Chapter 8

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THE CAPTIVITY OF THE JEWS—[EPOCH 5].
FROM THE CAPTIVITY TO THE BIRTH OF CHRIST.
[DISPENSATION E.]
WE now come to a memorable, but very sad, epoch in the history of God's people,—the captivity and complete break-up of the nation that had for many centuries enjoyed the protection and favor of Jehovah.
Prophet after prophet had been sent to warn them of approaching judgment if they continued in their departure from God, and oft-repeated disobedience of His commands, but they heeded not. Then the prophet Jeremiah was commissioned by God to convey to them the dread message,—"This whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years" (Jer. 25 I t).
And so it came to pass, for Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, took Jerusalem, and carried away Jehoiachin, his family, and all the mighty people of the land, as well as all the sacred treasures of the house of the Lord, to Babylon. Eleven years later, he went down a second time, laid waste the city, and took Zedekiah (the uncle of Jehoiachin, whom he had made king) and the rest of the people captives to Babylon: thus completing the terrible work of destruction and the breaking up of the Jewish nation.
The first dismemberment of the nation took place when Shalmaneser carried the ten tribes of Israel captives to Assyria (they have been lost ever since), over a hundred years before the captivity of Judah (2 Kings 17).
With the captivity by Nebuchadnezzar of the two remaining tribes of Judah and Benjamin the dissolution of the whole nation was complete. For though Judah returned after the seventy years of captivity (see. Ezra and Nehemiah), they were subject always more or less to other nations until their final dispersion at the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, the Roman general, in the year A.D. 70.
Israel having thus forfeited and lost its position of power as a nation before God, the scepter of earthly government was transferred to the Gentiles, in the person of Nebuchadnezzar, and is to continue in their hands until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled " (Luke 21:2424And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. (Luke 21:24)).
Therefore from this epoch (No. 5), the period called "TIMES OF THE GENTILES" commenced, which has continued ever since, and will still go on until the end of the present age.
The whole of this era—the times of the Gentiles—is represented in the chart by the great image described in the second of Daniel, which is interpreted by Daniel as the symbolical representation of the four great national powers or kingdoms that should succeed one another from the time of Nebuchadnezzar (B.C. 606) down to the end of the day of tribulation, just before the millennium, when the stone " cut out of the mountain without hands " (the Lord Jesus) " shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms" (vv. 44, 45).
In Rev. 19:11-2111And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. 17And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; 18That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. 19And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 20And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. (Revelation 19:11‑21) we see the fulfillment of this prophecy. These four successive kingdoms are also represented, in another vision in Dan. 7, by four wild beasts, and it is interesting to note the marked difference in the symbolism employed. To a monarch like Nebuchadnezzar, who prided himself on national greatness and power, these Gentile kingdoms are suitably made to appear as a strong metallic image, the common symbol of a nation's greatness (he set up an image of gold to be worshipped); but when they are looked upon from God's point of view in all their perverse moral characteristics, they are presented to His servant Daniel as four wild and ravenous beasts—the lion, the bear, the leopard, and the fourth beast dreadful and terrible. How exceedingly interesting and instructive it is to note the way God looks upon this world, and thus to see that what man, in the pride of his political power, considers grand and excellent in the government of nations, is after all represented by the holy God under the symbols of wild beasts.
Truly, "that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God " (Luke 16:1515And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. (Luke 16:15)). Well did our Lord say, "My kingdom is not of this world," for its moral features are totally different from the ruling principles of worldly governments.
The salient points in these two wonderful visions are presented in the following tabular form to show their correspondence in purpose as to history, though they are so differently represented metaphorically, as well as to give a succinct view of them and their application as a whole:—
THE DREAMS OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR AND DANIEL.
The Image, Dan. 2
The Beasts, Dan. 7
The Kingdoms.
First Monarch by whom they were Founded.
Time when Founded.
The Gold. “ Silver. “ Brass. “ Iron.
The Lion. “ Bear. “ Leopard. “ Ten-horned Beast.
Babylonian. Medo-Persian. Grecian. Roman.
Nebuchadnezzar. Darius. Alexander the Great. Augustus Cæsar.
Furthermore, in the last scenes of both these prophetic visions we see an exact correspondence in three important particulars in which they mutually explain each other.
2nd, The destruction of the nations involved in this judgment. In the first dream we find that the Stone smote the image upon his feet,—" 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 floors" (Dan. 2:34, 3534Thou 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. 35Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; 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. (Daniel 2:34‑35)). In the second it is stated, "But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end" (Dan. 7:2626But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. (Daniel 7:26)).
Here it may be well to pause for a moment to inquire how far the past history of these four nations has agreed with the prophetic visions given to Daniel more than two thousand years ago. To this there can be but one answer, and that is, that in the histories of these kingdoms we find a complete exemplification of all the particulars mentioned in the prophecies as far as they have yet been fulfilled.
This, I presume, is admitted by all historians. Indeed, with the plainly established facts of history before them, they could come to no other conclusion.
These four great kingdoms have not only existed, but have successively followed each other in the exact order given in the visions. Moreover, all the characteristic features predicted of them have been fully verified in every particular; thus incidentally furnishing us with another incontrovertible proof—if indeed proof were needed—of the divine origin and authenticity of the Holy Scriptures.
We have seen the proud imperious lion of Babylonia suddenly overthrown and destroyed by the ruthless and rapacious bear of Medo-Persia; and this latter, in the full strength and power of its enormous forces, borne down upon and completely crushed by the swift and agile spring of the Grecian leopard. Then, as the wheels of history roll on, we see the nameless fourth beast—" dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly "—in the Roman legions, conquering and subduing all before them in their furious onslaughts in the east as well as in the west, and also in the north and in the south. This is graphically depicted in the vision,—" 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" (Dan. 7:77After 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. (Daniel 7:7)).
And this mighty Roman force has been the dominant power of the world for nearly two thousand years, but is now drawing near to its end, as must be evident to all thoughtful students of God's Word, and to those whose eyes are open to see the signs of the present time. To us, who can now look back and see how all these predictions have been thus far fulfilled, it becomes a matter of the greatest moment to watch the approaching end of this last phase of Gentile domination, which shall bring about such great changes in the leading nations of the world; and, above all, we should seek to be ready for the next momentous crisis, the " coming of the Lord."
Another very peculiar feature in the vision of the great image, which deserves to be specially noticed—because of the attention directed to it—is the " miry clay" that appears in the feet and toes, mixed with the iron, and the effects produced by its presence there,—" As the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken (or brittle)" (Dan. 2:41-4341And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. 42And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. 43And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. (Daniel 2:41‑43)).
As iron is used here to represent the strength and power of the Roman kingdom (" Forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things "), what, we might ask, does this clay represent?
Now when we look at all that is said about the clay, and the effects produced by its admixture with the iron, we cannot find much difficulty in discovering what is meant by the symbol. "And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay" (Dan. 2:41-4341And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. 42And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. 43And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. (Daniel 2:41‑43)).
Here four things should be noted—first, it is a mixture of iron and clay, not two separate kingdoms, as Greece and Rome were; second, it should be partly strong and partly broken (or brittle); third, they should mingle but not cleave one to another; and fourth, the clay appears only in the feet and toes, at the end of the kingdom.
With these four points before us, let us inquire, What in the present social and governmental conditions of the nations, that constitute the remaining fragments of the old Roman empire, answers to this clay element? What may this internal element be, that mingles mechanically with, and permeates these nations, producing brittleness or weakness, division and disorder; that cannot in its nature unite with the iron or ruling power, but is ever an opposing element to all law, order, and proper government? Surely there can be but one reply to these questions, and that is, that modern democracy, in the disintegrating effects it produces in every country, is this clay element, for it fully answers to every point in the description given of the results of the clay mixed with the iron, especially the peculiar and unprecedented phases of democracy that have so remarkably developed in these last days of Gentile supremacy—unprecedented both as to their general lawlessness and their opposition to the powers that be.
This conclusion appears to me to be irresistible, seeing that nothing else that could be named would so fully and correctly correspond to what is said respecting the presence of the clay element in the image, as these various forms of modern democracy.
Do we not see this miry clay surging up before our eyes in the Socialism, Communism, Nihilism, Fenianism, Radicalism, and many other forms of democratic lawlessness that are rapidly becoming the cause of trouble and weakness, confusion and disorder, to every nation throughout -Europe? Indeed, it is a most marked and prominent feature of the times, and is constantly referred to as such by the secular press.
Democracy, in some form or other, it is true, has existed from time immemorial, but it may be fairly questioned if it has ever before appeared in the desperately outrageous and defiant forms it is now assuming. Thousands are banded together as the sworn enemies of all law and order, and many even exult in the terrible name of " Anarchists," desiring as such, to overthrow every form of lawful government in the world, and to introduce universal anarchy!
This, too, is taking place, not in one, but in every country of Europe. For the better accomplishment of their disloyal purposes, they form themselves into organized confederacies and alliances in all European states, whereby people of the most dissimilar habits, customs, and languages, become united in one common bond of brotherhood, under the boasted name of " Internationalism," apparently with the object of interfering with and unsettling the institutions of society, and of weakening their respective governments.
With these startling facts before us, it seems most reasonable to conclude that we are beginning to see the fulfillment of the last part of Daniel's remarkable prophecy, in these unprecedented forms of democracy, rising up from the lower strata of society—hence so aptly called the "miry clay"—as a weakening, disturbing, and paralyzing element in every nation.
As showing the prominence to which this clay element has attained in these days, we have also the fact that rulers and persons in high authority are more than ever pandering to and courting the favor of the people, or masses, for political purposes, seemingly giving expression to the old cry, "The voice of the people is the voice of God; " and this attitude of the higher towards the lower classes, seems to me further to verify verse 43 of Dan. 2, "And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they (the iron or ruling powers) shall mingle themselves with the seed of men (the masses, or miry clay): but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay." This apparent mingling of the higher with the lower is constantly going on in the social and political movements of the day.
Now if the foregoing interpretation of these passages be correct, we are at once confronted with the solemn thought, that as we now see the clay element (which only appears in the feet and toes of the image, the last phase of its history), so we must be near the time when the Stone strikes the feet and destroys the whole—that is, near the judgment of the nations mentioned in Matt. 25:31, 3231When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: (Matthew 25:31‑32), Revelation 19: 11-21, and many other scriptures.
Again, if this judgment be so close at hand, how much closer must be the coming of the Lord to take up the Church, for we learn from Scripture that this will take place some few years before He comes to judge?
How important it is to be ready for this great event, and to be constantly bearing in mind the words of our Lord, " Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh."
The dispensation from the Captivity to the birth of Christ lasted for about five hundred and eighty-seven years, and some of its leading events may be briefly summarized as follows:—
1. The wonderful dream of Nebuchadnezzar, and its prophetic interpretation by Daniel (chap. 2.).
2. The setting up of an image by Nebuchadnezzar to be worshipped, and the account of the three faithful Jews who refused to worship it (chap. 3.).
3. Daniel's wonderful visions and their interpretations, especially the one of chapter 7., which we have briefly looked at.
4. The histories of the three great prophets of the Captivity—Jeremiah, Daniel, and Ezekiel.
5. The overthrow of the Babylonian kingdom by the Medes and Persians, and the reigns of Darius. and Cyrus.
6. The return of the two tribes, Judah and Benjamin, to Palestine, after seventy years' captivity, by the decree, and under the direction, of Cyrus. Ezra and Nehemiah give us a full account of this.
7. The prophecies of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi after the restoration, the two first having been in the Captivity.
10. The wars of the kings of the North (Syria) and the kings of the South (Egypt) with each other, beginning with Seleucus and Ptolemy; and the. repeated invasions of Palestine by them, during which the Jews were subject to the conquering power for the time being, which was sometimes the North and sometimes the South (Dan. 11:5-355And the king of the south shall be strong, and one of his princes; and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion shall be a great dominion. 6And in the end of years they shall join themselves together; for the king's daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement: but she shall not retain the power of the arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm: but she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in these times. 7But out of a branch of her roots shall one stand up in his estate, which shall come with an army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail: 8And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes, and with their precious vessels of silver and of gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the north. 9So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land. 10But his sons shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and one shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through: then shall he return, and be stirred up, even to his fortress. 11And the king of the south shall be moved with choler, and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the north: and he shall set forth a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into his hand. 12And when he hath taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up; and he shall cast down many ten thousands: but he shall not be strengthened by it. 13For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches. 14And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall. 15So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to withstand. 16But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed. 17He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do: and he shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her: but she shall not stand on his side, neither be for him. 18After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many: but a prince for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him. 19Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found. 20Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle. 21And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honor of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. 22And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant. 23And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. 24He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time. 25And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him. 26Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain. 27And both these kings' hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed. 28Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land. 29At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter. 30For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant. 31And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. 32And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. 33And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. 34Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. 35And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed. (Daniel 11:5‑35)).
11. The oppressive and cruel treatment of the Jews, under the tyrannical rule of the notorious ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES, king of the North. His devastations in Palestine, and the setting up of idolatry in Jerusalem, even in the temple of God, " The abomination that maketh desolate " (Dan. 11:3131And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. (Daniel 11:31)), and the " Wars of the Maccabees " in opposing him (Dan. 8:9-149And 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. 10And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them. 11Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. 12And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered. 13Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? 14And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. (Daniel 8:9‑14), and 11:21-35). He is the double type of the Beast and the Antichrist, who will again persecute the Jews, and set up idolatry in Jerusalem during the Great Tribulation (Matt. 24:1515When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) (Matthew 24:15); Rev. 13) [See Josephus and the two books of the Maccabees in the Apocrypha.]
12. The Jews governed for a considerable while after this by their high priests, though still subject to the Gentile powers,—first Grecian, then Roman,—during which time, through the rivalry and contentions of opposing factions, they were frequently at war among themselves.
13. The subjugation of the Grecian and Syrian monarchy by the Romans, under the leadership of the great generals Pompey and Julius Caesar; and the establishment of the Empire by the ascension of Augustus Caesar to the throne (B.C. 27), when Palestine became a Roman province (Luke 21).
In connection with the "times of the Gentiles," it may be well to notice that we have in Scripture another important line of prophecy, that is distinctly and exclusively Jewish, running parallel with the times of the Gentiles, beginning somewhat later, but continuing through the same period down to the end of the present age, and even extending into the Millennium. This is the remarkable prophecy of the "SEVENTY WEEKS," in Dan. 9:24-2724Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. 25Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 26And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. 27And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. (Daniel 9:24‑27), a small illustrative chart of which is given on the next page, to show the time it covers in history, and the manner in which that time is distributed, or divided.
Assuming that the colored diagram on the chart, and the appended notes, will sufficiently explain the main features of this famous prophecy, nothing further need be said at present with reference to it (the details will be specially noted later on), except to remark that, as it obviously has a very direct bearing upon the dispensations of Scripture, it is of the first importance rightly to understand it.
The seventy weeks may be regarded as a dispensational line in itself, looked at from an entirely Jewish point of view, but coalescing in some points, at the "time of the end," with the Gentile line.
It is this particular fact that gives it special interest in connection with the subjects now under review; therefore it will be more fully considered when we come to look at the period referred to in Scripture as the Day of Tribulation.