Antichrist Stormed, Treatise 1
The Mystical Numbers in Daniel and the Revelations, calculated by the H. Scriptures only, without the help of Humane History.
By a worthy Minister of the Gospel.
GOD having given the Scriptures to his Church 2 Tim. 3. 16. for her use and benefit here on Earth; so the Times & Numbers (part thereof) have, are and will be of use to her: Therefore the Angel Dan. 10. 21. (for the opening the Vision, and the confirmation of his Faith, in the Will of God revealed therein, v. 14. concerning his Church, and what should befal her for times to come here on Earth) tells him that he would shew him what was noted in the Scriptures of truth. And although this part of the Word, hath been most hard to be understood; yet (besides that common advantage to our Faith, that the times are set by God, not only in his own Eternal purpose, but his revealed Will; which is a good Foundation of Faith to believe and expect accordingly) the more particular knowledge of them as truly opened, must be of special use and help to our Faith, both to prepare for suffering, and expect deliverance. With what diligence then should we with unbiassed minds make our applications to him that is the Revealer of secrets: An Essay towards which followeth.
First, I premise there is as sweet a Harmony in this part of the Word as in any other.
Secondly, That this harmony, and the right understanding of the Times set, is to be found out in the Scriptures them selves.
The first number I shall begin with, is that great number of 2300 days, (a day for a year, as is usual in Scripture,) Dan. 8. 14. Which I conceive includes all the lesser in Daniel and the Revelations, all of them being but parts of this; God in his wisdom having so divided this number according to the several Circumstances of Providence the Church was to come under.
I conceive this number of 2300 was headed, or doth take its beginning, from the year God translated the Babylonian Monarchy to the Medes and Persians, which was the third and last of Belshazzar's Reign, who was also the last of the Babylonian Kings.
1. Because I find no times set in Scripture to begin before they are given forth, tho' several a great while after.
2. The Question, Dan. 8. 13. is, How long is the Vision to give both the Sanctuary and the Host to be trodden under foot? and the answer is, to 2300 days: So that time relates to the suffering of the Church then to come.
3. Daniel chap. 8. 1. dates it in the Third of Belshazzar, in the year he saw the Vision; tho' when he saw it, he was in Shushan, a chief City in the Province of Elam, which is in Persia. Daniel was in Babylon, call'd to Expound the Hand-writing when the City was taken, chap. 5. 13, 30. But when Darius the Median had taken Babylon, and had so inlarged his Dominions by the Kingdom of Babylon, he, for the better Government of the whole, Dan. 6. 1, 2. set over the Affairs of the Kingdom 120 Princes, and three Presidents over them, of which he made Daniel chief; so that there is great reason why he should be in the Royal City Shushan. But this falling out in the third of Belshazzars Reign, that he lost his Kingdom, Daniel dates the Vision that year, tho' he was in Persia when he saw it. God (chap. 7. and in the first of Belshazzar's Reign) shewed in Vision unto Daniel, under the representation of four Beasts the four Monarchies which should rule in those parts of the World, where his Church then was, and was to be in after times, during all her suffering state, till Christs Kingdom on Earth was to come, Dan. 7. 27, 28. God having before shewed by Jeremiah, chap. 25. 11. the sufferings of his Church under the first of these for 70 years; The ending of that Monarchy, and the 70 years was to be together in the self-same year, which was also to fall out in the Reign of Nebuchadnezzar's Grandson, Jer. 27. 7. which was this Belshazzar. Now in the last of this Belshazzar, and the first of the Medes and Persians, God shews to Daniel how long the Church was to suffer under the three that were to succeed, and 'twas to be for 2300 years longer, before the Churches deliverance was to be compleated, and Peace and Righteousness established in the Earth, under the blessed and glorious Reign and Government of Christ and his Saints on Earth, Dan. 7. 27▪ 28. with Psal. 72. the whole Psalm. Well might these heavy Tydings cause his countenance to change by the trouble of his mind about this matter, as the Repetition after Dan. 8. in the description of the 3 that were to Reign the 2300 years yet to come, as v. 19, 20, 21,—26. caused him to faint, even to sickness for certain days, v. …7. I say, well might these things be so di…ressing to the Mind and Spirit of the Prophet, when he was expecting deliverance to the Church of God▪ For in this very year▪ the first of Darius, Dan. 9. 1, 2. He understood by the Books of Jeremiah, the ending of the …o years Captivity in Babylon, together with Gods providence in ending that first Monarchy, Jer. 27. 7. they …ing at a loss at which of the 3 goings into Captivity to head that number before, for there were … goings into captivity, as 2 Chron. 36. 6. and 10 17.
The next thing is how to carry on this time of 2300 years, according to Scripture. And first I shall premise,
1. That it is not so material to enquire what of this time is run out, in and under each of these Monarchies (there being so much time alloted by Divine appointment for the whole) if we can but find the time carried on in Scripture, it is sufficient, for as God set the time then to come, of the first Monarchy, in the 70 years of his Churches sufferings under it, so he sets the whole time of the three that were to succeed in the 2300 years of his Churches sufferings then to come.
2. That Histories do greatly differ, both as to number of Persons reigning, and the time that each reigned, that they rather confound than help in this matter, and is one reason why Expositors have so varied; each following him whom he liked best, and endeavouring to reconcile the Scriptures to them, when indeed we should reconcile them to the Scriptures, and if they speak not according to them, not to hear them. And therefore to prosecute my design, I find we may reckon up this account of 2300 years (so many of them as were past at Christs death) by Scripture thus.
First, 21 years after the 70 years expired in the ending of the Babylonian Monarchy, which was the time of Darius his Reign, after he took Babylon, before Cyrus came to the Throne, who was foretold by Isaiah the Prophet, Chap. 44. 28. to be the Person that should let go Gods Captives; who accordingly did, Ezra. c. 1. Now the Scriptures give us this account;
1. That the Medes and Persians were but one Monarchy.
2. That the Government was in the seed of th… Medes, at the time when Babylon was taken, D… 5. 31. ch. 9. 1.
3. That Darius was 62 years old when he took Babylon, Dan. 5 31. (there is some reason for the Spirits noting of that) so that he might well Reign 21 years more, for that is but 83, and many live to that age.
4. That he ordered, over the affairs of the Kingdom, 120 Princes, and 3 Presidents, &c.
5. He by the motion of these Princes made that Law, as firm as the Laws of the Medes and Persians, that Daniel was cast into the Lions Den by, Dan. 6. 7, 8, 9, 10.
6. Upon his miraculous deliverance, he made a Decree to own the God of Daniel, chap. 6▪ 25, 26. and published it through all his Dominions; all these things must take up time.
7. Daniel, c. 6. 28. is said to prosper all his Reign; therefore he did Reign.
8. The Holy Spirit gives us the description of this Monarchy under the Ram: He tells … ▪ Horns came up one after the other, and the last grew highest, which was Cyrus a Persian How he came to the Throne, Historians differ: some say by conquest; this could not be: Others by marriage, or some natural Alliance, which is probable; but that is not material to me, it's sufficient that I find the Scriptures say that he came to the Throne.
9. Now these 21 years, I judge, are the 21 days, (a day for a year) the Angel saith the Prince of the Kingdom of Persia withstood him, Dan. 10. 13. For the better understanding of which,
(1.) In Dan. 9. after Daniel had understood by Books, the expiration of the 70 years captivity under the Babylonians, he sets himself to pray for Mercy and Deliverance, and hath no other Answer than …th Vision of 70 weeks, and the division of them, Dan. …9. 25, 26. which account was to begin from the going forth of the Commandment to build the City Jerusalem: 7 weeks it should be building: and built 62 to the Messiah, and in the midst of the last week, the Messiah should be cut off. So that in all this, there is no direct answer to Daniels prayer for present deliverance, for the Temple took up a long time in building, through the long death upon the work, before the command here spoken of for building the City came forth. Now as his prayer was in the first year of Darius, that is, not of his being a King, but his taking Babylon, and so being concerned with the Church of God, (for God in his Word takes little or no notice of earthly powers, but as▪ in Relation to his people) so when Daniel was even now going out of the World, He sets himself to pray again, in ch. 10. which is said to be in the third of Cyrus, v. 1. and has this for Answer, that God was not unmindful of his Prayer, as v. 12. and gives a reason why deliverance was not yet to come; The Prince of the Kingdom of … the Prince of Persia, but the Prince of the Kingdom of Persia, i. e. Darius who, tho'he was of the seed of the Medes, was Prince of the Kingdom of Persia, withstood him, that is, had not let Israel go, tho' he had strengthned him in his Kingdom, ch. 11. 1. Now this third year of Cyrus, might possibly be but the first of his absolute Reign, for it's like he might under Darius, being old, rule 2 years before his death, because its said, 2 Chron. the last, and 1. Ezra. 1. That in the first of Cyrus, he let Israel go, and 'tis probable that Daniel died in the first of his absolute Reign, Dan x. last, for he continued but to the first of King Cyrus. Now the continuance here cannot relate to his honours, that King Nebuchadnezzar advanced him to, chap. 2. 48. for after his death, if not before, he retired and lived obscure at Court, chap. 5. 11, 13. Neither did the Prophet Daniel come out of captivity, which it's like he had done if he had lived to the time of liberty to return, being a man whose Heart was so ingaged for the good of the Church of God; besides, it hath been, that such as were to succeed in the Throne, have been in the management of the Government, before the death of him that preceded, as in the case of Solomon, and Darius, being 62 years old when he took Babylon, must be 81 when Cyrus came to the Government, if he managed these affairs the two last years of his life, as it's probable he did, and 83 when he died, being the third of Cyrus his being concerned in the Government, but the first of his absolute rule; and then he gives liberty to the People of God to return and build the Temple. Now this work after they entred upon it, did soon meet with interruptions in the time of Cyrus, that made the Decree for building the Temple, Ezra. 4. 5, 24. But in the Reign of Darius, as v. 25. with chap. 5. 1. In the second year of his Reign, Hag. 1. 1. Zech. 1. 1. God stirred up the Spirit of his People, to set about the work afresh, incouraged from the Prophesying of those two Prophets, speaking to them from the mouth of God, and God disposing the Heart of that Prince to incourage it also, so that it was finished in four years, (i. e.) the sixth of his Reign, Ezra. 6. 14. 15. How many years this interruption continued; or how many years it was between the first Decree of Cyrus, when they laid the Foundation of the Temple, including the years of Preparation, Ezra 3. 8, 10. and the Decree of this Darius, in the sixth year of whose Reign it was finished, the Prophet Zechariah gives us an account, chap. 1. 12. to be seventy years, for the seventy years here intended, cannot be the seventy of their captivity in Babylon, in which time they were to pray for the peace of the City, and of the place where they were carried Captive; For God promised that in the Peace thereof they should have peace, till the time came of their return, according to divine appointment, they were to build Houses, to Plant and to Marry, Jer. 29. 5, 6, 7. without attempting to return to build the Temple, till the seventy years were out; therefore in that time to build Houses in Babylon, and not God's House in Jerusalem, was no crime. But the great thing the Prophets Zechariah and Haggai reprove them for, was this,—consider (1.) The Prophets were contemporary, and prophesied in the second of Darius, the time that the Temple work is revived and finished. (2.) They tell the People, 1. That God was displeased with their Fathers, and now with them. 2. For what he was displeased, viz. For minding their own private things, as Houses and Lands, &c. and letting the House of God lye waste. 3. The effects, in blasting all their labours, &c. (3.) He promiseth them that upon their applying themselves to the work of finishing his House and the service of it, he would abundantly bless them; So that the Prophets applying it to that time, we have reason to judge, that it was no other but the interruption upon the work which was, as all apprehend, some considerable length of time, but are at great uncertainty how to reckon it, when the labour may be saved, and we at no loss in the thing, when the Holy Spirit hath reckoned it for us; now the Scripture tells us, that as the work was revived after seventy years Death upon it, in the second year of Darius, so it was finished in his sixth year, Ezek. 6. 15. which sixth year was his last, Artaxerxes succeeding him, in the seventh of whose Reign there is another decree to beautifie the House of God, and to provide it with Sacrifices, Ezra 7. 21, 22, 23, 24, 27. for this decree relates only to the House of God, and his worship therein; In the twentieth of whose Reign another Decree comes forth to Build the City, Neh. 2. 1.— to the ninth, and here begins Daniel's seventy weeks of years; so that, if this account be right, we have a very plain and certain account of the time, adding the seventy weeks of years to the death of Christ. I know it is the Opinion of most, if not all, to reckon otherwise, and indeed they cannot otherwise do, that go by History, which tells of more Kings Reigning, and that some of these I have mentioned did Reign longer, as that this Darius, in the sixth of whose Reign the Temple was finished, Reigned in all nineteen years, as Helvicus, Juni…s, Alsted, and others say; but whence have they the account which we with so much confidence take up from them? It's from no infallible Writ; they say also, that from Cyrus, including him, there was fourteen Kings Reigned in the Persian Monarchy before it was taken by the Grecians; also that Cyrus in the nineteenth year of his Persian Monarchy Conquered Darius the Mede King of Babylon; all which could not be: For
1. The Babylonish Monarchy was to end, and did in Nebuchadnezzar's Grandsons Reign, Jer. 27. 6, 7. which was Belshazzar.
2. Darius, who was of the Seed of the Medes, Dan. 9. 1. Was King of Media and Persia, when he took Babylon, Dan. 5. 28, 31.
3. There was to be but four Kings in Persia after Cyrus, how then could thirteen Reign? Dan. 11. 2. The Angel, for the help of our Faith, tells Daniel, he would shew him the truth; and that there should stand up yet (that is, after Cyrus, for this Vision was in the third of Cyrus, as before I have noted, for the 10, 11, 12 chap. are but the continuance of the same Vision; for as I have noted also, Daniel died this year) three Kings, and the fourth shall be richer, &c.—and shall stir up all against the Realm of Greece, and here this Monarchy ends.
To sum up all that we have said, there is,
I. -21. years Of Darius, before Cyrus came to absolute Regal Power.
II. 70. years Interruption after Cyrus's Decree for building the House.
III. 4. years Of Darius in finishing it after they set to the work again.
IV. 7. years To the Decree of Artaxerxes to furnish it with Sacrifices.
V. 13. years To that of the 20th of Artaxerxes to Build the City Jerusalem.
In all 115 years after the 70 years Captivity in Babylon was out before they began to Build the City Jerusalem again.
In Daniel 9. 24. the Angel tells Daniel that 70 Weeks are determined upon his People and the Holy City, to finish transgression, to make an end of sin, to make reconciliation for the people, and to bring in everlasting righteousness. Then v. 25. he divides them, that from the going forth of the Commandment to Build the City should be seven Weeks, that is, before it should be Built and Finished, so long in Building, 49 years, and 62 Weeks it should be Built, but it should be trouble some times, and so it was with the Jews, what by the Grecian Monarchy, and after the Roman, for when the Messiah Christ came, they were tributary to the Romans; and in the midst of the last Week the Messiah should be cut off, but not for himself, by whose Death the Everlasting Covenant was Sealed, Ratified and Confirmed, and all the Typical Sacrifices and Oblations to cease, as now no longer useful to the true Church of God, and great desolation was to ens…e upon that people for their unbelief, which accordingly fell out, and was brought upon them by Titus Son of Vespasian some years after the death of Christ, as Christ also fore-admonished them, Mat. 24. 15. Luke 21. 20. Add now these 69 Weeks, of years, and ½ Week (for he was to suffer in the midst of a Week) which amounts to 486 ½ unto the 115 years aforementioned, and it makes up 601 ½.
69 Weeks ½ 486 ½
before 115.
In all 601 ½.
As to all the other Numbers, Dan. 7. 25. of Time, Times, and dividing of Time, and the same Dan. 12. 7. and the 1290 and the 1335; I conceive all relate to the Times under the Gospel, and in Dan. 11. 31. and 12. 11. when 'tis said the Daily Sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that makes desolate placed in the room of it, and Dan. 12. 11. that from the time that this shall be done there shall be 1290 days, that is, years as before, Dan. 8. 14. the Sanctuary shall be cleansed, that the purity of Gods worship shall be restor'd at the end of that time; and that blessed is he that comes to 1335, which is forty five more than 1290. As these relate to the Church under the Gospel, and Gods worship there, therefore not properly rendered Sacrifices, as Dan. 9. 27. but by way of Supplement; so I shall rather offer my thoughts of them under that of the Witnesses Prophesying, &c. only all must and do fall in within the time of this great number of 2300 years, and from what hath been spoken to it, we may guess how long it will be before it will expire. There are 601 ½ to the death of Christ; and if we are right in the Tradition of years since his Birth, (for Divine Writ being finished a little after his death, we have nothing else to go by,) taking off the years of his Life which were 30 Luke. 3. 23. when he entred upon his Ministry, which he accomplished in or about the three years or half Week spoken of by Daniel 5. so that thirty three from 1686, there rests 1653, which added to 601 ½ makes 2254 ½, which last Substracted from the Capital Number 2300, there remains 45 ½ the only over-plus of Daniel's last number;
601 ½
1653
2254 ½
2300
2254 ½
0045 ½
so that I hope that Deliverance to the Church and people of God is not far off, and all our sad sights are but good signs.
To what hath been said there is something Objected, the which with the answers take as followeth.
Obj. That this calculation cannot be right, because it's said, that when the Foundations of this second Temple were laid, many of the Priests and Levites, and chief of the Fathers that were ancient men, that had seen the first Temple, wept, when others, that were young, and had not seen the first house, rejoyced, &c. And if this be true that it was so long before Cyrus came to the absolute Government, and before the Decree for their return out of Babylon to build the House of God, they must be older, than in reason we can Judge men to live; and this first, Because they must not be Infants when carried into Captivity, for then they could not remember what the first Temple was, …ly. The 70 years of Captivity and the 21 years of Darius before Cyrus came to the Kingdom, and at least a year of preparation before they began to build, with their own age when carryed Captive, which could not be in reason much less than twenty years, is 102 years in all, which is an age beyond what usually men lived; and it's said there were many of those Ancient men that wept, &c.
Ans. First, It's to be noted, for so it is in the Scriptures of Truth, That there was a threefold going into Captivity. The First, in the 3d year of Jehoiakim, 2 Kin. 24. 1. with Dan. 1. 1, 2. which was the 1st year of the Reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Jer. 25. 1. In this Daniel the Prophet was carried Captive, and was but young, as v. 4. This Jehoiakim Reigned in all 11 years, 2 Chron. 36. 5. Then Nebuchadnezzar Bound him in Chains, and carried him to Babylon, v. 6. And made Jehoiachin King in his stead, who Reigned 3 Months and 10 Days, and then the King of Babylon carryed him and the rest of the Vessels of the house of God, and a great Captivity of the People, 2 Kings 24. 10.—to 17. This was the second going into Captivity. Zedekiah was made King by the King of Babylon and Reigned 11 years, as 2 Kin. 24. 18. In the last of whose Reign and the 19 of Nebuchadnezzar's, Jerusalem was taken, (as 2 Kin. 25. 8. with Jer. 52. 4, 5, 6, 12, 13.) and burnt with the Temple. This is the third and last going into Captivity; between which and the first it evidently appears, there were 18 or 19 years, and the Temple was not destroy'd till the last: So that the ancient men spoken of in Ezra, might be of the last going into Captivity, and then there is no need of reckoning them older than 20 years when carried Captive, 51 years of the Captivity, 19 being gone before and 21 of Darius, in all 92 years; and it's very probable many might live to that Age. Obj. But how doth it appear that the 70 years doth begin in the 1st of these goings into Captivity? Ans. Very plainly; For in Jer. 28. 3. The false Prophet saith that the Yoak of the King of Babylon should be broken, and the Captivity should return in two years; In the 29th of Jer. the Lord tells them, that were then in Captivity, that they should build houses, Plant Gardens, and take Wives in the Land of their Captivity, and pray for the peace of the place, for in the peace thereof they should have peace, and and in the tenth verse, that after seventy years were accomplished, they should return, and not before; so that it is evident that the seventy years in Gods appointment, did begin in their going into Captivity, that were then in Captivity, and not in their Captivity that was yet to come, which was not till the last of Zedekiah's Reign.
Obj. 2. Zerubbabel who came out of Captivity, the Prince and Governour, did not only lay the Foundations of the house of God, Ezra 3. 8. But did also finish it, c. 5. 2. Now if the interruption was seventy years, he must be very old when he finished it, or very young to be chief when they first came up, and laid the Foundations.
Ans. We know they were reckoned Princes, or Chiefs by their being Elder Brothers, or Families, whether Younger or Elder in years; and he might live (as doubtless he did) all the time of the Interruption, and be twenty or thirty years old when he came out of Babylon, and be but ninety or a hundred years old, when the Temple was finished, and we read not of him afterward. For Ezra, who came up the seventh of Artaxerxes, and Nebemiah who came the twentieth of his Reign, both Governed and set things in Order themselves, according to the Commissions they had. And what Ezra writes of Zerubbabel is but Historical, of things past and done. But if this be not right, they that go by History, must be much more out, who make the time between Cyrus his decree, and the sixth of Darius his Reign, in which it was finished, to be at least a hundred twenty four or six, which is almost double seventy.
Obj. 3. is about the one and twenty days, Dan. 10. 13. Some reckon it in the time of Cambyses Reign, and so part of the time of the interruption upon the work after the Foundation was laid; but this could not be; For Daniel lived but toAns. the first of Cyrus absolute Government. Dan. 1. v. last. He prospered all the Reign of Darius, Dan. 6. 28. and in the Reign of Cyrus, that is, to the first of his absolute Government, and then dies: For he came not out of Captivity, which doubtless he had done, if he had lived, being a man, whose heart was set upon the work of God, and the good of his Church. Others take it to be the one and twenty natural days of Daniels fasting, as v. 2. ButAns. this cannot be, because the holy Spirit, that we might not be misled, reckons them twice by weeks of daies, as v. 2. 3. That we might not take them for the time after v. 13. Of one and twenty days as usual in Scripture, a day for a year. And in what sense can we suppose that the Prince of the Kingdom of Persia, could withstand an answer from God, of Daniels prayer, when the Angel tells him, that from the first day he set his heart to understand, &c. he was heard, v. 12.
Therefore to conclude, what Persons Histories say did Reign, which the Scripture knows nothing of, or the time they say they did Reign, is nothing to me; For I cannot think that God in his Word would have been so distinct, and particular in the persons Reigning, and their time, had it not been for a guide to us to calculate by. Therefore let others go by what Rule they please, I desire to abide by that word, which I know is a sure word of Prophesy, and cannot deceive any that have the mind of God in it.