,transcriber's note3 ,text enclosed by underscores is in italics 7italics74 ,text enclosed by equal signs is in bold face 7bold74 ,small capital text has been replaced with all capitals4 ,,the ,,roman ,,empire ,,in ,,prophecy4 ,w4 ,e4 ,,vine1 ,m4,a4 ,regarded as an historical manual it is of no little value1 and the author's summaries of the rise and progress of ,rome are quite masterly in their way4 --,glasgow ,citizen4 ,illustration3 ,,caesar ,,augustus1 first ,roman ,emperor1 born #fc ,b4,c4 ,grand-nephew and heir of ,julius ,caesar ,octavianus4 ,obtained supreme power over ,roman dominions by victory over ,anthony at ,actium1 #ca ,b4,c4 ,proclaimed ,emperor1 #bg ,b4,c41 by the ,roman ,senate1 which conferred on him the title ,augustus4 ,died #aith ,august1 ,a4,d4 #ad1 in his #gfth year4 ,,the ,,roman ,,empire ,,in ,,the ,,light ,,of ,,prophecy --,,or1-- ,,the ,,rise1 ,,progress ,,and ,,end ,,of ,,the ,,fourth ,,world-,,empire4 ,,by ,w4 ,e4 ,,vine1 ,m4,a41 ,author of ,b4,c4 and ,a4,d42 or1 ,how the ,world was prepared for the ,gospel2 ,the ,scriptures and ,how to ,use ,them1 etc4 ,illustration3 ,publisher's ,mark ,,pickering ,,inglis ,printers and ,publishers1 #ad ,paternoster ,row1 ,london1 ,e4,c4#d #bbi ,bothwell ,street1 ,glasgow2 #ge ,princes ,street1 ,edinburgh ,,offices ,,and ,,agents4 ,,london3 ,,pickering ,,inglis1 #ad ,paternoster ,row1 ,e4,c4#d4 ,,glasgow3 ,,pickering ,,inglis1 #bbi ,bothwell ,street4 ,,edinburgh3 ,,pickering ,,inglis1 #ge ,princes ,street4 ,,manchester3 ,,the ,,tract ,,society1 #ace ,deansgate4 ,,liverpool3 ,,wm4 ,t4 ,,jaye1 #ah ,slater ,street4 ,,newcastle3 ,,northern ,,counties ,,depot1 #fc;a ,blackett ,street4 ,,birmingham3 ,p4 ,h4 ,,hulbert1 #cae ,broad ,street 7,corner74 ,,bath3 ,h4 ,w4 ,h4 ,r4 ,,griffiths1 #ce ,milton ,avenue4 ,,bristol3 ,w4 ,b4 ,w4 ,,sarsfield1 #gh ,park ,street4 ,,weston-,,super-,,mare3 ,,western ,,bible ,,depot1 #ab ,waterloo ,street4 ,,cardiff3 ,h4 ,j4 ,,lear1 #ag ,royal ,arcade4 ,,dublin3 ,r4 ,,stewart1 #aj ,d',olier ,street1 and #b ,nassau ,street4 ,,belfast3 ,r4 ,m',,clay1 #dd ,ann ,street4 ,,dundee3 ,r4 ,h4 ,,lundie1 #ce ,reform ,street4 ,,new ,,york3 ,,gospel ,,publishing ,,house1 #cah ,west #cith ,street4 ,,chicago3 ,,wm4 ,,norton1 ,bible ,institute ,assoc41 #hbf ,north ,la ,salle ,st4 ,,buffalo1 ,n4,y43 ,,sword ,,and ,,shield ,,tract ,,society1 #abdg ,niagara ,st4 ,,swengel1 ,,pa43 ,i4 ,c4 ,,herenden1 ,bible ,truth ,depot4 ,,los ,,angeles1 ,,cal43 ,,geo4 ,,ray1 #hejh ,so4 ,vermont ,avenue4 ,,boston3 ,,hamilton ,,bros41 #abj ,tremont ,street4 ,,philadelphia3 ,,glad ,,tidings ,,publishing ,,co41 #ehfc ,christian ,st4 ,,dallas1 ,,texas3 ,j4 ,t4 ,,dean1 #bfac ,pennsylvania ,avenue4 ,,windsor1 ,,ont43 ,c4 ,j4 ,,stowe1 #bc ,martin ,street4 ,,toronto3 ,,upper ,,canada ,,tract ,,society1 #b ,richmond ,street1 ,e4 ,,orillia1 ,,ontario3 ,s4 ,w4 ,,benner1 ,bible and ,tract ,depot4 ,,winnipeg3 ,n4 ,w4 ,,bible ,,depot1 #ehj ,main ,street4 ,,buenos ,,aires3 ,w4 ,c4 ,k4 ,,torre1 ,casilla #e4 ,,melbourne3 ,e4 ,w4 ,,cole1 ,book ,arcade4 ,,sydney3 ,,bible1 ,,book1 ,,and ,,tract ,,depot1 #cgc ,elizabeth ,street4 ,,sydney3 ,,christian ,,workers ,,depot1 #agj ,elizabeth ,street4 ,,brisbane3 ,w4 ,r4 ,,smith ,,co41 ,bible ,repository1 ,albert ,street4 ,,auckland1 ,n4,z43 ,h4 ,l4 ,,thatcher1 #ace ,symonds ,street4 ,,dunedin3 ,h4 ,j4 ,,bates1 ,otago ,bible ,house1 #ch ,george ,street4 ,,palmerston ,,north3 ,,james ,g4 ,,harvey1 ,main ,street4 ,,christchurch3 ,g4 ,w4 ,,plimsoll1 #hd ,manchester ,street4 ,,belgaum1 ,,india3 ,w4 ,c4 ,,irvine1 ,christian ,literature ,depot4 ,,bangalore3 ,a4 ,m',d4 ,,redwood1 ,frasertown ,book ,depot4 ,,switzerland3 ,,jas4 ,,hunter1 ,clarens4 ,,cairo3 ,,the ,,nile ,,press1 ,bulag4 ,,hong-,,kong3 ,a4 ,,young1 ,bible ,depot1 #b ,wyndham ,street4 ,and through most ,booksellers1 ,colporteurs1 and ,tract ,depots4 ,copyright--,pickering ,inglis4 ,,preface4 ,the following pages are the outcome of several conversations with inquirers shortly after the outbreak of the great war1 in #aiad1 and of requests for notes of the views expressed4 ,the subject of these conversations had occupied the earnest if intermittent attention of the writer for over twenty years4 ,the notes were expanded into a series of articles which appeared in ,the ,witness during #aiae4 ,these have been revised and somewhat extended for the present volume1 especially the last chapter1 much of which was previously precluded by limitations of space4 ,in regard to past history1 the outlines of events connected with the ,roman and ,turkish ,empires are given with the hope that the records will prove helpful to those who read the history of ,nations in the light of ,scripture4 ,in regard to the future1 while there are many events which the ,word of ,god has foretold with absolute clearness1 and upon these we may speak unreservedly1 yet there are many circumstances concerning which definite prediction has been designedly withheld1 and upon which prophecy is therefore obscure4 ,in such matters an effort has been made to avoid dogmatism4 ,prophecy was not given in order for us to prophesy4 ,on the other hand1 the prophetic ,scriptures are not to be neglected4 ,difficulty in understanding them is no reason for disregarding them4 ,they are part of that ,word1 the whole of which is declared to be profitable for doctrine1 for reproof1 for correction1 for instruction in righteousness 7#b ,tim4 #c4 #af74 ,they therefore demand prayerful and patient meditation4 ,for a speaker to refer to the study of the prophecies in a way which tends to minimise their importance in the minds of his hearers is to dishonour both the sacred ,word and ,him who inspired it4 ,it is significant that the book of the ,revelation opens with a promise of blessing to him who reads 7the reference is especially to public reading7 and to those who hear the words of the prophecy1 and keep the things which are written therein 7chap4 #a4 #c71 and at the close repeats the blessing for him who keeps its words 7chap4 #bb4 #g74 ,the quotations in the present volume are from the ,revised ,version1 the comparatively greater accuracy of its translations being important for a correct understanding of many of the passages considered4 ,while the book is published at the request of several friends1 the author fulfils such request with the earnest desire that in matters of doctrine that only may be accepted which can be confirmed from the ,word of ,god itself1 and that the ,lord may graciously own what is in accordance with ,his mind for the glory of ,his ,name and the profit of the reader4 ,,bath1 #aiaf4 ,w4 ,e4 ,,vine4 ,,contents4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,page ,the ,times of the ,gentiles1 #i ,nebuchadnezzar's ,dream1 #aa ,the ,chaldean1 ,medo-,persian1 ,grecian ,kingdoms1 #ab ,the ,fourth ,kingdom1 #ac ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,the ,roman ,dominion1 #ae ,rise and ,progress of the ,roman ,empire1 #af ,eastward ,extension1 #ah ,the ,empire ,completed1 #bb ,the ,crushing of the ,nations1 #bc ,the ,twofold ,division1 #be ,the ,tenfold ,division1 #bg ,a ,comparison of the ,visions1 #bi ,testimony of ,early ,christian ,writers1 #cb ,processes at ,work ,since the ,twofold ,division1 #cd ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,the ,overthrow in the ,west--,,germanic ,,invasions1 #ce ,disintegration of the ,western ,half1 #cg ,alaric and the ,goths1 #cg ,attila and the ,huns1 #ci ,genseric and the ,vandals1 #dj ,northern ,limits of the ,empire1 #da ,ten ,kingdoms not ,formed by ,germanic ,invasions1 #db ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,the ,overthrow in the ,east--,,turkish ,,empire1 #dd ,mohammed and the ,khaliphs1 #de ,eastern ,empire at ,end of #ajth ,century1 #df ,the ,appearance of the ,turks1 #df ,the ,turks ,embrace ,mohammedanism1 #dg ,the ,turks ,enter ,europe1 #dh ,constantinople ,taken1 #di ,a ,comparison of the ,two ,divisions1 #ej ,decline of the ,turkish ,empire1 #ea ,the ,coming ,overthrow1 #ed ,a ,blank in ,prophecy1 #ee ,continuation of the ,roman ,government1 #ef ,roman ,imperialism ,continued1 #eg ,,chapter ,v4 ,coming ,revival of the ,roman ,empire1 #ei #a4 ,,geographical ,,considerations1 #ei ,review of the ,ancient ,territories1 #fb ,divisions of the ,greek ,empire1 #fc ,other ,european ,territories1 #fe ,the ,british ,empire1 #fg #b4 ,,political ,,standpoint1 #fi ,european ,federation1 #fi ,the ,sea ,symbolic of ,national ,unrest1 #gb ,revolutions and their ,issues1 #gd ,the ,iron and the ,clay1 #gd ,unprecedented ,political and ,social ,upheaval1 #gg #c4 ,,the ,,religious ,,standpoint1 #gg ,the ,papacy3 ,its ,present ,power1 #gi ,a ,reunion of ,christendom1 #hj ,the ,doom of ,religious ,babylon1 #ha ,satanic ,authority of the ,emperor1 #hb ,the ,superman1 #hc ,spiritism--,the ,false ,prophet1 #hd ,universal ,system of ,commerce1 #hg ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,the ,everlasting ,kingdom1 #hh ,the ,jews1 #hh ,the ,seventy ,weeks1 #hh ,the ,last ,week1 #hi ,fierce ,persecution1 #ib ,armageddon and ,after1 #ic ,the ,scene of the ,conflict1 #id ,the ,epiphany of ,his ,parousia1 #ig ,the ,voice of the ,lord1 #ih ,the ,treading of the ,winepress1 #ii ,overthrow of the ,man of ,sin1 #ajj ,the ,scene of ,judgment1 #ajb ,the ,jews in their ,extremity1 #ajd ,seismic ,disturbances1 #ajd ,,the ,,king ,,eternal1 #ajg ,index to ,maps4 ,,roman ,,empire ,,in ,,apostolic ,,times1 #bb ,,western ,,roman ,,empire ,,under ,,germanic ,,tribes1 #cf ,,turkish ,,empire ,,in ,,the #af,,th ,,century1 #dd ,,turkish ,,empire ,,in #aiad1 #ed ,,palestine ,,to ,,illustrate ,,psalm #bi1 #hh ,the ,roman ,empire in the ,light of ,prophecy4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,the ,,times ,,of ,,the ,,gentiles4 ,the overthrow of the kingdom of ,judah recorded in #b ,kings #bd and #be1 and in the opening words of the book of ,daniel1 was a remarkable crisis in the history of the world4 ,in judgment upon the people of ,god for their long-continued iniquity1 sovereignty was removed from their hands1 king and people were led into captivity1 and ,jerusalem was1 in fulfilment of ,jeremiah's words1 given into the hand of ,nebuchadnezzar1 the king of ,babylon 7,jer4 #ba4 #aj74 ,the government of their land was thus committed to the ,gentiles1 and with the ,gentiles it has remained from that day till now4 ,these events took place in #fjf and #ehg ,b4,c4 ,the ,times of the ,gentiles4 ,but ,gentile control is not to continue indefinitely4 ,this1 which is plain from many ,scriptures1 was intimated by ,christ to ,his disciples when ,he said of ,jerusalem that the city would be trodden down of the ,gentiles until the times of the ,gentiles be fulfilled 7,luke #ba4 #bd74 ,the phrase1 the times of the ,gentiles1 calls for consideration1 and especially as it has to do with ,nebuchadnezzar's conquest just mentioned4 ,there are two words translated times in the ,new ,testament2 one is chronoi1 which is invariably rendered times2 the other is kairoi1 which1 when the two are found together1 is rendered seasons4 ,thus ,paul1 in writing to the ,thessalonian ,church1 says1 ,but concerning the times and the seasons1 brethren1 ye have no need that aught be written unto you 7#a ,thess4 #e4 #a1 ,r4,v42 cp4 ,acts #a4g74 ,we may distinguish seasons from times in the following way3 times denotes mere duration1 lengths of time2 seasons implies that these lengths of time have certain events or circumstances associated with them by which they are characterised4 ,thus the words almost exactly correspond to the terms periods and epochs4 ,now the word kairoi1 seasons1 is used in the phrase translated the times of the ,gentiles1 which might accordingly be rendered the seasons of the ,gentiles4 ,we look1 then1 for some special characteristic of the period or periods thus designated4 ,we have observed that ,nebuchadnezzar's overthrow of the kingdom of ,judah involved the transference of its sovereignty from ,jew to ,gentile from that event onward4 ,the times of the ,gentiles1 accordingly1 is that period1 or succession of periods1 during which dominion over the ,jews and their land is committed to ,gentile ,powers4 ,nebuchadnezzar's ,dream4 ,special significance attaches to the fact that no sooner had the times of the ,gentiles begun than ,god made known the future course of their authority over ,his people1 and the character and doom of that authority1 and made it known to the first ,gentile conqueror himself4 ,it was in the second year of his reign that ,nebuchadnezzar saw in a dream the great image by means of which the purposes of ,god were to be communicated to him4 ,the description of this1 given by ,daniel to the troubled monarch1 is as follows3 ,thou1 ,o king1 sawest1 and behold a great image4 ,this image1 which was mighty1 and whose brightness was excellent1 stood before thee2 and the aspect thereof was terrible4 ,as for this image1 his head was of fine gold1 his breast and his arms of silver1 his belly and his thighs of brass1 his legs of iron1 his feet part of iron1 and part of clay4 ,thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands1 which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay1 and brake them in pieces4 ,then was the iron1 the clay1 the brass1 the silver1 and the gold1 broken in pieces together1 and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors3 and the wind carried them away1 that no place was found for them3 and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain1 and filled the whole earth 7,dan4 #b4 #ca-ce74 ,interpreting this vision1 the prophet identified ,nebuchadnezzar1 the ,chaldean monarch1 with the head of gold1 and foretold that his kingdom1 or empire1 would be followed in succession by three others1 corresponding respectively to the different parts of the remainder of the image and to the nature of the metals composing them4 ,of the four kingdoms the last is to engage our chief attention in these papers4 ,passing from the first1 the ,chaldean1 as specified in ,daniel's words to the king1 ,thou art this head of gold 7v4 #ch71 we are shown that the second kingdom was that of the ,medes and ,persians by the prophet's record of the doom of ,nebuchadnezzar's successor1 ,belshazzar3 ,in that night ,belshazzar the ,chaldean king was slain4 ,and ,darius the ,mede received the kingdom 7,dan4 #e4 #cj1 #ca2 cp4 v4 #bh74 ,that the third kingdom was the ,grecian we find in the interpretation of part of a vision recorded in the eighth chapter3 ,the ram which thou sawest that had the two horns1 they are the kings of ,media and ,persia4 ,and the rough he-goat who was seen to destroy the ram1 v4 #h is the king of ,greece 7vv4 #bj1 #ba2 cp4 chap4 #aj4 #bj74 ,the ,fourth ,kingdom4 ,the name of the fourth kingdom is not mentioned in the ,old ,testament1 but the prediction given in the ninth chapter of ,daniel's prophecies sufficiently identifies it4 ,messiah1 it was said1 would be cut off1 and the people of a coming prince would destroy the city and the sanctuary4 ,now we know that the perpetrators of this were the ,romans4 ,we know1 too1 that by them the ,grecian empire was conquered4 ,the world-wide rule of the first ,roman ,emperor is indicated in the words of ,luke's introduction to his record of the birth of ,christ3 ,now it came to pass in those days1 there went out a decree from ,caesar ,augustus1 that all the world should be enrolled 7,luke #b4 #a74 ,it is important to note that this fourth kingdom will1 in its final condition1 be in world-wide authority at the close of the times of the ,gentiles1 that is1 that the ,roman power1 though in a divided state1 will not be finally destroyed until it meets its doom at the hands of the ,son of ,god4 ,this fact1 which will receive fuller treatment later1 and is borne out by several ,scriptures1 is plainly indicated in the passage which describes the last state of the fourth kingdom and its destruction4 ,immediately after showing that it would be a divided kingdom1 and describing the nature of that division 7vv4 #da-dc71 the prophet says3 ,and in the days of those kings shall the ,god of ,heaven set up a kingdom1 which shall never be destroyed1 nor shall the sovereignty thereof be left to another people2 but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms1 and it shall stand for ever 7v4 #dd74 ,now this indestructible kingdom cannot be other than that of ,christ1 and by ,his kingdom the fourth is to be broken in pieces and consumed1 thus involving the overthrow of all forms of ,gentile authority4 ,obviously no form of world government will exist between that of the fourth kingdom1 in its condition described in verses #db1 #dc1 and the kingdom of ,christ which destroys it4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,the ,,roman ,,dominion4 ,an understanding of the ,scriptures does not depend upon access to other books1 or reference to historical records outside the limits of the ,bible4 ,the ,word of ,god is its own interpreter1 and all that is needed for our establishment in the faith is contained in its pages4 ,on the other hand1 the ,bible throws light upon history not recorded therein1 and it is with that in view that we give certain historical outlines in dealing with our subject4 ,the first part of the prophet's description of the fourth kingdom is as follows3 ,the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron3 forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things3 and as iron that crusheth all these1 shall it break in pieces and crush 7v4 #dj74 ,a similar description is given in his account of a subsequent vision1 in which he saw four great beasts coming up from the sea4 ,in this vision the ,roman kingdom again was undoubtedly symbolised by the fourth beast4 ,this beast he describes as terrible and powerful1 and strong exceedingly2 and it had great iron teeth3 it devoured and brake in pieces1 and stamped the residue with his feet 7#g4 #g74 ,so1 again1 in the words of the interpretation3 ,the fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom upon earth1 which shall be diverse from all the kingdoms1 and shall devour the whole earth1 and shall tread it down1 and break it in pieces 7v4 #bc74 ,now all this exactly depicts the ,roman power in its subjugation and control of the nations which eventually composed its empire4 ,in the light1 then1 of these prophecies we give a brief sketch of its rise and conquests4 ,the ,rise and ,progress of the ,roman ,empire4 ,the ,romans1 who early in the third century ,b4,c4 had become masters of all ,italy1 save in the extreme north1 were drawn into a course of conquest beyond the limits of their own country by the rivalry of the rapidly advancing power of ,carthage in ,north ,africa4 ,carthage1 a city founded some centuries earlier by ,phoenician colonists from ,tyre and ,sidon1 had at length become the capital of a great ,north ,african empire1 stretching from ,tripoli to the ,atlantic ,ocean1 and embracing settlements elsewhere in countries and islands of the ,mediterranean4 ,these settlements included the greater part of ,sicily1 and that island1 situated between the rival nations1 became the first bone of contention between them4 ,the precise cause of the struggle must not occupy us here1 but the circumstances which decided the ,roman ,government1 in #bfd ,b4,c41 upon an invasion of ,sicily were of the deepest significance in the history of the world4 ,by the year #bdb ,sicily was subdued4 ,in the following year the island was ceded by ,carthage1 and the extension of ,roman dominion beyond ,italy was begun4 ,the war continued intermittently1 with many vicissitudes1 for a century1 but eventually the ,carthagians were overwhelmingly defeated by land and sea4 ,think you that ,carthage or that ,rome will be content1 after the victory1 with its own country and ,sicily8 said a ,greek orator1 while the issues of the struggle in its earliest stage were yet in the balance4 ,rome's vast ambition1 and her abundant means of gratifying it1 justified the orator's fears4 ,the islands of ,sardinia and ,corsica were shortly afterwards seized4 ,defeated in ,sicily1 ,carthage extended her dominions in ,spain and made that country a base for marching through ,gaul to attack the ,romans from the north4 ,though their renowned leader ,hannibal met with success1 their effort was doomed to failure4 ,meanwhile ,roman armies had pushed into ,spain4 ,after a fierce struggle of thirteen years the ,carthagians were completely overcome there1 and ,spain soon became a ,roman province4 ,by the decisive battle of ,zama1 in ,north ,africa1 in #bjb1 ,carthage and its territories became tributary1 and thus all the western ,mediterranean passed under the supremacy of ,rome4 ,eventually in #adf1 as a result of a final war1 ,carthage was razed to the ground1 and its ,north ,african kingdom was constituted a ,roman province under the name of ,africa4 ,war with the ,celts in ,north ,italy1 commencing the next year1 resulted in the extension of the boundary to the ,alps1 and countries beyond began to feel the terror of the ,roman name4 ,eastward ,extension4 ,the second century ,b4,c4 witnessed the spread of the iron rule eastward4 ,the ,grecian ,empire of ,alexander the ,great1 the third mentioned in ,daniel's interpretation1 had embraced all the countries surrounding the eastern half of the ,mediterranean and had stretched far beyond the ,euphrates4 ,the disintegration of ,alexander's empire after his death prepared the way for the ,romans4 ,macedonia1 the former seat of that empire1 was their first great objective4 ,a pretext for war was soon forthcoming1 and war was actually declared in #bjj ,b4,c4 ,a series of struggles ensued1 and ,macedonia was not finally subdued for over thirty years4 ,meanwhile matters had developed in ,greece and ,asia ,minor4 ,in the latter country ,antiochus ,,iii41 the ,great1 who had also conquered ,syria and ,palestine1 was seeking to extend his dominions4 ,cities and states of ,asia ,minor1 however1 groaning under the tyranny of ,antiochus1 appealed to ,rome for aid4 ,the ,romans declared war against him in #aib ,b4,c4 ,the first conflict occurred in ,greece1 which was largely under his influence4 ,an early victory secured the submission of the ,greek states4 ,antiochus retreated into ,asia ,minor1 and was finally crushed at ,magnesia in #aij4 ,the whole of ,asia ,minor was then surrendered to ,rome4 ,actual possession was postponed and local government was largely granted both there and in ,greece4 ,but that policy proved impracticable1 and the force of circumstances compelled a forward movement to universal empire4 ,there was no such thing as the balance of power in the ancient world4 ,once a country became predominant there was nothing for it but the subjugation of its neighbours4 ,the extension of ,rome's dominions eastward was a fulfilment of a destiny beyond its own control4 ,the reverent student of ,scripture sees in the course of these events the unfolding of ,god's plans and the fulfilment of ,his ,word4 ,the final campaign against the ,macedonians was opened in #afi ,b4,c41 and in the next year they were overwhelmed at the decisive battle of ,pydna4 ,macedonia and the adjacent state of ,illyria became tributary1 and eventually were reduced to ,roman provinces4 ,the ,romans then felt the necessity of definitely annexing ,greece4 ,seventy towns in that country were plundered and #aej1jjj inhabitants were sold into slavery4 ,antiochus ,,iv41 ,epiphanes1 was now king of ,syria and ,palestine1 and had possessed himself of almost the whole of ,egypt4 ,such was the effect of the battle of ,pydna1 however1 that he was at once compelled to hand over ,egypt to the conquerors1 and that country became a ,roman protectorate4 ,syria passed under ,roman control at the death of ,antiochus ,epiphanes1 in #afd1 and by the end of a few decades all the states of ,asia ,minor had been incorporated4 ,thus by the middle of this century the ,republic of ,rome had gained ascendancy east and west4 ,its senate was recognised by the civilised world as the supreme tribunal for kings and nations4 ,early in the next century ,dalmatia and ,thrace were subdued1 and the latter was incorporated in the province of ,macedonia4 ,wars with ,mithradates1 ,king of ,pontus1 ,cappadocia and ,armenia1 resulted in the conquest of all his territories1 and provinces were formed out of the states from thence westward to the ,a,egean sea4 ,palestine ,annexed4 ,this century saw the actual interference of ,rome in the affairs of ,judaea4 ,syria had been made a province in #fe ,b4,c4 by the ,roman ,general ,pompey1 and from thence he intervened in a strife which had for some time been raging amongst the leaders of the ,jews4 ,in #fc he marched an army into ,judaea and took ,jerusalem4 ,at the final assault upon the ,temple #ab1jjj ,jews perished4 ,judaea thus passed under the iron heel4 ,as a result of the wars of ,caesar in north-western ,europe1 in #eh-ea ,b4,c41 what are now ,switzerland1 ,france1 and ,belgium were subdued and ,britain was invaded4 ,by ,caesar also ,roman authority in ,africa was consolidated across the entire length of the north of the continent4 ,the conquests of ,rome as a ,republic were complete4 ,the ,mediterranean had become a ,roman lake4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,roman ,,empire ,,in ,,apostolic ,,times4 ,the ,empire ,completed4 ,in #bg ,b4,c4 the purely ,republican form of constitution was abolished1 and the government of the ,roman world was concentrated in the hands of an ,emperor1 the ,caesar ,augustus of ,luke #b4a4 ,in his reign were fulfilled the prophecies foretelling the ,birth of ,christ4 ,when the ,prince of ,peace was born in ,bethlehem the din of strife was hushed throughout the empire1 and ,rome1 under the restraining hand of ,god1 ceased for a time its warring4 ,by ,augustus the northern territories of the empire were extended to practically the entire length of the ,danube4 ,the greater part of ,britain became a province under ,claudius4 ,a later ,emperor1 ,trajan1 added1 at the beginning of the second century ,a4,d41 the province of ,dacia1 covering what are now ,transylvania and most of ,roumania4 ,under ,marcus ,aurelius 7#afa-ahj7 a large part of ,mesopotamia was finally annexed4 ,this completes the actual conquests of the ,romans4 ,we will now note certain characteristics of their method of subjugation1 viewed in the light of ,daniel's prophecy concerning the fourth kingdom1 that1 like iron1 it would break in pieces and crush4 ,the ,crushing of the ,nations4 ,the crushing process was evidenced in many ways1 and especially by the establishment of a general system of slavery1 which almost everywhere supplanted free labour4 ,slave-hunting and slave-dealing became a profession4 ,to such an extent were they carried on at one period that certain provinces were well nigh depopulated4 ,we are told that at the great slave-market in the island of ,delos1 off ,greece1 as many as ten thousand slaves were disembarked in the morning and bought up before the evening of the same day4 ,chained gangs worked under overseers and were confined in prison at night4 ,to take an instance of the extreme rigour of the laws regulating the traffic1 it is recorded by the historian ,tacitus1 that once1 when the ,prefect of ,rome had been killed by one of his slaves1 of whom he owned a vast number1 the whole of his slaves1 many of them women and children1 were executed together1 in accordance with an ancient law4 ,that event took place about the time1 apparently1 at which the ,apostle ,paul arrived at ,rome4 ,but not only were the nations ground down by slavery1 the pages of ,roman history abound in records of wholesale massacre and butchery4 ,we may note1 for instance1 ,luke's statement of ,pilate's slaughter of ,galilaeans while they were sacrificing 7,luke #ac4 #a74 ,records abound1 too1 of grossly burdensome taxation and financial exactions1 in which the ,romans outdid all tyrants that had preceded them4 ,usury flourished in the last century as it had never done before4 ,four per cent4 per month was an ordinary exaction for a loan to a community4 ,on one occasion a ,roman banker1 who had a claim on the municipality of ,salamis1 in ,cyprus1 kept its council blockaded until five of its members died of hunger4 ,by these methods the provinces of the empire were at one period reduced to a condition of unsurpassed misery4 ,nothing could more vividly describe the course of such a kingdom and the control exercised by it than the words of ,daniel quoted above4 ,the ,twofold ,division4 ,this fourth kingdom was destined to be divided2 and in two respects1 territorial and constitutional4 ,the territorial division was indicated by the symbolism of the legs and feet of the image of ,nebuchadnezzar's vision2 the constitutional division was declared in ,daniel's interpretation concerning the iron and clay 7v4 #dj74 ,the former of these divisions claims our consideration first4 ,territorially the kingdom would be first divided into two parts corresponding with the legs of the image4 ,this actually took place in the fourth century of the present era4 ,the ,roman ,empire had continued in a more or less united condition for over three centuries after the accession of its first ,emperor1 ,augustus1 in #bg ,b4,c41 though various signs of a coming division manifested themselves4 ,it was not unusual1 for instance1 for an emperor to appoint an associate with himself in the imperial rank1 and on one occasion ,maximian1 who thus became associated with ,diocletian in ,a4,d4 #bhh1 actually established his seat of government at ,nicomedia1 in ,asia ,minor4 ,constantine 7#cbc-ccg7 united the empire under his sole rule1 but paved the way for the final separation of east from west by founding1 in #cbh1 the city of ,constantinople as a second ,rome1 after his own name1 and establishing it as an eastern centre of government with its own legislative institutions4 ,this arrangement was favoured by several conditions1 national and otherwise1 which characterised the countries of the eastern half as distinct from those of the western4 ,at the death of ,constantine1 in #ccg1 his dominions were divided among his three sons1 a division1 however1 which lasted but a brief time4 ,the empire was in #cec again united under ,constantius1 the survivor of the three4 ,the long impending division into two parts took place under ,valentinian ,i41 in the year of his accession1 #cfd4 ,yielding to the wish of his soldiers that he should associate a colleague with himself1 he placed his brother ,valens in power in the east1 with headquarters at ,constantinople1 he himself retaining control over the west4 ,the ,tenfold ,division4 ,prophetic ,scriptures show that the ,roman ,empire would be further divided4 ,now while the ten toes of the image in ,nebuchadnezzar's dream have not improperly been regarded as indicative of a tenfold division1 the fact that the image had ten toes would be insufficient of itself to signify this1 for the toes are naturally essential to a complete human figure4 ,moreover1 the hands and their fingers1 equally essential parts1 have no territorial significance attached to them4 ,the conclusion regarding the toes is1 however1 justified when we find the tenfold division abundantly confirmed by other ,scriptures4 ,thus the fourth beast in the vision in chapter #g1 which1 as we have seen1 likewise symbolised the ,roman kingdom1 is described as having ten horns 7v4 #g74 ,the interpretation clearly tells us what these are3 ,and as for the ten horns1 out of the kingdom 7the fourth7 shall ten kings arise 7v4 #bd74 ,the ,apocalypse gives us further information regarding this division1 unfolding with increasing clearness the details connected with it4 ,in one of the visions given to the apostle ,john1 he sees a great red dragon1 having seven heads and ten horns 7,rev4 #ab4 #c74 ,the meaning of the ten horns is not there explained4 ,we are told that the great dragon is the old serpent1 he that is called the ,devil and ,satan1 the deceiver of the whole world 7v4 #i74 ,turning now to the next chapter1 we find another vision recorded1 giving a fresh view of the same subject4 ,a beast was seen coming up out of the sea1 having ten horns and seven heads1 and on his horns ten diadems1 and upon his heads names of blasphemy 7chap4 #ac4 #a74 ,again an explanation of the ten horns is withheld1 but that they are identical with those of the twelfth chapter is undeniable4 ,the ,apostle receives1 however1 a further vision1 recorded in chapter #ag3 ,i saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet-coloured beast1 full of names of blasphemy1 having seven heads and ten horns 7chap4 #ag4 #c74 ,and now the symbolism of the horns is explained3 the ten horns that thou sawest are ten kings1 which have received no kingdom as yet2 but they receive authority as kings1 with the beast1 for one hour4 ,these have one mind1 and they give their power and authority unto the beast 7vv4 #ab1 #ac74 ,we are now concerned1 of course1 solely with the tenfold division of the empire2 other details of the visions just referred to remain for later consideration4 ,we cannot fail to see that what is symbolised by the ten toes of the image1 and by the ten horns of the fourth beast as revealed to ,daniel1 is identical with what is symbolised by the ten horns of the dragon and of the beast seen by ,john1 namely1 the ,roman kingdom in its ultimately divided condition4 ,a ,comparison of the ,visions4 ,the following points are noteworthy in comparing these visions relatively to the tenfold division4 ,first1 there is a parallelism in the order of the revelations given to the two seers1 ,daniel and ,john4 ,a preliminary vision is given to each--more than one in the case of ,john--in which1 in the matter of this territorial partition1 symbols occur without explanation4 ,each then receives a further vision1 in the interpretation of which the eventual division into ten kingdoms is plainly disclosed4 ,to ,daniel it is said3 ,as for the ten horns1 out of the kingdom shall ten kings arise2 and to ,john3 ,the ten horns that thou sawest are ten kings1 444 which receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour4 ,second1 the ten kingdoms are seen to be contemporaneous1 as is indicated by the co-existence of the ten horns of the beast1 and further1 by the fact that the ten kings mutually agree to a certain line of policy in handing over their authority to a supreme potentate 7,rev4 #ag4 #ab1 #ac74 ,third1 it is evident that the fourth kingdom is the last of the ,gentile world-powers1 and that it will exist in its tenfold state at the end of the times of the ,gentiles4 ,we observed this above in the case of the image1 from the fact that the stone1 symbolising the kingdom of ,christ1 smote the image upon its toes4 ,so now1 in the vision of the four beasts1 it is the fourth beast that is slain1 his body destroyed1 and given to be burned 7,dan4 #g4 #aa74 ,the ,personal ,agent of this destruction is here made known3 ,i saw in the night visions1 and1 behold1 there came with the clouds of ,heaven ,one like unto a son of man1 and ,he came even to the ,ancient of ,days1 444 and there was given ,him dominion1 and glory1 and a kingdom1 that all the peoples1 nations1 and languages should serve ,him3 ,his dominion is an everlasting dominion1 which shall not pass away1 and ,his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed 7vv4 #ac1 #ad74 ,the finality of the fourth kingdom is clearer still from the interpretation given in the remainder of the chapter4 ,the final world-ruler is1 of course1 prominent in this vision2 in his destruction is involved the destruction of his kingdom2 his power and aggression are terminated when the ,ancient of ,days comes 7v4 #bb72 then it is that the judgment shall sit1 and they shall take away his dominion1 to consume and to destroy it unto the end4 ,and the kingdom and the dominion1 and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven1 shall be given to the people of the saints of the ,most ,high3 ,his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom1 and all dominions shall serve and obey ,him 7vv4 #bf1 #bg74 ,similarly1 again1 in ,revelation #ac and #ag1 in the corresponding visions of the beast and its ten horns1 the ten kings and their federal head1 ruling at the time of the end1 shall war against the ,lamb1 and the ,lamb shall overcome them1 for ,he is ,lord of lords1 and ,king of kings2 and they also shall overcome that are with ,him1 called and chosen and faithful 7,rev4 #ag4 #ad74 ,the crushing of the image by the stone1 the slaying of the fourth beast before the ,ancient of ,days1 and the conquest of the ten kings and their chief by the ,lamb1 are therefore different views of the same event4 ,the tenfold division of the fourth kingdom is obviously still future1 and marks the condition of the world-government at the close of the times of the ,gentiles1 and immediately prior to the kingdom of ,christ4 ,the ,testimony of ,early ,christian ,writers4 ,that the ,roman ,empire would in its final form be divided into ten kingdoms was held by ,christian writers of the earliest post-apostolic times4 ,their opinions are here given1 not as forming any basis of exposition1 but as expressions of early ,christian conception of the ,scriptures under consideration4 ,what is known as ,the ,epistle of ,barnabas1 probably written early in the second century ,a4,d41 quotes from ,daniel concerning the ten kingdoms to show that they would exist at the consummation of the present age4 ,irenaeus 7circa ,a4,d4 #abj-bjb71 a disciple of ,polycarp1 who had been a companion of the apostle ,john1 observes that the ten toes are ten kings1 among whom the kingdom will be divided4 ,tertullian1 a contemporary of ,irenaeus1 remarks that the disintegration and dispersion of the ,roman ,state among the ten kings will produce ,antichrist1 and then shall be revealed that ,wicked ,one1 whom the ,lord ,jesus shall slay with the breath of ,his mouth and destroy by the brightness of ,his manifestation4 ,hippolytus1 who was a follower of ,irenaeus1 and flourished in the first half of the third century1 makes similar reference to the ultimate division4 ,lactantius1 of the latter half of the third and the early part of the fourth centuries1 writes as follows3 ,the ,empire will be sub-divided1 and the powers of government1 after being frittered away and shared among many1 will be undermined4 ,civil discords will then ensue1 nor will there be respite from destructive wars1 until ten kings arise at once1 who will divide the world among themselves to consume rather than to govern it4 ,cyril 7circa #cae-chf71 who became bishop of ,jerusalem in #cej1 quoting from ,daniel1 and speaking of the ,empire and its future division1 implies that teaching on the subject was customary in the churches4 ,jerome 7#cdb-dbj7 observes that at the end of the world1 when the kingdom of the ,romans is to be destroyed1 there will be ten kings to divide the ,roman world among themselves4 ,similarly writes ,theodoret in the fifth century1 and others of that time make more or less direct reference to the subject4 ,while the views of these writers differ considerably on other points of detail1 all are unanimous as to the eventual division of the ,empire among ten contemporaneous potentates4 ,processes at ,work ,since the ,twofold ,division4 ,the mediaeval and modern history of the lands originally constituting the ,roman ,empire is a history of the formation of independent states in such a way as to point to the eventual revival of the ,empire in the tenfold division we have been considering4 ,the process has been a long and involved one1 for the counsels of ,god have had a far wider range than the mere shaping of national destiny4 ,it has been the ,divine pleasure1 for instance1 that the ,gospel should be spread among all nations for the purpose of taking out from among them a people for the ,name of ,christ1 and for the formation thereby of ,his ,church4 ,in contradistinction to this1 and from the standpoint of the world itself1 which1 though under ,god's control1 remains in alienation from ,him1 there has been a gradual development of the political1 social1 and religious principles which are ultimately to permeate the nations4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,the ,,overthrow ,,in ,,the ,,west3 ,,germanic ,,invasions4 ,in the interpretation of his vision of the beast1 ,john is told of its rise1 temporary removal1 and reappearance3 ,the beast that thou sawest was1 and is not2 and is about to come up out of the abyss1 and to go into perdition 7,rev4 #ag4 #h74 ,here the ,roman world-power1 the imperial dominion1 is in view4 ,in verse #aa the final king himself is similarly described4 ,the symbol of the beast is thus employed to describe first the dominion and then its imperial head4 ,this symbolic association of locality and ruler is found elsewhere in ,scripture1 and is illustrated in this very chapter4 ,the seven heads of the beast1 for example1 are interpreted in both ways3 ,the seven heads are seven mountains1 444 and they are seven kings 7v4 #i1 ,r4,v4 7 ,the distinction between verses #h and #aa may be observed in this way3 in the first part of the chapter1 verses #a-h1 the beast is viewed as a whole1 indicating world-wide government2 in verse #aa the scope of the symbol is limited1 the beast is a person1 and is identified with one of the seven heads1 or kings1 he is himself also an eighth1 and is of the seven4 ,with this individual we shall be occupied later4 ,a striking illustration of the symbolic use of the word beast to denote both a kingdom and the ruler over it is to be found in ,dan4 #g1 where the following statements are made3 ,these great beasts1 which are four1 are four kings 7v4 #ag71 and ,the fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom 7v4 #bc74 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,western ,,roman ,,empire ,,under ,,germanic ,,tribes ,the statement of verse #h seems1 then1 undoubtedly to refer to the ,empire2 it did exist1 it ceased to be1 and it will reappear4 ,the assertion that it is not must not be taken to mean that the beast had ceased to exist in ,john's time4 ,the present tense is to be regarded as prophetic4 ,the verb to be often has the force of continuance of existence4 ,the whole statement implies a past existence1 a discontinuance of that existence1 a future reappearance4 ,in the vision recorded in the thirteenth chapter1 ,john saw one of the heads of the beast as though it had been smitten unto death4 ,if1 as seems probable1 this head is imperialism1 then the overthrow of imperial ,rome is likewise indicated in that passage4 ,in the light1 then1 of the words3 ,the beast that thou sawest was1 and is not1 we may now consider how the ,roman ,empire was overthrown4 ,disintegration of the ,western ,half4 ,we have seen that1 at the accession of the ,emperor ,valentinian ,i4 in ,a4,d4 #cfd1 the ,empire was divided into two parts4 ,the succeeding century witnessed the disintegration of the western half4 ,the cause was primarily from within4 ,augustus1 the first ,emperor1 had instituted a policy of settling colonies of barbarians from northern ,europe within the frontiers of the ,empire4 ,later ,emperors adopted the policy more generally4 ,the significance of this lies in the fact that by the barbarians who had already been thus established in the ,empire1 the attacks were commenced which resulted in the dismemberment of its western provinces4 ,alaric and the ,goths4 ,at the close of the fourth century hordes of ,gothic tribes from north-eastern and eastern ,germany set out1 under ,alaric their chief1 in quest of new lands4 ,settlements of these very ,goths had already been established south of the ,danube by the ,imperial ,government as allies of the ,romans4 ,after an excursion into ,italy1 in which they were temporarily checked1 they poured1 in #djf1 into defenceless ,gaul4 ,from thence ,alaric returned to invade ,italy1 and three times in three years besieged ,rome 7#djh-daj71 eventually sacking the city4 ,after his death1 in #daj1 the ,goths retired from ,italy1 entered ,gaul1 and permanently occupied the southern part of that country and a large part of ,spain1 where they were known as ,visigoths 7i4e41 ,western ,goths74 ,other ,germanic tribes also streamed into ,gaul4 ,of these1 the ,franks 7whence the name ,france7 issued from districts around the middle and lower ,rhine and occupied northern ,gaul2 the ,suevi1 from north and north-west ,germany1 passed through into ,spain2 the ,alani1 formerly from eastern ,europe1 settled in west ,france and ,spain2 the ,burgundians1 from eastern ,germany1 seized that part of ,gaul which eventually was named after them1 ,burgundy4 ,the ,vandals1 from northern and central ,germany1 after being defeated by the ,franks1 crossed into ,spain under their leader ,genseric1 and from thence established themselves in the province of ,africa1 in #dbi4 ,this occupation of ,gaul and ,spain was soon perforce recognised by the ,emperor at ,rome4 ,at the death of the ,emperor ,honorius1 in #dbc1 ,rome exercised little more than a nominal authority over the greater part of the west4 ,from ,britain the ,roman troops were withdrawn by ,honorius1 in #dji1 though the final abandonment of the island province did not take place till #dcf4 ,teutonic tribes from ,north ,europe were soon engaged in invading this part of the ,empire4 ,the ,jutes1 from ,jutland1 landed in #ddi1 the ,saxons in #dgg1 and about the same time the ,angles4 ,attila and the ,huns4 ,toward the close of the reign of ,valentinian ,,iii4 7#dcc-dee71 ,gaul and ,italy were invaded by the ,huns under ,attila4 ,the ,huns originally inhabited a large part of central and northern ,asia4 ,in the latter part of the fourth century they moved west into ,scythia and ,germany1 driving the ,goths before them4 ,attila's dominions thereafter extended over a vast area of eastern1 central1 and northern ,europe1 and he was regarded as of equal standing with the ,emperors at ,constantinople and ,rome4 ,after a gigantic but futile incursion into ,gaul1 in #dea1 the ,huns rushed into ,italy1 ravaging its northern plains4 ,an embassy from ,rome and an immense ransom saved the situation4 ,attila died in #dec1 and ,italy was evacuated4 ,the ,huns eventually settled in south-eastern ,europe1 and their dominion dwindled away4 ,a trace of their name may be found in the word ,hungary4 ,genseric and the ,vandals4 ,in ,north ,africa ,genseric the ,vandal established a powerful dominion1 and set about preparing an invasion of ,italy by sea4 ,in #dee 7the last year of the reign of ,valentinian ,,iii47 his army of ,vandals and ,moors attacked ,rome1 which was again given over to pillage4 ,its wealth and treasures were transported to ,carthage1 and with them the vessels of the temple at ,jerusalem2 these had been brought to ,rome in ,a4,d4 #gj by ,titus1 the conqueror of ,jerusalem4 ,for twenty years after ,genseric's achievement ,roman ,emperors existed in little else than name1 the real power being in the hands of a barbarian officer4 ,in #dgf the last ,emperor was deposed by ,odoacer1 the king of the ,heruli1 a tribe which1 issuing from the shores of the ,baltic1 made successful inroads into ,italy and occupied much of the country4 ,odoacer was1 at the request of the ,roman ,senate1 given the reins of government by the eastern ,emperor ,zeno1 and news was despatched to the court at ,constantinople that no longer was there an ,emperor of the west4 ,subsequently1 in #dic1 ,odoacer was slain by ,theodoric1 the king of the ,ostrogoths1 who then became predominant in the ,italian peninsula4 ,the ,ostrogoths 7i4e41 ,eastern ,goths7 had broken off from the main body of their nation1 and after settling south of the ,danube moved into the province of ,dalmatia4 ,northern ,limits of the ,empire4 ,other ,germanic tribes1 in addition to those named above1 firmly established themselves within the northern limits of the ,empire4 ,of these1 two are worthy of mention1 the ,alemanni1 who occupied most of what is now ,switzerland and districts northward1 and the ,lombards1 who settled in north ,italy and the territory north-east of it4 ,the ,ten ,kingdoms not ,formed by the ,germanic ,invasions4 ,there have been various attempts to identify with the ten prophetic kingdoms the states formed from the western half of the ,roman ,empire by the ,germanic tribes from the north4 ,such attempts fail from the standpoints both of history and of prophecy4 ,to group the tribes so as to make ten kingdoms out of them is1 of course1 possible in several ways1 for there were at least eighteen such tribes4 ,accordingly lists put forward differ considerably4 ,but such grouping is manifestly arbitrary4 ,again1 since these invading nations occupied only the western half of the ,empire1 the above allocation of the ten kingdoms necessarily leaves the eastern half out of consideration1 and therefore excludes the land of ,palestine from this stage of the prophetic forecast4 ,now the prophecies concerning the times of the ,gentiles are invariably focussed upon the ,jews and their land4 ,the dealings of ,god with the ,jews form the pivot of ,his dealings with other nations4 ,thus no scheme of prophetic exposition relative to this subject is to be regarded as ,scriptural which excludes ,palestine from its scope4 ,to endeavour to make the ,word of ,god square with facts of history is to tamper with ,scripture and to run the risk of obscuring its meaning and force4 ,the idea that the formation of the ten kingdoms took place in the fifth century fails to stand the test of ,scripture in other respects4 ,of the ten kings prophecy foretells that they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour1 that they have one mind1 and they give their power and authority unto the beast 7,rev4 #ag4 #ac1 #ad74 ,no such tenfold confederacy has existed in ,europe2 it certainly never existed among the chieftains of the ,germanic tribes which invaded the west of the ,roman ,empire in the fifth century1 neither is there any record of such an agreement among them4 ,nor1 again1 can it be said that they made war with the ,lamb and were overcome by ,him 7v4 #ad74 ,these prophecies still await fulfilment4 ,similar considerations apply to the passage in ,daniel #g in reference to the fourth kingdom4 ,the ten kings1 it is said1 would arise out of that kingdom1 and after them another king who would make war with the saints and prevail against them until the ,ancient of ,days came 7vv4 #ba1 #bb1 #bd74 ,again1 since the persecution under the king who arises after the others continues until the ,ancient of ,days comes 7v4 #bb71 his war against the saints must have lasted from the fifth century until the present time1 if he arose in that century4 ,moreover1 as he was said to be going to subdue three kingdoms 7v4 #bd71 the seven kingdoms not so subdued must likewise have continued4 ,this has obviously not been the case4 ,from every point of view it is impossible to assign the tenfold division to any time in the past4 ,illustration3 ,the ,turkish ,empire in the #afth ,century4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,the ,,overthrow ,,in ,,the ,,east3 ,,the ,,turkish ,,empire4 ,having narrated the disintegration of the western half of the ,empire1 we will now recount the events which involved the overthrow of the eastern half4 ,the impoverishment of the imperial power at ,rome1 and the weakening effect of the ,germanic attacks upon it1 tended to enhance the power of the ,emperor at ,constantinople4 ,indeed the eastern ,empire was soon regarded as the more important of the two1 and for some time after the barbarian invasions in ,italy the ,emperors at ,constantinople claimed supremacy over the west4 ,mohammed and the ,khaliphs4 ,the seventh century saw the ascendency of ,mohammed 7born ,a4,d4 #egj7 in ,arabia1 to which country his personal power1 temporal and religious1 was limited4 ,upon his death1 in #fcb1 his followers determined on the invasion of ,persia and the ,asiatic dominions of the ,emperor at ,constantinople4 ,mohammed's successor1 ,abubekr1 the first of the ,khaliphs 7i4e41 representatives of the prophet71 at once waged war in both directions4 ,persia speedily succumbed2 ,syria and ,palestine were subjugated after seven years by the ,khaliph ,omar4 ,the reduction of ,egypt followed1 and during the remainder of this century the ,saracens1 the name by which the followers of ,mohammed became termed in ,christendom1 extended their territory across the entire length of ,north ,africa1 and shortly afterwards even into ,spain1 where they overpowered the then disunited ,visigoths4 ,the ,saracen power in ,western ,asia was distracted during the next century by civil war1 and was further weakened by unsuccessful wars against the ,greeks4 ,at length1 in #gej1 the seat of government was moved from ,damascus to ,bagdad4 ,from the eighth century onward1 though the religion of ,mohammed gained ground1 and continues to do so to-day1 the empire established by his followers dwindled rapidly1 one province after another shaking off its allegiance until at the end of the tenth century its shattered dominions lay open to the nearest invader4 ,the foe appeared in the shape of the formidable ,turk4 ,eastern ,empire at ,end of #ajth ,century4 ,in view of the entrance of this new enemy we may note the extent of the territory belonging at this time to the eastern branch of the old ,roman world1 the ,byzantine ,empire1 as it is termed 7from ,byzantium1 the ancient name of ,constantinople74 ,the ,eastern ,emperors had recovered some of their lost ground in ,asia1 and at the close of the tenth century they held all ,asia ,minor1 ,armenia1 a part of ,syria1 a considerable portion of ,italy1 and all the ,balkan ,peninsula4 ,the ,appearance of the ,turks4 ,beyond the north-eastern border of the ,saracen dominions lay the country of ,turkestan1 inhabited by the ,turks1 a branch of the warlike nation of the ,tartars of ,central ,asia4 ,with them the ,saracens1 after the establishment of their ,government at ,bagdad1 waged successful warfare for a time1 taking numbers of ,turks captive and dispersing them over the ,empire4 ,this only facilitated the eventual downfall of the ,saracen sovereignty4 ,the ,turks in ,western ,asia grew in influence1 and at length the ,turkish troops1 breaking into open revolt1 assumed control over the ,khaliphate1 deposing and nominating the ,khaliphs at their will4 ,the ,turks ,embrace ,mohammedanism4 ,early in the eleventh century the bulk of the ,turkish nation1 under its leader ,tongrol ,bek1 moving out from ,turkestan1 swept down upon ,persia4 ,the ,khaliphate at ,bagdad was1 however1 permitted to remain1 and not only so1 but ,tongrol ,bek and all his tribes embraced the ,mohammedan religion4 ,the invaders then marched west in vast numbers to make an attack upon ,christendom1 and in the course of time subdued ,armenia and most of ,asia ,minor4 ,europe became alarmed1 and the ,byzantine ,emperors eagerly sought the assistance of the nations of the west4 ,hence arose the ,crusades1 which had as their chief object the deliverance of ,palestine from both ,saracens and ,turks1 and which served to retard1 though not to prevent1 the advance of the ,turkish power in ,europe4 ,the ,turks ,enter ,europe4 ,early in the thirteenth century a mighty movement of ,mongols south-west from ,central ,asia1 involving the immediate destruction of the ,khaliphate at ,bagdad1 exerted an important influence upon the ,turks1 in driving those ,turkish tribes which had remained east of ,armenia westward into ,asia ,minor4 ,this resulted in the establishment of various ,turkish dynasties in that country4 ,at the close of the thirteenth century the paramount power over these was exercised by ,osman 7or ,othman1 whence the name ,ottoman71 who seized all that remained of the ancient ,roman world in ,asia1 and thus practically founded the ,ottoman ,empire4 ,in the middle of the fourteenth century the way was opened for the ,ottomans to advance into ,europe4 ,they were invited by one of the rival factions at ,constantinople to undertake their cause4 ,the ,turks accordingly crossed the ,hellespont and seized ,gallipoli and the territory in the vicinity of the capital4 ,constantinople itself was left unattacked for the time4 ,under ,murad ,i41 the grandson of ,osman1 ,roumania and several kingdoms south of the ,danube1 including ,bulgaria1 were subdued4 ,the kings of ,hungary1 ,bosnia and ,serbia rose against the invader1 but were severely defeated1 and by the decisive victory of ,kosovo1 in #achi1 ,serbia and ,bosnia were annexed4 ,constantinople ,taken4 ,constantinople was temporarily saved by another advance of the ,mongol ,tartars upon the ,turkish dominions in ,asia1 where1 in #adjb1 the ,ottomans suffered a severe defeat4 ,from this check they recovered1 and during the first part of the fifteenth century were at war with the ,hungarians and neighbouring races1 whom they eventually overthrew4 ,in #adea ,mohammed ,,ii4 ascended the ,ottoman throne1 and in #adec led an immense army against ,constantinople4 ,the city was taken by storm1 the last of the ,roman ,emperors of the east died fighting1 and ,mohammed ,,ii4 rode in triumph to the cathedral of ,st4 ,sophia1 where he established the ,moslem worship4 ,for over a hundred years after this the ,turkish ,empire continued to extend4 ,egypt was annexed in #aeag1 and in the middle of this century ,tripoli and ,algeria were added1 as well as considerable districts in ,europe and ,asia4 ,the ,turks were now at the zenith of their power4 ,a ,comparison of the ,two ,divisions4 ,recapitulating1 we may compare the two divisions of the ,roman ,empire since their overthrow1 from the prophetic1 religious and political standpoints4 ,from the prophetic point of view our interest in the west has thus far centred in the fact that the ten kingdoms were not formed by the fifth century invasions2 our interest in the east centres chiefly in the land of ,palestine1 wrenched1 as we have seen1 from the eastern ,emperor by the ,saracens1 and then occupied by the ,turks1 who still possess it4 ,from the religious standpoint1 the ,germanic tribes in the west accepted ,roman ,catholicism1 hence its progress in that part of ,europe2 in the east the ,turks had accepted ,mohammedanism when invading the ,empire of the ,khaliphs1 hence the establishment of ,islamism throughout the ,turkish dominions4 ,politically1 the western invasion in the fifth century1 and the consequent amalgamation of the ,teutonic tribes with the peoples formerly under ,roman control1 led eventually to the formation of the various mediaeval monarchies of ,western ,europe which are to-day either kingdoms or republics4 ,affairs in the eastern half of the ,roman world have moved more slowly in this respect1 owing to the prolonged existence of the ,ottoman ,empire4 ,the slow decay of the ,turkish power from the middle of the sixteenth century onward has already resulted in the formation of some ,eastern ,states1 and the process still continues4 ,the ,decline of the ,turkish ,empire4 ,the decline of the power of the ,turks set in during the latter half of the sixteenth century1 when their dominions passed under incapable rulers4 ,in the reign of ,selim ,,ii4 7#aeff-aegd7 occurred the first conflict between the ,turks and ,russians1 the former being driven back from ,astrakkan4 ,in #aeic1 during a war between ,turkey and ,austria1 the provinces of ,transylvania1 ,moldavia1 and ,wallachia rose in revolt4 ,as the result of intermittent wars in the latter half of the seventeenth century ,austria acquired almost the whole of ,hungary4 ,in #aggj ,russia occupied ,moldavia and ,wallachia1 which though nominally for a time under ,turkey were practically ,russian protectorates4 ,during the next few years ,russia regained the ,crimea and all the neighbouring district north of the ,black ,sea4 ,at the commencement of the nineteenth century the ,ottoman ,empire was in a perilous condition4 ,napoleon had plans for its partition4 ,provincial governors were everywhere acting independently of the ,sultan4 ,in #ahjd ,serbia revolted1 and after a few years of persistent struggle obtained its autonomy4 ,greece revolted in #ahbj1 and1 though subdued for a time1 gained its independence in #ahbi through the intervention of ,england1 ,france1 and ,russia1 and chiefly as the result of the naval battle of ,navarino1 in which the ,turco-,egyptian fleet was annihilated4 ,in the same year ,algeria was annexed by the ,french4 ,european rivalries prevented for a time any rapid diminution of the ,empire4 ,the ,crimean ,war of #ahed-e had important consequences for the ,balkan peoples4 ,it gave them1 under the slackening grasp of the ,porte1 twenty years of comparatively quiet national development4 ,in #ahfj ,wallachia and ,moldavia formed themselves into the single state of ,roumania4 ,in #ahff the ,pasha of ,egypt assumed the title of ,khedive 7i4e41 king71 thereby securing a measure of independence for the country4 ,in #ahge the misrule of the ,sultan led to the insurrection of ,bosnia1 ,herzegovina1 and ,bulgaria4 ,serbia and ,montenegro then took up arms4 ,in #ahgg a war with ,russia saw ,turkey without an ally4 ,a complete ,russian victory in #ahgh issued in the treaties first of ,san ,stefano and then of ,berlin1 by which ,turkey yielded to ,russia the state of ,bessarabia and districts south of the ,caucasus1 the independence of ,serbia1 ,montenegro1 and ,roumania were recognised by the ,porte1 ,bulgaria was constituted an autonomous state1 ,bosnia and ,herzegovina were ceded to ,austria1 ,thessaly to ,greece1 and ,cyprus to ,britain4 ,in #ahhe1 as the result of a revolution1 ,eastern ,roumelia became united to ,bulgaria4 ,shortly after that date ,german influence began to gain ascendancy at the court of the ,sultan1 and1 among other affairs1 largely dominated the granting of railway concessions in ,western ,asia4 ,the effects of that influence have been evidenced in the present war4 ,in #aiab ,italy annexed ,tripoli after a brief war4 ,in #aiac a short but sanguinary war with the ,balkan ,states deprived ,turkey of all her ,european dominions save for a small piece of territory in the vicinity of ,constantinople4 ,egypt1 which has been chiefly under ,british control for a considerable period1 has in #aiae been practically annexed by ,britain as a protectorate1 the ,khedive being deposed and a nominee of the ,british ,government being placed in authority4 ,britain has likewise annexed a district north of the ,persian ,gulf4 ,the ,coming ,overthrow4 ,the continual decrease of the ,turkish ,empire1 and more especially during the past hundred years1 affords ground1 apart from other considerations1 for the expectation of its overthrow and the eventual cession of ,palestine to the ,jews1 perhaps by a general agreement among the ,european ,powers1 events which seem not far distant4 ,national jealousies would not permit the permanent annexation of ,palestine by any one of these ,powers1 in whatever way the remaining ,asiatic ,turkish dominions may be divided4 ,a proposal has already been put forward for its annexation to ,egypt4 ,such an arrangement would in any case be merely temporary4 ,to the ,jews the land belongs1 and by ,divine decree the ,jews are to possess it again4 ,illustration3 ,the ,turkish ,empire in #aiad4 ,a ,blank in ,prophecy4 ,it should be observed1 in passing1 that ,scripture is apparently silent concerning the occupation of ,palestine by the ,saracens and ,turks4 ,such silence is noticeable when we remember how definitely the occupation by the other ,gentile powers1 the ,chaldean1 ,medo-,persian1 ,greek1 and ,roman1 and the order and character of their rule1 were predicted4 ,the cause of the silence is not difficult to ascertain4 ,the four ,gentile powers just mentioned had to do with the ,jews as the recognised possessors of ,palestine1 either by way of removing them from their country or restoring them to it1 or during such time as they were permitted to remain in it with liberty to continue their temple worship and sacrifice4 ,the ,chaldeans removed the ,jews from the land1 the ,medo-,persians repatriated them1 the ,greeks permitted their continuance in it1 the ,romans did so too1 until ,a4,d4 #gj1 when they crushed them4 ,when1 however1 the ,saracens and the ,turks seized the land the ,jews had been scattered1 nor have they received national recognition while under them4 ,gentile occupation of ,palestine during such times as the ,jews remain in their present condition seems therefore to receive no direct notice in prophecy4 ,the restoration of ,palestine to the ,jews is closely connected with the revival of the ,roman ,empire in its tenfold form4 ,prior to considering the manner of this revival we must notice how during the period between the overthrow of that ,empire and its coming resuscitation1 its dominions and their government have remained ,roman in character1 thus affording a further proof that the coming and final world-power will not be entirely a new one1 but will be a revival of the ancient ,roman or fourth empire indicated in the prophecies of ,daniel4 ,the ,continuation of ,roman ,government and ,influence4 ,such was the prestige of the ,roman name and authority that the chieftains of the ,germanic tribes which in the fifth century subdued the western half of the ,empire governed the conquered territories1 not so much as tribal chiefs1 but as successors to1 and in continuation of1 the imperial rule2 they introduced no radical changes in the provincial and municipal forms of government of their predecessors4 ,civil organisation remained distinctly ,roman1 and has continued so2 upon it are based some of the chief municipal institutions of modern life4 ,indeed ,roman civil law still remains the foundation of modern jurisprudence4 ,in south-eastern ,europe1 too1 countries which were for centuries under the power of the ,turk retained1 in their municipal institutions and organisation1 the impress of ,roman authority4 ,it should be remembered that though the eastern or ,byzantine portion of the ancient ,roman ,empire was distinct from the western1 its emperors being designated as ,grecian in contrast to the ,roman1 yet its legislative foundations were laid in the ,roman ,empire prior to the division of the east from the west4 ,byzantine imperialism was therefore really ,roman under an eastern title4 ,according as the states in the east have become freed from the ,turkish yoke1 so the character of their government and legislation has conformed in a large degree to those of the west4 ,the further diminution of the ,turkish ,empire will doubtless see a corresponding revival of western conditions and methods4 ,roman ,imperialism ,continued4 ,it is important also to observe that notwithstanding the passing away of the ,roman ,empire as such1 the principle of imperialism remained1 and1 amidst the vicissitudes of national government in ,europe1 has continued to the present time4 ,the imperial power in the west was not abolished when in #dgf the last ,roman ,emperor was deposed4 ,on the contrary1 there was a kind of reunion imperially of the west with the east4 ,for a considerable time the tribal kings of the west received recognition from the eastern emperors1 and were regarded as their associates in imperial control4 ,this was the case even with the ,saxon kings in ,britain1 and on ,saxon coins may be seen to-day the same title1 basileus 7i4e41 king71 as was borne by the emperors at ,constantinople4 ,italy itself was wrested from the ,teutons by the eastern ,emperor ,justinian in the sixth century1 and remained under the ,byzantine ,caesars till #gca4 ,meanwhile the ,roman ,senate continued to exercise its authority1 and in #hjj chose the ,frankish king ,charlemagne as their sovereign4 ,he was already ruling over the greater part of ,western ,europe1 and was now crowned as ,emperor at ,rome by the ,pope4 ,though his empire fell to pieces after his death1 his dominions retained1 and have since retained1 their ,roman character4 ,consideration of space forbids our tracing here the further continuance of imperialism as a factor in ,european politics4 ,recent history and present-day events indicate how rapidly we are approaching its final development at the close of the times of the ,gentiles4 ,the coming confederacy of ,european states will not result in the formation of a new empire1 but will be the revival of the ,roman in an altered form4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,the ,,coming ,,revival ,,of ,,the ,,roman ,,empire4 7#a7 ,the ,geographical ,standpoint4 ,the coming revival of the ,roman ,empire will for our present purpose be best considered from the geographical1 political1 and religious standpoints4 ,geographical ,considerations4 ,any forecast of the exact delimitations of the ten kingdoms constituting the reconstructed ,empire must necessarily be largely conjectural4 ,that their aggregate area will precisely conform to that of the ancient ,roman ,empire does not necessarily follow from the fact of its revival1 and cannot be definitely concluded from ,scripture4 ,an extension of the territories of the ,empire in its resuscitated form would be quite consistent with the retention of its identity4 ,moreover1 if ,roman imperialism may be considered to have continued in the hands of ,teutonic monarchs after the fall of the western part of the ,empire in #dgf1 if1 for instance1 ,charles the ,great1 of whom we have spoken 7p4 #eh71 ruled as a ,roman ,emperor1 despite the passing away of the actual ,empire itself1 then the dominions which were under the rule of these later monarchs may yet be found incorporated in the ,empire1 and so form parts of the ten kingdoms4 ,in that case ,germany and ,holland would be included4 ,possibly1 too1 the ,empire will embrace all the territories which belonged to the three which preceded it1 the ,grecian1 ,medo-,persian1 and ,chaldean4 ,certainly when the stone fell on the toes of the image1 the whole image1 representing these former three as well as the fourth1 was demolished4 ,suggestive also in this respect is the fact that the beast in the vision recorded in ,revelation #ac4 #b was possessed of features of the leopard1 the bear1 and the lion1 the same beasts which represented in ,daniel's vision the ,grecian1 ,medo-,persian1 and ,chaldean kingdoms 7,dan4 #g4 #d-f71 the order in ,revelation #ac being inverted4 ,while political characteristics are doubtless chiefly in view in these symbols1 there may at the same time be an indication of the eventual incorporation of the first three empires in the fourth4 ,it must be remembered1 too1 that the authority of the federal head of the ten kingdoms is to be world-wide3 ,there was given to him authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation 7,rev4 #ac4 #g74 ,it is probable1 therefore1 that while the ten kingdoms will occupy a well defined area1 their dependencies and the countries which are allied with them will embrace practically the remainder of the world4 ,if1 on the other hand1 the ,roman ,empire is to be reconstructed in exact conformity territorially with its ancient boundaries--such a reconstruction is1 of course1 not inconceivable--we must consider what period of the conquests of the ancient ,empire to take1 whether under the first emperor1 ,augustus1 or during the ,apostolic ,age1 or later4 ,we may1 perhaps1 be helped by the facts already mentioned1 that prophecy relating to ,gentile dominion is focussed upon the ,jews and ,palestine1 and has especially in view the presence of the nation in their land4 ,now1 shortly after their overthrow1 in ,a4,d4 #gj1 their national recognition as possessors of the land ceased4 ,this period1 moreover1 corresponds broadly to the close of the ,apostolic ,age4 ,the dispersion of the ,jews among the nations was completed by ,adrian in the next century4 ,he desolated the whole of ,palestine1 expelling all the remaining ,jewish inhabitants4 ,a ,review of the ,ancient ,territories4 ,we will therefore now review the limits of the ,empire and of some of its provinces at that time1 noticing certain circumstances of past and present history suggestive of future issues4 ,in doing so we are not predicting that the boundaries of the revived ,empire will be those of the ancient4 ,commencing with ,north ,africa1 it will be observed1 on referring to the map1 that practically the same strip of territory which belonged to the ,roman ,empire in the times of the apostles has passed directly under the government of countries which were themselves then within the ,empire4 ,for ,spain rules over ,morocco1 ,france over ,algeria and ,tunis1 ,italy recently seized ,tripoli1 and ,britain has1 since ,turkey's entrance into the great war1 virtually taken possession of ,egypt4 ,it seems not a little significant that no country which was outside the limits of the ,empire at the time under consideration has been permitted by ,god to annex these ,north ,african territories since the ,saracens and the ,turks were dispossessed of them4 ,passing now to ,asia1 the territory in that continent which belonged to ,rome in the first century is approximately what remained to ,turkey immediately prior to the present war4 ,mesopotamia and most of ,armenia were included4 ,the war has already seen ,turkey dispossessed of portions of these4 ,the downfall of the ,turkish ,empire would almost certainly involve territorial rearrangements of deepest import in the light of prophecy1 especially as regards ,palestine4 ,divisions of the ,greek ,empire3 ,a ,possible ,renewal4 ,the #hth chapter of ,daniel apparently indicates that the ,asiatic territories of the ,empire will be divided much as they were under the ,greeks after the death of ,alexander the ,great4 ,he was obviously symbolised by the great horn 7v4 #bb74 ,the four horns which came up in its place 7v4 #h7 are clearly1 too1 the four generals who succeeded ,alexander1 and among whom his dominions were divided1 ,cassander ruling over ,macedonia and ,greece1 ,lysimachus over part of ,asia ,minor and ,thrace 7the extent of the latter province was almost exactly what now belongs to ,turkey in ,europe71 ,seleucus over most of ,syria1 ,palestine1 ,mesopotamia1 and the east1 and ,ptolemy over ,egypt4 ,next follows a prediction carrying us to events which are evidently yet future4 ,it is said1 for instance1 that these events will take place in the latter time of their kingdom 7not1 it will be observed1 in the time of the four kings themselves who succeeded ,alexander1 but of the kingdoms over which they ruled71 when the transgressors are come to the full 7v4 #bc74 ,the expressions in this chapter1 the time of the end 7v4 #ag71 the latter time of the indignation1 the appointed time of the end 7v4 #ai71 and the latter time of their kingdom 7v4 #bc71 all point to a period still future1 namely1 to the close of the present age4 ,again1 in reference to the king of fierce countenance1 while much of the prophecy can be applied to ,antiochus ,epiphanes in the second century ,b4,c41 yet no man has hitherto arisen whose character and acts have been precisely those related in verses #i-ab and #bc-be4 ,we may also compare what is said of the transgression that maketh desolate 7v4 #ac7 with the ,lord's prophecy concerning the abomination of desolation 7,matt4 #bd4 #ae-bb71 a prophecy which also manifestly awaits fulfilment4 ,possibly1 therefore1 these ,asiatic territories will be similarly divided in the coming time4 ,in regard to the first of the above-mentioned four divisions1 the recent extension of ,greece to include the ancient province of ,macedonia is remarkable4 ,this was an outcome of the ,balkan ,war of #aiab4 ,the boundaries of ,greece are now approximately what they were under ,cassander in the time of the ,grecian ,empire1 what they were also later as the provinces of ,macedonia and ,achaia in the ,roman ,empire4 ,there has lately1 therefore1 been a significant reversion to ancient conditions in this respect4 ,other ,european ,territories4 ,coming now to the dual-monarchy of ,austria-,hungary1 reference to the map of the ,roman ,empire in the ,apostolic ,age will show that what are now ,hungary1 ,transylvania1 ,bessarabia1 and other states of the present monarchy were without the ,roman boundaries1 while ,pannonia1 or what is now ,austria west of the ,danube1 was within2 even when in the next century ,dacia 7now ,transylvania1 ,bessarabia1 c47 was annexed1 the two parts of the present dual kingdom were separate4 ,the separation of ,hungary from ,austria has for a considerable time been a practical question of ,european politics1 and may be hastened by present events4 ,the northern and north-eastern boundaries of ,italy embraced the ,trentino and the peninsula of ,istria4 ,noticeable1 therefore1 are the present efforts of ,italy to acquire these very districts1 efforts which seem likely to achieve success4 ,roman states north of ,italy covered what are now ,baden1 ,wurtemberg1 ,luxemberg1 and a large part of ,bavaria4 ,the possibility of an eventual severance of these from ,prussian domination has been much discussed of late4 ,the ,rhenish provinces of ,alsace and ,lorraine1 originally portions of the ,roman province of ,gallia 7now ,france71 were snatched from ,france by ,germany in the ,franco-,prussian war of #ahgj-ga4 ,their recovery is a supreme object of the efforts of the ,french in the present war1 and not without hope of success4 ,the ,british ,empire4 ,as to ,britain1 at the time under consideration the greater part of the island was definitely included in the ,roman ,empire4 ,ireland and most of ,scotland were never conquered by the ,romans4 ,should ,britain form one of the ten kingdoms1 there is nothing to show that ,ireland or any other part of the ,british ,empire must of necessity be absolutely separated from it4 ,self-government may yet be possessed by those territories which have not yet received it1 and it is significant that ,ireland has now practically obtained it4 ,that the lands which are linked with ,britain as dependencies1 or as in possession of self-government1 should remain as integral parts of the ,empire is but consistent with the coming world-wide authority of the potentate who will be the federal head of the ten kingdoms4 ,and that each state in the ,british ,empire should have its own local government is1 on the other hand1 consistent with the establishment of a closer and complete confederacy of ten kingdoms1 the area of which may correspond largely to that of the ancient ,roman ,empire4 ,in contrast to the self-government of the other countries of the world at the coming period1 the ten united kingdoms will eventually be absolutely under the control of the final emperor just mentioned1 for the ten kings over these states1 who receive authority as kings with him1 will be of one mind to give their power and authority and their kingdom to him 7,rev4 #ag4 #ab1 #ac1 #ag74 ,what has been said of the ,british ,empire may be true also of others of the ten kingdoms which have colonies or dependencies1 and thus1 while the ten kingdoms will themselves constitute an ,empire1 their alliances and treaties with other countries of the world will apparently involve an extension of the authority of the controlling despot over every tribe and people and tongue and nation 7,rev4 #ac4 #g74 ,if1 for instance1 the ,united ,states of ,america were at that time in alliance with ,britain 7quite a possible contingency71 their joint influence would probably extend to the whole of the ,american continents1 which would thereby acknowledge his authority4 ,we may observe1 too1 the way in which the continent of ,africa has come under certain ,european influences in modern times4 ,the mention of this is simply suggestive4 ,that the ,scripture will be absolutely fulfilled is beyond doubt2 the exact mode of its accomplishment is known to ,god4 7#b7 ,the ,political ,standpoint4 ,european ,federation4 ,agencies are already at work for the establishment of a confederacy of ,european ,states--not the least significant of the many signs that the end of the age is approaching4 ,the movement towards confederacy is doubtless receiving an impetus from the great upheaval in ,europe4 ,a circular issued in ,december1 #aiad1 and distributed far and wide1 announced the formation of a committee of influential men with the object of promoting a ,european ,federation4 ,the circular says3 ,in sight of the present situation of ruin it ought to be the general opinion that a firmer economical and political tie is of utmost importance for all nations without exception1 and that particularly for ,europe the narrower bond of a federation1 based on equality and interior independence of all partaking states1 is of urgent necessity1 which public opinion ought to demand4 ,a pamphlet published by the ,committee recommends that the union of states shall be economical1 political1 and legal1 with an international army as a common guarantee1 and that ,european ,federation should become the principal and most urgent political battle-cry for the masses of all ,european nations1 and declares that when the ,governments are willing1 when the public opinion of all peoples forces them to be willing1 there is no doubt but that a reasonable and practical union of nations will prove to be as possible and natural as is at present a union of provinces1 cantons1 territories1 whose populations often show more difference of race and character than those of nations now at hostilities4 ,the ,committee calls upon the peoples of ,europe to suffer the diplomatists no longer to dispose of them like slaves and by militarism to lash them to fury against each other4 ,it calls upon them to see to it that never and nowhere should a member of any body or ,government be elected who is not an advocate of the ,federation1 and that the trade union1 society1 or club to which any individual belongs should express sympathy with the movement in meetings and in votes4 ,the people1 it is said1 have it now in their power1 more than ever before1 to control the ,powers4 ,two ,possible ,ways of ,federation4 ,the formation of ten federated states1 covering at least the area of the ancient ,empire at the end of the first century of the present era1 may be effected in two ways1 either by the peaceful methods of arbitration and treaty1 or as a result of strife and confusion4 ,that the present ,european ,war will be succeeded by efforts for the creation of permanent international harmony and universal peace is probable1 as is also some attempt at such a federation as is proposed by the above-mentioned ,committee4 ,on the other hand1 sinister indications abound to-day which point to industrial strife and revolution rather than peace4 ,the condition of the industrial world presents a gloomy prospect indeed4 ,there are ominous signs of keener conflict than ever between capital and labour4 ,the forces of ,socialism1 ,syndicalism1 ,communism1 c41 are rapidly increasing in power and in international activity1 and their avowed aims presage anything but peace in the near future4 ,we may take1 for example1 the declared objects of ,the ,alliance of the ,social ,democracy--now incorporated in the ,international ,working ,men's ,association--,to destroy all ,states and all ,churches with all their institutions and laws1 religious1 political1 juridical1 financial1 magisterial1 academical1 economical1 and social1 and to establish in their place industrial co-operation and collective ownership of land and capital4 ,all this sounds very pretentious1 and would probably fail of complete accomplishment1 but the agencies at work for it are strong4 ,attempts on a large scale would certainly lead to unprecedented disorder and chaos4 ,the ,sea ,symbolic of ,national ,unrest4 ,not improbably the ten kingdoms of the reconstructed ,roman ,empire will arise as a result of political and social confusion4 ,thus it was in the case of the ,french ,revolution and the consequent uprising of ,napoleon4 ,a repetition of such events on a far wider scale in the future is quite conceivable4 ,in the prophetic vision given to the ,apostle ,john1 the beast was seen coming up out of the sea 7,rev4 #ac4 #a74 ,now the sea is in ,scripture used figuratively of the nations1 its characteristic restlessness symbolising their commotion and strife4 ,compare the words of ,isaiah3 ,ah1 the uproar of many peoples1 which roar like the roaring of the seas2 and the rushing of nations1 that rush like the rushing of many waters6 ,the nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters3 but ,he shall rebuke them 7,isa4 #ag4 #ab1 #ac2 see also ,psa4 #fe4 #g2 and ,ezek4 #bf4 #c74 ,to national unrest the ,lord ,jesus applied similar language when ,he foretold to the disciples that there would be upon the earth distress of nations1 in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the billows2 men fainting for fear1 and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world 7,luke #ba4 #be1 #bf74 ,so also the waters which ,john had seen in his vision are described by the angel as peoples1 and multitudes1 and nations1 and tongues 7,rev4 #ag4 #ae74 ,daniel1 too1 saw the four great beasts come up from the sea as a result of the breaking forth of the four winds of the ,heaven upon it1 an undoubted representation of a condition of national disturbance 7,dan4 #g4 #b1 #c74 ,that the beast of ,revelation #ac4 #a was seen coming up out of the sea points1 therefore1 to the probability that the ten kings who will have brief authority over the revived ,empire will be raised to their kingdom1 not by constitutional methods1 but as the result of revolutions and the collapse of present-day governments and institutions4 ,revolutions and their ,issues4 ,should any great measure of success attend the syndicalist and communist movements of the day1 and especially if they are internationalised1 the inevitable revolutions and disorder would almost certainly issue1 as revolutions have so frequently issued1 in despotism and autocracy1 and perhaps in this way the ten kings would arise4 ,the overthrow of the governments in the countries involved would remove what has certainly been the great restraint upon lawlessness,a from the times of the apostles until now4 ,everything would be ripe for the appearance of a universal potentate4 ,the cry would arise for a man1 a controlling organiser to bring order out of chaos4 ,the unstable character of the rule of the ten kings1 and the impoverishment of their kingdoms1 would lead them1 as a matter of diplomacy1 to hand over their authority to him4 ,a ,see ,the ,epistles to the ,thessalonians1 with ,notes ,exegetical and ,expository1 by ,c4 ,f4 ,hogg and ,w4 ,e4 ,vine1 note c4 pp4 #bei1 #bfj4 7,glasgow3 ,pickering ,inglis4 #c_/i1 p4f47 ,the ,iron and the ,clay4 ,the political constitution of the successive empires during the time of the ,gentiles was indicated in the image of ,nebuchadnezzar's vision by the various substances of which the parts of the image were composed4 ,while the regular deterioration in the relative value of these substances is noticeable1 we are concerned now with those of the legs and feet4 ,the legs were of iron1 and the feet part of iron and part of potter's clay1 not moist or miry clay1 but earthenware 7,dan4 #b4 #da1 ,r4,v41 margin71 and consequently brittle 7v4 #db1 margin74 ,that the iron symbolised militarism seems clear from what is said of the fourth kingdom1 that as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things3 and as iron that crusheth all these1 shall it break in pieces and crush 7v4 #dj74 ,nations are broken and crushed by military power1 and thus the nations were treated by the ,romans4 ,this was further signified by the iron teeth of the fourth beast1 as is definitely stated in ,daniel #g4 #ai1 #bc3 ,and shall devour the whole earth1 and shall tread it down1 and break it in pieces4 ,the supposition that the clay represents democracy is gratuitous and arbitrary4 ,the early ,roman ,empire1 symbolised by the legs of the image1 was built up under democratic rule4 ,when republicanism was superseded by imperialism1 democratic principles still prevailed4 ,democracy1 therefore1 played its part from the very commencement of the fourth kingdom1 and had it been symbolised by the clay1 not only the feet and toes but the legs themselves would have consisted of mingled iron and clay4 ,moreover1 democracy in the generally accepted sense of the term has not always been found to be of an unstable or brittle character2 witness the republicanism of the ,united ,states4 ,democracies1 too1 may be established on strictly constitutional principles4 ,another explanation1 therefore1 of the symbolism of the clay must be sought1 and it is not unlikely to be found in those revolutionary principles to which we have already referred1 which were evidenced at the time of the ,french ,revolution1 and are finding expression1 though in greater variety to-day1 in such projects as those of the ,international ,working ,men's ,association4 ,certainly the masses of the people of ,europe are being permeated both by militarism and by the revolutionary doctrines of which we have spoken4 ,should these principles spread among the civil services and forces1 everything would be in a complete state of preparedness for ,unprecedented ,political and ,social ,upheaval which would effect the overthrow of present forms of government4 ,from the world's point of view the situation would require a consummate genius with powers of world-wide organisation4 ,doubtless ,satan's masterpiece of infidel ingenuity would be at hand for the occasion4 ,we are not predicting that this is to be the manner of the revival of the ,empire and of the advent of its imperial head4 ,we have merely suggested possible circumstances in the light of ,scripture and present-day movements4 ,the actual circumstances attending the rise of the ten kings and their ,emperor must for the time remain conjectural4 ,certainly these kings will receive authority with him for one hour 7,rev4 #ag4 #ab71 a phrase which may be translated at the same time2 and certainly they will agree to give their power and authority to him 7v4 #ac74 7#c7 ,the ,religious ,standpoint4 ,we will now note the religious conditions which are to prevail for a time upon the resuscitation of the ,empire4 ,these are plainly indicated for us in ,revelation #ag4 ,the apostle sees a woman sitting on the seven-headed and ten-horned beast4 ,the woman is gorgeously arrayed1 holds in her hand a golden cup full of abominations1 and is drunken with the blood of the saints4 ,her name1 written on her forehead1 is ,mystery1 ,babylon the ,great1 the mother of the harlots and of the abominations of the earth 7vv4 #c-f74 ,the woman is symbolically described as the city of ,rome 7v4 #ah71 and that leads on to a second mention of ,babylon1 in chapter #ah1 and a new description4 ,now to the description of the woman in chapter #ag nothing more closely corresponds than the ,papacy4 ,but if the ,babylon of chapter #ag is to be identified with that of chapter #ah1 the ,papacy answers to the whole description only to a limited extent4 ,while1 however1 there is much in common in the two descriptions in these chapters1 yet the two ,babylons are possibly to be distinguished4 ,the ,babylon of chapter #ag is a mystery1 not so that of chapter #ah4 ,again1 the destruction of the one is different from that of the other4 ,the first will be destroyed by the ten kings and their emperor 7#ag4 #af71 the second by the direct judgment of ,god 7#ah4 #e1 #h1 #bj72 the first as the result of human antagonism1 the second by famine1 fire and earthquake4 ,we are perhaps1 therefore1 justified in taking the more limited view in connection with the circumstances of chapter #ag4 ,even so the woman may be regarded as representing the apostate sacerdotal systems which have sprung from the ,papacy as well as that system itself4 ,the position of the woman indicates an exercise of power which is voluntarily supported by the beast4 ,that she sits upon the waters implies her religious dominion over the nations2 that she is carried by the beast1 who rules over the nations politically1 implies that there will be a complete alliance between her and the ten kings with their chief1 and that the sphere of her influence will be co-extensive with the dominions of the beast4 ,the ,papacy3 ,its ,present ,power4 ,now though the ,papacy lost its temporal power in #ahgj1 it is far from having lost its political influence4 ,ecclesiastically1 too1 though it has received various set-backs1 it is manifestly gaining power4 ,this is especially observable1 for example1 in ,britain1 the overthrow of which as a ,protestant ,power is undoubtedly the object of the persistent aggressiveness of ,romanism4 ,this aggressiveness is manifest in all the dominions of the ,british ,empire1 as well as in other lands4 ,again1 while certain governments have of late shaken off the ecclesiastical yoke1 and infidelity has spread among the people of ,roman ,catholic lands1 the number of ,roman ,catholics has increased with great rapidity4 ,they were estimated at somewhat over #bjj1jjj1jjj twenty years ago1 they are now said to number about #cjj1jjj1jjj4 ,indications are not wanting of a tendency towards ,a ,reunion of ,christendom1 which would be facilitated by a willingness on the part of the ,papacy to adapt itself to the impulse of the time4 ,present events1 therefore1 point to a great renewal of ,papal power involving the fulfilment of the prophecy relating to the woman and the beast that carries her4 ,this renewed alliance between the political and the ecclesiastical powers will1 however1 be of brief duration4 ,the successful efforts of governments in recent times to liberate themselves from ,papal authority1 as in the case of ,france and ,portugal1 are but foreshadowings of the eventual entire destruction of ecclesiasticism and sacerdotalism under the revived ,roman ,empire4 ,the ten horns 444 and the beast1 these shall hate the harlot1 and shall make her desolate and naked1 and shall eat her flesh1 and shall burn her utterly with fire 7,rev4 #ag4 #af74 ,thus it would seem that1 when at the very zenith of its power and ambition1 the ,papacy1 at the head of amalgamated ,christendom1 will suddenly meet its doom4 ,the ,doom of ,religious ,babylon4 ,its accumulated wealth would probably be an incentive in determining the ten kings to take this step1 owing possibly to the impoverishment of their kingdoms as a result of wars and political and social upheavals4 ,an additional cause will doubtless be the widespread spirit of antagonism against all religion4 ,submission to the ,papal yoke has invariably had an aftermath of infidelity2 similarly the temporary subservience of the beast to the woman will issue in the casting off of all religious restraint and in the universal acknowledgment of the presumptuous claims of the world-ruler4 ,satanic ,authority of the ,emperor4 ,the authority of this final emperor of the ,roman kingdom will be ,satanic4 ,the dragon gave him his power1 and his throne1 and great authority 7,rev4 #ac4 #b72 the beast 444 was1 and is not2 and is about to come up out of the abyss1 and to go into perdition 7,rev4 #ag4 #h74 ,this implies that he has been on the earth in the past4 ,the same thing is indicated in the interpretation of the seven heads4 ,topographically they are described as seven mountains1 personally as seven kings 7v4 #i74 ,of these1 five had fallen1 the sixth was in power in ,john's time1 the seventh had not then come 7v4 #aj74 ,the beast 7clearly here symbolising1 not a kingdom1 but a person7 would be an eighth1 and yet would be of the seven 7v4 #aa74 ,these heads have been regarded by some as forms of government1 by others as empires1 or again1 as emperors4 ,there seems to be no reason why they are not to be regarded as emperors1 though doubtless their empires are in view1 as being associated with them4 ,accordingly1 the fact that the eighth is also one of the seven indicates his reappearance on the scene4 ,various suggestions have been made as to his identification1 but this must remain uncertain until his advent4 ,with him the ten kings for a time receive authority 7v4 #ab71 subsequently handing it over to him with their kingdom 7v4 #ag71 but not before they have together with him crushed the great religious system symbolised by the woman 7v4 #af74 ,his stupendous power and brilliant abilities1 the evidence of his superhuman origin1 his phenomenal capacity for organisation1 and the consolidation of the empire under his absolute control will cause the whole world to marvel at him 7,rev4 #ac4 #c2 #ag4 #h74 ,to the world1 in its divinely inflicted and therefore retributive delusion1 he will appear like a god who has come to deliver from woe1 and to introduce the long-looked-for age of peace and prosperity4 ,wonder will be succeeded by worship1 both of the man and of ,satan4 ,they worshipped the dragon1 because he gave his authority unto the beast2 and they worshipped the beast1 saying1 ,who is like unto the beast8 and who is able to war with him8 7#ac4 #d74 ,the world is now in course of rapid preparation for all this3 ,the ,superman has of late become a much discussed topic in various classes of society and in the press1 and the idea is supported by the theories of evolution which are receiving increasingly wide acceptance4 ,a spirit of expectancy is being thus aroused which will undoubtedly facilitate the recognition of the man himself at his advent1 and the acknowledgment of his claims to divine honour4 ,but this will involve the worship of ,satan1 and to this end the effective agency of ,spiritism has been long at work4 ,spiritism leads to devil worship4 ,it must do so2 its energising power is ,satan himself4 ,both spiritism and theosophy1 and similar forms of error1 all of which are rapidly on the increase to-day1 are paving the way for world-wide worship of the dragon4 ,the imperial power and worship of this emperor will be promoted by another potentate similarly energised by ,satan4 ,this latter is the second beast1 described in ,revelation #ac4 #aa-;end4 ,later on in the book he is called ,the ,false ,prophet 7,rev4 #af4 #ac2 #ai4 #bj2 #bj4 #aj71 indicating that his activities are chiefly of a religious character1 and perhaps that he will be more closely connected with ,jewish affairs4 ,he will make the earth and them that dwell therein worship the beast1 the emperor of the ten kingdoms 7#ac4 #aa71 deceiving the world by supernatural signs wrought in the presence of the first beast 7v4 #ab71 and enforcing the worship of his image 7v4 #ae71 the abomination of desolation set up in the temple at ,jerusalem 7,matt4 #bd4 #ae74 ,with the worship of an image the times of the ,gentiles began 7,dan4 #c4 #a71 and with similar idolatry they will end4 ,in the days of the early ,roman emperors their deification was celebrated by the adoration of their images4 ,then1 as formerly under ,nebuchadnezzar1 those who refused to worship suffered death4 ,so will it be under the final emperor and his colleague4 ,various opinions are held regarding these two beasts of ,revelation #ac1 as to which is the ,man of ,sin spoken of by ,paul in #b ,thessalonians #b1 which the ,antichrist mentioned in ,john's ,epistles1 and which of the two is the wilful king described in ,daniel #aa4 ,limitations of space preclude our entering into the subject in detail here4 ,the present writer holds the view that all three are the same person1 and that they are also the same as the horn in ,daniel #g4 #h1 #aa1 and as the first beast of ,revelation #ac1 and that these are all different descriptions of the final head of the revived ,empire4 ,the ,old ,testament passages somewhat briefly announce the arising of this world-wide ruler2 the ,new ,testament passages unfold and expand the preceding predictions concerning him1 among the additional details given in the ,new ,testament being the fact that he is to have a prophet who will assiduously support his claim to deity and his administration4 ,it is the world-emperor1 and not his prophet1 who is to be worshipped1 and who therefore proclaims himself as ,god 7#b ,thess4 #b4 #d74 ,his prophet1 the second beast of ,revelation #ac1 in the exercise of all the power of the first1 will cause the world to worship him 7#ac4 #ab74 ,as his prophet and prime minister he would not himself endeavour to usurp the position of him whose avowed deity he seeks to support4 ,the similarity of the details in the above-mentioned passages indicates that the same person is in view in each case4 ,his blasphemies1 for instance1 and his assumption of deity are mentioned in ,daniel #g4 #be2 #aa4 #cf1 #cg2 #b ,thessalonians #b4 #c1 #d1 and ,revelation #ac4 #e1 #f1 and his war with the saints in ,daniel #g4 #ba1 #be and ,revelation #ac4 #g4 ,further1 the blasphemous proclamation of himself as ,god is consistent with what is said in ,john's ,epistles concerning the ,antichrist4 ,for in his self-deification he is directly antagonistic to ,christ1 he denies that ,jesus is the ,christ1 and therefore denies the ,father and the ,son 7#a ,john #b4 #bb74 ,the two potentates will establish not only a universal religion1 but also a ,universal ,system of ,commerce4 ,the second beast causeth all1 the small and the great1 and the rich and the poor1 and the free and the bond1 that there be given them a mark on their hand1 or upon their forehead2 and that no man should be able to buy or to sell1 save he that hath the mark1 even the name of the beast or the number of his name 7,rev4 #ac4 #af1 #ag74 ,this indicates a world-wide protectionist system1 such a system as1 for instance1 might conceivably be established under some form of syndicalism4 ,undeniably1 circumstances in the industrial world to-day manifest an increasing tendency in this direction4 ,the principles previously mentioned1 as now making for industrial and international revolution1 and the present stupendous movements towards amalgamation1 are clearly preparing for the fulfilment of this prophecy by facilitating the eventual establishment of the unrighteous commercial system of the reconstituted ,empire4 ,illustration3 ,palestine1 to illustrate ,psalm #bi4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,the ,,everlasting ,,kingdom4 ,we have now to consider the dealings of the two beasts1 the final ,roman emperor and his false prophet1 with ,the ,jews4 ,with the ,romans the ,jews joined in the death of ,christ1 and with the rulers of this fourth empire they will be in agreement for a time at the close of their long course of apostasy4 ,this was especially made known to ,daniel in the prophecy of ,the ,seventy ,weeks 7,dan4 #i74 ,these weeks 7lit41 hebdomads1 or periods of seven1 i4e41 seven years each7 had been divinely decreed 7or cut off1 i4e41 from the period of the times of the ,gentiles7 upon his people and his city4 ,from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build ,jerusalem unto the ,anointed ,one 7the ,messiah71 the ,prince1 would be seven weeks and threescore and two weeks4 ,after this the ,anointed ,one would be cut off1 and would have nothing 7,dan4 #i4 #bd-bf74 ,this period is #fi times #g1 or #dhc years1 and to the very day this was the period commencing with the command of ,artaxerxes ,longimanus1 ,king of ,persia1 for the restoration of ,jerusalem 7,neh4 #b4 #a-i71 and ending with the triumphal entry of ,christ into the city 7,matt4 #ba4 #a-aa74;,b ,four days later ,he was crucified1 the ,anointed ,one was cut off and had nothing1 i4e41 ,he did not enter then upon ,his ,messianic kingdom4 ,the prophecy predicted that the people of the prince 7lit41 a prince7 that would come would destroy the city and the sanctuary4 ,that took place in ,a4,d4 #gj1 under ,titus ,vespasianus4 ,but ,titus is not the prince that shall come4 ,this1 apart from other considerations1 is clear from what follows3 ,and his 7the prince's7 end shall be with a flood 7or rather1 'in the overflowing1' i4e41 of the wrath of ,god71 a prediction at once inapplicable to ,titus4 ,the mention of ,the ,last ,week is deferred1 indicating an interval between the sixty-ninth and the seventieth4 ,now the events predicted for the seventieth had no historical fulfilment immediately after the sixty-ninth4 ,the one1 therefore1 did not follow the other consecutively4 ,at the commencement of the intervening period the ,jews were scattered from their land4 ,at the seventieth they will have been restored1 and the events of that week concern the prince that shall come1 the last world-emperor1 and his dealings with them4 ,he shall make a firm covenant with many 7lit41 'the many1' i4e41 the great majority of the nation7 for one week 7v4 #bg74 ,this covenant is described in ,isaiah's prophecies as a covenant with death and an agreement with ,hell4 ,the covenant1 he says1 shall be disannulled1 and the agreement shall not stand2 when the overflowing scourge shall pass through1 then ye shall be trodden down by it 7,isa4 #bh4 #ah74 ,that this refers to a time yet future and not to past ,israelitic history may be gathered from verse #bb1 where the theme and the language are similar to those of the passage in ,daniel now under consideration4 ,daniel tells us the mode of the disannulling4 ,in the midst of the week 7,r4,v41 margin7 he shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease4 ,accordingly after three and a half years the ,antichrist1 manifesting his real character1 will prove himself a traitor and break the covenant1 and thus ,isaiah's prediction will be fulfilled4 ,b ,see ,the ,coming ,prince1 by ,sir ,robert ,anderson4 ,price1 #e_/4 ,apparently at the very time when he thus breaks his league with the ,jews the ,antichrist will determine upon his public deification and the establishment of his worship in the ,temple4 ,for he it is who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called ,god1 or that is worshipped2 so that he as ,god sitteth in the ,temple of ,god1 showing himself that he is ,god 7#b ,thess4 #b4 #d74 ,this1 with the setting up of his image1 will doubtless be the fulfilment of the prophecies recorded by ,daniel1 that upon the wing 7or pinnacle7 of abominations shall come one that maketh desolate 7,dan4 #i4 #bg1 cp4 #aa4 #ca and #ab4 #aa71 and they shall profane the sanctuary1 even the fortress1 and shall take away the continual burnt offering1 and they shall set up the abomination that maketh desolate 7#aa4 #ca1 cp4 #ab4 #aa72 a fulfilment also of the ,lord's prediction that the abomination of desolation1 which was spoken of by ,daniel the prophet1 will stand in the holy place 7,matt4 #bd4 #ae74 ,in the establishment of this blasphemous worship of the emperor1 the false prophet will play a prominent part1 as we have seen from the latter part of ,revelation #ac4 ,the many references to the desolator and the desolations are indicative of the ,fierce ,persecution which will follow4 ,this will be at first directed against the remnant1 the large numbers of ,jews who will repudiate allegiance to the beast and to the false prophet1 many doubtless having been converted to their coming ,messiah through the testimony of two witnesses who will be sent from ,god to the nation4 ,they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days1 clothed in sackcloth 7,rev4 #aa4 #c-ac74 ,the success of their ministry will apparently arouse the bitter antagonism of ,satan and his human instruments4 ,the breaking of the covenant with the people as a whole indicates that an effort will also be made to crush the entire nation4 ,thus the latter half of the seventieth week will be the time of ,jacob's trouble1 a time of trouble1 such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time 7,dan4 #ab4 #a71 though the unprecedented tribulation will not be confined to the ,jews only4 ,armageddon and ,after4 ,the bitter antagonism of the man of sin1 and his colleague1 the false prophet1 against ,god and ,his people will culminate in the gathering together of all the forces of the ,empire in ,palestine in final conflict for the complete domination of the world4 ,this tremendous event is thus indicated by the apostle ,john3 ,and ,i saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon1 and out of the mouth of the beast1 and out of the mouth of the false prophet1 three unclean spirits1 as it were frogs3 for they are the spirits of devils 7correctly1 demons71 working signs2 which go forth unto the kings of the whole world1 to gather them together unto the war of the great day of ,god1 the ,almighty 7,rev4 #af4 #ac1 #ad74 ,in reality the issue at stake will be the supremacy of ,christ or of ,satan in the earth4 ,the objective will be neither territorial conquest nor naval supremacy1 nor commercial predominance4 ,the war of the beast and the ten kings under him is against the ,lamb 7,rev4 #ag4 #ad74 ,this the second ,psalm had foretold3 ,why do the nations rage1 and the peoples imagine a vain thing8 ,the kings of the earth set themselves1 and the rulers take counsel together against the ,lord1 and against ,his ,anointed1 saying1 ,let us break their bands asunder1 and cast away their cords from us4 ,the issue is not uncertain3 ,he that sitteth in the ,heavens shall laugh3 the ,lord shall have them in derision4 ,the ,scene of the ,conflict is ,har-,magedon1 commonly known as ,armageddon 7,rev4 #af4 #af74 ,the name1 which is associated with ,megiddo1 a locality famed in ,old ,testament history for its decisive battles 7,judges #e4 #ai2 #b ,kings #bc71 doubtless stands here for a wider area1 stretching1 as we shall see1 from the north to the south of the land4 ,the combatants1 the conflict and its conclusion1 are described by ,john in vivid language of terrible grandeur in ,revelation #ai4 #aa-ba3 ,and ,i saw the ,heaven opened2 and behold1 a white horse1 and ,he that sat thereon1 called ,faithful and ,true2 and in righteousness ,he doth judge and make war4 ,and ,his eyes are a flame of fire1 and upon his head are many diadems2 and ,he hath a name written1 which no one knoweth but ,he ,himself4 ,and ,he is arrayed in a garment sprinkled with blood3 and ,his name is called the ,word of ,god4 ,and the armies which are in ,heaven followed ,him upon white horses1 clothed in fine linen1 white and pure4 ,and out of ,his mouth proceedeth a sharp sword1 that with it ,he should smite the nations3 and ,he shall rule them with a rod of iron3 and ,he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of ,almighty ,god4 ,and ,he hath on ,his garment and on ,his thigh a name written1 ,,king ,,of ,,kings1 ,,and ,,lord ,,of ,,lords4 ,and ,i saw an angel standing in the sun2 and he cried with a loud voice1 saying to all the birds that fly in mid heaven1 ,come and be gathered together unto the great supper of ,god2 that ye may eat the flesh of kings1 and the flesh of captains1 and the flesh of mighty men1 and the flesh of horses and of them that sit thereon1 and the flesh of all men1 both free and bond1 and small and great4 ,and ,i saw the beast1 and the kings of the earth1 and their armies1 gathered together to make war against ,him that sat upon the horse1 and against ,his army4 ,and the beast was taken1 and with him the false prophet that wrought the signs in his sight1 wherewith he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast1 and them that worshipped his image3 they twain were cast alive into the lake of fire that burneth with brimstone3 and the rest were killed with the sword of ,him that sat upon the horse1 even the sword which came forth out of ,his mouth3 and all the birds were filled with their flesh 7,rev4 #ai4 #aa-ba74 ,ezekiel similarly describes the scene in his prophecy in chapter #cj4 #ag-ba4 ,thus it is that the climax of the world's rebellion against ,god is to meet its doom4 ,this is the manner of the overthrow of the ten-kingdomed empire1 the fourth of ,daniel's visions4 ,accordingly1 what we have now read from ,revelation #ai is identical with 7#a7 the falling of the stone upon the feet of the image in ,nebuchadnezzar's vision1 the annihilation of all ,gentile government 7,dan4 #b4 #de72 7#b7 the consuming of the dominion of the fourth beast in ,daniel's subsequent vision 7,dan4 #g4 #bf72 7#c7 the pouring out of ,god's wrath upon the ,antichrist1 the desolator 7,dan4 #i4 #bg72 and 7#d7 the coming of the ,son of ,man on the clouds of ,heaven with power and great glory 7,matt4 #bd4 #cj74 ,the great emperor1 the man of sin1 is to be crushed by the ,lord ,jesus1 with the breath of ,his mouth1 and brought to nought by the manifestation of ,his coming 7#b ,thess4 #b4 #h74 ,now this manifestation of ,his coming is1 to transliterate the ,greek words1 ,the ,epiphany of ,his ,parousia4 ,an epiphany is1 literally1 the 'shining forth' of that which has been hidden2 and the word ,parousia is1 literally1 'presence' 7see margin of ,r4,v4 and ,phil4 #b4 #ab74 ,this latter word is used of the coming of ,christ to the air for ,his saints1 'to receive them unto ,himself1' and of their consequent presence with ,him 7#a ,thess4 #b4 #ai74 ,they are thus to be ever with the ,lord 7#a ,thess4 #d4 #ag71 and with ,him they will come when ,he descends at ,his revelation from ,heaven with the angels of ,his power in flaming fire1 rendering vengeance to them that know not ,god1 and to them that obey not the ,gospel of our ,lord ,jesus 7#b ,thess4 #a4 #g1 #h74 ,the sudden bursting forth of ,his glory thus to execute judgment 7,jude #ae7 will be the ',epiphany1 or shining forth1 of ,his ,parousia1' and by it the ,man of ,sin is to be brought to nought and his empire demolished4 ,he and his false prophet will be cast alive into the lake of fire1 and his armies will perish 7,rev4 #ai4 #bj1 #ba74 ,this is to be the issue of the world's attempts to establish a millennium of its own by schemes of federation and amalgamation4 ,this is the upshot of its fancied progress and improvement without ,god and ,his ,christ4 ,we must now see what other ,scriptures have to say concerning this scene4 ,the instrument which the ,lord uses for the destruction of ,his foes is a sword which proceeds out of ,his mouth2 the destruction is described as the treading of the winepress4 ,the ,voice of the ,lord4 ,first1 as to the instrument4 ,the sword is symbolic of the utterance of the ,lord's voice4 ,no material instrument is needed1 a word is enough4 ,this is clear from many passages4 ,in the second ,psalm the overthrow of the foe is thus described3 ,then shall ,he speak unto them in ,his wrath1 and vex them in ,his sore displeasure 7v4 #e74 ,joel prophesies of the same event3 ,the sun and the moon are darkened1 and the stars withdraw their shining3 and the ,lord uttereth ,his voice before ,his army2 for ,his camp is very great2 for ,he is strong that executeth ,his word3 for the day of the ,lord is great and very terrible2 and who can abide it8 7,joel #b4 #aj1 #aa2 and see #c4 #af4 ,with this compare ,isa4 #aa4 #d and #cj4 #cj-cc47 ,the same voice of judgment is implied in ,paul's prediction of the doom of the lawless one1 that the ,lord ,jesus will slay him with the breath of ,his mouth 7#b ,thess4 #b4 #h74 ,in the same connection we are doubtless to read ,psalm #bi1 the ,psalm which describes the terrible majesty and effect of the voice of the ,lord4 ,we must presently dwell more fully upon this ,psalm in order to observe its application to the circumstances under consideration1 and its connection with the passages which describe the judgment of the foe as ,the ,treading of the ,winepress4 ,these passages are ,isaiah #fc4 #a-f2 ,joel #i4 #af2 ,revelation #ad4 #ag-bj1 and the one already quoted in ,revelation #ai4 ,it is observable1 too1 that in the first of these the voice of the ,lord is mentioned again1 for the ,deliverer describes ,himself as ,i that speak in righteousness4 ,we shall first refer to ,revelation #ad4 #ag-bj4 ,two angels appear coming forth1 the one from the temple in ,heaven with a sickle in his hand1 the other from the altar4 ,the latter calls to the one with the sickle to gather the clusters of the vine of the earth1 symbolic of the ,man of ,sin and his gathered armies4 ,the angel then casts his sickle into the earth1 gathers the vintage1 and casts it into the winepress of the wrath of ,god4 ,the winepress is trodden without the city1 and there came out blood from the winepress1 even unto the bridles of the horses1 as far as a thousand and six hundred furlongs 7i4e41 #bjj miles74 ,the great emperor and his prophet1 and their vast forces1 will thus be gathered in dense battle array throughout the length of ,palestine1 ,jerusalem being their objective4 ,joel calls the scene of the battle the ,valley of ,decision4 ,come1 tread ye1 says the prophet1 for the winepress is full1 the fats overflow2 for their wickedness is great4 ,multitudes1 multitudes in the valley of decision6 for the day of the ,lord is near in the valley of decision 7,joel #c4 #ac1 #ad74 ,the multitudes are the forces of the ,man of ,sin4 ,the first six verses of ,isaiah #fc narrate in the form of a dialogue ,the ,overthrow of the ,man of ,sin and his forces4 ,the dialogue is between ,messiah the ,deliverer and the ,jews4 ,having just overthrown the foe in the treading of the winepress1 and the armies of the ,empire being destroyed throughout the battle line from the north of the land to the south1 the ,messiah1 in the fruits of ,his victory1 reveals ,himself to ,his astonished earthly people4 ,in wondering admiration they exclaim3 ,who is this that cometh from ,edom1 with dyed garments from ,bozrah8 this that is glorious1 marching in the greatness of ,his strength8 ,to this their ,deliverer answers1 ,i that speak in righteousness1 mighty to save4 ,the significance of this is at once apparent to the reader who calls to mind the various passages mentioned above in reference to the voice of the ,lord4 ,i that speak in righteousness--this is the voice uttered before ,his army 7,joel #b4 #aj71 the sword that proceedeth out of ,his mouth 7,rev4 #ai4 #ae72 the breath of ,his mouth1 by which the ,man of ,sin is crushed 7#b ,thess4 #b4 #h71 and the voice of ,psalm #bi4 ,the people1 struck by the appearance of the ,victor1 next ask3 ,wherefore art ,thou red in ,thine apparel1 and ,thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat8 ,the language is doubtless symbolic4 ,messiah explains in reply how the threatening foes have been crushed3 ,i have trodden the winepress alone2 and of the peoples there was no man with ,me3 yea1 ,i trod them in ,mine anger1 and trampled them in ,my fury2 and their lifeblood is sprinkled upon ,my garments1 and ,i have stained all ,my raiment4 ,for the day of vengeance was in ,mine heart1 and the year of ,my redeemed is come4 ,and ,i looked1 and there was none to help2 and ,i wondered that there was none to uphold3 therefore ,mine own arm brought salvation unto ,me2 and ,my fury1 it upheld ,me4 ,and ,i trod down the peoples in ,mine anger1 and made them drunk in ,my fury1 and ,i poured out their lifeblood on the earth 7vv4 #c-f74 ,the words of a previous prophecy express the joyful recognition of the delivered nation3 ,and it shall be said in that day1 ,lo1 this is our ,god2 we have waited for ,him1 and ,he will save us3 this is the ,lord2 we have waited for ,him1 we will be glad and rejoice in ,his salvation 7,isa4 #be4 #i74 ,turning now to ,psalm #bi we find ,the ,scene of ,judgment strikingly depicted2 the very length of the battle line is indicated1 in agreement with the later and clearer description in ,revelation #bj4 #ad4 ,indeed1 the passages which foretell the events of this coming terrible day afford a remarkable illustration of the progressive character of the revelations of ,scripture4 ,the ,psalm is divided into three parts3 7#a7 ,the first three verses are a call to the saints in ,heaven1 the sons of the mighty1 to worship the ,lord in view of the judgment ,he is just about to execute for the deliverance of ,his people the ,jews1 their land and their city4 7#b7 ,the second part1 verses #c-i1 describes the actual judgment by means of the voice of the ,lord4 ,the psalmist was doubtless thinking of a thunderstorm4 ,the ,spirit of ,god was giving prophetic utterance concerning a more terrible scene1 and the geographical limitations of the ,psalm are of prophetic import4 ,the first place mentioned is ,lebanon1 in the north1 with its mountain-spur ,sirion 7vv4 #e1 #f74 ,the last place is the wilderness of ,kadesh1 in the south1 the centre of which is ,bozrah1 in ,edom 7v4 #h71 a point of connection with ,isaiah #fc4 #a4 ,now the distance from ,sirion to ,bozrah1 in the wilderness of ,kadesh1 is #bjj miles1 and this is the #afjj furlongs of ,revelation #ad4bj4 ,here1 then1 in one fell stroke of divine wrath the ,man of ,sin and his forces are overthrown1 and the ,jews are delivered4 ,the later revelations of ,scripture thus enable us to pass from the natural and physical setting of the ,psalm to the veiled reality4 ,thus this portion of the ,psalm is to be read in connection with the passage from ,revelation #ai quoted above4 7#c7 ,the last two verses describe the results of the conquest4 ,the ,jews in their ,extremity were threatened with annihilation4 ,but man's extremity is ,god's opportunity4 ,the people now see their ,deliverer in person1 they look on ,him whom they pierced4 ,they realise that their enemies were destroyed because the ,lord sat as ,king at the flood4 ,and now the ,lord sitteth as ,king for ever4 ,he whose right it is to reign has come to ,zion4 ,hence the psalmist can next say3 ,the ,lord will give strength unto ,his people2 the ,lord will bless ,his people with peace4 ,armageddon is over1 the winepress of ,god's wrath has been trodden1 and the war against the ,lamb is ended4 ,psalm #cj follows on with the people's song of praise for deliverance4 ,the judgments of ,god in the earth will be accompanied by ,seismic ,disturbances1 including a great earthquake such as was not since there were men upon the earth1 the overthrow of the cities of the nations1 and the displacement of islands and mountains 7,rev4 #af4 #ah-ba74 ,then doubtless will be fulfilled the prophecy of ,zechariah1 that in the day when the ,lord goes forth to fight against the nations that are gathered against ,jerusalem1 ,his feet will stand upon the ,mount of ,olives1 and the mountain will be divided1 leaving a very great valley east of the city 7,zech4 #ad4 #a-e74 ,the ,everlasting ,kingdom4 ,in this tremendous intervention in the affairs of the world for the termination of ,gentile dominion the ,son of ,god will be accompanied by all ,his saints4 ,he will come to be glorified in ,his saints1 and to be marvelled at in all them that believed 7#b ,thess4 #a4 #aj74 ,so from earliest times ,enoch had prophesied3 ,behold1 the ,lord came with ,his holy myriads1 to execute judgment upon all 7,jude #ad1 #ae1 margin74 ,and ,zechariah3 ,the ,lord my ,god shall come1 and all the saints with ,thee 7#ad4 #e74 ,they are to take an active part in the inauguration of ,his ,kingdom1 and in its government4 ,for the saints of the ,most ,high shall receive the ,kingdom1 and possess the ,kingdom for ever1 even for ever and ever 7,dan4 #g4 #ah74 ,the ,kingdom and the dominion1 and the greatness of the ,kingdoms under the whole ,heaven1 shall be given to the people of the saints of the ,most ,high 7v4 #bg74 ,then shall the ,lord be ,king over all the earth 7,zech4 #ad4 #i74 ,god's claims will be vindicated4 ,his ,christ will reign as ,king of ,righteousness1 and ,king of ,peace1 the centre of ,his government being the very place where once ,he was despised and rejected1 and men cast ,him out and crucified ,him4 ,of the increase of ,his government and of peace there shall be no end1 upon the throne of ,david1 and upon ,his ,kingdom1 to establish it1 and to uphold it with judgment and with righteousness from henceforth even for ever4 ,the zeal of the ,lord of hosts shall perform this 7,isa4 #i4 #g74 ,his saints shall be priests of ,god and of ,christ1 and shall reign with ,him a thousand years 7,rev4 #bj4 #f74 ,then will be fulfilled the words of the ,lord1 ,i am returned unto ,zion1 and will dwell in the midst of ,jerusalem3 and ,jerusalem shall be called the city of truth2 and the mountain of the ,lord of hosts the holy mountain 7,zech4 #h4 #c74 ,the days of ,israel's mourning will be ended1 the nation will be a crown of beauty in the hand of the ,lord1 and a royal diadem in the hand of her ,god1 and ,jerusalem will be a praise in the earth 7,isa4 #fj4 #cj2 #fb4 #c1 #g74 ,the ,heavens shall rejoice and the earth be glad1 and the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the ,lord1 as the waters cover the sea 7,psa4 #if4 #aa2 ,isa4 #aa4 #i74 ,according to ,god's ,eternal ,counsel the despised ,nazarene will yet be manifested and acknowledged by all as ,king of ,kings and ,lord of ,lords4 ,to ,him be glory for ever and ever1 ,,amen4 ,,index4 ,,page ,adrian1 #fb ,alaric1 #cg1 #ch ,alexander the ,great1 #ai ,alliance of ,social ,democracy1 #ga1 #fc ,alsace and ,lorraine1 #ff ,antichrist1 #he1 #hg1 #ia1 #if ,antiochus ,epiphanes1 #bj1 #ba1 #fd ,antiochus the ,great1 #ai ,armageddon1 #ic ,attila1 #ci1 #dj ,babylon1 #gc ,bagdad1 #df1 #dg ,balkan ,peninsula1 #df1 #ec ,barnabas1 ,epistle of #cb ,beast1 ,twofold ,symbolism of1 #ce1 #cf ,britain1 #bc1 #ci1 #ec1 #fb ,british ,empire1 #fg1 #fh ,bulgaria1 #ec ,byzantine ,empire1 #df1 #eg ,caesar ,augustus1 #ad1 #bb1 #be1 #cg ,carthage1 #af1 #ag1 #ah1 #dj ,chaldean ,empire1 #ab1 #ee1 #fj ,charlemagne1 #eh1 #fj ,christendom1 ,reunion of1 #hj ,commercial ,system1 #hg ,comparisons of ,symbols in ,daniel and ,revelation1 #bi ,constantine1 #bf ,constantinople1 #bf1 #bg1 #dj1 #dd1 #de1 #df1 #eh ,crimean ,war1 #eb ,crusades1 #dg ,cyprus1 #ec ,cyril1 #cc ,democracy1 #ge1 #gf ,diocletian1 #bf ,early ,christian ,writers1 #cb-cd ,eastern ,half of ,empire ,overthrown1 #dd ,european ,federation1 #fi ,false ,prophet1 #hd ,genseric1 #ci1 #dj ,german ,influence1 #ec ,germanic ,tribes1 #cg-da1 #ef ,grecian ,empire1 #ai1 #fc1 #fe ,grecian ,empire ,divided1 #fd ,greece1 #ai1 #bj1 #eb1 #ec1 #fe ,hannibal1 #ah ,hippolytus1 #cc ,hungary1 #dj1 #di1 #eb1 #ff ,huns1 #ci ,international ,working ,men's ,association1 #ga ,ireland1 #fg ,irenaeus1 #cb ,iron and ,clay1 #be1 #gd ,jerome1 #cc ,jews1 #bb1 #ed1 #ee1 #ef1 #fb1 #fh ,judaea ,subdued by ,romans1 #bc ,julius ,caesar1 #bb ,justinian1 #eh ,khaliphs1 #de1 #dg ,kosovo1 ,battle of1 #di ,lactantius1 #cc ,magnesia1 ,battle of1 #ai ,man of ,sin1 #he1 #ajj ,medes and ,persians1 #ac1 #ee1 #fj ,megiddo1 #id ,mithradates1 #ba ,mohammed1 #de1 #df ,mohammed ,,ii41 #di ,napoleon1 #gb ,navarino1 ,battle of1 #eb ,nebuchadnezzar1 #i1 #aa1 #ge1 #if ,northern ,limits of ,empire1 #da ,odoacer1 #da ,omar1 #de ,osman1 #dh ,ottoman ,empire1 #dh ,palestine1 #bj1 #ba1 #ed1 #ef ,papacy1 #gi ,parousia1 ,the ,epiphany of1 #ig ,psalm #bi1 #ajb ,pydna1 ,battle of1 #bj1 #ba ,roman ,emperor1 ,the ,final1 #fg1 #fh1 #gg1 #hb1 #hi ,roman ,empire--,decline of1 #ea ,extended in ,final ,form1 #fj ,final ,destruction of1 #cj1 #cb1 #fj1 #if ,still in ,power at ,close of ,present ,age1 #ad1 #cj1 #ef ,tenfold ,division of1 #bg-cd ,twofold ,division of1 #ce ,roman ,influence ,continued1 #ef-eh ,roumania1 #eb1 #ec ,san ,stefano ,treaty1 #ec ,saracens1 #de1 #dg1 #ee1 #fc ,scotland1 #fg ,sea ,symbolic of ,national ,unrest1 #gb ,serbia1 #eb1 #ec ,seventy ,weeks1 #hh ,slavery ,under the ,romans1 #bc ,spiritism1 #hd ,superman1 #hc ,ten ,kingdoms ,foretold1 #bg-cd ,not ,formed in ,west1 #db ,tertullian1 #cc ,theodoret1 #cd ,times and ,seasons1 #aj ,titus1 #dj1 #hi ,tongrol ,bek1 #dg ,trajan1 #bc ,trentino1 #ff ,tribulation1 ,the1 #ib ,tripoli1 #ec ,turkish ,empire1 #dd ,turkish ,empire1 ,downfall of1 #fc ,turks1 #df1 #ee1 #fc ,turks and ,mohammedanism1 #dg1 #ej ,united ,states1 #fg1 #gf ,valens1 #bf ,vandals1 #ch1 #dj ,valentinian1 #bf1 #cg ,voice of the ,lord1 ,the1 #ih1 #aja ,western ,half of ,empire ,overthrown1 #cg-da ,winepress1 ,the1 #ii1 #ajd ,zama1 ,battle of1 #ah ,demy #hvo1 #cjh pages clear type1 strong dark cloth1 gold title1 #d_/ net 7#d_/f1 or #a4ab1 post free74 ,,the ,,epistles ,,to ,,the ,,thessalonians ,with ,notes ,exegetical and ,expository4 ,by ,c4 ,f4 ,,hogg and ,w4 ,e4 ,,vine1 ,m4,a4 ,with ,index to ,subjects1 ,texts1 and ,greek ,words4 99 99 99 99 99 ,a few out of very many favourable notices3 ,the authors have seen clearly the great difference between the parousia and the epiphaneia1 and thus set forth1 so much and so clearly1 the great ,hope of the ,church4--,lord ,,blythswood4 ,i greatly value such a book for the definiteness and prominence with which it unfolds the great truth of the ,lord's return as a present hope--not a theory1 nor yet a mere doctrine1 but a blessed and glorious hope4--,sir ,,robert ,,anderson1 ,k4,c4,b41 ,,ll4,d41 ,london4 ,the notes are brief1 clear1 full1 and suggestive4 ,it supplies a felt want between such volumes as the ,international ,critical and the ordinary devotional expositions4--,,jas4 ,f4 ,,arthur1 ,theological ,tutor1 ,b4,t4,i41 ,glasgow4 ,these notes are admirable4 ,the authors disclaim having written for scholars1 but as scholars1 ,i may say1 they write for ,christians1 but for ,christians as ,bible students and serious ones4--,,geo4 ,f4 ,,trench1 ,b4,a41 ,dublin4 ,the book is one of such permanent value and wide scholarship4 ,i hope it will be the first and not the last4--,h4 ,m4 ,,bleby1 ,b4,a41 ,dudley4 ,should certainly find a place in the library of all ,christians who desire to study this portion of ,god's ,word4--,l4 ,w4 ,g4 ,,alexander4 ,,pickering ,,inglis1 #ad ,paternoster ,row1 ,london1 ,e4,c4#d4 #bbi ,bothwell ,street1 ,glasgow2 #ge ,princes ,street1 ,edinburgh4 ,and through most ,booksellers4 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber's note3 #a4 ,the footnote at the end of page #gd reads3 ,see ,the ,epistles to the ,thessalonians1 with ,notes ,exegetical and ,expository1 by ,c4 ,f4 ,hogg and ,w4 ,e4 ,vine1 note c4 pp4 #bei1 #bfj4 7,glasgow3 ,pickering ,inglis4 #c_/i1 p4f47 ,the c4 is unclear4 #b4 ,the footnote at the end of page #hi reads3 ,see ,the ,coming ,prince1 by ,sir ,robert ,anderson4 ,price1 #e_/4 ,the #e in #e_/ is unclear4 #c4 ,spelling1 hyphenation and punctuation are left as in the original4