The fulness here stands over against the Gentile fulness. In the three
last discourses we called your attention to Israel's maturing fulness in
land, people, and language. And now, if you will consider the state of
the Gentile nations, it will be apparent to you that the time of Gentile
fulness is now present. These Gentile nations are now overflowing. Take
China with her teeming millions, and ask why she has not peopled the
world? for surely she could have done so long ago. But she barred her
own doors by making it unlawful for any of her subjects to leave the
flowery kingdom--forbidding heaven to such as should die outside. Now,
however, she must permit emigration or perish by famine. Take the
countries of Europe, and is it not strange that Israel's fulness of land,
people, and language is made the fuller by these nations contributing
towards the same? The fulness of the Gentiles is made to flow into the
fulness of Israel. These countries, outside of Israel-England, have no
colonies to send their overflow to; hence, they are filling up the domain
of Israel and so hastening on her fulness. The French, Germans,
Italians, and Spaniards forsake their land and language, thus adding to
Israel's fulness; for they chiefly settle down within the bounds of
Israel. To this Gentile fulness there was to be one strange
exception--that was in the Turkish nation. This nation is set forth by
the prophet under the figure of the River Euphrates. In their first
appearance they were to be very numerous. In the eleventh century they
began to invade Europe. The historian Gibbon, speaking of them, says:
"Myriads of Turkish horsemen overspread the whole Greek empire, until at
last Constantinople fell into their hands." From 1453 till now have they
held this grand capital. John, in Rev. ix., pictures this invasion, and
speaks of the number of horsemen. He speaks of them as having power in
their mouths and tails. This language is very expressive when we
remember the Moslem's war-cry, which was "The sword of Mahomet and of
God." And in one of the first of their great battles they lost their
standard; but, not long baffled, the commander-in-chief cut off the tail
of his beautiful steed, and, putting it on the end of a pole, hoisted it
as a standard. This ensign they long used. This kingdom, however, is to
dry up--that is, to disappear gradually, as a river dries up. All this
is taking place. Turkey sends emigrants nowhere. They are literally
dying out. In number they are fewer each year. Turkey will pass away
for want of Turks. Her territory will be taken away from her gradually.
How remarkable the dealings of Providence with men and nations!
Up to the point of Gentile fulness, Israel was to be partly blind, for
God's plans, through Israel, were to remain a mystery for a time. "For I
would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye
should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened
to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in." Our idea is
that the Gentile fulness is now in, and if so, it is natural, then, that
Israel should be found, and about this time have her eyes opened. Up to
this time of fulness, Jerusalem was to be trodden down. "And they shall
fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations;
and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of
the Gentiles be fulfilled" (Luke xxi. 23). Now, the Jews did fall by the
edge of the sword, as the Saviour foretold; they were carried captive
into all nations; Jerusalem has been trodden under foot. Thus, then, do
we see three parts of His prophecy literally fulfilled; and so surely
will the fourth part be, which is, that in connection with Gentile
fulness this treading shall cease, and proud, imperial Salem shall lift
her head once more free from tyrant hands and heathen tramping, to become
the city of God and His chosen ones.
When Moses was sent to deliver the children of Israel from Egypt, he was
equipped with miraculous power that he might convince Pharaoh and the
Egyptians what was the will of Jehovah; but not more so than are the
prophetic students of this day; for the presence of the Divine gleams
forth all around in the miracles of prophecy now so wonderfully
fulfilling in this our day.
DREAM IMAGE OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR.
DISCOURSE VII.
FUTURE HISTORY OF THE WORLD--THE DESTRUCTION OF THE PAPACY
COMMENCED--IRELAND TO BE FREE AND INDEPENDENT OF ENGLAND AND ROME--FUTURE
GLORY OF BRITAIN AND THE UNITED STATES.
"Thou, O King, sawest and beheld a great image. This great image
whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form
thereof was terrible."--Dan. ii. 31.
About 2,500 years ago the kingdom of Babylon was strong, great, and
prosperous. The king of this vast empire is known in history as
Nebuchadnezzar. His reign had been marked with great victories over the
surrounding nations. The mighty Empire of Assyria he had conquered;
Egypt he had wasted and almost destroyed; Palestine he had reduced to
strange and pitiable desolation, having carried the Jewish inhabitants
captive into the region of Babylon. Among these captives we find Daniel,
the prophet of Judah. In the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's
consolidated reign, as king over Babylon and Assyria, he dreamed a dream
which gave him much anxiety of mind and troubled him very much. This
dream he could not remember nor explain, save that it had left a terrible
impression on his mind. The wise men were confounded, for they could
neither declare the vision or its meaning. The king, in his rage,
decreed them all to death. At this point appears Daniel, one of the
captives of Judah. Moved of God, he presents himself before the king and
makes known to him the vision and interpretation.
The king had seen a great metallic image, excellent in brightness and
terrible in form. It was a human figure of massive proportions, standing
erect with outstretched arms, and of a mixed and strange composition.
The head was of fine gold. The breast and arms were of silver. The
belly and thighs of brass. The legs of iron, the feet part of iron and
part of clay. While the king was gazing on this monstrous figure with
intense interest, his attention was arrested by the appearance of a small
stone--this stone was alone; there appeared no hands handling it or
moving it. It was cut out of the mountain without hands. In this stone
there appears to be a good deal of the supernatural. At once this little
stone assaults the image, beginning at the feet. The battle is surely
unequal; the battle continues, and during the struggle the stone actually
grows; the image falls to pieces--the feet, thigh, breast, and head--and
victory is with the stone. By the time the image is wholly destroyed the
stone has become a mountain; or, as Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar, "Thou
sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image
upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then
was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold broken to
pieces together, and became like the chaff of the Summer
threshing-floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found
for them; and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain and
filled the whole earth."
In this vision and interpretation we have a line of history laid bare so
clearly that we need not err. The beginning is the time and kingdom of
Nebuchadnezzar. The image stands for four great earthly monarchies,
extending down through the centuries even to this time and day--and a
little further; for these monarchies are not yet wholly destroyed, and
the stone-kingdom does not yet fill the world. Of this fifth, or stone
kingdom, there is to be no end by conquest, or decay, or succession.
Daniel says that this kingdom shall not be left to other people--that is,
it shall never be succeeded.
The peculiar features of the stone-kingdom make it interesting to
ascertain what kingdom, monarchy, and people stand for it; for such
kingdom, though small at the beginning, is to grow, prosper, and continue
to the end of time. Guided by the Scriptures and history, let us look
for these four earthly monarchies; and the better to accomplish our task,
let us stretch the giant figure on his back; then his head of gold will
rest in Babylon, his silver breast and arms will take in Media and
Persia, his belly and thighs will take in Greece, and his legs and feet
will take in Rome. Thus, then, the gold head stood for Babylon, and is
now in this day represented and found in Russia--for Russia is a
continuation of Babylon. The _Czar_ is on the line of Nebuchadne_zzar_.
This gold-headed kingdom will be the last destroyed--the destruction
begins at the feet. Russia, therefore, has yet a lease of life and
prosperity; but, finally, she too will yield the contests and disappear
before the stone-kingdom. The gold stands for work and endurance, as the
head is significant of supremacy; but the stone will finally destroy it.
The silver, next in value and endurance, of which were the arms and
breast, stands for Persia. Centuries ago Persia was the great Power of
the earth. At one time it would seem as if she never would decay or ever
have a rival; but her day came, and she has dwindled down to the little
kingdom and monarchy--the Persia of to-day. Her power is gone, she is
consumptive, and will soon disappear as a separate kingdom. The present
visit of the King of Persia to the Czar at St. Petersburg is not without
meaning. The gold head of Russia will need the assistance of the arms of
Persia by-and-bye.
The brass parts stand well and appropriately for ancient Greece--an
Empire once so gigantic and powerful, a people so polished and learned,
but long ago their time, and work, and place were marked out. And now
the time is nearly gone and the work done, hence they will soon
disappear. The present little kingdom of Greece is all that is left.
Brass is in itself corrosive, so the Greek Empire has gradually eaten
itself away. What sublime lessons the prophets of old taught us!
The iron and clay, of which were the legs and feet, stand for the great
Roman Empire, which in its day was so solid and grand with its law and
order, its soldiers and statesmen. This Empire that tried the hopeless
experiment of mixing clay and iron--that is, Church and State as
inaugurated by Constantine. This nation that tried to fuse together
Paganism and Christianity. This nation that tried to stand on two equal
feet, and to encompass the whole of man, body and spirit. Well might
Daniel say of this brittle Empire that it should be partly strong and
partly weak. In conscience and the empire of the soul Christ alone is
King. No wonder that the Roman Empire has disappeared. The iron part is
now entirely gone. The Pope and the Church of Rome foolishly arrogate to
themselves to be this kingdom. They still try and believe in mixing the
iron and clay--they yet claim authority in the spirit realm. Obedience
to Christ and the Pope cannot be on the spiritual or clay side. No man
can supremely serve two masters. On the iron side no man can be loyal to
his country and the Pope at the same time. No man can serve two masters
at the same time, both of which claim and demand supremacy. These things
cannot be mixed. "And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay,
they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men, but they shall not
cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay."
How true the prophetic utterances of the prophet! The Catholics and
Protestants do not mix easily, not socially, not politically, nor
educationally. How are we to mix freely with those who think we are
heretics and damnable? How can we socially mix with a people so lordly
in their claims and deficient in character as many are--a people who,
when true to their profession, must be our secret or open enemies--who
sink their manhood and parental claims, so as to depend upon the priest
for forgiveness and on him for instruction? Thus, at the priest's
command, the coming generations are divided and embittered in the fact of
separate schools for Catholics and Protestants. These men of clay and
lordly air, claim rights superior to the State, despising the State
provision for education. Daniel said, "The dream is certain, and the
interpretation thereof sure." If so, as sure as the iron part has
disappeared, so will the clay.
Now a clearer view, a purer faith and greater liberty are dawning upon
our Catholic friends, which is making many of them feel too manly and
noble to be longer slaves to priest or Pope. Bereft of temporal power,
they henceforth will have to win and fight their way, as others, on the
purity of their doctrines and practice. In such a strife we can but wish
them, and all who love the Lord Jesus Christ, great success.
Thus in the short outline of these four kingdoms we see enough to show us
that God has kept His word. How marvellous are His ways! how complete
His work!
Let us now look at this stone kingdom. This fifth kingdom is as much
material and political as the other four, and stands for a king, country,
and people. It does not come into existence until the image is perfect.
For it is while Nebuchadnezzar was looking at the image he saw the stone
cut out of the mountain--its growth was gradual. Its work was to destroy
this image and fill the world. As these kingdoms became weaker and
smaller, it would become stronger and larger.
What king, country, and people respond to this kingdom? The answer is as
easy as to find the other, if we keep our minds free from prejudice and
open to truth.
First, this kingdom was of Divine origin. Second, it was small at first.
Third, the more it fights the more it grows. Fourth, it breaks in pieces
this image, beginning at the feet. It is in fact the sworn enemy of all
the four kingdoms. Fifth, it is to fill the world and thus become a
universal kingdom and monarchy. In this latter sense it will be a fit
type of the kingdom of Christ.
Just such a kingdom as this did God repeatedly promise to Abraham and his
descendants. David's throne and seed royal are to be established before
Him for ever. He promised to David's throne perpetuity, and that David's
seed should always be on the throne--not in a spiritual sense as some
think--but naturally and actually in this world.
God promised to Israel, as a people and a kingdom, such pre-eminence in
origin, power, and growth. The answer, then, is simple and
plain--England, as representing the Lost Tribes of Israel, and Queen
Victoria being a direct descendant from David. For she came of James
VI., of Scotland--he from Bruce and Duncan, and Malcolm, and Kenneth, and
Kenneth through the kings of Argyleshire, Alpin, and Donald, and Fergus.
Then through the long line of Irish Kings from Earca to Heremon, of Tara,
and he married Tea Tephi, the daughter of Zedekiah, who, through Jeremiah
the prophet, had been hid from the destroying vengeance of
Nebuchadnezzar. He killed all her brothers and kindred, and put out the
eyes of Zedekiah and took him a captive to Babylon, where he died.
Look also at the British nation, learned as they are, yet no historian
can tell who the English were originally. Sharon Turner, the best and
most trustworthy on the origin of the Saxons, fails to solve the
question. He traces them into Central Asia, but there he stops. They
here form part of the Aryan race, speaking the Sanscrit language, from
which came the Greek and Latin. And from this place and people came
forth the Goths and their language, and also the Saxons and their
language came to view here. The German and Saxon both seem to have come
forth from the Aryan stock.
The very place the Saxons came from is the very place where the Lost
Tribes were carried captive to by the King of Assyria, about 725 years
before Christ, as we read in the second book of Kings, seventeenth
chapter. Take the very word Saxon. This word comes from the Sanscrit:
Saka Suna. Saka means era, epoch, or date, and Suna means void, without.
Hence the word Saxon means a people whose origin is unknown--void of
date. True, Nebuchadnezzar saw no hands cutting the little stone out
from the mountain. The origin of the English nation is hid because God
cast away His people for a time--not for ever. It is this view of the
stone kingdom that corresponds to the prophets, to history, especially to
the English history.
The very island itself is insignificant, and no doubt was once joined to
the continent of Europe. The formation on both sides of the English
Channel--that is, on the French and English coasts, are the same--namely,
chalk. The ocean in time past washed through a passage, and thus
prepared a place for exiled Israel to rest in, and renew their strength.
Why should this small island and a few and scattered people become so
powerful, so as to sweep the sea, and dictate on land, constantly engaged
in war, and though small, winning victory upon victory, and like the
stone, growing stronger and stronger, after fighting the whole of Europe,
giving liberties in religion that oftentimes imperilled her safety at
home, opening her ports to all the world, and venturing to compete in
trade with all nations?
How came they to take India, a country of so vast an extent, so powerful,
rich, and chivalrous a country, at that time composed of sixteen separate
and powerful nations, speaking thirty-six different languages, and
numbering in population some 200,000,000?
With all her faults, still to her the world owes much. She has stood for
liberty in person and conscience. The world has little to-day which
ennobles men and nations but what she has produced or aided in producing.
The right foot of the image stands for France, while the left signifies
Spain. On these two feet long stood Rome, as all know. When these two
feet were broken, then soon followed the downfall of Rome as an empire,
and as they are conquered for Jesus, so will the empire of Rome, as a
Church, fall.
In the year 1346 took place the battle of Cressey, led by Edward III.
Then the little stone fell on the right foot, and since then it has
fallen on that same foot victoriously 218 times. On the left foot,
Spain, thirty-five times. All this time this stone has been growing. In
1665 the English, under General Penn, took Jamaica, and every four years
since they have added a colony. Now that little stone bears rule over
fifty-five colonies, one empire, namely, India, and one dominion, Canada.
And yet, mighty as England was, she could not subdue the American
provinces, feeble and scattered colonists as they were. Then they sought
to fight against Providence. Old Jacob blessed the sons of Joseph,
Ephraim, and Manasseh, and then predicted their destiny, saying of
Manasseh, "He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; but
truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall
become a multitude of nations." So they are; and so Manasseh is a great
people in the American nation.
This stone cut out of the mountain has much to do and destroy; it is
still watching the head of gold. Israel and Babylon are still face to
face. Greece will first disappear, although England is trying to revive
it. Next, Persia will go, then Babylon, or head of gold. Russia will
have grown to giant-like proportions, and will finally measure swords
with England. The stone will win. England will then move her royal
residence and throne to Jerusalem. Every country and province may then
be independent, like Canada, but federated to the central government.
Ireland will then be free, yes, doubly free--free from Rome and free from
England as a State, but still federated to the central government. It is
thus this stone will fill the earth. America will federate, the central
government will be destroyed. State rights increase. These are some of
the things suggested and taught by this vision.
LITTLE HORN AND TURKEY.
DISCOURSE VIII.
THE TURKS THE ISHMAELITES--ENGLAND AND RUSSIA TO PARTITION THE MAHOMMEDAN
EMPIRE--WHY ENGLAND SYMPATHISES WITH TURKEY.
"And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed
exceeding great, toward the South, and toward the East, and toward
the pleasant land."--Daniel viii. 9.
Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, in which he saw a great metallic image of
human form. The head of gold stood for Babylon; the silver arms and
breast for Persia; the brass belly and thighs for Greece; the iron legs
and feet of iron and clay for Rome. To all this we find history has
faithfully and beautifully responded.
A few years after this we find that Daniel has a dream, which is
interpreted to him by an angel. From it we learn that the ten toes
symbolised ten kingdoms which were to arise out of the Roman Empire.
In the chapter from which we take our text, we are introduced into the
secrets of a vision which Daniel had. The place of the vision is on the
banks of the River Ulai, in the province of Elam, and in the gorgeous
palace of Shushan--a place and palace made famous and familiar to us by
the doings of King Ahasuerus and Queen Esther. In other words, the scene
is changed from the palace of Babylon to the palace of Persia.
In this vision, Pesia is typified by a ram, the two horns of which
represented Persia and Media, for they formed one Empire at this time,
under the powerful rule and reign of Cyrus, who, coming from the East,
pushed his conquests "Westward, and Northward, and Southward." "The two
horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came
up last." From history we know that Media conquered Persia, and we know,
also, that finally Persia gained ascendancy, so that the higher came up
last, and is even in existence to-day as the small kingdom of Persia; but
Media has long since disappeared.
While the seer Daniel was considering, behold an he-goat came from the
West. This goat had a notable horn between his eyes. Horn generally
symbolises power; here it symbolises a king of peculiar power, Daniel
tells us. Goat-like, it bounded over the earth rapidly, pushing and
goring its adversaries. Can any one at all acquainted with history fail
to see how fitly and grandly this description of the goat forecasts the
origin and progress of the Greek Empire?
Substitute Alexander the Great for the notable horn, and you at once mate
history and this vision. Surely God has not left Himself without
witnesses. "Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of
God." So we may freely say unto the historians and students of history,
Truly, in these things we see the finger of God.
Could any historian describe more faithfully and accurately the
invasions, conquests, and victories of Alexander the Great, especially
his assault on the Persians? How marvellous and simple the description
by Daniel: "And he came to the ram that had two horns (Persia), which I
had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his
power; and I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with
choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns; and there
was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the
ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the
ram out of his hand."
And with the same majestic simplicity we have the downfall of Alexander
and the division of his Empire described. Listen! "Therefore the
he-goat waxed very great; and when he was strong the great horn was
broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of
heaven."
To fully understand the sacred writer here, you must call to mind a
little of history, more and better, for all knowledge only aids us the
better and better to read the Bible.
What beast save the goat could characterise Alexander and his reign? He
was the son of Philip of Macedon, born 356 B.C., and died in 323. He
began his reign at twenty years of age, and closed it in twelve years and
eight months. No man in the same time ever fought so many battles, won
so many victories, and subdued so many people. No man, before or since,
ever ruled over so many people and such a kingdom. Queen Victoria is in
these things his only rival. But with his sudden death the fruits of his
victories are re-distributed. His Empire was divided into four parts;
the four Diadochi were his successors. What lessons may men and nations
learn by studying the prophecies!