dead? The conversion of the Jews will be as life from the dead to the whole world, with the exception of the Papacy. All true Christians will rejoice at their readmission into the Christian fold. Heathen nations will be converted through their instrumentality; and Jerusalem will be "a rejoicing, and her people a joy." But the Jews, though believing in the Christian dispensation, will specifically reject the Pope; though loudly declaring that Jesus is the Christ, they will as loudly declare that the Pope is Antichrist. This will of course be accounted at Rome the great offence. Their conversion to Christianity will be called Heresy and the Pope will issue his Bulls against the Jewish converts as Heretics. Instead of stretching out the right hand of fellowship to them, the Bishop of Rome, the pretended Vicar of Jesus Christ, will load them with insult, curses, execrations and anathemas. "Tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him; therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy and utterly to make away many." (Dan. xi. 44)

The word, which is translated utterly to make away, signifies to anathematize, to consecrate, to devote to utter perdition, so that, as Bishop Newton observes, it strongly implies that this war should be made up on a religious account. "And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.” The word palace Bishop Newton translates royal pavilion, or camp. Antichrist will therefore pitch his "camp in some

part of the holy land. We are told that " Edom and Moab and the chief of the children of Ammon shall escape out of the hand" of Antichrist. (Dan. xi. 41.) And Isaiah has expressly foretold that these shall side with the Jews. "They shall spoil them of the east together; they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab, and the children of Ammon shall obey them." (xi. 14.) May England be found in that day on the side of the Jews, and loudly proclaiming that the Pope is Antichrist!

66

Woe to every nation which is found warring against the Jews! Behold," says the Most High, "I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege, both against Judah and Jerusalem. In that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people all that burden themselves with it shall be cut to pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. In that day, saith the Lord, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness; and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness. In that day will I make the governors of Judah like a hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf, and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left; and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem. And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord

will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem. Their flesh shall consume away, while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the Lord shall be among them, and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour. And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel in great abundance. And so shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the ass, and of all the beasts that shall be in these tents, as this plague." (Zech. xii. 2-9; xiv. 12—15). "The nation and kingdom that will not serve" the Jews "shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted. For behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh; and the slain of the LORD shall be many." (Isaiah Ix. 12; lxvi. 15, 16).

How different will be the fate of Jerusalem and of Rome ! The governors of Judah are compared to a hearth of fire among wood, and to a torch of fire in a sheaf: they shall devour all the people round about on the right hand and on the left. But of the modern Babylon it is said "She saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no Therefore shall her plagues come in one day

sorrow.

Q

-death-and mourning-and famine-and she shall be utterly burnt with fire; for strong is the LORD GOD who judgeth her. The ten horns, which thou sawest upon the Beast, these shall hate the whore and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire." (Rev. xvii. 16; xviii. 7,8.)

Rome is to be " utterly burned with fire," and is in this respect to resemble Babylon of old. The prophecies respecting ancient Babylon will have a second fulfilment in the destruction of Rome. "And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. How is the hammer of the whole earth broken! how is Babylon become a desolation among the nations! Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, the broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the people shall labour in vain, and the folk in the fire, and they shall be weary.” (Isaiah xiii. 19; Jeremiah 1. 23; li. 58.) The punishment of Rome will be similar to that of Babylon, because her sin is the same. "It is the land of graven images, and they are mad upon their idols. Therefore the wild beasts of the desert, with the wild beasts of the islands, shall dwell there, and the owls shall dwell therein: and it shall be no more inhabited for ever; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation. As GOD overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and the neighbour cities thereof, said the LORD; so shall no man abide there, neither shall any son of man dwell therein." (Jer. 1. 38, 40.)

CHAPTER XXIV.

TERMINATION OF DANIEL'S PERIOD OF MCCCXXXV. DAYS. COMMENCEMENT OF THE MILLENNIUM A. D. MMI. COMING OF CHRIST. FIRST RESURRECTION. ROME SWALLOWED UP BY AN EARTHQUAKE. DANIEL'S PERIOD OF MCCXC. DAYS TERMINATES A. D. MMXVII.

66 AND POWER WAS GIVEN UNTO HIM TO CONTINUE (PRACTISE) FORTY AND TWO MONTHS."-Verse 5.

THE prophecy of Daniel closes with these remarkable words: "Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five-and-thirty days. But go thou thy way till the end be; for thou shalt rest and stand in thy lot at the end of the days." We are not informed what shall take place at the commencement of this period; but the termination of it is marked by two characteristics. First, a blessedness is pronounced upon him who waiteth and cometh to the 1335 prophetical days, or 1335 years; and, secondly, a particular promise is given to Daniel that he should rest and stand in his lot at the end of the days. We have, first, a general benediction, and, next a particular promise to Daniel. If now we turn to the