collected from the sequel ; and for this purpose he prayed and fasted three Aveeks. His fasting and prayers had the desired effect, for an angel was sent to unfold to him those mysteries; and whoever would excel CHAPTER 10, VERSES 10 - 13 275 in divine knowledge must imitate Daniel, and habituate him- self to study, temperance, and devotion." Verse 13. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood nie one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. How often the prayers of God's j^eople are heard, while as yet there is no apparent answer. It was even so in this case with Daniel. The angel tells him that from the first day he set his heart to understand, his words were heard. Yet Dan- iel continued to afflict his soul with fasting, and to ^vrestle with God for three full weeks, all unaware that any respect Avas yet paid to his petition. But why was the delay ? — The king of Persia withstood the angel. The answer to Daniel's prayer involved some action on the part of that king. This action he must be influenced to perform. It doubtless per- tained to the work which he was to do, and had already begun to do, in behalf of the temple at Jerusalem and the Jews, his decree for the building of that temple being the first of the series which finally constituted that notable commandment to restore and build Jerusalem, at the going forth of wdiich the great prophetic period of 2300 days was to begin. And the angel is dispatched to influence him to go forward in accord- ance with the divine will. Ah, how little do we realize what is going on in the unseen world in relation to human afi"airs ! Here, as it were, the cur- tain is for a moment lifted, and we catch a glimpse of the movements within. Daniel prays. The Creator of the uni- verse hears. The command is issued to Gabriel to go to his relief. But the king of Persia must act before Daniel's prayer is answered ; and the angel hastens to the Persian king. Satan no doubt musters his forces to oppose. They meet in the royal palace of Persia. All the motives of selfish interest and worldly policy which Satan can play upon, he doubtless uses to the best advantage to influence the king against compliance with God's will, w^hile Gabriel brings to bear his influence in the other direction. The king struggles between conflicting emotions. He hesitates; he delays. Day after day passes 270 PROPHECY OF DANIEL away; jet Daniel jDrays on. The king still refuses to yield to the influence of the angel ; three weeks expire, and lo ! a mightier than Gabriel takes his place in the palace of the king, and Gabriel appears to Daniel to acquaint him with the prog- ress of events. From the first, said he, your prayer was heard ; but during these three weeks which you have devoted to prayer and fasting, the king of Persia has resisted my influence and prevented my coming. Such was the effect of prayer. And God has erected no barriers between himself and his people since Daniel's time. It is still their privilege to offer up prayer as fervent and effectual as his, and, like Jacob, to have power with God, and to prevail. AVho was Michael, wdio here came to Gabriel's assistance ? The term signifies, "^ He who is like God ; " and the Scrip- tures clearly show that Christ is the one who bears this name, elude (verse 9) declares that Michael is the archangel. Arch- angel signifies " head or chief angel ; " and Gabriel, in our text, calls him one, or, as the margin reads, the first, of the chief princes. There can be but one archangel ; and hence it is man- ifestly improper to use the ^vord, as some do, in the plural. The Scriptures never so use it. Paul, in 1 Thess. 4: 16, states that when the Lord appears the second time to raise the dead, ttie voice of the archangel is heard. Whose voice is heard when the dead are raised ? — The voice of the Son of God. John 5:28. Putting these scriptures together, they prove, (1) that the dead are called from their graves by the voice of the Son of God; (2) that the voice which is then heard is the voice of the archangel, proving that the archangel is the Son of God; and (3) that the archangel is called Michael; from which it follows that Michael is the Son of God. In the last verse of Daniel 10, he is called " your prince," and in the first of chapter 12, '' the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people," expressions which can appropriately be applied to Christ, but to no other being. Verse 14. Now I am come to make thee understand wliat shall befall thy people in the latter days : for yet the vision is for many days. CHAPTER 10, VERSES U-21 277 The expression, " yet the vision is for many days," reach- ing far into the fnture, and embracing what shoiihl befall the people of God even in the latter days, shows conclusively that the days given in that vision, namely the 2300, cannot mean literal days, bnt must be days of years. (See on chapter 9, verses 25 - 27.) Verse 15. And when, he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb. 16. And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips; then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my Lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have re- tained no strength. 17. For how can the .servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remaineth no strength in me, neither is there any breath left in me. One of the most marked characteristics manifested by Dan- iel was the tender solicitude he felt for his people. Having come now clearly to comprehend that the vision portended long ages of oppression and suffering for the church, he was so af- fected by the view that his strength departed from him, his breath ceased, and the power of speech was gone. The vision of verse 16 doubtless refers to the former vision of chapter 8. Verse 18. Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me. 19. And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not : peace be luito thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when be had spoken inito me, I was strengthened, and said. Let my lord speak ; for thou hast strengthened me. 20. Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto tbce? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia : and wlien I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come. 21. But I will show thee that which is noted in the Scripture of truth : and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael yoiir prince. The prophet is at length strengthened to hear in full the communication M'hicli the angel has to make. And Gabriel says, " Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee ? " That is, do you now know to what end I have come ? Do you under- stand my purpose so that you will no more fear ? He then announced his intention to return, as soon as his communica- tion was complete, to fight with the king of Persia. The word icith is, in the Septuagint, meta, and signifies, not against, but in common with, alongside of; that is, the angel of God would 18 278 PROPHECY OF DANIEL stand on the side of the Persian kingdom so long as it was in the providence of God that that kingdom should continue. " But when I am gone forth," continues Gabriel, " lo, the prince of Grocia shall come." That is, when he withdraws his support from that kingdom, and the providence of God operates in behalf of another kingdom, the prince of Grecia shall come, and the Persian monarchy be overthro^^^l. Gabriel then announced that none — God of course ex- cepted — had an understanding with him in the matters he was about to communicate except Michael the prince. And after he had made them known to Daniel, tlien there were four beings in the universe with whom rested a knowledge of these important truths, — Daniel, Gabriel, Christ, and God. Four links in this ascending chain of witnesses, — the first, Daniel, a member of the human family; the last, Jehovah, the God of all! '^^^lX^5^:?2^''^i>:^' '■^'^'^^^ ^ ^ ummm wmwmcj CHAPTER XI. Verse 1. Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him. 2, And now will I show thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia. WE now enter uj)on a prophecy of fnture events, clothed not in fignres and symbols, as in the visions of chap- ters 2, 7, and 8, bnt given mostly in plain language. Many of the signal events of the world's history, from the days of Daniel to the end of the world, are here brouglit to view. This prophecy, says Bishop !Newton, may not improp- erly be said to be a comment and explanation of the vision of chapter 8 ; a statement showing how clearly he j^erceived the connection between that vision and the remainder of the book. The angel, after stating that he stood, in the first year of Darius, to confirm and strengthen him, turns his attention to the future. Three kings shall yet stand up in Persia. To stand up means to reign; three kings were to reign in Per- sia, referring, doubtless, to the immediate successors of Cyrus. (279) 280 PROPHECY OF DANIEL These were, (1) Cambyses, son of Cyrus; (2) Sinerdis, an impostor; (3) Darius Hystaspes. The fourth shall be far richer than they all. The fourth king from Cyrus was Xerxes, more famous for his riches than his generalship, and conspicuous in history for the magnificent campaign he organized against Grecia, and his utter failure in that enterprise. lie was to stir up all against the realm of Grecia. Xever before had there been such a levy of men for warlike purposes; never has there been since. His army, ac- cording to Herodotus, who lived in that age, consisted of five million two hundred and eighty-three thousand two hundred and twenty men (5,283,220). And not content with stirring up the East alone, he enlisted the Carthaginians of the West in his service, who took the field with an additional army of three hundred thousand men, raising his entire force to the almost fabulous number of over five million and a half. As Xerxes looked over that vast concourse, he is said to have wept at the thought that in a hundred years from that time not one of all those men would be left alive. Verse 3. And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. 4. And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those. The facts stated in these verses plainly point to Alexander, and the division of his empire. (See on chapter 8:8.) Xerxes was the last Persian king who invaded Grecia ; and the proph- ecy therefore passes over the nine successors of Xerxes in the Persian empire, and next introduces Alexander the Great. Ha^'ing overthrown the Persian empire, Alexander " became absolute lord of that empire, in the utmost extent in which it was ever possessed by any of the Persian kings." — Pvideaux, Vol. I, p. Ji.77. His dominion was great, including " the greater portion of the then known habitable world ; " and he did ac- cording to his Avill. His will led him, b. c. 323, into a drunken debauch, as tlie result of which he died as the fool dieth ; and his vainglorious and ambitious projects went into ALEXANDER VIEWING THE BODY OF DARIUS CHAPTER 11, VERSES 3-5 283 sudden, total, and everlasting eclipse. The kingdom was di- vided, but not for his posterity; it was })lucked up for others besides those. Within fifteen years after his death, all his posterity had fallen victims to the jealousy and ambition of his leading generals. JSTot one of the race of Alexander was left to breathe upon the earth. So short is the transit from the highest pinnacle of earthly glory to the lowest depths of ob- livion and death. The kingdom was rent into four divisions, find taken possession of by Alexander's four ablest, or perhaps most ambitious and unprincipled generals, — Cassander, Ly- simachus, Seleucus, and Ptolemy. Verse 5. And the king of the south shall be strong, and one of his princes; and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion shall be a great dominion. The king of the north and the king of the south are many times referred to in the remaining portion of this chapter. It therefore becomes essential to an understanding of the prophecy clearly to identify these powers. When Alexander's emjjire was divided, the different portions lay toward the four winds of heaven, west, north, east, and south; these divisions of course to be reckoned from the standpoint of Palestine, the native land of the prophet. That division of the empire lying west of Palestine would thus constitute the kingdom of the west ; that lying north, the kingdom of the north ; that lying east, the kingdom of the east ; and that lying south, the king- dom of the south. The divisions of Alexander's kingdom with respect to Palestine were situated as follows : Cassander had Greece and the adjacent countries, which lay to the west; Ly- simachus had Thrace, which then included Asia Minor, and the countries lying on the Hellespont and Bosphorus, which lay to the north of Palestine ; Seleucus had Syria and Babylon, which lay principally to the east; and Ptolemy had Egypt and the neighboring countries, which lay to the south. During the wars and revolutions which for long ages suc- ceeded, these geographical boundaries were frequently changed or obliterated; old ones were wiped out, and new ones insti- tuted. But Avhatever changes might occur, these frst divis- 284 PROPHECY OF DAXIEL ions of the empire must determine the names which these l^ortions of territory should ever afterward bear, or we have no standard by which to test the application of the prophecy; that is, whatever power at any time should occupy the territory which at first constituted the kingdom of the north, that power, so long as it occupied that territory, would be the king of the north ; and "whatever power should occupy that which at first constituted tlie kingdom of the south, that power would so long be the king of the south. We speak of only these two, because they are the only ones afterward spoken of in the prophecy, and because, in fact, almost the whole of Alexander's empire finally resolved itself into these two divisions. Cassander w^as very soon conquered by Lysimachus, and his kingdom, Greece and ^[acedon, annexed to Thrace. And Lysimachus was in turn conquered by Seleucus, and ]\Iacedon and Thrace annexed to Syria. These facts prepare the way for an application of the text before us. The king of the south, Egypt, shall be strong. Ptolemy annexed Cyprus, Phoenicia, Caria, Cyrene, and many islands and cities to Egypt. Thus was his kingdom made strong. But another of Alexander's princes is introduced in the expression, " one of his princes.' The Septuagint trans- lates the verse thus : ''And the king of the south shall be strong, and one of his [Alexander's] princes shall be strong- above him." This must refer to Seleucus, Avho, as already stated, having annexed Macedon and Thrace to Syria, thus became possessor of three parts out of four of Alexander's dominion, and established a more powerful kingdom than that of Egypt. Verse 6. And in the end of years they shall join themselves to- gether; for the king's daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement : but she shall not retain the power of the arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm; but she shall be given lip, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in these times. There Avere frequent wars between the kings of Egypt and Syria. Especially was this the case with Ptolemy Philadel- phus, the second king of Egypt, and Antiochus Theos, third king of Syria. They at length agreed to make ])eace upon CHAPTER 11, VERSES 6-9 285 condition that Antioclius Tlieos should put away his former wife, Laodice, and her two sons, and should marry Berenice, the daughter of Ptolemy Philadelpluis. Ptolemy accordingly brought his daughter to Antiochus, bestowing with her an im- mense doAvry. " But she shall not retain the power of the arm ; " that is, her interest and power with Antiochus. And so it proved ; for some time shortly after, in a fit of love, xYntiochus brought back his former wife, Laodice, and her children, to court again. Then says the prophecy, " Xeither shall he [Antiochus] stand, nor his arm," or seed. Laodice, being restored to favor and power, feared lest, in the fickleness of his temper, Antiochus should again disgrace her, and recall Berenice ; and conceiving that nothing short of his death would be an effectual safeguard against such a contingency, she caused him to be poisoned shortly after. Xeither did his seed by Berenice succeed him in the kingdom ; for Laodice so managed affairs as to secure the throne for her eldest son, Seleucus Callinicus. " But she [Berenice] shall be given up." Laodice, not con- tent with poisoning her husband, Antiochus, caused Berenice to be murdered. "And they that brought her." Her Egyp- tian women and attendants, in endeavoring to defend her, were many of them slain with her. "And he that begat her," margin, " whom she brought forth ; " that is, her son, Avho was murdered at the same time by order of Laodice. "And he that strengthened her in these times ; " her husband, Antiochus, as Jerome supposes, or those who took her part and defended her. But such wickedness could not long remain unpunished, as the prophecy further predicts, and further history proves. Yerse 7. But out of a branch of her roots shall one stand \\\) in his estate, which shall come with an army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king- of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail : 8. And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes, and with their precious vessels of silver and of gold ; and he shall continue more years than the king of the north. 9. So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land. This branch out of the same root with Berenice was her lirother, Ptolemv Euer2;etes. He had no sooner succeeded his 280 PROPHECY OF DANIEL father, Ptolemj Pliiladelpliiis, in the kingdom of Egypt, than, hurning to avenge the death of his sister, Berenice, he raised ail immense army, and invaded the territory of the king of the north, that is, of Selencns Callinicus, who, with his mother, J.aodice, reigned in Syria. And he prevailed against them, even to the conquering of Syria, Cilicia, the upper parts be- yond the Euphrates, and ahnost all Asia. But hearing that a sedition was raised in Egypt requiring his return home, he 2:)lundered the kingdom of Seleucus, took forty thousand tal- ents of silver and precious vessels, and two thousand five hun- dred images of the gods. Among these were the images which Cambyses had formerly taken from Egypt and carried into Persia. The Egyptians, being wholly given to idolatry, be- stowed upon Ptolemy the title of Euergetes, or the Benefactor, as a compliment for his having thus, after many years, re- stored their captive gods. This, according to Bislioj) Xe^\'ton, is Jerome's account, extracted from ancient historians ; but there are authors still extant, he says, who confirm several of the same particulars. Appian informs us that Laodice having killed Antiochus, and after him both Berenice and her child, Ptolemy, the son of Philadelphus, to revenge those murders, invaded Syria, slew Laodice, and proceeded as far as Babylon. From Polybius we learn that Ptolemy, surnamed Euergetes, being greatly in- censed at the cruel treatment of his sister, Berenice, marched with an army into Syria, and took the city of Seleucia, which was kept for some years afterward by garrisons of the kings of Egypt. Thus did he enter into the fortress of the king of the north. Polya?nus affirms that Ptolemy made himself master of all the country from ]\lount Taurus as far as to India, without war or battle ; but he ascribes it by mistake to the father instead of the son. Justin asserts that if Ptolemy liad not been recalled into Egypt by a domestic sedition, he would have possessed the whole kingdom of Seleucus. The king of the south thus came into the dominion of the king of the north, and returned to his own land, as the pro})het had foretold. And he also continued more years than the king of the north; for Seleucus Callinicus died in exile, of a fall CHAPTER 11, VERSES 10, 11 287 from his horse; and Ptolemy Eiiergetes survived him for four or hve years. Verse 10. But his sons shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces : and one shall certainly come, and over- flow, and pass through: then shall he return, and be stirred up, even to his fortress. The first part of this verse speaks of sons, in the plural ; the last part, of one, in the singular. The sons of Selencus Callinicns were Selencus C'eraunus and Antiochus Magnus. These both entered with zeal upon the work of vindicating and avenging the cause of their father and their country. The elder of these, Selencus, first took the throne. He assembled a great multitude to recover his father's dominions; but being a weak and pusillanimous prince, both in body and estate, destitute of money, and unable to keep his army in obedience, he was poisoned by two of his generals after an inglorious reign of two or three years. II is more capable brother, Antio- chus Magnus, was thereupon proclaimed king, who, taking charge of the army, retook Seleucia and recovered Syria, mak- ing himself master of some places by treaty, and of others by force of arms. A truce followed, wherein both sides treated for peace, yet prepared for war; after which Antiochus re- turned and overcame in liattle Xicolas, the Egyptian general, and had thoughts of invading Egypt itself. Here is the "' one " who should certaiidy overflow and ]iass through. Verse 11. And the king of the south shall be moved with oholer, and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the north: and he shall set forth a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into his hand. Ptolemy Philopater succeeded his father, Euergetes, in the kingdom of Egypt, being advanced to the crown not long after Antiochus Magnus had succeeded his brother in the government of Svria. He was a most luxurious and vicious prince, but was at length aroused at the prospect of an invasion of Egypt bv Antiochus. He was indeed " moved with eholer " for the losses he had sustained, and the danger which threatened him ; and he came forth out of Egypt with a numerous army io check 288 PROPHECY OF DANIEL the progress of the Syrian king. The king of the north was also to set forth a great multitude. The army of Antiochus, according to Polybius, amounted on this occasion to sixty-two thousand foot, six thousand horse, and one hundred and two elephants. In the battle, Antiochus was defeated, and his army, according to prophecy, was given into the hands of the king of the south. Ten thousand foot and three thousand horse were slain, and over four thousand men were taken prisoners; while of Ptolemy's army there were slain only seven hundred horse, and about twice that number of infantry. Verse 32. And when he hath taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up; and he shall cast down many ten thousands; but he shall not be streng'thened by it. Ptolemy lacked the prudence to make a good use of his victory. Had he followed up his success, he would probably have become master of the whole kingdom of Antiochus; but content with making only a few menaces and a few threats, he made peace that he might be able to give himself up to the uninterrupted and uncontrolled indulgence of his brutish pas- sions. Thus, ha-^dng conquered his enemies, he was overcome by his vices, and, forgetful of the great name which he might have established, he spent his time in feasting and lewdness. His heart was lifted up by his success, but he was far from being strengthened by it; for the inglorious use he made of it caused his own subjects to rebel against him. But the lift- ing up of his heart was more especially manifested in his transactions with the Jews. Coming to Jerusalem, he there offered sacrifices, and was very desirous of entering into the most holy place of the temple, contrary to the law and relig- ion of that place; but being, though with great difficultv, re- strained, he left the place burning with anger against the Avholo nation of the Jews, and iunnediately commenced against them a terrible and relentless persecution. In Alexandria, where the Jews had resided since the days of iVlexander, and enjoyed the privileges of the most favored citizens, forty thou- sand according to Eusebius, sixty thousand according to Je- rome, were slain in this persecution. The rebellion of the CHAPTER 11, VERSES 12 - U 289 Egyptians, and the massacre of the Jews, certainly were not calculated to strengthen him in his kingdom, but were sufficient rather almost totally to ruin it. Verse 13. For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and much riches. The events predicted in this verse were to occur " after certain years." The peace concluded between Ptolemy Pliil- opater and Antiochus lasted fourteen years. Meanwhile Ptolemy died from intemperance and debauchery, and was succeeded by his son, Ptolemy Epiphanes, a child tlicn four or five years old. Antiochus, during the same time, having sn])pressed rebellion in his kingdom, and reduced and settled the eastern parts in their obedience, was at leisure for any enterprise Avlien young Epiphanes came to the throne of Egypt ; and thinking this too good an opportunity for enlarg- ing his dominion to be let slip, he raised an immense army "greater than the former" (for he had collected many forces, and acquired great riches in his eastern expedition), and set out against Egypt, expecting to ha^'e an easy victory over the infant king. How he succeeded we shall presently see; for here new complications enter into the affairs of these king- doms, and new actors are introduced upon the stage of history. Verse 14. And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south : also the robbers of thy people shall exalt them- selves to establish the vision ; but they shall fall. Antiochus was not the only one who rose up against the infant Ptolemy. Agathocles, his prime minister, having pos- session of the king's person, and conducting the affairs of the kingdom in his stead, was so dissolute and proud in the exer- cise of his power that the provinces which before were subject to Egypt rebelled ; Egypt itself was disturbed by seditions ; and the Alexandrians, rising up against Agathocles, caused him, his sister, his mother, and their associates, to be put to death. At the same time, Philip, king of Macedon, entered into a leagne with Antiochus to divide the dominions of Ptol- emy between them, each proposing to take the parts which lay 290 PROPHECY OF DANIEL nearest and most convenient to liini. Here was a rising up against the king of the south sufficient to fulfil the prophecy, and the very events, beyond doubt, which the prophecy in- tended. A new power is now introduced, — "" the robbers of thy peoi^le;" literally, says Bishop Xewton, "the breakers of thy peoj^le/' Far away on the banks of the Tiber, a kingdom had been nourishing itself with ambitious projects and dark designs. Small and weak at first, it grew with marvelous rapidity in strength and vigor, reaching out cautiously here and there to try its prowess, and test the vigor of its warlike arm, till, conscious of its power, it boldly reared its head among the nations of the earth, and seized with invincible hand the helm of their affairs. Henceforth the name of Rome stands upon the historic page, destined for long ages to control the affairs of the world, and exert a mighty influence among the nations even to the end of time. Rome spoke ; and Syria and Macedonia soon found a change coming over the aspect of their dream. The Romans interfered in behalf of the young king of Egypt, determined that he should be protected from the ruin devised by Antiochus and Pliili]). This Avas b. c. 200, and was one of the first important inter- ferences of the Romans in the affairs of Syria and Egy])t. Rol- lin furnishes the folloAving succinct account of this matter: — "Antiochus, king of Syria, and Philip, king of Macedonia, during the reign of Ptolemy Philopater, had discovered the strongest zeal for the interests of that monarch, and were ready to assist him on all occasions. Yet no sooner was he dead, leaving behind him an infant, whom the laws of humanity and justice enjoined them not to disturb in the i^ossession of his father's kingdom, than they immediately joined in a criminal alliance, and excited each other to shake off the lawful heir, and divide bis dominions between them. Philip was to have Caria, Libya, Cyrenaica, and Egypt; and Antiochus, all the rest. With this view, the latter entered Ca?le-Syria and Pales- tine, and in. less than two campaigns made an entire conquest of the two provinces, with all their cities ami dependencies. Their guilt, says Polybius, would not have been quite so glar- CHAPTER 11, VERSES Ih 15 291 iiig, liad they, like tyrants, endeavored to gloss over their crimes with some specious pretense; but, so far from doing this, their injustice and cruelty were so barefaced, that to them was ap- jjlied \vhat is generally said of tishes, that the larger ones, though of the same species, prey on the lesser. One would be tempted, continues the same author, at seeing the most sacred laws of society so openly violated, to accuse Provi- dence of being indiHerent and insensible to the most horrid crimes; but it fully justified its conduct by punisliing those two kings according to their deserts; and made such an ex- ample of them as ought, in all succeeding ages, to deter others from following their example. i^or, while they were medi- tating to dispossess a weak and helpless infant of his kingdom by ^jiecemeal, Providence raised up the Ilomans against them, who entirely subverted the kingdoms of Philip and Antiochus, and reduced their successors to almost as great calamities as those with which they intended to crush the infant king." — Ancient History, Book IS, chap. 50. " To establish the vision." The Romans being more promi- nently than any other people the subject of JJanieFs prophecy, their first interference in the affairs of these kingdoms is here referred to as being the establishment, or demonstration, of the truth of the vision which predicted the existence of such a power. " But they shall fall." Some refer this to those mentioned in the first part of the verse, who should stand up against the king of the south; others, to the robbers of Daniel's people, the Romans. It is true in either case. If those who combined against Ptolemy are referred to, all that need be said is that they did speedily fall ; and if it applies to the Romans, the prophecy simply looked forward to the period of their over- throw. Verse 15. So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities : and the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither sliall there be any strength to withstand. The tuition of the yoimg king of Egypt was entrusted by the Roman Senate to M. Emilius Lepidus, who appointed Aris- 292 PROPHECY OF DANIEL tomenes, an old and experienced minister of that court, his guardian. His first act was to provide against the threatened invasion of the two confederated kings, Philip and Antiochus. To this end he despatched Scopas, a famous general of. ^^{Itolia, then in the service of the Egyptians, into his native country to raise reinforcements for the army. Having equipped an army, he marched into Palestine and Coele-Syria (^ Antiochus being engaged in a war with Attains in Lesser Asia), and reduced all Judea into subjection to the authority of Egypt. Thus affairs were l)rought into a posture for the fulfil- ment of the verse before us. For Antiochus, desisting from his war with ^Vttalus at the dictation of the Romans, took s]:)eedy steps for the recovery of Palestine and Coele-Syria from the hands of the Egyptians. Scopas was sent to oppose him. Xear the sources of the Jordan, the two armies met. Scopas was defeated, pursued to Sidon, and there closely be- sieged. Three of the ablest generals of Egypt, Avitli their best forces, Avere sent to raise the siege, but without success. At length Scopas meeting, in the gaunt and intangible specter of famine, a foe with whom he was unable to cope, was forced to surrender on the dishonorable terms of life only ; whereupon he and his ten thousand men Avere suffered to depart, stripped and naked. Here was the taking of the most fenced cities by the king of the north ; for Sidon was, both in its situation and its defenses, one of the strongest cities of those times. Here was the failure of the arms of the south to withstand, and the failure also of the i^eople which the king of the south haey and Ctesar, the famous battle of Pharsalia was fought be- tween the tv/o generals. Pompey, being defeated, fled into CHAPTER 11, VERSE 17 295 Egypt. Caesar immediately followed liim thither; but before his arrival, Pompey was basely murdered by Ptolemy, whose guardian he had been appointed. Caesar therefore assumed the appointment which had been given to Pompey, as guardian of Ptolemy and Cleopatra. He found Egypt in connnotion from intestine disturbances, Ptolemy and Cleopatra having be- come hostile to each other, and she being (le})rivod of her share in the government. jSTotwithstanding this, he did not hesitate to land at Alexandria with his small force, 800 horse and 3200 foot, take cognizance of the quarrel, and undertake its settle- ment. The troubles daily increasing, Csesar found his small force insuiHcicnt to maintain his position, and being unable to leave Egypt on account of the north wind which blew at that season, he sent into Asia, ordering all the troops he had in that quarter to come to his assistance as soon as possible. In the most haughty manner he decreed that Ptolemy and Cleopatra should disband their armies, appear before him for a settlement of their differences, and abide by his decision. Egypt being an independent kingdom, this haughty decree was considered an affront to its royal dignity, at which the Egyptians, highly incensed, flew to arms. Caesar replied that he acted by virtue of the "vvill of their father, Auletes, who had put his children under the guardianship of the senate and people of Rome, the whole authority of which was now vested in his person as consul ; and that, as guardian, he had the right to arbitrate between them. The matter was finally brought before him, and advocates appointed to plead the cause of the respective parties. Cleo- ]iatra, a^vare of the foible of the great Roman conqueror, judged that the beauty of her presence w^ould be more effectual in securing judgment in her favor than any advocate she could employ. To roach his presence undetected, she had recourse to the following stratagem : Laying herself at full length in a bundle of clothes, Apollodorus, her Sicilian servant, wrapped it up in a cloth, tied it with a thong, and raising it upon his Herculean shoulders, sought the apartments of Caesar. Claim- ing to have a present for the Roman general, he w^as admitted through the gate of the citadel, entered into the presence of 2DG PROPHECY OF DANIEL Caesar, and deposited the burden at his feet. When Caesar had unbound this animated bundle, lo ! the beautiful CleojDatra stood before him. He was far from being disjDleased with the stratagem, and being of a character described in 2 Peter 2 : 14, the first sight of so beautiful a person, says Rollin, had all the effect upon him she had desired. Caesar at length decreed that the lirother and sister should occupy the throne jointly, aecoiKling to the intent of the will. Pothinus, the chief minister of state, having been principally instrumental in ex23elling Cleopatra from the throne, feared the result of her restoration. He therefore began to excite jealousy and hostility against Cgesar, by insinuating among the populace that he designed cA-entually to give Cleopatra the sole power. Open sedition soon followed. Achillas, at the head of 20,000 men, advanced to drive Caesar from Alexandria. Skil- fully disposing his small body of men in the streets and alleys of the city, Caesar found no difficulty in repelling the attack. The Egyptians undertook to destroy his fleet. He retorted by burning theirs. Some of the burning vessels being driven near the quay, several of the buildings of the city took fire, and the famous Alexandrian library, containing nearly 400,000 vol- umes, was destroyed. The war growing more threatening, Caesar sent into all the neighboring countries for help. A large fleet came from Asia ]\Iinor to his assistance. Mithridates set out for Egypt with an army raised in Syria and Cilicia. Antipater the Idumean joined him with 3,000 Jews. The Jews, who held the passes into Egypt, permitted the army to pass on without interruption. Without this cooperation on their part, the whole plan must have faile[ be broken. 30G PROPHECY OF DANIEL Having taken us down through the secuhir events of the empire to the end of the seventy weeks, the prophet, in verse 23, takes us back to the time when the Romans became directly connected with the people of God by the Jewish league, b. c. IGl ; from which point Ave are then taken down in a direct lino of CA'ents to the final triumph of the church, and the set- ting up of God's everlasting kingdom. The Jews, being griev- ously oppressed by the Syrian kings, sent an embassy to Rome, to solicit the aid of the Romans, and to join themselves in " a league of amity and confederacy with them." 1 j\Iac. 8 ; Prideaux, II, 234; Josephus's Antiquities, book 12, chap. 10, sec. 6. The Romans listened to the request of the Jews, and granted them a decree, couched in these words : — " The decree of the senate concerning a league of assistance and friendship with the nation of the Jews. It shall not be lawful for any that are subject to the Romans, to make w^ar with the nation of the Jews, nor to assist those that do so, either by sending them corn, or ships, or money; and if any attack be made upon the Jews, the Romans shall assist them as far as they are able ; and again, if any attack be made upon the Romans, the Jews shall assist them. And if the Jews have a mind to add to, or to take from, this league of assist- ance, that shall be done with the common consent of the Ro- mans. And whatever addition shall thus be made, it shall be of force." " This decree," says Josephus, " Avas written by Eupolemus, the son of John, and by Jason, the son of Eleazer, when Judas was high priest of the nation, and Simon, his brother, Avas general of the army. And this Avas the first league that the Romans made Avith the Jews, and Avas man- aged after this manner." At this time the Romans Avere a small people, and began to work deceitfully, or Avith cunning, as the Avord signifies. And from this point they rose by a steady and rapid ascent to the height of poAver Avhich they afterAvard attained. Vkrse 24. He shall enter peacefully even upon the fattest places of the provincp; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter amonp: them the prey, and spoil, and riches : yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strongholds, even for ;i time. CHAPTER n, VERSES 2k, 25 30!) The usual manner in which nations had, before the days of Rome, entered upon valuable provinces and rich territory, was by war and conquest. lionie was now to do what had not been done by the fathers or the fathers' fathers; namely, re- ceive these acquisitions through peaceful means. The custom, before unheard of, was now inaugurated, of kings' leaving by legacy their kingdoms to the Ilomans. Rome came into pos- session of large provinces in this manner. And those who thus came under the dominion of Rome de- rived no small advantage therefrom. They were treated with kindness and leniency. It was like having the prey and spoil distributed among them. Tliey were protected from their ene- mies, and rested in peace and safety under the ?egis of the Roman power. To the latter portion of this Averse, Bishop Xewton gives the idea of forecasting devices from strongholds, instead of againsl them. This the Romans did from the strong fortress of their seven-hilhid city. " Even for a time ; " doubtless a prophetic time, 360 years. From what point are these years to be dated ? Probably from the event brought to view in the fol- lowing verse. Verse 25. And he sliall stir up liis power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand : for they shall forecast devices against him. By verses 23 and 24 we are brought down this side of the league between the Jews and the Romans, b. c. 161, to the time when Rome had acquired universal dominion. The verse now before us brings to view^ a vigorous campaign against the king of the soutli, Egypt, and the occurrence of a notable battle between great and mighty armies. Did such events as these transpire in the history of Rome about this time? — They did. The war vvas the war between Egypt and Rome ; and the battle was the battle of Actium. Let us take a brief view of the cir- cumstances that led to this conflict. Mark Antony, Augustus Ttpsar, and Le])idus constituted the triumvirate which had sworn to avenge the death of Julius Csesar. This Antony became the brother-in-law of Augustus 20 ' 310 PROPHECY OF DANIEL by marrying his sister, Octavia. Antony was sent into Egypt on government business, but fell a victim to the arts and cliarms of Cleopatra, Egypt's dissolute queen. So strong Avas the passion he conceived for her, that he finally espoused the Egyptian interests, rejected his wife, Octavia, to please Cleo- patra, bestowed province after province upon the latter to grat- ify her avarice, celebrated a triumph at Alexandria instead of Rome, and otherwise so affronted the Roman 2)eoj)le that Augustus had no difficulty in leading them to engage heartily in a war against this enemy of their country. This war was ostensibly against Egypt and Cleopatra; but it was really against Antony, Avho now stood at the head of Egyptian ' af- fairs. And the true cause of their controversy was, says Prideaux, that neither of them could be content with only half of the Roman empire ; for Lepidus having been dej)Osed from the triumvirate, it now lay between them, and each being determined to possess the whole, they cast the die of war for its possession. Antony assembled his fleet at Samos. Five hundred shii)s of war, of extraoidinary size and structure, having se\'eral decks one above another, with towers upon the head and stern, made an imposing and formidable array. These ships carried two hundred thousand foot, and twelve thousand horse. The kings of Libya, Cilicia, Cappadocia, Paphlagonia, Comagena, and Thrace, were there in person ; and those of Pontus, Judea, Lycaonia, Galatia, and Media, had sent their troops. A more splendid and gorgeous military spectacle than this fleet of bat- tle ships, as they spread their sails, and moved out upon the bosom of the sea, the world has rarely seen. Surpassing all in magnificence came the galley of Cleopatra, floating like a palace of gold benoatli a cloud of purple sails. Its flags and streamers fluttered in the wind, and trumpets and other instru- ments of war made the heavens resound with notes of joy and triumph. Antony followed close after in a galley of almost e([ual magnificence. And the giddy queen, intoxicated with the sight of the warlike array, short-sighted and vainglorious, at the head of lier infamous troop of eunuchs, foolishly threat- ened the Roman capital with approaching ruin. CHAPTER 11, VERSE 25 ;]ii Csesar Augustus, on the other hand, disphiyed less pomp but more utility. He had but half as many ships as Antony, and only eighty thousand foot. But all his troops were chosen men, and on board his fleet were none but experienced seamen ; whereas Antony, not finding mariners sufficient, had been obliged to man his vessels with artisans of every class, men inexperienced, and better calculated to cause trouble than to do real service in time of battle. The season being far con- sumed in these preparations, C?esar made his rendezvous at J^rundusium, and Antony at Corcyra, till the following year. As soon as the season permitted, both armies were put in motion on both land and sea. The fleets at length entered the Ambracian Gulf in Epirus, and the land forces were drawn up on either shore in plain view. Antony's most experienced generals advised him not to hazard a battle by sea with his inexperienced mariners, but send Cleopatra back to Egypt, and hasten at once into Thrace or Macedonia, and trust the issue to his land forces, who were composed of veteran troo2)s. But he, illustrating the old adage. Quern Deus vuU perdere, prills dctncntat (whom God wishes to destroy, he first makes mad), infatuated by Cleopatra, seemed only desirous of pleas- ing her ; and she, trusting to appearances only, deemed her fleet invincible, and advised immediate action. The battle was fought Sept. 2, b. c. 31, at the mouth of the gulf of Ainbracia, near the city of Actium. The world was the stake for which these stern warriors, Antony and Csesar, now played. The contest, long doubtful, was at length decided by the course which Cleopatra pursued ; for she, fright- ened at the din of battle, took to flight when there was no danger, and drew after her the whole Egyptian fleet. Antony, beholding this movement, and lost to everything but his blind passion for her, precipitately followed, and yielded a victory to Caesar, which, had his Egyptian forces proved true to him, and had he proved true to his own manhood, he might have gained. This battle doubtless marks the commencement of the " time " mentioned in verse 24. And as during this " time " devices were to be forecast from the stronghold, or Rome, we 312 PROPHECY OF DANIEL should conclude that at the end of that period western suprem- acy would cease, or such a change take place in the empire that that city woidd no longer be considered the seat of gov- ernment. From B. c. ol, a prophetic time, or 3G0 years, would bring us to a. d. 330. And it hence becomes a note- worthy fact that the seat of empire was removed from Rome to Constantinople by Constantine the Great in that very year. (See Encyclopedia Americana, art. Constantinople.) Verse 26. Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow : and many shall fall down slain. The cause of Antony's overthrow was the desertion of his allies and friends, those that fed of the portion of his meat. First, Cleopatra, as already described, suddenly withdrew from the battle, taking sixty ships of the line with her. Secondly, the land army, disgusted with the infatuation of Antony, went over to Cfesar, who received them with open arms. Thirdly, when Antony arrived at Libya, he found that the forces which he had there left under Scarpus to guard the frontier, had de- clared for Csesar. Fourthly, being followed by Csesar into Egypt, he was betrayed by Cleopatra, and his forces sur- rendered to Caesar. Hereupon, in rage and despair, he took his own life. Verse 27. And both these kings' hearts shall he to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed. Antony and Ca?sar Avore formerly in alliance. Yet under the garb of friendship, they Avere both aspiring and intriguing for universal dominion. Their protestations of deference to, ;iii(l friendship for, each other, were the utterances of hy]io- crites. They spoke lies at one tabl(\ Octavia, the wife of Antony and sister of Ca'sar, declared to the people of Rome at th(^ time Antony divorced her, that she had consented to marry him solely with the hope that it Avould prove a jiledge of union between Caesar and Antony. Rut that counsel did not prosper. 'V\\o rn]iture cinuc; ami in the conflict that en- sued, Ca'sar came oil" entirely \-irtorioiis. CHAPTER 11, VER8E 28 315 Verse 2S. Then shall he return into his land witli great riches; and liis heart shall he against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land. Two returning's from foreign conquest are here brought to view; the first, after the events narrated in verses 20, 27; and the second, after this power had had indignation against the holy covenant, and had performed exploits. The first was fulfilled in the rettirn of Cii'sar after his expedition against Egypt and Antony. lie returned to lionie with abundant honor and riches; for, says Prideaux (II, 556), "At this time such vast riches were brought' to Kome from Egypt on the re- dttcing of that country, and the rettirn of Octavianus [Caesar] and his army from thence, that the value of money fell one half, and the prices of provisions and all vendible wares was doubled thereon." Ca?sar celebrated his victories in a three- days' triumph, — a triumph which Cleopatra herself would have graced, as one of the royal captives, had she not art- ftdly caused herself to be bitten by the fatal asp. The next great enterprise of the Romans after the over- throw of Egypt, was the expedition against Judea, and the capture and destruction of Jerusalem. The holy covenant is doubtless the covenant Avhich God has maintained with his people, under different forms, in different ages of the world, that is, with all believers in him. The Jews rejected Christ; and, according to the prophecy that all who would not hear that prophet should be cttt off, they were destroyed out of their own land, and scattered to every nation under heaven. And while Jews and Christians alike suffered under the op- pressive hands of the Romans, it was doubtless in the reduc- tion of Judea especially, that the exploits mentioned in the text were exhibited. Under Vespasian the Romans invaded Jtidoa, and took the cities of Galilee, Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, where Christ had been rejected. They destroyed the inhabitants, and left nothing bttt ruin and desolation. Titus besieged Je- rtisalem. He drcAV a trench around it, according to the pre- diction of the Saviour. A terrible famine ensued, the equal of which the world has, perhaps, at no other time witnessed. 31G PBOPHECY OF DANIEL Moses had predicted that iu the terrible calamities to come upon the Jews if they dei3arted from God, even the tender and delicate woman should eat her own children in the strait- ness of the siege wherewith their enemies should distress them. Under the siege oi Jerusalem by Titus, a literal fulfilment of this prediction occurred; and he, hearing of the inhuman deed, but forgetting that he was the one who was driving them to such direful extremities, swore the eternal extirpation of the accursed city and people. Jerusalem fell in a. d.' 70. As an honor to himself, the Roman commander had determined to save the temple; but the Lord had said that there should not remain one stone upon another AN'hich should not be thrown down. A Roman soldier seized a brand of fire, and, climbing upon the shoulders of his comrades, thrust it into one of the windoAvs of the beautiful structure. It was soon in the arms of the devouring element. The frantic efforts of the Jews to extinguish the flames were seconded by Titus himself, but all in vain. Seeing that the temple must perish, Titus rushed in, and bore away the golden candlestick, the table of show-bread, and the volume of the law, wrapped in golden tissue. The candlestick was afterward deposited in Vespasian's Temple of Peace, and copied on the triumphal arch of Titus, where its mutilated image is yet to be seen. The siege of Jerusalem lasted five months. In that siege eleven hundred thousand Jcavs perished, and ninety-scA^en thou- sand Avere taken prisoners. The city Avas so amazingly strong that Titus exclaimed, AAdien A^cAving the ruins, " We liaA^e fought with the assistance of God ; " but it Avas completely IcA-eled, and the foundations of the temple Avere ploAA^ed up by Taren- tius Rufus. The duration of the Avhole Avar Avas scA^en years, and one million four hundred and sixty-tAA^o thousand (1,462,- 000) persons are said to luiA-e fallen A'ictims to its aAvfid horrors. Thus this poAver performed great ('X})loits, and a. read by the common people, but all questions in dispute were to be submitted to the pope. Thus CH AFTER 11, VERSES SO, SI 319 was indignity lieaped ui^on God's word. And the emperors of Konie, the eastern division of ^vhich still continued, had intelli- gence, or connived with the Church of Rome, which had for- saken the covenant, and constituted the great apostasy, for the purpose of putting down " heresy." The man of sin was raised to his presumptuous throne by the defeat of the Arian Goths, who then held f)ossession of Rome, in a. d. 538. Verse 31. And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. The power of the empire was committed to the carrying on of the work before mentioned. ''And they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength," or Rome. If this applies to the bar- barians, it was literally fulfilled ; for Rome was sacked by the Goths and Vandals, and the imperial power of the West ceased through the conquest of Rome by Odoacer. Or if it refers to those rulers of the empire who were working in behalf of the papacy against the pagan and all other opposing religions, it would signify the removal of the seat of empire from Rome to Constantinople, which contributed its measure of influence to the downfall of Rome. The passage would then be parallel to Dan. 8:11 and Rev. 13: 2. "And they shall take away the daily sacrifice." It was shown, on Dan. 8:13, that sacrifice is a word erroneously supplied; that it should be desolation; and that the expression denotes a desolating power, of which the abomination of deso- lation is but the counterpart, and to which it succeeds in point of time. The " daily " desolation was paganism, the " abomi- nation of desolation " is the pajiacy. But it may be asked how this can be the papacy ; since Christ spoke of it in connection with the destruction of Jerusalem. And the answer is, Christ evidently referred to the ninth of Daniel, which is a prediction of the destruction of Jerusalem, and not to this verse of chap- ter 11, which does not refer to that event. Daniel, in the ninth chapter, speaks of desolations and abominations, plural. JMore than one abomination, therefore, treads down the church ; that is, so far as the church is concerned, both paganism and the 320 PROPHECY OF DANIEL papacy are abominations. \h\t as distinguished from each other, the language is restricted, and one is the "' daily " deso- lation, and the other is pre-eminently the transgression or " abomination " of desolation. How was the daily, or paganism, taken away ? As this is spoken of in connection with the placing or setting up of the abomination of desolation, or the papacy, it must denote, not merely the nominal change of the religion of the empire from paganism to Christianity, as on the conversion, so-called, of Constantino, but such an eradication of paganism from all the elements of the empire, that the way would be all open for tlio papal abomination to arise and assert its arrogant claims. Such a revolution as this, plainly defined, was accomplished; but not for nearly two hundred years after the death of Con- stantino. As we approach the year a. d. 508, we behold a grand crisis ripening between Catholicism and the pagan influences still existing in the empire. Up to the time of the conversion of Clovis, king of France, a. d. 40 G, the French and other nations of AYestern Rome were pagan ; but subsequently to that event, the efforts to convert idolaters to Romanism were crowned with great success. The conversion of Clovis is said to have l)een the occasion of bestowing upon the French mon- arch the titles of " Most Christian Majesty " and " Eldest Son of the Church." Between that time and a. d. 508, by alli- ances, capitulations, and conquests, the Arborici, the R(mian garrisons in tlie West, Rrittany, the Ihirgundians, and the Visigoths, were brought into subjection. From the time when these successes were fully accom- plished; namely, 508, the papacy was triumjihant so far as paganism was concerned ; for though the latter doubtless re- tarded the progress of the Catholic faith, yet it had not the power, if it had the disposition, to suppress the faith, and hinder the encroachments of the Roman pontiff. AMien the prominent powers of Europe gave up their attachment to \)i\- ganism, it was only to perpetuate its abominations in anotluM- form; for Christianity, as exhibited in the Catholic Church, was, and is, only paganism baptized. CHAPTER 11, VERSE 31 ;321 In England, Arthur, the first Christian king, foundod the Christian worship on the ruins of the pagan. Rapin (book. 2, p. I-!), who chiinis to he exact in the chronok)gv of events, states that he was elected monarch of Britain in 508. The condition of the See of Rome was also peculiar at this time. In 498, Synnnachus ascended the pontifical throne as a recent convert from paganism. He reigned to a. d. 511. He found his way to the papal chair, says l)u Pin, by striving with his competitor even unto blood. He received adulation as the successor of St. Peter, and struck the key-note of papal assumption by presuming to excommunicate the emperor An- astasius. The most ser\'ile flatterers of the pope now began to maintain that he was constituted judge in the place of God, and that he was the vicegerent of the Most High. Such was the direction in which events were tending in the West. AVhat posture did affairs at the same time assume in the East ? A strong papal party now existed in all parts of the empire. The adherents of this cause in Constantinople, en- couraged by the success of their brethren in the West, deemed it safe to conuiience open hostilities in behalf of their master at Rome. In 508 their partisan zeal culminated in a whirl- wind of fanaticism and civil war, which swept in fire and bl(»od through the streets of the eastern capital. Gibbon, under the years 508 - 518, speaking of the commotions in Constantinople, says : — '^ The statues of the emperor were broken, and his person M'as concealed in a suburb, till, at the end of three days, he (hired to implore the mercy of his subjects. Without his dia- dem, and in the posture of a suppliant, Anastasius appeared on the throne of the circus. The Catholics, before his face, rehearsed their genuine Trisagion ; they exulted in the oifer which he proclaimed by the voice of a herald of abdicating the purple ; they listened to the admonition that, since all could not reign, they should previously agree in the choice of a sover- eign ; and they accepted the blood of two unpopular ministers, whom their master, without hestitation, condemned to the lions. These furious but transient seditions were encouraged by the success of Vitalian, who, with an army of Ilims and l^ulga- 322 PROPHECY OF DANIEL rians, for the most part idolaters, declared himself the cliam- ])ion of the Catholic faith. In this pious rebellion he depopu- lated Thrace, besieged Constantinople, exterminated sixty-five thousand of his fellow Christians, till he obtained the recall of the bishops, the satisfaction of the pope, and the establishment of the Council of Chalcedon, an orthodox treaty, reluctantly signed by the dying Anastasius, and more faithfully performed by the uncle of Justinian. And such was the event of the first of the religious wars which have been waged in the name, and by the disciples, of the God of Peace." — Decline and Fall, Vol. IV, p. 526. Let it be marked that in this year, 5US, paganism had so far declined, and Catholicism had so far relatively increased in strength, that the Catholic Church for the first time waged a successful war against both the civil authority of the empire and the church of the East, which had for the most part em- braced the Monophysite doctrine. The extermination of ()5,000 heretics was the result. With the following extract, we close the testimony on this point : — " AYe now invite our modern Gamaliels to take a position with us in the place of the sanctuary of paganism (since claimed as the ' patrimony of St. Peter ') in 508. We look a few years into the past, and the rude paganism of the northern barbarians is pouring down upon the nominally Christian empire of West- ern Rome, triumphing everywhere, and its triumphs everywhere distinguished by the most savage cruelty. . . . The empire falls, and is broken into fragments. One by one the lords and rulers of these fragments abandon their paganism, and profess the Christian faith. In religion the conquerors are yielding to the conquered. But still paganism is triumphant. Among its supporters there is one stern and successful conqueror (Clovis) ; but soon ho also bows before the power of the new faith, and becomes its champion. He is still triumphant, but, as a hero and conqueror, reaches the zenith at the point we occupy, A. D. 508. " Jn or near the same year, the last inqvtrtant sulxlivision CIIAPTEE 11, VERSE 31 ;}23 of the fallen empire is publicly and Ly the coronation of its triumphant ' monarch/ Christianized. " The pontiff for the jicriod on which Ave stand, is a recently converted pagan. The bloody contest Avhieh placed him in the chair was decided by the interposition of an Arian kiug. lie is bowed to and saluted as filling ' the place of God on earth.' The senate is so far under his power that on suspicion that the interests of the See of Home demand it, they excommunicate the emperor, ... In 508 the mine is sprung beneath the throne of the Eastern Empire. The result of the confusion and strife it occasions is the humiliation of its rightful lord. XoAV the question is, At wliat time was paganism so far sup- pressed as to make room for its substitute and successor, the papal ahomination? "\Mien was this abomination placed in a position to start on its career of blasphemy and blood ? Is there any other date for its heinr/ ^placed/ or 'set up/ in the room of paganism, hut 50S? If the mysterious enchantress has not now brought all her victims within her power, she has taken her position, and some have yielded to the fascination. The others are at length subdued ; ' and kings, and peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues ' are brought under the spell which prepares them, even while ^ drunken with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus,' to ' think they are doing God service,' and to fancy themselves the exclusive favorites of Heaven while becoming an easier and richer prey for the damnation of hell."- — Second Advent Manual, pp. 70 -SI. From these evidences we think it clear that the daily, or jjaganism, was taken away in a. d. 508. This was prepara- tory to the setting up, or establishment of the papacy, whicli was a separate and subsequent event. Of tliis the prophetic narrative now leads us to speak. "x\nd they shall place the abomination that maketh deso- late." Having shown quite fully what constituted the takiug away of the daily, or paganism, we now inquire, When was the abomination that maketh desolate, or the papacy, placed, or set up ? The little horn that had eyes like the eyes of man ■was not slow to see when the way was open for his ad\'ance- 32-1: PROPHECY OF DANIEL iiient and elevation. From the year 50S liis progress toward universal .supremacy was without a parallel. When Justinian was about to commence the Vandal war, A. D. idoo, an enterprise of no small magnitude and difficulty, he wished to secure the inflnence of the bishop of Rome, who had then attained a position in which his opinion had great weight throughout a large portion of Christendom. Justinian therefore took it npon himself to decide the contest which had long existed between the sees of Rome and Constantinople as to which should have the precedence, by giving the preference to Rome, and declaring, in the fullest and most unequivocal terms, that the bishop of that city should be chief of the whole ecclesiastical body of the emi:)ire. A work on the Apoca- lypse, by Rev, George Croly, of England, published in 1827, ])resents a detailed account of the events by which the su- j)reniacy of the jxjpe of Rome was secured. He gives the following as the terms in which the letter of Justinian was expressed : — " Justinian, pious, fortunate, renowned, triumphant, em- l)eror, consul, etc., to John, the most holy archbishop of our city of Rome, and patriarch. '' Rendering honor to the apostolic chair and to your holi- ness, as has been always, and is, our wish, and honoring your blessedness as a father, we have hastened to bring to the knowl- edge of your holiness all matters relating to the state of the churches; it having been at all times our great desire to pre- serve the unity of your apostolic chair, and the constitution of the holy churches of God, which has obtained hitherto, and still obtains. " Therefore we have made no delay in subjecting and unit- iiKj fo j/om- holiness all fJie priests of the whole East. . . . We cannot suffer that anything which relates to the state of the church, however manifest and un(|uestionable, should be moved without the knowledge of your Imlincss, who is the TIead of Ai,L THE Holy Churches; for in all things, as we have al- rear absurdity combined with impiety. The doors of the con- vention were throAvn open to a band of musicians, preceded by whom, the members of the municipal body entered in solemn procession, singing a hymn in praise of liberty, and escorting, as the object of their future worship, a vailed female whom thev termed the Goddess of Reason. BeiuG; brouirht within 338 PROPHECY OF DANIEL the bar, she was iin\'ailed with great form, and phiced on the right hand of tlie president, when she was generally recognized as a dancing girl of the opera, with whose charms most of the persons j? resent were acquainted from her appearance on the stage, while the experience of individuals was further extended. To this person, as the littest representative of that reason whom the_y worshiped, the National Convention of France rendered public homage. This impious and ridiculous mummery had a certain fashion ; and the installation of the Goddess of Reason was renewed and imitated throughout the nation, in such places where the inhabitants desired to show themselves equal to all the heights of the Revolution." — Scott's Life of Napoleon. In introducing the worship of Reason, in 1794, Chaumette said :- — ■ " ' Legislative fanaticism has lost its hold ; it has given place to reason. We have left its temples ; they are regenerated. To-day an immense multitude are assembled under its Gothic roofs, which, for the first time, will re-echo the voice of truth. There the French will celebrate their true worship ■ — ■ that of Liberty and Reason. There we will form new vows for the prosperity of the armies of the Republic ; there we will abandon the worship of inanimate idols for that of Reason — this ani- mated image, the masterpiece of creation.' '"A vailed female, arrayed in blue drapery, was brought into the convention ; and Chaumette, taking her by the hand, — '^ ' Mortals,' said he, ' cease to tremble before the powerless thunders of a God whom your fears have created. Henceforth icknowledge no divinity but Reason. I offer you its noblest and purest image; if you must have idols, sacrifice only to such as this. . . . Fall before the august Senate of Freedom, Vail of Reason.' ''At the same time the goddess appeared, personified by a celebrated beauty, Madame Millard, of the opera, known in more than one character to most of the convention. The god- dess, after being embraced by the i^resident, was mounted on a magnificent car, and conducted, amidst an imnienso crowd, to the cathedral of Xotre Dame, to ial'c the place of the Deiti/. There she was elevated on the high altar, and received the adoration of all present. THE GODDESS OT REASON CHAPTER 11, VERSES S8, 39 3 41 " On the 11th of Xovcmbcr, the popuhii* society of the museum entered the hall of the municipality, exclaiming, ' ^'ire la Raisonl' and carrying on the top of a pole the half- burned remains of several books, among others the breviaries and the Old and j^ew Testaments, which ' expiated in a great fire,' said the president, ' all the fooleries -which they have made the human race commit.' " The most sacred relations of life were at the same period placed on a new footing suited to the extravagant ideas of the times. ]\Iarriage was declared a civil contract, binding only during the pleasure of the contracting parties. Mademoiselle Arnoult, a celebrated comedian, expressed the public feeling when she called ' marriage the sacrament of adultery.' " — Id. Truly this was a strange god, whom the fathers of that generation knew not. Xo such deity had ever before been set up as an object of adoration. And Avell might it be called the god of forces ; for the object of the movement was to cause the people to renew their covenant and repeat their vows for the prosperity of the armies of France. Read again a few lines from the extract already given : — " We have left its temples ; they are regenerated. To-day an immense multitude is assembled under its Gothic roofs, which for the first time, will re-echo the voice of truth. There the French will celebrate their true worship, — that of Liberty and Reason. There Ave will form new voivs for the prospei'ity of the armies of the BepuhVic." * Verse 39. Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory : and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain. The system of paganism which had been introduced into France, as exemplified in the worship of the idol set up in the person of the Goddess of Reason, and regulated by a heathen * During the time while the fatitastic worship of reason was the national craze, the leaders of the revolution are known to history as " the atheists." But it was soon perceived that a religion with more powerful sanctions than the one then in vogue must be instituted to hold the people. A form of worship therefore followed in which the object of adoration was the " Supreme Being." It was equally hollow so far as any reformation of life and vital godliness were concerned, but^^ it took hold upon the supernatural. And while the Goddess of Reason was indeed a " strange god," the statement in regard to honoring the " God of forces," may perhaps more appropriately be referred to this latter phase. See Thiers's " French Revolution. 22 342 PROPHECY OF DANIEL ritual which had been enacted by the I^ational Assembly for the use of the French people, continued in force till the appointment of Napoleon to the provisional consulate of France in ITUU. The adherents of this strange religion occu- pied the fortified places, the strongholds of the nation, as expressed in this verse. ]]ut that which serves to identify the application of this prophecy to France, perha2:»s as clearly as any other particular, is the statement made in the last clause of the verse; namely, that they should " divide the land for gain," Previous to the Revolution, the landed proj)erty of France was owned by a few- landlords in immense estates. These estates were required by the law to remain undivided, so that no heirs or creditors could partition them. But revolution knows no law ; and in the anarchv that now reianed, as noted also in the eleventh of Revelation, the titles of the nobility were abolished, and their lands disposed of in small parcels for the benefit of the public exchequer. The government was in need of funds, and these large landed estates were confiscated, and sold at auction in parcels to suit purchasers. The historian thus records this unique transaction : — '' The confiscation of two thirds f>f the landed property of the kingdom, which arose from the decrees of the convention against the emigrants, clergy, and persons convicted at the Revolutionary Tribunals, . . . placed funds worth above £700,000,000 sterling at the disposal of the government." — - Alison, Vol. IV , p. 151. AMien did ever an event transpire, and in what country, fulfilling a prophecy more completely than this ^ As the nation began to come to itself, a more rational religion was demanded, and the heathen ritual was abolished. The historian thus de- scribes that event : — "A third and l)ol(I('r measure was the discarding of the heatlion ritual, and re-opening the churches for Christian wor- slii]); and of this the credit was wholly Napoleon's, who had to contend with the ]ihil<)so]ihie ]irejudices of almost all his col- leagues. He, in his conversation with them, made no attem]its to represent himself a believer in Christianity, but stood only CHAPTER 11, VERSES 39, 1,0 343 on the necessity of jjrovidinij,- the people with the regnlar means of worship wherever it is meant to have a state of tranquillity. The priests who chose to take the oath of fidelity to the govern- ment Avere readmitted to their functions ; and this wise meas- ure was followed by the adherence of not less than 20,000 of these ministers of religion, who had hitherto languished in the prisons of France." — Locliliart's Life 0^ Nanoleon, Vol. I, p. 154. Thus terminated the Eeign of Terror and the Infidel Revo- lution. Out of the ruins rose Bonaparte, to guide the tumult to his own elevation, place himself at the head of the Frencli government, and strike terror to the hearts of nations. Verse 40. And at the time of the end shall the 'king' of the south push at him : and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships: and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. After a long interval, the king of the south and the kino; of the north again appear on the stage of action. We have met Avith nothing to indicate that Ave are to look to any local- ities for these poAA^ers other than those Avhich, shortly after the death of Alexander, constituted respectively the southern and northern divisions of his empire. The king of the south was at that time EgA^pt, a.nd the king of the north Avas Syria, in- cluding Thrace and Asia Minor. Egypt is still, hy common agreement, the king of the south, Avhile the territory Avhich at first constituted the king of the north, has been for the past four hundred years Avholly included Avithin the dominions of the sultan of Turkey. To EgApt and Turkey, then, in connec- tion Avith the poAA'er last under consideration, Ave must look for a fulfilment of the Averse before us. This application of the prophecy calls for a conflict to spring up betAveen Egypt and France, and Turkey and France, in 1798, AA'hlch year, as Ave haA'e seen, marked the beginning of the time of the end ; and if history testifies that such a tri- angular Avar did break out in that year, it Avill be conclusiA'e proof of the correctness of the application. We inquire, therefore, Is it a fact that at the time of the end, Egypt did " push," or make a comparatively feeble resist- 344 PROPHECY OF DANIEL aiice, while Turkey did come like a resistless " whirlwind," against " him/' that is, the government of France ( We have already produced some evidence that the time of the end com- menced in 179S; and no reader of history need be informed that in that very year a state of open hostility between France and Egypt was inaugurated. To what extent this conflict owed its origin to the dreams of glory deliriously cherished in the ambitious brain of Xapo- leon Bonaparte, the historian will form his own opinion ; but the French, or J^apoleon at least, contrived to make Egypt the aggressor. Thus, when in the invasion of that country he had secured his first foothold in Alexandria, he declared that " he had not come to ravage the country or to wrest it from the Grand Seignior, but merely to deliver it from the domination of the Mamelukes, and to revenge the outrages ivhich they had committed against France/' — Thiers' s French Revotution, Vol. IV, p. 2GS. xVgain the historian says: "Besides, he [Bonaparte] had strong reasons to urge against them [the Mamelukes] ; for they had never ceased to ill-treat the French." — Id., p. 273. The beginning of the year 1798 found France indulging in innnense projects against the English. The T3irectory desired Bonaparte to undertake at once a descent upon England ; but he saw that no direct operations of that kind could be judi- ciously -undertaken before the fall, and he was unwilling to hazard his growing reputation by spending the sunnner in idle- ness. " But," says the historian, " he saw a far-off land, where a glory was to be won which would gain a new charm in the eyes of his countrymen by the romance and mystery which hung upon the scene. Egypt, the land of the Pharaohs and the Ptolemies, ■\\'ould be a noble field for new triumphs." — Wltite's History of France, p. JfGO. But while still broader visions of glory opened before the eyes of Bonaparte in those Eastern historic lands, covering not Egypt only, but Syria, Persia, Hindustan, even to the Ganges itself, he had no difficulty in persuading the Directory that Egypt was the vulncvn1ilo point through M'hich to strike at England by intercepting hor Eastern trade. Hence on the CHAPTER 11, VERSE W 345 pretext al)ove mentioned, the Egyptian campaign was nnder- taken. The do-WTifall of tlie papacy, which marked the termination of tlie 1260 years, and according to verse 35 showed the commencement of the time of the end, oecnrred on the 10th of Febrnary, 1798, when Eome fell into the hands of Berthier, the general of the French. On the 5th of ]\Iarch following, Bonaparte received the decree of the Directory relative to the expedition against Egvpt. He left Paris ]\ray 3, and set sail from Tonlon the 19th, with a large naval armament consisting of 500 sail, carrying 40,000 soldiers and 10,000 sailors. Jnly 5, Alexandria was taken, and immediately fortified. On the 23d. the decisive battle of the pyramids was fonght, in which the Mamelnkes contested the field with valor and desperation, bnt were no match for the disciplined legions of the French. Mnrad Bey lost all his cannon, 400 camels, and 3,000 men. The loss of the French was comparatively slight. On the 24th, Bonaparte entered Cairo, the capital of Egypt, and only waited the snbsidence of the floods of the Xile to pnrsne Murad Bey to Upper Eg^^^t, whither he had retired with his shattered cavalry, and so make a conquest of the whole country. Thus the king of the south was able to make but a feeble resistance. At this juncture, however, the situation of Xapoleon began to grow precarious. The French fleet, which was his only channel of communication with France, was destroyed by the English under Xelson at Aboukir; and on September 2 of this same year, 1798, the sultan of Turkey, under feelings of jeal- ousy against France, artfully fostered by the English ambassa- dors at Constantinople, and exasperated that Egypt, so long a semi-dependency of the Ottoman empire, should be transformed into a French province, declared war against France. Tims the king of the north (Turkey) came against him (France) in the same year that the king of the south (Egvpt) "pushed," and both " at the time of the end ; " which is another conclu- sive proof that the year 1798 is the year which begins that period; and all of which is a demonstration that this appli- cation of the prophecy is correct; for so many events meeting so accurately the specifications of the prophecy could not take 346 PROPHECY OF DANIEL place together, and not constitute a fuliilnient of the prophecy. Was the coming of the king of the north, or Turkey, like a whirlwind in comparison w4th the pushing of Egypt? Na- poleon had crushed the armies of Egypt ; he assayed to do the same thing with the armies of the sultan, who were menacing an attack from the side of Asia. Feb. 27, 1799, with 18,000 men, he conunenced his march from Cairo to Syria. He first took the fort of El-Arish, in the desert, then Jaffa (the Joppa of the Bible), compiered the inhabitants of jSTaplous at Zeta, and was again victorious at Jafet. Meanwhile, a strong body of Turks had intrenched themselves at St. Jean d'Acre, while swarms of Mussulmans gathered in the mountains of Samaria, ready to swoop down upon the French when they should be- siege Acre. Sir Sidney Smith at the same time appeared before St. Jean d'Acre with two English ships, reinforced the Turkish garrison of that place, and captured the apparatus for the siege, which Xapoleon had sent across by sea from Alexan- dria. A Turkish fleet soon appeared in the offing, which, with the Russian and English vessels then co-operating with them, constituted the '' many shij)S " of the king of the north. On the 18th of March the siege commenced. ]S^apoleon was twice called away to save some French divisions from falling into the hands of the Mussulman hordes that filled the country. Twice also a breach was made in the wall of the city ; but the assailants were met with such fury by the gar- rison, that they were obliged, despite their best efforts, to give over the struggle. x\fter a continuance of sixty days, Napo- leon raised the siege, sounded, for the first time in his career, the note of retreat, and on the 21st of May, 1709, commenced to retrace his steps to Egypt. "And he shall overflow and pass over." We have found events which furnish a very striking fulfilment of the pushing of the king of the south, and the whirlwind onset of the king of the north against the French power. Thus far there is quite a general agreement in the application of the prophecy. W^e now reach a point where the views of expositors begin to diverge. To whom do the words he " sliall overflow and pass over," refer ? — to France or to the king of the north 'I Tlie CHAPTER 11, VERSE '^0 .347 application of the remainder of this chapter depends npon the answer to this question. From this point two lines of inter- pretation are maintained. Some appl_y the words to France, and endeavor to find a fulfilment in the career of Xapoleon. Others apj)ly them to the king of the nortli, and accordingly point for a fulfilment to events in the history of Turkey. We speak of these two positions only, as the attempt which some make to bring in the papacy here is so evidently wide of the mark that its consideration need not detain us. If neither of these positions is free from difficulty, as we presume no one will claim that it is, absolutely, it only remains that we take that one which has the weight of evidence in its favor. And we shall find one in favor of which the evidence does so greatly preponderate, to the exclusion of all others, as scarcely to leave any room for donl)t in regard to the view here mentioned. Tvespecting the application of this portion of the prophecy to Xapoleon or to France under his leadership, so far as we are acquainted with his history, we do not find events which we can urge with any degree of assurance as the fulfilment of the remaining portion of this chapter, and hence do not see how it can be thus applied. It must, then, be fulfilled by Turkey, unless it can be shown (1) that the expression "king of the north" does not apply to Tnrkey, or (2) that there is some other power besides either France or the king of the north wliich fulfilled this part of the prediction. But if Tur- key, now occupying the territory which constituted the north- ern division of Alexander's empire, is not tlie king of the north of this prophecy, then we are left without any principle to guide us in the interpretation ; and we presume all will agree that there is no room for the introduction of any other power here. The French king, and the king of the north, are the only ones to whom the prediction can apply. The fulfilment must lie between them. Some considerations certainly favor the idea that there is, in the latter part of verse 40, a transfer of the burden of the prophecy from the French power to the king of the north. The king of the north is introduced just before, as coming forth like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and many 348 PROPHECY OF DANIEL ships. The collision between this power and the J^rench we have already noticed. The king of the north, with the aid of his allies, gained the day in this contest; and the French, foiled in their efforts, were driven Lack into Egypt. Now it would seem to be the more natural application to refer the "■ overflowing and passing over " to that power which emerged in triumph from that struggle; and that power was Turkey. We will only add that one who is familiar with the Hebrew assures us that the construction of this passage is such as to make it necessary to refer the overflowing and passing over to the king of the north, these words expressing the result of that movement which is just before likened to the fury of the whirlwind. Verse 41. He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown : but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Amnion. The facts just stated relative to the campaign of the French against Turkey, and the repulse of the former at St. Jean d'Acre, were drawn chiefly from the Encyclopedia Americana. From the same source we gather further particulars respecting the retreat of the French into Egypt, and the additional re- verses which compelled them to evacuate that country. Abandoning a campaign in which one third of the army had fallen victims to war and the plague, the French retired from St. Jean d'Acre, and after a fatiguing march of twenty- six days re-entered Cairo in Egypt. They thus abandoned all the conquests they had made in Judea ; and the '' glorious land," Palestine, with all its provinces, here called '' countries," fell back again under the oppressive rule of the Turk. Edom, Moab, and Ammon, lying outside the limits of Palestine, south and east of the Dead Sea and the Jordan, Avere out of the line of march of the Turks from Syria to Egypt, and so escaped the ravages of that campaign. On this passage, Adam Clarke has the following note : " These and other Arabians, they [the Turks] have never been able to subdue. They still occupy the deserts, and receive a yearly pension of forty thousand crowns of gold from the Ottoman emperors to permit the caravans with the pilgrims for Mecca to have a free passage." CHAPTER 11, VERSE 1^2 349 Verse 42. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries : and the land of Egypt shall not escape. On the retreat of the French to Egypt, a Turkish fleet landed 18,000 men at Aboukir. Xapoleon immediately at- tacked the j)lace, completely routing the Turks, and re-estab- lishing his authority in Egypt. But at this point, severe reverses to the French arms in Europe called jSTapoleon home to look after the interests of his own country. The command of the troops in Egypt was left with General Kleber, who, after a period of untiring activity for the benefit of the army, was murdered by a Turk in Cairo, and the command was left with Abdallah ]\Ienou. With an army which could not be recruited, every loss was serious. Meanwhile, the English government, as the ally of the Turks, had resolved to wrest Egypt from the French. March 13, ISOO, an English fleet disembarked a body of troops at Aboukir. The French gave battle the next day, but were forced to retire. On the IStli Aboukir surrendered. On the 28th reinforcements were brought by a Turkish fleet, and the grand vizier approached from Syria with a large army. The 19th, Rosetta surrendered to- the combined forces of the En- glish and Turks. At Ramanieh a French corps of 4,000 men was defeated by 8,000 English and 6,000 Turks. At Elmen- ayer 5,000 French Avere obliged to retreat. May 16, by the vizier, who was pressing forward to Cairo with 20,000 men. The whole French army was now shut up in Cairo and Alex- andria. Cairo capitulated June 27, and Alexandria, Sep- tember 2. Four weeks after, Oct. 1, 1801, the preliminaries of peace were signed at London. " Egypt shall not escape " were the words of the prophecy. This language seems to imply that Egypt would be brought into subjection to some power from whose dominion it would desire to be released. As between the French and Turks, how did this question stand with the Egyptians ? — They preferred French rule. In E. R. Madden's Travels in Egypt, ISTubia, Turkey, and Palestine in the years 1824- -1827, published in London in 1829, it is stated that the French Avere much re- gretted by the Egyptians, and extolled as benefactors; that 350 PROPHECY OF DANIEL '^ for the short period thej remained, they left traces of amelio- ration ; " and that, if tliej could have established their power, Egypt would no\\- be comparatively civilized. In view of this testiinony, the language would not be appropriate if applied to the French; the Egyptians did not desire to escape out of their hands. They did desire to escape from the hands of the Turks, but could not. Verse 43. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt : and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. In illustration of this verse we quote the following from Historic Echoes of the Voice of God, p. 49 : — '* History gives the following facts : When the French were driven out of Egypt, and the Turks took possession, the sultan permitted the Egyptians to reorganize their government as it was before the French invasion. He asked of the Egyptians neither soldiers, guns, nor fortifications, but left them to man- age their own aifairs independently, Avith the important excep- tion of putting the nation under tribute to himself. In the articles of agreement between the sultan and the pasha of Egy])t, it was stipulated that the Egyptians should pay annu- ally to the Turkish government a certain amount of gold and silver, and ' six hundred thousand measures of corn, and four lumdred thousand of barley.' " " The Libyans and the Ethiopians," " the Cuslilin," says Dr. Clarke, " the unconquered Arabs," who have sought the friendship of the Turks, and many of whom are tributary to them at the present time. Verse 44. But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him : therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. On this verse Dr. Clarke has a note which is worthy of mention. He says: '' This part of the prophecy is alloAved to be yet unfulfilled." His note was printed in 1825. In an- other portion of liis comment, he says: " If the Turkish power be understood, as in the preceding verses, it may mean that the Persians on the cast, and the Ilussians on the north, will at CHAPTER 11, VERSES U, 1,5 351 some time greatly embarrass the Ottoman government." Between this conjecture of Dr. Clarke's, written in 1825, and the Crimean War of 1853 - 1850, there is certainly a striking coincidence, inasmnch as the very powers he men- tions, the Persians on the east and the Russians on the north, were the ones which instigated that conflict. Tidings from these jDOwers troubled him (Turkey). Their attitude and movements incited the sultan to anger and revenge. Russia, being the more aggressive party, was the object of attack. Turkey declared war on her powerful northern neighbor in 1853. The world looked on in amazement to see a govern- ment which had long been called " the Sick Man of the East," a government whose army was dispirited and demoralized, whose treasuries were empty, whose rulers were vile and imbe- cile, and whose subjects were rebellious and threatening seces- sion, rush with such impetuosity into the conflict. The proph- ecy said that they should go forth with " great fury ; " and when they thus went forth in the war aforesaid, they were described, in the profane vernacular of an American writer, as " fighting like devils." England and France, it is true, soon came to the hclj) of Turkey ; but she went forth in the manner described, and as is reported, gained important victo- ries before receiving the assistance of these powers. Verse 45. And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain ; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. We have now traced the prophecy of the 11th of Daniel down, step by step, and have thus far found events to fulfil all its predictions. It has all been wrought out into history except this last verse. The predictions of the preceding verse having been fulfilled within the memory of the generation now living, we are carried by this one past our own day into the future ; for no power has yet performed the acts here described. But it is to be fulfilled ; and its fulfilment must be accom- plished by that poAver which has been continuously the subject of the prophecy from the 40th verse down to this 45th verse. If tl)e application to which we have given the preference in 352 PROPHECY OF DANIEL passing over these verses, is correct, we must look to Turkey to make the move here indicated. And let it be noted how readily this could be done. Pales- tine, which contains the " glorious holy mountain," the moun- tain on which Jerusalem stands, " between the seas," the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean, is a Turkish province; and if the Turk should be obliged to retire hastily from Europe, he could easily go to any point within his own dominions to establish his temjiorary headquarters, here appropriately described as the tabernacles, movable dwellings, of his palace.; but he could not go beyond them. The most notable point within the limit of Turkey in Asia, is Jerusalem. And mark, also, how applicable the language to that power : " He shall come to his end, and none shall help him." This expression plainly implies that this power has previously re- ceived help. And M^hat are the facts ? — In the war against France in 1798 - 1801, England and Russia assisted the sultan. In the war between Turkey and Egypt in 1838 - 1840, England, Russia, Austria, and Prussia intervened in behalf of Turkey. In the Crimean War in 1853 - 1856, England, France, and Sardinia supported the Turks. And in the last Russo-Turkish War, the great powers of Europe interfered to arrest the prog- ress of Russia. And without the help received in all these instances, Turkey would probably have failed to maintain her position. And it is a notorious fact that since the fall of the Ottoman supremacy in 1840, the empire has existed only through the suiferance of the great powers of Europe. With- out their pledged support, she would not be long able to main- tain even a nominal existence; and when that is withdrawn, she must come to the ground. So the prophecy says the king comes to his end and none help him; and he comes to his end, as we may naturally infer, hccaiise none help' him, — because the support previouslv rendered is withdrawn. Have we any indications that this part of the prophecy is soon to be fulfilled ? As we raise this inquiry, we look, not to dim and distant ages in the past, whose events, so long ago transferred to the page of history, now interest only the few, l)ut to the present living, moving Avorld. Are the nations CHAPTER 11, VERSE 45 353 which are now on the stage of action, with their disciplined armies and their multiplied weapons of war, making any move- ment looking to this end ( All eyes are now tnrned with interest toward Turkey; and the unanimous opinion of statesmen is, that the Turk is des- tined soon to he driven froiii Europe. Some years since, a cor- respondent of the Xew York Tribune, writing from the East, said : " Eussia is arming to the teeth ... to be avenged on Turkey. . . . Two campaigns of the Ilussian army will drive the Turls out of Europe." Carleton, formerly a correspondent of the Boston Journal, writing from Paris under the heading of ^' The Eastern Question," said : — " The theme of conversation during the last week has not ]^een concerning the Exposition, but the ' Eastern Question.' To what will it grow ? Will there be war ? What is Russia going to do ? What position are the Western powers going to take ? These are questions discussed not only in the cafes and restaurants, but in the Corps Legislatif. Perhaps I cannot ren- der better service at the present time than to group together some facts in regard to this question, which, according to pres- ent indications, are to engage the immediate attention of the world. "Wliat is the ' Eastern Question ' ? It is not easy to give a definition ; for to Eussia it may mean one thing, to France another, and to Austria still another; but sifted of every side issue, it may be reduced to this. — the driving of THE Turk into Asia, and a scramble for his territory." Again he says : — " Surely the indications are that the sultan is destined soon to see the western border of his dominions break off, piece by piece. But what will follow ? Are Eoumania, Servia, Bosnia, and Albania to set up as an independent sovereignty together, and take position among the nations ? or is there to be a grand rush for the estate of the Ottoman ? But that is of the futui'o, a future not far distant." Shortly after the foregoing extracts were written, an as- tonishing revolution took place in Europe. France, one of the parties, if not the chief one, in the alliance to uphold the Otto- man throne, was crushed by Prussia in the Franco-Prussian ;354 PROPHECY OF DANIEL war of 1870. Prussia, anothor party, was too miicli in sym- pathy with Russia to interfere with her movements against the Turk. England, a third, in an embarrassed condition finan- cially, could not think of entering into any contest in behalf of Turkey without the alliance of France. Austria had not re- co\'ered from the blow she received in her precedino; war with Prussia; and Italy was busy wath the matter of stripping the pope of his temporal power, and making Rome the capital of the nation. A w^riter in the New York Tribune remarked that if Turkey should become involved in difficulty with Russia, she could count on the prompt " assistance of Austria, France, and England." But none of these powers, nor any others who would be likely to assist Turkey, were at the time referred to in any condition to do so, owing principally to the sudden and unexpected humiliation of the French nation, as stated above. Russia then saw that her opportunity had come. She ac- cordingly startled all the powers of Europe in the fall of the same memorable year, 1870, by stepping forth and deliberately announcing that she designed to regard no longer the stipula- tions of the treaty of 1856. This treaty, concluded at the termination of the Crimean war, restricted the warlike opera- tions of Russia in the Black Sea. But Russia must have the privilege of using those waters for military purposes, if she would carry out her designs against Turkey ; hence her deter- mination to disregard that treaty just at the time when none of the powers were in a condition to enforce it. The ostensible reason urged by Russia for her movements in this direction, was, that she might have a sea front and har- bors in a warmer climate than the shores of the Baltic; but the real design was against Turkey. Thus the Churchman, of Hartford, Conn., in an able article on the present " European Medley," states that Russia in her encroachments ujwn Turkey, " is not merely seeking a sea frontier, and harbors lying on the great highways of connnerce, unclosed by arctic winters, but that, witli a feeling akin to that which inspired the Crusades, she is actuated by an intense desire to drive the Crescent from the soil of Europe." This desire on the part <»f Russia has been dierishod as a PETER THE GR EAT CHAPTER 11, VERSE 45 357 sacred legacy since the days of Peter the Great. That famous prince, becoming sole emperor of Eussia in 1688, at the age of sixteen, enjoyed a prosperous reign of thirty-seven years, to 1725, and left to his successors a celebrated " last will and testament," imparting certain important instructions for their constant observance. The 0th article of that " will " enjoined the following policy: — " To take every possible means of gaining Constantinople and the Indies (for he who rules there will be the true sover- eign of the world) ; excite war continually in Turkey and Persia; establish fortresses in the Black Sea; get control of the sea by degrees, and also of the Baltic, which is a double point, necessary to the realization of our project ; accelerate as much as possible the decay of Persia ; penetrate to the Persian Gulf; re-establish, if possible, by the way of Syria, the ancient commerce of the Le\^ant ; advance to the Indies, which are the great depot of the world. Once there, we can do without the gold of England." The eleventh article reads : " Interest the House of Austria in the expulsion of the Turks from Europe, and quiet their dissensions at the moment of the conquest of Constantinople (having excited war among the old states of Europe), by giv- ing to Austria a portion of the conquest, which afterward will or can be reclaimed." The following facts in Russian history will show how per- sistently this line of policy has been followed: — " In 1606, Peter the Great wrested the Sea of Azov from the Turks, and kept it. Kext, Catherine the Great won the Crimea. In 1S12, by the peace of Bucharest, Alexander I obtained l\roldavia, and the prettily-named province of Bess- arabia, with its apples, peaches, and cherries. Then came the great N'icholas, who won the right of the free navigation of the Black Sea, the Dardanelles, and the Danube, but whose inor- dinate greed led him into the Crimean war, by which he lost IMolda^'ia, and the right of navigating the Danube, and the unrestricted navigation of the Black Sea. This was no doubt a severe repulse to Russia, but it did not extinguish the designs upon the Ottoman power, nor did it contribute in anv essential 23 358 PROPHECY OF DANIEL degree to the stability of the Ottoman empire. Patieutlj bid- ing her time, Russia has been watching and waiting, and in 1870, when all the AA'estern nations were watching the Franco- Prussian war, she announced to the i)0Avers that she would be no longer bound bv the treaty of 185G, which restricted her use of the Black Sea ; and since that time that sea has been, as it was one thousand years ago, to all intents and purposes, a mare Eussicuni." — San Francisco Chronicle. ISTapoleon Bonaparte well understood the designs of Russia, and the imj^ortance of her contemplated movements. While a prisoner on the island of St. Helena, in conversation with his governor. Sir Hudson Lowe, he gave utterance to the following opinion : — " In the course of a few years, Russia will have Constanti- nople, part of Turkey, and all of Greece. This I hold to be as certain as if it had already taken place. All the cajolery and flattery that Alexander practiced upon me was to gain my con- sent to effect that object. I would not give it, foreseeing that the equilibrium of Europe would be destroyed. Once mistress of Constantinople, Russia gets all the commerce of the Medi- terranean, becomes a naval power, and then God knows what may happen. The object of my invasion of Russia was to pre- vent this, by the interposition between her and Turkey of a new state, which I meant to call into existence as a barrier to her Eastern encroachments." Kossuth, also, took the same view of the political board, when he said, " In Turkey will be decided the fate of the world." The words of Bonaparte, quoted above, in reference to the destruction of " the equilibrium of Europe," reveal the motive which has induced the great powers to tolerate so long the ex- istence on the Continent of a nation which is false in religion, destitute of humanity, and a disgrace to modern civilization. Constantinople is regarded, by general consent, as the grand strategic point of Europe; and the poAvers have each sagacity or jealousy enough to see, or think they see, the fact that if any one of the European powers gains permanent possession of that point, as Russia desires to do, that power will be able to dictate - CHAPTER 11, VERSE 45 359 terms to the rest of Europe. This position no one of tlie powers is willing that any other power should possess ; and the only apparent way to jDrevent it is for them all to combine, by tacit or express agreement, to keep each other out, and suffer the unspeakable Turk to drag along his sickly Asiatic existence on the soil of Europe. This is preserving that " balance of power " over Avhich they are all so sensitive. But this cannot always continue. '" Ho shall come to his end, and none shall help him." The sick nmn seems determined to reduce him- self most speedily to such a degree of offensiveness that Europe M'ill be obliged to drive him into Asia, as a matter of safety to its own civilization. A^Tlen Russia, in 1870, announced her intention to disregard the treaty of 185 G, the other powers, though incapable of doing anything, nevertheless, as vas becoming their ideas of their own importance, made quite a show of oifended dignity. A con- gress of nations was demanded, and the denumd was granted. The congress was held, and proved, as everybody expected it would prove, simply a farce so far as restraining Russia was concerned. The San Francisco Chronicle of March, 1871, had this paragraph touching " The Eastern-Question Congress: " — " It is (piite evident that, as far as directing or controlling the action of the Mnscovite government is concerned, the con- gress is little better than a farce. England originated the idea of the congress, simply because it afforded her an opportunity of abandoning, without actual dishonor, a position she had as- sumed rather too hastily, and Russia was complacent enough to join in the ' little game,' feeling satisfied that she would lose nothing by her courtesy. Turkey is the only aggrieved party in this dexterous arrangement. She is left face to face with her hereditary and implacable enemy ; for the nations that pre- viously assisted her, ostensibly through friendship and love of justice, but really through motives of self-interest, have evaded the challenge so openly flung into the arena by the ISTorthern Colossus. Tt is easy to foresee the end of this conference. Russia will get all she requires, another step will be taken to- ward the realization of Peter the Great's will, and the sultan 3 GO PROPHECY OF DANIEL will receive a foretaste of liis apparently inevitable doom — expulsion frorn Europe." From that point the smoulder ing' iires of the " Eastemi Ques- tion " continued to agitate and alarm the nations of Europe^ till in 1877 the flames burst forth anew. On the S-ith of April in that year, Russia declared war against Turkey, ostensibly to de- fend the Christians against the inhuman barbarity of the Turks, really to make another trial to carry out her long-cherished determination to drive the Turk from Europe. The events and the results of that war of 1877 - 1878, are of such recent date that the general reader can easily recall them. It was evident from the first that Turkey was overmatched. Russia pushed her ajiproaches till the very outposts of Constantinople were occupied by her forces. But diplomacy on the part of the alarmed nations of Europe again stepped in to suspend for awhile the contest. The Berlin Congress was held Jan. 25, 1878. Turkey agreed to sigii conditions of peace. The condi- tions were that the straits of the Dardanelles should be open to Russian ships; that the Russians should occupy Batoum, Kars, and Erzeroum ; that Turkey should pay Russia £20,000,000 sterling (nearly $100,000,000), as a war indemnity; and that the treaty should be signed at Constantinople. In making this announcement, the Allegemeine Zeitung added: " The eventual entry of the Russians into Constantinople cannot longer be re- garded as impracticable." The Detroit Evening News of Feb. 20, 1878, said: — ''According to the latest version of the peace conditions, Turkey — besides her territorial losses, the surrender of a few ironclads, the repairs of the mouth of the Danube, the reim- bursement of Russian capital invested in Turkish securities, the indemnity to Russian subjects in Constantinople for war losses, and the maintenance of about 100,000 prisoners of war — will have to pay Russia, in round figures, a sum equivalent to about $552,000,000 in our money. The unestimated items will easily increase this to six hundred uiillion. With her tax- able territory reduced almost to ])Overty-stricken Asia l\Iinor, and with her finances at present in a condition of absolute chaos, it is difficult to sec where she is going to get the money, en APT E Pi n, VERSE Jfo 363 however ready lu-r present rulers may be to sign the contract. " The proposition amounts to giving the czar a permanent mortgage on the whole empire, and contains an implied threat that he may foreclose at any time, by the seizure of the remain- der of European Turkey. In this last aspect all Europe has a vital interest in the matter, and particularly England, even if the conditions were not in themselves calculated to drive English creditors crazy, by destroying their last hope of ever getting a cent of their large investments in Turkish bonds. It nuikes Russia a preferred creditor of the bankrupt Porte, with the additional advantage of being assignee in possession, leaving creditors with prior claims out in the cold.'' The following paragraph taken from the Philadelphia Pub- lic Ledger, August, 1878, sets forth an instructive and very suggestive exJiibit of the shrinkage of Turkish territory within the past sixty years, and especially as the result of the war of 1877:— ' '•Any one who will take the trouble to look at a map of Turkey in Europe dating l)ack about sixty years, and compare that with the new map sketched by the treaty of San Stefano as modified by the Berlin Congress, will be al)le to form a judg- ment of the march of progress that is pressing the Ottoman power out of Europe. Then, the northern boundary of Turkey extended to the Carpathian ^Mountain's, anlish her independence. Then, as recently, the Turk Avas truculent and obstinate. Russia and Great Britain proposed to make Greece a tributary state, retaining the sovereignty of the Porte. This was refused, and the result was the utter destruction of the 304 PROPHECY OF DAXIEL powerful Turkish fleet at Xavarino, and the erection of the in- dependent kingdom of Greece. Thus Turkey in Europe was pressed back on all sides. Xow, the northern boundary, which was so recently at the Danube, has been driven south to the Balkans. Eoumania and Servia have ceased even to be tribu- tary, and have taken their place among independent states. Bosnia has gone under the protection of Austria, as Roumania did under that of Russia in 1829. ' Rectified ' boundaries give Turkish territory to Servia, Montenegro, and Greece. Bulgaria takes the place of Roumania as a self-governing principality, having no dependence on the Porte, and paying only au annual tribute. Even south of the Balkans the power of the Turk is crippled, for Roumelia is to have ' home rule ' under a Chris- tian governor. And so again the frontier of Turkey in Europe is pressed back on all sides, until the territory left is but the shadow of what it was sixty years ago. To produce this re- sult has been the policy and the battle of Russia for more than half a century ; for nearly that space of time it has been the struggle of some of the other ' powers ' to maintain the ' integ- rity ' of the Turkish empire. Which policy has succeeded, and which failed, a comparison of maps at intervals of twenty-five years will show. Turkey in Europe has been shriveled up in the last half century. It is shrinking back and back toward Asia, and, though all the ' powers ' but Russia should unite their forces to maintain the Ottoman system in Europe, there is a manifest destiny visible in the history of the last fifty years that must defeat them." A correspondent of the Christian Tnion, writing from Con- stantinople under date of Oct. 8, 1878, said: — " "When we consider the difiiculties which now beset this feeble and tottering government, tlic only wonder is that it can stand for a day. Aside from the funded debt of $1,000,000,- 000 upon which it pays no interest, it has an enormous floating debt representing all the expenses of the war ; its employees are unpaid; its army has not been disbanded or even reduced; and its paper money has become almost worthless. The people have lost heart, and expect every day some new revolution or CHA-PTEH 11. VERSE JfO 365 a renewal of the war. The governiiient does not know Avhich to distrust most, its friends or its enemies." Since 1878 the tendency of all movements in the East has been in the same direction, foreboding greater pressure upon the Turkish government in the direction of its expulsion from the soil of Europe. The occupation of Egypt by the English, which took place in 1883, is another step toward the inevitable result, and furnishes a movement which the Independent, of jSTew York, ventures to call " the beginning of the end." In 1895 the world was startled by the report of the terrible atrocities inflicted by the Turks and Kurds upon the Arme- nians. Reliable reports show that many thousands have been slaughtered, with every circumstance of fiendish cruelty. The nations through their ambassadors protest and threaten ; the sultan promises, but does nothing. He evidently has not the disposition, if he has the power, to stay the tide of blood. Fanatical Moslems seem seized Avith a frenzy to destroy all the Armenian men and take their wives and children to slavery or a more lamentable fate. Thousands of widows and orphans, left to wander in the mountains of Armenia, perished of cold and hunger. A thrill of horror ran through Christendom, and a cry rose from all lands. Let the Turk be driven out, and come to his end ! And yet the selfishness of the nations, and their jealousy of each other, restrained their hands from ar- resting this carnival of slaughter and ruin, by unseating the terrible Turk. How^ long, O Lord, how long? Thus all evidence goes to show that the Turk must soon leave Europe. Where will he then plant the tabernacles of his palace ? In Jerusalem ? That certainly is the most probable point. !N"ewton on the Prophecies, p. 318, says: " Between the seas in the glorious holy mountain must denote, as we have sho-wn, some part of the Holy Land. There the Turk shall encamp with all his powers ; yet he ' shall come to his end, and none shall help him,' — shall help him effectually, or deliver him." Time w'ill soon determine this matter; and it may be but a few months. And when this takes place, what follows ? — Events of the most momentous interest to all the inhabitants of this world, as the next chapter immediately shows. CHAPTEE XII. Verse 1. And at tliat time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of ti'oiible, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time : and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. A DEFINITE time is introduced in this verse, not a time revealed in names or figures Avliicli specify any particular year or month or day, but a time made definite by the occurrence of a certain event with which it stands connected. *^4.t that time." ^^^lat time ? — The time to which we are brought by the closing verse of the preceding chaj)ter, — the time when the king of the north shall plant the tabernacles of his palace in the glorious holy mountain; or, in other words, when the Turk, driven from Europe, shall hastily make Jerusalem his temporary seat of government. We noticed, in remarks upon the latter portion of the preceding chapter, some of the agencies already in operation for the ac- com])lisl)mcnt of this end, and some of the indications that the Turk will very soon be oldiged to make tliis move. And when this event takes place, he is to come to his end; and thru, ac- cording to this verse, we look for the standing up of INIichael, (366) C II APT EH ]J. VEH.^E 1 3GT the great prince. Tliis movement on the part of Turkey is the signal for the standing up of Michael; that is, it marks this event as next in order. And to guard against all mis- understanding, let the reader note that the position is not here taken that the next movement against the Turks will drive them from Europe, or that when they shall establish their cap- ital at Jerusalem, Christ begins his reign without the lapse of a day or an hour of time. But here are the events, to come, as we believe, in the following order : ( 1 ) Further pressure brought to bear in some way upon the Turk; (2) His retire- ment from Europe; (3) His final stand at Jerusalem; (4) The standing up of Michael, or the beginning of the reign of Christ, and his coming in the clouds of heaven. And it is not reasonable to suppose that any great amount of time will elapse between these events. Who, then, is Michael ? and what is his standing up ? — Michael is called, in Jude 9, the " archangel." This means the chief angel, or the head over the angels. There is but one. AMio is he ? - — ■ He is the one whose voice is heard from heaven when the dead are raised. 1 Thess. 4: 16. And whose voice is heard in connection with that event ? — The voice of our Lord Jesus Christ. John 5 : 2S. Tracing back the evidence with this fact as a basis, we reach the following conclusions: The voice of the Son of God is the voice of the archangel ; the archangel, then, is the Son of God, but the archangel is Michael; hence also Michael is the Son of God. The expres- sion of Daniel, " The great prince which standeth for the chil- dren of thy people," is alone sufficient to identify the one here spoken of as the Saviour of men. He is the Prince of life (Acts 3: 15) ; and God hath exalted him to be a " Prince and a Saviour." Acts 5:31. He is the great Prince. There is no one greater, save the sovereign Father. And he " standeth for the cliildren of thy people." He condescends to take the servants of God in this poor mortal state, and redeem them for the subjects of his future kingdom. He stands for us. His people are essential to his future pur- poses, an inseparable part of the purchased inheritance ; and they are to be the chief agents of that joy in view of which 368 PROPHECY OF DANIEL Christ endured all the sacrifice and suffering which have marked his intervention in behalf of the fallen race. Amaz- ing honor I Be everlasting gTatitude repaid him for his con- descension and mercy unto us ! Be his the kingdom, power, and glory, forever and ever! We now come to the second question. What is the standing up of Michael ? The key to the interpretation of this expres- sion is furnished us in verses 2 and 3 of chapter 11 : " There shall stand up yet three kings in Persia ; " ''A mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion." There can be no doubt as to the meaning of these expressions in these instances. They signify to take the kingdom, to reign. The same expression in the verse under consideration must mean the same. At that time, Michael shall stand up, shall take the kingdom, shall commence to reign. But is not Christ reigning now 'I — Yes, associated with his Father on the throne of universal dominion. Eph. 1 : 20 - 22 ; Kev. 3: 21. But this throne, or kingdom, he gives up at the end of this dispensation (1 Cor. 15:24); and then he com- mences his reign brought to view in the text, when he stands up, or takes his own kingdom, the long-promised throne of his father David, and establishes a dominion of which there shall be no end. Luke 1 : 32, 33. An examination of all the events that constitute, or are in- separably connected with, this change in the position of our Lord, does not come within the scope of this work. Suffice it to say that then the kingdoms of this world become the king- dom " of our Lord and of his Christ." His priestly robes are laid aside for royal vesture. The wort, of mercy is done, and the probation of our race is ended. Then he that is filthy is beyond hope of recovery; and he that is holy is -beyond the danger of falling. All cases are decided. And from that time on, till the terrified nations behold the majestic form of their insulted King in the clouds of heaven, the nations are broken as with a rod of iron, and dashed in pieces like a pot- ter's vessel, by a time of trouble such as never was, a series of judgnnents unparalleled in the world's history, culminating in the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ from heaven in flam- en AFTER l..\ VERSE 1 3tj9 ing lire, to take vengeance (ni tlicni tliaf know not God, and obey not the go.spel. 2 Tliess. 1 : 7, 8 ; Eev. 11 : 15 ; 22 : 11, 12. Thus momentous are the events introduced by the standing up of ]\lichaeL And he thus stands up, or takes the kingdom, ]narking the introduction of this decisive period in human his- tory, for some length of time before he returns personally to this earth. How important, then, that we have a knowledge of his position, that we may be able to trace tlie progress of his work, and understand when that thrilling moment draws near which ends his intercession in behalf of mankind, and fixes the destiny of all forever. But how are we to know this ^ How are we to determine what is transpiring in the far-off heaven of heavens, in the sanctuary aljo\'e ? ■ — ■ God has been so good as to place the means of knowing this is our hands. ^Mien certain great events take place on earth, he has told us what events synchro- nizing Avith them occur in heaven. By things wliich are seen, Ave thus learn of things that are unseen. As Ave " look through nature up to nature's God," so through terrestrial phenomena and events Ave trace gTcat movements in the heavenly Avorld. When the king of the north plants the tabernacles of his pal- ace betAveen the seas in the glorious holy mountain, a movement for Avhicli Ave already behold the initial steps, then Michael, our Lord, stands up, or receiA^es from his Father the kingdom, preparatory to his return to this earth. Or it might haA'e been expressed in Avords like these : Then our Lord ceases his Avork as our great High Priest, and the probation of the Avorld is finished. The great prophecy of the 2300 days giA'es us definitely the commencement of the final division of the AA'ork in the sanctuary in heaven. The verse before us giA'es us data AA'hereby Ave can discover approximately the time of its close. In connection Avitli the standing up of Michael, there occurs a time of troul)le such as ncA^er Avas. Li Matt. 24: 21 Ave read of a period of tribulation such as never Avas before it, nor should be after it. This tribulation, fulfilled in the oppression and slaughter of the church by the papal poAA^er, is already past; AAdiile the time of trouble of Dan. 12: 1, is, according to the vieAV AA^e take, still future. Hoav can there be tAvo times of 370 PROPHECY OF DANIEL trouble, manv years apart, cacli of them greater than anv that had been before it, or should be after it I To avoid difficulty here, let this distinction be carefully noticed: The tribulation spoken of in Matthew is tribulation upon the church. Christ is there speaking to his disciples, and of his disciples in com- ing time. They were the ones involved, and for their sake the days of tribulation were to be shortened. Verse 22. Whereas, the time of trouble mentioned in Daniel is not a time of relig' ious persecution, but of national calamity. There has been nothing like it since there was - — ■ not a church, but — ■ a nation. This comes upon the world. This is the last trouble to come upon the world in its present state. In ]\[attliew there is refer- ence made to time beyond that tribulation ; for after that was past, there was never to be any like it upon the people of God. But there is no reference here in Daniel to future time after the trouble here mentioned ; for this closes i»p this world's his- tory. It includes the seven last plagues of Revelation IG, and culminates in the revelation of the Lord Jesus, coming upon his pathway of clouds in flaming Are, to visit destruction upon his enemies who would not have him to reign over them. But out of tliis tribulation every one shall be delivered who shall be found written in the book — the book of life; "for in ]\lount Zion . . . shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the renmant wliom the Lord shall call." Joel 2:32. Verse 2. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and ever- lasting contempt. This verse also shows how momentous a period is intro- duced by the standing up of ]\Iichael, or the commencement of the reign of Christ, as set forth in the first verse of this chap- ter; for the event here described in explicit terms is a resur- rection of the dead. Is this the general resurrection which takes place at the second coming of Clirist ? or is there to inter- vene between Christ's reception of tlie kingdom and his revela- tion to earth in all his advent glory (Luke 21 : 27) a special resurrection answering to the description here given ? One of these it must be; for every declaration of Scripture will be fulfilled. CHAPTER 12, VERSE 2 371 W'lij may it not be the former, or the resurrection which occurs at the hist trump i Answer : Because only tlie right- eous, to the exclusion of all the wicked, have part in that resurrection. Those who sleep in Christ then come forth ; but they only, for the rest of the dead live not again for a thou- sand years. Rev. 20: 5. So, then, the general resurrection of the whole race is comprised in two grand divisions, first, of the righteous exclusiv'ely, at the coming of Christ ; secondly, of the wicked exclusively, a thousand years thereafter. The general resurrection is not a mixed resurrection. The righteous and the wicked do not come up promiscuously at the same time. But each of these two classes is set off by itself, and the time which elapses between their respective resurrections is plainly stated to be a thousand years. But in the resurrection brought to view in the verse before us, many of both righteous and wicked come up together. It cannot therefore be the first resurrection, which includes the righteous only, nor the second resurrection, which is as dis- tinctly confined to the wicked. If the text read. Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake to everlasting- life, then the " many " might be interpreted as including all the righteous, and the resurrection be that of the just at the second coming of Christ. But the fact that some of the many are wicked, and rise to shame and everlasting contempt, bars the way to such an application. It may be objected that this text does not affirm the awak- ening of any but the righteous, according to the translation of Bush and AMiiting; namely, "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, these to everlasting life, and those to shame and everlasting contempt." It will be noticed, first of all, that this translation (which is not by any means above criticism) proves nothing till the evident ellipsis is sup- plied. This ellipsis some therefore undertake to supply as follows: "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall aAvake, these [the awakened ones] to everlasting life, and those [the unawakened ones] to shame and everlasting contempt." It will be noticed, again, that this does not supply the ellipses, but only adds a comment, which is a very different 372 PROPHECY OF DANIEL thing. To supply the elipsis is simply to insert those words ^\•hieh are necessary to complete the sentence. " Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake," is a complete sentence. The subject and predicate are both ex- pressed. The next member, " Some [or these] to everlasting life," is not complete. What is wanted to complete it ? Not a comment, giving some one's opinion as to who are intended by '^ these," but a verb of which these shall be the subject. What verb shall it be ? This must be determined by the preceding portion of the sentence, which is complete, where the verb shall awake is. used. This, then, is the predicate to be supplied: '' Some [or these] shall awake to everlasting life." Aj)plying the same rule to the next member, " Some [or those] to shame and everlasting contempt," which is not in itself a complete sentence, we find ourselves obliged to supply the same words, and read it, " Some [or those] shall awake to shame and ever- lasting contempt." Anything less than this will not complete the sense, and anything different will pervert the text ; for a predicate to be suj^plied cannot go beyond one already ex- pressed. The affirmation made in the text pertains only to the many who awake. Xothing is affirmed of the rest who do not then awake. And to say that the expression " to shame and everlasting contempt " applies to them, when nothing is affirmed of them, is not only to outrage the sense of the pas- sage, but the laws of language as well. And of the many who awake, some come forth to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt, which further proves a resurrection to consciousness for these also ; for while contempt may be felt and manifested by others toward those who are guilty, shame can be felt and manifested only by the guilty parties them- selves. This resurrection, therefore, as already shown, com- prises some of both righteous and wicked, and cannot be the general resurrection at the last day. Is there, then, any place for a si:)ecial or limited resurrec- tion, or elsewhere any intimation of such an event, before the Lord appears ? The resurrection here predicted takes place when God's people are delivered from the great time of trouble with Avhich the liistorv of this world terminates; and it seems CHAPTER 12, VERSE 2 373 from Rev. 22 : 11 that this deliverauce is given before the l^ord appears. The awful moment arrives when he that is filthy and unjust is pronounced unjust still, and he that is righteous and holy is jironounced holy still. Then the cases of all are forever decided. And when this sentence is pronounced upon the righteous, it must be deliverance to them ; for then they are placed beyond all reach of danger or fear of evil. But the Lord has not at that time made his appearance ; for he imme- diately adds, "And, behold, I come quickly." The utterance of this solemn fiat which seals the righteous to everlasting life, and the wicked to eternal death, is supposed to be synchronous with the great voice which is heard from the throne in the tem- ple of heaven, saying, " It is done! " Rev. 16: 17. x\nd this is evidently the voice of God, so often alluded to in descriptions of the scenes connected with the last day. Joel speaks of it, and says (chapter 3 : 16) : " The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake : but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel." The mar- gin reads instead of " hope," " place of repair, or harbor." Then at this time, when God's voice is heard from heaven just previous to the coming of the Son of man, God is a harbor for his people, or, which is the same thing, provides them de- liverance. Here, then, at the voice of God, when the deci- sions of eternity are pronounced upon the race, and the last stupendous scene is just to open upon a doomed world, God gives to the astonished nations another evidence and pledge of his power, and raises from the dead a multitude who have long slept in the dust of the earth. Thus we see that there is a time and place for the resurrec- tion of Dan. 12 : 2. "We now add that a passage in the book of Revelation makes it necessary to- suppose a resurrection of this kind to take place. Rev. 1 : 7 reads : " Behold, he cometh with clouds [this is unquestionably the second advent] ; and every eye shall see him [of the nations then living on the earth], and they also which pierced him [those who took an active part in the terrible work of his crucifixion] ; and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him." Those who crucified the 374 PROPHECY OF DANIEL Lord, would, unless there was an exception made in their cases, remain in their gra\'es till the end of the thousand years, and come up in the general assembly of the wicked at that time. Jjut here it is stated that they behold the Lord at his second advent. They must therefore have a special resurrection for that purpose. And it is certainly most appropriate that some who were eminent in holiness, who labored and suffered for their hope of a coming Saviour, but died without the sight, should be raised a little before, to witness the scenes attending his glo- rious epiphany ; as, in like manner, a goodly company came out of their graves at his resurrection to behold his risen glory (Matt. 27: 52, 53), and to escort him in triumph to the right hand of the throne of the majesty on high (Eph. 4:8, mar- gin) ; and also that some, eminent in wickedness, who have done most to reproach the name of Christ and injure his cause, and especially those who secured his cruel death upon the cross, and mocked and derided him in his dying agonies, should be raised, as part of their judicial punishment, to behold his re- turn in the clouds of heaven, a celestial victor, in, to them, unendurable majesty and splendor. One more remark upon this text before passing on. What is here said is supposed by some to furnish good evidence of the eternal conscious suffering of the wicked, because those of this character who are spoken of come forth to shame and ever- lasting contempt. How can they forever suffer these, unless they are forever conscious ? It has already been stated that shame implies their consciousness ; but it will be noticed that this is not said to be everlasting. This qualifying word is not inserted till we come to the contempt, which is an emotion felt l)y others toward the guilty parties, and does not render nec- essary the consciousness of those against whom it is directed. And so some read the passage: " Some to shame, and the ever- lasting contempt of their companions." And so it will boj Shame for their Avickedness and corruption will burn into their very sonls, so long as they have conscious being. And when they pass away, consumed for their inicpiities, their loathsome cliaracters and their guilty deeds excite only contempt on the CHAPTER 12, VERSES 2, 3 375 part of all the righteous, unmodified and unabated so long as they hold them in remembrance at all. The text therefore fur- nishes no proof of the eternal suffering of the Avicked. Verse 3. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever. The margin reads "" teachers " in place of " wise." And they that be teachers shall shine as the brightness of the firma- ment; that is, of course, those who teach the truth, and lead others to a knowledge of it, just previous to the time when the events recorded in the foregoing verses are to be fulfilled. And as the world estimates loss and profit, it costs something to be teachers of these things in these days. It costs repu- tation, ease, comfort, and often property ; it involves lal)ors, crosses, sacrifices, loss of friendship, ridicule, and, not infre- quently, jDersecution. And the question is often asked, How can you afford it ? How can you afford to keej:) the Sabbath, and perhaps lose a situation, reduce your income, or it may be "even hazard your means of suj)port ? O blind, deluded, sordid question ! O what shortsightedness, to make obedience to what God requires a matter of pecuniary consideration ! How unlike is this to the noble martyrs, who loved not their lives unto the death ! 'No ; the affording is all on the other side. When God commands, we cannot afford to disobey. And if we are asked. How can you afford to keep the Sabbath, and do other duties involved in rendering obedience to the truth ? we have only to ask in reply. How can you afford vot to do them ? And in the coming day, when those who have sought to save their lives shall lose them, and those who have been Avilling to hazard all for the sake of the truth and its divine Lord, shall receive the glorious reward promised in the text, and be raised up to shine as the firmament, and as the imper- ishable stars forever and ever, it will then be seen who have been wise, and who, on the contrary, have made the choice of blindness and folly. The wicked and worldly now look upon Christians as fools and madmen, and congratulate themselves upon their superior shrewdness in shunning what they call their 24 376 PROPHECY OF DANIEL folly, and avoiding their losses. We need make no response; for those who now render this decision will soon themselves reverse it, and that with terrible though unavailing earnestness. Meanwhile, it is the Christian's privilege to revel in the consolations of this marvelous promise. A conception of its magnitude can be gathered only from the stellar worlds them- selves. What are these stars, in the likeness of Avhich the teachers of righteousness are to shine forever and ever ? How much of brightness, and majesty, and length of days, is in- volved in this comparison ? The sun of our own solar system is one of these stars. If we compare it ^\'itli this globe upon which we live ((>ur handiest standard of measurement), we find it an orb of no small magnitude and magnificence. Our earth is 8,000 miles in diameter; but the sun's diameter is 885,680 miles. In size it is- one and a half million times larger than our globe ; and in the matter of its substance, it would balance three hundred and fifty-two thousand worlds like ours. What immensity is this ! Yet this is far from being the largest or the brightest of the orbs which drive their shining chariots in myriads through the heavens. His proximity (he being only some ninety-five million miles from us) gives him with us a controlling pres- ence and influence. But far away in the depths of space, so far that they appear like mere points of light, blaze other orbs of vaster size and greater glory. The nearest fixed star. Alpha Centauri, in the southern hemisphere, is found, by the accuracy and efiiciency of modern instruments, to be nineteen thousand million miles away; but the polo-star system is fif- teen times as remote, or two hundred and eighty-five thou- sand million miles; and it shines with a luster equal to that of eighty-six of our suns; others are still larger, as, for in- stance, Vega, which emits the light of three hundred and forty-four of our suns; Capella, four hundred and thirty; Arcturus, five hundred and sixteen; and so on, till at last we reach the great star Alcyone, in the constellation of the Pleiades, which floods the celestial spaces with a brilliancy twelve thousand times that of the ponderous orb which lights CHAPTER 12, VERSE S 377 and controls our solar system ! AVhy, then, does it not appear more luminous to us i — Ah ! its distance is twenty-live million diameters of the earth's orbit; and the latter is one hundred and ninety million miles I Figures are weak to express such distances. It will be sufficient to say that its glowing light must traverse space as only light travels, — 192,000 miles a second, — for a period of more than seven hundred years, be- fore it reaches this distant world of ours! Some of these monarchs of the skies rule singly, like our own sun. Some are double ; that is, what appears to us like one star is found to consist of two stars — two suns with their retinue of .planets, revolving around each other; others are triple, some are quadruple ; and one,- at least, is sextuple. Besides this, they show all the colors of the rainbow. Some systems are white, some blue, some red, some yellow, some ffreen ; and this means diiferent-colored davs for the planets of those systems. Castor gives his planets green days. The double pole-star gives his yellow. In some, the different suns belonging to the same system are variously colored. Says Dr. Burr, in his Ecce Coelum, p. 136: '^\nd, as if to make that Southern Cross the fairest object in all the heayens, we find in it a group of more than a hundred variously colored red, green, blue, and bluish-green suns, so closely thronged together as to appear in a powerful telescope like a superb bouquet, or piece of fancy jewelry." And what of the age of these glorious bodies ? A few years pass away, and all things earthly gather the mold of age, and the odor of decay. How much in this world has perished entirely ! But the stars shine on as fresh as in the beginning. Centuries and cycles have gone by, kingdoms have arisen and slowly passed away ; we go back beyond the dim and shadowy horizon of history, go back even to the earliest moment intro- duced by revelation, when order was evoked out of chaos, and the morning stars sang together, and the sons of God shouted for joy — even then the stars w^ere on their stately marches, and how long before this we know not; for astronomers tell us of nebulae lying on the farthest outposts of telescopic vision, whose light in its never-ceasing flight would consume five mil- 378 • PROPHECY OF DANIEL lion years in reaching this planet. So ancient are these stellar orbs. Yet their brightness is not dimmed, nor their force abated. The dew of yonth still seems fresh npon them. No broken outline shows the foothold of decay ; no faltering mo- tion reveals the decrepitude of age. Of all things visible, these stand next to the Ancient of days ; and their undiminished glory is a jjrophecy of eternity. And thus shall they who turn many to righteousness shine in a glory that shall bring joy even to the heart of the Re- deemer ; and thus shall their years roll on forever and ever. Verse 4. But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, e^'en to the time of the end : many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. The " words " and " book " here spoken of doubtless refer to the things which had been revealed to Daniel in this proph- ecy. These things were to be shut up and sealed until the time of the end; that is, they were not to be specially studied, or to any great extent understood, till that time. The time of the end, as has already been shown, commenced in 1798. As the book Avas closed up and sealed to that time, the plain inference is that at that time, or from that point, the book would be unsealed ; that is, people would l^e better able to un- derstand it, and would have their attention specially called to this part of the inspired word. Of what has been done on the subject of prophecy since that time, it is unnecessary to remind the reader. The prophecies, especially Daniel's prophecy, have been under examination by all students of the word wherever civilization has spread abroad its light upon the earth. And so the remainder of the verse, being a prediction of what should take place after the time of the end commenced, says, " ^fany shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." Whether this running to and fro refers to the passing of peo- ple from place to ]daee, and the great improvements in the facilities for transportation and travel made within the present century, or whether it means, as some understand it, a tnrning to and fro in the ]>rophecies, that is, a diligent and earnest search into j)rophetic truth, the fulfilment is certainly and CHAPTER 12, VERSE J, 379- surely before our eyes. It must have its application in one of these two ways; and in both of these directions the present age is very strongly marked. So of the increase of knowledge. It must refer either to the increase of knowledge in general, the development of tae arts and sciences, or an increase of knowledge in reference to those things revealed to Daniel, which were closed \ip and sealed to the time of the end. Here, again, apply it which way we wall, the fulfilment is most marked and complete. Look at the marvelous achievements of the lumian mind, and the cunning works of men's hands, rivaling the magician's wildest dreams, which have been accomplished within the last hundred years. It was recently stated in the Scientific Ameri- can that within this time more advancement has been made in all scientific attainments, and more progTess in all that tends to domestic comfort, the rapid transaction of business among men, the transmission of intelligence from one to another, and the means of rapid transit from place to place and even from continent to continent, than all that was done for three thou- sand years previous, put together. By a series of vignettes the artist has given us in the ac- companying plates a bird's-eye view of some of the most wonderful discoveries and marvelous scientific and mechanical achievements of the present age. They represent, — 1. The Suspension Bridge. — The first suspension bridge of note in this country was built across the x^iagara River in 1S55. The famous Brooklyn bridge was completed in 1883. 2. Electric Lighting. — This system of lighting was per- fected and brought into use in the last twenty years of the nineteenth century. Only two electric lighting exhibits were to be seen at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876. At the Paris Exposition, twenty-four years later, there were tw^o hundred such exhibits. 3. Modern Artillery. — At Sandy Hook, guarding the en- trance to New York harbor, is a monster breech-loading can- non 49 feet in length, w^eighing 180 tons, capable of throwing a projectile over five feet in length and weighing 2,400 pounds, a distance of twenty miles. 380 PROPHECY OF' DANIEL 4. The Automobile. — Only a few years ago this machine was entirely unknown. Now automobiles are common in everv section of the country, and bid fair to almost entirely super- sede the horse carriage as a means of locomotion. Read, in connection with descriptions of the automobile and the rail- way train, the prophecy of IsTahum 2:3, 4. 5. The Modern Printing-press. — Presses now used in the large newspaper offices consume in an hour 280 miles of paper of newspaper Avidth, and turn out in the same time 96,000 papers of 16 pages, folded, pasted, and counted. Contrast this with the hand printing-j)ress of Benjamin Franklin. 6. The Telegraph. — This was first put into operation in 1844. 7. The Trolley Car. — The first .practicable electric rail- way line was constructed and operated at the Berlin Inter- national Exposition, in 1879. Interurban travel by trolley car in many places now nearly equals in speed and excels in comfort the best steam railway service. It is generally be- lieved, in fact, that electricity is about to conquer steam on all railway lines. 8. The Telephone. — The first patent on the telephone was granted to Alexander Graham Bell in 1876. 9. The Steam Railway. — The first American-built loco- motive was made in Philadelphia in 1832. The use of the steam engine for locomotion has made it possible to travel around the world in about sixty days. 10. Ocean Steamships. — Early in the last century the ap- ]dication of steam power to ships revolutionized ocean travel. Two ships now being built for the Cunard line are 760 feet in length, have engines of 60,000 horse-power, and are of double the tonnage of the famous Great Eastern. 11. Modern Battleships. — A single battleship of the pres- ent day could easily overcome the combined naval fleets of the world as they were at the middle of the last centurv. 12. The Typewriter. — The first model of the modern type- writer was put on the market in 1874. 13. The Combination Reaper and Thresher., — Compare the harvesting methods of the present day, when grain is MANY SHALL RUN TO AND FRO, AND KNOWLEDGE SHALL BE INCREASED." CHAPTER 12, VERSE 4 335 not only cut and gathered, but at the same time threshed and collected in bags ready for the market, by one machine, with the old method of hand reajjing, which was in use in the days of our grandfathers. 14. The Type-setting Machine. — This machine has worked a revolution in the art of printing. The first Mergenthaler machine was made in 1884. 15. Oil Wells. — The discovery of petroleum in the last century revolutionized domestic lighting, also affording such indispensable products as benzine and gasoline. 16. The Phonograph. — The first Edison phonograph was constructed in 1877. 17. The Photographic Camera. — The first sunlight picture of a human face was made by Professor Draper of Xew York in 1840. 18. Wireless Telegraphy. — The first apparatus capable of transmitting wireless messages over long distances was made by Marconi in 1896. Almost every large steamship is now provided with this apparatus, and conversations can be car- ried on by people on the ocean hundreds of miles apart. A daily paper is published on transatlantic liners, giving each day's news of world events, sent out by wireless telegraphy to the ship from the shores of America or of Europe. 19. The Air-ship. — The long-studied problem of air navi- gation seems now, through discoveries recently made, to bo on the verge of solution. The picture shows a dirigible bal- loon, which has been operated with success ; but experiments now being made with the aeroplane type of air-ship promise a practical solution of the problem of air travel at no distant date. Many other things might be spoken of, such as submarine armor for divers, submarine boats for exploring the depths of the sea, and for use in naval warfare, power spinning-machines, and anesthetics to prevent pain in surgery, etc., etc. AMiat a galaxy of wonders to originate in a single age ! How marvelous the scientific attainments of the present day, upon which all these discoveries and achievements concen- 386 PROPHECY OF DANIEL trate their light! Truly, viewed from this standpoint, we have reached the age of the increase of knowledge. And to the honor of Christianity let it he noted in what lands, and hy whom, all these discoveries have been made, and so much done to add to the facilities and comforts of life. It is in C^hristian lands, among Christian men, since the great Reformation. Xot in the Dark Ages, which furnished only a travesty of Christianity; not to pagans, who in their ignorance know not God, nor to those who in Christian lands deny him, is the credit of this progress due. Indeed, it is the very spirit of equality and individual liberty inculcated in the gospel of Christ when preached in its purity, which unshackles human limbs, unfetters human minds, invites them to the highest use of their powers, and makes possible such an age of free thought and action, in which these wonders can be achieved. Of the marvelous character of the present age, Victor Hugo speaks as follows : — " In science it works all miracles ; it makes saltpeter out of cotton, a horse out of steam, a laborer out of the voltaic pile, a courier out of the electric fluid, and a painter of the sun ; it bathes itself in the subterranean waters, while it is warmed with the central fires; it opens upon the two infinities those two windows, — the telescope on the infinitely great, the microscope on the infinitely little, and it finds in the first abyss the stars of heaven, and in the second abyss the insects, which prove the existence of a God. It annihilates time, it annihilates distance, it annihilates suffering; it writes a letter from Paris to London, and has the answer back in ten minutes; it cuts off the leg of a man — the man sings and smiles." — Le Petit Napoleon. But if we take the other standpoint, and refer the increase of knowledge to an increase of Biblical knowledge, we have only to look at the wonderful light which, within the past sixty years, has shone upon the Scriptures. The fulfilment of jn-oph- ecy has been revealed in the light of history. The use of a Ijetter principle of interpretation has led to conclusions show- ing, beyond dispute, that the end of all things is near. Truly tlie seal has been taken from the book, and knowledge res]ioct- iug what God has revealed in his word, is wonderfully in- CHAPTER 12, VERSES J^-l 387 creased. We think it is in this respect that the prophecy is more especially fulfilled, but only in an age like the present could the prophecy, even in this direction, be accomplished. That we are in the time of the end, v.dien the book of this prophecy should be no longer sealed, but be open and under- stood, is shown by Rev. 10 : 1, 2, where a mighty angel is seen to come down from heaven with a little book in his hand open. For proof that the little book, there said to be open, is the book here closed up and sealed, and that that angel delivers his mes- sage in this generation, see on Rev. 10 : 2. Verse 5. Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one ou this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river. 6. And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders ? 7. And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liv- eth forever that it shall be for a time, times, and a half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished. The question, " How long shall it be to the end of these wonders ? " undoubtedly has reference to all that has previously been mentioned, including the standing w]) of Michael, the time of trouble, the deliverance of God's people, and the special and antecedent resurrection of verse 2. And the answer seems to be given in two divisions : First, a specific prophetic period is marked off; and, secondly, an indefinite period follows before the conclusion of all these things is reached ; just as we have it in chapter 8 : 13, Id. When the question was asked, " How long the vision ... to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot ? " the answer mentioned a definite period of 2300 days, and then an indefinite period of the cleansing of the sanctuary. So in the text before us, there is given the period of a time, times, and a half, or 1260 years, and then an indefinite period for the continuance of the scatter- ing of the power of the holy people, before the consummation. The 1260 years mark the period of papal supremacy. Why is this period here introduced? — Probably because this power is the one Avhich does more than any other in the world's his- 388 'PROPHECY OF DANIEL tor J toward scattering the power of the holj people, or oppress- ing the church of God. But what shall we understand by the expression, " Shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people " ? A literal translation of the Septuagint seems to present it in a clearer light : " When he shall have finished the scattering of the power of the holy people." To whom does the pronoun he refer ? According to the wording of this scripture, the antecedent would at first sight seem to be " Him that liveth forever," or Jehovah ; but, as an eminent expositor of the prophecies judiciously remarks, in considering the pronouns of the Bible we are to interpret them according to the facts of the case; and hence must frequently refer them to an antecedent understood, rather than to some noun which is expressed. So, here, the little horn, or man of sin, having been introduced by the particidar mention of the time of his supremacy, namely, 1260 years, may be the power referred to by the pronoun lie. For 1260 years he had grievously op- pressed the church, or scattered its power. After his suprem- acy is taken away, his disposition toward the truth and its advocates still remains, and his power is still felt to a certain extent, and he continues his work of oppression just as far as he is able, till — when ? — Till the last of the events brought to view in verse 1, the deliverance of God's people, every one that is found written in the book. Being thus delivered, per- secuting powers are no longer able to oppress them ; their power is no longer scattered ; the end of the wonders brought to view in this great prophecy is reached ; and all its predictions are accomplished. Or, we may, without particularly altering the sense, refer tlie pronoun lie to the one mentioned in the oath of verse 7, as "Him that liveth forever; " that is, God, since he employs the agency of earthly powers in chastising and disciplining his people, and in that sense may be said himself to scatter their power. By his prophet he said concerning the kingdom of Israel, " I will overturn, overturn, overturn it, . . . until lie come whose right it is." Eze. 21 : 27. And again, " »Teru- salem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." Luke 21 : 24. Of like import CHAPTER m, VERSES 5 - 10 389 is the prophecy of Dan. 8 : 13 : '' How long the vision . . . to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot ? " Who gives them to this condition ? — God. Why i — To discipline ; to '" jmrify and make white " his people. How long ? — Till the sanctuary is cleansed. Verse 8. And I heard, but 1 understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things ? 9. And he said, Go thy way, Daniel : for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 10. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly : and none of the wicked shall under- stand ; but the wise shall understand. How forcibly are we reminded, by Daniel's solicitude to understand fully all that had been shown him, of Peter's words where he speaks of the prophets' inquiring and searching dili- gently to understand the predictions concerning the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow ; and also of the fact that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister. How little were some of the prophets permitted to understand of Avhat they wrote ! But they did not therefore refuse to write. If God required it, they knew that in due time he would see that his people derived from their writings all the benefit that he intended. So the language here used to Daniel was the same as telling him that when the right time should come, the wise would understand the meaning of what he had written, and be profited thereby. The time of the end was the time in which the Spirit of God was to break the seal from off this book ; and consequently this was the time during which the wise should understand, while the wicked, lost to all sense of the value of eternal truth, with hearts callous and hardened in sin, would grow continually more wicked and more blind. None of the wicked understand. The efforts which the wise put forth to understand, they call folly and presumption, and ask, in sneering phrase, " ^Miere is the promise of his com- ing?" And should the question be raised. Of what time and what generation speaketh the prophet this ? the solemn answer would be. Of the present time, and of the generation now be- fore us. This language of the prophet is now receiving a most striking fulfilment. 390 PROPHECY OF DANIEL The phraseology of verse 10 seems at first sight to be rather peculiar: " Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried." How, it may be asked, can they be made white and then tried (as the language would seem to imply), when it is by being tried that they are purified and made white ? Answer : The language doubtless describes a process which is many times re- peated in the experience of those, who, during this time, are being made ready for the coming and kingdom of the Lord, They are purified and made white to a certain degree, as com- pared with their former condition. Then they are again tried. Greater tests are brought to bear upon them. If they endure these, the work of purification is thus carried on to a still greater extent, — the process of being made white is made to reach a still higher stage. And having reached this state, they are tried again, resulting in their being still further purified and made white ; and thus the process gi:>es on till characters are developed which will stand the test of the great day, and a spiritual condition is reached which needs no further trial. Verse 11. And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. We have here a new prophetic period introduced ; naniely, 1290 prophetic days, which would denote the same number of literal years. From the reading of the text, some have in- ferred (though the inference is not a necessary one) that this period begins with the setting up of the abomination of desola- tion, or the papal power, in 538, and consequently extends to 1S28. But while we find nothing in the latter year to mark its termination, we do find evidence in the margin that it begins before the setting up of the papal al)oniinati(m. The margin reads, " To set up the abomination,'' etc. With this reading the text would stand thus: ''And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away to set up [or in order to set up] the abomination that maketh desolate, there shall be a thou- sand two hundred and ninety days." The daily has already been shown to be, not the daily sacrifice of the Jews, but the daily or '-ontinual al)omination, that is, paganism. (See on CHAPTER 12, VERSES 11, 12 391 .jhapter 8:13.) This had to be taken away to prepare the way for the papacy. For the historical events showing how this was accomplished in 508, see on chapter 11 : 31. \Ye are not told directly to what event these 1290 days reach ; but inasmuch as their commencement is marked by a work ^vhich takes place to prepare the way for the setting up of the papacy, it would be most natural to conclude that their end would be marked by the cessation of papal supremacy. Counting back, then, 1290 years from 1798, we have the year 508, where it has been shoA\Ti that paganism was taken away, thirty years before the setting up of the papacy. This period is doubtless given to sIioav the date of the taking away of the daily, and it is the only one which does this. The tw^o periods, therefore, the 1290 and the 1260 days, terminate together in 1798, the one beginning in 538, and the other in 508, thirty years previous. Verse 12. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thou- sand three hundred and five and thirty days. 13. But go thou thy way till the end be; for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days. Still another prophetic period is here introduced, denoting 1335 years. The testimony concerning this period, like that which pertains to the 1290 years, is very meager. Can we tell when this period begins and ends ? The only clue we have to the solution of this question, is the fact that it is spoken of in immediate connection with the 1290 years, which commenced, as shown above, in 508. From that point there shall be, says the prophet, 1290 days. And the very next sentence reads, " Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the 1335 days." From Avhat point ? — From the same point, undoubtedly, as that from which the 1290 date; namely, 508. Unless they are to be reckoned from this point, it is impossible to locate them, and they must be excepted from the prophecy of Daniel when we apply to it the words of Christ, " Whoso readeth, let him understand." ]\ratt. 24: 15. From this point they would ex- tend to 1843; for 1335 added to 508 make 1843. Commenc- ing in the spring of the former year, they ended in the spring of the latter. 25 392 PROPHECY OF DANIEL But liow can it be that they have ended, it may be asked, since at the end of these days Daniel stands in his lot, which is by some supposed to refer to his resurrection from the dead ? This question is founded on a misapprehension in two respects : First, that the days at the end of Avliich Daniel stands in his lot are the 1335 days; and, secondly, that the standing of Daniel in his lot is his resurrection, which also cannot be sus- tained. The only thing promised at the end of the 1335 days is a blessing unto those Avho wait and come to that time ; that is, those who are then living. "S^Tiat is this blessing ? Looking at the year 1843, Avhen tliese years expired, what do we behold 1 — We see a remarkable fulfilment of prophecy in the great proclamation of the second coming of Christ. Forty-five years before this, the time of the end commenced, the book was un- sealed, and light began to increase. About the year 1843, there was a grand culmination of all the light that had been shed on prophetic subjects uj) to that time. The proclamation Avent forth in power. The new and stirring doctrine of the setting- up of the kingdom of God, shook the world. Xew life was imi^arted to the true disciples of Christ. The unbelieving were condemned, the churches were tested, and a spirit of revival was awakened which has had no parallel since. Was this the blessing ? Listen to the Saviour's words : "Blessed are your eyes," said he to his disciples, "for they see; and your ears, for they hear." Matt. 13 : 16. And again he told his followers that prophets and kings had desired to see the things which they saw, and had not seen them. But " blessed," said he to them, " are the eyes which see the things that ye see." Luke 10: 23, 24. If a new and glorious truth was a blessing in the days of Christ to those who received it, Avhy was it not equally so in a. d. 1843 ? It may be objected that those Avho engaged in this move- ment were disapjiointed in their expectations; so Averc the disciples of Christ at his first advent, in an equal degree. They shouted before him as he rode into Jerusalem, expect- ing that he would then take the kingdom ; but the only throne to which he then went was the cross; and instead of being hailed as king in a royal palace, he was laid a lifeless form in CHAPTER 12, VERSE 12 393 Joseph's new sepiilclier. Nevertheless, they were " blessed '' in receiving the truths tliej had heard. It may be objected further that this was not a suHicient blessing to be marked by a prophetic period. Why nut, since the period in which it was to occur, namely, the time of the end, is introduced by a ^jroj^hetic period; since our Lord, in verse 14 of his great prophecy of Matthew 24, makes a sj^ecial announcement of this movement; and since it is still further set forth in Rev. 14 : 6, 7, under the symbol of an angel flying through mid-heaven with a special announcement of the ever- lasting gospel to the inhabitants of the earth :■ Surely the Bible gives great prominence to this movement. Two more questions remain to be briefly noticed : (1) What days are referred to in verse 13 ? (2) AYhat is meant by Dan- iel's standing in his lot ? Those who claim that the days are the 1335, are led to that application by looking back no further than to the preceding verse, where the 1335 days are men- tioned ; wliei"eas, in making an aj^plication of these days so in- definitely introduced, the whole scope of the prophecy should certainl}^ be taken in from chapter S. Chapters 9, 10, 11, and 12 are clearly a continuation and explanation of the vision of chapter 8 ; hence we may say that in the vision of chapter 8, as carried out and explained, there are four prophetic periods; namely, the 2300, 1260, 1290, and 1335 days. The first is the principal and longest period; the others are but intermediate •parts and subdivisions of this. Xow, when the angel tells Daniel, at the conclusion of his instructions, that he shall stand in his lot at the end of the days, without specifying Avhich period was meant, would not Daniel's mind naturally turn to the principal and longest j)eriod, the 2300 days, rather than to any of its subdivisions ? If this is so, the 2300 are the days intended. The reading of the Septuagint seems to look very plainly in this direction : " But go thy way and rest ; for there are yet days and seasons to the full accomplishment [of these things] ; and thou shalt stand in thy lot at the end of the days." This certainly carries the mind back to the long period contained in the first vision, in relation to which the subsequent instruc- tions were ii'iven. 394 PROPHECY OF DANIEL The 2300 days, as has been already shown, terminated in 1844, and brought us to the cleansing of the sanctuary. How did Daniel at. that time stand in his lot ? Answer : In the person of his Advocate, our great High Priest, as he presents the cases of the righteous for acceptance to his Father. The word here translated lot does not mean a piece of real estate, a '' lot " of land, but the "' decisions of chance " or the " deter- ininations of Providence." At the end of the days, the lot, so to speak, was to be cast. In other words, a determination was to be made in reference to those who should be accounted W'Orthy of a possession in the heaA^enly inheritance. And when Daniel's case comes up for examination, he is found righteous, stands in his lot, is assigned a place in the heavenly Canaan. When Israel was about to enter into the promised land, the lot was cast, and the possession of each tribe was assigned. The tribes thus stood in their respective " lots " long before they entered upon the actual possession of the land. The time of the cleansing of the sanctuary corresponds to this period of Israel's history. We now stand upon the borders of the heavenly Canaan, and decisions are being made, assigning to some a place in the eternal kingdom, and barring others for- ever therefrom. In the decision of his case, Daniel's portion in the celestial inheritance will be made sure to him. And with him all the faithful will also stand. And when this devoted servant of God, who filled up a long life with the noblest deeds of service to his Maker, though cumbered with the weightiest cares of this life, shall enter upon his reward for -well-doing, we too may enter with him into rest. We draw the study of this prophecy to a close, Avith the remark that it has been with no small degree of satisfaction that Ave have spent what time and study we have on this won- derful prophecy, and in contemplating the character of this most beloved of men and most illustrious of prophets. God is no respecter of persons ; and a reproduction of Daniel's character Avill secure the divine favor as signally even now. Let us emulate his virtues, that we, like him, may have the approbation of God while here, and dwell amid tlio creations of his infinite glorv in the lonii' hereafter. JOHN WRITING THE REVELATION " What thou, sccxi, write in a book." Ri'u. 1 : Jl ^^®H THE Kevelation, nsually termed " The Apocalypse," from its Greek name, ' ATroKoXvipts^ meaning " a disclosure, u revelation," has been described to be " a panorama of the glory of Christ." In the Evangelists we have the record of his humiliation, his condescension, his toil and sufferings, his patience, his mockings and scourgings by those who should have done him reverence, and finally his death upon the shame- ful cross, — a death esteemed in that age to be the most igno- minious that men could inflict. In the Revelation we have the gospel of his enthronement in glory, his association with the Father upon the throne of universal dominion, his overruling providence among the nations of the earth, and his coming again, not a homeless stranger, but in power and great glory, to punish his enemies* and reward his followers. ^'A voice has cried in the wilderness, ' Behold the Lamb of God ; ' a voice will soon proclaim from heaven, ' Behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah!'" Scenes of glory surpassing fable are unvailcd before us in this book. Appeals of unwonted power bear down upon the impenitent from its sacred pages in threatenings of judgment that have no parallel in any other portion of the book of God. Consolation which no language can describe is here given to the humble followers of Christ in this lower world, in glorious vie^^'s of Llim u|)on whom help for them has been laid, — Him Avho has the key of David, who holds his ministers in his own right hand, who, though he was once dead, is now alive for- evermore, and assures us that he is the triumphant possessor of the keys of death and of the grave, and who has given to everv overcomer the multiplied promise of walking with him (397) 398 THE REVELATION in white, having a crown of life, partaking of the fruit of the tree of life which grows in the midst of the paradise of God, and being raised up to sit with him upon his own glorious throne. N^o other book takes us at once, and so irresistibly, into another sphere. Long vistas are here opened before us, which are bounded by no terrestrial objects, but carry us for- ward into other worlds. And if ever themes of thrilling and impressive interest, and grand and lofty imagery, and sublime and magnificent description, can invite the attention of man- kind, then the Revelation invites us to a careful study of its pages, which urge upon our notice the realities of a momentous future and an unseen world. i*E GPENINC YISION CHAPTER I. THE book of the Revelation opens with the nunouncement of its title, and with a benediction on those who shall give diligent heed to its solemn prophetic utterances, as follows : — Verfe 1. The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave nnto him, to show unto liis servants things which must shortly come to pass ; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John : 2. Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. 3. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein : for the time is at hand. Tlie Title. — The translators of onr common version of the Bible have given this book the title of " The Revelation of St. John the Divine." In this they contradict the very first words of the book itself, which declare it to be " The Revelation of Jesns Christ." Jesns Christ is the Revelator, not John. John is but the penman employed by Clirist to write out this Revela- tion for the benefit of his church. There is no doubt that the John here mentioned is the person of that name who was the beloved and highly favored one among the twelve apostles. He was evangelist and apostle, and the writer of the Gospel and epistles which bear his name. (See Clarke, Barnes, Kitto, Pond, and others.) To his previous titles he now adds that of prophet; for the Revelation is a prophecy. But the matter 40U THE REVELATION of this book is traced back to a still higher source. It is not only the Kevelation of Jesus Christ, but it is the Revelation which God gave unto him. It conies, then, first from the great Fountain of all wisdom and truth. God the Father; bj liim it was communicated to Jesus Christ, the Son; and Christ sent and signified it bj his angel to his servant John. The Character of the Booh. — This is expressed in one word, " Revelation." A revelation is something revealed something clearly made known, not something hidden and con- cealed. Moses, in Dent. 20 : 29, tells us that " the secret things belong unto the Lord our God ; bui those things which are revealed belong nnto us and to our children forever." The very title of the book, then, is a sufficient refutation of the popular opinion of to-day, that this book is among the hid- den mysteries of God, and cannot be understood. Were this the case, it should bear some such title as " The Mystery " or "The Hidden Book;" certainly not that of "The Reve- lation." Its Object. — " To show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass." His servants — who are they Is there any limit i For whose benefit was the Revelation given 'I Was it given for any specified persons i for any par- ticular churches;! for any special period of time ^ — Xo; it is for all the church in all time, so long as any of the events therein predicted remain to be accomplished. It is for all those who can claim the appellation of " his servants," wher- ever or whenever they may live. But this language brings up again the common view that the Revelation is not to be understood. God says that it av.i.; given to show something to his servants ; and yot many of the expounders of his word toll us that it does not show anything, because no man can understand it ! as though God would un- dertake to make known to mankind some important truths, and yet fall into the worse than oartldy folly of clothing thcMu in language or in figures which human minds could not com- prehend ! as though he would command a person to behold some distant object, and then erect an impenetrable barrier be- tween him and the object specified ! or as though he would CHAPTER 1, VERSES 1-3 401 give his servants a light tc» guide them through the gloom of iiightj and jet throw over that light a pall so thick and heavy that not a ray of its brightness could penetrate the obscuring folds ! How do they dishonor God who thus trifle with his word ! No ; the Revelation will accomplish the object for which it was given, and "■ his servants " will learn therefrom " the things which must shortly come to pass," and which con- cern their eternal salvation. Ills Angel. — -Christ sent and made known the Revelation to John by " his angel." A particular angel seems here to be brought to view. What angel could appropriately be called Christ's angel ( ^lay ^ye not iind an answer to this question in a sigiiificant passage in the prophecy of Daniel 'i In Dan. 10:21, an angel, ^\'hicli was doubtless Gabriel (see Daniel, chapters '■), 10, and 11: 1), in making known some important truths to Daniel, said, " There is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince." ^^^l0 Michael is avc easily learn. Jude (verse 9) calls him the '' archangel." And Paul tells us that ^^•hen the Lord descends from heaven, and the dead in Christ are raised, the voice of the archangel shall be heard. 1 Tliess. 4: IG. And whose voice will be heard at that amazing hour when the dead are called to life ? The Lord himself replies, " Marvel not at this ; for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice " (John 5: 28) ; and the previous verse shows that the one here referred to, whose voice will then be heard, is the Son of man, or Christ. It is the voice of Christ, then, that calls the dead from their graves. That voice, Paul declares, is the voice of the archangel ; and Jude says that the archangel is called Michael, the very personage mentioned in Daniel, and all re- ferring to Christ. The statement in Daniel, then, is, that the truths to be revealed to Daniel were committed to Christ, and confined exclusively to him, and to an angel whose name Avas Gabriel. Similar to the work of communicating important truth to the '' beloved prophet " is the work of Christ in the Revelation of communicating imjiortant truth to the " beloved disciple; " and who, in this \vork, can be his angel but he who was engaged witl; him in the former work, that is, the angel 402 THE REVELATION Gabriel i This fact will throw light on some points in this book, while it would also seem most appropriate that the same being who was employed to carry messages to the " beloved " prophet of the former dispensation, should perform the same otHce for him who corresponds to that prophet in the gospel age. (See on chapter 1!): 10.) The Benediction. — " Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy." Is there so direct and formal a blessing pronounced upon the reading and observance of any other portion of the word of God ? What encourage- ment, then, have we for its study! And shall we say that it cannot be understood ? Is a blessing offered for the study of a book which it can do us no good to study ? Men may assert, with more pertness than piety, that " every age of declension is marked by an increase of commentaries on the Apocalypse," or that " the study of the Revelation either finds or leaves a man mad ; " but God has pronounced his blessing upon it, he has set the seal of his approbation to an earnest study of its marvelous pages; and with such encouragement from such a source, the child of God will be unmoved by a thousand feeble counterblasts from men. Every fulfilment of prophecy brings its duties ; hence there are things in the Revelation to be kejDt, or performed ; practical duties to be entered upon as the result of the accomplishment of the prophecy. A notable instance of this kind may be seen in chapter 14: 12, where it is said, "Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." But says John, '" The time is at hand," — another motive offered for the study of this book. It becomes more and more important, as we draw near the great consummation. On this point we offer the impressive thoughts of another : " The im- portance of studying the Apocalypse increases with the lapse of time. Here are ' things which must shortly come to pass.' Even when John bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw, the long period within Avhich those successive scenes were to be realized was at hand. If proximity then constituted a motive for heeding those contents, how much more does it now! CHAPTER 1, VERSES 1 - 6 403 Every revolving century, every closing year, adds to the urgency ^^'ith which attention is challenged to the concluding portion of Holy Writ. And does not that intensity of devo- tion to the present, which characterizes our times and our country, enhance the reasonableness of this claim ? iSTever, surely, was there a period when some mighty counteracting power was more needed. The Revelation of Jesus Christ, duly studied, supplies an appropriate corrective influence. Would that all Christians might, in fullest measure, receive the bless- ing of ' them that hear the words of this prophecy, and that keep the things which are written therein ; for the time is at hand.'" — Thompson s Patmos, pp. 28, 29. The Dedication. — Following the benediction, we have the dedication, in these words : — Verse 4. John to tlie seven churches which are in Asia ; Grace be unto you, and peace, from hiin which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven spirits which are before his throne; 5. And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6. And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. The Churches in Asia. — There were more churches in Asia than seven. We may confine ourselves to that western frac- tion of Asia know^n as Asia Minor, or we may include still less territory than that ; for in even that small portion of Asia Minor where were situated the seven churches which are men- tioned, and right in their very midst, there were other im]:)or- tant churches. Colosse, to the Christians of which place Paul addressed his epistle to the Colossians, was but a slight dis- tance from Laodicea. Miletus Avas nearer than any of the seven to Patmos, where John had his vision ; and it was an important station for the church, as we may judge from the fact that Paul, during one of his stays there, sent for the elders of the church of Ephesus to meet him at that place. Acts 20 : 17 - 38. At the same place he also left, in good Christian hands no doubt, Trophimus, his disciple, sick. 2 Tim. 4 : 20. And Troas, where Paul spent a season with the disciples, and whence, having waited till the Sabbath was past, he started off 40i THE REVELATION upon liis journey, was not far removed from Pergamos, named among the seven. It becomes, therefore, an interesting ques- tion to determine why seven of the churches of Asia Minor were selected as the ones to which the Revelation should be dedicated. Does what is said of the seven churches in chapter 1, and to them in chapters 2 and 3, have reference solely to the seven literal churches named, describing things only as they then and there existed, and portraying what was before them alone i We cannot so conclude, for the following rea- sons : — 1. The entire book of Revelation (see chapter 1:3, 11, 19 ; 22:18, 19) was dedicated to the seven churches. Verse 11. But the book was no more applicable to them than to other Christians in Asia Minor, — those, for instance, who dwelt in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, and Eithynia, addressed in 1 Peter 1:1; or the Christians of Colosse, Troas, and Miletus, in the A^ery midst of the churches named. 2. Only a small portion of the book could have personally concerned the seven churches, or any of the Christians of John's day ; for the events it brings to view were mostly so far in the future as to lie beyond the lifetime of the genera- tion then living, or even the time during which those churches would continue; and consequently they could have no personal connection with them. 3. The seven stars which the Son of man held in his right hand (verse 20), are declared to be the angels of tlie seven churches. The angels of the churches, doubtless all will agree, are the ndnisters of the churches. Their being held in the right hand of the Son of man denotes the upholding power, guidance, and protection vouchsafed to them. But there were only seven of them in his right hand. And are there only seven thus cared for by the great Master of assemblies ? ]\ray not, rather, all the true ministers of the whole gospel age de- rive from this representation the consolation of knowing that they are upheld and guided by the right hand of the great Head of the church ? Such would seem to be the only con- sistent conclusion. 1. Again, John, looking into the (Miristian dis)>ensation, CHAPTER 1, VERSES Jf-6 405 saw only seven candlesticks, representing seven churches, in the midst of which stood the Son of man. The position of the Son of man in their midst must denote his presence with them, his watchcare over them, and his searching scrutiny of all their works. But does he thus take cognizance of only seven indi- vidual churches in this disjjensation ? May we not rather con- clude that this scene represents his position in reference to all his churches during the gospel age i Then why were only seven mentioned i Seven, as used in the Scriptures, is a number denoting fulness and completeness, being, doubtless, a kind of memorial of the great facts of the first seven days of time, which gave the world the still used weekly cycle. Like the seven stars, the seven candlesticks must denote the whole of the things which they represent. The whole gospel church in seven divisions, or periods, must be symbolized by them; and hence the se\en churches must be applied in the same manner. 5. Why, then, were the seven particular churches chosen that are mentioned i For the reason, doubtless, that in the names of these churches, according to the definitions of the words, are brought out the religious features of those periods of the gospel age which they respectively were to represent. For these reasons, '' the seven churches " are doubtless to be understood to mean not merely the seven literal churches of Asia which went by the names mentioned, but seven periods of the Christian church, from the days of the apostles to the close of probation. (See on chapter 2, verse 1.) The Source of Blessing. — " Fro]n him which is, and which was, and which is to come," or is to be, — an expression w4iich signifies comjDlete eternity, past and future, and can be appli- cable to God the Father only. This language, we believe, is never applied to Christ. He is spoken of as another person, in distinction from the being thus described. Tlie Seven Spiriis. — This expression probably has no ref- erence to angels, but to the Spirit of God. It is one of the sources from which grace and peace are invoked for the church. On the interesting subject of the seven spirits, Thompson re- marks: ''That is, from the Holy Spirit, denominated 'the se\'en spirits,' because seven is a sacred and perfect number ; 400 THE REVELATION not thus named as denoting interior plurality, but the fulness and perfection of his gifts and operations." Barnes says, *' The number seven, therefore, may have been given by the Holy Spirit with reference to the diversity or the fulness of his operations on the souls of men, and to his manifold agency in the affairs of the -world, as further developed in this book." Bloomfield gives this as the general interpretation. His Throne. — The throne of God the Father ; for Christ has not yet taken his own throne. The seven spirits being he- fore the throne " may be intended to designate the fact that the Divine Spirit is ever ready to be sent forth, in accordance with a common representation in the Scriptures, to accomplish important purposes in human affairs." And from Jesus Christ. — Then Christ is not the person who, in the verse before us, is designated as " him which is, and which was, and which is to come." Some of the chief charac- teristics which pertain to Christ are here mentioned. He is, — The Faithful Witness. — AYhatever he bears witness to is true. Whatever he promises, he will surely fulfil. The First Begotten of the Dead. — This expression is paral- lel to 1 Cor. 15 : 20, 23 ; Heb. 1:6; Eom. 8 : 29 ; and Col. 1 : 15, 18, where we find such expressions applied to Christ as '' the first-fruits of them that slept," " the first-born among many brethren," " the first-born of every creature," and " the first-born from the dead." But these expressions do not neces- sarily denote that he Avas the first in point of time to be raised from the dead ; for others w^ere raised before him. That would be a very unimportant point ; but he was the chief and central figure of all who have come up from the grave; for il was by virtue of Christ's coming, work, and resurrection, that any were raised before his time. In the purpose of God, he was the first in point of time as well as in importance; for it was not till after the purpose of Christ's triumph over the grave was formed in the mind of God, who calleth those things that be not as though they were (Rom. A: 17), that any were released from the power of death, by virtue of that great fact which was in due time to be accomplished. Christ is therefore called the "first-begotten of the dead" (chapter 1:5), the "first-fruits CH AFTER 1, VERSES i - 6 407 of them that slept" (1 Cor. 15:20), the "• first-born among mauv brethren" (Horn. 8:29), and "the first-born from the dead." Col. 1 : 18. In xVets 26 : 23 he is spoken of as " the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people," or the first who hy rising from the dead should show light unto the people. (See the Greek of this passage, and Bloomfield's note thereon ; also " Here and Hereafter," chajiter 17.) The Prince of the Kings of the Earth. — Christ is Prince of earthly kings in a certain sense now. Paul informs us, in Eph. 1:20, 21, that he has been set at the right hand of God in the heavenly places, " far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this w'orld, but also in that which is to come." The highest names named in this world are the princes, kings, em- perors, and potentates of earth. But Christ is placed far above them. He is seated with his Father upon the throne of uni- versal dominion (chapter 3:21), and ranks equally with him in the overruling and controlling of the affairs of all the nations of the earth. In a more particular sense, Christ is to be Prince of the kings of the earth when he takes his own throne, and the king- doms of this world become the '' kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ," when they are given by the Father into his hands, and he comes forth bearing upon his vesture the title of '' King of kings and Lord of lords," to dash them in pieces like a potter's vesseL Chapter 10:16; 2:27; Ps. 2 : 8, 9. Unto Him that Loved Us. — We have thought that earthly friends loved us, — a father, a mother, brothers and sisters, or bosom friends, — but we see that no love is worthy of the name compared Avith the love of Christ for us. And the following sentence adds intensity of meaning to the previous words: "x\nd w^ashed us from our sins in his own blood." What love is this ! " Greater love," says the apostle, '' hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." But Christ has commended his love for us, in that he died for us '• while we were yet sinners." But more than this — " Hath made us kings and ])riosts unto God and his Father." From 20 408 THE RET ELATION being leprous with sin, we are made clean in his sight ; from being enemies, we are not only made friends, but raised to po- sitions of honor and dignity. This cleansing, and this kingly and priestly exaltation — to what state do they pertain ? to the present or the future ? — Chiefly to the future ; for it is then only that we shall enjoy these blessings in the highest degree. Then, after the atonement has been accomplished, we are abso- lutely free from our sins; before that time they are pardoned only on condition, and blotted out only by anticipation. But when the saints are permitted to sit with Christ on his throne, according to the ])romise to the victorious Laodiceans, when they take the kingdom under the whole heaven and reign for- ever and ever, they will be kings in a sense that they never can be in this present state. Yet enough is true of our present condition to make this cheering language appropriate in the Christian's present song of joy; for here we are permitted to say that we have redemption through his blood, though that redemption is not yet given, and that we have eternal life, though that life is still in the hands of the Son, to be brought unto us at his appearing; and it is still true, as it was in the days of John and Peter, that God designs his people in this world to be unto him a chosen generation, a royal (kingly) priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar peoi)le. 1 Peter 2:9; Rev. 3:21; Dan. 7:18, 27. Xo wonder the loving and be- loved disciple ascribed to this Being Avho has done so much for us, glory and dominion, forever and ever. And let all the church join in this most fitting ascription to their greatest benefactor and dearest friend. Verse 7. Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Arncn. He Cometh ivilli Clouds. — -Here John carries us forward to the second advent of Christ in glory, the climax and crowning event of his intervention in behalf of this fallen world. Once he came in weakness, now he comes in power ; once in humil- ity, now in glory. Tie comes in clouds, in like manner as he ascended. Acts 1:9, 11. CHAPTER 1, VERSE 7 409 His Coming Visible. — " Every eye shall see him ; " that is, all who are alive at the time of his coming. We know of no personal coming of Christ that shall be as the stillness of mid- night, or take jjlace only in the desert or the secret chamber. He conies not as a thief in the sense of stealing in stealthily and qnietly nj^on the world, and purloining goods to which he has no right. But he conies to take to himself his dearest treasure, his sleeping and living saints, whom he has purchased with his own precious blood; whom he has wrested from the power of death in fair and o^Dcn conflict; and for whom his coining will be no less open and triumphant, too. It will be with the brilliancy and splendor of the lightning as it shines from the east to the west. Matt. 24:27. It will be with a sound of a trum^Det that shall pierce to earth's lowest depths, and with a mighty voice that shall wake the sainted sleepers from their dusty beds. Matt. 24:31, margin; 1 Thess. 4: 10. He will come upon the wicked as a thief, only because they persistently shut their eyes to the tokens of his approach, and will not believe the declarations of his word that he is at the door. To represent two comings, a private and a public one, in connection with the second advent, as some do, is wholly unwarranted in the Scriptures. And They Also ivhich Pierced Him. — They also (in addi- tion to the " every eye," before mentioned) who were chiefly concerned in the tragedy of his death ; they shall behold him returning to earth in triumph and glory. But how is this ? They are not now living, and how, then, shall they behold liini when he conies ? Answer : By a resurrection from the dead ; for this is the only possible avenue to life to those who have once been laid in the grave. But how is it that these wicked persons come up at this time ? for the general resurrec- tion of the Avicked does not take place till a thousand years after the second advent. Chapter 20:1- 6. On this point Daniel informs us. He says (chapter 12:1, 2): — "And at that time shall ]\Iicliael stand up, the great prince whicli standeth for the children of thy peoi)le: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never Avas since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be 410 THE REVELATION delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and ever- lasting contempt." Here a partial resurrection is brought to view, or a resur- rection of a certain class of each, righteous and wicked, before the general resurrection of either class. Many, not all, that sleep shall awake. Some of the righteous, not all of them, to everlasting life, and some of the wicked, not all of them, to shame and everlasting contempt. And this resurrection tran- spires in connection with the great time of trouble such as never was, which just precedes the coming of the Lord. May not "they also which pierced him" be among those who then come up to shame and everlasting contempt ? What could be more appropriate, so far as human minds can judge, than that those who took part in the scene of our Lord's greatest humilia- tion, and other special leaders in crime against him, should be raised to behold his terrible majesty, as he comes trium- phantly, in flaming fire, to take vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not his gospel? (See Dan. 12:2.) The Church's Response. — " Even so. Amen." Though this coming of Christ is to the wicked a scene of terror and destruc- tion, it is to the righteous a scene of joy and triumpli. " AMien the world's distress comes, then the saints' rest comes." That coming wdiich is with flaming fire, and for the purpose of tak- ing vengeance on the wicked, is to recompense rest to all them that believe. 2 Thess. 1:6- 10. Every friend and lover of Christ will hail every declaration and every token of his re- turn as glad tidings of great ^oy. Verse S. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. Hero another speaker is introduced. Previous to this, John lias been the speaker. But this verse has no connection with what precedes nor with what follows. Who it is w^ho here speaks must be determined, therefore, by the terms used. Here we again have the expression, '" Which is, and which was, and ail AFTER. J, 17i7.',s7i'>s' ,s', !> 411 "wliicli is to coiue," wliicli has already been noticed as referring exclusively to God. But it may be asked, Does not the word Lord denote that it was Christ i On this point Barnes has the following note : " Many j\ISS. instead of * Lord/ kv^lo^, read ' God,' 6e6nient which is yet future I 8. The third view is tliat by " Lord's day " is meant the first day of the week, a view by far the uiost goncrallv enter- CHAPTER 1, VERSE W 417 tained. On this we inquire for the proof. AVhat evidence have we for tliis assertion i The text itself does not define tlie term Lord's day ; lience if it means tlie first day of tlie w^eek, we must look elsewhere in the Bible for the proof tliat that day of the week is ever so designated. The only other in- spired writers who speak of the hrst day at all, are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Paul ; and they speak of it simply as " the first day of the week." They never speak of it in a manner to distinguish it above any other of the six working days. And this is the more remarkable, viewed from the popular standpoint, as three of them speak of it at the very time when it is said to have become the Lord's day by the resurrection of the Lord upon it, and two of them mention it some thirty years after that event. If it is said that the term " Lord's day '' was the usual term for the first day of the week in John's day, we ask, AVhere is the proof of this i It cannot be found. But we have proof of just the contrary. (See " History of the Sab- bath," by J. X. Andrews, for sale by the Southern Publishing Association, Xashville, Tenn. ) If this was the universal des- ignation of the first day of the week at the time the Revelation was written, the same writer would most assuredly call it so in all his subsequent waitings. But John wrote the Gospel after he ^^'rote the Revelation, and yet in that Gospel he calls the first day of the week, not Lord's day, but simply " the first day of the week." For proof that the Gospel was written at a period subsequent to the Revelation, the reader is re- ferred to such standard authorities as the Religious- Encyclo- pedia, Barnes's jSTotes (Gospels), Bible Dictionaries, Cottage Bible, Domestic Tiible, ]\line Explored, I'niou Bible Diction- ary, Comprehensive Bible, Paragraph Bible, Bloomfield, Dr. Hales, Hornc, Xevins, and Olshausen. i\.nd what still further disproves the claim here set up in behalf of the first day, is the fact that neither the Father nor the Son has ever claimed the first day as his own in any higher sense than he has each or any of the other laboring days. Xeither of them has over nlaend any blessing upon it, or 418 THE REVELATION attached any sanctity to it. Jf it was to be called the Lord's day from the fact of Christ's resurrection upon it, Inspiration wonld doubtless have somewhere so informed us. But there are other events equally essential to the plan of salvation, as, for instance, the crucifixion and the ascension; and in the ab- sence of all instruction upon the point, why not call the day upon wliich either of these occurred, the Lord's day, as well as the day upon which he rose from the dead ? 4. The three positions already examined having been dis- proved, the fourth — that by Lord's day is meant the Sabbath of the Lord — now demands attention. And this of itself is susceptible of the clearest proof. 1. When God gave to man in the beginning six days of the week for labor, he expressly reserved the seventh day to himself, placed his blessing upon it, and claimed it as his holy day. 2. Moses told Israel in the M'ilderness of Sin on the sixth day of the week, " To-morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord." We come to Sinai, where the great Lawgiver proclaimed his moral precepts in awful grandeur ; and in that supreme code he thus lays claim to his hallowed day: "The seventh day is the Sabbath of tlic Lord thy God: . . . for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: Avherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it." By the prophet Isaiah, about eight hundred years later, God spoke as follows : " If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy DAY, . . . then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord," etc. Isa. 58:1-3. We come down to jSTew-Testament times, and He who is one with the Father declares expressly, " The Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath." Can any man deny tliat that day is tlie Lord's day, of which lie has emphatically declared that he is the Jjord? Thus we see that Avhether it be the Father or the Son whose title is involved, no other day can be called the Lord's day but the Sabbath of the great Creator. One more thought, and we leave this point. There is in this dispensation one day distinguished above the other days of the week as the Lord's day. How comjdetely does this great CHAPTER 1, VERSES 10-18 419 fact disprove the claim put forth by some that there is no Sab- bath in this dispensation, bnt that all days are alike. And by calling it the Lord's day, the apostle has given us, near the close of the first century, apostolic sanction for the observance of the only day \vhich can be called the Lord's day, which is the seventh day of the Aveck. (See notes at close of chapter.) Verse 11. Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last : and, W^iat thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and luito Thyatira, and luito Sardis, and luito Phila- delphia, and unto Laodicea. On this verse Dr. A. Clarke remarks that the clause ""' I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, is wanting in some editions ; the Syriac, Coptic, ^Ethiopic, Armenian, Sla- vonic, Vulgate, Arethas, Andreas, and Primasius. Griesbach has left it out of the text." He also states that the phrase " in Asia " is wanting in the principal MSS. and versions, and that Griesbach omits this too from the text. Bloomfield also marks the clause, " I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, and " — as without doubt an interpolation, and also the words " in Asia.'' It would then read, '' saying, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches ; unto Ephesus," etc. (See translations of Whiting, Wesley, American Bible Union, and others. Compare remarks on verse 4.) Verse 12. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;' 13. And in the midst of tlie seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a goldeii girdle. 11. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15. And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 16. And he had in his right hand seven stars; and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his coimtenance was as the siui shineth in his strength. 17. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying luito me. Fear not; I am the first and the last: 18. I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen ; and have the keys of hell and of rloath. I filmed to see the voice; that is, the person from whom the voice came. 420 THE REVELATION Seven Golden Candlesticks.—- These cannot be the antitype of the golden candlestick of the ancient typical temple service ; for that was but one candlestick with seven branches. That is ever spoken of in the singular number. But here are seven; and these are more properly " lamp-stands " than simply can- dlesticks, stands upon which lamps are set to give light in the room. And they bear no resemblance to the ancient candle- stick ; on the contrary, the stands are so distinct, and so far sejiarated one from another, that the Son of man is seen walk- ing about in the midst of them. The Son of Man. — The central and all-attractive figure of the scene now opened before John's vision is the majestic form of one like the Son of man, representing Christ. The descrip- tion here given of him, with his flowing robe, his hair white, not -with age, but ^^'itll the brightness of heavenly glory, his flaming eyes, his feet glowing like molten brass, and his voice as the soiiud of many waters, cannot be excelled for grandeur and sublimity. Overcome by the presence of this august Being, and perhaps under a keen sense of all hunnm unworthiness, John fell at his feet as dead ; but a comforting hand is laid upon him, and a voice of sweet assurance tells him to fear not. It is equally the privilege of Christians to-day to feel the same hand laid upon them to strengthen and comfort them in hours of trial and affliction, and to hear the same voice saying unto them, " Fear not." But the most cheering assurance in all these words of con- solation is the declaration of this exalted one who is alive for- evermore, that he is the arbiter of death and the grave. '' I have," he says, " the keys of hell \ a8rj<:, the grave] and of death." Death is a conquered tyrant. lie may ply his gloomy labors age after age, gathering to the grave the precious of the earth, and gloat for a season over his apparent triumph; but he is performing a fruitless task ; for tlie key to his dark prison- house has been wrenched from his grasp, and is now held in tlie hands of a mightier than he. He is compelled to deposit liis trophies in a region over which another has absolute con- trol; and this one is the unchanging Friend and the pledged Bedeemer of his people. Then grieve not for the righteous CHAPTER 1, YEESES V.i. 2o 42 1 dead ; they are in safe keei)ing. An enemy for a while takes thcni aAvay; hut a friend holds the key to the jilace of their temporary eontinenient. Vekse 19. Write the things which thou hast seen, and tlie things which are, and the things wliicli shall be hereafter. A more definite command is given in this verse to John to write the entire Revelation, Avhich would relate chieHy to things which were then in the future. In some few instances, events then in the past or then transpiring were referred to ; but these references were simply for the purjjose of introducing events to 1)0 fulfilled after that time, and so that no link in the chain might he lacking. Vehse 2(). The nijstery of the seven stars which thou sawest in 1113' right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches : and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. To rei^resent the Son of num as holding in his hand only the ministers of seven literal churches in Asia Minor, and walking in the midst of only those seven churches, would be to reduce the sublime representations and declarations of this and following chapters to comparative insignificance. The i:)rovidential care and presence of the Lord are with, not a specified number of churches only, but all his jieople; not in the days of John merely, but through all time.' " Lo ! I am with you alway," said he to his disciples, " even unto the end of the world." (See remarks on verse 4.) Note. — An additional thought may be added to what is said about the claim that the first day of the week is meant by the term "Lord's day" in verse 10. If, when Christ said, "The Son of" man is Lord even of the Sabbath day" (Matt. 12: 8), he had said instead, " The Son of man is Lord of the first day of the week," would not that now be set forth as conclusive proof that Sunday is the Lord's day? — Certainly, and with good reason. Then it ought to be al- lowed to hove the same weight for the seventh day, in reference to which it was spoken. HAVIXG, in the first chapter, mapped out the subject by a general reference to the seven cliurelies, represented by the seven candlesticlcs, and to the ministry of the cliurches, represented by the seven stars, John now talces up eacli cliurcli particularly, and writes the message designed for it, addressing the epistle in every case to the angel, or pas tors, of the church. Verse 1. Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write : These things saith he that holdetli the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the se\'en golden candlesticks; 2. I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars : 3. And hast borne, and hast i^atience, and for my name's sake hast labored, and hast not fainted, t. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, ex- cept thou repent. 6. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate. 7. He that hath an ear, let him hear v/hat the Spirit saith unto the churches: To him that overcometh will I gixe to eat of the tree of life, which is in the nndst of the paradise of God. Tltr CInnrJt of Ephesus. — Some reasons Avhy the seven churches, or more properly the messages to them, should ho regarded as prophetic, having their application to seven dis- tinct periods covering the Christian age, have heen given in the remarks on chapter 1:4. Tt nuiy here he achled fliaf tliis viow is noitlier new nor local. iVnson (piotos I)ish()p Xcwton (422) CHAPTER 2, VEll^ES I - 7 423 us buying, " JMaiiy cuiilcnd, uud anioiig tlieiu such learned iiicu as ^iore and Vitriuga, that the seven epistles are prophetical of so many successive periods, or states, of the church, froui the beginning to the conclusion of all." Scott says: "Many expositors have inuigined that these epistles to the seven churches were mystical prophecies of seven distinct periods, into which the whole term, from the apostles' days to the end of the world, would be divided." Although Xewton and Scott do not themselves hold this view, their testimony is good as showing that such lias been the view of mani/ expositors. ]\ratthew Henry says: — "An opinion has been held by some commentators of note, which may be given in the words of Vitringa : ' That under this emblematical representation of the seven churches of Asia, the Holy Spirit has delineated seven different states of the Christian church, which would appear in succession, extendnig to the coming of our Lord and the consummation of all things; that this is given in descriptions taken from the names, states, and conditions of these churches, so that they might behold themselves, and learn both their good qualities and their de- fects, and what admonitions and exhortations were suitable for them.' Vitringa has given a summary of the arguments which may be alleged in favor of this interpretation. Some of them are ingenious, but they are not now considered sufficient to sup- port such a theory. Gill is one of the principal of the English commentators who adopt this view, that ' they are prophetical of the churches of Christ in the several periods. of time until he ai)pears again.' " It appears from the authors above cited, that Avhat has led connnentators of more modern times to discard the view of the prophetical nature of the messages to the seven churches, is th(^ comparatively recent and unscriptural doctrine of the tem- ])oral millenniuiu. The last stage of the church, as described in chapter -": 15 - IT, was decnuMl to be incompatible with the glorious state of things which wotdd exist here on this earth fur a thousand years, with all the world converted to God. Hence in this case, as in many others, the more Scriptural view is made to yield to the more pleasing. The hearts of 27 424 THE REVELATION men, as in ancient times, still love smooth things, and their ears are ever favorably open to those who will proj^hesy peace. The hrst church named is Ephesus. According to the ap- plication here made, this would cover the first, or apostolic age of the church. The definition of the word Ephesus is desir- ahle, which may well be taken as a good descriptive term of the character and condition of the church in its first state. Those early Christians had received the doctrine of Christ in its purity. They enjoyed the benefits and blessings of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. They were noted for works, labor, and patience. h\ faithfulness to the pure principles taught by Christ, they could not bear those that were evil, and they tried false apostles, searched out their true characters, and found them liars. That this work was specially done by the literal and particular church at Ephesus more than by other churches of that time, we have no evidence; there is nothing said about it by Paul in the epistle he wrote to that church; but it was done by the Christian church as a whole, in that age, and was a most appropriate work at that time. (See Acts 15; 2 Cor. 11:13.) The Angel of the Church. — The angel of a church must denote a messenger, or minister, of that church ; and as these churches each cover a period of time, the angel of each church must denote the ministry, or all the true ministers of Christ during the period covered by that church. The different mes- sages, though addressed to the ministers, cannot be understood to be applicable to them alone ; but they are appropriately ad- dressed to the church through them. The Cause of Complaint. — *' I have somewhat against thee," says Christ, "because thou hast left thy first love." " :N'ot less worthy of warning than departure from fundamental doctrine or from Scriptural morality, is the leaving of first love. The charge here is not that of falling from grace, nor that love is extinguished, but diminished. Xo zeal, no suffering, can atone for the want of first love." — Thompson. The time never should come in a Christiaji's experience, when, if he were asked to mention the period of his greatest love to Christ, he would not say, The present moment. T^)Ut if suf^h CHAPTER 2, VERSES 1-1 425 a time does come, then should he remember from whence he is fallen, meditate upon it, take time for it, carefully call up the state of his former acceptance with God, and then hasten to repent, and retrace his steps to that desirable position. Love, like faith, is manifested by works; and first love, when it is attained, will always bring first works. The Threatening. — " I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent." The coming here mentioned must be a figurative coming, sig- nifying a visitation of judgment, inasmuch as it is conditional. The removing of the candlestick would denote the taking away from them of the light and privileges of the gospel, and com- mitting them to other hands, unless they should better fulfil the responsibilities of the trust committed to them. But it may be asked on the view that these messages are prophetic, if the candlestick would not be removed anyway, whether they repented or not, as that church was succeeded by the next, to occupy the next period, and if this is not an objec- tion against regarding these churches as prophetic. Answer: The expiration of the period covered by any church is not the removal of the candlestick of that church. The removal of their candlestick would be taking away from them privileges which they might and should longer enjoy. It would be the rejection of them on the part of Christ as his representatives, to bear the light of his truth and gospel before the world. And this threatening would be just as applicable to individ- uals as to the church as a body. How many who professed Christianity during that period thus came short and were re- jected, we know not ; doubtless many. And thus things would go on, some remaining steadfast, some backsliding and becom- ing no longer light-bearers in the world, new converts mean- while filling up the vacancies made by death and apostasy, until the church reached a new era in her experience, marked off as another period in her history, and covered by another message. The Nicolaitanes. — How ready is Christ to commend his people for whatever good qualities they may possess ! If there is anything of which he approves, he mentions that first. And 420 THE BEVELATION ill this message to the churcli of Ephesus, having first men- tioned their commeiidaLle traits and then their failures, as if mnvilling- to pass by any of their good qualities he mentions this, that they hated the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which he also hated. In verse 15 the doctrines of the same characters are condemned. It appears that they were a class of persons ■whose deeds and doctrines were alike abominable in the sight of Heaven. Their origin is involved in some doubt. Some say that they sjirang from Nicholas of Antioch, one of the seven deacons (Acts 0:5); so'me, that they only attribute their origin to him to gain the prestige of his name ; and others, that the sect took its name from one Xicholas of later date, which is probably the nearest correct. Concerning their doctrines and practices, there seems to be a general agreement that they held to a community of wives, regarding adultery and fornication as things indiiferent, and ])eriiiitted the eating of things oifered to idols. (See Keligious Encyclopedia, Clarke, Kitto, and other authorities. ) The Summons to Attention. — " He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." A solemn manner of calling universal attention to that which is of general and most momentous importance. The same language is Tised to each of the seven churches. Christ, when upon earth, made use of the same form of speech in calling the attention of the peoj)le to the most important of his teachings. He used it in reference to the mission of John (Matt. 11 : 15), the parable of the sower (Matt. 13:9), and the parable of the tares, setting forth the end of the world. Verse -43. It is also used in relation to an important prophetic fulfilment in licv. 13 : 0. The Promise to the Victor. — To the ovcrcomer it is prom- ised that he shall eat of the tree of life tliat grows in the midst of the paradise, or garden, of God. Where is this paradise ? Answer: In the third heaven. Paul writes, in 2 Cor. l!2:2, that ho kufnv a man (referring to hims(>lf) caught \\\) to the third heaven. In verse -4 he calls the same place " paradise," leaving only one conclusion to be drawn, which is that \y,\v\\- dis(^ is in the lliird heaven. In tliis ])avadise, it seems, is the tree of life. There is but one tree of life brought to \ie\v in en APT Ell 2, VFAISES 1-7 427 the Bible. It is mentioned six times, tliree times in Genesis, and three times in tlie Revelation; but it is used every time with the detinite article tJie. It is the tree of life in the first book of the Bible, the tree of life in the last ; tlie tree of life in the "paradise" (Septuagint) in Eden at the beginning, and llie tree of life in the paradise of which John now speaks, in hea\'en above. But if there is but one tree, and that was at first upon earth, it may be asked how it has now come to be in heaven. And the answer would be that it inust have been taken up, or translated, to the paradise above. There is no possible way that the same identical body which is situated in one place can be located in another, but by being transported bodily thither. And that the tree of life and paradise have been removed from earth to heaven, besides the necessary inference from this argitment, there is very good reason to believe. In 2 Esdras 7 : 20 occurs this language: " Behold, the time shall come, that these tokens which I have told thee shall come to jDass, and the bride shall appear, and she coming forth shall be seen that 7ioiu is withdraicn from the earth." There is an evident allusion here to the " bride, the Lamb's wife " (Rev. 21: 'J), which is the "holy city, Xew Jerusalem" (verse 10; Gab 4: 26), in which is the tree of life (Rev. 22 : 2), wdiich is now " withdrawn from the earth," but w^hich will in due time appear, and be located among men. Rev. 21:2, 3. The following paragraph on this point we quote from Kurtz's "Sacred History," p. 50: — " The act of God in appointing the cherubim 'to keep the way of the tree of life' (Gen. 3: 24), in the garden of Eden, likewise appears not only in an aspect indicating judicial se- verity, but also in one which conveys a promise full of con- solation. The blessed abode from which man is expelled, is neither annihilated nor even abandoned to desolation and ruin, but withdrawn from the earth and from man, and consigned to the care of the most perfect creatures of God, in order that it may be ultimately restored to man when he is redeemed. Rev. 22 : 2. The garden, as it existed before God ' planted,' or adorned it, came under the curse, like the remainder of the 428 THE REVELATION earth, but the celestial and paradisiacal addition was exempted, and entrusted to the cherubim. The true paradise is now translated to the invisible world. At least a symbolical copy of it, established in the holy of holies in the tabernacle, was granted to the people of Israel after the pattern w^hich Moses saw in the mount (Ex. 25: 9, 40) ; and the original itself, as the renewed habitation of redeemed man, will hereafter de- scend to the earth. Kev. 21:10." To the overcomer, then, is promised a restoration to more than Adam lost ; not to the overcomers of that state of the church merely, but to all overcomers of every age; for in the great rewards of Heaven there are no restrictions. Reader, strive to be an overcomer; for he who gains access to the tree of life in the midst of the paradise of God, shall die no more. The time covered by this first church may be considered the period from the resurrection of Christ to the close of the first century, or to the death of the last of the apostles. Verse 8. And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These things saith the first and the last, which was dead and is alive; 9. I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty (but thou art rich), and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. 10. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer : behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. 11. Pie that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches: He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. Tt will be noticed that the Lord introduces himself to each church by mentioning some of his characteristics which show him to be peculiarly fitted to bear to them the testimony which he utters. To the Smyrnian church, about to pass through the fiery ordeal of persecution, he reveals himself as one who was dead, but is now alive. If they should be called to seal their testimony with their blood, they were to remember that the eyes of One were upon them who had shared the same fate, but had triumphed over death, and was able to bring them u]) again ixitxn a martyr's grave. CHAPTER 2, VERSES 8-11 429 Poverty and Uiches. — " I know thy poverty/' says Christ to them, '■ but thou art rich." Strange paradox this may seem at first. But who are the truly rich in this worhl I — Those who are "" rich in faith " and " heirs of the kingdom." The wealth of this world, for which men so eagerly strive, and so often barter away present happiness and future end- less life, is " coin not current in heaven." A certain writer has forcibly remarked, " There is many a rich j^oor man, and many a poor rich man." Say They are Jews, and Are Not. — That the term Je^v is not here used in a literal sense, is very evident. It denotes some character which was approved by the gospel standard. Paul's language will make this point plain. He says (Rom. 2:28, 29): ''For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly: neitlier is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh ; but he is a Jew [in the true Christian sense] which is one in- wardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God." Again he says (chapter 9:6, 7) : " For they are not all Israel which are of Israel ; neither, because they are the seed of Abra- ham, are they all children." In Gal. 3: 28, 29, Paul further tells us that in Christ there are no such outward distinctions as Jew or Greek ; but if we are Christ's, then are we Abraham's seed (in the true sense), and hei7-s according to the promise. To say, as some do, that the term Jew is never applied to Christians, is to contradict all these inspired declarations of Paul's, and the testimony of the faithful and true Witness to the Smyrnian church. Some were hypocritically pretending to be Jews in this Christian sense, when they possessed nothing of the requisite character. Such were of the synagogue of Satan. 2^ lib III at ion Ten Days. — As this message is prophetic, the time mentioned in it must also be regarded as prophetic, and would denote ten years. And it is a noticeable fact that the last and most bloody of the ten persecutions continued just ten years, under Diocletian, from a. d. 302 to a. d. 312. (See Buck's Theological Dictionary, pp. 332, 333.) It would be difficult to make an application of this language on the ground 430 THE REVELATION that these messages are not j^rophetic ; for in that case only ten literal days could be meant; and it would not seem probable that a persecution of only ten days, or only a single church, would be made a matter of prophecy ; and no mention of any such case of limited persecution can be found. Again, apply this persecution to any of the notable persecutions of that pe- riod, and how could it be spoken of as the fate of one church alone i All the churches suffered in them ; and where, then, would be the propriety of singling out one, to the exclusion of the rest, as alone involved in such a calamity ? Faith fill unto Death. — Some have endeavored to base a criticism on the use of the word unto, instead of until, as though the idea of time was not involved. But the original word, a-xph rendered unto, signifies, j^rimarily, until. [NTo ar- gument, however, can be drawn from this for consciousness in death. The vital point for such an argument is still lack- ing; for it is not affirmed that the crown of life is bestowed immediately at death. We must consecpiently look to other scrij)tures to learn when the crown of life is given ; and other scriptures very fully inform us. Paul declares that this crown is to be given at the day of Christ's appearing (2 Tim. 4: 8); at the last trump (1 Cor. 1.5:51-54); when the Lord shall himself descend from heaven (1 Thess. l: 16, 17) ; when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, says Peter (1 Peter 5:1); at the resurrection of the just, says Christ (Luke 11:11); and when he shall return to take his people to the mansions prepared for them, that they may ever be with him. John 14:3. "Be thou faithful until death;" and having been thus faithful, when the time comes that the saints of God are rewarded, you shall receive a crown of life. The Overcomer's Reward. — " lie shall not be hurt of the secon