THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPHECY.
By J. O. Corliss
WE have seen how Babylon was overthrown, and that an inferior kingdom did become the ruling power of the world, as was foretold by the prophet. And the very man, even, by which this was to be brought about, was mentioned by name by a prophet of God nearly two hundred years before: "Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two-leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut." Isa. 45:1. Notice how completely this prediction was fulfilled. It has already been seen that on that fatal night in which Babylon fell, Belshazzar's loins were loosed. At the same hour Cyrus with his army stood before the two-leaved gates of the proud city, which had been carelessly left open while the inhabitants were celebrating with drunken revelry the impious feast of Tammuz. In a short time the soldiers of Cyrus swarmed through the streets of the capital, and around the courts, and the empire was given into the hands of the conquering king. So far, Daniel's explanation of the image has proved correct. But where are we to look for the third kingdom, that was represented by the brass? In the eighth chapter of Daniel is recorded the vision of a ram having two horns, and a he-goat with a notable horn between his eyes. In the description of the scene, the goat is made to overthrow the ram, and stamp upon him. See verses 3-8. The explanation of the symbols as given by the angel is as follows: "The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. And the rough goat is the king of Grecia." Verses 20, 21. "And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron." Chap. 2:40. The inquiry naturally arises, What kingdom succeeded Grecia in the empire of the world? Only one universal empire has been known since the days of Alexander the Great, and that was Rome. It conquered Grecia, and like iron it broke in pieces and bruised its enemies. The testimony of Gibbon with reference to this is pointed: "The empire of the Romans filled the world. And when that empire fell into the hands of a single person, the world became a safe and dreary prison for his enemies. To resist was fatal; and it was impossible to fly." At the opening of the Christian era, Rome controlled the whole south of Europe, France, England, the greater part of the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the south of Germany, Hungary, Turkey, and Greece, besides its possessions in Asia and Africa. It made the lands of the East pay tribute. Luke makes this record of an event that occurred just prior to the birth of Christ: "There went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed." Chap. 2:1. It was this decree from a Roman emperor that caused Joseph and Mary to go to Bethlehem for enrollment, at which place they were indefinitely detained by the birth of the Saviour. But even this mighty empire was in turn destined to decline. The element of weakness symbolized by the clay is first seen in the feet of the image. Having conquered the world, the nation yielded to luxury and vice, which weakened its iron power, and thus the way was prepared for its division as shown in Dan. 2:41. The last universal dominion of earth passed away with the division of the Roman Empire. It was not in the power of man to reunite these elements; the prophetic fiat had gone forth: "And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay." Dan. 2:43. For more than fourteen hundred years, this division has existed. In that time men have vainly tried in various ways to reunite them. Charlemagne tried it. Charles V. tried it. Louis XVI. tried it. Napoleon tried it. History records their several failures. The prophecy was stronger than their military tactics, and the kingdoms still continue "partly strong and partly broken." Another plan still has been tried, but with the same effect. Reigning kings have formed matrimonial alliances for their sons and daughters, by which they hoped to unite the interests of these divided States, and still the divisions exist. "They shall not cleave one to another," was a declaration that was to prove the best-laid plans abortive, when they are directed against the decrees of God. "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. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter; and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure." Dan. 2:44, 45. This is the grand finishing stroke of the prophecy, and brings to view the close of human history. The kings mentioned in the text are most certainly the kings, or kingdoms, of the divided Roman Empire. The phrase, "in the days of these kings," does not refer to the days of the kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome before it was divided; for these did not exist cotemporaneously. But the kingdoms of divided Rome are the subject of discourse by the prophet, when the toes of the image are reached. It may be thought by some that the everlasting kingdom here spoken of refers to the gospel, or the kingdom of grace. Such would have the kingdom set up at the first advent of our Lord, and spread until it fills the earth. But mark, that the stone did not smite the image on the head, Babylon; nor on the breast, Medo-Persia; nor on the sides, Grecia; nor yet on the legs, Pagan Rome. It did, however, smite the image on its feet. It certainly could not do this before the feet were in existence; and according to the text, the4smiting was not done until after the division of Rome as represented by the toes of the image. This division did not take place till between the years A. D. 351 and 476, therefore the kingdom here spoken of could not appear until after the last of these dates. Again it will be noticed that when this kingdom shall be set up, "it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms." It does not exist cotemporaneously with earthly Governments, but is to succeed them all. Just as Medo-Persia succeeded Babylon, and Grecia the second kingdom, and Rome the third, so the fifth in the series succeeds the fourth, and becomes an everlasting kingdom. But the gospel of Christ was never designed to overthrow the Governments of earth as long as men live here on probation; for it is certain that the Bible recognizes them as being conducive to man's good (Rom. 13:1, 2; Titus 3:1), and also that they will exist until Christ shall come the second time in person to the earth. Rev. 11:15. We must therefore conclude that the kingdom of the prophecy under consideration, is a kingdom of the future, to all who enjoy the kingdom of grace in this probationary state. Thus James says to the church: "Hearken, my beloved brethren, hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?" Jas. 2:5. Those addressed in this comforting manner are already rich in faith, and consequently enjoying the privileges of the kingdom of grace; yet they are still only heirs of the promised kingdom. We are now living in the days of these kings, when the prophecy declares that the God of Heaven is to set up a kingdom in the place of earthly Governments. And so far as this prophecy is concerned, it is the next event in order. Numerous other prophecies and signs show that it is near at hand. Up to this point, the prophecy we have been considering has been fully verified; shall we not then look for the speedy fulfillment of the rest of it? Who is ready for the wonderful transition? He who enters this kingdom will never see it overthrown by a rival kingdom; for none such will then exist. This one will occupy all the territory ever possessed by earthly powers, and will fill the whole earth. Then the "kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him." Dan. 7:27. Happy is he who will at that time have it said to him, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Matt. 25:34.