Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 2, 1894
Faith and Belief.
Faith is one thing; belief is another. Belief may be faith, but generally it is not. Faith includes belief and much more. Faith is a living, working principle, while simple belief is the mere assent that the thing is so. Yet in common acceptation of the word belief, and the Bible idea of saving faith, there is a wide difference, in the very nature of the case.
Belief and Its Basis.
Belief is founded on our inner consciousness of the credibility of what is told us, or what we have been taught. The story may be false, but we may believe it to be true. The story is told us; we assent to its seeming truth. The Scriptures are said to be the word of God; belief says yes. That word declares that God by his word created the heavens and the earth by his Son; that his Son came to earth, took upon himself our nature, died and rose again to redeem and save us; that he is coming again with great power and glory. To all this, belief responds that it is so. The man believes it because it is in harmony with his own mind, it appeals to his reason, it has been taught him by those in whom he has confidence. And generally no other grounds of belief are given than those noticed above.
Faith and Its Basis.
Saving faith is founded on the word of God. "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Rom. 10:17. It is that living motive power, given by God to every man, which every man may exercise for himself. It is not dependent on conscious conviction or knowledge; it is not dependent on reason; it is wholly based on the word of God. It may be exercised in direct opposition to conscious conviction or knowledge, and exercised in power. God declares the fact, faith says it is so; and to the exerciser of the faith, the word of God becomes fact.
Its Manifestation.
Faith is manifested in submission to the word of God without question. It may question to know what God says; it will consider what God says in order to know what he means; but it will not question as to whether God meant what he said, or said what he did not mean. If the one text upon a certain subject is not understood, the voice of our divine Master comes to us, "It is written again." If Satan would use the one text to seek to pervert wisdom, the second text, or the third, or still others, will give to him who desires to know, additional light. God's word is one; the same divine Master has attuned all parts to the same harmony. Does God command? Faith submits to do the command. Does God promise? Faith appropriates the promise and makes its power its own.
The Power of Faith.
The power of faith does not rest in the abstract principle, in the mere assent to fact, in the mere matter of believing God. All the power is of God; and God's power is exercised to his people through his word and Spirit. "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made." God "spake and it was." God "commanded, and it stood fast." "The words that I speak unto you," says Jesus, "they are spirit and they are life." The power of faith is the power of God's word. If that word is a command, and faith submits to do what is commanded, it has all the power of God that is in that commandment. It has so allied itself with that word, it is so brought into harmony with that word, that it has the working power of the word which God placed in that command. If the word of God is a promise of what shall be on certain conditions, faith yields to the conditions, appropriates the promises, and thereby obtains all the power which God has stored in those promises. If it is the forgiveness of sins, faith grasps the promise by yielding to God's will, and the sins are forgiven. If it is freedom from the sorest hour of temptation, faith grasps Christ's victory stored in the assurance. The power of faith is therefore the power of the word of God, the power of Christ Jesus, the Creator.
Helpful Witnesses.
We do not mean to convey the idea that God gives no evidences which appeal to our consciousness or reason; for he gives many; but living faith always leads us out beyond these evidences. The purity, the unity, the adaptability of God's word to the needs of man, the fulfillment of prophecy, and many other things, are all designed of God to help us to exercise what everyone has the privilege of exercising,—living faith in his word.
Illustrations.
Centuries ago the children of Israel were in Egypt, a nation of slaves, ignorant, weak, and to some extent degraded, and yet holding to a few rays of the light of the knowledge of God. God sent to them and to Egypt his word by his prophet Moses. Mighty miracles were wrought, which led the children of Israel to believe in the power of God. But when the last night in Egypt came, God demanded of them exercise of faith. They were to kill the paschal lamb, and sprinkle the blood on the side posts and lintel of the door, that the destroying angel might pass over them unharmed. It was impossible for them to conclude from reason or their inner consciousness, or from precedent, that such a thing would be so, or that the blood stains would preserve them. They must yield to God on the naked authority of his word. A few hours later they stood on the shore of the Red Sea. "Go forward," is God's command. Precedent is against it; for they had none. Inner consciousness was against it, apart from faith. Reason was against it; for they would but walk to a watery grave. But there was God's word, "Go forward." All the power necessary for Israel to fulfill that word was in the word. Israel yielded to the word, the Red Sea opened, and the people of God soon sang their triumph on the other shore. Faith's fruit is certain triumph, for God's word cannot fail.
On God's Word Alone.
Men may speak God's word, but if received because spoken by men, faith is not the receiver. We may suppose that God has spoken a certain thing which he has not spoken, and receive it as from him; but faith does not receive it, and our belief will not save us from the consequences. The man of God must not only speak God's word in order that it may be effectual, but it must be received as from God, not from man. The word of God alone is of power, of infinite power. Man's word is as weak as the man who uttered it. However we may believe it, it will not save us. "Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm." "Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is." See Jer. 17:5-8. God's word alone, and the Incarnate Word, Christ Jesus, must be our guide, our stay, our anchor, our shield, our stronghold, our all in all. By whomever preached, test the message with the word of God. "To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." If the message is not the word of God, reject338it. If taught, then receive it as from the Lord and not from its bearer. Honor the messenger because of his message, and not the message because of the messenger.
THE "CHRISTIAN" AMENDMENT.
By Editor
UPON the proposed amendment to the Constitution of the United States, acknowledging God and the Christian religion, the Christian Advocate of March 16 has the following candid statement:—
An Inexpedient Proposal.
Because of our respect for a number of intelligent and godly men, we deeply regret that it is impossible for us to discern the wisdom of attempting to amend the Constitution of the United States so that the clause, "devoutly acknowledging the supreme authority and just government of almighty God in all the affairs of men and nations, grateful to him for our civil and religious liberty, and encouraged by the assurance of his word to invoke his guidance as a Christian nation, according to his appointed way, by JESUS CHRIST our Lord," shall be placed after the words, "We, the people of the United States." On the contrary, if it had any prospect of prevailing, we should feel called upon to oppose it.
Our national coins bear the motto, "In God we trust;" thirty State constitutions recognize GOD; the Declaration of Independence did the same; and the Supreme Court in 1892 decided that, in a broad and general sense, this is a Christian nation. To introduce the name of "JESUS CHRIST our Lord" into the Constitution of the country would be a step toward the union of Church and State, which, so long as we wish liberty of conscience, we can never advocate. We do not agree with those who would strike off from the coins, "In GOD we trust," nor would we maintain the possibility of thoroughly secularizing our government in its forms and phrases. But with the recognitions already mentioned, the use of the Holy Bible in courts of justice to authenticate as far as possible the testimony of witness, and the legal prohibition of business on the Christian sabbath, we should be content.
An agitation such as this can simply arouse opposition where it is now slumberous, and lead to the unrestrained utterance of sentiments provocative of irreverence and irreligion.
But it will prevail, and the very things which the Advocate favors are the same in principle, though the learned editor does not evidently see it. The Supreme Court decision and the Sunday laws are both great steps in the same direction, and the "Thirty State constitutions" and some of our Sunday laws are the remains of the evil days that were, the leaven that was left, which is rapidly leavening the whole body politic. Willingness to be content with the camel's head is well enough to hold as a sentiment; the logic of its entrance is the admission of its whole body. The Sunday-law head has been welcomed; the complete Church-and-State body will certainly follow.
The Greatest Peril.
The greatest peril which confronts the church is its departure from God's holy word. Just as long as one holds to God's word, and God's word alone, as the only guide, error is not so dangerous, because the antidote of error is found in the word of God, and he who follows that light will at last reach that sufficiency of light which will shine away all darkness. But when the church feels that this light is emanating from her instead of from God through her, she has reached that place where she, in her own idea, becomes wise above what is written, and walks not in the light of God's word, but in the sparks of her own kindling. This rejection is shown in the higher criticism, and the rejection of the word by that means. Many who once held to the absolute authority of the Decalogue have now thrown away the whole of the Old Testament. Some have even thrown away a large part of the New. An illustration of this trend is shown in the Occident, of some time ago. After speaking of our Saviour's transfiguration on the mount, and the time when the disciples saw Jesus only, the editor says:—
The church of to-day is rapidly advancing to the same exalted condition above and beyond the law and the prophets, above forms and ceremonies, above creeds and confessions, when they will see no man save Jesus only; when all the vision of the soul will be filled with the presence of Christ.
Now it is absolutely impossible to separate Christ from his law and word. To turn from the law and the word, and to accept of our own conception of what Christ is or should be, literally means the rejection of the word. Certainly the Lord wants his church above creeds and confessions and men, but that is not where the modern church is drifting. Never was there a time when man was so glorified as at the present; and while creeds and confessions are crumbling, it is not God and his word which are demolishing them, but the views and theories of other men. That is, what man has built up man is tearing down. God's word and Spirit will lift above all human creed, and they will, if followed, focalize the mind and heart on the great center of the word, Jesus Christ. But to say that the church is above law and prophets and the forms which God has himself given, means the setting up of a standard which is entirely foreign to the word of God,—which is solely the conception of the human heart. God's word, and God's word alone, is the medium through which Christ will be revealed to the world.
NOT THE JEWISH SABBATH, BUT THE LORD'S SABBATH.
By Editor
We are asked to notice a little note in the Christian Herald and Signs of Our Times of January 3. The question is asked, "Why do Christians observe the first day as the Sabbath instead of the seventh?" and it is replied that they observe the first day in commemoration of Christ's resurrection, which was the culminating event in the inauguration of the new dispensation under which we live. It is not observed as the Jewish Sabbath, a day of absolute quiescence, but as a day of spiritual activity in Christ's cause. The Jewish Sabbath, if observed at all, should logically be observed according to Jewish law, which forbade a man carrying a pail of water to a thirsty animal, forbade him lighting a fire, and many other things. Christ rebelled against it and broke the law by healing the sick on that day, opening the eyes of the blind, and excused his disciples when they plucked the ears of corn.
The writer then goes on to say that the early Christians observed the first day of the week, calling it not the Sabbath, but the Lord's day, and quotes in proof of that Justin Martyr, just as though Justin Martyr used the term "Lord's day," whereas he used the term "Sunday." The "Teachings of the Apostles" is also brought forth as proof, and is said to be "believed to have been written about the end of the first century," whereas it is well known that it isn't believed by those well informed to have been written at any such time, especially that part which refers to the first day of the week. Now, with reference to the question above, there is nothing whatever in Scripture which would indicate, or from which we might infer, that Sunday was to be observed in commemoration of the resurrection of Christ. The reason is a wholly Roman Catholic reason. The fact of Christ's resurrection, in God's design, was to be ever kept before the world in the regenerated lives of believers in Christ. But the backslidden and worldly church brought in the pagan Sunday as a substitute, which many honest souls are observing, we wot, in ignorance of its origin.
Again, no genuine, well-informed Christian keeps the "Jewish Sabbath," nor has the Bible ever enjoined such an institution. The commandment refers to the observance of the Sabbath of the Lord our God. The "Jewish Sabbath," a term entirely unknown to the Scriptures, was the seventh day loaded down with Jewish tradition and superstition. Christ did transgress, according to Jewish standards and Jewish traditions, but Christ did not break God's law of the Sabbath, for the transgression of that law is sin (1 John 3:4), and Christ "did no sin." In fact, he expressly declares in Matt. 12:12 that the works which he did were law-ful, that is, according to the law of the Sabbath. That is just what the commandment enjoined, and Christ simply exemplified in his life the law of God. He was the living demonstration of God's law.
The editor refers to Col. 2:16, a text which refers only to the yearly and typical sabbaths; and also to conditions imposed upon the Gentile Christians, as recorded in Acts 15:23-29, and says that the Sabbath law was not among them. It might also be said that disobedience to parents, profaning God's name, murder, and theft are not forbidden by the apostolic injunctions. He who will transgress the Sabbath because the Sabbath is not there mentioned, would also, were it not for other restraints apart from God's law, transgress other commandments. But this question and answer noted above are characteristic of many others which come under our notice, where it would seem that editors of papers were either totally ignorant of the Scriptures of truth or else designed willfully to mislead those who were making honest inquiry. As to which it is we leave the Lord to judge. We can only point our readers to God's word and the example of our Lord Jesus Christ. If they follow him, if they abide in his word, the end is everlasting life.
The Boys’ Brigade and Sunday Laws
SAYS Theodore L. Cuyler, one of the noted Brooklyn preachers: "I observe with amazement that our Baptist brethren have introduced into some of their Sunday schools a 'Boys' Brigade.' One of their ministers announces that the 'purpose of this new organization is to cultivate in the boys a love of the military life, and to develop a high Christian character.' Can it be possible that so sensible and devout a body of people as the Baptists would attempt to put the military devil into the minds of their sons as a part of their Sunday school instruction?" And it is a cause of amazement. And yet our Baptist brethren have put themselves on the side of Sunday legislation. Why not, as they have united with civil power, train their sons to uphold and defend it? "But that would not be Christian." Neither is Sunday nor Sunday laws. Evil is in it all.
"LOOK AND LIVE."
By Ellen G. White
BY MRS. E. G. WHITE.
"And they journeyed from Mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea, to compass the land of Edom; and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way." The Lord does not remove all the difficulties and trials and hardships from the pathway of his people. He would have them learn to put their trust in him, believing that the invisible God is their mighty helper. The children of Israel became accustomed to the presence of the pillar of cloud, that covered them as a canopy by day, and was as a pillar of fire by night. They came to look upon the cloud as a common thing. They did not appreciate the fact that they were favored with the presence of the only-begotten Son of God; who was equal with God; and, in spite of all their perversity, their murmuring and rebellion, he had done wonderful things for them in all their journeyings.
The Lord had said: "Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions; for my name is in him. But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. For mine Angel shall go before thee." The one great object of the care and guardianship of Christ was the church in the wilderness. He said of Israel: "I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour; I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honorable, and I have loved thee; therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life."
Egypt was desolated with plagues and became a wasted land, in order that Israel might be freed from bondage; but the people did not appreciate the goodness and mercy and love of God. The Lord, their Redeemer, undertook to lead and guide them, but when he brought them into strait places, they were discouraged because of the way, and spake against God and Moses, saying: "Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died."
The Lord had fed them with the bread of heaven, even with angels' food; and yet they murmured against him. By his power he had held in check the wild beasts of the forests, and the reptiles of the wilderness, so that they had not hurt his people; but now he removed his restraining hand, and let the poisonous serpents do as they would have done all along the way had the Lord not restrained them. The real trouble that now came upon them served to bring them to their senses, and to awaken their paralyzed thoughts as to what course to pursue. "Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. . . . And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole; and it shall come to pass, that everyone that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole; and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived."
Throughout the camp of Israel there were the suffering and the dying who had been wounded by the deadly sting of the serpent. But Jesus Christ spoke from the pillar of cloud, and gave directions whereby the people might be healed. The promise was made that whosoever looked upon the brazen serpent should live; and to those who looked the promise was verified. But if anyone said: "What good will it do to look? I shall certainly die under the serpent's deadly sting;" if he continued to talk of his deadly wound, and declared that his case was hopeless, and would not perform the simple act of obedience, he would die. But everyone who looked, lived.
Jesus said: "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." Christ is speaking to us now as certainly as he spoke to the children of Israel in the wilderness. He is the Healer of both body and soul. Our attention is now called to the Great Physician. "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." Just as long as we look at our sins, and talk of and deplore our wretched condition, our wounds and putrefying sores will remain. It is when we take our eyes from ourselves, and fasten them upon the uplifted Saviour, that our souls find hope and peace. The Lord speaks to us through his word, bidding us "look and live." "He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God; for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life."
There is every reason why we should be encouraged to hope for the salvation of our souls. In Jesus Christ every provision for our salvation has been made. No matter what may have been our sins and shortcomings, there is a fountain open in the house of David for all sin and uncleanness. "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." This is the word of the Lord. Shall we accept it? Shall we believe on him?
David had been bitten by the fiery serpent, —he had been poisoned with the venom of sin,—yet hear the words that describe his experience after looking upon the uplifted Saviour: "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. . . . I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. For this shall everyone that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found; surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him. Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance." "The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. . . . The Lord redeemeth the souls of his servants, and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate."
FRAGMENTS.
By Eugene Leland
BY ELDER EUGENE LELAND.
WE never can do what we ought to do until we are what we ought to be.
God wants us to exercise faith in his requirements as well as in his promises.
Look to Jesus. Satan would have us look to ourselves; but in looking to ourselves we become discouraged on account of our failures, or puffed up on account of our successes. Look to Jesus.
Children love to imitate what they see their parents do. Let us then love our enemies, bless them that curse us, do good to them that hate us, and pray for them that despitefully use us and persecute us, that we may be the children of our Father which is in heaven. That is the way he does, "for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."
The gospel of Christ will save the sinner, and the law will witness to that salvation; but4when the salvation of the gospel is rejected, the law will condemn the sinner, and the gospel will witness to that condemnation.
Millington, Mich.
THE MOUNTAIN AND VALLEY.
HERE, Lord, upon this mount of grace,
Where we with wonder see
Thy glistening robes, thy shining face,
How good it is to be!
Here, Lord, abide; and we will build
Three tents for thee and thine;
And glory, which the temple filled,
Shall ever round us shine.
As thou transfigured didst appear,
Low at thy feet we bowed;
And, with a great and trembling fear,
We entered in the cloud;
But now thy words our fear allay;
How well we know their tone!
Oh, here we would forever stay,
To see thee, Lord, alone!
But no; thou wilt not here abide;
For soon with eager feet
Thou goest down the mountain side,
Thy service to complete.
Thy loved ones need delivering grace;
The suffering need thy care;
And for a lost and ruined race
Thou hast a cross to bear.
Not longer, then, will we here rest,
But thy disciples be;
And from this mount, with hearts refreshed,
We now will follow thee.
Oh, help us by thy grace within
To bear the toil and heat;
Thy poor to serve, the lost to win,
And e'en our cross to meet!
A higher mount we then shall climb,
Led thither by thy grace,
Where, in its majesty sublime,
Forever shines thy face.
Not in the tents that we prepare
Can dwell that radiance bright,
But in that sunless city where
Thy glory is the light.
—Selected.
A GRAND PROPHETIC OUTLINE.
By George I. Butler
PROPHECY is history in advance. To write the history of the future and make no mistakes is more than any created being can perform. The Father and the Son, who alone can know the end from the beginning, are competent to inspire agents to do this. Hence, the fulfillment of prophecy is one of the most convincing evidences of the inspiration of the Scriptures, and therefore an important antidote to the prevailing infidelity of the present time.
The prophecies of the Bible are of two kinds,—discursive and connected. In the former the inspired penman chronicles events which, in their fulfillment, may be wide apart, though written in close proximity. The scene presented before his mind changes rapidly, so that events are not connected with each other. But in connected prophecy events come in a series, like links in a chain, so that we may know which is to follow the other, and so we can tell the termination of the prophetic chain. Such prophecies can be more clearly and readily understood. The prophecies of Daniel and John are connected prophecies, and are among the most important in all the Bible.
In this age of scientific attainments, knowledge of a descriptive character is often conveyed at first in outline. It is introduced to the mind in its simplest form; only a few, comparatively, of the facts to be communicated are at first presented, the most important and most readily understood. Then the picture is filled out by other particulars, till all at last can be grasped by the pupil. Our geographical, astronomical, and physiological charts, and many others are so arranged. God seems to have adopted this method in foretelling the grand events of history. In the great image of Daniel 2 we have an epitome of the history of the world for ages. In succeeding chapters and in the Revelation of John, the picture is filled out with most interesting and important particulars.
Let us notice this grand prophetic outline. The scene is introduced when Babylon was at the height of its power. Nebuchadnezzar, its monarch, was in his prime, who was one of the greatest conquerors of antiquity. He had fortified and embellished the city, till it was known as one of the seven wonders of the world. Babylon was founded by Nimrod, the grandson of Noah, and this was perhaps the earliest organized kingdom after the flood. It had existed through various vicissitudes, till now it was the leading kingdom of the whole world, and none could stand before it. The king was an idolator. He had in his conquests conquered Judah and Jerusalem, and carried to Babylon Daniel and many others as captives, educating him and the most promising youths to hold important places in the government.
One night, after having been reflecting upon the future, he had a most wonderful dream, which left a deep impression upon his mind. Yet when he awoke he could not recall its particulars. His mind was greatly troubled about it. He felt he must in some way have it recalled. He at last had recourse to the wise men and astrologers, etc., who were supposed to look into the future, but they could not help him. At last the matter was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night, and he revealed the whole matter to the king:—
"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 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 threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for these; and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king." Dan. 2: 31-36.
This was indeed a most wonderful dream, and no wonder the king was deeply interested to comprehend it. Evidently the Spirit of God was impressing his mind that it was a most important matter. And would to God that the mind of every reader might be as anxious to understand it as he was. Before considering the interpretation, let the reader take special notice of the following points: Where did the stone smite the image?—Not on its head of gold, not on the breast and arms of silver or sides of brass, nor legs of iron, but upon its feet that were of iron and clay. The image maintained its majestic form until the full development of the feet and toes, part of iron and part of clay. But when, without the hands of human agency, the stone by divine power alone fell from its mountain height upon the feet, the whole image was utterly disintegrated, and was swept away as the chaff before the mighty cyclone. Whatever constituted the image disappeared from view forever. We will now notice the interpretation point by point:—
"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." Verses 37, 38.
How plain, direct, and certain is this language! The king stands for the kingdom. The head of gold was Babylon. By historians and commentators who have studied the matter thoroughly, the beginning and ending of the monarchy as brought to view in the prophecy was B.C. 606 and B.C. 538, respectively. Our space will not permit an extended notice of the historical facts connected with these great monarchies. The interested reader who desires to learn more of the particulars is referred to "Thoughts on Daniel," for sale at the Pacific Press, or Review and Herald Office, Battle Creek, Mich.
"And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth." Verse 39.
From this language it is evident that these kingdoms were to be successive—the gold to give place to the silver, the dominion passing downward from one division to another, till at last the divided condition of the iron and clay was reached, when the grand drama should close in the utter destruction of them all.
What power was represented by the breast and arms of silver?—The power that overthrew Babylon and held it in possession. This was the kingdom of the Medes and Persians united in one government. History and Scripture both state this, and none will dispute it. In the year B.C. 538 Cyrus the Great, at the head of the army of Medes and Persians, captured Babylon, slaying Belshazzar the king, who was holding a drunken feast. Dan 5: 30. That kingdom continued till B.C. 331.
The kingdom of brass succeeded the Medo-Persian power. Alexander the Great, as he is called in history, completed the destruction of that kingdom at that date, and none could successfully resist him. The armor of his soldiers gave them the name of the "brazen coated." The Grecian power continued till B.C. 161. See Dan. 8: 20, 21.
"And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron; forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdoeth all things; and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise." Verse 40.
The student of history will not hesitate a moment in comprehending what power was this, so strong that it excelled all others that precede it, in might and duration, nor what power subdued the Grecian kingdoms, yea, and ruled the whole known world for ages. Rome, imperial Rome, was the grand colossus which bestrode all the nations for many centuries. That was the power that summoned the whole world to be enrolled, or taxed. Luke 2: 1. The power to do that was the power that ruled the world. From 161 B.C. to A.D. 476, between six and seven centuries, Rome held sway. A Roman governor caused the Lord of glory to be put to death. The influence of Rome in the affairs of the world have been more potent than that of any other. It was the terrible iron kingdom that bruised and brake in pieces.
"And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' 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. 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. 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." Verses 41-43.
The further removed from the point of time where the prophet stood, the more particular and specific are his statements of the events to occur. Only divine power could thus foretell them. To the end of the fourth kingdom great empires had successively ruled one after another. Now comes a change. The fourth kingdom is to be divided up into kingdoms, some stronger, some weaker, and these are to continue in this form and condition till utterly destroyed. History informs us that between the years 351 and 476 A.D. the Roman Empire was broken into fragments by the tribes of barbarians pouring in from the north upon it, till it was utterly broken up. And these became the kingdoms of modern Europe, who hold the power of the world in their hands to-day. Some are strong and some are weak; yet there they exist side by side, and no king has been sufficiently strong to unite them. Mighty warriors have tried it,—Louis XIV., of France, Charles V., of Germany, and Spain and the great Napoleon,—but still they remain in their divided state. Marriage alliances have often been made, but still they are as separate as ever. One little sentence of God's word has been more potent than all their efforts. What a striking contrast to the great empires which preceded this condition! These powers have not always remained exactly alike. Various changes have occurred. Yet there has generally been about the same number, enough to justify the common expression341when naming them collectively, "The Ten Kingdoms of Modern Europe."
Where does the dominion of the world rest to-day?—In these kingdoms Great Britain, with some thirty-five or forty millions, holds vast portions of the earth under its sway, among which is India, with nearly ten times as many people. France, with about the same number, encroaches upon China, with its vast hordes of hundreds of millions, and she dare not contest her power. Thus we have been in the divided state of the dominion of the world for some fourteen centuries.
What is the next great link in the prophetic chain?
"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." Verses 44, 45.
How concise, plain, and decisive are these statements, and what grand and astounding facts do they present! Earthly kingdoms give place to the kingdom of God. All worldly sway of mortal rulers, with their weakness, malice, and tyranny, their persecutions of God's people, at the one grand stroke of the divine Stone, which became the head of the corner, pass forever away from mortal view, swept out of existence. The Saviour comes to rule over the whole world, to fulfill the promise made to Abraham, and to sit on the throne of his father David forever and ever. Rom. 4: 13; Isa. 9: 6, 7; Luke 1: 32, 33.
In vain has a mystical, spiritualizing theology sought for ages to obscure this grand truth, and make it appear that the stone smote the image high up on the iron legs centuries before the feet and toes had any existence, at the first advent of Christ. The language utterly forbids such an application. Inspiration declares that the final destructive stroke fell upon the "feet that were of iron and clay," and utterly demolished the whole structure. The stone becomes a great mountain, and fills the whole earth. So the kingdom of God utterly destroys, supersedes, and holds entire sway over the very territory formerly ruled over by those earthly empires, which never after have a shadow of existence, while God's immortal kingdom stands to all eternity. Where are we to-day?—At the very close of the last earthly power mentioned, after its existence for fourteen centuries—on the very brink of the eternal world. Thus, in this brief synopsis of a few verses in length, the grandest events of over three thousand years of history are narrated, set before us in the clearest terms. None but the true God would do such a wonderful thing.