No events of the Apostle's days are to be viewed as more than a primary and typical fulfilment of these sublime and interesting predictions. The last clause, which seems to relate to much that precedes, Then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh, had no relation to the days of the Apostles. It can relate to no period short of that which is connected with the dawn of the Millennium. Does not this clause then decide, that these predictions relate to scenes which shall just precede the Millennium? And do they not indicate most solemn things to the Church, at this period?

The battle array of the last head of the Roman beast, and his false prophet, and the kings of the earth, against Jesus Christ and his armies, Rev. xix, 19, confirms the sentiment, that the Church is to be sorely tried under the reign of Antichrist. For although this passage relates to the last attack, the expedition in Palestine against the church of Judah and Israel, yet it shows, that war with Christ is the object of Antichrist. And such a Power will be able greatly to afflict the people of God.

Our Lord gave his disciples a signal, when they should flee out of Jerusalem. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth let him understand) then let them who be in Judea flee into the mountains. Let him who is on the house-top_not come down to take any thing out of his house: neither let him who is in the field return back to take his

clothes.

Daniel had spoken of the abomination of desolation in three passages, and in relation to three different events. The first is Dan. ix, 27; And in the midst of the week, he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. This related to the armies of the Romans in array

Mat. xxiv, 15, and onward.

against Jerusalem, with their eagles and other images, which they worshipped; which were an abomination to the Jews; and which (when seen around the walls) indicated the speedy destruction of Jerusalem. The second is Dan. xi, 31; And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination, that maketh desolate. This relates to the invasions and garrisons of Antiochus, the noted type of Antichrist, in order to compel the Jews to renounce their religion; to eat swine's flesh, and to violate their consciences. Upon this occasion many of the Jews suffered martyrdom, and underwent the most cruel torments.*

This conduct is here predicted by the Angel, when he was preparing the way to give a prophetic description of Antichrist, and was first presenting him by his type, Antiochus. The third passage in which Daniel speaks of the abomination of desolation, is in chapter xii, 11; And from the time the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination, that maketh desolate, set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. This relates to the impious establishment of Popery, or Mohammedism, or both, in the year 606, or whenever Popery was established.

The question then occurs, To which of these three passages in Daniel did our Lord refer, when he spoke of the abomination of desolation, as the token to his people to flee into the mountains? Answer. As the direction applied to the Apostles and church at Jerusalem, we must conclude he referred to that which relates to the Roman eagles and idolatry, when the Romans were besieging Jerusalem; Dan. ix, 27. As the direction applied to the Christian Church at the commencement of Popery, or Mohammedism, the direc

The

*The particulars of this persecution are given in the 5th, 6th, and 7th chapters of the second book of the Maccabees. material parts of the account are copied by Polybius and Josephus; and are found in Rollin's Ancient History. Book xviii, Art. 2.

tion must be viewed as referring to the passage which relates to that period; Dan. xii, 11. And as the direction respects the Church in the days of Antichrist, we must view our Lord as referring to that passage, Dan. xi, 31, which relates to the type of Antichrist, or to Antiochus, and was given when the Angel was undertaking to give a description of the infidel Power of the last days. When that shall take place under Antichrist, which was prefigured when his type Antiochus set up the abomination, that made desolate in the holy place, then this token to the Church at that period will be fulfilled. Violating the rights of the Church, making a direct attack upon them, may prove to be this abomination, that maketh desolate. As the As the persecutions of Antiochus are noted by the Angel, when his object was to predict the rise, character, and overthrow of Antichrist, this seems to indicate, that events may be expected under the reign of Antichrist, corresponding with those cruel deeds of Antiochus. It becomes interesting then to examine those predictions concerning the cruelties of Antiochus, and their fulfilment. The Angel says;* And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination, that maketh desolate. And such as do wickedly against the covenant, shall he corrupt by flatteries; i. e. hypocrites and apostates will be found to be fit tools of his intrigue and malice against the Church; but the people, that do know their God, shall be strong, and do exploits. And they that understand among the people, shall instruct many; yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil days. This was a sore persecution under Antiochus. Now it was, that the events took place, narrated in Heb. xi, 35-38. And others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, (i. e. on wicked terms,) that they might obtain a better resurrection. And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings; yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonments. They were stoned, they

were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheep-skins, and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented: of whom the world was not worthy: they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens, and caves of the earth. Antiochus at this time plundered and defiled the temple at Jerusalem; calling it, The temple of Jupiter Olympius; and erecting there, upon the sacred altar, the image of this heathen God. This, with the attendant evils, of defiling the Jewish altars, forbidding their sacrifices, and compelling the Jews to conform to the rites and manners of the heathen, was the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place. Upon this, some literally fled to the mountains, as is noted in the above passage in Heb. xi, 35-, an event to which probably our Lord alludes, when he gave the direction to his disciples, to flee to the mountains, at the destruction of Jerusalem. "The desolation of the temple, and the taking away of the daily sacrifice, under Antiochus, continued three years and an half" the very term given, for the slaughtered state of the witnesses!†

It is striking to observe the coincidence of the following events. When the tribes of Israel, just redeemed from Egypt, fell under the Divine displeasure, they were doomed to wander forty years in a wilderness. When Jezebel persecuted the prophets of the Lord, Elijah fled into the wilderness. When Antio

chus was suffered to invade the rights of the Jewish church, and set up his abomination in the temple of Jerusalem; some of the pious Jews fled into the wilderness, and wandered about in sheep-skins and goatskins,—in deserts, mountains, dens, and caves of the earth. When the Roman abomination of desolation was found in array against Jerusalem, the disciples were directed to flee, in the utmost haste, over the tops of their flat-roofed houses, and from their fields, out of Jerusalem into the mountains. When Popery and Mohammedism were suffered to invade the rights of conscience, and thus set up their abomination of + Rev. xi, 9.

Newton on the Prophecies, vol. i, p. 310.

desolation in the holy place, the true Church fled into the wilderness, or into a situation mystically so represented, for 1260 years. And when Antichrist appears, and the dragon commences his last furious attack upon the woman, previous to her millennial glory, she is represented as again flying into the wilderness, the residue of her 1260 years:* indicating, that she had previously in a measure come forth from her wilderness state; but is again driven back to it. What particular kind of fulfilment this prediction of the woman's second flight into the wilderness, will receive, time will disclose. But the predictions which relate to that event, give it a very interesting complexion.

In Isa. xxvi, the introduction of the Millennium, and the tremendous events preceding it, are prophetically described. And the chapter closes with the following address to the saints; Come my people, enter into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee; hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no longer cover her slain.

The former of these texts has been supposed to import only the flying of God's people to Him, in that day of distress. And this, no doubt, is a blessed idea involved in the words, The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it, and is safe. But in the light of the predictions already noted, relative to that period, it appears natural to view this text as a brief description of the state of the Church, during the little moment, or the three prophetic days and a half of the severest trials of the witnesses; that for this short term, they will, through the violence of the tempest, in some way resemble persons who are driven from their business, and hid in their inner chambers.

Is it not analogous with God's usual dispensations toward his people, that the Church should endure her

* Rev. xii, 14.