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and the breaking of the willful king on the mountains of Israel between the two seas, all coincide with the destruction of Gog by Israel, or with the general destruction of monarchy. The mountain, and stone cut out of the mountain, the ancient of days, and locomotive throne of fire, the saints and people of the saints; the sanctuary and host, the holy people and the POWER of the holy people, all coincide with the Christians and the government growing up from them in the United States of America. The 2300 evenings and mornings of the casting down of the sanctuary, the three and a half times of the scattering of the power of the holy people, and the 1290 days from the cessation of the daily sacrifice, coincide with 1708 years, in civil measure, and dated at the 17th of Panemus, or 189th day, 68 A. D., and on July 4th, 1776. In spiritual measure, they are 1451 years long, and agree with the three and a half times of the little horn of the fourth beast, and, dated on June 19th, 325, at church and state union, they end on the 4th of July, 1776. The three and a half times in civil measure, are also 1810 years and ten days long, and, dated at the last passover Nisan 14th or 97th day, 68 A. D., they end 1878 A.D., and 117th day. The 1335 days equal 1809 years and, 244 days, and dated at the burning of Jerusalem the 8th of Elul or 239th day of 68 A. D., and we are brought to 1878 and 117th day. Thus, do all four versions most wonderfully harmonize, even down to days, though they cover a field of vast ages. We now turn to Revelation, and shall find it harmonizing with Daniel's visions of the fourth empire.

CHAPTER X.

THE SPIRITUAL WORLD IN THE APOCALYPSE.

THE book of Revelation was written by St. John in the days of Domitius Nero, and not in the days of Flavius Domitian, a later emperor.

It consists of a set of prophecies addressed to the Christian church, and containing its future history; and, also, of a complete history of the political world. The spiritual prophecies begin their accomplishment with the fall of Jerusalem, and the political with the union of church and state.

The style of the book is figurative in the most refined degree, and involved and inrolled in the most systematic, yet apparently complicated manner. Nothing can exceed the perfect symmetry of the whole book.

The proof that it contains the history of the church and of the Roman Empire, is found in the fact, that it is expressly stated that the events were close at hand; such is the signification of Kairos enggus, in the very opening of the book. And, also, in the facts, that at the close of the book, a full view of the final judgment is given, and that a consecutive series of events are represented, as filling the entire era between the beginning and end of the prophecies. Now, as Daniel's prophecies embrace all the greater features of this long era, it is

plain that John must predict the same events as Daniel: but, as he is a later prophet, he must be expected to give more particulars than Daniel.

We now take up the two great classes of prophecy in this book, hoping that we shall be able to explain the great features of them, if not every minute shade of symbol and figure.

In our expositions we shall pay no sort of attention to the arbitrary and unauthorized divisions into chapters, but follow up each vision till it closes.

The introduction to the whole book of Revelation is couched in few words, by the apostle. He simply states that God gave Christ this Revelation, and that Christ sent his angel to tell the matter to him; saying, that they were things which must shortly begin to be fulfilled. He then addresses the churches, and communicates what things were expressly directed to them, by Christ, and tells the mode in which he received them.

SECTION I.

SEAT OF SPIRITUAL PROPHECY.

The seat of these spiritual prophecies, first claims our attention. John says, "I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; and in the midst of the seven candlesticks, one like unto the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white as snow, and his eyes were as a flame of fire, and his feet like unto

fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars, and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword; and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. * * Write the things which thou hast seen, the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter." This is, plainly, a symbolic representation of Christ, and not of his literal person; for various parts of the image are subsequently shown to be symbols; as "the mystery of the seven stars, and the seven golden candlesticks." It may be proper, here, to show the signification of all these symbols:

1. The seven golden candlesticks.-This symbol is a double figure: first, it represents the seven churches in Asia Minor; second, it represents the whole Christian church. These things are so, because, first, the text says, "The seven candlesticks which thou sawest, are the seven churches;" second, the seven churches are put by synecdoche, for the whole church. That this last is true, arises from several considerations, which may be named.

It stands to reason, that one part of the church of God, is as much the subject of God's promises and rebukes as another, for God is no respecter of persons; beside this, every Christian feels, that if he performs the commands of God, he has as much a claim to the rewards severally promised to these particular churches, as any individual member in them; since it is written, "Ye are all one in Christ Jesus," and, "What I say unto one I say unto all." Again; as the great intent of prophecy is for the general good of the church throughout the world. "no prophecy (to the churches) can be of

any private interpretation," but embraces all. Again; the very language of promise and threatening is, plainly, not confined by the text to a specific portion of the church, but is generic, and embraces all; as, "He that overcometh," &c., "Be thou faithful unto death," &c., "He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith (not) unto (some, but unto) the churches." Lastly, the style of the apocalypse being figurative throughout, the seven churches must also be so, to conform to the style of the book. It is, indeed, hardly necessary to advance these things, since the whole Christian world has regarded the address to the seven churches, as an address to a part as representatives of the whole; the number seven being the sacred number of perfection, seven churches are chosen to represent universality, rather than any other number.

Let it be constantly borne in mind, that almost every figure of speech used by John, has a double significancy, and must he translated twice, to reach its true import, or, that two symbols mean but one thing.

2. The seven stars.—“The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches." These, from the nature of coincidence, must also possess a double signification, as well as the seven candlesticks. These angels were the governors, or body of government, of the seven churches, and, hence, represent the body of the social government of the church, throughout the Christian world. Here we see the same dual power represented, which is recognizable in all descriptions of God's people throughout the Bible.

3. “One like unto the Son of Man." This is, therefore, only a resemblance, a symbol, of the person of

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