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CHAPTER IV.

THE TIME WHEN THE KINGDOM SHALL BE GIVEN TO MESSIAH.

"The Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David; and He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end."-LUKE i. 32, 33.

WE have seen Messiah's throne and kingdom to be a literal throne and kingdom, as literal as any of the ancient thrones and kingdoms that ever existed upon. earth. We have glanced at the extent of that kingdom, and seen that it is to consist not only of the land of Canaan given in covenant to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but of the whole earth-that all other kingdoms are to give place to it-that the kingdoms of this world, or the territory whereon they exist, have to become his kingdom. "He shall reign from sea to sea, from the river unto the ends of the earth." We have glanced also at the perpetuity of his kingdom, and seen, when it is introduced, set up or established upon the renewed earth, it will exist in millennial glory not merely for a

thousand years, but for three hundred and sixty thousand. And when this period of the kingdom of great glory comes to a close, and which is but introductory to yet greater glory; every thing unholy will be removed from earth and its inhabitants; all will be wrought by the purifying merits of the great decease which was accomplished at Jerusalem into perfection, holiness, and glory, and in this state continue for ever and ever. We come now to glance for a moment at the time when this kingdom shall be given unto the SON of the Highest and he shall sit upon the throne of his father David.

The Holy Scriptures frequently, and by various events, clearly describe the time and mark out the epoch. when the throne of his father David and the government of the earth shall be given to PRINCE MESSIAH. It would be pleasing and profitable withal, to advert to the numerous passages in the Bible and examine those that refer to the time when this kingdom shall be given to Jesus; but a few, and only a few must suffice. And at these we shall give only a passing glance.

The time when the kingdom shall be given to Messiah is clearly pointed out in Dan. vii. 7-28. "After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth; it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it; and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. 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.

"I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white ast snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: His throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him; thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the judgment was set, and the books were opened. I beheld then, because of the voice 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. As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away; yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.

"I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the SON of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

"I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked

him the truth of all this. So he told me and made me know the interpretation of the things. These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. But the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass, which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; and of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. Thus he said, the fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise; and another shall rise 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 time. But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. Hitherto is the end of the matter."

The fourth beast in this magnificent group of symbols symbolizes the Roman power, that great monarchy as it existed at the time, and after conquering the Grecian Empire. The ten horns symbolize the monarchies or kingdoms into which it was subsequently divided, which still exist; but which are now trembling before the prelusive commotions of the fast-coming tempest of certain and awful destruction. The little, or eleventh horn, having eyes, and the mouth speaking great things, symbolizes the papacy, and the mighty power exercised by it. By the thrones being cast down or set, and the Ancient of days sitting, is evidently meant the day of judgment. The language here used can apply to nothing else; and it is the language commonly used to describe the coming of the Judge and the scenes of that day; and this is its acknowledged meaning. The one like the Son of man is acknowledged by all commentators to be the Lord Jesus Christ; and this is the title given to Him and the title which he assumes in the New Testament. His coming with the clouds of heaven denotes his coming to judgment; for this is the very language

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