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CHAPTER III CONFIRMATION OF THE PROTESTANT INTERPRETATION OF THE APOCALYPSE

From the denial and defense of the Protestant interpretation of the Apocalypse we now advance to its confirmation by the events which have taken place since the French Revolution.

To trace the fulfilment of apocalyptic prophecy in the period we have now reached it will be needful,

1. To consider the things foretold with reference to the period, and

2. The things which have come to pass.

On comparing the one series of things with the other, we shall see that the predictions have to a large extent been fulfilled ; and that the fulfilment is such as to afford a strong confirmation of the historic interpretation of the Apocalypse; together with a clear’indication of the Clearness of those final judgments which mark the close of the present age.

I. APOCALYPTIC PREDICTIONS RELATING TO THE PRESENT PERIOD.

In the events of the French Revolution we have already traced the fulfilment of the judgments of the earlier vials, from the first to the fifth; from the “grievous sore”inflicted on “the worshippers of the beast,”or adherents of the papacy, to the judgments poured on “the throne of the beast,”or the seat of Papal sovereignty.

These solemn judgments occupied in their fulfilment the century which terminated with the fall of Napoleon in 1815. Beginning with the plague of infidelity and moral corruption which was the precursor of the French Revolution, these judgments included the overthrow of Monarchy, and abolition of the Roman Catholic religion in France, with attendant massacres and wars, appalling in character and world-wide in effects, and culminated in the spoliation of Rome, the captivity of the Pope, who died in exile, and the incorporation of Rome with France as the second city of the empire.

In the order of prophecy the judgments which follow these are those of the sixth vial.

PREDICTIONS UNDER THE SIXTH VIAL

1. The sixth vial is poured out on the River Euphrates, and dries up its waters.

The meaning of the sixth vial is determined by that of the sixth trumpet. Under the “woe “of the sixth trumpet, a destroying army, vast in jts numbers, issues from the River Euphrates as a judgment on idolatrous Christendom. With one consent historical interpreters have recognized the fulfilment of this “woe,”in the overthrow of the Eastern Roman Empire by the Turks, whose myriads of horsemen came from the banks of the Euphrates. Hence the drying-up of the Euphrates which takes place under the sixth vial, has long been interpreted to mean a wasting away or notable diminution of Turkish power; involving the decline of its population, and the loss of its territories.

2. The time indicated in prophecy for this event is the close of 2,300 years measured from the advance of Persia, or the ” pushing westward “of the Persian ram—the apparent starting point of the vision in Daniel 8, or the invasion of Greece by Persia B.C. 480. Measured from that date, the prophetic period of 2,300 years terminated A . D . 1821. Bichino, writing in 1797, anticipated that the “cleansing”of the downtrodden eastern “sanctuary”would take place at the close of 2,300 years, reckoned from the starting of Xerxes from Susa in 481 B.C. But it is evident that the period should be reckoned from the actual invasion of Greece by Xerxes in the following year B.C. 480. Allowing for the necessary subtraction of one year (in adding B.C. to A.D. dates) the 2,300 years ran out in 1821. At this date, then, the foretold “cleansing”of the downtrodden “sanctuary” ought to have commenced, or some notable diminution of the resources, armies, population, and territories of Turkey, as representing the apostate Mohammedan power which has trodden down Palestine and Eastern Christendom ever since the fall of Constantinople in 1453.

3. On the drying-up of the Euphrates, three “unclean spirits”like frogs, issue “from the mouth of the dragon, the mouth of the beast, and the mouth o*f the false prophet.”Satanically inspired, for they are “the spirits of devils,”and working in some sense ” miracles “or wonders, they “go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.”In connection with this terminal event it is added, “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest he walk’ naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue -Armageddon.

“The dragon, in chapter 12, is interpreted to mean the Sa- tanically inspired Paganism of Ancient Rome. The “beast “has been shown to be the eighth ruling head of the Roman Empire, or the papal power; while the “false prophet”is the minister of the beast; lamb-like in pretensions, but dragon-like in character, for he had “two horns like a lamb, and spake as a dragon “(ch. 12 : 11).

Heathen-like infidelity, Popery, and apostate priestcraft, would seem then, to be the three unclean spirits, whose noisy loquacity, symbolized by their being compared to “frogs,”and delusive influence, bring about the final dreadful Armageddon conflict.

4. The drying-up of the Euphrates “that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared,”is an evident allusion to the drying-up of the literal Euphrates, which preceded the capture of Babylon, by Cyrus and Darius, kings of the east. As the literal Babylon is in prophecy the figure of the apostate Church of Rome, the drying-up of the Euphrates may well have a secondary reference to the wasting or consumption of the stream of wealth and prosperity by which that Church is supported. An analogous double reference of apocalyptic symbolism is seen in chapter 17, where the “seven heads “of the wild beast power represent both “seven mountains where the woman sitteth,”and “seven kings,”or ruling powers.

5. The warning under the sixth vial, “Behold, I come as a thief,”and the blessing pronounced on those who “watch “and ” keep their garments “in preparation for the Lord’s coming, seem to point to the nearness at this juncture of the Second Advent, and to an awakening of watchfulness, and renewal of preparation among the Lord’s faithful followers, for His coming.

II. PREDICTIONS WITH REFERENCE TO THE FALL OF THE PAPACY .

The 1,260 years’ duration of the papal power is properly measured from the .era of its commencement, the brief period which extended from the edict of Justinian, in A . D . 533, to the edict of the Emperor Phocas in A . D . 607, constituting the Bishop of Rome, Pope or Universal Bishop in the Christian Church.

Measured from the first of these dates, the 1,260 years of papal domination ended in 1793, the time of the fall of the papacy, and abolition of the Roman Catholic religion in the French Revolution.

Measured from the second of these dates, the year 607, the 1,260 years extended :—

1. In calendar, or prophetic years of 360 days, to 1849.

2. In solar years to 1867.

Fleming, as will be remembered, pointed out in 1701 that the 1,260 years’ papal duration should be reckoned in calendar or prophetic years, of 360 days which would cut off eighteen years from the 1,260, making 1,242 years; and that so reckoning the period from the decree of Phocas, it would end in 1848-9.

It will also be remembered that numerous writers on prophecy during the last three hundred years have indicated 1866-1868 as the last great terminus of the 1,260 years’ papal domination.

According then, to these anticipations based on the prophetic times of Daniel and Revelation, and on the facts of history, the years 1848-9 and 1866-7 ought to have possessed a terminal character in relation to the papal power.

III. PREDICTIONS AS TO THE RESTORATION OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE.

The Word of God, which foretells the “casting away “of the Jews, and their long exile from their land, foretells also their restoration. “He that scattered Israel will gather him.”Every prophet from Moses to Malachi dwells upon the theme, and the Apostle Paul devotes the central section of the Epistle to the Romans to its elucidation.

The restoration of the Jews, according to the “sure word of prophecy,”immediately follows the termination of “the times of the Gentiles.”It was our Lord who said “Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”

Several stages are to mark this great restoring work. First, the scattered children of Israel are to be reunited, or unified as a people; secondly, while continuing in unbelief they are to return to their own land, and to be reconstructed as a nation; and thirdly, after passing through the deep trials which await them there, in order to compel them to judge their ways aright, as did Joseph’s brethren in the trial which befell them in Egypt, they are. to be led to repentance for their rejection and crucifixion of the Messiah, and converted by some manifestation of Christ; turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God.

TIME OF JEWISH RESTORATION

According to the prophecies in the last chapter of Daniel the commencement of Jewish restoration takes place at the close of 1,260 years, reckoned, from the setting up of the desolating power by which Palestine has been long trodden under foot.

As the capture of Jerusalem by the Saracens A . D . 637, followed by the erection of the Mosque of Omar on the site of Solomon’s temple, was the initial date of the last down-treading of the city, the expiration of 1,260 years reckoned from this date, first, in lunar years, and second, in solar years, should have led to initial stages connected with the restoration of the Jews.

1. One thousand two hundred and sixty lunar years, from A.D. 637, terminated in 1860.

2. One thousand two hundred and sixty solar years from the same date, ended in 1897.

The years 1860 and 1897 should therefore have witnessed the inauguration of some important movements for the unification of the Jewish people, and their restoration to Palestine.