ring that He has appointed His Son to be the eternal King and
High-Priest over mankind, and that all His faithful subjects shall
enjoy everlasting happiness. Gives a grand song of praise to God
for His mercy displayed to man in redemption
He next laments the uncertainty and short duration of man's resi-
dence upon earth; but declares that the Saviour is omnipotent and
eternal, and was the Creator of all things; that He shall again de-
scend from heaven to judge the world by righteousness, and des-
cribes the last judgment
He again proclaims the Messiah's omnipotence that He reigns King
of kings and Lord of lords, that His supreme power is boundless,
He rules righteously, and His testimony is true; His religion shall
increase until it becomes universal, the Gentiles espouse His cause,
and the Jews believe His gospel......
He now describes His majestic coming to destroy apostacy and infide-
lity, and completely establish His reign of peace and happiness
upon earth, concluding his most sublime predictions by bidding
every thing upon earth rejoice at the stupendous event, and join in
a grand chorus of praise to the Messiah for His mercy and good-
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Daniel describes the four great Empires, namely, the Assyrian, the
Medo-Persian, the Grecian, and the Roman, successively governing
earth, until overturned by the supreme power of the Messiah, by
the Symbol of a great Image composed of different materials; and
represents the Messiah's dominion by a stone, small at first, cut
from the side of a mountain, which daily waxes greater, till
it is cast by irresistible force at the legs and feet of the Image, or
the Roman empire in its last divided state, and breaks the whole
to pieces, when it become the universal ruler of the world. An an-
gelic Messenger sent to Daniel explains to him the above prophecy;
and Daniel gives a description of the rise and progress of the Mes-
siah's kingdom
The above subject is repeated under different symbols shewn to this
Prophet 40 years after the above revelation. Four ravenous wild
beasts now appeared to him successively arising out of a troubled
sea, or wars and commotions among the nations of the earth, and
devoured each other until the last wore ten crowned horns all
subject to the spiritual jurisdiction of an apostate christian em-
pire, represented in the prophecy by a horn springing slyly among
the ten worn by the last Beast, but soon growing so great as to
seize for itself the temporal dominions of three of them, and to spi-
ritually tyrannize over the whole
He then more particularly describes this apostate spiritual dominion,
and declares that it shall be overturned by the power of the Mes-
siah
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He now proceeds to inform mankind of the precise time when the
Messiah would appear upon earth to found His government of
peace and happiness; and when the Jewish temple, state, and po-
lity, would be subverted by the Romans, and the ceremonial law
abrogated. Then he informs his readers that the Roman domin-
ion both temporal and spiritual, named the Desolator, shall be
finally overturned by the Messiah, and by Him the Jews restored to
liberty and their native land, after they have become converts to
His gospel; but the angel refuses to inform Him of the precise time
when these last momentous transactions take place; yet assures
him that they will come when the fulness of the Gentiles have
obeyed the gospel
Jeremiah declares that he is commissioned by the Almighty to de-
clare future events. Then gives his countrymen, the Jews, a most
dreadful description of their depravity, and informs them that, for
their rebellion against the just laws of their God, their temple shall
be destroyed, and Jerusalem made a heap of ruins, their country
laid desolate, and themselves driven into captivity for 70 years, by
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; but at the end of that term
they shall find mercy, and shall return to their native land: but re-
turning to their former wicked state, they shall be finally subdued
by the Romans, and their temple and polity for ever destroyed;
and those who escape the slaughter shall be sold for slaves among
the nations of the earth, until the Messiah releases them. Then,
like Daniel, this Prophet foretels the destruction of the Roman em-
pire, and the restoration of his countrymen to happiness and pros-
perity, after they have embraced christianity
He next foretels the Messiah's appearance upon earth, names Him
the Sun of Righteousness, and describes the happiness of His reign.
The capture of Babylon by Cyrus, is now described by Jeremiah,
Isaiah, and Daniel; and the destruction of Tyre by Alexander, and
the total defeat of Gog and his army of infidels, led by Satan in
the last days to destroy the saints, by the Messiah, are foretold
by Ezekiel.
The Almighty informs Ezekiel that He has ordained him to be a
Watchman over Israel; and if he do not faithfully execute his
trust, that the sins of the people shall be imputed to his neglect;
but if he do his duty he is freed of the guilt
God now declares to him that He has no pleasure in the destruction
of the wicked, but it is His wish that all will repent and be saved.
He then describes false Ministers, and pronounces wo against them
Israel's captivity by the Romans, and their delivery by the Messiah;
and the Messiah's ministry and the eternal happiness of His go-
vernment are next predicted
Joel exhorts the licentious to leave their vain pleasures, and obey the
commandments of God, assuring them that the Messiah will cer-
tainly come and protect His faithful flock, and that all His enemies
shall be destroyed by His almighty power
Zechariah bids the children of Israel rejoice that the Messiah will
finally deliver them from all their enemies, and shall reign over
them in peace, and make them happy by His righteous government.
Obadiah predicts the same; and Hosea tells them that they shall
be in bondage many days without a leader to guide them; but that
they shall finally repent of their former transgressions, believe in
the Messiah, and be eternally happy under His blessed dominion.
Zechariah now names Him the BRANCH which would bless all na-
tions, should reign upon the throne of David, and whose divine pre-
sence should grace the temple of Jerusalem. That God had made
Him an eternal High-priest, and supreme Ruler of the world, that
the Gentiles should believe in Him, and the Jews before the end of
the world honor and obey Him ....
Hosea declares that He would teach in the second erected temple of
Jerusalem, would bring peace and salvation to man, and finally
would overthrow all His enemies
Micah plainly says that He would be born in Bethlehem, a small town
near Jerusalem; that He is the Eternal Prince who should rule the
Earth with justice and equity; and whose reign should give uni-
versal peace and happiness to mankind
Malachi declares that He will send His Messenger before Him to pro-
claim His appearance and preach repentance: and that He Him-
self is the Messenger who bears the everlasting covenant of Grace
from God to man, and that He shall purify the hearts of mortals
that they may offer unto God oblations of righteousness
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Isaiah proclaims the depravity of his nation, but promises forgiveness
if they will repent; then declares that comfort and salvation will
be given by the Messiah to all the faithful
He then foretels the Saviour's care over His flock, and from Whom
He shall be born as mortal, and declares His Almighty Power and
Sovereignty
David, in a song of praise, proclaims Him to be the heavenly Shep-
herd Who would safely lead and guide His flock
Isaiah names Him the Branch of the Root of Jesse, who would bless
all nations believing and obeying Him; and describes His suffer-
ings to atone for the sins of mankind, and His exaltation to eternal
glory, declaring His dominion to be everlasting..........
David bids the whole earth join in a song of praise to His honor and
glory; and Isaiah exhorts all nations to obey Him, and accept the
salvation He offers
Isaiah now predicts the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles, and
beautifully describes their conversion to christianity; proclaims the
Messiah's omnipotence, and asks Israel why they reject Him as
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their Saviour; plainly informing them that it is their wicked and
depraved hearts which cause their unbelief........
He now describes unfaithful christian ministers, and predicts their
terrible punishment; yet exhorts them to repent and do their
duty that the great work of saving sinners may prosper in their
hands; predicts the Messiah's coming to extirpate apostacy, pu-
nish infidelity, and free His servants from their tyranny
He now gives the eternal happy state of the saints under the Redeem-
er's government, and concludes with a grand song of praise for the
glorious event
St. Luke's testimony that Jesus Christ is the Messiah foretold to ap-
pear to redeem mankind
Mary's song of thanksgiving to God for the glorious tidings brought
her by the angel that the Messiah should be born from her womb;
and Zechariah's hymn for his son being ordained the Messenger to
announce the Redeemer's appearance upon earth. St. Luke's tes-
timony of the Messiah's birth; and a hymn of thanksgiving for
His nativity
St. John describes His attributes, declaring that He is One with God
the Father, and that He created the universe
Simeon's song of thanksgiving at beholding His glorious Redeemer,
Whose appearance all the Prophets had foretold
Isaiah, in a hymn of praise, declares that the Divine Person, Whom
he had styled Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Fa-
ther, and Prince of Peace, has come to earth......
John preaches repentance, telling his hearers that the Lamb of God,
who takes away the sins of the world, approaches. He baptizes
his Saviour who ascends from the river Jordan and addresses His
Father in prayer, and the Holy Spirit descends from heaven, in the
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