Lessons for Bible Students.
Nebuchadnezzar's Great Image—Dan. ii.
(PROPHECY OF DANIEL, PP. 7-14.) 1. WHAT is the date of the Roman empire in prophecy? [Ans. B. C. 161, because then it became connected with the people of God, by the famous league with the Jews.] 2. How long did it last? [Ans. 644 years, till its full division into ten kingdoms, A. D. 488.] 3. In this prophecy of earthly kingdoms, it is said that the God of Heaven shall set up a kingdom; in the days of what kings or kingdoms, is this to be accomplished? 4. Is this to be an earthly, or Heavenly and immortal kingdom? 5. In regard to this fifth kingdom, how many general views are there? 6. What is the first of these? 7. Is there any Bible for this view? 8. What is the other view? 9. What does the stone do to this image? 10. Does the stone become a great mountain before earthly governments are broken and cease to exist? 11. If the "kingdom of grace" was set up in the days of Christ, could there have been any kingdom of grace before that time? 12. If not, what has become of Enoch, Noah, Lot, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and the prophets? 13. This fifth kingdom, whatever it is, is represented by the stone, and is set up when the stone smites the image; but does the stone smite the image on the head—Babylon? 14. Does it smite it on the breast and arms—Medo-Persia? 15. Does it smite it on the division representing Grecia? 16. Does it smite it on the legs—Rome Pagan? 17. Should it not have done so, if this kingdom was set up at Christ's first advent, as Pagan Rome was then the ruling empire? 18. Where then does the stone smite the image? 19. Could it smite the feet before they were in existence? 20. How long after Christ's crucifixion was it, before the feet were fully formed? 21. Could the fifth kingdom therefore have been set up previous to the year A. D. 493? 22. What did the Lord teach his followers to pray in reference to this kingdom? 23. What does this prove? 24. What did the mother of Zebedee's children desire of our Lord? 25. What, then, did she understand concerning the kingdom? 26. Was it future when our Lord ate the last passover? 28. Did Christ set up this kingdom before his ascension? 29. What scripture shows that he did not? and how? 31. What question does this scripture settle? 32. When will the saints put on immortality? 33. What is addressed to Christians in Acts xiv, 22, and what is proved by it? 34. Is the kingdom a matter of promise? 35. To whom is it promised? 36. What word of encouragement is made to the "little flock"? 37. What was the transfiguration designed to show? 38. In that scene, how did Christ appear? 39. How was the glory of the Father manifested? 40. Of what were Moses and Elias representatives? 41. Of what was this scene a demonstration, according to 2 Pet. i, 16-18? [See page 11, last part of first paragraph.] 42. What objection is urged against the view here presented? 43. To whom was this spoken? 44. Did our Lord mean to say that the kingdom of God was within the Pharisees? 45. What does he say of them? 46. Why did Christ speak to the people the parable found in Luke xix, 11, and onward? 47. What does he teach in that parable? 48. What then shall we understand our Saviour to teach in Luke xvii, 21? 49. Does the phrase, kingdom of heaven, always refer to the future, immortal kingdom? 50. In such cases, how must it be understood? 51. To do this what will be necessary? 52. In what passage is this phrase applied to those who hear and believe the gospel? 53. What fact shows that the kingdom entire is not referred to here? 54. In what passage does the phrase kingdom of Heaven refer to Christ alone? 55. In what passage does the same expression refer to the principles of the kingdom only? 56. Christ preached the kingdom of Heaven at hand, Matt. iv, 17, Mark i, 15: what do the words, at hand, signify in these passages? 57. In what sense was the Kingdom of Heaven then at hand? 59. Did Paul use the same original word for at hand, that Christ did when preaching the kingdom at hand? 60. What does the word used by Paul signify? 61. Harmonize the teachings of Christ and Paul on this subject? 62. What is the great inquiry that should be made at the present time? 63. Are we in the kingdom of Babylon? 64. In the Persian empire? 65. In the kingdom of Grecia? 66. In Rome in its undivided state? 68. How long since these divisions came up, which constitute the feet and toes? 69. Where does the stone strike the image? 71. What takes place when the stone smites the image? 72. What is therefore the next great event before us?