April 1, 1865.

CHRONOLOGICAL PROPHECIES.

Br J. M. N.

CHRONOLOGICAL prophecies have an important use. Though they may not be designed to enable us absolutely to fix the precise time in which such prophecies shall be accomplished, yet they are manifestly intended to guide the Church in looking out, and preparing for the event predicted. It was thus that Daniel "in the first year of the reign of Darius understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet (Jer. xxv. 11) that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem." And thus the devout Jews were waiting for the first coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Luke ii. 25, 38.)

The first prophetical period brought before us in the Scriptures is one hundred and twenty years (Gen. vi. 3)," when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah." (1 Peter iii. 20.) The more affecting to us in these days, as the world then was in general unbelief and worldliness-in a similar state to that in which it is to be before the second coming of Christ. (Luke xvii. 26, 27; Matt. xxiv. 37, 39.) It was predicted also in Scripture (Gen. xv. 13) that the Israelites should remain in Egypt four hundred years; that Ephraim should be broken in sixty-five years (Isa. vii. 8); that the captivity of Babylon. should last seventy years (Jer. xxv. 11); and that the Messiah should be cut off in four hundred and eighty-three years. (Dan. ix. 26.) All these are like those we are about to consider, chronological prophecies, and received their accomplishment exactly at the period specified. We propose now to see if the Scripture does not supply us with certain dates and epochs of the stupendous events that are still future.

The first epoch (two thousand five hundred and twenty years) is not expressly named; but we shall endeavour to see how it comes out. It is the seven times mentioned in Leviticus xxvi. 18, and Daniel iv. 16, during which the Jews were to have the pride of their power broken, and be chastised for their unfaithfulness, and have their kingly power transferred to the four Gentile monarchies. The Jews were once the first nation of the world. Ages upon ages have passed away since they have been, as they still are "trodden down" by the dominant Gentile. This is not to last for ever. The "times of the Gentiles" are to be "fulfilled"-to reach their end when Judah shall again take her place as the queen of the kingdoms. "And thou, O tower of the flock, the stronghold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem. (Micah iv. 8.)

seven

What is meant by "the times of the Gentiles" (called also times"), to which our Lord alludes in Luke? It is important to ascertain this, inasmuch as at their expiration three great events will simultaneously occur--the destruction of the Antichrist by the coming of the Lord Jesus (Dan. vii. 9-15; 2 Thess. ii. 8); the restoration of Judah (Dan. xii. 7; Luke xxi. 24; Rev. xi. 2); and the

commencement of the millennium. (Dan. ii. 34, 35, vii. 13, 14, 27.) In prophetical language, “a time" signifies a Jewish year, containing three hundred and sixty days, each of these days being a year. (See Numb. xiv. 34; Ezek. iv. 2-6; Daniel's seventy weeks, and Rev. ii. 10.) "Seven of the times would, therefore, be two thousand five hundred and twenty years, which is the duration of "the times of the Gentiles," and marked by four great monarchies succeeding each other the Babylonian, the Medo-Persian, the Grecian or Macedonian, and the Roman. When we read Daniel ii. 31-45 we find the monarchies brought before us under the symbol of a metallic image, composed of gold, silver, brass, and iron; and in Dan. vii. 1—14 they are again introduced to our notice under the symbols of four wild beasts-the lion, the bear, the leopard, and "the beast dreadful and terrible." The period during which the Gentile is to have dominion is exactly measured by this metallic image, and the seals, trumpets, and vials of St. John include the same space; i.e., the times of the Gentiles.

We need hardly say that in the Eastern world the practice has been to construct and then worship statues of gigantic proportions. Nebuchadnezzar's golden image set up in the plains of Dura ninety feet high, affords an instance of it. It is well known that the ancient heathen nations believed time to consist of four ages-the golden, the silver, the brazen, and the iron It was quite natural that the dream or vision of Babylon's king should correspond with the prevailing practice and belief.

This Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, whom the inspired penman pronounced to be the head of the image ("Thou art this head of gold"), was born between 658 and 647 B.C. From his birth the times

of the Gentiles must be dated. They would, therefore, terminate somewhere between A.D. 1862 and 1873, when "the little stone shall smite the image into dust, become a great mountain, and fill the whole earth;" "when the God of heaven shall set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces, and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever." This fifth monarchy, of which Christ is the head, constitutes the millennium. (Rev. v. 10, xx. 1—6.)

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Nebuchadnezzar was a type of the colossal statue. When walking in his palace, proudly contemplating the grandeur of his empire, he was deprived of his reason, and remained in that condition seven times," at the end of which he was restored to his right mind, and thenceforth renounced idolatry and worshipped the true God. In this he shadowed forth the "seven times," or two thousand five hundred and twenty years, during which the nations generally are given to apostacy from the truth-a moral madness-whether pagan, papal, Mahomedan, or infidel. At the termination of the period they, too, shall be restored; repudiating false doctrines, idolatrous worship, and sinful practices, embrace Christianity, and in millennial holiness adore the Most High.

Having seen that the two thousand five hundred and twenty years will terminate somewhere between A.D. 1862 and 1873, we proceed to consider another epoch of the prophet, 1260. This is the one half of the above number, and it is, therefore, termed (Dan. vii. 25) “a time

April 1, 1865.

times, and the dividing of time;" i.e., three prophetical years and a half the last part, in fact, of the seven times." St. John expresses the number thus, "forty and two months;" and in another place, one thousand two hundred and sixty days-terms exactly equivalent. (Rev. xi. 2, 3.) The age of the image being divided into two equal parts, of which this "time and times and the dividing of time" is the latter, we ask, is there any event which bisects them? Should there be, it will show when the one thousand two hundred and sixty years began. In Daniel vii. 8 we read of "a little horn" that sprung up among the others; and in the twenty-fifth verse we find that "the saints were given into his hand until "a time and times and the dividing of time;" i.e., he should have power to oppress and persecute them throughout the one thousand two hundred and sixty years; and that the hand of "the man of sin" has not been slack the blood-stained page of history too distinctly proves. That the Pope with his cardinals, bishops, and priests have, with a merciless ferocity, employed the dungeon, the sword, and the flame to deprive man of his liberty and his life, and to subvert the Gospel of Christ, is patent to all the world. The little horn of Daniel vii. 8; the man of sin (2 Thess. ii. 8); the two-horned beast of St. John (Rev. xiii. 11); the mother of harlots (Rev. xvii. 5); the false prophet (Rev. xix. 20), all represent the same power, the papacy-that masterpiece of Satanic ingenuity for the destruction of souls, which for nearly one thousand two hundred and sixty years has covered a large portion of our earth with the shadow of hell-the direst evil that ever cursed the world-the foulest blot that ever stained it.

The commencement of the number we are now considering is dated from A.D. 532, when Justinian conferred on the Pope the highest ecclesiastical authority. To 532 add 1260, and we have 1792, the period of the French revolution, when popery received the stunning blow which will end in its dissolution. To this the prophet Daniel (Dan. xii. 11) adds thirty years, which brings us to 1822, marked by Greece throwing off the yoke of the Turk and declaring her independence. Daniel (xii. 12) next adds forty-five years more, and says, "Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days." 1822 and 45 make 1867, when, we believe, the "little papal horn," known by the deep brand of apostacy, and distinguished by a murderous persecution of the people of God, shall sink to rise no more. (Dan. ii. 34, 35, 44, 45, vii. Î1-18, 27; Rev. xvii. 16, xviii. 21.) There is also a secondary fulfilment of the one thousand two hundred and sixty years from 606-1866.

We have now to consider a third number-two thousand three hundred. The inquiry is made, Dan. viii. 13, "How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot ? or, How long shall Jerusalem be desolated by the Gentiles? The answer is, "Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed," and Judah have her own again. Daniel's four hundred and ninety years, relating to our Lord's first advent, dated from the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. We have found the two thousand five hundred and twenty years commenced dating from the birth of Nebuchadnezzar; the one thousand

two hundred and sixty years from the giving of the saints into the hand of "the little horn." And is there no important event whence to fix the epoch of the two thousand three hundred years? Yes; Ezra effected the re-establishment of the daily sacrifice about the year 457 B.C. The last reformation was by Nehemiah, about the year 430 B.C., and this brings us down to A.D. 1844 as the commencement, and to 1869-70 as the completion, of the cleansing of the sanctuary of the Holy Land by the destruction of Mahomedanism and the restoration of Israel.

If these interpretations of the prophet's numbers are correct-and we have good reason to believe they are so-we cannot fail to be convinced that on or soon after the year 1869-70 we may expect some stupendous changes-among others that long-promised millennial felicity with which the nations are to be blessed.

The belief has been entertained among all civilized people, from Egypt downwards, and by all classes of religionists, that this world is a week world, six working days and a Sabbath, to last seven thousand years, each day being of course one thousand years. But the great writers on prophecy, with the Bible in one hand and history in the other, almost unanimously conclude that this dispensation will close, and the promised rest commence, about or soon after 1867, which would be the five thousand eight hundred and sixty-seventh year of the world's age-a long way yet (one hundred and thirty-three years) from the end of the sixth or last week day. Here there is a conflict of opinion; the old argument of a week world is contradicted by the arguments and deductions of these eminent authors. But the commonly-received chronology, which is usually found printed on the margins of our Bibles, is no part of the inspired record. These dates are inserted from a system formed by Archbishop Usher and others. It is now agreed that this chronology is defective; that one hundred and thirtythree years have been omitted in the time of the Judges. It was stated in the London Times a few years ago that the distinguished chronologist Fynes Clinton had proved to demonstration the era of 1859 to be one hundred and thirty-three years behind the real chronology of the world. The first theologians of their age, wholly unaware of the mistaken era, concur in the interpretations of the prophet's epochs, and bring us by their calculations to A.D. 5992, and the greatest chronologist living, or perhaps dead, brings us to A.D. 5992; each in his own line, as it were, leading us within a few years of the termination of the six thousand years, which, to say the least, is a very extraordinary coincidence.

If, then, the present dispensation close about or soon after 1870-a conclusion which has been come to by a considerable number of pious, humble, talented, and learned Christians, both divines and laymen, without correspondence or concert, who have, during the last fifty years, given the results of Scripture chronological prophecy to the Church and the world-then we are on the eve of a momentous crisis in the history of the world. "For the Lord will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth." (Rom. ix. 28.) Soon may take place the first resurrection. (Rev. xx. 5.) "For unto them that look for Him (the Lord Jesus) shall He appear the second time without sin unto

April 1, 1865.

salvation." (Heb. ix. 28.) The midnight cry is already made: "Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him." (Matt. xxv. 6.) Then "the wise virgins," the Philadelphian church (Rev. iii. 10), they who look for Him," shall be removed from the earth. "Them that sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (go before) them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." (1 Thess. iv. 14-18.) And this may take place at any moment, for "it is written," "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." (Matt. xxv. 13.) "Be ye ready for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." (Matt. xxiv. 44.) Soon may the Jews return to their own land, rebuild their temple, and re-establish their ordinances. (Zech. xiii. 8, 9.) Soon it may "be given unto the beast to make war with the saints"-i.e., the foolish virgins, the Laodicean church—and to overcome them; and soon may power be given unto the beast "over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations." (Rev. xiii. 6, 7.) Soon may the "other beast (the Pope), who had two horns like a lamb, but who spake as a dragon, have power to give life unto the image of the beast that the image of the beast shall both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed." (Rev. xiii. 11, 15.) And then will come "the time of trouble" of which Daniel speaks (Dan. xii. 1), "such as never was since there was a nation even to that time," of which same time the Lord Jesus speaks (Matt. xxiv. 21) when He says, "Then shall be GREAT TRIBULATION, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." But at that time "Daniel's people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book." (Dan. xii. 1.) And " a great multitude, which no man can number, of all nations, and kindreds, and tongues, who had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, nor on their hands: who had come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, shall then stand before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands." (Rev. vii. 9, xx. 4.) Soon may "the Lord Jesus be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power; when He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe." (2 Thess. i. 8, 10.) "And His feet shall stand in that day on the Mount of Olives: for the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee." (Zech. xiv. 4, 5.) Then shall be fought the great battle of Armageddon. "For the heavens shall be opened, and the Lord Jesus, the Faithful and True, whose eyes are as a flame of fire,

and on whose head are many crowns,. .

who is clothed with a vesture