“SIGNS OF THE TIMES”—THE RETURN TO JERUSALEM—FORCES OF RUSSIA AND ENGLAND—PRESENT LOCALITY OF ANCIENT NATIONS—ORIGIN OF AMERICAN REPUBLICANISM—FEDERATION OF THE NATIONS COMING—EVOLUTION AND DEVOLUTION.

“Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.”—Daniel xii. 12.

So according to the prophet Daniel there is a time to come in which it will be blessed to live. The prophecies of Daniel are generally of a material character—that is, they have special reference to this world politically, and to this end he had direct and special reference to certain kingdoms in existence at the time of writing, as well as others that were to come into being. Of all the prophets he concerns himself the most with positive data of the rise and fall of nations. The figures of the data used, we freely confess, are difficult to understand and interpret. The Church and times are greatly in need of some man competent on this point. All prophetic students know the diversity and confusion in this department of theology. Of all the difficult departments of theology none exceed the numerical. The numerical symbolism of the Bible is as yet but little understood. True, indeed, we are improving. Aided by Providence, we are enabled to interpret some dates by data—that is, certain events occurring locate us and point out the prophetic period we are in. Like the captain who is unable by his certain and usual modes of calculating to find his whereabouts, does so by currents, the Gulf-stream, islands, colour of waters, &c., did we know the exact quantity of Daniel’s two thousand and three hundred days, his times, time, and half a time, his seventy weeks, his thousand two hundred and ninety days, and the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days, then we could deal with the prophecies with a definitiveness to which as yet we are strangers.

The times, however, are peculiarly interesting from the very fact that the Church is waking up to the importance of prophetic study. “Coming events cast their shadows before,” is a trite but true saying, and here as true as anywhere. Men feel in their fears and hopes the pressure of prophecy. The Church is remarkably anxious and unrest. Governments are suspicious and confused. The populace are restless and threatening. Indeed, everything conspires in Church, State, and people, to forecast the future. A thunderstorm is felt before it is seen or heard. It shadows the mind, thrills the nerves, and pains the rheumatic limbs. Many in 1858 felt war coming in our own country. Many were at a loss to interpret their fears. Some, however, interpreted the signs of the time and sounded an alarm.

The few years to come are pregnant with angry forces. Men are busy in Russia, Germany, France, England, and America, sowing the winds, and the harvest will surely be whirlwinds. But, beyond all, the sky is clear. War ceases, commerce revives, the nations accept a settled peace, science and religion join hand in hand to prepare the wastes and woes of war. The beast is overcome, Anti-Christ is slain, and the dragon is banished from the earth. Jerusalem again rises in splendour from the grave of desolation. Again Canaan will become the glory of all lands, and Jerusalem the glory of Canaan. Here, again, after centuries of wandering, shall the throne of David find rest, and on it one of David’s seed, chosen and anointed of God, accepted of men, and served by the nations. Crowned and imperial Salem shall become the home of her long-captive sons and daughters. Israel and Judah shall meet together, and shall be one stick, one people, having one head, one throne, one city, one Lord, even Jesus. “Therefore, they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd; and their soul shall be as a watered garden, and they shall not sorrow any more at all” (Jeremiah xxxi. 12).

No one can read the prophecies that find their fulfilment after the battle of Armageddon—or, as the prophets have it, “after those days”—without being ravished with delight. Israel in her palmy days, and Judah in her glory! A nation called of God, and ruled by God through David or Solomon; how inviting! When Heaven was their Defence and Provider; when the fidelity of men to God was enough of defence, and the morality of a people was a rich manure giving an abundant harvest in field, stall, and orchard; then we see the true position of a nation, its grandeur and prosperity. I am convinced that morality has a more intimate relation with the forces and wealth of nature than we are in the habit of believing. God can give increased measure to the harvest, fruitfulness to the vine, plenty in the orchard, increase in the stall, and addition to the household. Time upon time are these blessings promised by the prophets to Israel and Judah in the latter day.

Take notice of a few statements of the prophets responding to those times—the times that will ensue after the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel and the Jews are again possessed of, and settled in, Palestine. Jeremiah, in the 30th chapter and 31st, refers to those times: “For lo, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will bring again the captivity of My people, Israel and Judah, saith the Lord; and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it”—referring to this time and the battle of Armageddon, in which Israel will be tested as we have before shown. “Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it; it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.” Now, we ask, why will it be specially a time of trouble? We answer, Because of the strength of the combined forces that will be arrayed against Israel—that is, England. The forces, as set forth in the Scriptures, are thirteen on one side, led by Russia, and four on the other, which will be led by England. The thirteen are: 1st, Gog; 2nd, Magog; 3rd, Rosh; 4th, Meshech; 5th, Tubal; 6th, Persia; 7th, Ethiopia; 8th, Libya; 9th, Gomer; 10th, Togarmah; 11th, the Beast; 12th, the Dragon; and 13th, Anti-Christ. The four are: 1st, Sheba; 2nd, Dedan; 3rd, Merchants of Tarshish with all their young lions; 4th, the Jews and Israelites settled in Palestine, that will not be led astray by Anti-Christ.

To understand the prophets when forecasting the future, we must keep in mind that in speaking of a nation’s destiny in the future, they would speak of it by the name it had at that time, if such a nation had an existence at that time. But in course of time, such nations would change their name, and sometimes locality; in such a case they must be found. For instance, if one desires to know the destiny of Turkey, he will find it set forth by the prophets under the name of Edom and Esau. Moab and Ammon are found in the Poles and Hungarians; they were the sons of Lot. In all parts of the world the children of Abraham have an attachment for each other. Thus India was peopled at first by the descendants of Abraham; hence they will mix with, and accept English rule sooner than any other people. “But unto the sons of the concubines which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, Eastward, unto the East country” (Gen. xxv. 6). If we trace back the origin of a people to their head or founder, we will better understand their peculiarities and national idiosyncrasies. Study Ishmael to understand the Arabs, Esau to understand the Turks, Ammon and Moab to understand the Poles and Hungarians. Study the character and condition of Manasseh in Egypt, as being brought up in a palace, and being the lawful heir, but deprived of his birthright by a Providence which he could not understand, and you have at once a key to the Pilgrim character, and the characteristics of a real American—why he hates titles, kings, and aristocracies. But he forgets not the place of his youth when he had the great seal made; for on the reverse of the great seal of the United States you will have the figure of a Pyramid crowned with the All-seeing eye. No Tribe but the Tribe of Manasseh could say, or did say, “We are a great people.” Yet so this Tribe said to Joshua (see Josh. xvii.). So we often say, “We are a great people.”

Rachel and Leah, the two wives of Jacob, are the real source of the separation of the Ten Tribes of Israel from Judah. Each wife sought to have her son as a leader. Thus between Judah and Joseph began the spirit of rivalry. Ephraim took up the cause of Rachel. David and Saul’s bitterness lies here. David stood for Leah, and Saul for Rachel. The descendants of the North of Ireland, being from the Tribe of Dan, have ever been distinct from the rest of the Irish in features, enterprise, spirit and religion; for the others are the Canaanites of old, the Philistines.

Who do the thirteen enemies stand for to-day? Let me answer you briefly. Gog stands for the Caucasians or mountain tribes of Caucasus. Magog covers the inhabitants and country North of the Caucasian mountains, and they are known as Tartars. Rosh, or Roosh, means the real Russians. Their ruler is called by the Prophet Ezekiel Nasi Roosh. We translate it the chief prince of Meshech. This portion, or people of Russia, are the old Babylonians, hence the hate and rivalry between England and that nation. Meshech means the Muscovites, who made Moscow what it is. Tubal is found in the Siberians. Meshech and Tubal are generally mentioned together in the Scriptures, and, strange to say, they are found together in history to-day. Moscow is the capital of Meshech, for though to the world St. Petersburgh seems to be, yet every imperial document is signed and dated Moscow. Tobolski is the capital of Tubal or Siberia. Persia still retains its ancient name, and will be easily recognised. Also the same with Ethiopia. Libya takes in a portion of the African race. Gomer stands for the Germans in part, for those who descended from Gomer. From this word Gomer is Gomeron, Gemren, and the country Germia, hence, Germany and Germans. Togarmah includes the people of Independent Tartary. The Dragon includes China. The Beast, the Jesuits and their followers, which will take in France, Spain, Italy, and South America; and at first divide even England, especially Ireland, and the United States. Anti-Christ will be chiefly sustained by the Jews, who will have been settled in Palestine.

The four opposing forces led by England: Sheba represents India, who is already training for this time of battle. Dedan embraces Arabia, especially that part occupied by the Sultan of Muscat. Merchants of Tarshish and all the young lions, means England and her colonies, in which is embraced the United States. Manasseh will have to stretch out a helping hand to Jacob in the time of his trouble, for she cannot allow liberty to be enslaved, and freedom of worship and conscience to be trampled under foot. The plague will come here sooner than we think, by a civil and internal division among ourselves, which will force us to take part. The Jews that are not carried away with Anti-Christ will join with their brethren of Israel. The called, the chosen, and the faithful, will be one party, and they will be on the Lord’s side.

If during the late Turkish war we could have had our despatches agreeable to ancient names of people and country, they would have sounded queer. Instead of reading of the Russians passing the Caucasus, and moving upon Erzeroum by way of Kars, we should have read: Rapid advance of the Babylonians under the chief prince of Meshech. Successful passage of the Pison. The whole land of Havilah occupied. The men of Togarmah rally at Gihon. Fierce fighting in Eden. The invaders defeated in the mountains of Ararat. For according to ancient names of people and country, such was the fact. It is comforting to all God’s people to know from His Word that there is a time of peace; that there is a golden age in the near future. Dr. McKay has the Christian idea in his poem:

“There is a good time coming, boys,
Wait a little longer;
Let us aid it all we can,
Every woman, every man,
The good time coming.”

When will the 1,335 days of years, spoken of in the text, end? We answer, About the year 1957. And why that year? Because these days evidently date there, beginning from the time the daily sacrifice is taken away and the city trodden under foot. The little goat horn of Daniel viii. 9 stands, we have before shown you, for Turkey. “And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great toward the South, and toward the East, and toward the pleasant land.” It stands for Mahommedanism, which was to overturn Christianity for a given period, a time, times, and a half time, or in figures, 1260. Now Mahommed was accepted and crowned at Mecca in the year 622. If we add 1260 and 622, we have 1882—a time that is very plainly pointed out in the Pyramid. Daniel says, “Seventy weeks are determined upon Thy people and upon Thy holy city,” Jerusalem. These weeks put into prophetic years make 490, which, of course, brings us to the time when Jerusalem was destroyed by Titus. Daniel asked how long the vision concerning the daily sacrifice and transgression of desolation to give the sanctuary and people to be trodden down? The answer was, Unto 2,300 days, taking a day for a year. Jerusalem was destroyed in the year 70. Take this from 490 and we have 420. Now these 420 years taken from 2,300 will bring 1880. Then the sanctuary is to be cleansed—that is, Jerusalem will be in the possession of England. She now is.

From about 1880, or 1882, England will possess Jerusalem. In the twelfth chapter of Daniel, eleventh verse, we find thirty days added to the 1,200, making 1,290; these added thirty years denote the time England will have to contend for her right to Palestine. It will finally be acknowledged, however, by all nations. In 1935 the battle of Armageddon will end, but Palestine will not be fully settled down to a peaceful possession till 1957. Then the government will be fully established and acknowledged all over the world. The kings and Gentile nations will have gone up to Jerusalem and given in their adherence. Then all the world will be federated to David’s throne. The year 1957 I arrive at by the same rule as the other—1,335 when added to 622, makes 1,957. “Blessed,” says Daniel, “are they who see that time.”

The world is to undergo some marvellous changes these next few years—mechanically, politically, socially, and morally; the telephone, the phonograph, the microphone, the telemachole and coming improvements will transform our modes of labour and learning beyond our present conception. God times inventions and improvements to the advancement of His kingdom.

I do not regard inventions as mere accidents, but as the outcoming of a Divine intent through human agencies. Watts and Wesley both did good service for the Church and the world. Edison and others of kindred minds are scientific prophets. “The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof.” All is made subservient to the progress of the kingdom of heaven. The doctrine of the evolution of man as taught by Darwin is neither complimentary to man or God; but the doctrine of devolution is. Man is a developing creature; a creature who takes centuries to grow in. The devolution of God is through man by means of all the increasing facilities and agencies that make man stronger, wiser, and better. The secret powers and forces of nature are revealed to man in the ratio of his ability to apply them, on the same scale as we instruct our children.

In the latter days, or the period spoken of by Daniel, nature will be Divinely prompted with an impulse of generosity not now known, for then men will be wise enough, strong enough, and good enough, to use the same and not abuse. The prophetic teachings glow with promises of regaling plenty, peace and good will in those days. “I will multiply upon you man and beasts; and they shall increase and bring fruit; and I will settle you after your old estates, and will do better unto you than at your beginnings; and ye shall know that I am the Lord” (Ezek. xxxvi. 11). Again: “I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye receive no more reproach of famine, among the heathen.” I submit and believe that all this God will do by what men are pleased to call natural law. The Divine will not rudely break in upon His own established laws.

Sin impairs the energy and growth of man, and so infringes upon Nature. As man frees himself from the bondage and sequences of sin, he will rise higher and higher in his command and authority over Nature’s forces. Three several times the earth has been cursed, which curse is gradually removed as man returns unto his God in loving and obedient service. “And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand. When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength” (Gen. iv. 11). The secret of a world’s wealth and peace lies here, and it were well if reformers and agitators understood this. For they work best who work in harmony with God and His laws.

Pyramid picture

“In that day there shall be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the Lord; and it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt.”—Isaiah xix. 19.