Bible Commentaries

The conscious mind, enquiring after the truth and certainty of revelation, is worthy of all the aid that science can afford. In Daniel, as stated above, on chap. Revelation 10:5, we have before us three prophecies of the Assyrian, the Persian, the Grecian, and the Roman empires, finally under the Roman power, divided into ten kingdoms, as represented by the ten toes of Nebuchadnezzar’s image. Those visions of Daniel are here confirmed by the continuous visions of John. The tablet is broad, and the time of their enduring is not yet fully expired. Neither the republic of Plato, nor the dreams of Pindus can deteriorate from the history of a world, and facts substantiated by the succession of four empires which ruled the earth, and the ten kingdoms still subsist before our eyes.

To collect the force of those speaking truths, learned men have waded through countless volumes of history, and brought to light evidence which, like huge mountains, laugh at all defeat. The German divines were the first to give us portraits in detail. John Fox, in his Martyrology, and the learned Joseph Mede, in his protracted course of studies, have confirmed the continental chronologies. The adjoined tables exhibit a fair scale of facts.

TABLES OF THE TEN ORIGINAL KINGDOMS OF THE BEAST, TILL THEY WERE CONQUERED.

REFLECTIONS.

The first beast represents an entire view of the Roman empire, as Menochius allows. But the papists are divided in opinion about those beasts, and very much embarrassed. Gagnæus says, this beast is antichrist; but Sa doubts whether antichrist, or the Roman empire, or the devil, or the dragon be implied. Protestant critics, since the time of the Waldenses, have been generally agreed that the first beast means secular, and the second papal Rome. Jurieu expounds the first beast as indicative of the empire for two thousand five hundred and sixty years. The secular period, including the christian emperors, continued about one thousand three hundred years; and the little horn or period of the pontificate shall continue twelve hundred and sixty years. Such is the sentence of God on the apostate church. Now, from the shock, and we may almost say downfal of papal Rome by the late ruler of France, we have the greatest providential inducement to revive our enquiries into the sure word of prophecy. Who can see popery rising twelve hundred years ago, and now declining with vengeance, and not believe in the prophetic periods of this chapter? Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy: chap. Revelation 1:4. And the more so as the Mahomedan antichrist seems to fall at the same time. And Mahomedanism, when unsupported by the sword, can never stand against Christianity. This first beast rose like a crocodile out of the sea, for the exiles and vagabonds who founded Rome came chiefly by water, and settled on the Leviathan shore. So Virgil flattered the Romans of the Æneid with a Trojan descent, in the routine of a voyage by Carthage. Seas are also said to import the conquered nations by the Roman arms; but I prefer the former gloss. The seven heads, are the seven forms of government which succeeded one another in that empire: kings — consuls — decemvirs — tribunes of the people — perpetual dictators — triumvirs — and emperors.

The ten horns on the seventh or highest head are the ten kingdoms into which the empire was divided, when subdued by the Goths, the Huns, and the Vandals, in the latter part of the fifth century. The states of the church, including Tuscany and Romania — the two Sicilies — Lombardy with Istria — France — Spain — Ireland — Britain — Germany, south of the Elbe — Pannonia, now Hungary — and Illyrium, now Turkey. The name of blasphemy upon his heads, are the titles of the beast which belong to the Almighty, and to the Almighty only. The emperors claimed divine honours, temples were erected to their memories, and incense was offered to their geniuses.

Rome styled herself the celestial and eternal city, the goddess of the earth. The titles of the pontiff are equally blasphemous: His Holiness — Infallible Judge — Vice God — God on earth — Vicar of Christ. His blaspheming against them that dwell in heaven, in paying divine homage to the holy angels and martyrs, which they abhor. — “The dragon,” who gave him his power and throne, is the devil, who styles himself the prince of this world, He it was that instigated the pagan emperors to persecute the church; and since the eleventh century, through the advice of the secular clergy, he has instigated christian princes to do the same. Within the last seven hundred years, two or three millions of christians have lost their lives for bearing their testimony against the corruptions of popery. — “The head wounded to death and healed again,” is the imperial head which was wounded by the Goths, Huns, and Vandals, but healed in some sort when Charles the great was proclaimed emperor of the Romans, or when Justinian received the imperial dignity.

But Jurieu has given another opinion concerning the healing of the deadly wound, which I prefer. He says that the wound was healed, when the ten christian kings were deceived by the clergy to acknowledge the bishop of Rome as sovereign pontiff. In this view, “all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power to the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” By thus submitting to the temporal and spiritual tyranny of Rome, they in reality forsook the Lord, and did homage to the devil.