Nebuchadnezzar's vision; the great image interpreted...

Preface

When I first began the study of the predictions of the prophets, the thought of writing anything on this subject for the consideration and examination of others was foreign to my mind. But I iound that as my interest increased in my efforts to fully comprehend, understand and apply these wonderful types, figures and symbols, my inability to comprehend them became more and more apparent to my mind. But to give up, and give over any further investigation, — I could, not yield to such an idea, for they had become my thoughts by day and my dreams by night. For relief I sought foreign aid, procured some of the most popular books written by several excellent Christian scholars, from which I derived much instruction, together with various views on the Apocalypse of John; but upon the whole I found, or thought I found, that as a general thing these conceptions were mostly a rehash of what others had written before them.

I was longing for a revolution on the subject of prophecy in general. Sir Isaac Newton had stimulated my mind to anticipate such revolution in every new author whose prospectus I saw; also because I believed the Scriptures fully justified such anticipation. When Sir Isaac Newton said that " The main revolution had not come to pass in his day; that the great revolution, that is to complete and settle in a fixed and permanent condition that new order of things which shall characterize the future age; " which " signal revolution," Sir Isaac further observes, " predicted by all the prophets,

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will at once both turn men's eyes upon these predictions and plainly interpret them" (W. Scott's Messiahship, page 321).

Now I ask, is there anything unreasonable in these sublime sentiments, expressed in the above quotation from that great biblical Commentator. And mark you, that he does not ascribe his want of fully comprehending these predictions to any unreasonable obscurity, or ambiguity in those sublime figures and symbols themselves; but indicates his own inability, and hence generously extends their plain and full understanding to the scholars of the future generation, whose superior opportunities for obtaining such necessary information would be greatly superior to those of his own day and time.

Daniel says " that men would run to and fro, and that knowledge would be greatly increased." And now let the reader consider that we of this day, (of which we boast greatly of the superior opportunities for obtaining knowledge upon all subjects, especially in this latter part of the nineteenth century), are about two hundred years in advance of Bishop Newton's clay and time ; yet, may w T e turn and turn in vain, from one of our prophetic authors and writers to another, without finding much on the predictions of Daniel, or the Apocalypse of John, in advance of the writers of Bishop Newton's time.

Bishop Newton says in another place that " the Book of Daniel is the key to all other prophets," which sentiment I heartily indorse; and if correct, then the writer who tries to enter the door of the Apocalypse without first mastering the predictions of Daniel, tries to enter the house without the key. Daniel stands to John, as cause and effect. Seeing, then, that nothing amounting to a "signal revolution" since Bishop Newton's time has been produced, what do our scholars give as the reason for their neglect or failure? Yes, verily, they have found these predictions generally " couched in such ambiguous language and incomprehensible types, figures and

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symbols, that certainly, Gocl in his mercy and benevolence, never designed them to be comprehended by the common and uninspired Christians of these latter days." And hence they "have concluded to set them aside as not necessarily worthy of (their) particular attention ; but (are) patiently awaiting their fulfillment, which will be time enough to understand and apply them ; and in the meantime (they) would preach the Gospel, because there was something tangible about that, (yes, indeed, to the tune of over five hundred sects or religious parties), and that it would be just the same at the judgment of the great day, with those who were endeavoring to ferret out and apply the predictions of the prophets and those who did not trouble their minds about them."

But is not such reasoning assuming the very thing which they should prove, viz. : the perfect and equal justification in the final judgment? And does not their own admission — i.e., that they cannot understand these predictions — disqualify them from being a proper judge in the case; yea, to sit as & judge in any court in our land% Then how much more before the court of the God of heaven, where no mortal eye hath yet seen or ear heard, save through those inspired prophets, the Son of God and his inspired apostles.

Besides, to preach the Gospel acceptably you must show the whole foundation on which it stands, of which the Apostle Paul, in Ephesians ii: 20-21, deposes thus: "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone, in whom all the building, fitly framed together, groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord." Now, pray tell us, ye wise ones, how is it possible for you to continue to build up a holy temple in the Lord when one-half of the foundation is gone (the prophets), by your own admission.

Think of these things, oh you of little faith. And does not God warn us of this by his prophet David, in Psalm cv: 15, saying: "Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm." Hence,

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I will again ask of any man who pretends to believe the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible, how he can expect to be justified before God if he should attempt to draw any distinction between God's holy and inspired prophets and the apostles. Would not he who so affirms do well to hunt up justifying Scriptures to present to the Judge on the great day of accounts? I will say just here that I stand on the defensive in this Preface ; hence, I claim a little more latitude than is at all necessary for a tolerably popular book. Because my experience and observations for many years have taught me that any attempt to offer anything new on the predictions of the prophets is very liable to be treated as fanaticism, and liable to be set aside without a hearing, and that not by the comparatively ignorant only, but also by many of the learned who would essay to advise in such things.

But be that as it may, I shall make a bold attempt to define the predictions of the prophets ; and in doing so I must carry the war into the enemy's country, and there expose the weakness of my opponents by striking at the main difficulty which lies at the -roots of the old Babylonish tree. All attempts heretofore have been mainly to trim the top of this old tree. The consequence is, that her roots (sectarian parties) are spreading out, wider and wider. I will first call your attention to a prediction that makes a positive distinction between God's ways and man's ways; and, next, the cause of all this, thus : " For my thoughts are not as your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven, andreturneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth; it shall not return unto me void, but

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it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereunto I sent it." Isa. lv: 8-11.

Now here certainly the Almighty administers a sharp reproof to all who might call in question, or try to frustrate anything communicated by his prophets ; showing that His disclosed purposes must stand. He first draws a telling contrast between man's thoughts and His thoughts.

But now let us look to what He appears to assign as the cause of all this, thus : "All ye beasts of the field come to devour, yea all ye beasts in the forest. His watchmen are blind ; they are all ignorant ; they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy clogs, which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand; they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to-morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant." Isa. lvi: 9-12.

Now, it will be admitted that the above passage of Scripture is freighted with terrible reproof thoughout, and that, to a class of men whom God admits to be his watchmen on the walls of Zion; hence, preachers of the Gospel, clergymen, bishops and high biblical functionaries who claim to be on these walls. Which clearly goes to prove that God anticipated that just such a class, claiming to be his followers, would exist or certainly it would not have been written.

And now let us itemize some of the figures which are here made use of to represent this class of men: — i.e., blind beasts, ignorant, dumb dogs that cannot bark, sleeping, slumbering and greedy; can never have enough, and each one looking to his own quarter for gain; shepherds that cannot "understand." Here is the central point, "cannot understand." And why? The cause assigned is: "Drinking wine and strong drink," luxurious living, etc.

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I offer no further comments — it certainly speaks for itself; may it not be used as a very good looking-glass^ And it certainly needs no apology from me, knowing this : that a search warrant is not designed to injure the character, purse or person of any man when stolen goods are not found on his person or premises.

I will now, in as brief a manner as possible, call attention to my central point, — i.e., " the great image, " as represented in the second chapter of the Prophet Daniel. But before doing so, will call attention to that which he certainly presents as the key which will alone open up his predictions (Dan. xii: 19), thus: " Many shall be purified and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand." It will be readily admitted that in this passage the prophet makes no distinction between the wicked and the wise, except that the wise understand, whereas the wicked do not understand these predictions. Hence, if any preacher or teacher says, " I do not understand these predictions," he at once classes himself with the wicked ; and if he says he does understand, then of course he must make this assurance alive by works. Is there any other escape from the two horns of this dilemma.

I will humbly, in God's name and fear, call the reader's attention to the great image as the beginning or opening scene in the Book of Daniel, second chapter. First, let the reader notice the expressed views on this sublime subject by that great biblical commentator, Alexander Campbell, in his debate with Robert Owen, page 332: "The prophecy of Daniel more circumstantially describes the time in the wonderful vision which he explained to Nebuchadnezzar. In this vision there was a perspective view of the history of the world from the time of the Chaldean or Assyrian monarchy down to the end of time." Now here are the promises, u down to the end of time." The reading of this first called my attention to the great importance of the subject; nor does

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it matter so much what Alexander Campbell's, or any other man's conclusions may have been heretofore in relation to the subject. The only question, / opine, is, are the premises correct? Are they sustained by the Bible; and, if so, how and when? And in this connection I will assume that if Thomas and Alexander Campbell, with all other associate reformers, had never violated their own motto, that " When the Bible speaks, we speak, and when the Bible is silent, we are silent," — I say that if this motto had faeen sacredly observed, it would have enforced the reading, and hence, proper construction of Daniel 2-43, which would have brought the * 1 perspective" view of the "great image," " down to the end of time," — therefore, be in perfect harmony with the "premises."

But I must sketch a little farther. When I duly reflected on the great image, that he was not the representative of his own cause, but really the effect of some original and previous cause. As he was the very impersonation of everything that was violent, cruel and terribly wicked, yet had just then attained to the universal dominion of the whole world, I could think of no character as his real prototype but Cain; and hence to the Bible history of Cain I went. There I learned that immediately after God had accepted Abel's sacrifice and rejected that of Cain, that Cain was very angry about it. "And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth, and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well art thou not accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door." Observe that there is nothing definite here but the word " sin " the first time it is mentioned; but here is something definite : "And unto thee (Cain) shall be his (Abel's) desire, and thou (Cain) shall rule over him (Abel)." Gen. iv:6-7. What was the result? Shortly_after God had thus inaugurated Cain as the rightful heir to the rule and dominion of the whole world, which right his natural parents had forfeited to their foster parent, the serpent, through his subtilety,

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hence were driven out of the garden of Eden because they lost the dominion. " For, of whom a man is overcome, of the same is ]je brought in bondage." II. Peter ii: 19. And Cain being the first born of the earth was heir to the earth; hence, he went out into the field and talked with Abel, and as he was displeased with him he violently slew him, (from which example wicked kings have been slaying their subjects ever since — in which practice Nebuchadnezzar excelled); and for which "sin" the Lord cursed him and drove him out from his kindred, because, no longer a suitable associate for them. v But mark you that God in all this did not change, or rescind Cain's appointment to the rule and dominion of the world. Hence, Cain goes (nothing daunted) into the land of Nod,, where he afterwards builds a city, and glorifies his son. Enoch by calling it after his name. And, like himself, his posterity seem to be quite industrious business men. Some acquire cattle, whilst others are workers and inventors in brass and iron , invent the harp and the organ ; have many polygamous wives, and kill and threaten to kill any who might take exceptions to their conduct.. Hence, violence, lust, avarice and ambition seem to have been the characteristics of this unholy line of Cain : as they near the flood their violence increased. And having enticed some of the opposite and holy line of Adam, Seth, Enoch and Noah, (of whom nothing is mentioned concerning cattle, working in brass or iron, inventing instruments of music, or marrying wives, nor is there one "sin" charged against them), become amalgamated, and a representative of the line of Cain passed over the flood in the ark, in the person of the licentious Ham, thence in Cush, his first born, on to Nimrod, the first monarch after the flood. And now the unholy line is open through three successive blood-thirsty monarchs until universal rule and the dominion of the whole world centers in the person of Nebuchadnezzar. As all preceding power and earthly glory centered in him, all subsequent earthly power must emanate from him.

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Hence, the necessity of the view of the great image in order to intelligently represent this fact to God's children; the changes in material determining the different character of successive governments down to the end of time. Therefore the symbols of the great image stand before the "wise " as the "timepiece " of the world, of which I find six ; the stone symbol being the seventh (the perfect Bible number), in God's appointed time, destroys every particle of the image. And now I will go back to the flood and sketch the holy line from Noah, Shem, Abraham and David, on to Jesus the Christ. He was the center of all perfection, the embodiment of all power, both in heaven and on earth. After his resurrection from the dead, immediately after his ascension and glorification, he sent forth the holy spirit, by which authority on the day of Pentecost ,was first proclaimed the laws, or means by which every true believer should be inducted into the kingdom or reign of Jesus Christ. The which holy spirit was promised to all who obeyed; the very opposite of this was that of the unholy spirit of the serpent, Satan, the devil, whose power and glory was embodied in Nebuchadnezzar as a person. And through and by the symbols of the great image is shown prospectively the unholy spirit of war and carnage, perpetuated "until the times of the Gentiles be come in," which is certainly just at our door. And the kingdom of Christ, though often bathed in the blood of its martyrs, yet passed down through the latter kingdoms of the great image, and was partially captured by the seductive influences of the Man of Sin, the Son of Perdition, when the woman went into the wilderness for twelve hundred and sixty years, where she remained during the Dark Ages ; but partially emerged under the Reformation by Martin Luther.

But the old harlot of Rome has divided, and well nigh (as I think) recaptured the Reformation by the seductive wines (doctrines) which she presents in a golden cup in her hand. Notwithstanding

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the stone kingdom waits for no man, but is steadily rolling down, and is certainly near the point where it is to strike the great image upon its feet, which will then grind it to powder. And now I will briefly draw a line of contrast between these two wonderful and directly opposite characters, to wit: Nebuchadnezzar and Jesus Christ. The first, the true representative of the first born, Cain, the serpent's seed; and the second, the representative both of the slain Lamb, Abel, and also of his representative, Seth, the woman's seed. Hence I infer that Nebuchadnezzar stands in about the same temporal and spiritual relation, through Satan and the symbols, to the kingdoms and governments of this world, that Jesus Christ does, through and by his holy apostles, as represented in the New Testament, to his kingdom, church, or true followers. And of which relation I will now quote Paul in first Corinthians xv: 46-48: "Howbeit that was not first which was spiritual, but that which is natural ; and afterwards that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth earthy (Nebuchadnezzar), the second man is the Lord from heaven (Jesus Christ) . As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy (the active and willing subjects of these kingdoms) ; and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly " (loyal citizens of the kingdom of Jesus Christ) .

With these thoughts I will close my preface, longing that the truth of this principle may soon be verified, that —

" Truth, though crushed to earth, will rise again; Whilst error, though held in chains, will wither and die amidst its worship ers."

Respectfully,

John Cameron.

CHAPTER I. The Garden of Eden Events

page.

Introduction 21

The Creation of Man 24

The Man, the Woman, and the Garden . 26

The Serpent Visitor . 28

The Result 28

The Serpent and the Ground Cursed 28

Adam and Eve Chastised 29

No Children Born Prior to the Deception 31

The First Vocations for Livelihood ~ 32

The Origin of Enmity and Murder 33

Origin of the Devil 35

A Guilty Monarch 37

The First City 38

Habits of Cain's Children . . \ 40

Deductions 41

CHAPTER II. The Post-diluvian Patriarchs

Adam and Seth 43

The Holy Line Established in Seth 45

From Seth to Noah 46

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER III. The Flood

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The Great Corruption 50

The Purpose of God . 51

The First Covenant 53

The First Rain 54

The Flood Universal 55

The Fountains of the Great Deep 60

Its Duration 61

The Deliverance from the Ark 63

Chapter IX

The Dominion of the World in the Unholy Line.

Cain, Ham and Nimrod 109

Cain the First Universal Monarch of the World by Inheritance 110

The Holy Line in Bondage to the Unholy Line Ill

Nebuchadnezzar the First Universal Monarch after the Flood . 114

CONTENTS .

CHAPTER XV. The Clay and Iron Governments

First, The Potter's Clay and Iron . . . 203

Second, The Miry Clay and Iron Age 209

Development of the Miry Clay Principle 228

The Miry Clay vs. The Bill of Rights 239

The Sixth Symbolic Element in the Image 242

CHAPTER XVI. The United States

Developing Causes 249

Application of the Sixth and Last Symbolic Element of the Great Image to the United States, the Last Form of Earthly Government 257

CHAPTER XVII. Christ's Government

The Stone Symbol • .262

The Enemy of Christ's Government 264

Chapter XVIII

Nebuchadnezzar vs. Christ.

Introduction 268

The Great Idol 269

The Fiery Furnace Test 270

Nebuchadnezzar's Kingly Right 272

CONTENTS.

PAGE.

The Dangerous Foundation 273

The Love of Money 274

The Great Tree 277

The Interpretation , . . 279

The Prediction of Isaiah .281

From Man to a Beast 284

The Serpent as Satan 285

The Serpent and Cain Types 286

Cain as a Regicide 288

Cain the Type of Nebuchadnezzar 291

The Conclusion of the Argument 292

CHAPTER XIX. The Seventh Chapter of Daniel

Introduction 297

The Four Great Beasts • . . 298

The Lion and the Eagle 301

The Wings were Plucked .303

The Second Beast 306

The Third Beast 308

The Fourth Beast 309

The Ten Horns of the Beast 310

The Thrones Cast Down , . 311

Beltshazzar's Destruction 313

Babylon taken by Cyrus — The First Throne Cast Down . . 315 Medo-Persia Overcome by Alexander — The Second Throne

Cast Down .316

The Last Universal Throne Cast Down 317

The Ancient of Days did Sit 318

Melchisedek's Priesthood 320

The Beast was Slain 321

The Spirit of the Three Beasts and the Dragon ..... 322

The Son of Man 323

CONTENTS. 19

CHAPTER XX. Roman Catholicism Figure

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The Little Horn . 325

But the Judgment shall Sit 326

The Whore of Babylon 327

The Fornicators 328

The Mother of Harlots 329

The Dragon : 330

A Wonderful Beast 331

Introduction

Although about 6,000 years of sacred time has passed since the wonderful and highly interesting events of the Garden of Eden occurred, yet in the estimation of our best Bible scholars and commentators, much that then transpired is not well understood : that those events are still wrapt in mystery, and doubt. Why this should be is certainly difficult to answer, because it appears to stand as a plain statement of facts. From the first to the fifth chapter of Genesis the facts related are the A, B, C,'s of biblical knowledge and literature. And in the estimation of the Almighty this knowledge was important to his ignorant &nd dependent creatures, otherwise never would have been written. For having created us, he alone was able to measure the ability given to man. God does not reap where he has not first sown, nor gather where he has not first strewn. No command is more general, or duty more imperative upon us than to, —

" Search the Scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life, and they are they, which testify of me."

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God never would have required this at our hands, if he had not given us the ability to comply with such a requirement. In Hosea iv :6, we read thus : —

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee : that thou shalt be no priest to me : seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children."

This proves clearly that God gives to man, through and by his word, the necessary knowledge, but if he neglects it, he thereby rejects God's Word. I presume that no one will express a doubt that our Savior and his Apostles and the early Christians had a clear and correct understanding of everything relative to the Garden of Eden. Yet the Apostle Paul assures us that the, " Mystery of Iniquity" had begun its work in his day. That is there was a disposition on the part of some teachers in his day to mix up, or blend Christianity with the Jewish law, or with heathen mythology . This confusion was gradually accomplished, as the " Man of Sin," " The Son of Perdition," gained influence and power, in the then approaching Apostacy or dark ages. This great apostacy was inaugurated about the fifth century and continued in full power until the beginning of the sixteenth century. During all this time the Bible was taken from the people and remained a closed book, until opened by that great and good man Martin Luther. But these excellent reformers did not gain much influence until they began to dispute among themselves about doctrines, where-

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upon the religious world soon divided up into sects and parties. These sects became very bitter towards each other, and the leaders were very anxious to find a scriptural basis on which to formulate a doctrine different, yet superior, to their opponents. In this way the Garden of Eden became famous for doctrinal strife and confusion. Strife and confusion are born of the same parents. Such questions as, 66 the covenants," "the moral law," the temporal, or spiritual death of Adam, and so on, were all formulated into doctrines. But in truth these were mere speculations, the fruit of which has been a continual warfare among the different religious parties : this all good men regret, knowing that the mission of Jesus Christ, was to bring peace and good will among his followers, and that the Bible is an open book, nviting all mankind freely to its pages, to earnestly and independently examine its contents for himself, and not for another. 1 therefore set myself to discover its meaning. For the Bible is designed for investigation by men, and not by angels. God being the judge, men can understand it, if they will in the fear and love of God, determine to do so. This being premised, I now propose, in the fear and love of God an examination of the subject of the Garden of Eden from a rather new and independent standpoint. The truth in relation to this subject has not yet been set forth, for if so, strife and confusion would cease. It is still a matter for investigation. The main, or most interesting points, in my estimation, are these: The creation of the man and woman; the dominion, to whom the world, was

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first given] when and how this dominion was lost ^ when and how the serpent gained the dominion ; the forbidden fruit ; the two lines of descent, etc. First, I will make a quotation which at once involves both general and particular principles.

" Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world." Acts xv :18.

Hence the past, the present and the future, are one and the same to the Almighty. Therefore, whatever was done, no matter by whom, God authorized it to be done, through and by his own special wisdom and power, and for his own glory. The man, the ivom.an, and the serpent were his instruments.

THE CEEATION OF MAN.

The five or six days' work of creation, as presented in the first chapter of Genesis are not important to my object, only as it pertains to man, and the dominion of the world. I will therefore begin at the 26th verse of the first chapter of Genesis.

" And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. " So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him, male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over everything that moveth upon the -earth. * * * And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good, And the evening and the morning were the sixth day." Gen. i: 26-31.

The first thing presented in the second chapter has reference to God resting on the seventh day, which he blest and sanctified. The formation of man of the dust of the ground is again alluded to, thus : —