HAVING shown that the legs of iron of Dan. 2, and the little horn of chap. 7, symbolized Rome, the fourth great empire of the world; and having traced that power down to the commencement of the Christian era, it only remains that we notice some further specifications of the prophecy which have their application since that time.
Said the Prophet, [Dan. 2:40,] "And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron . . . and as iron that breaketh in pieces and subdueth all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise." This is a fit emblem only of the Roman power, "the invincible fortitude, hardiness, and force of which," says Scott, "perhaps were never equalled. By wars and conquests the Romans bore down all opposition, and reduced almost every kingdom or state in the known world into some kind or degree of dependence."
But the Prophet continues: "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 iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly broken."
"The kingdom shall be divided." In considering this item of the prophecy, we are brought once more to the symbols of the seventh chapter, in which the fourth kingdom is set forth by a great and nameless beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly, which had great iron teeth, which devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet; and it had ten horns. Verse 7. The ten horns are declared plainly in verse 24, to be ten kings which should arise out of this kingdom. Here we have the same divided state of the empire as is signified by the ten toes of the image. This is now the subject of our consideration: Did ten kingdoms arise out of the Roman empire, as contemplated by the prophecy? We answer, yes; and cite the reader for proof to the records of history.
It is well known that Rome fell beneath an overwhelming irruption of Barbarians from the north. They were fierce and warlike tribes, given to rapine and plunder. The wealth of the provinces of the south presented an alluring bait for their avarice; and the effeminacy of the people brought on by a long course of corruption and luxury, rendered them an easy prey to the unimpaired valor of these barbarous tribes. Being given to pillage, and led on from place to place, by the hope of spoil and the love of plunder, and warring frequently upon each other, it is difficult, to assign them at first for any considerable period, a fixed location. However, between the years 350 which is marked by the establishment of the great Gothic Kingdom, and 483, when the Roman empire was in its last stages of decline, they had appropriated to themselves the territory of Europe; and from them have descended the people that at present inhabit it. But the nations engaged in this work of invasion and subversion, were ten, according to the prophecy, and are enumerated by Machiaval, Bishop Lloyd, and Dr. Hales, as follows:—
1. The Huns. 2. The Ostrogoths. 3. The Visigoths. 4. The Franks. 5. The Vandals. 6. The Suevi. 7. The Burgundians. 8. The Heruli and Rugii, or Thuringi. 9. The Anglo-Saxons, and 10. The Lombards.
Concerning these kingdoms, Scott remarks, "They are indeed reckoned up in different ways by different writers, according to the date assigned to their enumeration; but in general it is clear that they were nearly the same with the principal kingdoms in Europe at this day; excepting some of the more northern regions, and those possessed by the Turks. It is however certain that the Roman empire was divided into ten kingdoms; and though they might be sometimes more and sometimes fewer, yet they were still known by the name of the ten kingdoms of the western empire."
The question may arise in some mind, how it happens, since Rome conquered the world, that the ten horns are confined to Europe, and embrace none of their conquests in Africa or Asia. The following from Dr. Nelson, will clear this part of the subject of all difficulty:—
"The learned of the earth have praised one of their own number, for one particular trait of character belonging to him, in full measure. They have said that Sir Isaac Newton would not indulge in wild speculations and vain conjecture. It is stated that in all his astronomical and philosophical researches, every doctrine which he advanced was built on fact, and that further than this he would not proceed. He seems to have preserved this feature of his mind while writing on prophecy. I never understood one fact concerning the ten horns of the fourth beast, until I read and closely noticed a passage of this philosopher's writing, concerning that beast. I knew that the Roman empire was divided, and that ten kingdoms had existed in Europe as fragments, or horns of that beast; but I did not know why eastern countries, over which the Roman sceptre had extended, were not included. I knew that in Europe, for twelve hundred years, ten horns had been visible, but if Asia should be taken into the reckoning, the number of horns must be extended. The astronomer saw clearly enough why the kingdoms of Europe alone were to constitute the body and the horns of the beast. His words we will transcribe, for the sake of those who may wish to understand plainly this interesting part of history.
"All the four beasts are still alive, though the dominion of the three first be taken away. This corresponds with the declaration of the twelfth verse that although their dominion was gone, they had their lives prolonged for a season and a time. The nations of Chaldea and Assyria are still the first beast; those of Media and Persia are still the second beast; those of Macedonia, Greece, Thrace, Asia Minor, Syria, and Egypt, are still the third; and those of Europe on this side are still the fourth. Seeing therefore the body of the third beast is confined to the nations on this side of the river Euphrates and the body of the fourth beast to the nations on this side Greece, we are to look for all the four heads of the third beast among the nations on this side the Euphrates, and for all the eleven horns of the fourth beast among the nations on this side of Greece, and therefore, at the breaking of the Greek empire into four kingdoms, we include no part of the Chaldeans, Medes, and Persians, in those kingdoms, because they belonged to the bodies of the two first beasts. Nor do we reckon the Greek empire seated at Constantinople among the horns of the fourth beast, because it belonged to the body of the third."—Sir Isaac Newton.
"This is plain as the astronomer's doctrine of gravitation. I pity the man who does not read; and I pity the man who hastily reads his Bible, but is too ignorant to enjoy the wonderful picture so plainly delineated in these few verses."
This part of the prophecy completes the image. From the starting point given us by the Prophet, we have come down past the head of gold, the breast and arms of silver, the belly and sides of brass, the legs of iron, until by these last revolutions the weakened state of the empire as set forth by the clay of the feet, and its division as signified by the toes, were fully accomplished; and the image stands complete before us. The words of the Prophet now come home with stirring power. "In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom." The next event in this chain of prophecy, is the crushing blow of the Stone cut out without hand, which descends upon the feet of this great image of earthly kingdoms, and dashes it in pieces. Like a statue in solemn anticipation of its doom, it has been for long years awaiting this event. We are persuaded that this is not far in the future.
