nation been more completely overthrown." -- Guizot. 1 1 New
peoples in ten distinct kingdoms, in A. D. 476, occupied the
territory which for five hundred years had been Roman. These are
the nations which, inextricably involved with the papacy, are the subject
of the mediaeval and modern history of Western Europe, that we
are now to trace.
2. The establishment, the growth, and the reign of the papacy
as a world-power, is distinctly a subject of prophecy, as really as is
the fall of Rome and the planting of the Ten Kingdoms upon the
ruins thereof. Indeed, the prophecy of this is an inseparable part of
the prophecy of the other. To any one who will closely observe, it
will plainly appear that in the three great lines of prophecy in
Daniel 7, and 8, and 11, the great subject is Rome. In the
Scriptures in each of these chapters far more space is given to the
description of Rome than is given to Babylon, Medo-Persia, and
Grecia all together. And in Dan. 11 : 14 when the entrance of
Rome upon the scene is marked, it is definitely and significantly
stated "the children of robbers shall exalt themselves to establish the
vision." That is to say: Rome is the particular object of the vision;
and when Rome is reached and she enters upon the scene, the
vision is established.
3. In Daniel 7, the four great world-empires -- Babylon, MedoPersia,
Grecia, and Rome -- are pictured by four great beasts. The
last characteristic of the fourth is that "it had ten horns." Then,
says the prophet, "I considered the horns, and, behold, there came
up among them another LITTLE horn, before whom there were three
of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were
eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things." 2 2
This "little horn" the prophet beheld even till "the Judgment was
set and the books
2
were opened." And then he says, "I beheld then [at the time of the
Judgment] because of the great words which the horn spake. I
beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and
given to the burning flame."
4. Note that the prophet is considering the "little horn" in its
career even to the end. But when that "little horn" comes to its end,
it is not said, I beheld till the horn was broken; but, "I beheld till the
beast was slain." At the time of the Judgment "I beheld then because
of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast
was slain." This shows beyond all question that that which is
symbolized by the "little horn" is simply another phase of what is
symbolized by the great and terrible beast. The "little horn" is but
the continuation of the beast in a different shape: the same
characteristics are there: the same spirit is there: the same thing that
is the beast continues through all the time of the little horn until its
destruction comes; and when the destruction of the little "horn"
does come, it is "the beast" that is slain and his body destroyed and
given to the burning flame.
5. In Daniel 8 the thought is the same, except that both phases
of this power which is Rome, are symbolized in "a little horn which
waxed exceeding great toward the south and toward the east and
toward the pleasant land;" that "waxed great even to the host of
heaven;" who magnified himself even to the Prince of the host, and
by whom the daily sacrifice was taken away and the place of His
sanctuary was cast down." The further sketch of Rome in its whole
career, and under whatever form, from its entrance into the field of
the world's affairs unto the end, is given in verses 23-25: "And in
the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come
to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark
sentences, shall stand up. And his power shall be mighty, but not by
his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper,
and practice, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his
hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall
destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes;
but he shall be broken without hand."
6. When in chapter 7 the angel explained to Daniel the meaning
of these things, he said: "The ten horns out of this kingdom are ten
kings
3
that shall arise: and another shall arise after them; and he shall be diverse
from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak
great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of
the Most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall
be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of
times." 33
7. Of the fourth great kingdom -- Rome -- the angel said that
not only was it "diverse from all the kingdoms that were before it,"
but that it was "diverse from all kingdoms." Rome was diverse from
all the powers that were before it, and also diverse from all
kingdoms, in that it was a republic. It is true that this republic
degenerated into a one man power, a terrible imperial despotism,
in which it was also diverse from all that were before it, and even
from all; yet, the name and form of a republic were still retained, even
to its latest days.
8. That empire perished, and in its place stood ten powers which
were called kingdoms. But, now of this other peculiar one which
comes up amongst the ten, before whom three of the ten are
rooted out -- of this one it is written: "He shall be diverse from the
first." The first was diverse from "all;" and yet this is diverse even
from that one. This shows, then, that the power here referred to
would be diverse from all, even to a degree beyond that one which
is plainly declared to be diverse from all: that it would be of an
utterly new and strange order.
9. Note that of this power it is written that he should "speak
great words against the Most High;" that he should "wear out the
saints of the Most High;" and that he should "think to change times
and the law" 4 4 of the Most High. In the description of the same
power, given in chapter 8 : 25, it is stated that "he shall also stand
up against the Prince of princes." Throughout the book of Daniel
the expression "stand up," where used in connection with kings,
invariably signifies "to reign." 5 5 This power, then, would reign in
opposition to Christ; for only He is the Prince of princes.
10. Further information with respect to this power, is given by
Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2, where, in writing of the day of the
coming of the Lord he said: "That day shall not come except there
come a falling away
4
first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who
opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that
is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God
showing himself that he is God." And that this instruction is
derived directly from the passages which we have quoted from
Daniel 7 and 8, is clear from the fact that Paul appeals to the
Thessalonians: "Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I
told you these things?" When he was yet with them, and telling
them these things, he "reasoned with them out of the Scriptures."
The only Scriptures that they then had were the Old Testament
Scriptures. And the only place in the Old Testament Scriptures
where these things are mentioned which he cited, is in these
chapters of the book of Daniel
