ALONE WITH GOD     

  Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, marched his armies to Jerusalem, destroyed the city and house of God, took the vessels of the temple and the remaining Jews, and carried them away captive. This occurred B. C. 606. Among the captives previously carried to Babylon was one Daniel, who was especially endued with wisdom from on high. Nebuchadnezzar, in the second year of his reign, had a remarkable dream. In his dream he saw a great image. As he was an idolater, an image was an object that would at once command his attention and respect. But the thing went from him; therefore he called all the magicians, astrologers, and sorcerers. None of these, however, could reveal or interpret the dream. Finally God revealed the matter to Daniel, who made known to the king his dream as follows:

  "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 his 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 floor; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth." Dan. 2:31-35.

  These five short verses open one of the most sublime chapters of human history. It is so comprehensive that the period which it covers, beginning more than twenty five centuries ago, reaches from that far distant point past the rise and fall of kingdoms, past epochs and ages, over into the eternal state—yes, to all eternity.

  First, in the vision, are brought to view four universal monarchies, which flourished in succession in ancient times. The first of these is represented by the head of gold, interpreted by the prophet as follows: "Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.... Thou art this head of gold." Verse 37, 38. By this we understand that the Chaldean kingdom is what the head of gold represented. It was a golden kingdom in a golden age. Babylon, its metropolis, lay in the garden of the East. The city lay in a perfect square, fifteen miles on each side. It was surrounded by a wall three hundred and fifty feet high and eighty seven feet thick. It had one hundred and fifty gates of solid brass. Its hanging gardens were a wonderment. This city contained many things which were wonders of the world, but the city itself was the greatest wonder of its time. It was in this city, by the rivers of Babylon, that the Israelite captives sat down and wept, when they remembered Zion. Said they, "We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?" Psa. 137: 1-4. I presume it is safe to say that never before did the earth see a city like this; and since it has never seen its equal. With the earth prostrate at her feet, she sat "the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency. " Such was Babylon, with Nebuchadnezzar, in the prime of life, its ruler, when the Israelite captives entered its impregnable walls to serve for seventy years.

  While Babylon was founded by Nimrod over two thousand years before Christ, it did not enter the field of prophecy until connected with the people of God, which was about 606 B. C. Here the head of gold began in history and continued until 538 B. C., when, during the reign of Belshazzar, the son of Nebuchadnezzar, the kingdom fell into the hands of the Medes and the Persians (see Daniel 5).

  The Medo-Persian kingdom is what was represented by the breast and arms of silver interpreted by Daniel as follows: "And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee." Verse 39. It was not inferior in power nor in the extent to which it carried its conquests, for Cyrus erected the most extensive empire that had ever existed; but it was far inferior in wealth, luxury, and magnificence. The Medo-Persian kingdom, however, was finally overthrown by the Grecians. This occurred about 286 B. C.

  The Grecian empire is what was represented by the belly and thighs of brass, interpreted by Daniel as " a third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth" (verse 39). The conquests of Grecia under Alexander have no parallel in historic annals for suddenness and rapidity. The legs of iron and the feet' part of iron and part of clay, Daniel interprets to be the "fourth kingdom" in its strong yet divided condition (verses 40-43). A careful reading of verses 41 and 42 will show that the feet, part of iron and clay, are termed " the kingdom, " though divided. This was Rome.

  Thus far in this vision the image represents four universal kingdoms; namely, Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Grecian, and Roman. "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." Verses 44, 45. This language is so clear that it would seem impossible to misunderstand it. "In the days of these kings "—kingdoms. Only four kingdoms are seen in the image. Only four are spoken of in the interpretation. In their days, or before they should pass off the field of action, the God of heaven would set up his everlasting kingdom. While they yet held the dominion, the stone would be cut out and would smash them to pieces. Ah, beloved reader, how wonderful the fulfillment!

  It was when Rome, the fourth of the above kingdoms, had reached the summit of its glory and power; when its domain was so large that it was denominated "all the world" (Luke 2: 1); when Augustus Caesar was an absolute sovereign, ruling over three hundred millions of people,—it was then that there was born in the village of Bethlehem, Judea, a babe, who, though he was cradled in a manger and his infant cries were no doubt mingled with the lowing of oxen and the bleating of lambs, was destined to establish this everlasting kingdom. Without fagot or sword, without war and bloodshed. with no weapons but the gospel of Christ, the blood of the Lamb, and burning testimony, this kingdom marched onward with conquering power, until the heathen kingdoms of darkness were broken in pieces. The lion hearted rulers of nations handed over their scepters to the   "Lion of the tribe of Judah," whose throne is forever and ever; and a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of his kingdom (Heb.1: 8). In fulfillment of Daniel 's prophecy; " Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand." Mark 1:14, 15. The dispensation of the glorious gospel of infirite mercy and manifestation of eternal truth by Jesus Christ, was now to fully open up to all mankind. This is called a kingdom because it has laws, all the moral precepts of the gospel; subjects, all who believe in Christ Jesus; and a king, the Sovereign of heaven and earth.

  From the above scripture we learn four things: First, that everything that is done is according to a plan laid by divine wisdom, and not performed till the time appointed. Second, that the kingdom and the reign of sin were to be destroyed? and the kingdom of grace and heaven be established in their place. "Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." "Sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are . . . under grace. " Third, that the kingdom of God and his reign by grace 'begins with repentance of past sins. Fourth, that this reign of grace is at hand, and that it began with Christ's ministry, when the time was announced 'fulfilled." And now nothing but an obstinate perseverance in sin and impenitence can keep a soul out of it, and now is the time to enter in.

  Christ came to establish his church, of which he is the everlasting head and governor. He set up a government and kingdom which is eternal. Revolutions may destroy the kingdom s of earth, but the gates of hell and death shall never be able to destroy the kingdom, or church, of Christ. His is the only dominion that shall never have an end. In the language of Dr. A. Clark, " The kingdom of grace and the kingdom of glory form the endless government of Christ. " This was the stone that smote the image upon its feet and broke them in pieces. And, as portrayed in this prophecy, pagan Rome finally was broken in pieces under the iron rod of the gospel of Christ, and fell A. D. 476. That iron kingdom, which once ruled the earth, crumbled to pieces under the fire of gospel truth and holiness, and the church of God triumphed. Christianity became the fifth universal kingdom. Rome became the last of earthly kingdoms that ever swayed universal authority, or ever will. But Christ's kingdom is universal. The uttermost parts of the earth are his possession. In every nation are to be found disciples of Christ. Kings and magistrates bow before him and do him homage.

  Before passing from this prophecy, we shall take a little space to consider the erroneous position of millenarians. They argue that, as the ten toes of the image represent the ten divided kingdoms of Rome, these were the kingdoms to be in existence when Christ should set up his everlasting kingdom; and since none of those ten kingdoms were in existence when Christ appeared in his first advent, they conclude that the establishment of Christ's kingdom is yet future. Their position is false for the following reasons:

  1. The ten toes are not called kingdoms in the prophecy. The legs, feet, and toes are all summed up in this prophecy as "the kingdom" —the " fourth kingdom" " (verse 40-43 ) . Only the four universal monarchies—Babylon, MedoPersia, Grecia, and Rome—are called kingdoms. The image, as a whole, represents these four. They are called kingdoms. "And in the days of these kings [kingdoms] " the God of heaven was to set up his everlasting kingdom; that is, during their reign, before they passed off the field of action. While they yet held dominion, as before proved, this was fulfilled by the coming of Christ and the establishment of his kingdom, or church, during the reign of Rome. Christianity fulfilled the prophecy in smashing to pieces these heathen powers.

  2. The time can not reach to Christ's second coming, for none of the original ten kingdoms are now in existence. Three of them fell under popery (Dan. 7: 8, 20, 24). They have all long since passed away. There are in existence today probably twenty fragments of those original kingdoms, but the toes of the image are no more.

  3. The image that Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream was evidently a well proportioned man. His toes were of the proper size. But millenialists would say that Nebuchadnezzar saw a man with toes longer than the man. Let us measure that image from the crown of his head to his toes. The Babylonian kingdom, represented by the head of gold, came into prophecy about 600 B. C. The first of the ten kingdoms of Rome was formed about A. D. 356. This was the Huns. This would make in all 956 years. So the whole image measured less than one thousand years, till we reach the toes. Now, if those toes still exist, as foolish millenarians suppose, they would measure over 1,500 years. That would make a man with toes 500 years longer than the man. Such are the absurdities of those who believe in a future literal kingdom to be established upon earth.

  4. The stone struck the image upon his feet. But since there is no longer feet or toes of that image left, the kingdom of God is already established. When set up by Christ, it was a small stone, but it began to enlarge and finally became so great that, when Rome became brittle, Christianity struck her such an awful blow that she flew to pieces.

  5. All the New Testament scriptures teach that the kingdom was set up at Christ's first advent. See Mark l :14, 15; John 18: 36, 37; John 1: 49 ; John 12 :12-15 ; Luke 19: 37, 38 ; Matt. 21:4, 5; Heb. 2:9; Rev. 1:5; Eph. 1:20-22; Heb. 1: 7, 8; Heb. 4: 16; Luke 17: 20-22; Rom. 14:17; Rev. 1: 5, 6; Rom. 5:17;  Luke 16:16; Matt. 3:12; Matt. 4: 17; Matt. 11:12; Matt.12:28;; Mark 12:34; Matt. 16:28; Luke 9:27; Mark 9: 1; Col. 1: 13; Rev. 1: 9. These twenty-six positive texts, with many more, are surely a sufficient apology for our not accepting the false doctrine of a future kingdom upon earth. The only kingdom yet future is the everlasting kingdom of glory above, which we shall enter when time is no more.

  The same conflict and victory of the church over paganism under the Roman power is beautifully portrayed in the book of Revelation. "And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: and she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. And she brought forth a man child; who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days." Rev. l 2:1-6.

  Prior to this, John saw a door opened in heaven, and heard a voice, saying, "Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. " "And immediately I was in the Spirit," he says (Rev. 4:1, 2). This explains such expressions as, "There appeared a great wonder in heaven," and, "There was war in heaven," etc. While in the Spirit, John saw in symbol; or, in other words, there passed before him a panorama of visions, of great events which were to take place upon the earth. He saw in heaven, in vision, what would take place upon earth in reality.

  The woman here described represents the true church of God—the bride of Christ—in her primitive unity and purity. The blessed union which exists between Christ and his people is explained by the term " marriage. " This is true both of our present spiritual union with Christ and of our future eternal union with him. The whole church is in Scripture termed "the Lamb's wife, " " the bride of Christ, " etc. She was "clothed with the sun"—a striking emblem of Jesus Christ, the " Sun of righteousness, " the light and glory of the church. The church was clothed with his righteousness, which is represented in the same apocalypse by "pure linen, clean and white " (Rev. 19: 8). She was clothed with his holiness, with the beautiful garments of salvation. The result was that she was a pure church. She was clothed with his power; for to her he said, "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy." Thus she was equipped to battle the hosts of hell, and this power was manifest in the salvation of sinners, the sanctification of believers, and the healing of the sick of all manner of diseases. She was clothed with his authority and judgments. The result was that "with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all." "And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things." "And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them."

  "And upon her head a crown. " Ah ! she sat a queen. Her husband, the glorious Lord, is the king of heaven—"King of kings, and Lord of lords. " He ascended on high, " crowned with glory and honor," and now reigns a monarch over earth and sky. His wife—the church— shares this royal honor. With the same glory that the Father crowned him, he crowned her. "And the glory which thou gayest me, I have given them." She shares his reign in the kingdom of peace. "A crown upon her head." She reigns with Christ over sin, Satan, and the world. "He died unto sin once; but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God"; and to the church it is said, "Sin shall not have dominion over you." Jesus testified that "all power in heaven and in earth is given unto me, " and to the church he gave "power over all the power of the enemy. " He testifies, " I have overcome the world"; and we read that "whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world."

  The twelve stars in her crown represent the twelve apostles of the Lamb. These adorned her fair brow. Her travail in birth and pain to be delivered represent the earnest labor of the early church for the salvation of the world. The fruit of matrimony is offspring. The object of our marriage to Christ is that we may bring forth fruit unto God (Rom. 7: 11). Like a true wife, the church joined heart and soul with him in the great cause that drew him to the earth. The whole church is a unit made up of "workers together with God" in the salvation of lost souls. Both "the Spirit and the bride say, Come. " "As soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children."

  It is said that she "brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron." The question before us now is, What does this man child represent? Many expositors suppose it refers to Christ; but for the following, reasons it can not: The woman here referred to is the new testament church. This church labors and pains to be delivered, and suddenly brings forth this child. Christ is not a child of the church of God. She is not his mother. He is her founder, her husband, the Father of this child. The prophet calls him "the everlasting Father." Since it can not refer to Christ, we shall clearly prove that it refers to the great and mighty host of children brought forth by the pristine church.

  This man child is clearly defined in the prophecy of Isaiah as follows: "Before she travailed, sue brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the Lord: shall I cause to bring forth and shut the womb? saith thy God. Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her: that ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees. As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem. " Isa. 63: 7-13.

  Here is the same man child seen in Revelation 12. The same is declared to be "a nation born at once," "in one day."  "She [Zion] was delivered of a man child. " In surprise the prophet exclaims: "Who hath heard such a thin" t who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children." This is clear. A nation of children born suddenly constitutes the man child who was to rule the nations with a rod of iron. This child 'sucks the breasts of her consolations, and milks out, and is delighted with the abundance of her glory; is borne upon her sides, and candled upon her knees.' What does this refer to but new born babes, who desire the sincere milk of the Word, that they may grow thereby (1 Pet. 2: 2) ? Paul said to some of these "babes in Christ," "I have fed you with milk." 1 Cor. 3:1-3. Was not this fulfilled in the early church? While Zion (one hundred and twenty in number) was in travail in an upper room in Jerusalem, they suddenly brought forth, and a nation of three thousand children was born into the family in one day. In a few days the number of children increased to about ten thousand. It was but a little while until the number increased to hundreds of thousands. At an early date the church at Antioch alone numbered one hundred thousand. A great and mighty nation of children born at once; born unto Zion.

  But why is this called a man child? It will be observed in Eph. 2:15 that the host of Jews and Gentiles born unto the church of God, made one in his blood, reconciled unto God in one body, constitute "one new man." This is the man child, just as the great apostate church is termed the "man of sin" in 2 Thessalonians 2. But it may be objected that this child was to rule the nations. True; and so did this host. It was prophesied of them by Daniel, "But the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever. " Dan. 7: 18. The Lord himself applies the foregoing language to his people in Rev. 2:26, 27: "And he that overcometh, . . . to him will I give power over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron." "Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. " 1 John 5:4. This represents the glorious triumph of the early church. The breaking of the nations into shivers and the ruling of them with a rod of iron is the same as the stone of Daniel 2 breaking in pieces and consuming the brass, iron, silver, and gold, until no place was found for them. Those heathen nations were consumed before the onward march of Christianity. The iron rod of the gospel broke them to pieces.

  But it is said that John saw another wonder —"A great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads." This dragon represents Rome under the pagan religion. Rome was truly a dragon power. Its color—red—denotes its bloodthirstiness. Its seven heads are elsewhere explained as follows: " The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. " Rev. 17: 9. But the seven heads of this power are further explained. "And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. " Rev. 17: 10. These were the seven supreme forms of government that ruled the empire. They were as follows: the regal power, the dictatorship, the decemvirate, the consular, the triumvirate, the imperial, and the patriciate. At the time John wrote the book of Revelation, the first "five were fallen." He says, "One is." The sixth head, or that which existed in John's time, was the imperial head under the Caesars. The seventh head, John says, "Is not yet come"; it had not yet appeared. When it should come, it was to continue but "a short space." This was the patriciate. It ruled the empire only about twenty-six years. A further exposition of this will be given farther on in this chapter.

  The ten horns of the dragon represent the ten kingdoms which grew out of the Roman empire (Rev. 17:12). They were the Huns, the Ostrogoths, the Visigoths, the Franks, the Vandals, the Suevi, the Burgundians, the Heruli, the Anglo-Saxons, and the Lombards. The tail of the dragon signifies the latter end of his reign. The casting down of the stars doubtless refers to the thousands of bright luminaries who were martyred during the reign of paganism; for it is said that the dragon stood before the woman to devour her child as soon as it was born. How awfully true! Just as fast as men accepted the Christian faith the pagans were ready to devour them. Such were the bloody days of the church under pagan Rome. But Christianity spread so rapidly, and the gospel had such a crushing effect, that Rome finally tottered and fell.

  But what became of that holy nation—the great host of saints, who were marching onward victorious over every foe ? They suddenly disappeared from the earth. The child was caught up to God and to his throne. They ascended to paradise, while darkness, superstition, and iniquity flooded the earth. The brilliant light of Christianity was eclipsed by the darkness of apostasy.

  " The woman fled into the wilderness. " This wilderness signifies the great apostasy into which the church went. It is a fact that the apostasy rapidly developed at the end of the pagan persecutions. However, we will consider that more fully later on. The above is one description. Again we are taken over the same ground.