Part 29 (2/2)
--_Adoniram Judson._
[Ill.u.s.tration: SYMBOLS OF MEDO-PERSIA AND GRECIA
”The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. And the rough goat is the king of Grecia.” Dan. 8:20, 21.]
[Ill.u.s.tration: COINS OF THE MEDO-PERSIAN AND GRECIAN EMPIRES
The ram, symbol of Persia; and the goat, symbol of Grecia.]
THE PROPHECY OF DANIEL 8
A HISTORIC OUTLINE AND A VITAL QUESTION
Another view of the history of empires and kingdoms was brought before the prophet Daniel in the vision of the eighth chapter. In this vision a great prophetic period is given, the end of which reaches to the latter days, touching events of our own times that are of direct interest and importance to every one today.
The vision was given in the third year of Belshazzar, the last king of Babylon. Again, as in moving panorama, there pa.s.sed before the prophet's vision the scenes of history. Earthly kingdoms were represented under the symbols of beasts.
We shall find the prophecy and the history corresponding in every detail, revealing the overruling hand of G.o.d, who knows the end from the beginning, and whose living Word of truth bears its witness through all the ages.
”Truth never dies. The ages come and go; The mountains wear away; the seas retire; Destruction lays earth's mighty cities low, And empires, states, and dynasties expire; But caught and handed onward by the wise, Truth never dies.”
The opening scene of this vision, given by the river Ulai, in Persia, is thus described:
_Prophecy._--”Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last. I saw the ram pus.h.i.+ng westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beast might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great.”
Verses 3, 4.
In the angel's interpretation of the vision Daniel was told: ”The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.”
Verse 20. ”The higher came up last.”
The two horns represented the dual character of the empire: first the Medes in ascendancy, then the Persians rising to yet greater power. ”So that no beast might stand before him,” says the prophecy.
_History._--Xenophon says of Cyrus the Persian:
”He was able to extend the fear of himself over so great a part of the world that he astonished all, and no one attempted anything against him.”--_”The Cyropaedia,” book 1, chap. 1._
The line of Medo-Persian conquest was ”westward, and northward, and southward,” just as the prophet saw the ram pus.h.i.+ng its way. As one pen wrote in the days of Persia's supremacy:
”He [Darius] showed the world arms glory-crowned.”
”Towns untold before him fell.”
”Burgs over sea ... heard from his lips their fate.”
--_”The Persians,” by aeschylus._
But the ram pus.h.i.+ng westward stirred up an antagonist that was eventually to overcome him. The prophet continues:
_Prophecy._--”As I was considering, behold, a he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes. And he came to the ram that had two horns,... and ran unto him in the fury of his power.... And there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand.” Verses 5-7.
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