Part 10 (2/2)
(verse 44).
The kingdom of G.o.d appears as the fifth universal kingdom, destined to survive and surpa.s.s all others. It is of divine origin, cut out ”without hands.” The other kingdoms are similar in their nature and closely connected, in the single image of a man; but the kingdom of G.o.d is altogether different and antagonistic. The prophecy refers to the establishment of the kingdom of G.o.d in the early days of Christianity; for, _be it observed_, this stone struck the image _when all its four divisions were yet standing_. Not, only was the iron and the clay broken by the impact, but ”the iron, the clay, _the bra.s.s, the silver, and the gold_” were ”_broken to pieces_ TOGETHER, and became like the chaff of the summer thres.h.i.+ng-floors” (verse 35).
Here is a most important fact wholly unnoticed by those millennialists who look to the future of our day for the establishment of the kingdom of Christ. If the stone has not yet struck the image, then the chief part of the prophetic description _never can be fulfilled_; for there is no sense in which the advent of the divine kingdom in this late age of the world can break in pieces the entire image of Nebuchadnezzar's dream, there being no way in which it can truthfully be said that its four divisions are yet standing. All these facts were true in the days of Rome, however, when Christ appeared. The Roman Kingdom possessed all the distinguis.h.i.+ng marks and characteristics of the preceding empires. This is true not only of their territorial possession but of their distinctive characteristics. The opulence of the Babylonians, the splendor of the Persians, the strength and discipline of the Greeks, were all merged into the Roman Empire. And more than this, these kingdoms were all idolatrous, and the religion of the Babylonians was merely absorbed in the Persian Kingdom (not destroyed); that of the Persian was perpetuated under the Greek reign; and all these found recognition in the divers forms of paganism existing under Rome. _In this sense_ the image, as opposed to the divine kingdom of Christ, was all standing at the time of the first advent of the Messiah, and the overthrow of paganism by early Christianity corresponds with the stroke given by the little stone of Daniel 2.
Notice how this fulfilment is parallel with the prophecies of the Revelation. In chapter 12 the Roman Empire under its pagan form is represented by the dragon. Christianity waged warfare with this huge system of false religion and overthrew it. ”And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, _Now_ is come salvation, and strength, _and the kingdom of our G.o.d_, and the power of his Christ” (chap. 12:10).
The kingdom represented in Nebuchadnezzar's dream came in the day of incarnation and soon smote the kingdoms of heathen darkness as existing in the embrace of Rome, and broke them in pieces. It was then in the stage represented by a _stone_. At a later time we shall observe the kingdom in its _mountain_ epoch, when it becomes a great mountain and fills the whole earth.
[Sidenote: Vision of four beasts]
The four const.i.tuent parts of Nebuchadnezzar's visionary image were interpreted to signify four successive monarchies, the Babylonian being the first. In the seventh chapter Daniel records his own vision of four great beasts that arose out of the violently agitated sea, and these represent the same four kingdoms described in Nebuchadnezzar's dream. ”These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth” (verse 17). To the worldly, carnal mind of Nebuchadnezzar, empires possessed a show of grandeur and glory, and they were therefore represented accordingly in his vision; but to the spiritual-minded Daniel they would appear odious and terrible, and they were therefore represented to him under the symbol of devouring _beasts_.
The kingdoms symbolized by the first three beasts of this vision have no particular bearing on our subject, aside from a.s.sisting us in fixing the chronology of certain events. The first beast signifies the Babylonian Empire, corresponding to the head of the image in Nebuchadnezzar's vision; the second, the Medo-Persian, corresponding to the breast and arms of silver; the third, the Grecian, corresponding to the belly and thighs of bra.s.s. The description of these beasts shows that in one sense they are successive and in another sense simultaneous.
I have already shown that the entire image of Nebuchadnezzar's dream was standing in the days of Roman ascendency, when the kingdom of G.o.d came. The same fact is brought out in the chapter now under consideration. After mentioning particularly the fourth beast, Daniel says, ”As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time”
(verse 12). When these kingdoms lost their independent sovereignty, they still continued as provinces, ruled by another similar power.
[Sidenote: The fourth beast]
The description of the fourth beast directly concerns our subject: ”After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things” (verses 7, 8).
The interpretation of this beast given by the angel possesses unusual interest. ”Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise”
(verses 23, 24). Since the interpretation given by Daniel identifies the first kingdom with the Babylonian Empire, we have an infallible starting-stake. Therefore the ”fourth” kingdom represented by the terrible nondescript beast of chapter 7 is none other than the Roman.
The ten horns of this beast are interpreted to signify ten kings, or kingdoms, thus representing the ten minor kingdoms into which the Roman Empire was finally subdivided.
The description given of the tyrannical reign of this fourth beast aptly portrays the history of Rome. By wars and conquests the Roman power broke down all opposition and reduced almost every kingdom in the then-known world to a state of dependence. She drew the spoils of their capitals to enlarge her own proud metropolis and thus tyrannized over all who did not quietly yield to her unquestioned obedience.
The beast considered as a beast, could signify nothing more than a political power, and the ten horns temporal kingdoms. But in this connection I wish to call attention to a singular fact; namely, that, a.s.sociated with the animal propensities, there are certain characteristics drawn from human life. ”I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things” (verse 8).
[Sidenote: The marvelous horn]
A horn with the eyes and mouth of a man is a most unusual thing, and yet it is just such a combination as we might expect when we possess a correct understanding of the nature of symbols. These closely united symbols drawn from two departments--human and animal life--point us with absolute certainty to a temporal power combined with an ecclesiastical power. The chronology of the event is fixed by the fact that this eleventh horn came up among the ten horns, three of the original ten being removed in order to give it room. The ten kingdoms all arose within two centuries after 356 A.D.; therefore the facts brought out in the symbol direct us to the period of the downfall of Western Rome for the rise into prominence of the little horn.
In giving Daniel the interpretation of the fourth beast, the angel also described more particularly this little horn and the nature of its work. First Daniel said: ”I would know the truth of the fourth beast ... and of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them” (verses 19-21). And the angel explained: ”The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth ... and the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak great words against the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end” (verses 23-26).
With the explanation that the fourth beast signified the fourth kingdom, it is impossible to evade the conclusion that the politico-religious power symbolized by the little horn that came up among the ten horns refers directly to the papacy. There is no other object that can fulfil the prophecy. The papacy was just beginning to make itself strongly felt among the divisions of the Western Roman Empire, and it is a fact of history that three of the original ten divisions _in the territory of Italy_ were actually plucked up successively before the rising papacy as if to give it room for development.
When the Western Empire was overthrown in A.D. 476, the kingdom of the Heruli was established in Italy. In 493 this was succeeded by the Ostrogoths, which continued for sixty years and was afterwards succeeded by the Lombards. The Lombard Kingdom was overthrown by Pepin and Charlemagne, who gave a large part of the conquered territory to the pope, thus favoring the papacy with her _first temporal power_.
This grant completed the symbol of Daniel's vision by const.i.tuting the papacy a temporal as well as an ecclesiastical power.
The description of the great things spoken by the mouth of the little horn and of the persecution of the true saints of G.o.d by this power corresponds so minutely with the characteristics of the first beast of Revelation 13 that no further description is here necessary. It is said that he would also ”think to change times and laws.” The language is spoken as if this were a most extraordinary thing to do. Surely it is no extraordinary thing for a king to alter _secular_ laws in his own dominion; and so far as heathen kingdoms are concerned, it would be no sacrilegious act for them to alter their _religious_ laws and customs. But the little horn was to set himself up against the Most High and think to change _His_ times and laws--an act of unparalleled audacity, impiety, and blasphemy. This description the papacy has consistently and constantly fulfilled. The pope has a.s.sumed the power to make time holy or unholy as he sees fit; to command men to abstain from meat and to cease work, contrary to the demands of G.o.d. He has claimed the power to dispense with G.o.d's laws or obedience to them, ”forbidding to marry,” and through his indulgences to remit the penalty due to sin.
The student of prophecy can not fail to see the striking similarity between the description of the little horn in Daniel 7 and that of the ten-horned leopard-beast of Revelation 13. The following parallels prove their ident.i.ty:
1. Both are blasphemous powers (Dan. 7:25; Rev. 13:6).
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