Page maining vials are as yet future-At the pouring out of the fifth vial, some great temporary calamity will fall upon the empire of the secular beast; but, what event may be alluded to, or what power will then be the last head of the beast, it is impossible at present to determine-At the pouring out of the sixth vial, the waters of the mystic Euphrates, which symbolize the Turkish monarchy, will be completely dried up, in order that a way may be prepared for the kings of the East-These waters have already begun to experience a rapid and great exhaustion; whence we may infer, that the era of the sixth vial, or the downfall of the Ottoman power, cannot be very far distant-Whenever that event happens, it will serve as a key to the right explanation of the fifth vial-The kings of the East are most probably the Jews, for the restoration of whom the overthrow of the Turkish empire will prepare a way-Under this vial, the kings of the Latin earth will begin to be gathered together for the great battle of Armageddon by the beast and the false prophet.... SECT. III. Concerning the vial of the vintage. The vintage is the catastrophè of the great drama of the 1260 years, and synchronizes with the last vial, or the vial of consummation-At the pouring out of the seventh vial, three important events take place: the earthquake, by which the Latin city is divided in three parts; the overthrow of the great scarlet whore, or the spiritual Babylon; and the battle of Armageddon-The 17th, 18th, and 19th, chapters of the Revelation all belong to the last vial, or the times of the vintage-The war, which 334 Page I will be decided at Armageddon, will be undertaken by a confederacy of the beast, the false prophet, and the kings of the Latin or Papal earth-The infidel king will be deeply concerned in it-The confederacy will probably be made against the Protestant powers, and the Jews now about to be restored to their own country-The infidel king may possibly before this period, become the last head of the beast; and thus take the lead in the expedition, as he is represented doing by Daniel-The four parallel prophecies of St. John, Daniel, Zechariah, and Joel, cited and compared with each other-These corresponding prophecies throw much light upon the events of the seventh vial-The battle of Armageddon will literally be fought in Palestine between the, two seas— The particular scene of the conflict will be Megiddo; for Armageddon signifies the destruction at Megiddo-The war, which this battle will terminate, will, in one sense or another, be a religious war or crusade-In whatever manner protestant powers may be concerned in it, part of its object will evidently be to attack such of the Jews as shall have begun to be restored to their own land by the instrumentality of the then prevailing maritime state -The infidel king and his confederates wilf at first succeed in taking Jerusalem-But afterwards they will totally be overthrown at Megiddo-Their rout will in some measure at least be accomplished by means of a panic fear, which will supernaturally be sent upon them -A third part of the confederates will be spared and converted-This will most probably be the least guilty of the three parts into which the great Latin city will be divided-The maritime power, that begins to restore the Jews, will evidently be hostile to the views of the beast and the false prophet-It will therefore most probably be a protestant power-The Jews will be restored at two distinct and successive times-A summing up of the particulars, which may be collected from prophecy, relative to the restoration of the Jews .... 352 CHAP. CHAP, XII. Recapitulation and Conclusion. Proper date of the 1260 years-Prophecies respecting the Papal little horn-Prophecies respecting the Mohammedan little horn-Prophecies respecting the Infidel king -We are now living under the fourth vial-All the concurring signs of the times indicate, that we cannot be far removed from the termination of the 1260 yearsConclusion Page 403 |