Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-05-09

tween its eyes. Inc conquests oi
Alexander are described and also the
divisions Of his kingdom into four
parts. Then rises "a little horn" as
in the previous vision, false, orally
tyrant, probably Aptiochus Epiph-
anes, whose character Is outlined,
and whose expressions Of the people
Of God causes Daniel TO faint and
feel sick for many days. That this
little horn represents Antiochus
Epiphanes Is a view entertained by
the most ancient writers, but this
does not exclude the probability
that the Papal power is also referred
to as the complete fulfilment Of this
part Of the prophecy. What Anti
ochus was 10 the Jews during the
time Of the Maccabees, the pa
pal power has been TO the Church
of Christ in all ages.
The ninth chapter contains n
prayer offered by the Prophet In
behalf Of himself and his people. He
particularly supplicates God TO again
restore the sanctuary in Jerusalem.
AS an answer to this prayer, Gabri-
ell appears and informs him Of the
precise time for the coming Of Mes
siah, ''to finish the t-ansgression,
and 10 make an end 10 sin, and TO
made a reconciliation for iniquity,
and 10 bring in everlasting righte-
business and TO seal up the vision and
prophecy, and TO anOint the most
Holy.' In seven weeks, or in for
ty-Hine years, reckoning from the
decree OF Artaxerxes 457 Il. C., the
walls Of Jerusalem were TO be re-
built, though in times Of great trou-
BILE. In sixty-two weeks, or 434
years, Christ was to appear, and in
the midst Of one week, and after
three years and n half, to be slain.
In the tenth chapter We are allowed
to cast a glance behind the veil and
contemplate the wonderful fact that
heavenly messengers are employed
TO convey intelligence to holy men,
aud that they, while so doing, have
20 overcome opposing powers, much
rs mortal men have in the per
Torrance OF their duties. a divine
messenger has been sent to instruct
David concerning some records In
serheScTipture Of Truth, " a heaven
IL record, but this messenger is met
aud opposed by ''the prince Of the
kingdom Of Persia whereupOn a
struggle that lasts for twenty days
follows. The victory would appar-
emily have been dubious had not
Michael himself come TO the assist
ance Of the messenger.
In the 18th chapter, the things
noted in "The Scripture Of TRUTH
are set forth. These things COM
mence with tine history Of Persia.
Four kings are fOretold: Camhyses,
Smerdis, Darius and Nerxes ". q.
Then follows n prediction Of Alex
andeF the Great, his history and his
successors In "the south" Egypt
and the north (Syris), down to the
time OLA ntiochusE piphanus Y. 3-29l
Then follows the conquest Of Syria
by the Romans, "Chittim, " ". SO),
with the rise Of the papal power.
". Sl-S9.l The character Of this
power and many Of its corrupt doc
trines are here predicted with
minuteness. Then come the inva-
siOns Of the Saracens 1.-THE king OF
the south and Of the Turks lthe
king Of the north.) The countries
to be conquered by the Turks
are enumerated ". 4l-i3), as
are also those that were
to escape. The chapter closes
with a prediction concerning the
end Of the Turkish empire, yet to be
fulfilled: ''He shall plant the tab
ernacles OF his palace between the
seas in the glorious holy mountain;
yet he shall come 10 bis end, and
none shall help him."
The first verse Of the 18th chapter
predicts the full deliveTance Of the
Jewish nation through the inter.
position Of "the great prince, -
Michael, an event TO be looked
for after the fall Of "tht
king Of the noTth", or the
Turkish empire, and the next
verses refer 10 the first resurrection
Of mankind. The book closes with
some chronological statements,
unintelligible even to the Prophet,
himself ". 81, but the promise /:
given that az the end Of time many
shall receive knowledge concerning
these predictions ". ~, n promise
which evidently implies renewed
revelations. For how could thest
things be known without such re
violation, any more than DAME
could know them without reveal
ton?
One thingis noticeable all through
this prophetic record. Each new
vision requiresa new revelation from
God. Daniel is constantly seeking
knowledge from God concerning the
right understanding Of the vision:
given, and II il only through thi:
means that be receives his know
ledge. Continuous revelation wa:
necessary TO this the most remark
able prophet OF the ancient world
So it Is 10 us, IL we want TO under
stand the plans and purposes Of the
Almighty. Where there is no re.
violation spiritual darkness prevails
In spite Of the plainest writings Of
Coo. A BelshaZZar and the whOlt
cOllegium OF learned priests may SCI
on the wall the: "AIene, meme,
thekel, upharsin'', but a Daniel, a
man in constant communication
with God, Is required 10 interpret
il according TO its right meaning.
EZEKIEL, b. G. 595-5TI, wa:
carried captive to Babylon at the
first invasion of NebuchadnezzaT,
eleven years before the destruction
Of Jerusalem. He was contemporary
with jeremiah and Daniel, hui
lived some zoo miles north Of Ba,
bylOn on the banks Of the rivel
Chebar. Tradition has ii that h,
was put to death by n fellow
exile whom he had rcbuked fol
idolatry.
The predictions Of this Prophet
were delivered some before and som'
after the destruction Of Jerusalem
by Nebuchadnezzar. sBefore thii
event he calls upon the people e
repent and warns them against seek
ing aid by the Egyptians. He as
sures them that the fall Of their be
loved city was now unavoidable
When the Chaldean king com
menced his siege Of the same, Goo
revealed this 10 the Prophet in hi
exile: "SOn Of man," God says Il
him, "write thee the name OF tn,
day, even OF this day: the king o.
Babylon set himself against Jeru
salem this same day" (2I: y. Thi;
was in the ninth year Of his cap
tivity. THREE years later he re
ceiyed the Intelligence that the city
had fallen (33: -2I. During thi.
period all the predictions OF the
Prophet are directed against for
eign nations. After he had heard o.
the fall Of Jerusalem, his principal
object In view is to comfort the PEG
pie with promises Of restoration anC
future blessings.
The closing chapters l40-4sl Of the
book OF Ezekiel uuuOu -eedly refei