Again, as the numbers made use of by the prophet Daniel are admitted, for the most part, to relate to the same period as those of the Apocalypse; it ought to be found that they also may be so combined, as to produce the same species of numeral evidence as that which I have already mentioned. Before I enter upon this question, it may be remarked, that some confirmation of the theory of two millennial periods seems to be derivable from the book of Exodus. Without endeavouring to determine what degree of typical relation may exist between the account of the plagues inflicted by Moses on the Egyptians, and the events denoted by the trumpets or vials of the Apocalypse, it will be sufficient to observe, that if we assume each day reckoned in Egypt to be of the same length as those which are spoken of in the prophecy of weeks found in Enoch; that is to say, taking each day for a hundred years, the time denoted will be precisely two thousand years, while most of the events affixed to a particular period in the book of Exodus, are found to occur in the same order in the Apocalypse. In the few exceptions, the want of agreement seems to arise from the obscurity of the terms which are made use of. It is especially remarkable, that as seven thunders in the Apocalypse are "sealed up, and not written," so seven days "were fulfilled" during the plagues of Egypt, in which days no infliction is recorded. And thus, as on the morning of the third day the Redeemer rose, as on the third day God will raise up his people, when they "shall live in his sight," and as at the beginning of the last thousand, the waters of Ezekiel shall have fully risen, and Satan, according to the Apocalypse, shall be bound; so also, after the midnight of the twentieth day, the people are represented to have departed from Egypt "with a high hand." I have annexed, in a tabular form, the instances of that correspondence to which I have alluded, and shall now pass on to inquire what results will be obtained from considering the numbers indicated by Daniel, and in the Apocalypse, to be fractional portions of an appointed period of two thousand years. These results will also be found in the same table, the construction of which I will endeavour to explain in the following pages. 2000 Exodus xxi. 3000 2000 Millennm. 3000 2000 2000 2000 2000 3000 3000 2000 Millennm. Millennm. Millennm. Millennm. Millennm. Millennm. Millennm. Millennm. Millennm. tenth week 3000 3000 3000 3000 2000 2000 2000 2000 Last day of 3000 3000 3000 A.D. 3000 Since the Scripture can neither encourage us to attempt what is impossible, nor absurd, I assume that the command given in the Apocalypse, to count the number of the beast," is neither beyond our power of fulfilment, nor unworthy of our most careful attention. On the supposition, therefore, that this number may be declared to us, as an index or key, by the use of which the Apocalyptical synchronisms may most correctly be observed, I have constructed the table which I am about to describe, in order to show by it, that the hypothesis by which the appointed duration of the Gospel dispensation is limited to two thousand years, is not without confirmation from the coincidences which arise from its use. The thousands mentioned by Ezekiel, and the days occupied by the plagues of Egypt, which have been already referred to, being placed in the first and second columns, the third contains the six seals of the Apocalypse, which in agreement with other commentators, and especially with Vitringa, I assume to occupy the whole period from the first coming of Christ till in the days when the seventh angel shall begin to sound, the "mystery of God shall be finished." In order to explain the principle upon which a certain duration has been assigned in this table, to each of the seals; it will first be necessary to inquire whether any such order appears to be observed in the prophecy of the Apocalypse, that we may from thence infer, how the several spaces contained therein, may be measured, on the supposition that their total amount is two thousand years. Of the seven seals, which as I have already stated, are assumed to reach from the commencement to the end of the prophetic scheme; six are consecutive periods of preparation under the present state of things in this world, for the seventh period, under a better state of consummation as to good, and abolition as to evil. Thus Grotius has remarked *, that "Senarius numerus res hujus mundi signi"ficat, ut septenarius, res sæculi melioris."Whether indeed it were derived from the days of the creation, or from any of those traditional sources which I have already indicated, there * Crit. Sac., vol. vii., p. 4185. |