02.19. Prophecy Changing the Map of Europe
XIX PROPHECY CHANGING THE MAP OF EUROPET
I THE previous chapter dealt with the question, "Why Germany Cannot Rule the World," the evidence and the argument for which was drawn from the prophecy in the second chapter of Daniel.
Briefly summarized, we saw that during "the times of the Gentiles" God has committed the control of the world into the hands of particular nations, of which Germany is not one.
"The times of the Gentiles" commenced at about 600B.C., and will continue until the second coming of Christ to set up His kingdom in the earth. The year 600B.c. was the time when, in punishment for her transgressions, God withdrew the power to govern from Israel, to be restored again to her through purifying judgments, when Christ comes. The particular nations to which the government of the earth was committed were represented in the colossal image of the man which Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, saw in a dream, and which the divinely inspired prophet interpreted for him and for us. They were, in their order, the kingdom of Babylon, and the empires of Persia, Greece and Rome. We quoted Benjamin Wills Newton to the effect that "the sovereign controlling power of earth which was first vested in Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, next in Cyrus of Persia, afterwards in Alexander of Greece, descended at last to the emperors of Rome; and within the territory once ruled by them that sovereign power resides, and there its home will be until the Gentile Image comes to an end and forgiven Jerusalem becomes "the city of the great King."
Now the point is, as we then said, that Germany, except the southwestern corner of her land, was not represented in that image; in other words, she never became a part of the Roman Empire in the Scriptural significance of that term, and hence the improbability, if not impossibility, that she should be finally and permanently victorious over those nations which are so represented.
II
It remains to prove this by indicating the countries that fell within the Roman Empire; and this in turn raises the question as to what period of the Roman Empire is in mind? This question is met by the consideration that "prophecy relating to Gentile dominion is always focused upon the Jews and Palestine, and has especially in view the presence of the nation in her own land." Now, it is well known that shortly after the overthrow of the Jews by the RomansA. D.70, their national recognition as possessors of the land ceased, a period which broadly corresponds to the close of the apostolic era. This is approximately Trajan’s period (56-117 A. D.), under whom the empire extended its boundaries to the farthest limit on the east. The dying Augustus hoped it might never be extended beyond the Euphrates, but Trajan’s ambition led to a victorious conflict with the Parthians by which there were permanently added to his territory, Armenia, Assyria and Mesopotamia.
Defining the nations in detail, therefore, (1) those in the northwest included Great Britain, that is to say, England and Scotland as far north as the Grampian Hills. Ireland was never brought under the Roman power, which may explain some things in her history in all the years.
(2) As to the west, Gibbon is authority for the statement that the old Roman wall left the Rhine near Bingen and joined the Danube near Ratisbon. The Romans possessed everything west of this, including Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, Switzerland, and, as stated above, the southwest corner of Germany, the lobe of the ear, so to speak, which includes Luxemburg, Baden and Bavaria south of the Danube, as well as the much-disputed and contested region of Alsace and Lorraine, which will be referred to again.
(3) In the south and southeast, the Romans possessed Italy, Greece, the islands of the Mediterranean, and the Archipelago and all the territory south of the Danube. This last includes what we know as European Turkey, Bulgaria, Servia, Montenegro, and all the Austrian dominions south and west of the Danube. To this Trajan added the province of Dacia north of the Danube and to the east of Hungary, or what we know as Rumania. The central part of Hungary was never brought within the Roman Empire.
(4) In Asia the Black Sea was the northern boundary, which thence extended along a south. easterly line to the Persian Gulf, taking in Asiatic Turkey, the Bible names for which arc Asia Minor, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Palestine, and, as mentioned above, Armenia.
(5) In Africa Rome possessed a portion of Egypt and the northern coast, identified by moderns as Tripoli, Tunis, Algeria and the upper part of Morocco. To quote Newton again, "these are the countries which fall within the boundaries of the Gentile Image, and which, from the earliest period until now, have ever been the center of all that has influenced human life. The light of revelation first given to Israel, and then to the Christian Church, was set within these countries. All the civilization of antiquity was centered there, where still resides the power which at this moment is forming the character of the world. The responsibilities of these nations are unequalled."
III
Let us now consider what realignment of the nations may be necessary in order to the fulfillment of Daniel’8prophecy that those of the Roman Empire are to resume their distinctness and corporate relation to each other at the end of the age.
1. It is obvious that all those countries external to the Roman limits that now exercise authority over countries within those limits will be obliged to relinquish such authority. Newton illustrates this by the case of Belgium and Holland. The former at one time was subjected to the latter, but the latter was obliged to relinquish this authority. Political reasons made it necessary, of course, but there was a divine reason back of these, namely, that Belgium was part of the Gentile Image and Holland was not. Belgium was originally in the Roman Empire, but Holland never was. This need not carry with it, however, the corollary that countries now or hereafter to be connected with or allied to the nations of the Roman Empire, and which were not so connected or allied at the time mentioned, are necessarily to be given up. For example, Great Britain need not be required to lop off the Scottish highlands, nor even to lose Ireland.
2. On the other hand, we may expect Germany to be deprived of her possessions west of the Rhine and south of the Danube. In other words, if Gibbon is to be relied upon as to the Roman wall, this means the loss of Luxemburg and Baden, and part of Bavaria, and Alsace and Lorraine.
3. By the same token there must be a radical break in the Austro-Hungarian empire, for, as Gibbon says, “If we except Bohemia, Moravia, the northern skirts of Austria, and a part of Hungary between the Theiss and the Danube, all the dominions of the house of Austria were comprised within the limits of the Roman Empire." We need not be surprised, therefore, if Hungary becomes divorced from Austria, and the latter severs her alliance with the German Empire. And when that division comes, if not before, we may expect Italy to retrieve all the territory that rightly belongs to her.
4. As to the nations farther south and east, there can be little doubt that Bulgaria will withdraw her loyalty from Germany, and that Rumania will be enabled to break the chains now binding her to the same empire on the one hand and to Russia on the other.
5. Palestine will not return to the Turk, and Armenia at last will be delivered from the awful bondage of the same tyrant.
IV
We had pursued our study of the map to this point, when there was freshly brought to our attention a recent volume, "The Roman Empire in Prophecy, " by W. E. Vine, M. A., an English Bible student, collaborator with Dr. Hogg in a valuable commentary on Paul’s Epistles to the Thessalonians. His work on the Roman Empire was the outcome of conversations with inquirers since the outbreak of the present war, in which he drew upon the study he had given to the subject for over twenty years.
He raises the question as to whether Germany is to be considered a part of the Roman Empire because of the conquest and rule of Charlemagne in the eighth century, but apparently dismisses it in favour of the principle of interpretation spoken of above; namely, that within the meaning of the prophecy, the Roman Empire stands for its limits at the close of the first century of the Christian era. With this principle in mind, he notices "certain circumstances of past and present history suggestive of future issues," from which, even at the risk of some repetition, it is interesting to quote, because of its corroboration of the above:
1. Commencing with north Africa, the author observes that practically the same strip of territory which belonged to the Roman Empire in the times of the apostles has passed directly under the government of countries which were themselves then within the empire; and no country then outside of the empire has been permitted to annex that territory since the Saracens and Turks were dispossessed of it.
2. Passing to Asia, the present war has already dispossessed Turkey of Mesopotamia, and most of Armenia and Palestine, and brought them under the control of Great Britain, a country of the Roman Empire.
3. As to Greece, it obtained its ancient province of Macedonia as an outcome of the Balkan War of 1912, and to-day its boundaries are approximately what they were in the Roman Empire.
4. The dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary was partly within and partly without the Roman Empire. What are now Hungary, Transylvania, and Bessarabia were without, while Pannonia or Austria west of the Danube was within. Even when, in a later century Dacia (now Transylvania, Bessarabia, etc.) was annexed, the two parts of the present dual kingdom were separate. And we all know, as Mr. Vine says, that "the separation of the two parts has been a practical question of European politics for some time, and may be hastened by present events."
5. "The northern and northeastern boundaries of Italy embraced the Trentino and the peninsula of Istria. Noticeable, therefore, are the present efforts of Italy to acquire these very districts, efforts which are likely to achieve success.
6. "Roman states north of Italy covered what are now Baden, Würtemberg, Luxemburg and a large part of Bavaria, the possibility of an eventual severance of which from Prussian domination has been much discussed of late.
7. "The Rhenish provinces of Alsace and Lorraine, originally part of the Roman province of Gallia (now France) were snatched from that country by Germany in the Franco-Prussian war of 1870-71. Their recovery is a supreme object of the efforts of the French in the present war." Our author speaks in an equally interesting manner of England and her colonies, and also of the United States, should the latter continue in alliance with her, but space will not permit further attention to the subject at this time. He would be understood as speaking not dogmatically, however, but by way of suggestion only, and yet that the Scripture will be absolutely fulfilled he has no doubt, though the exact mode of its accomplishment is known only to God.
QUESTIONS ON THE LESSON 1.Summarize the previous lesson.
2. What was the point of the previous lesson to be proved in the present one?
3. What period of the Roman Empire is in mind?
4. Name the nations of the Roman Empire in Europe, Asia and Africa.
5. What makes for their great responsibility?
. What is obvious as to certain countries external to the Roman Empire?
7. What division of German territory is likely to take place?
8. What is likely to happen in the Austrian empire?
9. What about the Balkans and Palestine?
10. What authority is quoted in this lesson in addition to Mr. Newton?
11. What does he say about North Africa?
12. About Asia and Greece?
13. About Austria-Hungary and Italy?