Author’s Preface

Editor’s Preface:—

Introduction.

Author’s qualifications for Apocalyptic exposition—Author’s plan in preparing his Commentary, affords assurance of his sobriety as an interpreter, and rebukes the scorn of hostile critics—Peculiarities of this edition.

Year-day Principle.

Importance of the question regarding—Protestant theory of Apocalyptic interpretation stands or falls with it—Rival schemes, nature and origin of—Advocates on both sides—Views of Dr.Davidson and Professor Stuart.

Arguments in favour of Year-day Theory.

1. Concurrent Testimony of Protestant Interpreters—Objection of Dr.Davidson—Reply—Use which the Reformers made of the Apocalypse—Views of Walter Brute—Views of Luther.

2. Symbolical Character of the Predictions in Daniel and the Apocalypse—Laws of symbolic propriety—Dr.Maitland’s famous objection, that a day is no symbol for a year—General principles on which Year-day view rests—Ground occupied by Mede—Principle of Bush and Faber—True basis—View of Birks and Elliott.

3. Indications of the Year-day Principle in Scripture—The case of the spies in the book of Numbers—Ezekiel’s typical siege—Objection of Professor Stuart—Professor Bush’s reply—Objection of Bishop Horsley—Objections from Isaiah, ch. xx.2,3—Daniel’s seventy weeks—Diverse views of opponents—Outlines of Discussion.

4. Exigency of Passages in which Prophetic Times occur—Saracenic woe in Rev. ix.5–10—Turkish woe in Rev. ix.15—The forty-two months of the Gentiles in ch. xi.2—The times of the two witnesses in ch. xi.3–11—The times of the woman in the wilderness, in ch. xii.6–14—Forty-two months of the Beast, in ch. xiii.5—Danielic periods—Objections alleged, novelty of the Year-day principle.

Author’s Introduction:—Sect.I. The Writer of the Book of Revelation.—Sect.II. The Time of Writing the Apocalypse.—Sect.III. The Place where the Book was written.—Sect.IV. The Nature and Design of the Book.—Sect.V. The Plan of the Apocalypse.

Analysis.

The Book of Revelation.