" and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43. "But he shall have power over the treasures of 66 66 gold, and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; and the Lybians, and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. 44. But 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. 45. And he shall plant "the tabernacles of his palace between the 66 seas, in the glorious holy mountain; yet he "shall come to his end and none shall help "6 him." The prophecy here speaks of a new period. in the history of Antichrist, introducing it in these words," and at the time of the end shall the King of the South push at him." Of which time of the end of the Roman Empire, or last period of 45 years of Daniel, two years and a half are, as has been before stated, already expired. It describes a joint attack upon him by the King of the South, or the Emperor of Austria, of whom mention has been so largely made in the former part of the prophecy, and by the King of the North, or the Emperor of Russia, in which he will employ, a great naval force. The term, entering into the countries, must imply some extraordinary movement of the Infidel Power; and he is described as pass ing over, with his army, to some other country. It appears that on this expedition he will chiefly proceed by land, for he enters into Judea, or "the glorious land," before he invades Egypt. This being his course, it is possible that it will be at this time that "the Great Head" of the Eagle of Ezra, "on the right side" will, according to his symbolical description," devour the Great Head on the left*," that is, imperial Rome will overthrow imperial Austria. It is possible also that this expedition. of Antichrist may be then directed upon Constantinople, and that he will thus become the instrument of the second and greater judgment upon "ASIA," or the Mahometan Apostasy†. It may also be connected with a partial restoration of the Jews, whose Messiah it has always been supposed by the ancient Christian Church he would declare himself to be, and he may lead some of them back to the Holy Land. He then enters Egypt and approaches the confines of Lybia and Ethiopia. But news from the East and from the North will trouble him, for he will, I apprehend, hear of the march of the ten tribes, or of "the Kings of the East," towards the Holy Land, for whom the way has been prepared by the entire removal, or great reduction in the 2 Esdras xi. 35. + xvi. 1. strength, of the Ottoman empire; and he will hear of the advance of the Russians also "from the North," under whose protection the Ten Tribes may be restored. If indeed at the approaching advent of the true David, in whom Israel has "ten parts*," their call to the Holy Land should not be expected to be of a more miraculous character. For I doubt not that it was to them that, at his first advent, his birth was miraculously announced, (as well as to the shepherds of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin,) and that the "wise men from the East," instructed by the revelation of God, were representatives of these ten tribes who then, led by the guidance of a star, visited the land of his nativity, and by their gifts acknowledged him as their king. Thus much, at least, is however certain with respect to Russia, that she will, at this time, once more act a prominent part, and that the hosts of the North will overrun all the Continent, and become an exceeding bitter plague to the Papal nations. Saint John says (Rev. xvi. 21)," There fell upon men a great Hail "out of heaven, every stone about the weight "And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, "and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye." 2 Samuel xix. 43. 66 "of a talent, and men blasphemed God because "of the plague of the Hail, for the plague "thereof was exceeding great." Antichrist, on hearing the intelligence from the North and from the East, will return into the Holy Land, and will then plant his tabernacles between the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea in the glorious holy mountain of Jerusalem: there, if not throughout the whole extent of the Holy Land, the treading of the wine-press will take place, and he and all his army will perish under the manifest vengeance of God. This last great contention between the powers of light and darkness; when our Saviour, it is to be believed, will personally manifest himself in behalf of his Church, is thus sublimely described in the Apocalypse, chap. xix. ver. 11 -21; being a portion of the explanatory vision, shewn by the angel relative to the Trumpet History, commencing with the period of the seventh Vial, and referring to events which are to take place in the Eastern Roman Empire, or "without the (Papal) City.” "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a "white horse; and he that sat upon him was "called Faithful and True, and in righteous 66 66 66 ness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, 66 66 66 "that no man knew but he himself; and he "was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: " and his name is called THE WORD of God. "And the armies which were in heaven fol"lowed him upon white horses, clothed in "fine linen, white and clean. And out of his "mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he "should smite the nations: and he shall rule "them with a rod of iron, and he treadeth the wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS." Christ and his army having been thus described, there follows a description of Antichrist and his army. But first we are told of their gathering together, or of the preparations for this battle, by the voice of the imperial "Sun" or Sun" or Emperor of the West; who, in consequence of the going forth of the three unclean spirits under the sixth Vial, has been elevated to this dignity, and for this express purpose." And I saw an angel standing " in the Sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst "of heaven, come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God. "That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the "flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit 66 66 66 |