TIME.

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"Time is a link in the great chain of eternity, set apart for the accomplishment of this work, and as such, its limits must be fixed beyond all question of change."

The first-begotten Son having been brought into the world, to whom was given "the heathen for an inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for a possession," time is ushered in; that is, the point in our immediate history is established when time is first taken into consideration, or when time begins: for back of this point are untold ages. The thousand two hundred and threescore days are equivalent to the forty-two months; and the forty-two months are equivalent to the three and one-half years; and the three and one-half years are equivalent to the time and times and one-half time, or the three and one-half ages of man. After the first-begotten was brought into the world, man, who was already predestinated according to the plan, was called and conformed to the image of the Son, that the Son might be the first-born among many brethren. With the advent of man comes the advent of time, the bounds of which are set according to the number of the children of Israel; therefore it follows from this, that before man was created the ages were not considered as time, and hence are of indefinite length: consequently, the first five days of the creation are indeterminate. Time is the link, age, or epoch, taken and appointed from eternity, in which the works of the kingdom of evil shall be overthrown; the limits of which are fixed, positive, and certain. During all these years a highway has been preparing whereby the paths of the Lord might be made straight, that through the works and teaching and prophecies of the two faithful witnesses all hosts might turn from their evil ways and repent and follow the Lord God, and not follow Baal. The plans of Zion, embodying the justification of all hosts by faith in Jesus Christ, have been preached in these latter days, but righteousness was preached in all ages, and it is now manifest that, of the two great powers, one must be overwhelmed by the other, for no compromise can exist between the two. Time, therefore, was set apart by the Most High for the overthrow of evil, during which all hosts shall be thoroughly sifted, and the wheat shall be gathered into the garners, but the chaff shall be burned with unquenchable fire.

Dan. xi. The war recorded in this chapter seems to be incidental to the time and times and a half-time. The combatants evidently are the evil elements of these ages, and the conflicts are among themselves. During one of these ages the abomination which maketh desolate was set up, and many of the host were deceived thereby. This was done through the power of the Adversary, and the indications are given in the forty-fifth verse that he will place it again the second time, as follows: "And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountains; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him."

Dan. xii. The text continues, "And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book." By the records of St. Matt. xxiv. this relates to the time the abomination which maketh desolate shall be set up; and of that time these records state, "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." The evidences are that this abomination was placed some time during the latter half of the Gihonic age, and also that it shall be set up again towards the close of the present age. It is further stated in this, the xii. chapter, "And from the time that 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. "Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days." To the "thousand two hundred and ninety days" there is only one point or limit given wherewith to establish its position in the world's history or chronology, and that is the time the daily sacrifice was taken away. This occurred during the Gihonic age; therefore some great important event must mark the other limit, which in all probability is the coming of the Messiah in the days of Abraham. According to this view, then, the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the abomination which maketh desolate was set up, about three thousand four hundred and fifty-eight years before Adam, or five thousand five hundred and twenty-eight years before the advent of the Messiah.

By "the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days" the succeeding link of time is typified, counting from the advent of the Messiah in the days of Abraham until the end. This will be found to be about five thousand seven hundred and twenty-one years, the value of a day being the same as that used in all the calculations of this book, viz., four and two-sevenths years. By these calculations two links are obtained for the establishment of the limits of time; and the third, a great one, is obtained from the following text (Rev. xiii. 18): "Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six." The solution of this verse brings to notice the antiquity of man: for the number of the man is six hundred threescore and six: which means that he is the six hundred and sixty-sixth man, counting from the first creation. This man is the one of whom Daniel speaks, and in whose days the abomination which maketh desolate was set up, "The king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, whose power shall be mighty; who shall destroy wonderfully, who shall practise, and prosper, and destroy the mighty and the holy people; who shall cause craft to prosper; who shall magnify himself in his heart; who by peace shall destroy many, and who shall stand up against the Prince of princes." During these six hundred and sixty-six generations, the beast, which possessed within himself the characteristics of the three beasts, viz., the lion, the bear, and the leopard, held sway, and appeared to triumph over all hosts: for the beast of the book of Revelation is identical with the three beasts of the first three ages of man. The aggregate existence of time has been limited to a thousand generations, and the value of a generation has been set at thirty-three and onehalf years; therefore for the six hundred and sixty-six generations a period of twenty-two thousand three hundred and eleven years would be obtained, representing the time from the creation of the first man until the abomination which maketh desolate was set up. Now if to this be added the two links already given, a total sum of thirty-three thousand five hundred and sixty years would be obtained as the limits or bounds set of the people or of time, which is a close approximation to the two calculations already given of this period. (Or Time is bound at 33,754 years obtained by using the Children of Israel.)

Such is the end of time, bringing with it the entire destruction of the kingdom of the Adversary, and the total abolition of all pain, and suffering, and sorrow, and tears, never, never more to return. This was the great purpose, and it was established from the first. The decree, therefore, is positive, and the end sure that evil shall be overthrown during the limits set by time: the Scriptures from the first have declared this, and by them the plans of Zion have been made manifest. "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." The great city seems to appertain to the house of man, being bounded by the four walls, in which are the twelve gates. These are representative of the four races or ages of man, and to each appertains three tribes of the children of Israel. This view is further confirmed by the twelve foundations, in which are placed the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. The holy city is an everlasting memorial of the labors of Zion.

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