70 



EEV. JOHN URQUHART, ON 



whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out 

 of the nations, but not in his power." The third kingdom, 

 therefore, is that of Alexander and his successors. The fourth 

 must then be the Eoman. 



Even at the lowest date which has been assigned to Daniel, 

 the marvel remains. There was to be a fourth dominion, and 

 that was to be the last of the great human empires. It should 

 have no successor ; and it has had none. It was represented 

 by the two lower limbs ; and it became twofold — the Empires 

 of the East and of the West. That fourth dominion w^as to 

 continue till it should be represented by a more numerous 

 division — by the ten toes of the image. Apart from that 

 number ten (not yet reached), the vision of Nebuchadnezzar 

 has been verified in every detail. 



In these brief notices of Scripture predictions some mention 

 has to be made of those concerning the Israelitish people. 

 (1) In case of their persisting in their rebellion against Jehovah, 

 notwithstanding previous chastisements, it was written: "Jehovah 

 shall scatter thee among all the peoples, from the one end of 

 the earth unto the other" (Deuteronomy xxviii, 64). Here it 

 is indicated that the thoroughness of the dispersion will be 

 phenomenal. They will be found among all the peoples from 

 the one end of the earth to the other. That is a feature in this 

 prediction which should not be overlooked. (2) They will in 

 this dispersion be subjected to persistent persecution : " And 

 among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the 

 sole of thy foot have rest. But Jehovah shall give thee there a 

 trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind" 

 (verse 65). (3) Yet, notwithstanding the loss of country, 

 security, and rest, they will not disappear as a people : " And 

 yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I 

 will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them to destroy 

 them utterly " (Leviticus xxvi, 44). 



Hosea iii, 4, 5, fills up the foregoing pictures. Israel is to 

 be separated from Jehovah, and her condition during that 

 period is described. (1) It will cover a long period : " For 

 the children of Israel shall abide many days." (2) Their 

 political condition is described : they will " abide many days 

 without a king and without a prince." They will have no 

 central government. (3) Their religious condition is in like 

 manner portrayed : " and without a sacrifice, and without an 

 image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim." They will 

 be without a sacrifice, and without a priest, that is, one who 

 has the Divinely given right to approach Jehovah on Israel's 



