THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES,
By H. Edson
And the Deliverance and Restoration of the Remnant of Israel from the Seven Times, or 2520 years of Assyrian or Pagan and Papal Captivity considered. (Continued from page 131.) THERE has been much speculation and confusion respecting the seven heads of the Roman beast. In order to arrive at a correct understanding of what the seven heads symbolize, one of two positions must necessarily be established; viz., that inspiration does interpret, and reveal, and designate what the seven heads symbolize, or it does not. If the latter be the case, then we are for ever left in the dark to our own speculations, and hence perfect confusion on this point must for ever unavoidably reign. This cannot be the right position; hence we choose the former, and are thus prepared to search the inspired volume for an interpretation of the seven heads. The inspired Interpreter testifies that “the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth. And they are seven kings, (or kingdoms—Whiting’s translation,) five are fallen, one is, and the other is not yet come,” &c.164 From this testimony we learn that the seven heads symbolize seven different successive forms of universal supremacy. Each form of universal supremacy or head has in its successive turn swayed the universal sceptre over all other minor governments and provinces. According to the inspired testimony, the woman, Babylon, has been seated upon each of the seven heads, or successive forms of the universal supremacy. But if this woman, Babylon, symbolizes ONLY the Papal form of the world’s church, then she has never been seated upon more than two of the seven heads or mountains; viz., the sixth, or Papal head, and the seventh head, or Napoleon dynasty. Those who make the seven heads symbolize seven different forms of the Roman government, make the Papal form the seventh head. According to this theory the woman Babylon had been seated upon six of the seven heads before the Papal form of the world’s church existed. It was the PAGAN form of the world’s church which sat upon the preceding forms of the Roman government until it gave place to the Papal form in the forepart of the sixth century of the Christian era; hence the woman Babylon, symbolizes the Pagan, as well as the Papal form of Satan’s counterfeit rival church; and this truth is also further sustained from the fact that in her is found the blood of saints, and of prophets, and of ALL that were slain upon the earth; hence we may put it down as a settled truth that this woman Babylon, symbolizes both the Pagan and Papal forms, or the world’s church in her different forms through ALL ages. And the Pagan form of this church has been seated upon the ancestral Assyrian or Babylonian, the Medo-Persian, the Grecian, and the Roman kingdoms; hence ALL of these must necessarily be taken into the account of the seven heads, or forms of the universal supremacy. And if we allow the Bible to be its own interpreter of the seven heads, in vain shall we search the inspired volume for a designation of seven different successive forms of universal supremacy in the Roman government. The present Napoleon dynasty with Louis Napoleon as its representative head, is by inspiration designated to be the eighth but is of the seven; (i. e., a revival of the seventh and goes into destruction. See Whiting’s translation;) hence we can count heads no further in this direction. The first Napoleon dynasty with Napoleon Buonaparte as its representative head which continued a short space, is also designated to be the true seventh head. This fact we have clearly demonstrated. Having the true seventh head thus designated, we are prepared to follow the inspired history in the line of its predecessors in the universal supremacy until we find the number one and thus we shall find the Bible designation of the true seven heads. The predecessor of the seventh head in Roman supremacy was the Papal form, symbolized by the Papal beast; [Rev. xiii, 1–10;] and also by the little horn, which came up among the ten. Dan. vii, 8, 20–26. And that which preceded the Papal form, was the divided state of the Roman government, symbolized by the mixture of iron and clay; [Dan. xi, 41;] and also by the rise of the ten horns out of the Roman kingdom, [chap. vii, 24,] which arose from the Barbarian conquests on the imperial power of Rome. If it be objected that the ten horns are distinct from the seven heads, and hence are not to be counted as one of the heads, we reply, that however valid this objection may appear, one fact must be admitted, viz., that the divided state of the Roman government symbolized by the ten horns, has existed under different forms of supremacy which must be taken into the account of the seven heads; otherwise the seven heads must have preceded the rise of the ten horns. We have demonstrated the Napoleon form of supremacy to have constituted the seventh head, and all will admit that the Papal form which arose after the divided state must be counted as one of the heads. The Papal power and kingdom is designated [Rev. xvii, 13, 17] to be the property or power and kingdom of the ten horns, which power and kingdom they (the ten horns) transferred or gave to the scarlet-colored beast, and thus the ten horns emerge themselves from the Papal into the Napoleon form of supremacy. And if these which constitute the second and third forms of the divided state, be taken into the account of the seven heads, what valid objection can there be to the first form of the divided state being counted as one of the heads? The last of the ten horns had arisen A. D. 483. They arose upon the downfall and conquest of the Roman empire. The imperial power died and became extinct in the West 476, upon the conquest of Rome by Odoacer a barbarian chieftain who then became established on the throne of the Cæsars. See Guthrie’s Universal Geography, Vol. I, p. 49. Also Litch’s Prophetic Expositions, Vol. ii, pp. 66, 79. And thus the barbarian form of government possessed the seat of the dragon as did the Papal beast, and as did also Napoleon, who in his circular mandate speaks as follows: “WE THE INHERITORS OF CÆSAR’S POWER, are firmly resolved to maintain the independence of our throne, and inviolability of our rights.” See Litch, p. 107. “The submissive people of Italy were prepared to obey without a murmur the authority which he (Odoacer) should condescend to exercise as the vicegerent of the emperor of the West; but Odoacer resolved to abolish that useless and expensive office.” He was also invested with the office of Patrician. Litch, Vol. i, pp. 99, 100. Constantine abolished Paganism, the national religion of the empire, but the barbarian government restored it; hence it is apparent that the barbarian form of government was in the supremacy with Odoacer as its representative head, 476, A. D. And A. D. 508, Clovis king of the Franks became the representative head of the supreme Roman power. If it be further objected that the imperial power existed in Constantinople the seat of the Eastern empire till 538, we reply, that it still continued a long while in the East after the Papal supremacy was established in the West. Its life like that of the beast’s, [Dan. viii, 12,] was prolonged for a season and time, after its supremacy of dominion was taken away. And in like manner as the Papal government has existed, though its supremacy of dominion has been taken away. Hence we feel justified in counting the barbarian form of the divided state of the Roman government as one of the seven heads, it being designated by inspiration in the rise of the ten kings. Dan. viii, 24. And that form which preceded the barbarian form was the imperial form, and is symbolized by the great red dragon. Rev. xii. The Imperial, the Barbarian, the Papal and the Napoleon forms of the Roman supremacy are all that inspiration has designated to be taken into the account of the seven heads. The other three which preceded the Roman, are symbolized by the leopard, the bear, and lion of Dan. vii, 4–6. These were the three predecessors, and were merged into the Roman kingdom; hence the Roman beast, [Rev. xiii, 1–10,] has a body like a leopard, and feet like to a bear, and mouth as a lion. These three and the four Roman forms make up the only seven different successive forms of universal supremacy that inspiration has revealed and designated. The stone which became a great mountain or kingdom and filled the whole earth, [Dan. ii, 35, 45.] was cut out of the mountain. The mountain is a definite expression referring to an antecedent; and in this case has nothing in this connection to refer to for its antecedent, but the great image composed of its different metals, symbolizing different forms of supremacy. This great image symbolizes the Gentile supremacy over the people of God during their long period of 2520 years captivity. Jer. ii, is a prediction of the destruction of all earthly or Gentile governments, and synchronizes with the smiting of the image upon its feet, when it becomes like the chaff of the summer threshing floors, and the wind carries them away, that no place was found for them. Dan. ii, 35, 45. The 25th verse of Jer. ii, reads, “Behold I am against thee, O destroying MOUNTAIN saith the Lord, which destroyest ALL the earth: and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and make thee a burnt mountain.” See also Zech. iv, 7. From the above we learn that the universal supremacy of Gentile dominion from its beginning to its final destruction is denominated THE GREAT MOUNTAIN. This great mountain has undergone several grand revolutions. The seven heads which are seven mountains, symbolize the seven changes or forms which the one great mountain has assumed by its seven grand revolutions. Seven is a perfect number, and brings the Gentile supremacy to its final crisis. From the above we learn the fact that inspiration has designated Babylon, Medo-Persia, Grecia, and the four forms of supremacy in the Roman government. These are the true seven heads. The way is now prepared to examine those prophecies relative to the gathering of the REMNANT during the dispensation of the fulness of times. THE GATHERING OF THE REMNANT OF ISRAEL.
The REMNANT were to be saved FROM the land of their captivity. They were to be delivered OUT OF ALL PLACES and countries wherein they had been scattered during the cloudy and dark day, or period of 2520 years captivity. See Isa. xi, 11, 12; Jer. xxx, 10; Eze. xxxiv, 11–13. The land of their captivity during the 2520 years of Gentile dominion over them embraces the ancient Assyrian, or Babylonian, the Medo-Persian, the Grecian, and the Roman empires. These empires embrace all territory East of the Atlantic Ocean; the ancient land of Palestine not excepted; hence we are crowded off from the Eastern Continent, and are necessarily driven to this Western American Continent to find the country into which the Lord has been gathering the remnant of his people since the 2520 years of their captivity ended. We believe that the country, or nation and government of these United States of North America, which we also believe to be symbolized by the two-horned beast of Rev. xiii, 11, is the country and place to which the remnant have been gathering. Hence we will now look at some of the evidences relative to the location of the two-horned beast. Rev. xiii, 11–18. The territory over which the seven heads of the first beast have exercised their supremacy, embraces the ancient Assyrian, or Babylonian, the Medo-Persian, the Grecian, and the Roman empires; hence the boundaries of all those vast empires form an enclosure around all territory East of the Atlantic Ocean, and for ever precludes the possibility of locating the two-horned beast of Rev. xiii. anywhere within that vast enclosure. This is apparent from the fact that the seven heads denote all the successive forms of Gentile supremacy in that territory from the beginning to the end; and inspiration affirms that the two-horned beast exercises ALL the power of the first beast before him. This he could not do in the territory over which either one of the seven heads had exercised their supremacy, without constituting one of the seven heads of the first beast, and becoming the successor of the first beast before him. This would constitute him a beast with seven heads and ten horns, in like manner as the Papal, and also the scarlet beast. Each appear with seven heads and ten horns, because they are in the successive line of their predecessors, the dragon of chapter xii, with seven heads and ten horns. The idea of locating the two-horned beast within the territory of the seven-headed dominion is also further precluded from the fact that the last two of the seven heads, viz., the Papal and Napoleon forms of supremacy cover the entire ground from A. D. 538, up to the time when the ten horns of the scarlet-colored beast, or Napoleon form of supremacy makes war with the Lamb and is overcome by him who is Lord of Lords and King of kings, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom and supremacy is that which shall not pass from one to another. Hence there is no space left for the two-horned beast to exercise ALL the power of the first beast before him in the territory of the seven-headed dominion between A. D. 538, and the battle of the great day when all earthly supremacies come to their final end. The above is sufficient to preclude the location of the two-horned beast east of the Atlantic Ocean. The first beast of Rev. xiii, 1–10, with seven heads and ten horns, synchronizes with the Papal king, [Dan. xi, 36,] which magnified himself above every god, or king, and practiced and prospered in so doing, holding this high and exalted station till the indignation or scattering of the power of the holy people was accomplished. This prophetic history of the Papal supremacy will not admit of the infliction of the deadly wound of the first beast, or his being killed with the sword and led into captivity until the scattering or treading-under-foot indignation was accomplished, which was in 1798. The two-horned beast was seen COMING up out of the earth, at the point where the first beast received the deadly wound, and was led into captivity, 1798; also the two-horned beast performs his wonders and miracles in the sight of the first beast after his deadly wound was healed, which was in A. D. 1815 as we have before clearly shown. This makes the two-horned beast a very modern power, and fixes its chronological rise at the very point where the treading-underfoot indignation ceased, and the appointed or set time for the Lord to favor Zion by setting his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people from the land of their captivity comes, and as the location of the two-horned beast is effectually shut out of all territory on the Eastern Continent, we are necessarily driven to this Western Continent; and as Canada is under the dominion of one of the ten horns of the scarlet-colored beast, we are necessarily confined to these United States as the location of the two-horned beast. The breaking of the pride of Israel’s POWER, [Lev. xxvi, 19,] was the uprooting and abolition of their national power and government in the land of Palestine, and scattering them under Gentile rule among all nations. This scattering of the POWER of the holy people could not be accomplished, [that is to say, ended and finished,] as predicted Dan. xi, 7, until a restoration of their national power and government was effected. This must be apparent to all. We have before demonstrated that the scattering of the power of the holy people was accomplished A. D. 1798. At this epoch we might reasonably expect to find somewhere on the globe a newly organized government, resembling in character, the ancient government of Israel in the land of Canaan. That the former, and the latter are both in character republican-forms of government, may be seen by comparing 1 Kings iv, 25, with Micah iv, 4, 5. Let me here inquire, What was the motive, and object which induced many of the early settlers of this American wilderness, to leave their native land, endure the perils of the sea, the perils among the savage foe of the forest, and the hardships of this lonely and solitary wilderness? I answer they left their native land as the land of Catholic persecution and captivity. Their object in coming to these American wilds was that they might here organize and establish a commonwealth, a government AS NEAR LIKE THAT OF THE JEWS as the difference of circumstances would admit, in order that they might here open an ASYLUM from religious persecution. This fact is conspicuous upon the pages of history. The following is from Hale’s premium history of the United States, p. 78. He says: “It is not uninteresting to observe, how early, in some of the colonies, were sown the seeds of the American revolution.” On pp. 11, 12, of his introduction he says: “The religious wars which afflicted France in the sixteenth century, induced that illustrious statesman, [Jasper Coligni,] THE HEAD OF THE PROTESTANT SECT to project, in 1502, a settlement in America, to which his brethren might retire from the persecution of the Catholics. Fitting out two ships, he sent them thither under command of John Ribaut, who landed at a place supposed to be within the limits of South Carolina, &c. * This was the first attempt to plant a colony within the limits of the United States; and it is worthy of remark, that to secure an asylum from religious persecution was the object in view.” On p. 31, he says: “One great object of the Puritans, in retiring to the unoccupied regions of New-England, was the establishment of a religious commonwealth as nearly upon the MODEL of that of the JEWS as the difference of circumstances would admit. To accomplish this object, they deemed it necessary, and at a general court, held in 1631, they ordained, that none but those who had made a profes- sion of religion, and had become members of some church, should be admitted members of the corporation, or enjoy the privilege of voting. This law has been too severely censured by those who have lived in more liberal and enlightened times. It contradicted none of the professions of the Puritans. It was in strict accordance with the avowed motives of their emigration. It exhibited less intolerance than was then displayed by every other nation. It violated the rights of none; for no one could claim a right to come into the territory which they had purchased. And it was doubtless essential, such was then the temper of men’s minds, to the repose of their little society.” Read also pp. 61 and 62 of the same history. Extracts in character like the above, might be multiplied; but the above are sufficient to show that the object of many of the early emigrants to these United States, was to establish a commonwealth, as nearly after the model of that of the Jews, as the difference of circumstances would admit.