PART I. Comparison of the Prophecies of Daniel, of St. Paul, and of the Apocalypse, alluded to in DAN. vii. 8, 24, 25, 21. 11. ̔Ος ὑπεροισει κακοις πάντας τους Και το κερας έκεινο ἐποιει πολεμου μετα τῶν ἁγιων, και ίσχυσες προς αυτους. this work. Rev. xiii. 11-18; xix. 20, 21. αλλο θηριον ἀναβαῖνον ἐκ τῆς γῆς, 12. Και την εξουσιαν τοῦ πρωτου θηριου πασαν Και ποιεί την γην και τους κατοικοῦντας ἐν ου 294 of 2 THESS. ii. 3-5, 8, 9, 10, 11. Ὁ ἄνθρωπος τῆς ἁμαρτίας, ὁ υἱος ναον τοῦ Θεοῦ καθισαι ἀποδεικνυντα ἑαυ ᾧτον, οτι εστι θεος. Οὗ ἐστιν ἡ παρουσια κατ' ένερἐν πάσῃ δυνα γειαν του σατανά, 13. Και ποιεί σημεια μεγάλα, ινα και πυρ ποιῇ μει, και σημείοις, και τέρασι ψευ- 14. Και πλανᾷ τους κατοικοῦντας ἐπι τῆς γῆς ἡ ἀποστασια τευσαι αυτους τῳ ψευδει. εις το πισω Ἕως ἀνηρεθη το θηριον και απωλετο, και το σωμα αυτου ἐδόθη εις καυσιν πυρος. 15. Και έδοθη αυτῷ δουναι πνευμα τη εικονι του θηριου, ίνα και λαλησῃ ἡ εικων του θηρίου, και ποιηση, ὅσοι αν μη προσκυνήσωσι την εικονα του θηριου, ἵνα ἀποκτανθωσι. 16. Και ποιει παντας, τους μικρους και τους μεγαλους, και τους πλουσιους και τους πτωχους, και τους έλευθερους και τους δουλους, ἵνα δωσιν αυτοις χαραγμα έπι τῆς χειρος αυτων τῆς δεξιας, η έπι των μετωπων αυτων. 17. Και ίνα μη τις δυνηται ἀγορασαι ̇ κ. τ. λ. Chap. xix. 20. Και έπιασθη το θηριον, και 21. οἱ λοιποι ἐπεκτανθησαν εν τη ρομφαία τοῦ καθημενου ἐπι τοῦ ἵππου, τῇ ἐξελθουσῃ ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αυτου. Ον ὁ Κύριος Ιησους ἀναλώσει τῷ πνευματι τοῦ στόματος αυτού, και καταργήσει τῇ ἐπιφανειᾳ τῇ παρουσίας αυτου. E E In comparing these descriptions of Antichrist we must observe, that the prophecy of Daniel is the most general, and the most obscure of the three. This is agreeable to the analogy of prophetical Scripture, which is found to afford additional information, as it approaches nearer to the times foretold. The prophecy of the Apocalypse exhibits a nearer view of the common subject, and discovers objects which had not been discerned before; while the words of St. Paul may be taken as a comment on those of Daniel; and, being the comment of an inspired writer, may be considered at the same time as illustrating, by the Holy Spirit, the prophecy of the Apocalypse. The little horn, which, in the vision of Daniel, had appeared somewhat more than a common horn, (for it had eyes, and a mouth, and spake, and fought, and conquered,) upon a nearer view, as presented to the apocalyptic prophet, becomes a separate wild beast; and yet, between him and the other wild beast, there is, as in the prophecy of Daniel, a very close connexion and resemblance. He exerciseth all the power of the first beast; renders him an object of worship; becomes great through his influence; partakes all his fortunes; and perishes with him at the last. This nearer view discovers to us also the two-fold ecclesiastical power which Antichrist was to establish, and which did not appear distinctly at the distance at which it was shown to Daniel. This me 1 Bp. Lowth's Prælect. xx. p. 197. 2 Yet it is remarkable, that the three horns rooted up, the three kingdoms destroyed by the little horn, though represented by Daniel, are not at all noticed in the vision seen by St. John. This part of the prophecy of Daniel appears to me to be of difficult solution. The three kingdoms, which by modern expositors are assigned for this purpose, "the exarchate of Ravenna, the kingdom of the Lombards, the state of Rome," (Bishop Newton, &c. &c.) taken all together, make so petty a territory, that they seem to compose only thod of sacred prophecy, wherein one vision, under the same or different imagery, enlarges upon another vision, and refers to and illustrates the same original archetype, may be frequently observed. Instances occur continually in the visions of Daniel, "which, as Sir Isaac Newton remarks, "all relate to one another, every following prophecy adding somewhat new to the former."1 The vision of the beasts is only that of the image enlarged, yet represented under other symbols; and thus the vision of Antichrist, in the Apocalypse, is no more different from those of Daniel, than those of Daniel are from each other. All look to the same times, all are from the same sacred inspiration, and unfold and confirm each other. a part of one of those ten kingdoms into which the Roman empire, (whether we consider either the whole of it, or the western part only,) was divided. Yet if these be the kingdoms, they belong to one horn only, of the second apocalyptic beast, and to that horn which is to be viewed more particularly in ch. xvii. and thus perhaps in some degree the omission is to be accounted for. Sir Isaac Newton on Daniel, part i. ch. 3. |