CHART No.
1
The Apocalyptic Scheme.
Here is a chart, the original of which you will find occupying one page in the preface of the last volume of Eureka, which is the third of my exposition of the Apocalypse.
It represents the structure of the Apocalypse, which was shown to John about 98 years after the birth of Jesus, while he was an exile in Patmos - a little island of the Mediterranean Archipelago, to which he was banished in the reign of Domitian, emperor of Rome, because of his fidelity to the doctrine of Christ. The pink margin to the left of the chart, represents the time in which John lived. John, in the 17th chapter of the Apocalypse, verse 10, tells us in effect that he was living under the sixth form of the Roman constitution or government. We read "Five (of these heads or forms of government) are fallen; one (the sixth) IS, and the other is not yet come." Five forms of government that had prevailed in the city of Rome had passed away. The sixth - represented by one of the heads of the beast - was in existence wile John was in exile. There was to be a seventh, not in existence then, but which was to arise after and continue a short space. Then there was to be a healing of the sixth head, after its being wounded to death; and that restored sixth head was to be manifested as an eighth head, answering to the little horn of Daniel's fourth beast, viz., that horn which had eyes and a mouth, speaking great words of blasphemy.
It is nothing at all extraordinary to represent dominions by beasts. The dominion of Great Britain is symbolised by a lion; the dominions of many Continental powers are represented by eagles; different nations are represented by different creatures. God has acted on this principle in the communication of political visions. As men represent their own powers, so He represents them. In this 12th chapter of the Apocalypse, He represents the Roman Power under the symbol of a dragon, in the great crisis of its existence, when the introduction of new principles into the empire had brought about a death struggle between Paganism and Catholicism, resulting in the former being upset and the latter established as the religion of the Roman world. This was, of course, long after John's day.
John stood at the point of time represented by the pink margin to the left - at the end of the first century. Standing there, he had a telescope given him, as it were, through which he was enabled to have a view of certain things that were to transpire between his day and the day when the kingdom of God should be established, and the saints obtain the promised inheritance, and when he, John, should rise again to a new life, and - as it was told him - prophesy again before kings and nations, peoples and tribes. Between the time that John was told that, and the time that he died, he never prophesied before kings and nations. Consequently, the statement that he is again to do so (Rev. 10:11), shows that he is to rise at the time represented to him at the end of the vision, when he will be an element of the company represented by the proclaiming angel, flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach, announcing that the hour of God's judgment is come. He will then announce, as one of that great company, that the hour of God's judgment has come, and that men are to fear God and give Him glory, and no longer give glory and honour to the mortal, earthly, and sinful governors that men have for ages worshipped.
John saw this great era from his stand-point in the isle of Patmos. He saw the period called the millennium, in the establishment of which, he should go forth with others to the war of the great day of God Almighty. That was a long time ahead. Nearly 1,800 years have passed away since he saw it, and it still lies ahead, but now quite near. The interval between John's day and the day of Christ is represented by the body of the chart before you. All the intermediate space between the pink margin on the left and the yellow margin on the right, is representative of that interval, and the lines and characters occupying that space, answer to the series of events shown to John, destined to fill up that interval. Looking at it as a whole, it must strike the reflecting mind that although the history of past ages appears confused and without method - a mere jumble of facts, of which the generality of people can make neither one thing nor another - yet every thing has been marked out in the mind of God with the definiteness of a plan. All things have been developed in an orderly manner. The great thing in looking back, is to distinguish the gold from the quartz - to identify the prophetic vein in the mass of historic materials with which the reader of history has to deal. Goldfinders can trace the vein if they once strike it in the rock, no matter where it leads to. The great thing is to be able to strike the vein of God in history. When you get on God's vein there, you will be able, in the light of the Apocalypse, to follow it in all its windings and turnings among the mountains of rubbish that constitute human history. The Apocalypse is history revealed by the Deity to John, in the isle of Patmos, before a single event of it had transpired.
You see the different colours in the charts. The green represents what in the Apocalypse are called THE SEALS. There are seven letters, seven seals, seven trumpets, seven vials, and seven thunders; and the Apocalypse is so curiously and beautifully arranged, that the seventh seal, which you will see extends to the extreme right of the chart at the top, contains the seven trumpets, the seven vials, and the seven thunders. That is the reason why I said we are now living under the seventh seal. The seven trumpets are represented by the buff-coloured portion of the chart lying under the seventh-seal horizontal strip. The seventh trumpet, commencing at the close of the sixth, which you see marked in the chart, continues till the introduction of the millennium, and includes the seven vials, represented by the pink colour; the seventh vial again includes the seven thunders, and all - seals, trumpets, vials, and thunders - end together in the establishment of the kingdom of God.
The whole of these were shown to John for the information of the servants of God, in order that they might know the times in which they lived. God has had servants in all the long dreary interval between John's day and the present, and in all the ages and generations intervening, they have had some knowledge of the times in which they lived. Although they may not have been able to interpret all the visions of the Apocalypse, they had intelligence enough to know their own time, as we have to know ours. The seven thunders are exceptional; they were not permitted to be written, for this reason: the saints (for whose information the Apocalypse was given) are themselves to be the developers of these thunders. Hence, there was no necessity to reveal what is to be done, when the seven thunders utter their voices. When judgment is given to the saints of the Most High, and the time comes for the saints to take the kingdoms under the whole heaven, they will, in taking possession of the kingdoms and executing the judgments written, be causing the seven thunders to utter their voices. Their operations will be the agency symbolised by the seven thunders. There was, therefore, no occasion to reveal to them that which they are going to enact in their own persons. The seventh vial contains the seven thunders. It is under the seventh vial that the work of the saints comes into operation. They develop the seven thunders in the hour of judgment.
We will now look at the chart a little more in detail. The first seal represents a condition of the Roman Empire in relation to the truth. Under this seal, John saw a white horse. The Romans represented their power among other things by a horse. The Roman horse was just as symbolical of the Roman power as a dragon or an eagle. In the first four seals, the Roman body politic is represented by a horse, in different colours, corresponding to the condition intended to be represented. Under the first seal, the Roman horse was in a very peaceable state. Therefore, the colour of the horse is white, representative of peace. This state was favourable to the development of the truth among the citizens of the empire. The "one body" (a multitudinous unity, made up of individual saints) is, in this symbol, represented as an archer riding the horse, with a bow, but without any death-dealing weapon. His words were his weapon: they were "sharp arrows in the hearts of the king's enemies." It was with their testimony the Christians fought the Roman Empire, and in 280 years they gained the victory, completely upsetting the Roman Government, which was Pagan to begin with, and establishing a new form of government, which recognised the religion of Christ as the true religion, though it did not understand that religion.
Under the second seal the horse is red, because in the period answering to this seal, the empire was agitated by civil wars, commencing A.D. 183.
Under the third seal, the Roman horse was black with great woe, commencing A.D. 212.
Under the fourth seal, the horse, as the result of the previous judgments, had become pale and bloodless. Civil strife, famine, pestilence, and barbarian invasion, combined, A.D. 235, to exhaust the vigour of the empire. It is remarkable that the Pagans attributed these calamities to the Christians. They said the Christians were aggravating the gods, and that the gods had brought these judgments upon them because of their doings. There was a little truth mixed with their superstition. He who was on the side of the Christians was plaguing the Pagan Government, while the One Body was maintaining the truth by the word of their testimony. Divine power was bringing wars and attendant evils upon them, for shedding the blood of the saints so mercilessly.
The fifth seal was characterised by the terrible persecution which lasted ten years, in the reign of Diocletian, A.D. 303-13. Then arose that champion of the Catholic Apostasy, Constantine, who was half Pagan, half Catholic, worshipping Apollo, his favourite god, and Jesus Christ. The character of his religion may be known from this fact: he recognised baptism as for the remission of sins and when urged to be baptised, he said No, as baptism was for the remission of sins, he would put it off to the last, so that he might commit all the sins he might do, and have them all washed away at once. He was true to his word. He would not consent to be immersed until three days before his death, and then he was immersed; (they did not sprinkle in those days; when they baptised people, they submerged them bodily in the water).
During all the period covered by these seals, the archer of the first seal fought Paganism with the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, loving not their lives to the death. Under the fifth seal, we have the altar victims of the ten days tribulation, crying out, "O despot, the righteous and true, wilt thou not avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" They were told to wait a little while, till the rest of their brethren should be slain, and then there would be a general settling of accounts.
The sixth seal exhibits the Constantinian rocking and shaking of the Roman world, in 312, in the great day of the Lamb's wrath on Paganism, resulting in the expulsion of Paganism from the seat of authority, and the enthronement of Constantine, the hero of the Catholic party, as the sole emperor of the Roman world.
The seventh seal was introduced by silence in the Roman government (until the death of Constantine), for an Apocalyptic "half-an-hour." Then, on the death of Constantine, fire was symbolically cast into the earth, resulting in voices, and thunders and lightnings, and a great (Julian) earthquake in A.D. 360. You have all heard about Julian. He is called by historians, Julian the Apostate. The reason is that Julian was educated as a Catholic, but was so disgusted with the bishops and clergy, that he renounced Catholicism and went back to Paganism. He tried to falsify the idea of Christians that Jerusalem was not to be re-built until the times of the Gentiles were fulfilled. In order to prove the Galilean an impostor and a false prophet, he authorised the Jews to re-build their temple; and a Pagan writer informs us that while they were digging the site, and clearing away the rubbish, to lay the stones of the new temple, balls of fire issued from the foundations, and scorched the workmen, so that they could not carry on the work. This is the testimony of a writer whose interest it was to falsify the fact, because the fact was subversive of the position of his Pagan friend and associate, Julian. Afterwards, Julian was shot in battle, and while his wound was bleeding, he held up his hand, and said, "Thou, Galilean, hast conquered." After Julian's death, Catholicism was restored, and has been the religion of the Roman state down to the present time. That was the result of the Julian earthquake in 360.
The next 35 years were occupied in the preparing for the blowing of the trumpets of the four angels, that are represented in the 8th chapter of the Apocalypse as holding back the winds and tempests, that they should not blow on anything until a certain work was accomplished in relation to God's own people; that was, that they were not to let the winds blow to the prejudice of human affairs, until the servants of God were sealed with their Father's name in their foreheads. A certain work was being accomplished, preparing a people to maintain the testimony of God, during the troublous times to come. You have an illustration of the nature of this process in what is transpiring before your eyes. The Christadelphians in different places are endeavouring to enlighten the understandings of the people. They are seeking to free them from the traditions and delusions of the clergy, and to impress on their minds the truth originally preached by Jesus and the apostles, that in the affectionate obedience of it, they may be got in Christ, in putting on the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The people who become enlightened under these operations, are sealed with the name of the Deity in their forehead, which is a symbol of their intelligence.
That was a work which had to be accomplished in the time succeeding the overthrow of Julian, because when the trumpets should come to be blown, there would be such terrible times that there would be no opportunity for the work of the truth, which requires time and peace, as we see from our own experience. In America, when the Southern war broke out, it was impossible to get the attention of the people to the truth of God. They were all so taken up with the questions developed by the devilish policy of the people in power, that there was an utter distaste for things pertaining to the gospel. So it would have been in the days succeeding the sixth seal. If there had been no interval of peace, the work of sealing the servants of God could not have found scope, because men would have been so occupied with the calamities desolating society in all directions, that they would not have given the time and attention necessary to their enlightenment in spiritual things. This suggests a lesson for you. It is to your interest, while a state of peace continues, to avail yourselves of the opportunities that are now within reach, of getting to know the truth, that you may be saved. If you neglect the word in these peaceful times, the time is coming when you will have no opportunity for enlightenment.
When the time of preparation had come to an end, the time arrived for the four angels to blow upon human society for its destruction. The first four trumpets are called wind-trumpets, because these four angels held the winds. The last three are called the woe-trumpets, because previous to the sounding of them, there was a proclamation, "Woe, woe, woe," because of the trumpets which remained to be sounded. The seven trumpets are thus divided into two classes - first, the four wind trumpets; and second, the three woe trumpets.
The first trumpet is characterised by (Alaric) hail. A certain barbarian named Alaric invaded the Roman empire, and produced the devastations symbolised by the hail and fire mingled with blood, and burning the third part of the trees and green grass. This was in A.D. 395.
The second wind-trumpet precipitated a great mountain, burning with fire, into the sea. The catastrophe answering to this symbol was the maritime feats of Genseric, the leader of the Vandals, who spread destruction among the countries in the neighbourhood of the Mediterranean.
The third trumpet, or the falling of a star upon the third part of rivers and fountains of waters, symbolises the invasion of the western dominion of the Roman empire by Attila, who, in the symbol, is called Wormwood (Apsinthos), just on the same principle as Napoleon is called the Corsican. He came from a country drained by a river called Apsinthos.
The fourth trumpet let loose the fourth wind upon Roman society, and developed the seventh of the seven heads of the Roman beast. This seventh head, John was told, was to continue a short space. The sixth head was existent at the time the vision was communicated. Under the fourth trumpet, this was suppressed in the smiting of the Roman sun, moon, and stars, in the third part of them, and the seventh was developed in the form of government resulting from the terrible commotions of the fourth trumpet. The seventh, however, only continued for a short space, as John was told, and was finally superseded by the eighth, which was one of the seven restored, and which has continued ever since.
The calamities of the period were terrible for Rome, the boasted city of the so-called Christ's Vicar and Peter's successor. For forty days, there was not a single inhabitant, or even dog, in the city. The eternal city, as they call it, which, in the days of John, had a population of three or four millions, had not a dog left to bark in the streets in less than 500 years afterwards. This was the effect of God's terrible indignation against the apostate and abominable city, as evinced in the blowing of the four wind trumpets against the Catholic Apostasy. But that was not nearly so terrible an overthrow as what awaits her when Jesus comes, and gives power to the saints to execute the judgment written.
The result of the fourth trumpet was that a third of the Roman sun, moon, and stars were smitten by the Herulian Goths. The western third was completely eclipsed for a time. The sixth head, on the Seven Hills, was fatally wounded, and the seventh set up till the expiry of the short space; after which, in the days of Charlemagne, who (A.D. 799) in the founding of what was called the "Holy Roman Empire," revived the wounded sixth head. This revived sixth head appearing on the scene as the eighth, and yet of the seven, is that which is represented in Daniel's 7th chapter by the remarkable horn with eyes and mouth, in the head of the fourth beast. Both are representative of the Holy Roman Empire, established by Charlemagne. This empire still exists in a dilapidated state, and will continue to exist until it is finally destroyed by Jesus Christ.
The eclipse of the sun, moon, and stars of the Roman system, for over a third part, is seen in the fact that when the fourth trumpet had been blown, Rome, for 240 years, was not the seat of government for any power at all. In all previous periods of her history, she had had kings, consuls, dictators, emperors, and so forth; but when the fourth trumpet had worked out its results, it took dominion completely away from her, and left her, for more than 240 years, an ordinary city, of no higher status than Swansea, Birmingham, Liverpool, etc., so far as government was concerned; but when certain events were developed, by which government was restored to Rome, Charlemagne formed an alliance with the Pope, and they had a compound government, which consisted of the civil, military, and ecclesiastical power in combination. This lasted many centuries. Napoleon I. gave it a terrible overthrow, but it has revived a little and has been struggling on until the present time. In 1866, it suffered a severe shock at the battle of Sadowa, when Austria was so completely defeated by the Prussians. Since that time, the Holy Roman Empire, in its secular element, at least, as represented by Austria, has become more Protestant and liberal than the British government itself.
People see this in the newspapers, but don't know the meaning of it. It is only the beginning of a series of events, which, commencing A.D. 1866, will go on gathering strength without interruption until Jesus Christ comes, in power and great glory, to destroy the "Holy Roman Empire," root and branch. You must have a beginning, before you can have an end. The beginning is working, but the world does not see it, because they don't know what God has determined and revealed. God has clearly made known His purposes and plans, but people won't give themselves the trouble to study them. They won't avail themselves of the information which is given to them. Therefore, they just go on in their blindness until Christ comes upon them as a thief. People will then be glad to know about these things when it is TOO LATE. Men in our day and generation have lost thrones by being too late. So it will be with you, if you don't avail yourselves of the present. The time is coming when all men will be eager to know about these things, but then it will be too late; judgment only will await them.
We next come to the consideration of the three last trumpets, which are called "woe trumpets," because of the terrible judgments developed in the periods represented by them. Under the fifth trumpet, the pit of the political abyss was opened, and the Saracens were let out upon the Eastern division of the Roman Empire. The consequence was that the sun and air politically were darkened. The Saracen woe commenced 632, and continued with more or less intermission, till 932, when the Caliphs came to an end.
Then comes the sixth trumpet, in which the four angels of the Euphrates were loosed. The powers represented by these four angels were territorially bounded by the Euphrates until the time came for them to extend their dominions to the Western side. In this sense, they were "bound"; and when the time for extension arrived, they were "loosed." When loosed, they crossed the Euphrates, and invaded the Eastern (Greek) division of the Roman (Byzantine) empire. They then began the destiny marked out for them, which was to subvert it, and bring the Greeks into what was to be their condition for a long period, and under which they are groaning to this day - subjection to the Turks. Constantinople was taken A.D. 1453.
While these events were transpiring in the eastern division of the empire, other events were going on in the western division, viz., the temple, altar, and worshippers were measured out for forty and two months down-treading. That (1,260 years) has all passed away. That is why I stand here to show you the truth without fear, favour or affection. If that period were still current, we should not have the opportunity which we enjoy now. We can speak the word with perfect freedom, without fear of oppression; thank God for it - not man. You may find instances now in which persons, if they dared, would carry out their bitter spirit of opposition to the utmost extremity of violence that history ever records. If they had the power, it would not be long before the Christadelphians made the acquaintance of the prison, and worse. But the time has passed. The witnesses were finally killed in 1685; they rose, and ascended to power in 1789. Then a tenth of the city fell in the dissolution of the French kingdom - one of the ten divisions of the city. A political earthquake prevailed; titles were abolished, men were affrighted, as they had never been before (in the "Reign of Terror"), and the second woe ended with the ascription of glory to the God of heaven, at the great national festival, in the time of Robespierre, which was the last act before his fall.
Then the third woe "came quickly." When the sixth trumpet finished with the downfall of Robespierre, the seventh trumpet began to sound, and has been sounding ever since (1793), and people don't know it. They think that the sounding of the trumpet will be a sound in the sky. They don't know that trumpets are periods in relation to God's dealings with mankind, in which events are transpiring, by which He afflicts them by war, pestilence, and famine, for their abominations. The seventh trumpet will last until the dead are raised, for the trumpet has not done sounding yet, and will not, till the millennium is established. The terrible woes that have been developed during the last 76 years - all that goes to make up the history of Europe, in connection with the Catholic despotisms and powers of the Protestant portion of the world, - are events developed under the seventh trumpet. We are now living under the seventh trumpet, which is the last period of the seventh-seal.
This last trumpet comprehends seven vials.
The first vial was poured out in the earth in 1789.
The second vial was poured out upon the sea in 1793, and its effects are to be seen in the long maritime wars of Britain against France, under the ministry of Pitt, in the times of George III and George IV. That vial ended in 1815, with the general pacification of Europe, in the downfall of Napoleon.
The third vial was the pouring out of Gods vengeance upon the rivers and fountains of waters, and was concurrent with the operation of the second. It is to be identified in Napoleon's campaigns in Italy in 1796.
The fourth vial (also concurrent with the second), was the pouring out of God's indignation upon the sun of the Holy Roman Empire, in the wars of Napoleon against Germany in 1805.
The fifth vial was poured upon the seat of the beast - first, its political seat in Vienna, and then its ecclesiastical seat - Rome. The result was, the kingdom of the beast was darkened. The historical parallel is to be seen in the fact that the Pope was taken prisoner by Napoleon; and carried to Fontainebleau, where he was made the chief bishop of the French empire; and Rome degraded to the rank of second city in the French empire. Rome was permitted to elect seven senators and send them to Paris to represent the people in the Legislature - a great humiliation certainly for the city which is called the Eternal City, and in which imperial government had been established for so many ages. This was darkening the kingdom of the beast.
When Napoleon fell, the Holy Alliance, as it was called, restored light to the kingdom of the beast. Britain took part in this. Britain co-operated with the Catholic powers of Europe in restoring the Pope. Pretty Protestants!
The sixth vial, like the sixth trumpet, is divided into two sections, eastern and western. In the eastern part of Europe, it was poured on the Euphratean or Ottoman power, that it might dry up. The Ottoman power has been drying up for 50 years past. It began to dry up in 1820, and now exists only by the sufferance of the other powers. While that power is drying up, a great event is announced. You will observe a break occurs in the prophecy, and a warning is introduced. The warning is this:
"Behold! I come as a thief; blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame."
Then the prophecy is resumed, and the powers are represented as being mustered for the war of the great day of God Almighty, the result of which is the overthrow of the armies in the east, in the war of Armageddon, the expulsion of the enemy from the Holy Land, and the establishment of the power of the kings of the east, or from a sun's rising, viz., the saints who are developed by the rising of the Sun of Righteousness, or the advent of the Lord Jesus.
While these things are maturing in the east, other events are transpiring in the western part of Europe, represented by the issuing of three unclean spirits, like frogs, from the mouths of the dragon, beast, and false prophet. The frogs represent the power of France, whose original heraldic symbol was three frogs emblazoned on shield and banner, and stamped on coins. The events of the last twenty years exhibit France as the leading power of the situation. No question has arisen in Europe, since 1848, in which France has not been mixed up, and taken the leading part in it. The reason is to be found in the symbol before us. It was foretold to John, that in the time of the sixth vial, under which we are now living, a power, answering in political heraldry to three frogs, would be active in developing a war spirit among the nations, and causing it more particularly to radiate from three notable political centres, symbolised by the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet.
Contemporary history illustrates the prophecy. Louis Napoleon is the heading up of the frog-power. He is the personification of the French people. He is not descended from royalty, but has sprung from the common people, who represented themselves by frogs on account of the prevalence of that creature in the marshes of Westphalia, in Germany, whence they originally came. He is not the three frogs in himself, but the head of the frog-people. He has played a remarkable part in the politics of Europe since he came into power. He is a remarkable man. You all know how he is spoken of as a mysterious man - a man of destiny, whom nobody can get to the bottom of, and who keeps his position in spite of all the blunders of his government. Like his uncle, he is an instrument in the hand of Deity, to work out a crisis for Europe which will bring it to the verge of destruction. That is his mission, and no one can prevent him from carrying it into effect.
Well, Christ comes in the time of the vial which now exists. We don't know how soon he may be here. The times are all run out, except the long period of 2,520 years, the symbolic times of the Babylonian tree - the kingdom of men. All the rest of the times have expired, and A NEW SERIES OF EVENTS has commenced which will comprehend the advent. Whether he may be here next month, or next year, or how long it may be, we know not. This we know, that a series of events has begun which will bring him here.
Part of that series is the preparation of a people for the Lord. This work is going on throughout England, and has been going on throughout America. The work will go on more and more; and while we are endeavouring to enlighten the people, Christ will come. When he comes, he will not send to the Roman Catholics, nor the Church of England, nor the Church of Scotland, nor the Church of Ireland, nor to any of the Dissenting denominations. He will come to the humble class of people who believe the truth and have obeyed it, and are not afraid to maintain it. If there are only twenty of them, he will come to them. He will not come to the mass of ignoramuses who are headed up by the clergy and ministers of the day.
The seventh vial contains the seven thunders which will manifest the remainder of the judgments of God upon the nations. When the events of the seventh vial are all expended, there will be no more wrath of God upon mankind for a thousand years.
Christ comes under the sixth vial. He raises the dead under the sixth vial. Through his angelic messengers that come with him, he gathers together his elect from the four winds of heaven. He sifts out, from the company thus convened in his presence, those whom he considers worthless, and exiles them into the punishment prepared for the wicked; to the others he says, "Come ye, blessed of my Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." When he has made this separation of the good from the bad - of the pure from the vile - he gives judgment into the hands of those whom he associates with himself. Daniel says, "I beheld, and the time came that judgment was given to the saints of the Most High." When judgment is given to the saints, they go forth to war against the world, as you may learn from the 19th chapter of the Apocalypse. That is called the war of the great day of God Almighty. There are two parties to that war - first, Christ and the saints, and the Jews as their rank and file; and second, the powers that be, with their millions of armed men on the other. The conflict is certain, and the end sure, for we read in Rev. 17:14: "These (the kings represented by the ten horns) shall make war upon the Lamb, and the Lamb shall OVERCOME them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful." The war will last forty years, as represented in the lowest square of the last section of the chart. "Treading the winepress by the space of 1,600 furlongs," is the symbolic equivalent of judgment for 40 years, which is the square of 1,600. The matter is mentioned in a more specific form in the prophecy of Micah (chap. 7:15). The events of the forty years will introduce the millennium; for when the seven thunders have ceased to roll, the world will have been brought to its senses; as saith the prophet, "When thy judgments are in the earth, then will the inhabitants of the earth learn righteousness" (Isaiah 26:9). Then will the Gentiles wait for the law of the Messiah, and submit with joy to his authority. "They shall go and say, Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths" (Isaiah 2:3). Then shall the law go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall rebuke strong nations afar off, and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more" (Micah 4:3). Then shall the Messiah's mission be brought manifestly before the world, when, in all the earth, he shall have established "Glory to God in the highest, over the earth, peace, and goodwill amongst men."
