Lesson 1

July 7, 1888.

THE TIME OF THE MESSAGE.

  1. WHAT four kingdoms are represented in Dan. 2:31-40 and Dan. 7:1-7? Ans. — Babylon (Dan. 2:37, 38); Medo-Persia (Dan. 5:28); Grecia (Dan. 8:20, 21); Rome (Luke 2:1).
  2. What is represented by the ten horns upon the fourth beast? Dan. 7:7, 24.
  3. To what date did the kingdom of Babylon continue? Ans. — B.C. 538.
  4. To what date did Medo-Persia continue? Ans. — B.C. 331.
  5. Grecia? Ans. — B.C. 168.
  6. Rome? Ans. — A.D. 476.
  7. When Rome fell, what stood in its place? Dan. 7:24, first part.
  8. What was to arise after them and yet among them? Dan. 7:8, first part, and verse 24, last part.
  9. What was the nature of this power as compared with the ten? Verse 20, last clause.
  10. What else was peculiar about the horn? Verses 8 and 20, last clause of each.
  11. What did he both speak and do? Verse 25.
  12. What power of all the earth has done to the greatest extent what is here said? Ans. — The Papacy.
  13. Upon the rise of this horn, what was done with three of the ten? Dan. 7:8, 20.
  14. What three of the ten kingdoms fell?Ans. — The Heruli, the Vandals, and the Ostrogoths. See “Thoughts on Daniel,” 7: 24. Those who wish to study the history on this point, see Gibbon, chap. 39, par. 6-8; 41:7-12, 21-28.
  15. At what dates? Ans. — Heruli A.D. 493, Vandals 534, Ostrogoths 538.
  16. What then is the date of the establishment of the Papacy? See note.
  17. How long was the Papacy to have power over the saints, the times, and the laws? Dan. 7:25.
  18. Literally what length of time is this? Rev. 12:14, 6; Eze. 4:4-6. See note.
  19. Beginning as it did, in A.D. 538, when should it end? Ans. — A. D. 1798.
  20. What historical event marks the end of the 1260 years of Papal supremacy? Ans. — The French army under Berthier abolished the Papacy in Rome, proclaimed a republic there, A.D. 1798, and carried Pope Pius VI. a captive from place to place till he died at Valence, France, August 28, 1799.

NOTES.

QUESTION 16. — As this little horn power, the Papacy, was to be established by the fall of three of the ten, and as the last of the three fell in 538, it is clear that A.D. 538 is the date from which the establishment of the Papacy must be reckoned.

QUESTION 18. — Rev. 12:14 uses the same expression as that in Dan. 7:25, saying, “To the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, . . . for a time, and times, and half a time” and verse 6 says, “The woman fled into the wilderness,… that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.” These texts make it positive that the words “time, and times, and the dividing of time” signify 1260 days. But as these days are used as symbols, each day signifies a year, because that is the law. The Lord told Ezekiel that in conducting a symbolical siege against Jerusalem, he should lie on his left side “three hundred and ninety days;” and on his right side “forty days;” because this was to be a “sign” to the house of Israel and Judah, and the Lord had laid upon him, and by this signified to them, “the years of their iniquity according to the number of the days,” because, “I have appointed thee each day for a year.” (“a day for a year, a day for a year” - margin) It is the appointment of God, that when days are used in connection with symbols, each day shall stand for a year.

QUESTION 20. — In A.D. 1797, Napoleon was ordered by the French Directory to destroy the Papal Government. The Pope was helpless, but instead of obeying orders, Napoleon, on his own responsibility, made peace with him, and returned to France. The words of the history are as follows:—

“Bonaparte now invaded the Papal territories and rapidly overran them. He had orders from the Directory to destroy the Papal Government, but, on his own responsibility, he disregarded these instructions, and concluded with the helpless Pontiff the peace of Talentino on the 19th of February, 1797.

“Upon the return of Bonaparte from Italy, General Berthier was ordered by the Directory to carry out its instructions respecting the Papal Government, which Bonaparte had declined to execute. The people of the Papal States were thoroughly discontented. Berthier marched to Rome and was received as a deliverer. He proclaimed the restoration of the Roman Republic; made Pope Pius VI. a prisoner, and stripped him of all his property, … and removed him to France, where he was detained in captivity.” — Pictorial History of the World, p. 756.

The Pope was just as helpless in 1797 as he was in 1798, but 1797 was too early; the time did not expire till 1798; and “the Scriptures cannot be broken.” John 10:35.

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