Prophecy No. 8: Symbolic Lines of Prophecy
By W. H. Blaisdell
We next turn our attention to prophecies which are clothed in symbolic language, and which point out events that would occur in consecutive order in the history of the world, among certain nations and governments of earth. These prophecies are brought to view by the introduction of certain symbols consecutively arranged, so as to constitute what may be termed lines or chains of prophecy, each one pointing out a certain class or series of events that would successively transpire, beginning with the days of the prophet, and extending on through the various phases of these governments to the end of time. Dan. 2:31–44 contains the first prophecy of this class to which we propose to refer. “Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, his legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.” Daniel, to whom the secret was revealed, informed the king that God designed to make known to him by means of this dream what should come to pass hereafter. Verses 19, 28, 29. Now we inquire in regard to the instruction designed to be given by means of the symbol here introduced: Is it a subject of mere conjecture and speculation, the meaning of which perhaps can be ascertained, and perhaps not? or does its interpretation lie among mysteries perfectly unfathomable and incomprehensible to the human mind? We think that neither of these two positions can be true, from the fact that Daniel proceeds to give an explanation of the meaning of the dream; and it is therefore but reasonable to suppose that, if he undertakes to show its meaning, he would do it by using plain language, not symbolic of itself, else the interpretation would be just as dark as the symbol, and hence would need still another interpretation before its true import could be ascertained. On examination, we shall see plainly that although it is a symbolic prophecy, yet its interpretation is strictly literal. Daniel says: “This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.” Verse 36. “Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of Heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.” Thus we are informed by Daniel what is symbolized by the head of gold. He applies it to the literal kingdom of Babylon, which then held the sceptre of universal dominion, and of which Nebuchadnezzar was king at the time he had this wonderful dream. This kingdom was founded by Nimrod, the great grandson of Noah. Gen. 10: 8–10. It continued nearly seventeen hundred years, under different names, till the time of its overthrow in the days of Belshazzar who was its last king. “And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee.” Verse 39. To ascertain what was symbolized by the breast and arms of silver, the second division of the image, we have only to learn what kingdom succeeded Babylon. In chapter 5:28 we are furnished with information respecting this point. “Thy kingdom [Babylon] is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.” Here we learn that the Babylonian Empire was succeeded by the Medo-Persian. We can also learn the same facts from historical records. This subjugation of the Babylonian Empire was accomplished in the year B. C. 538. Thus we see that the interpretation of the second division of the image is strictly literal, explained by the prophet to mean the literal kingdom of the Medes and Persians. “And another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.” Verse 39. What is symbolized by this portion of the image? In chapter 8:5–7, 20, 21, we are informed that the Medo-Persian kingdom was conquered by Grecia. This conquest was effected by Alexander in the year B. C. 331. It is said that Alexander conquered the world and then wept for want of more worlds to conquer. Here then we have the literal kingdom of Grecia, which for a while ruled the world, holding the sceptre of universal dominion, symbolized by the brass, the third division of the image. “And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron; forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.” Verse 40. What is symbolized by this division of the image? It must be the Roman kingdom which succeeded Grecia in the dominion of the world. It dates in prophecy from B. C. 161. It was Rome that held the sceptre of universal dominion when the decree went out from Cæsar Augustus, a Roman Emperor, that all the world should be taxed. Luke 2:1. The historian refers to Rome as the mistress of the world! “And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potter’s clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.” Verse 41. What is symbolized by the feet and toes of this image, consisting of iron and clay, as here brought to view? Daniel shows this to be a representation of the ten divisions into which the Roman kingdom should be divided. These divisions of the Western Empire of Rome were accomplished between the years A. D. 356 and 483. The names of these divisions as given by Machiavel, Bishop Lloyd, and others, are as follows: 1. The Huns in Hungary, A. D. 356. 2. The Ostrogoths, in Mysia, 377. 3. The Visigoths, in Pannonia, 378. 4. The Franks, in France, 407. 5. The Vandals, in Africa, 407. 6. The Sueves and Alans, in Gascoigne and Spain, 407. 7. The Burgundians, in Burgundy, 407. 8. The Heruli and Rugii, in Italy, 476. 9. The Saxons and Angles, in Britain, 476. 10. The Lombards, in Germany, 483. Verses 41–43 point out these ten divisions, and also the fact that all efforts to unite them again into one general government would prove ineffectual. This has been strikingly fulfilled, for, though efforts have been many times put forth in this direction, they have as many times failed, and though these divisions have undergone some changes in regard to extent of territory, boundary lines, &c., yet they have been, and to some extent are still, known as the ten divisions of Western Europe. Thus we see that the prophet gives a literal interpretation and meaning to each division of the symbol here introduced. Now let us hear him tell what comes next: “And in the days of these kings shall the God of Heaven 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 forever.” Verse 44. Now we inquire, Where are we standing in this line of prophecy? Not in the days of the Babylonian Empire, nor the Medo-Persian, nor the Grecian, nor the undivided state of the Roman kingdom, for all those empires long since came to an end. Where, then, are we? The answer is evident: We are far down the stream of time, in the divided state of the Roman Empire as represented by the feet and toes of the image, where it was smitten by the stone. Yes! nearly fourteen hundred years have passed since the ten divisions of the Roman Empire were completed, and though we are not especially informed by this prediction how long these divisions will continue to exist, yet it is reasonable to conclude, even from this prophecy alone, that the history of earthly kingdoms as represented by this image is nearly finished, and that the time is not far distant when the kingdom of God shall be set up. And we may learn positively from the light of the sure word of prophecy as it beams forth from other prophetic scriptures that we are even now standing very near to that sublime and momentous event. This will be a literal kingdom, finally established on the new earth; not to be overthrown and succeeded by others, as the kingdoms represented by this image have been, but when once established, it is to stand forever. Never will it become a prey to the ambition of an Alexander, a Cæsar, or a Napoleon; never will its fair fields be laid waste by the mustering legions of contending armies engaged in deadly conflict; never will the fair city, the New Jerusalem of Rev. 21, the capitol of this peaceful kingdom, be made the spoil of conquering forces; never will its walls of jasper be demolished, or their beauty marred, by deadly missiles hurled from an enemy’s ranks; never shall an enemy scale those walls, or effect an entrance through those pearly gates; never will its streets of gold be polluted, its mansions sacked, or its inhabitants assassinated, by the merciless hordes of an overrunning and victorious army; never shall the peaceful sceptre of universal dominion be wrenched from the hands of its rightful king and ruler, the Son of God, whose right it is, Eze. 21:27, and of whom it is written: “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of111his father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” Luke 1:32, 33. May it be the lot of both writer and reader to be subjects of that immortal kingdom. “We have passed the coasts of Babylon, the Medo-Persian lights,
We have left the Grecian landmarks far behind;
We’ve been sailing down the Roman shore these many hundred years,
And the chart declares the port we soon shall find.”