The desire of the civilized nations of the earth is peace. In order to attain this it is realized that there must be alliance with one another, and the acknowledgment of one supreme authority to which by common consent all will bow.
Much confidence is expressed in the power of diplomacy. It is thought to be only in keeping with twentieth century advancement that the nations should abandon the old methods of settling their differences, lay down their arms, and submit to courts of arbitration.
Attempts have already been made in this direction. The Hague Peace Conference was established with that end in view, but that condition of things which will seem to have attained the desired object has not yet been reached.
If we turn to the prophet Daniel, we find in chap. 2:an outlining of events in the Gentile world which Was then purely prophetical. Now a large part of it has been fulfilled and passed into history. I refer to the great image of Nebuchadnezzar's dream, of which he, as sovereign of the Babylonian kingdom was said to be the head of gold. The second and inferior kingdom was the Medo-Persian (chap. 5:28). The third and still inferior kingdom, as shown by the decreasing value of the metals in the great image, was the Macedonian or Grecian under Alexander, the world conqueror, (whose kingdom was subsequently divided among his four generals) (chap. 8:21, 22). The fourth kingdom is the Roman empire which is still inferior to the preceding three as is shown in the type of the iron and clay (chap. 2:40).It was this fourth kingdom which was in universal power at the time of the birth of Christ (see Luke 2:i) and so Daniel's interpretation of the dream would seem to have been fulfilled already:but the form of this fourth empire which the prophet has especially before him, and which is suggested by the ten toes of the image, is a form in which it has not yet existed, but which from the forty-fourth verse, it is plain will exist at the time the God of heaven sets up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed.
A fuller elucidation of this kingdom is found in the seventh chapter as the fourth beast; the four beasts being identical with the four parts of the great image of chap. 2:The book of Revelation, having for its subject, future events, speaks only of this beast with the seven heads and ten horns (Rev. 13:i), which is clearly the fourth beast of Dan. 7:
Although this was the kingdom in power in the time of Christ it was not at that time made up of ten kings as Daniel informs us it will be at the time it meets its destruction at the hands of the Son of Man. Clearly then the Roman Empire which was in the time of Christ, but has no existence at the present time, is again to be revived. This is exactly what the seven heads signify. It will be remembered that this is the power which is as iron and clay, meaning that there would no be eternal unity in the kingdom, "even as iron is not mixed with clay." At the time of Christ, this power had already passed through five different forms of government, and was then in the sixth, while the seventh was still future. (See Rev. 17:10).
It is toward this tenth kingdom power, which may called the revived Roman empire, that the world
24 the world's peace. is now tending; and to which it will look as being able to keep the world's peace. True, that in order to establish itself it will shed much blood, but then it is supposed that it will assert its supremacy to such an extent that all other nations will be subject to its dictation.
Its establishment will be considered a masterpiece of diplomatic achievement, and the world will vaunt itself in increasing pride over that which for the moment it will seem to have accomplished. This alliance of European powers will take place about the time of the removal of the Church to heaven. It is the lowest form of Nebuchadnezzar's great image:as much inferior to Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom as iron and clay are inferior to gold, and yet the world will expect greater things from it than from any previous power. What blind credulity in all this!
The head of this revived empire is identical with the "prince that shall come "of Dan. 9:26, whose people destroyed Jerusalem and the temple after the crucifixion. He now makes a seven years' covenant with the Jews whereby they may be restored to their land, and establish their ancient worship in the temple, then rebuilt. This covenant with Israel is a finishing touch in the disposition of affairs in the earth, and seems to be on the part of the powers, an attempt to satisfy all parties as to religious belief.
It will for the moment appear that the world is finally assuming that aspect of permanent peace for which the world's great ones have labored so unceasingly, and that the "desire of all nations" of which the prophet Haggai speaks, is about to be realized. But it is only a momentary calm before the storm again bursts forth, and for Israel in sevenfold fury. The covenant with the Jews is broken at the end of three years and a half. They then be-come the objects of bitterest persecution. The ten kingdom empire itself totters and receives a deadly wound, but reviving again under its eighth head (Rev. 17:ii), it continues for forty and two months longer.
Is it any marvel that the arbitrators for the world's peace are disappointed, as the prophet puts it, even to weeping?"Behold their valiant ones shall cry without:the ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly. The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth:he hath broken the covenant, he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man….Now will I rise, saith the Lord; now will I be exalted; now will I lift up myself" (Isa. 33:7-10).
The covenant being broken, wrath is poured upon Israel to the full, and the great tribulation will have its short but awful fulfilment. But God, who uses the nations for the punishment of His earthly people, has a controversy with them also, and the mountains of Israel become the world's greatest battlefield. At the challenge of the Almighty they assemble themselves, little knowing who it is they purpose to fight against. "Proclaim ye this among the Gen-tiles:Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks unto spears; let the weak say, I am strong. Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about" (Joel 3:9-11). " gather all nations against Jerusalem to bat-(Zech. 14:2). "For the indignation of the Lord is upon all nations, and His fury upon all their armies " (Isa. 34:2). This time is also called the day of the Lord's vengeance, and the year of recompenses. All the devices of proud man to bring about peace apart from the Prince of peace will come to an end, and all his pride shall be abased. It is the purpose of God to fulfil His unconditional promise to Abraham, "In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed" (Gen. 22:18). That the world's peace is dependent on the restoration of Israel is the uniform testimony of both the Old Testament and the New. '' I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come:and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of host" (Hag. 2:7). '' After this I will return and will build again the tabernacle of David which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:that the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles upon whom My name is called saith the Lord, who doeth all these things" (Acts 15:16, 17).
So we might quote passages without number to the same effect. It was prophesied of One, whose birth the world has been so recently celebrating, " He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David; and He shall rule over the house of Jacob forever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end " (Luke 1:32, 33). How little the world that rejected Him, believes this concerning Him! How truly has God said, " My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways."
"All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord; and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before Him. For the kingdom is the Lord's and He is the Governor among the nations" (Psa. 22:27, 28). "Yea, all kings shall fall down before Him:all nations shall serve Him " (Psa. 72:ii ). " And the Lord shall be king over all the earth:in that day shall there be one Lord and His name one " (Zech. 14:9).
FRAGMENT "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth" (Col. 3:i, 2). We are called upon to set our affections on things above, not on things on the earth. We cannot set our affections on what we do not know. And note this, that the true character of a man morally is what his heart is upon:a man whose mind is set on money is a covetous man; on power, an ambitious man; on pleasure, a man of pleasure. He is morally what he loves and his mind is full of. Our conversation, our living associations, are in heaven. It is the place we belong to; what we are associated with in our home affections; what as Christians we pursue, the one thing which governs our mind. Now this affection is the very essence of sanctification. It is the turning of the heart to Christ, which forms this full conformity to Him as the one object of holy pursuit. Is this your pursuit, dear reader ?