IRLF E7M 353 PROPHETIC DATES: THE DAYS, YEARS, TIMES, VXD MTIIKK MM SPOKEN OF BY THE PROPHETS, The Rise and Fall of Kingdoms and Churches, THE COMING OF CHRIST, The End of the World, and the Resurrection. IR s \I.K r,v ki-.v. j. u. HIM . 1O41 Market Street, San Francibi PROPHETIC DATES: OR THE DAYS, YEARS, TIMES, AND OTHER EPOCHS SPOKEN OF BY THE PROPHETS, WHICH POINT OUT The Rise and Fall of Kingdoms and Churches, THE COMING OF CHRIST, The End of the World, and the Resurrection. BY REV. J. J. CLEVELAND. FOR SALE BY REV. J. B. HILL, 1O41 Market Street, San Francisco, Cal 1883. Entered according to Act n the year !Ss:<. hv .1. .1. < 'I.KVKL\XD, in the Office <>f the Libntr -s, at Washington, 1>. < '. TABLE OF CONTENTS. PAGE. I. Introduction... 5 II. A Day lor a Year <> III. Chastisement Seven Times 7 IV. Gog and Magog of Ez.ek. . s V. Gog and Magog of Kev. . 21 VI. The Little Horn... . 23 VII. The 2300 Days 27 VIII. The Seventy Week*.. _. LS IX. Time of the End ... :i! \. Tli.- T\v<> Witnesses 38 XI. Th" W..man in the Wilderness 40 XII. Tin- I'.east with Ten Horns 42 XIII. The Bea>t with Two Horns ... 44 XIV. The Seals 47 XV. The Trump. . 51 XVI. The Vials :.:. XVII. The Fall of Jerusalem, Coming of Christ, and Knd of th- World 63 XVIII. The Resurrection of Prophecy 75 916671 PROPHETIC DATES. I. INTRODUCTION. THERE are various prophecies which are evidently designed to represent the duration of certain nations, or the length of the triumphs and the afflictions which shall be the portion of God's people. These periods are given fora purpose. Often they have awakened hope in those who have been weary because of the long delay. It is proper to investigate these epochs. We are deeply interested in them. We desire to know to what they apply, and the time of their beginning and ending. knowledge in reference to the fulfillment of prophetic periods ought to be clearer now than when the last prophecy was uttered. In one place Daniel ask^, " What shall be the end of these tilings?" The reply is, "The words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end." By this it is implied that at the time of the end they shall not be closed up and sealed. tin the instruction fco Daniel is, " Shut up the won Is and seal the book to the time of the end; many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased." By the phrase " knowledge shall be 6 PROPHETIC DATES. increased " we think it is declared that at the time of the end the knowledge of prophecy will be more complete. That mighty persecuting nation existing in the time of John, the last prophet, long since ceased to exist. Other strong powers whose dreadful cruelties the prophets declared, have arisen and flourished, and have either passed away or fallen into great feebleness. Such without his temporal power is the Pope. Such is the beast with seven heads and ten horns, which was ever under the guidance of the Pope. Such also are the Mohammedan Arabs and Turks. According to the common interpretation of the prophecy, no other powerful persecuting nation is threatened. And it is even contrary to all human probability that such a power shall arise. II. A DAY FOR A YEAR. In Ezekiel, chapter 4, the prophet was commanded to lie on his side 430 days, to bear the sins of the hou.se of Israel, and of Judah. The Lord says to the prophet, that he has appointed him each day for a year. This is one of the hints we have that leads us to infer that in prophecy a day is a year. Every day that the prophet is to lie on his side represents a year, in which Israel and Judah shall sutler afflic- tion. The application of the prophecy begins, perhaps, at the time of its utterance about 596 B. c., and ends 430 years afterward or 166 B. c. This is the ilate of the first triumph of the Asmonean princes. CHASTISEMENT SEVEN TIMES. 7 It was the beginning of liberty which was enjoyed for 120 years or till 46 B. c. At that date Caesar appoints Antipater governor of Judah. This was the beginning of the Roman dictation, and the end of the Jewish independence. III. CHASTISEMENT SEVEN TIMES. In Lev. 26 : 27, 28, we have the following: * " And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me but walk contrary unto me; then will I walk contrary to you also in fury and I even I will chastise you seven times for your sins." The term seven means fullness or completion. It is evident that the chosen people have walked con- trary unto the Lord, and they have not hearkened unto him. Then, to a great extent, the punishment has come on them. It may be supposed that pun- ishing seven times more for sins, is not always increasing the intensity seven-fold more for the same time, but it is increasing the duration seven times longer. We suppose that the chastisement lasts seven pro- phetic or 2520 real years. It consists, in part, in the separation of Israel from their own land, enforced by the power of mighty rulers, and in part, in being kept in subjection to cruel nations while residing at home. In other words it is absence from home, or oppression by alien tyrants at home. This captivity and subjection to alien tyrants in their own land, is often mentioned in the Bible as a great source of the calamities of Israel. 8 PROPHETIC DATES. To a great extent this chastisement consists in wandering in the wilderness forty years; in serving their enemies as described in the book of Ju 111 years; after making a deduction of 120 years for the period of freedom under the Asm-np-an princes, in being brought into subjection to foreign nation* from B. C. C06 to A. D. 70; and in- being driven from their land from 70 to 1882. This m the period of 2520 years. This is twice the 1200 years made notable by being mentioned seven times by the prophets. As the woman or the Christian Church remains in the wilderness 1260 day- years, so the Jewish Church abides there 2520 or years. If as some think the Anglo-Saxons are descended from the ten tribes, their seven times may begin at their idolatrous defection under Jeroboam, and it ended with the crowning of Edward VI., the fir>t protestant king of England. In this chapter tho Lord declares that he will not utterly cast away his people, but he will remember the covenant of their ancestors. IV. GOG AND MAGOG OF EZEKIKL. The highly important prophecy in Ezekiel, chap- ters 38 and 39, deserves much consideration. It proclaims the exaltation of the sons of Japhet. Till the ascendency of the Medes, about B. c. 636, the sons of Ham and Shem had been supreme. The time is drawing near when the tribes of Japhet are to seize and retain the authority, while tho-e of Ham and Shem are to fall into great .feeblei GOG AND MAGOG OF EZEKIEL. 9 "Thus saith the Lord God, art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the proph- ets of Israel which prophesied in those days that I would bring thee against them." The name Japhet itself is a prophecy, for ifc means enlargement. Noah's prophecy is in point, "God shall enlarge Japhet, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem, and Canaan shall be his servants." Balaam declares, ''And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish forever." Asshur the Assyrians, and Kher the Hebrews, are Shemites. The country represented as Chittim was the abode of the sons of Japhet. It was the southern coast of Europe bordering on tin- Mediterranean. M< )>(.-. spoaks of the triumphs of Japhet in this language: "And the Lord shall bring thee into Egypt again with ship--," Isra.-l wax taken back to Egypt with the ships of th- Japhetit- Again, the Lord speaking through Mosi-s says, concerning Israel, "I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people, I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation." In this prophecy of K/ekiel four of the seven sons of Japhet and two of his grandsons, are diivctly mentioned as prominent actors. Also by Rush we think Madai or tli" \L-di-s is pointed out. In Lange's Uommentaiy Gog is correctly declared to be an official title. It means chief or king. Gog is chief of the Japhetic nations here mentioned. \[edcs introduced the custom of styling their 10 PROPHETIC DATES. ruler the king of kings. Here a similar title is given to Gog by calling him prince of Rosh. Rosh means chief. It is the same as to say, here is the true king of kings. At the time of the invasion of the Scythians in 636 B. c., though the Medes were the most powerful nation in Asia, they were over- come by these Scythians in a great battle. The term Rosh, in our translation rendered prince, is by many expositors thought to be a proper name, and it is so rendered by the Septua- gint. At the time of the first invasion of the Scyth- ians, the Medes, under Cyaxares, were able to lay siege to Nineveh, the most powerful city in the world. The Medes are fitly styled Ros:i, or chief, because that till this invasion of the Scythians they were chief. We think ttosh is the prophetic name for the Medes. They deserve in-ntion on the account of their influence on the world's history. The Medes an I Persians were the breast and arms of silver in Nebuchadnezzar's vision. Gog of the land of Magog, is also termed chief in the same sense in which Nebuchadnezzar in the image as the head of gold is so termed. As in this vision, Nebuchadnezzar is first, so Gog is first in the vision of Ezekiel. The image of the kinij of Baby- lon represented all the world ruling nations till the consummation of things. So in Ezekiel's prophecy, the Scythians with the other northern nations, as well as the Medes, the Grecians, and the Romans, are all the Japhetic world ruling nations. It has been difficult to determine what nations are GOG AND MAGOG OF EZEKIEL. 11 designated by Meshech and Tubal. The Chaldee interpreters assert that they are Asia Minor and Italy. This is not improbable. To meet all the requirements Meshech and Tubal must be allied to each other, as well as to Javan or Greece. Also, as they are male prominent in prophecy, they should become quite distinguished in history. It is not improbable that Asia Minor and Itaty and perhaps Spain were originally bestowed on Meshech and Tubal, and we know that these coun- tries join the possessions of other of the sons of Japhet, and are in the same latitude with them. Between Greece and Rome there is a great similarity, in manners, religion, language, and litci- ature. Asia Minor, at the time that the prophecy was given, was peopled, to a considerable extent, by the Grecians. Several of the cities were enterprising Grecian seaports. Greek colonies were numerous, and of course in these, the language and institutions were those of the mother country. It bore much the same relation to Greece that the United States does to England. For centuries the Grecian colonies in Asia Minor have been more important than the mother country itself. It was here that the seven churches were addressed by John the last prophet. It was here that Paul labored and to the churches he also directed epistles. Tubal ami Javan are mentioned together by 12 PROPHETIC DATES. Isaiah as nations where a remnant of Israel shall be sent, and they are such as had not yet heard of the fame of the Lord. But it is said that Israel shall declare the Lord's glory among them. At first they did not hear the fame of the Lord, but a remnant of Israel was sent, and they declared the glory of the Lord to them. In the 27th chapter of Ezekiel many nations are spoken of which enrich Tyre by trade. Among these Javan, Tubal and Meshech are mentioned together, and their trade was in persons of m>n, and in vessels of brass. Such a trade would n< inconsistent with the state of tiling in (Jreece, Rome and Asia Minor. They were nnt.v holders. In Greece and her provin.- was quite abundant. In tin; vision of Nebuchadn that portion of the ima^e which represents Qi is of brass. The fact of the common use of this metal in Greece is made evident in the writin_ Homer. Meshech and Tubal are mentioned in the *JiM chapter of Ezekiel with other nations which have the same fate as Egypt. Egypt i- as cast down to the nether part of the earth. Pharaoh or Egypt is said to be in tin- center rounded by other nations which go n-thivn > in the fierce contests between the Si-ythians and Cimmerians of B. c. 03(1, between the Alan< Huns, between the Seljukian Turks, tin- Mumahikes and Moguls, and between Tamerlane and Baj " And I will send a fire on Magog and among them that dwell carelessly in the islr<." The isles is Greece, which to a great extent is made up of islands and peninsulas. There the Turks have vanished into smoke. So even in an- cient Scythia the inhabitants are greatly enfeebled. (Hue's travels). "And they shall spoil those that spoil them, and rob those that robbed them." This process of spoiling and robbing has been con- summated by the sword which the Lord called for against Gog, throughout all his hoi} 7 .mountains. These spoilers we have mentioned above. For many years the Ottoman Turk, in his feebleness has been plundered by the other nations. GOG AND MAGOG OF EZEKIEL. 17 "Burn them (the arms) with fire seven years." According to the usual estimate of prophetic time this is 2520 days, in which a day is taken for a year. This is just twice the notable period 1260 years, or time, times and a half. If this time begins with the first irruption of the Cimmerians and Scythians in B. c. 036, it should end in 1884. Amid the dreadful calamities of the incursions of Gog, the sons of Jacob and Christian Israel have always been able to derive some advantage from them. The burning for seven years of the Armor of the hosts of Gog, by those who dwell in the cities of Israel, is an intimation that for that prophetic period Gog will be a present and warlike oppressor of those cities. "And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them that they may cleanse the land." This alludes to the period of the various conquer- ing Japhetic nations, from the time of their first conquests of God's people, to the destruction of their authority. But as it is stated in other prophecies, the rule is different with the Romans, theSeljukian Turks and the Ottomans. The prophecy in Daniel 9:26 intimates that the dominion of the Roman s was to be lengthened out. With respect to the Turks, it is inferred from Rev. 9: 15 that they are to slay men 391 years before their power begins to diminish. These seven months are 210 years. As usual a month is thirty days, and a day is a year. Let us see how this agrees with the history of 2 18 PROPHETIC DATES. the nations. Whatever connection it may have with this subject, it is interesting to remark that the Chaldean-Babylonian monarchy subsisted just 210 years. (See Rollin.) The dominion of the Medes and P-r-iin-l> with the conquest of Babylo i B. C. 538, an()(> or they became assimilated to the Roman Catholic Christians, in manners, religion, and to a L extent in Language. 606 or 60N is tin- period of the rising from the sea, of the beast with seven beads and ten horns. This is the bn>t on which the bar- lot sat, and to which power was ^iven t' months or 1260 years. This power then, should have ceased in 1866 or at farthest in 1 E In Rev. 9:1") four angels are commanded t loosed, who in an hour, a day, a month, and a year, are to slay a third part of men. The prevalent opinion is that these four destroying angels are the Turks. GOG AND MAGOG OF EZEKIEL. 19 The phrase third part is an allusion to the fact that tiie Grecian is a third part of the original Roman empire. The four angels then are four bands of Turks that for an hour, or fifteen days; a day, or one year; a month, or thirty years; and a year, or 360 years; were to act as the triumphant destroyers of the Grecian empire. The slaving of Tamerlane continued only fourteen : that of Sarukhan and Aiden for one year, that of the Seljukian Turks for thirty years; while the Ottomans were slayers for 360 years. In the Eastern empire the career of the slaying of the Si'ljukian Turks began in 1071; when the emperor llomanus was concurred by the Sultan All) Arslan. Before the power of this Seljukian- evil angel began to diminish. le was to slay men a prophetic month, or thirty years. Then like the other forces of (Jog in 210 years his power should be destroyed. In thirty years, or in 1101, the Cru- saders and the Grecian emperor Alexius, broke this dominion. Add i'I() to 1101 and we have 1311. This is near the era of the rise of the Ottomans and th- annihilation of the power of the Seijukians. There was a separate band which was to slay men for a prophetic day, or a year. In 1312, this band was engaged in vanquishing the Grecian pos- ns in western Asia Minor. During that year these Turks were dominant, but in process of time they were united with the Ottomans. In reference to these slayers Gibbon is specific. 20 PROPHETIC DATES. He says: "The maritime country from the PropontU to the Mgeander and the Isle of Rhodes, so long threatened and so often pillaged, was finally lost about the thirtieth year (1312) of Andronicus the elder. Two Turkish chieftains, Sarukhan and Aiden left their names to their conquests and th-ir conquests to their posterity." Already Othman with his band of robbers was in the field, and was causing alarm. We place the beginning of his power to slay, in the next year, or in 1313. The Ottoman was the most powerful and successful of all the oppressors. He wa- nu-n a prophetic year, or 360 years. Add :)i;n to i:U3 and we have the date of the termination of his ing or triumphs. In 1673 the Poles, under their grand marshal Sobieski, gained a signal vi< over the Turks, who never afterwards raised their 1 jeads (see Watson's Dictionary, Art. Mohan MM. ism.) Then the burial of this branch of G< in 1673, and should end 210 ye; .vanl, or about 1883. These repeated instances, of the decadence of Gog, in the stated period of 210 years illustrates the prophecy in Zech. 12 : 3. "And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people; all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gat), together against it." The conquest of Bajazet by Tamerlane dela- tor many years, the movement of the Ottomans against Constantinople. But the zeal of Tamerlane GOG AND MAGOG OF REVELATION. 21 led him to attack the fortress of Smyrna which was held by the Christian Rhodian Knights. Accord- ing to Gibbon he took the place in fourteen days. A prophetic hour is fifteen days. This is the hour mentioned in the prophecy. Gibbon says: " Smyrna defended by the zeal and courage of the Rhodian Knights, alone deserved the presence of the emperor himself. After an obstinate defence the place was taken by storm. The Moslems of Asia rejoiced in their deliverance from a dangerous and domestic foe; and a parallel was drawn between the two rivals, by observing that Timour in fourteen days had reduced a fortress which had su>t;tinr .Jerusalem are termed God's holy people. See Dan. 8: 24). " Which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their han The Latin Church worshiped 'In- b.-a^t, and his image, and received his mark upon their foivi and in their hands. But th- ai ways live from that wicked i. "But the rot of the dead lived not until the thousand years were tini>hed." The dead here m-nt'ioned are the chosen people in the Western kingdoms who are destitut. and religious freedom, and of exalted power. The Ivisteru Christiana, fleeing west from the Turk, carried knowledge and the spirit of freedom with them. The names of Wickliiie in the fourteenth THE LITTLE HORN. 23 century, and of John Huss and Ziska in the next, are suggestive. But especially, the dead rose to life at the symbolical resurrection, at the great reformation, beginning with Luther. " And when the thousand years are expired Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, etc." Satan is loosed in 1318, a thousand years after he was bound, and he is permitted to bring forth against the Grecian Empire his obedient servants the Turks. In this prophecy the thirty years of conquest by the Seljukians seem not to be reckoned. It is worthy of remark that unexpected agents such as the Crusaders, and the Moguls, for a long time strangely restrained the elsewhere triumphant Turks, from their attack on the Eastern Kmpire. They must wait till the thousand years are expired. "Cast into the lake of lire." di-vil here ivpiv^<-nts the Ottomans whose faithful servants they wen-. In chapter 1:2: 1), the devil which represents heathen Rome is said to be cast into the earth; in chapter 20: 3, he is said to be cast into the bottomless pit; but here he is said to be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, to be tormented day and night forever and ever. This ends his triumphs. VI. THE LITTLE HORN. The seventh chapter of Daniel contains a concise history of the world monarchies from Nebuchad- nezzar till the Ancient of days sits and the saints take the kingdom. A lion with eagles' wings stands 24 PROPHETIC DATES. for the Babylonians, a bear for the Medes and Per- sians, a leopard for the Grecians, and a strong and fierce beast without a name for the Romans. With accuracy and success two important powers, the Papal and the Moslem, are described with the same words. This agrees with the practice in other prophecies. There is nothing misleading in this mode, and it suits the design of prophecy, which in general, is not meant to be understood until after its fulfillment. The ten horns mentioned in this chapter do not belong to the Roman Catholic monster, but to the Roman beast before the division of the empire. As we learn from Rev. 12 : 13, this also had seven heads and ten horns. The Roman Catholic animal was an image of the first. The old Roman Empire was divided into three parts. This would leave, in round numbers, three of the old horns or kingdoms in each. Three horns or Western Europe were conquered by the Northern barbarians, who in turn were sub- jugated by the Papal hierarchy. The completeness of the dominion of the Papists over these nations, is pointed out by the representation of a harlot riding on a beast with seven heads and ten horns. In another direction, at nearly the same time* three of the ten horns, or kingdoms were plucked up by the roots, by the Moslem Arabs. Some time after, or about 1313, the three remain- ing horns were eradicated by the Turks. This symbol of the Moslem and Papal powers is THE LITTLE HORN. 25 said to be a little horn. Again it is said that its look is more stout than its fellows. The beginning of each was in feebleness, but afterwards great power was attained. The little horn is said to be diverse from the first. The meaning is that it is unlike the mighty king- doms before mentioned. With ease this difference may be pointed out. In this horn were eyes like a man and a mouth speaking words against the Most High. In these respects this horn is diverse from the former mighty ' powers. In general the beasts which represent tin -so powers are not characterized by the prophets as having eyes and a mouth like a man, but they are spoken of as fierce animals. Under the fifth trumpet the locusts who stand for the Moslem Arabs, are said to have the face of a man. The Roman hierarchy is styled a man, or a fuUe prophet. Four angels or messengers symbolize the Turks. The Moslems and the Papists agree with each other, and are diverse from the rest in speaking words, or deliberate blasphemy against the Most High. The Moslems and the Papists are diverse from the other powers, and are like each other in making religion a pretext for everything. They are like each other, and diverse from the former great powers in thinking to change times and laws. Changing times and laws means subvert- ing the divine economy. 26 PR'OPHETIC DATES. They hlive similar success in prevailing against the saints of the Most High. No other powers suc- ceeded so well. They are -like each other, and diverse from the rest, in growing great out of the corruptions, the one of the Eastern, and the other of the \\Y Church. They are like each other, and differ from the rest because their bodies are given to the burning ilame. In Rev. it is declared that the place of the Roman Catholic beast, the Moslem dragnn, and the Papal false prophet, is in the lake of fire and brimstone. The other great powers do not have this fate. They agree with each other, and diller fioni the rest because their dominion continues till the saints take the kingdom. The same agreement with each other, and diver- sity from the former great pow.-rs. m i in their duration. Their car-MT begins and ends At nearly the same time, and their period is th- noted time, times, and the dividing of time, or 12 The beginn ng of the one is GOO, of the otlie. The end of the one was in 1866 or 1868. The en 1 of the other, if the reasoning is e :i<>uld be about ISS2. In the three places in the prophets, where the expression, "time, times and a half " are used, and in the mention of times in our Lord's discour- Luke 21:24-, there seems to be a primary reference to the Moslem oppression of 1260 years. THE TWENTY-THREE HUNDRED DAYS. 27 VII. THE 2300 DAYS. "Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, how long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice and the transgression of desolation to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? And lie said unto me, unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed !" Dan. -">\ and it ends when the sanctuary and the host cease to be trodden under foot. But there was a period when the sanctuary and the ho-^t were not trodden down. This was the ]'2(} years from the triumph of the Maccabees to the appointment of Antipater as governor. These Asmonean princes in their spirit and success were like the heroes of the early days of the Jewish com- monwealth. They did not allow the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under loot. Since the time of thi- prophecy, with the exception of these 120 . Jerusalem has been under the dominion of n oppressors. Deducting 120 from r>38 we have 418. Adding 4lNto 1S.S2 we have 2300. If our reasoning is I, we may conclude that the sanctuary will be ised and the sanctuary and the host will cease to be trodden under foot about 1882, 28 PROPHETIC DATES. VIII. THE SEVENTY WEEKS. In the prophecy in Dan. 0:24-27, which has deservedly received very much attention, the phrases "seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city," apparently rel two distinct periods. One of these is seventy \ve-ks or Sabbaths of years, in which every Sab- baths is fifty years. According to the reckon ii the Jews, every seven Sabbaths of years intro-i the fiftieth year or the holy year of Jubilee. 25:8.) A jubilee period is fifty Sabbaths of years. Then seventy \v .-eks or Sal,- baths of years is five hundred years. The other is seventy weeks of \\ nty jubilee periods, amounting to 3500 years. There are Sabbaths made up not only of seven days, but of seven years, and of jubilee periods. In the orig- inal the phrase is not seventy weeks, but seventy sevens. Daniel had been led to this earnest and long con- tinued inquiry from reading the prophecy of Jere- miah that the Lord would expose Jerusalem to lation for seventy years. Hence the angel Gabriel takes the term seventy for a text, and he points out the interesting epochs. The smaller number is the pattern of the larger. Both periods have reference, the one to the first advent of Christ, the other to a time of manifest triumph. The angel is extremely sparing of his THE SEVENTY WEEKS. 29 words. He never uses two phrases to express the same idea. Determined upon thy holy city refers to one event, and determined upon thy people another. The smaller period begins with the purification of the temple service in the days of Ezra or B. c. 467. Soon after the walls of the city were built by Nehe- miah. Thus it is called a city because it is re-edified, and a holy city because Ezra made pure its daily service. This period terminates with the death and ascension of the Lord in 33. The phrases "determined upon thy holy city," "to make reconciliation for iniquity," and "to anoint the Most Holy," must manifestly bo referred to the shorter period. Christ is the Most Holy, who was anointed, and who made reconciliation for ini- quity. Such passages as "to finish the transgression," " to bring in everlasting righteousness," and " to seal up the vision and the prophecy," seem to have only a primary fulfillment in the first period, and their realization is more complete in the second. The longer term of 3500 years should commence with the going out of Israel from Egypt and the end will be a memorable era in the future. If for the Exodus we take the common chronology B. c., 1491, the 3500 years will end in 2009. But a passage in the Acts 13 : 20 suggests another system of reckoning. Paul says: "After that he gave unto them judges about the space of 450 years, until Samuel the prophet." 30 PROPHETIC DATES. This nearly agrees with Josephus, who in one place makes the time from the Exodus to the build- ing of the temple 592, and in ano her (ill? years, In Lange's Commentary on this the following ; " We are therefore oblL that Paul has, in this case, received a clmmnl< system which was generally adopted by the learned Jews of his day." Prof. Strong's Art. Egyptian Chronology, M-tI><>- dist Quarterly He tie w, July, 1^7 N If, how- ever, with many of the most recent antli* biblical chronology, we reject the date 4M>th year) in 1 Kings 0: 1, and thus allow the book be continuous, (as Paul evi iently did in Ad> \-: 20), instead of making it parallel with it-fit', we shall have space for the time of the I->\ ptian !\ as above condensed." (Ai nith's Di Art. Chronology.) If we follow this chronolog} siiLrii'^ted by the apostle, we shall have 40 years in the wilder according to Josephus 25 years for .Joshua's admin- istration; eight years for the Elders Judges 2:7); and 450 years for the Judges to Samuel includ-d. This makes the period from the K\o his to Saui If this estimate is correct the termination of the 3500 years is not distant. If we accept this chronology, and for the other dates, take the accepted, the world's great Sabbath is already due. It is a little over 6000 years since the first man. Mindful that a day with the Lord is a thousand years, many in past ages have looked forward to this era with high expectations. THE SEVENTH WEEKS. 31 It should not be thought a strange thing that the vision of the prophet should penetrate so far. His visions were all far reaching. They extended till the body of the beast that represented the world- ruling kingdoms is destroyed, and given to the burn- ing flame ; till the saints of the Most High take the kingdom; till the stone cutout of the mountain fills the whole earth; and till the Ancient of days sits. " Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks and threescore and two week ( 'yrus g;ive the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem B. C 538 (See Isa. 44: 28). As every fteven weeks is a jubilee period of fifty years seven wcek> an< I threescore and two weeks are nearlv 4 ( J3 years. Sixty-two weeks arc nearly 443 years. In Lange's Commentary, it is said that the terms Messi-ih the Prince do not refer to Christ, as in the lal, if a reference were made to him, the definite article would be employed. Also, in this commen- tary, it is declared that the Messiah mentioned in the 2Gt.h, is not the same as the one mentioned in the ^5th verse. In Isa. 45: 1, Cyrus is called the Lord's Messiah. This is a greater exaltation than to be styled an anointed prince. The Lord's anointed who gave the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem is Cyrus. The anointed prince (a Messiah) who flourished 4 ( ,)3 years afterward, who was the first 32 PROPHETIC DATES. Roman who appointed an alien governor over the Jews, and enforced on them the payment of tribute, (see Smith's Dictionary), is Julius (J.rsar. An anointed one (a Messiah), who 443 years afterward was to be cut off and to have nothing is Honorius. At the end of the designated 403 years, Julius Csesar was made perpetual dictator. Plutarch of him that he introduced the monarchy. At the same date also, about B. c. 46, he destroyed the Jew- ish independence which had been enjoyed 1:20 \ by appointing as governor the foreigner Antipater. Josephus enumerates as many as s.'v.-n decrees which Caesar made in reference to the Jews. \Ve see no impropriety in terming such a person a Mr<- siah (an anointed one), and a Prince. "And after threescore and two weeks shall siah be cut off but not for hiinsi'lf." Csesar gave an example, and even a name, to a long line of succeeding emperors. For so long a period no nation has ever been ruled by so many renowned commanders. That period is merit i in this prophecy as 62 weeks or 443 years. This brings us to A. D. 398 or the era of Honorius, the feeble son of Theodosius, the Great. Of tli Gibbon says: "The genius of Rome expired with Theodosius, the last of the successors of An- and Constantine, who appeared in the field a r the head of their armies, and whose authority was uni- versally acknowledged throughout the whole extent of the empire." On the death of Theodosius, Honorius sat on the THE SEVENTY WEEKS. 33 throne of the Western Empire. Unlike the first Caesar he is not called a Prince, but simply an anointed one. T his is said of him that he shall be cut off. The phrase "but not for himself" in the margin is rendered " and shall have nothing." This is the time when the sixth head of the beast with seven heads and ten horns, was wounded to death, whose deadly w T ound was healed. It was healed in 606 by the establishment of the Roman Catholic dominion. " And the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary." The prince is the Roman Emperor and the people are the Romans. The reference is to the destruction of Jerusalem which was consummated A. D. 70. " And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week." This is a week of seven years. The person who confirms the covenant is the Roman Emperor. The time probably is the first destruc- tion of the city under Titus, and the second under Adrian. " And in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease." The sacrifice and oblation ceased with the destruction of the city and the temple in 70. It was in the midst of the week or after more than three, years of war. "For the overspreading of abominations . . . poured upon the desolate." The overspreading of abominations has continued to the present. They will be continued till that 3 34 PROPHETIC DATES. determined shall be poured upon the desolate or the desolator, as it is rendered in the margin. The present and probably the last desolator is the Turk. We have reason to hope that when the dominion of the Turk shall be done away, the overspreading of abominations shall also cease. XL TIME OF THE END. "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, etc." (Dan. 11 : 30). With good reason many conclude that the king of the south is the Moslem Arabs, and the king of the north is the Turks. The king or kingdom which they are said to push at, and to come a-Min-t. is the Roman. The connection intimates this, for the Roman power had just been mentioned, at first as heathen Rome, which took away the H daily sacrifice, and set up the abomination that maketh desolate; and then as Papal Rome, of whom it is said that " He shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god and shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods." The Arabs and Turks succeeded in vanquishing two- thirds of the old Roman empire, and- they often attacked the remaining third. In reference to these wonderful prophecies in this chapter, two questions are asked, the first by an angel, the second by Daniel himself. The one asks. THE TIME OF THE END. 35 "How long to the etui of these wonders?" The other asks, "What the end of these?" They would not ask about the same thing. The fact that the answers are diverse shows that the questions relate to different events. The first answer is, "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." This probably relates to the dominion of the Mos- lem Arabs and Turks. Where they hold authority, the power of the holy people is scattered. A time is 360 days, or a year; times is 720 days, or two 8; half a time is ISO days or half a year. The whole pj.-n.nl is (Mpial to 12(>0 d.-iys or \virs. The era from which the Moslems reckon time is (52*2. If this is the beginning, the end will be in This coincides with other prophecies which refer to the end of the Moslem rule. The second question appears to have a reference to the duration of the persecutions of heathen and Papal Rome. In this prophecy these persecutions are distinctly mentioned. Of God's people it is said, "They shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity and by spoil many days." This would awaken in Daniel deep interest and inquiry. The fact that the time begins with the forcible termination of the religious service of the Hebrews at the destruction of Jerusalem, leads us toconclud that the answer points out the period of the Roman tyranny. 36 PROPHETIC DATES. "And from tin- time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hun- dred and ninety days." Jerusalem was encompassed with armies in (7. This is equivalent to Betting up th abomination that maketh desolate. But there was an era of dom from the favor of Constantino 313, to the tem- poral power of the P..pe (106, or 2!:> This be deducted. Then tlie termination of the years is in ](;.">(). This brinirs 'is to Cromwell whose rule wa- miv excellent than had beenknoWO hitherto in Kumpc. [n 1648, the thirt war .oncluded, and the treaty .f Westphalia was consummated. Ily this treaty freedom of conscience anted to all. This is the be/mnin^ <>f th' of persecution. Lymaii .-ays tliat "It is t! all other ' "Bles-ed is he that waitetli to the thousand t hundivd and live and thirty \ Bonn tors it is thought that the taking away the daily sacrifice, refers to some noted tyran- nical act by which the church is oppressed. They claim that the injurious decrees <>!' Justinian in 533, and of Phocas in <>()(>, are such acts. Indeed it may be proper to reckon from f>:>.S as a shadow of the prophecy whose fulfillment truly begins iii o'T. If we add .">33 to lL M .H) we have 1.^3. This is the termination of the long-continued and fierce conflict for the enjoyment of freedom. This began in the Unit' 3 iu 177-">, where it terminated success- fully. It broke out in 1789 in France, and to a great extent repressed the tyranny of the rulers in Europe. The contagion, with all its violence, spread to the Spanish-American States, and in 1823 resulted in the enjoyment of republican institutions. is also the renowned era of freedom to the Greeks. 38 PROPHETIC DAT If we add r>:}.> to the laly city The holy city is the former righteous d .minion which was usurped by the corrupt Roman Catholic power. The forty-two months hrgin about and end about 1 N(i(j. Soon after I860, owing to the destruction of the lu-a-t, the pure word of God has been pi-, ached in Roman Catholic countries, and even in Rome itself, and none can hinder it. The fact that the Gentiles abide in the court though they tread under foot the holy city, shows THE TWO WITNESSES. 39 that they have some knowledge of true religion. This answers to the condition of the Latin Church. The two witnesses are the Christian ministers who amid fierce persecution preached the word. The Lord sent out his apostles by twos. The time of their persecution is 1260 years. They have the power of Moses and Elijah to turn waters into blood, and to cause fire to consume their enemies. When they have finished their testi- mony the Roman Beast makes war against and kills them. Their dead bodies lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Kii'ypt, where our Lord was crucified. Those who (1 \vell on the earth rejoice at their death. The witnesses began their testimony at the time of Stephen's persecution about 34. They were slain at the Lateran council, May 5, 1514. The orator of that council declared: "There is an end of resist- ance to the papal rule and religion." They rose again in three days and a half, or three years and a half, in Oct. 31, 1517, when Luther posted his theses at Wittenberg. The tenth part of the city falling was one of the horns of the beast or England, which was separated from the Latin Church. The great earthquake was the reformation. From this period there must be deducted 220 years, or from 313 to 533. During this 220 years the witnesses were not clothed in sackcloth. It may be remarked that owing to the promi- nence of these witnesses, they were more easily sub- jected to the power of tyrants than was the church 40 PROPHETIC DATKS. whse history is given in the twelfth chapter. Hence their disabilities began in 34 instead of 07, and again in ">.">3 instead of 606. Also a friendly power could protect these wit- - with more facility than it could the whole church. Hence l.">17 was the period of freedom for the witnesses, hut the church was oppressed till 1620. XI. THE WOMAN IN THE WILDERNESS. "And tin -iv appeared a great wonder in heaven ; a woman clothed witli the sun, and the moon under her feet," etc. Rev, \-2: 1. Tiiis w ) nan is the church as she existed at the birth of r.irist. Sun is the highest world powr, which at tliis time was th ivd dragon with and ten horns, or heathen Rome. That, th.' wminn is clothed with the sun implies that the Chief government interfered in her affairs. Herod, the li .man ruler, built the temple; greatly promoted internal improvement, and in many n strove t< please the ' The moon under her feet implies that this church was enjoying the spiritual authority. The crown <>f twelve stars is a reference to the twelve tribes of Israel. The worn -in brought forth a man child, who to rule all nations with a rod of iron. This child is Christ, The dragon sought to destroy the child as soon as it was born. THE WOMAN IN THE WILDERNESS. 41 Herod sought to destroy the child, and the Roman governor, Pilate, caused the Lord to be crucified. Her child was caught up to God and his throne. This is a literal description of the ascension of Christ to heaven. The woman is represented as fleeing into the wilderness. It is the Christian Church which thus flees. The time of the flight is 67. The Lord instructs his disciples that when they shall see Jeru- salem encompassed with armies, they must hasten and flee to th<3 mountains. This took place in 67. The termination of the time of the abode in the wilderness is I(>2(). This is the date of the landing of the pilgrims at Plymouth. Here, for the first time in many centuries, the church found rest, and by the blessing of (Jod she has enjoyed it here ever since. "A little one becomes a thousand and a small one a strong nation." In this period from 67 to 1620 we deduct the u-ablu years from :} 1 3 to 606, or from the favor- able decree of C msUntine, to the disastrous one of Phocas. During tin-so 293 years the church was not separated and hunted down. The war in heaven refers to the contest between Christianity arid paganism. The act of casting the dragon into the earth refers to the overthrow of heathenism and the establishment of Christianity in its place. This was begun by Constantine. "And when the dragon saw that he was cast into the earth," etc. The dragon when he was cast into the earth is the guide of the Moslem Arabs and 42 PROPHETIC DATES. Turks. These were as cruel in war, as debased by their social vices, ami as besotted by ignorance and superstition, as were the pagan Romans. Their rulers were more oppressive. They deserve to be characterized as the dragon and Satan. "And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle." This branch of the church is obliged to hasten and avoid the persecutions of the Mo-lems. She is nour- ished for a time and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. This is liMJO ve, The Mohammedan era began in (J'2'2. Then the termination of the flight of the woman from the face of the Mo>lem serpent will be in 1SS2. In this empire given over to Satan, the church does not yet enjoy freedom. "And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman," etc. The flood symbolizes invading forces. "And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the flood," etc. This was especially il by the attack of Charles M artel on the invading forces of the Arabs, and of Solieski on the forces of the Turks. XII. THE BEAST WITH TEN HORNS. "And I stood upon the sand of the sea and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy." Rev. 13: 1. This beast is like the four seen by Daniel and it THE BEAST WITH TEN HOKNS. 43 is their successor. Like them it came out of the sea. The first beast of Daniel was like a lion. This has a lion's mouth. The second was like a bear. This has feet like a bear. The third was Tike a leopard. This also is like a leopard. The dragon gives this beast his power and his seat and great authority. The dragon is pagan Ron One of the heads of this beast was as it were wounded to death, but the dea lly wound was healed. It was wounded to death in the reign of the feeble Honorius. The deadly wound was healed by the rising from the sea of this beast which we are now describing. This was about (JOG. "And power was given unto him to continue forty-two monH The word translated to con- tinue means to do or to execute. Forty-two months is twelve hundred and sixty days or years. The fulfillment of this prophecy gives us a chance, with more accuracy, to estimate when this time begins. The Pope lost his temporal power in 1868. Since then this beast has been powerless. This makes his beginning as acting in association with the sacerdotal power near the notable era GOG. In view of the fact that the bull of the Pope for the convocation of an Ecumenical Council issued in 1868 does not invite sovereigns to sit in that council, Elliott states, that it is " An admission of the com- pleted ending of the period of the kings of Western Christendom spiritually subjecting the power of their kingdoms to him ; that is of the completed ending of twelve hundred and sixty years." 44 PROPHETIC DATES. XIII. THE BEAST WITH TWO HORNS. The beast with two horns described in Rev. 1 '2 : 11, is the Dominicans and Franciscans. And, in process of time, the Jesuits, also a monastic order, took his place. It is the same beast. The Jesuits were an afterthought, suited to the changed times and like the Dominicans and Franciscans the special object was to infuse new life into the Roman Cath- olic beast. In the beginning of the thirteenth century, the pure word, preached, especially by the All'lir* was becoming quite efficient and the old tcn-h. Roman Catholic beast was slow and awkward in suppressing it. So this new animal was demanded. It is said that he exercised all the power of the lir^t beast before him. These monkish fraternities did exercise this authority. Also after the reformation, the old lx a-t \\ . laggard and unsuccessful in dealing with the reform- ers, that it was thought needful to enthrone the Jesuits. This beast is said to come out of the earth. This implies that he came out of the Roman Catholic world. The horns are those of a lamb, but he spoke as a dragon. The idea is that he counterfeited the appearance of a lamb, while he had the disposition of the old Pagan Roman dragon. Though the priests of these orders instituted the cruelties here THE BEAST WITH TWO HORNS. 45 mentioned, they hypocritically shifted the responsi- bility on the secular authority. The image of the Roman Catholic beast was the inquisition. This had the power both to speak, and to cause that all who did not worship it should be killed. By this it is implied that all organized bodies as well as individuals, that did not pay the est deference to the inquisition were obliged to succumb to it. It is the death of organized bodies as well as of individuals that is here mentioned. The causing fire to come down from heaven is an allusion to the fire that Elijah caused to fall on his enemies to destroy them. Heaven here represents tha exalted place, from which descends the highest human authority. This is the fire of man's wrath and it consumes the good. The multitude of the martyrs since the year 1200 attests the ravage of tliis flame. In three hundred years more than 1,000,000 endured the death of martyrs. The causing that all who have not the mark of the beast shall neither buy nor sell is a reference to til-- exclusion, in all places where the beast has power, of the so-called heretics, from civil and relig- ious privileges. The miracles by which he deceived those who dwell on the earth, or the Roman Catholic world, were not so much attempted imitations of the miracles of Christ, as the making an image of the beast, and giving life to it, and causing fire to fall from heaven. Following a common and appropriate explanation we find the number GG6 in the Greek word 46 PROPHETIC DATES. meaning Latin. According to the method of the Grecians, taking each letter for a number, we have 666. It is a Latin beast. The powerful monastic fraternities have only attained their greatest success in the Latin-speaking countries. The language is re- garded so important that always it has been used in the worship, forming most of the service, and it has been a choice agency to keep in darkness the multi- tude who do not understand a word of it. The number also has a reference to the duration of this power which is GG6 years. Lyman makes the inquisition begin at 1204. Perhaps the beast began his existence at the same time. Then the end should have been in 1^7<> >r n ar the time of the fall of the ten-honn-.l animal. For obvious rea- sons they should both go down together. The false prophet still lives, hut he diitl-rs from this two-horned animal, in that he has now no power to make an image of the ten-horned beast, or to give life to it, or to cause fire to fall from heaven. So in this book, the false prophet is spoken of as efficient in the crusades. Hut lie had not yet assumed the body and horns of a beast. As it is in point we will quote from Mosheim's History: "During three centuries these two frater- nities (the Dominican and Franciscan) governed, with an almost universal and absolute sway, both State and Church, filled the highest posts both eccle- siastical and civil, taught in the universities and churches with an authority before which all opposi- tion was silent, and maintained the pretended THE SEALS. 47 majesty and prerogatives of the Roman pontiffs, against kings, princes, bishops, and heretics, with incredible ardor and equal success. The Dominican s and Franciscans wuiv, before the Reformation, what the Jesuits became after that happy and glorious event, the very soul of the hierarchy, the engines of State, the secret springs of all the motions of both, and the authors or directors of every great and important event both in the religious and political world." And again : "These two orders restored the church from that declining condition in which it had been languishing for many years, by the zeal and activity with which they set themselves to dis- cover and extirpate heretics, to undertake various negotiations an I embassies for the interest of the hierarchy, and to confirm the wavering multitude in an implicit obedience to the Roman pontiffs." XIV. THE SEALS. In Rev. VI. the first six seals are designed to represent the most striking characteristics of the nt lea ling tyrannical governments, or the different phases of the same government, during the whole period covered by this prophecy. The first seal, introducing a ri ler on a white horse, represents the long line of renowned and conquering emperors, from Julius Cresar, B. C. 46, till early in the reign of Honorius or 398. This is the threescore "and two weeks mentioned in Dan. 9: ^G. It is fitly said "He went forth conquering and to conquer." 48 PROPHETIC DATES. The second seal represents the dominion of the Goths, Vandals. Saxon-;, etc., in tli- Western Empire from 398 till about (j()(j, or till they were Christian- ized. Power was given to this rider to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another, and there was given unto him . -word. ( tentions were common between the dilfe.rent tr and by their successful attack on the Western Roman Empire they took peace from the earth. This is the power that smote to death the -ixth In -ad of the ieadly wound was healed about by the rise of the ten-horned 1 [the papacy. T.ie rider shown by opening the third seal, on a black horse, and in his hand there is a pair of balances. A voice i> heard saying: "A of wheat for a p-nnv. and thre.- measured t' ! for a penny, and Mt thou hurt not the oil and the wine." The ruler described here u-ed in a literal sense. Tlie sword of tins lioi>einan is tie- >word of the mouth. Hunger ivpie.-eiits the Condition of tln^e famisliing for th.- bread of lite. Beasts <>f the earth fitly characterize tin- ^o\vrnments of the d, Tlie prophet^ represent siieh governments as tii-rce I Po Kill with th- -word and hunger and death and tl .!' tlie field, me*] prive ni.n. n. .t of natural life, but the life and doiu. and of godlin. ss, and of tru ence. This rider's eareer b.-gins about 606 and ends in 1200, and forcibly represents the Roman Catholic oppression. At the opening of the fifth and sixth seals no horse appea: This may be b no new dynasty is described. It is the g eminent as the fourth, but there is a change in the condition. When the fifth seal (.pens, the souls under the altar speak. Their language >hows that it period of fierce persecution. By putting into opera- THE TRUMPETS. j ? tion the machin* ry of the inquisition, near Uie year 1200, the most fearful of all persecutions arose, and it continued for three hundred years. Now hell, or the grave, is satiated. At the opening of the sixth seal surprising revo- lutions are manifest. The elevated language suits the subject, and it is such as a divine penman alone can employ. It appears to refer to the overthrow of the debased Roman Catholic and Moslem powers. The era of great revolutions began in 1500, and the moveni'Mit continually has increased in intensity. They have the character of a judgment, for the high and the low hide themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains, and say to the mountains and the rocks "Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb." XV. THE TRUMPETS. In Rev. 8, the opening of the seventh seal brings to view the vision of the seven trumpets. Here where the words "a third" is used the application is to a third part of the original empire. It was divided into three portions. When earth, sea, and rivers, and fountains of waters an- mentioned as separate divisions, as is the ially under the trumpets and vials, they have a specific prophetic import. Earth means those bordering portions of the empire which are not entirely assimilated in man- ami language. Sea means the heart of the '52 PBOPHETIC DATES. empire. It is a center for power, language, man- ners, and religion. One reason for calling this the sea is the fact that it is near the Great Sea and receives much of its importance from it. I'nder both the vials and the trumpets there B be a literal allusion to the - As rivers and fountains of waters are the E in substance with the sea, the countries repn -eiited by them must have a strong resemblance to the cen- ter of tin- empire. They must speak the -ami' lan- guage and cnja is Italy. The riv t'oun- of waters are Gaul, Spain, Britain and Africa. Tin' earth here ends me jrovince> that in tlie division fell to the K ; -tetn Kmpire, but this s. -paiation w;, t fully consummated The lilyiian front ier here styled the earth o>m- :a, Noricuin, Pannonia, Dalmatia, ])aeia. M;r>:a, Tin ace. Maceilonia and Gi These provinces were the iiioxt warlike in the empire. (See Gibbon). This frontier is properly styled the earth it forme'! 1-arrier to the incursions of the barbarous nation-. 1'y the policy of the emp> BOme of the-..- provinces were colonizi d with bar- barians, to prevent the attack of their ruder breth- ren. This barrier could not, like Gaul, Spain, and Britain, be called rivers and fountains of f flowing into the Roman sea, for its center was Constantinople, and not Rome, and its prevailing language Grecian or Barbarian, and not Latin. THE TRUMPETS. 53 The ruin of the earth was due to the Huns. Not that they invaded it first, but they forced the Goths to flee thither for their lives. The ruinous work was begun by the Goths under Fri tiger n, in the reign of Valens. After the death of Theodosius there followed the direful invasion of Alaric. At length the Huns appeared in person under A ttila, "the scourge of God," and they tarried long enough to complete the destruction. The central time of the attack on the earth was 398, or near the date of the death of Theodosius, from which time the fall of the empire is reckoned. When this angel sounded. "There followed hail and tire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the < irth ; and th third part of the trees was burnt up, and all the green grass was burnt up." In tht; prophecy O f K/rkiel, where he gives a full iption of the incursions of the Scythians, he \vith John, that they come as a cloud and a storm. The earth was made a desert. The history agrees with the pn.ph -cy. It was the boast of Attila that "The grew on the spot where his horse had trod." In describing the condition of these provinces, after the incursion of the Goths, in the reign of Valens, Gibbon quotes St. Jerome as saying* "Nothing was left except the sky and the earth, and after the destruction of the cities and the extir- pation of the human race, the land was overgrown with thick forests, and inextricable brambles." 54 PROPHETIC DAT! The saying that "all the green grass was burnt up," implies that the attack on the earth was not confined to the Western Empire. This agrees with th history. The usual expression "one-third" is not here u>ed. "And the second angel sounded and, as it were, at mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea, etc." A'aric w'rh the Goths, and Genseric with the Vandals, by successful attacks on Italy, and -\vn by pillaging Rome itself \\viv th. chief -i ful- filling this prophecy. The Vandals subverted the maritime po\\vr of Kome. As is often the case, a literal description is here join.-d with the symbolic. The movements of the conqueror- who directly attacked Italy, wen- rapid and decisive, answering to the velocity of a mountain hurled into the midst of the sea. The first movement of Alaric against Italy was ut 400. When the third angel sounded a " burning fell from heaven up c colonies in America. They became blood because of the dreadful wars hazarded to retain them. Also those which were brought under the complete dominion of Rome, me the putrid and bloody nature of the sea itself. The condition of French Canada, Mexico, arid South America demonstrates that these waters are not life giving. The maiked contrast, of the unexampled prosperity of the English colonies, of British Amer- ica, Australia, and especially the United States, is highly suggestive. The exclamation of the angel of the waters that the Lord has given them blood to drink because they 58 PROPHETIC DAT1 are worthy, refers to the entire Roman Catholic do- minion, or to the sea as well as to the rivers and foun- tains of waters. The fourth trumpet and vial have a reference to the sun. When this vial was poured out, power was given to this luminary to scorch men with fire. Th.-iv is blasphemy and a refusal to repent. The sun here is the supreme Roman Catholic authority. Scorching with fire i- -X'Tci>ing givat tyranny. Tliis scorching is at a time when the people are \ TV tive to the oppression, followed by blasphemy and a refusal to repent. The tyranny wa- .f long Standing, but the extreme sen-itivt ness, the phemy, an. I the ivi'n-al t<> n-p, nt wew most appar- ent at the epoch of the French n-\i!ntion. The >un blazed unnaturally pivvims to hi- fii al extin< The fifth vial was poured out upon the seat of the beast. The seat of the beast is every place within his dominions where the pope, and kings, and princes rule. Tliis vial is the counterpart of the fourth. In the One the people, in the other the pi Tlie extreme anguish of the j rimvs, \vh< their tongues f.r pain, their neglect of repentance, and their blasphemy, were never so fitly exemplified as during the French revolution. All the rulers, not excepting the pope, irere treated with extreme indignity. The purpose of pom-ing out the sixth vial was to dry up the waters of the great river Euphrates, and to prepare a way for the kings of the To dry up the Euphrates means to extinguish the THE VTALS. 59 Moslem rule. Kings of the east means the Asiatic kingdoms. To prepare a way for them means to provide for the enlightenment of those who will hear the word, and for the judgment of those who t it. The central period for pouring out this vial is prob- ably 1823. The beast, false prophet, and dragon out of whose mouth proceeds the three unclean spirits like frogs, are the Roman Catholic temporal power, the Papal hierarchy, and the Moslem empire. Unclean spirits like frogs if they lead men together for battle, do it for no wi-e or good purport-. The first gathering at Armageddon was during the. Crusadea to drive away the Turk, and the last, equally unwise, and singularly contrasted Arma- geddon battle was at the Crimea to establish the Turk. In these gatherings there has always been some .Josiah in bad company. The battle of Armageddon was fought in the twelfth and thirteen! .11, as well as in the nineteenth centuries. As this is the only vial where the Eu- phrates is directly mentioned, the prophet glances backward to notice a marked contrast. When the seventh angel poured out his vial there came a great voice out of the temple of the heaven saying " It is done. " This declaration delivered in so august a manner was also made in chapter 21. 6 in connection with the idea that the Lord makes all things ne\v. The seventh seal and trumpet and vial are of the 60 PROPHETIC DATES. highest importance. The seventh seal introduces the seven trumpets, the seventh trumpet the seven vials, but the seventh vial proceeds directly to point out notable and concluding events. The fact that this vial is poured out into the air shows that it is more general in its application, and more active than the others. Airext'ii arth, sea.riversand fountains of waters, and 1 river Euphrates. It is the political, moral, religious, and intellectual atmosphere that is convulsed. In the original, the term translated earthquake is not restricted to the earth, but it is applied to all things which can be shaken. . InHeb. 12: 27, it is stat 1 " And this word, onoemore/signifietb ; \-al of those things that liaken as of things that are made, that : things which cannot lie shaken may remain." 'I'his vial introduces tin- earthquake - known. Earthquake* >ynjl>!i/e revolution under this vial we may expect the greatest revolu- tions. The meaning of earthquakes is nearly allied to dry- ing up the Euphrates, the turning the sun into dark- ness, and the turning the sea and rivers and foun- tains of waters and the moon into blood. The ith vial describee the central period of the sixth seal. The great city here mentioned as divided into three parts may be the Protestant and Roman Cath- olic powers, and Russia where the Greek church is nourished. Or it may mean the three great depart- THE VIALS. 61 ments of the Protestant dominion, as the British and German empires, and the United States. The rise of the Greek church to such dignity is compar- atively recent, or since the expansion of the great Russian empire. In prophecy, city is the symbol of a spiritual and temporal dominion combined. Thou "Great Babylon comes into remembrance In-fore God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath." at Babylon is the Roman Catholic dominion. This came into special remembrance in 1868. The statement that the cities of the nations fell, im- plies the decay of the Moslem and other powers, which uphold a false religion. The fact that every island fled away and the moun- tains were not found, implies the collapse of the mighty and the feeble governments. Mountains are brong and slandsare the feeble governments. Hail is the symbol for war. Great hail may mean war in which artillery is efficient. The plague of this i iing great, and men blaspheme God on account of it. It cannot be said that the blasphemy dors not belong 1 to this period. Voifrs may mean the intense speech, and writings of men at the period of great awakenings. Light- nings also belong to the period of religious enthus- iasm, and may mean the startling nature and the rapid spread of the truth. Thunders follow such a lime of moral activity, and may mean the exclama- tions, and mandates of bodies of excited men, at, or just preceding great revolutions. And often, "Vox 62 PROPHETIC DAT! (i vox Dei." Earthquakes or changes of gov- ernment always succeed voices, and lightii and thunders. Hail or war is commonly anuth- suit. \V- may hi- Mire that the power of G >d is mani- fest in tli thunde; -arth- quakes. They remind one of Sinai and t: of the law. Similar expiv-Mnn- La other p*>rti<>: this prophecy. T the sounding of i trumpet^ whirl! 400. Again; L juat after the soundii th.- seventh i Tni- tnnnp.-t introduces the 1) ^inniM^ of the p .urin these yiab wasaii-ut I">oo. Thoc t-i-m- \v<- i-.'p.-jit may have iff<-r ini>-in;iry Ot r--vival p .vhich ar- \ -:i and writing: then rapid truth a- liirhtii then asith-iritativ. . tlh-n eartlujuak-^ of government; and tlien, usually, hail een him go into heaven." To some extent the realization of his presence was enjoyed at the day of Pentecost. From the nature of the promise, with their natural eyes, the disciples expected to sue him descend. Also when he says, "I will not leave you comfort- I will come unto you," he means that he will come by his Spirit. 64 PROPHETIC DAT1-X In another place when he says, " If I go and pre- pare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that w la-re I am there ye may be also," his coming is at the death of each disciple. Like the passage in the llth and 12th of Daniel, and like the book of Revelation, this prophecy be. gins with a literal description, luit it soon rir*. the use of exulted prophetic figur- The question of the disciples which the Lord an- awered is. "When >hall Jerusalem he destroyed, and what shall be the sign of hi- .and of the end of tin- world r For the sake of brevity, in tl of Mark and Luke, these authors have only L: the inquiry r. ^ the destruction ..f JerUM and they have confined them only that portion of the prophecy which was mostly ful- filled 1 it-fore the year 4no. or before the destruction of th<- \\Y-t ern Roman Kmpiiv. In tin- prophecy in Matthew, the Lord gives the sign of his coming at several epochs, and of several endings of the world. The term used for world is aioof, and not xofff.ioS. He may speak of the, end- ing <>f the Jewi>h world, the Roman world, the Roman Catholic world, the Mos'.-m world, and finally of the world in the sense of the Christian dispensation. H.- also may sp.-ak of his coming with the shout of war to destroy Jerusalem by the Romans; and Ron 10 by the Goth's and Vandals; and a portion of the Kastern Kmpire by the Arabs; and the Grecian Empire by the Turks. And he may speak of his THE FALL OF JERUSALEM, ETC. 65 coming with the Archangel's voice, as when Chris- tianity took the place of Paganism in the days of Constantine. Ami further he tnaj speak of his coming with the trumpet of God, as when the power of Christ prevailed over cruel superstition in the days of Luther. And certainly he speaks of his coining when all his enemies are put under his feet. The assertion that we know not when the Master of the house will come, at evening, or at midnight, or at the cock crowing, or in the morning, seems to imply that he will come at these various seasons. And hence we should continually watch. The eve- ning may be at the time of the fall of Jerusalem, and of Rome, and of a portion of the Eastern Empire ; midnight may be at the fall of the Grecian Empire ; the cock crowing may be at the era of the Great Reformation ; and the morning is yet to come. In this prophecy scenes are described in the order of their fulfillment. This may be seen in every instance, excepting where one description applies to two <>r more events. The Lord cautions the disciples against the de- ception of those who should come in his name, claim- ing to be Christ or the Anointed. The caution was much needed as the events showed at, and before, tlie destruction of Jerusalem. The remark is made that wars, and rumors of wars, and famines, and earthquakes, and pestilences, should not trouble them, from the apprehension that the end ,s near, for they are merely the beginning of sorrows. The end here 5 66 PROPHETIC DATES. spoken of was that of the power of tin- -Te\v>. as well as that of other persecuting nations after ward in-nt ' When great calamities come -n men, they in.-' ively conclude that the end of tin- world has come. Also the disciples knew of the intimation in Daniel 0:^U, that the city and the sanctuary should be destroyed by war. They also knew that other <]>- live nations should come to a like termination. But they are admonished not to come to the con- ch K'IOM tint every ureat calamity will be the end of th- nation in which they live, or especially the con- summation of tlii: Then there is a description of persecutions which are to follow. Ii niquity abounds, the love of many shall LTOW cold. But tin- rh-rrin" - tion under Nero. Tli nd of the Jewish commonwealth w.-re saved; for ii. a humane i-uler a-sumed the dominion. Tim same description suits the other notable -ions. This is the ea with the protracted tribulation under Diocletian. Tlnxe who t-ndured to tli> of Pa-an II-. me were -aved; for Constantin.- intro- duced a n.-\v order. So at the era of the Reforma- lioii. Tho-e wlio endured tli' horrors of the in- (|ui>ition till the end of the Roman < 'atholic tyranny were >aved forever fioin {..]->, eiition. The Lord now deelan-s that the end shall come, when thi> gospel of the kingdom shall he pn-achrd in all the world, for a witness unto all nations. THE FALL OF JERUSALEM, ETC, 67 It is agreeable to the assertion of the sacred writers that the gospel was everywhere preached before the destruction of Jerusalem. So in Col. 1 : 23, the apostle says, " Which [gospel] was preached to every creature which is under heaven." There was another impulse to preach the gospel during the reign of the first Christian emperors, and it was published in all the world before the destruc- tion of the Western Roman Empire, whose capital was Rome. Again a mighty modern impulse is awakened to preach the gospel in all the world, and before the significant <.'iid, this work will be accomplished. Now there follow a few hints to the Christians which enable them to escape the calamities of the perverse Jews, during the most disastrous siege known in history. According to Luke the " abom- ination of desolation " was the surrounding of Jerusa- lem with armies. So the Christians understood it, and at the first encompassing of the city, they fled to the mountains and were all saved. The Lord declares that " Except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved; but for the elect's sake, those days shall be shortened." The idea is, that if that war, and especially the siege at Jerusalem should be lengthened out, all the in- habitants of the land would perish. But on the account of the Christians who fled to the mountains, and on the account of the remnant of the Jews, some of whose descendants would get converted, those days were shortened. 68 PROPHETIC DATES. Luke here introduces the saying of the Lord that "Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles till the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." These times are not yet fulfilled. The completion \vill probably be at the end of the Moslem power. A caution is now given against false christs, and false propht ts. This caution was needed on many occasions. But the chief reference is made to the distant future as to Mohammed and his followers in the desert, and to the pope and tin; monks in the t chambers. These faKe chri>is and prophets had power to show great signs and wonders, and there was danger that they should deceive the elect themselves He declaivs that the Son of man should not come in such modes. But his coming shall be as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west. His coming at various times has always been in this mode. Mention is now made of the eagles and a car- cass. This is a proverbial expression. The eagles may refer to the Lord where his power and that of the angels is needed to destroy his enemies, and also it is applicable where his power and that of his angels is needed to sustain his people. When it is said that the Lord comes as a thief in the night, he bears no other resemblance to the thief than that of his unexpected coming. So when he is compared to the eagles the resemblance is only in the faithful watchfulness. The sun shall now be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the powers of the THE FALL OF JERUSALEM, ETC. 69 heavens shall be shaken. This refers to the obscur- ing of the temporal and spiritual authority of the nations in question. In his commentary Lange says, " Thus when this 6Xuf;iS of temptation has reached its climax, then immediately the great catastrophe will come." The tribulation of tho>e days had a primary fulfillment at the culmination of trial, in the persecution of Nero. Then followed the destruction of the Jewish commonwealth, or the obscuring of the sun and moon and the falling of the stars. After this, is manifested the distress of the tribes of the earth, when they see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and *;! at glory. After the Jews were rendered powerless for evil, the gospel was more successfully proclaimed. But this prophecy, by a later event was more defi- nitely fulfilled. The pressure of tribulation 6\vf)i$ took place in the reign of Diocletian. Then imme- diately followed the darkening of the sun and moon and the falling of the stars, or the obscuring of the Pagan Roman authority, by the es ablishment of the Christian rule. This was the coming of the Son of man in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. Then by the messengers or angels of the Lord from the four winds, there was a great in- gathering. Great success attended all the efforts to build up God's kingdom. Now all the tribes of the earth mourn. The heathen are filled with conster- nation. In connection with the assertion that the sign of 70 PIMM'UKTIC DAT the Son of man should appear in heaven, may be mentioned the statement made by Eusebius, that Constantine, and his whole army saw across on the clouds with this inscription, "By this Conq> Tribulation again reached its climax in the horrors of the inquisition. Thru follows the obscuring of the Roman Catholic authority, or the darkening of tin- sun and moon, and the falling of the stars. The reformat ion succeeds. But this is mentioned fur- ther on in this prophecy. By the parable of the fig-tree, the Lord esp,. ially n-f'Ts to the end of th it uvii'T.-ition. .r race, or fam- ily of people, as Alford terms it. When all : events already mentioned coin.- to pas*, then they should understand that the end of the R >iiiau nation should eome. The end of the R..inan Kmpiiv was sudden and fe;irful. The overflow of the (' Vandals, and Huns was like a flood. He declares that " This generation shall no! pass till all th. be fulfilled." He means by "this . n," the world-ruling race or nation, whose capital is at Rome. This race did not pa-s away till all I things already nieni; joyed a ]rimary ful- fillment. He now declares that no one knows the day and the hour of his coming. As he <-anie when th.- world was drowned, and when Sodom was burned up. M) in this dispensation, in every judgment of nations, he has come in a time unexpected. But after the event we can explain the prophetic times and seasons. THE FALL OF JERUSALEM, ETC. 71 Yet, though no one knew the day and the hour of his coming, when the event drew near he has given and will give signs by which his servants may know that it is at hand. As we advance in this prophecy we may observe that when an individual, or individuals, are spoken of, a nation or nations, or a church or churches, as well as persons are pointed out. The prophecy may be applied both to individuals, and to organized bodies, as nations and churches. Unlike some of the prophets he does not use, for prophetic symbols of nations, fierce reptiles and beasts uf prey. The two persons in the field, and the two women grinding at the mill, may refer not only to the sep- aration of righteous persons from the wicked, as in the case of the destruction of Sodom and Jerusalem, but also it may be applicable to two nations or two churches, one of which is exalted to the enjoyment of" heavenly privileges, while the other is cast off. He -ji.-ak^ of a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord when he conies finds providing meat for his household. He is declared to be blessed, for his lord shall make him ruler over all his goods. Nothing moiv accurately seem- to ivpiv-mt the faithful and ant, than the Christian Grecian Empire, with its capital at Constantinople. Unlike other portions of the old empire, for a thousand years it was shielded from the plots of strong and fierce enemies. Now the Lord says, "But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, my lord delayeth his coming 72 PROPHETIC DATES. and shall begin to smite his fellow -servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him assunder, [the margin has it cut him off',] and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: [Luke has it unb, TH-YITS:] there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Here a special reference aeema to be made to the Western Roman Empire, destroy- 1 by the northern barbarian-, and to that portion of the old empire brought to naught by the Arabs. These two-thirds of the old empire were cut ntt' and their portion was appointed aiii'-iiLf tin- infidt-K The weeping ami gnashing of teeth fitly describes th- . of these people. But after a thousand years, his servant, the Grecian Empire, was found unfaithful, and he also was cut off, and his portion was appointed among the unbelievers, or the Modem-. Now. the kingdom of heaven is said to be like ten virgins which took their lamp-;, and went forth t<> meet the bride-room. A ter the down- fall of th rn Empire the northern h them>el\ . inverted. The ten vir-ins are the ten churches existing in the ten nations which made up the Roman Catholic dominion. The bridegroom is Christ, and he came at the era of the Reformation which began with Luther. The midnight is the dark ages. The cry male was that of Wicklitfe, and John Huss, ami all the reformers of those times. The cry reached throughout the Christian world. THE FALL OF JERUSALEM, ETC. 73, When the Bridegroom came, the wise virgins were the Protestant churches in the five Protestant na- tions, and the foolish virgins were the churches found in the five Roman Catholic coun'ries. In closing this description the Lord again exhorts to watchfulness, for we know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. It was Luther's opinion that the Son of man came in his day. A description is now made of the giving of the talents. As usual, men represent nations. The great truth is made known, that among the modern nations, the most faithful shall be the most power- ful. Among tln'M- nations, those which most care- fully read and practice the divine word, in all things take tliu load. This truth should be magnified. Perhaps no more fit example can be found of the person with five talents, and of the other with one talent, than in the case of England and Ireland, and in that of the United States and Mexico. Now follows the extraordinary description of the coming of the Son of man with all the Angela There is nn siitHeimt authority for terming these angels, or is, holy. (See Rev. Ver.) It may be that some of them an- not good.. It is the office of evil angels to separate bad men from the good, and to bear them away to everlasting punishment. Demonology, also sometimes termed sorcery, and witchcraft, and spiritualism, which is a manifestation of the power of demons, or evil spirits, especially since the Reformation, has exerted a most pernicious in- 74 PROPHETIC DA 1 fluence. Some of these aniH* may be mini-ters of the gospel. In the book of Revelation the i tin seven churches addiv>-ed an- sty led angels ; in another place, in this book, the Lord's ministers are termed witnesses. The>e are slain, and after three days ami a half they ri i This re-unvction is in the age of Luther. For ages till the R-formation the preachers of the im-p.-l were greatly n-strained. At the Lord's coining in that era they w- and ever sine.- tln-y have enjoyed great po\\ Some of these may be guardian In our time>, if, like the servant of Kli-ha, our eyes were opened, we .-hould see round about the triumphant children of the Lord, "the mountain full of h and of chariots of ti: 'I'lie Lord tlius suri'uunds his children \vln-n h- lead- th.-m to victory. When it i- said thai the Son of man with all the angels, it as>un-- u- that then- will be markable exaltation >f his friend-, and downfall of hi.- !' It is .-aid that the bad are cast into everlasting fire, prepared for tho devil and 1 In on evil spirit they an-ca-tout, cried to the Lord, "Art thou come to torment us befoi-e t: It is here declared that the punishment of the wicked is to 1 'iiiLr h're. The other mentioned in tliis prophecy are lighter; none of them are everlasting or by iii In this portion of the prophecy there seems to be a reference to the rewards and punishments that shall come on "all nations" as such. These in- THE RESURRECTION OF PROPHECY. 75 elude the Protestant, Roman Catholic, Moslem, and Pagan nations. On the one hand there has been shown a due regard to the least of the Lord's breth- ren, while on the other hand they have been treated with contempt. Some of the nations have been fierce persecutors. Also there is a manifest reference to the rewards of all persons whose love to Christ leads them to honor the least of his brethren, and to the punish- ment which shall befall all those whose hatred to Christ leads them to despise these little ones. The punishment hen- named is similar to that mentioned in the last prophecy, which should come on the beast, and the false prophet, and the devil or the dragon, and death, and hell, and those who wor- ship the heast and his image, and those who are not found writtrn in the hook of life. They are all to be ca>t into the lake of fire. And also "The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremo: u 1 ROrcererS, and idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which hurneth with fin- and brimston.-." This SIM-IMS to include all us, and churches, and individuals. It is probable that the coming of the Son of man with all the angels, began at the Great Reformation, and that the revelation of wonders has continued and enhanced till the present. And more signal events are to follow. XVIII. THE RESURRECTION OF PROPHECY. It may not be amiss to consider the peculiar import of the resurrection in prophecy. 76 PROPHETIC DATES. Doubtless, at death, with a heavenly escort, the good go at once to the presence of the Lord. This was the case with the repenting thief on the cross, and Lazarus, and Stephen. The apostle Paul say-. \\V know that when he shall appear, \\v si mil be like him f'r we shall see him a But he appears, and him as in- is wln-n No doubt also that the bad, at death, go at once to a place of punishment When the rich man de- scribed by the Lord, di>-d. In- " lit't-d up hi hell being in turn There are n instances in prophecy of a ivsunvi'tion which is n tin- dead. This is th-- ease with li tin- valley of dry bones. As we und'-iMand th it ion of it, which tin- Loi not a literal raising of human ! i-utit is the elevation of Israel to the favor of God, and to notable authority. So th apo- tie Paul in speaking of t! ition of T^ra-'l says : "For if theca-tii. f l>ra.-l. and hence it is a resurrection. According to some g N the Reformation, which be^an with Luther, i to in the book of Kevelation win-re the t wo witn after being slain, and aftt-r lying in disgrace three THE RESURRECTION OF PROPHECY. 77 days and a half, suddenly rise again. Here is an- other instance of a symbolical resurrection. Again there was another resurrection, which was not literal, which commenced with the prolonged binding of Satan. Those who lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years enjoyed what is called the resurrection. Another instance of the same kind is that of the beast with seven heads and ten horn<. One of these heads, which represented Pagan Rome, was wounded to death, but tin: deadly wound WO.8 l'<'lcd. Still another in>tance is fmind in Malachi. 4: 5, where it i< promised that Elijah shall come again. This wa* fulfilled by the advent of John the Baptist. One reason for speaking of the elevation of the godly nations in obscure times, as by calling it a res- urrection, was the jealousy of the rulers. Any direct assertion, by the Christians, that they would soon rule the world would have exposed them to increased hostility. The gospel was the power of God to free the soul from its maladies. Also, after a few generations, when the converts multiplied, the tendency of the gospel was to free them from political bondage. In the prophetic language they rose from death to life, or they enjoyed a resurrection. In 1 Thess. 4:15, we have the following: "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep." "Them which are asleep," refers to those Chris- 78 PROPHETIC DATES. tians, who at the time of the Reformation were op- pressed by the Moslem tyranny. They are asleep because they enjoy no civil or religious freedom. Tho>e who remain to the coming of the Lord, or till the period of the Great Reformation, shall not go before these Christians, for under Constantino they shall have liberty, and political supremacy. This shall be prolonged in one department of the empire for more than three hundred years, and in another for a thousand years. In the book of Revelation this is styled the first resurrection. In plain lan- niauv the explanation is this: The raising of the body politic in the days of Luther, shall not go before a similar event which must take place in the days of Constantine. "Even so them which sleep in Jesus [through dia Jesus Lange's Commentary] will God bring with him." This refers to all those who on account of their attachment to Christ, either by Pagan or Roman Catholic persecutors, are deprived of civil an ii^ious liberty. The Lord will bring them with him. or raise them to the highest authority. Kor the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, [shout of war, Cony beare and Howson,] with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God." When the Lord comes with a shout of war, he brings actual war on his enemies to their destruc- tion. One instance was at the downfall of the Jew- i*h commonwealth at the hands of the Romans, THE RESURRECTION OF PROPHECY. 79 and another was at the ruin of the old Roman Empire; first by the northern barbarians, secondly, by the Arabs, and lastly, by the Turks. The coming of the Lord with the voice of the archangel was realized in the era of the Christian freedom which began in the days of the first Chris- tian emperor. There is a reference to this same event in the book of Revelation, where the arcK- angel is represented as contending with the dragon. This is the only place in this book where the arch- angel is mentioned. When he descends with the trump of God, the event seems to be realized in the Great Reformation under Luther. This is the last trumpet, and is the herald of events till the consummation of things. In the final prophecy it is termed the seventh trumpet, and when it sounded great voices in heaven said: " The kingdoms of the world are become the king- doms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever." "And the dead in Christ shall rise first." In Rev. 20 : 5, the resurrection which began in the reign of the first Christian emperor, is called the first resurrection. " Then we which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air ; and so shall we ever be with the Lord." In Rev. 11 :12, where the same event is alluded to, it is said that the two witnesses after being slain, and after lying three days and a half, came to life 80 PROPHETIC DATES. and went up to heaven in a cloud. Clearly there seems to be a reference to the Great Reformation. At this time the nations in Northern Europe began to enjoy political and religious life. The expression, "and so shall we ever be with the Lord," implies that unlike the saints at the first resurrection, who enjoyed political and religious liberty, and exaltation over tin- nations for only a thousand years, the saints at this resurrection shall enjoy these tilings forever. Being caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, means to be exalted to the enjoyment of the highest authority. This the Protestant nations have long possessed. In the loth of 1 Corinthians, the apostle mostly discourses of a literal resurrection till he professed to show a mystery, and then he speaks of a symbolical resurrection. " We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed." Such authors as Meyer, Winer, and Kling, (see Lange's Commentary), insist on it that the proper translation of the Greek text is. " We shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed." The meaning is, that at the Great Reformation the chosen nations shall not lie dormant, but shall awake to the enjoy- ment of liberty and power. " In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye." The revolution in the days of Luther was sudden. "At the last trump." This was the seventh trumpet of the book of Revelation. It was the herald of the Reformation. THE RESURRECTION OF PROPHECY. 81 The events which belong to this trumpet still con- tinue. " The dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." The import of this is, that unlike all the godly nations of former times, those now raised to life or to the possession of freedom and power, shall never lose it. To the same effect Daniel (7:18) declares : "But the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever." " O death where is thy sting ! O grave where is thy victory ! " Here this passage refers to natural as well as sym- bolical death and the grave. But in the original ap- plication, (Hosea 13: 14), there was a special reference to the elevation of the nation Ephraim . It was writ- ten near the downfall of the ten tribes. In the same chapter it is said : " When Ephraim. . . offended in Baal he died." At the time the prophet wrote he referred not so much to natural life and death, as to the moral, intellectual, and political life and death of Ephraim. In distinct terms other prophets speak of the restoration of Ephraim after his downfall. The last blessing, both of Jacob and Moses on the twelve tribes, shows that Joseph was to be a special favorite. From thence was to be the shepherd, the stone of Israel. Blessings were to come on him unto the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills. It is also said of him, that with the horns of the unicorns he 6 H'2 PROPHETIC DAT shall push the people together to the ends of the earth. Blood will tell. The enterprise of the Israelites has always been irrepressible. It is not improbable, that with a dread of the approaching Scythians, soon after the dispersion, a portion of the ten tribes joined the neighboring (lentile peoples in their immigration to Europe. Nor should it >urprise us, that by the blessing of God on these sons of Israel, they should rise to supreme dignity and power. With no apparent purp<-e to prove their identity, Dr. Lyman Beecher in his dix-uurx/-, find> striking between the Anglo-Saxon Pun and the Ik-brew-. In Dan. \'2:'2, it is stated that " Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." Also in Jolm 5:28 the Lord saj ,ivel not at this, for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves >hall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good unto the return etion of life; and they that have don* unto the resurrection of damnation." Both these passages seem to have the same im- port. At the death of Christ it is said that the graves were opened. This is a literal fulfillment of prophecies. He is the "first fruits of them that slept." "Because he lives, we shall live also." His death brought in a new era in which there is specially a glorious resurrection to the good who THE RESURRECTION OF PROPHECY. 83 receive him, and of enhanced condemnation to the bad who reject him. In this dispensation the mode of the resurrection for those who fall asleep as Stephen did, is to see heaven opened ready for their admission, while the ungodly die and forthwith de- part to hell as Dives did. But these prophecies are also fulfilled by a sym- bolical resurrection. An allusion is made to Eze- kiel's vision of the valley of dry bones; to the triumph of the nation Ephralm over death and the grave, as described by Hosea; to the resurrection of organized bodies mentioned by the apostle Paul ; and to the first resurrection, the death and elevation of the two witnesses, and the wounding to death of one of the heads of the beast whose deadly wound was healed, spoken of by the prophet at Patmos. As time advances the glory of the Lord increases. When he was approaching the grave of her brother- the Lord said to Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life." He especially called attention to the resurrection of his children, who at death, instantly rise to glory and immortality. He also showed that he is the resurrection by calling forth Lazarus. Again he showed it at those notable eras when he came with the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God, by raising even nations from the dead. Will he not significantly reveal the same fact at the consummation of his coming, when his enemies are under his feet, and the kingdom is delivered to God the Father. TIIK KM). THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE STAMPED BELOW AN INITIAL FINE OF 25 CENTS WILL BE ASSESSED FOR FAILURE TO RETURN THIS BOOK ON THE DATE DUE. THE PENALTY WILL INCREASE TO SO CENTS ON THE FOURTH DAY AND TO $1.OO ON THE SEVENTH DAY OVERDUE. MAY 3 19 , AUG 14 1342 REC'D LD MAR12'65-4PM mu T.n 21-95M-7 '37 Photomount Pamphlet Binder Gaylord Bros., Inc Makers Stockton, Calif. PAT. IAN. 21. 1908 GENERAL LIBRARY -U.C. BERKELEY 916671 THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY