The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1914-12-31
DANIELS VISION or THE FOUR
BEASTS OR KINGDOMS

VI DANIEL Z
Daniel spoke and said, saw in my
vision by night, and behold the -four
winds Of the Heaven strove upon the
great sea. Sea denotes Tin prophecy
peoples, nations, and tongues. Rev.
XVII-i5-W Winds connection and war.
Jer. XIV. 1929. Strife and COM
motion that causes all this destruction
is called whirlwind in the prophetic
word Of God. and as a result Of these
strivings Of winds--nations rise and
fall away, and this was what Daniel
saw down the stream of time TO come,
and most Of il has been fulfilled. He
says tDan. Vll) And four great
beasts came up from the sea, diverse
one from another. The first was like
a lion, and had eagles wings; | be-
held till the wings were plucked, and
it was lifted up from the earth, and
made stand upon the feet as man,
and a mans heart was given to it.
Beasts represent different kingdoms in
prophecy. Now these beasts denote
four kings or kingdoms. We inquire,
what four? And where shall we COM
mence to enumerate? These beasts do
not rise all at once, as they are spoken
of as first, second, etc; and the last
one is in existence when all earthly
scenes are brought to an end by the
final judgment. Now from the time Of
Daniel TO the end of this worlds his
tory there were to be but four univer-
sal kingdoms as we also learn from
zzar's dream Of the great
image of Daniel ii. Daniel was still
living under the same kingdom which
he had declared in his Interpretation
Of the kings dream, about sixty-five
years ago to be the head Of gold. The
first beast of this vision must there
fore denote the same as the head of
gold of the great image, namely, the
kingdom of Babylon, and the other
beasts the succeeding kingdoms shown
by that image. The ground is passed
over again and again, that facts and
features may be presented, thus we
nave line upon line. Earthly govern
nents are shown by the symbol Of
Wild and ravenous beasts. AT first
he lion had eagles wings, denoting
he rapidity with which Babylon ex-
ended its conquests under Nebuchad
lezzar, at this point in the vision
hange has taken place; its wings had
,een plucked. 1t no longer flew like
IN eagle upon its prey. The boldness
md spirit of the lion were gone. A
mans heart, weak, timorous, and faint
lad taken its place. Such was the
Iation of Babylon, during the closing
ears of its history, when it had be-
ONE enfeebled through wealth and
luxury. Verse fve). And behold
mother beast. A second, like to a
ear, and it raised up itself on one
ide, and it had three ribs in the mouth
f it between the teeth of it; and they
aid thus unto it. Arise devour much
esh, as in Dan. two--the image ,
he silver was inferior to gold, so the
ear was inferior to the lion. Medo- /
ersia fell short Of Babylon in wealth, I
nd the brilliahcy Of its career. The .
ear raised itself up on one side. This ,
ingdom was composed of two nation ,
Iities, the Modes, and the Persians,
also represented by two horn Of the -,
nm of chapter 81. The Persian d. {
sion of the kingdom came up last,
ecoming the controlling influence in >
lie nation. The three ribs denote :
abylon, Lydia and Egypt, the three !,
rovinces oppressed by this power.
edes and Persians were cruel, rob- !;
ars of the people, like bear. adv. :.
Continued next week. !,