Observations upon the Prophecies of Daniel, and the Apocalypse of St. John · Isaac Newton
CHAP. XII.
_Of the Prophecy of the Scripture of Truth._ The kingdoms represented by the second and third Beasts, or the Bear and Leopard, are again described by _Daniel_ in his last Prophecy written in the third year of _Cyrus_ over _Babylon_, the year in which he conquered _Persia_. For this Prophecy is a commentary upon the Vision of the Ram and He-Goat. _Behold_, saith [1] he, _there shall stand up yet three kings in _Persia__, [_Cyrus_, _Cambyses_, and _Darius Hystaspes_] _and the fourth_ [_Xerxes_] _shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength thro' his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of _Grecia_. And a mighty king_ [_Alexander_ the great] _shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided towards the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity_ [but after their death,] _nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be pluckt up, even for others besides those_. _Alexander_ the great having conquered all the _Persian_ Empire, and some part of _India_, died at _Babylon_ a month before the summer Solstice, in the year of _Nabonassar_ 425: and his captains gave the monarchy to his bastard brother _Philip Aridæus_, a man disturbed in his understanding; and made _Perdiccas_ administrator of the kingdom. _Perdiccas_ with their consent made _Meleager_ commander of the army, _Seleucus_ master of the horse, _Craterus_ treasurer of the kingdom, _Antipater_ governor of _Macedon_ and _Greece_, _Ptolemy_ governor of _Egypt_; _Antigonus_ governor of _Pamphylia_, _Lycia_, _Lycaonia_, and _Phrygia major_; _Lysimachus_ governor of _Thrace_, and other captains governors of other Provinces; as many as had been so before in the days of _Alexander_ the great.
The _Babylonians_ began now to count by a new _Æra_, which they called the _Æra_ of _Philip_, using the years of _Nabonassar_, and reckoning the 425th year of _Nabonassar_ to be the first year of _Philip_. _Roxana_ the wife of _Alexander_ being left big with child, and about three or four months after brought to bed of a son, they called him _Alexander_, saluted him King, and joined him with _Philip_, whom they had before placed in the throne. _Philip_ reigned three years under the administratorship of _Perdiccas_, two years more under the administratorship of _Antipater_, and above a year more under that of _Polyperchon_; in all six years and four months; and then was slain with his Queen _Eurydice_ in _September_ by the command of _Olympias_ the mother of _Alexander_ the great. The _Greeks_ being disgusted at the cruelties of _Olympias_, revolted to _Cassander_ the son and successor of _Antipater_. _Cassander_ affecting the dominion of _Greece_, slew _Olympias_; and soon after shut up the young king _Alexander_, with his mother _Roxana_, in the castle of _Amphipolis_, under the charge of _Glaucias_, _An. Nabonass._ 432. The next year _Ptolemy_, _Cassander_ and _Lysimachus_, by means of _Seleucus_, form'd a league against _Antigonus_; and after certain wars made peace with him, _An.
Nabonass._ 438, upon these conditions: that _Cassander_ should command the forces of _Europe_ till _Alexander_ the son of _Roxana_ came to age; and that _Lysimachus_ should govern _Thrace_, _Ptolemy_ _Egypt_ and _Lybia_, and _Antigonus_ all _Asia_. _Seleucus_ had possest himself of _Mesopotamia_, _Babylonia_, _Sustana_ and _Media_, the year before. About three years after _Alexander_'s death he was made governor of _Babylon_ by _Antipater_; then was expelled by _Antigonus_; but now he recovered and enlarged his government over a great part of the _East_: which gave occasion to a new _Æra_, called _Æra Seleucidarum_. Not long after the peace made with _Antigonus_, _Diodorus_ saith the same _Olympic_ year; _Cassander_, seeing that _Alexander_ the son of _Roxana_ grew up, and that it was discoursed thro'out _Macedonia_ that it was fit he should be set at liberty, and take upon him the government of his father's kingdom, commanded _Glaucias_ the governor of the castle to kill _Roxana_ and the young king _Alexander_ her son, and conceal their deaths. Then _Polyperchon_ set up _Hercules_, the son of _Alexander_ the great by _Barsinè_, to be king; and soon after, at the sollicitation of _Cassander_, caused him to be slain.
Soon after that, upon a great victory at sea got by _Demetrius_ the son of _Antigonus_ over _Ptolemy_, _Antigonus_ took upon himself the title of king, and gave the same title to his son. This was _An. Nabonass._ 441. After his example, _Seleucus_, _Cassander_, _Lysimachus_ and _Ptolemy_, took upon themselves the title and dignity of kings, having abstained from this honour while there remained any of _Alexander_'s race to inherit the crown. Thus the monarchy of the _Greeks_ for want of an heir was broken into several kingdoms; four of which, seated _to the four winds of heaven_, were very eminent. For _Ptolemy_ reigned over _Egypt_, _Lybia_ and _Ethiopia_; _Antigonus_ over _Syria_ and the lesser _Asia_; _Lysimachus_ over _Thrace_; and _Cassander_ over _Macedon_, _Greece_ and _Epirus_, as above. _Seleucus_ at this time reigned over the nations which were beyond _Euphrates_, and belonged to the bodies of the two first Beasts; but after six years he conquered _Antigonus_, and thereby became possest of one of the four kingdoms. For _Cassander_ being afraid of the power of _Antigonus_, combined with _Lysimachus_, _Ptolemy_ and _Seleucus_, against him: and while _Lysimachus_ invaded the parts of _Asia_ next the _Hellespont_, _Ptolemy_ subdued _Phoenicia_ and _Coelosyria_, with the sea-coasts of _Asia_. _Seleucus_ came down with a powerful army into _Cappadocia_, and joining the confederate forces, fought _Antigonus_ in _Phrygia_ and flew him, and seized his kingdom, _An. Nabonass._ 447. After which _Seleucus_ built _Antioch_, _Seleucia_, _Laodicea_, _Apamea_, _Berrhæa_, _Edessa_, and other cities in _Syria_ and _Asia_; and in them granted the _Jews_ equal privileges with the _Greeks_.
_Demetrius_ the son of _Antigonus_ retained but a small part of his father's dominions, and at length lost _Cyprus_ to _Ptolemy_; but afterwards killing _Alexander_, the son and successor of _Cassander_ king of _Macedon_, he seized his kingdom, _An. Nabonass._ 454. Sometime after, preparing a very great army to recover his father's dominions in _Asia_; _Seleucus_, _Ptolemy_, _Lysimachus_ and _Pyrrhus_ king of _Epirus_, combined against him; and _Pyrrhus_ invading _Macedon_, corrupted the army of _Demetrius_, put him to flight, seized his kingdom, and shared it with _Lysimachus_. After seven months, _Lysimachus_ beating _Pyrrhus_, took _Macedon_ from him, and held it five years and a half, uniting the kingdoms of _Macedon_ and _Thrace_. _Lysimachus_ in his wars with _Antigonus_ and _Demetrius_, had taken from them _Caria_, _Lydia_, and _Phrygia_; and had a treasury in _Pergamus_, a castle on the top of a conical hill in _Phrygia_, by the river _Caicus_, the custody of which he had committed to one _Philetærus_, who was at first faithful to him, but in the last year of his reign revolted.
For _Lysimachus_, having at the instigation of his wife _Arsinoe_, slain first his own son _Agathocles_, and then several that lamented him; the wife of _Agathocles_ fled with her children and brothers, and some others of their friends, and sollicited _Seleucus_ to make war upon _Lysimachus_; whereupon _Philetærus_ also, who grieved at the death of _Agathocles_, and was accused thereof by _Arsinoe_, took up arms, and sided with _Seleucus_. On this occasion _Seleucus_ and _Lysimachus_ met and fought in _Phrygia_; and _Lysimachus_ being slain in the battel, lost his kingdom to _Seleucus_, _An. Nabonass._ 465. Thus the Empire of the _Greeks_, which at first brake into four kingdoms, became now reduced into two notable ones, henceforward called by _Daniel_ the kings of the _South_ and _North_. For _Ptolemy_ now reigned over _Egypt_, _Lybia_, _Ethiopia_, _Arabia_, _Phoenicia_, _Coelosyria_, and _Cyprus_; and _Seleucus_, having united three of the four kingdoms, had a dominion scarce inferior to that of the _Persian_ Empire, conquered by _Alexander_ the great. All which is thus represented by _Daniel_:[2] _And the king of the_ South [_Ptolemy_] _shall be strong, and one of his Princes_ [_Seleucus_, one of _Alexander_'s Princes] _shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion shall be a great dominion_.
After _Seleucus_ had reigned seven months over _Macedon_, _Greece_, _Thrace_, _Asia_, _Syria_, _Babylonia_, _Media_, and all the _East_ as far as _India_; _Ptolemy Ceraunus_, the younger brother of _Ptolemy Philadelphus_ king of _Egypt_, slew him treacherously, and seized his dominions in _Europe_: while _Antiochus Soter_, the son of _Seleucus_, succeeded his father in _Asia_, _Syria_, and most of the _East_; and after nineteen or twenty years was succeeded by his son _Antiochus Theos_; who having a lasting war with _Ptolemy Philadelphus_, at length composed the same by marrying _Berenice_ the daughter of _Philadelphus_: but after a reign of fifteen years, his first wife _Laodice_ poisoned him, and set her son _Seleucus Callinicus_ upon the throne. _Callinicus_ in the beginning of his reign, by the impulse of his mother _Laodice_, besieged _Berenice_ in _Daphne_ near _Antioch_, and slew her with her young son and many of her women. Whereupon _Ptolemy Euergetes_, the son and successor of _Philadelphus_, made war upon _Callinicus_; took from him _Phoenicia_, _Syria_, _Cilicia_, _Mesopotamia_, _Babylonia_, _Sustana_, and some other regions; and carried back into _Egypt_ 40000 talents of silver, and 2500 images of the Gods, amongst which were the Gods of _Egypt_ carried away by _Cambyses_. _Antiochus Hierax_ at first assisted his brother _Callinicus_, but afterwards contended with him for _Asia_. In the mean time _Eumenes_ governor of _Pergamus_ beat _Antiochus_, and took from them both all _Asia_ westward of mount _Taurus_. This was in the fifth year of _Callinicus_, who after an inglorious reign of 20 years was succeeded by his son _Seleucus Ceraunus_; and _Euergetes_ after four years more, _An. Nabonass._ 527, was succeeded by his son _Ptolemy Philopator_.
All which is thus signified by _Daniel_:[3] _And in the end of years they_ [the kings of the _South_ and _North_] _shall join themselves together: for the king's daughter of the_ South [_Berenice_] _shall come to the king of the _North_ to make an agreement, but she shall not retain the power of the arm; neither shall she stand, nor her seed, but she shall be delivered up, and he_ [_Callinicus_] _that brought her, and he whom she brought forth, and they that strengthned her in_ [those] _times_, [or defended her in the siege of _Daphne_.] _But out of a branch of her roots shall one stand up in his seat_ [her brother _Euergetes_] _who shall come with an army, and shall enter into the fortress_ [or fenced cities] _of the king of the _North_, and shall act against them and prevail: and shall carry captives into _Egypt_, their Gods with their Princes and precious vessels of silver and gold; and he shall continue some years after the king of the_ North.
_Seleucus Ceraunus_, inheriting the remains of his father's kingdom, and thinking to recover the rest, raised a great army against the governor of _Pergamus_, now King thereof, but died in the third year of his reign. His brother and successor, _Antiochus Magnus_, carrying on the war, took from the King of _Pergamus_ almost all the lesser _Asia_, recovering also the Provinces of _Media_, _Persia_ and _Babylonia_, from the governors who had revolted: and in the fifth year of his reign invading _Coelosyria_, he with little opposition possest himself of a good part thereof; and the next year returning to invade the rest of _Coelosyria_ and _Phoenicia_, beat the army of _Ptolemy Philopator_ near _Berytus_; he then invaded _Palestine_ and the neighbouring parts of _Arabia_, and the third year returned with an army of 78000: but _Ptolemy_ coming out of _Egypt_ with an army of 75000, fought and routed him at _Raphia_ near _Gaza_, between _Palestine_ and _Egypt_; and recovered all _Phoenicia_ and _Coelosyria_, _Ann. Nabonass._ 532. Being puffed up with this victory, and living in all manner of luxury, the _Egyptians_ revolted, and had wars with him, but were overcome; and in the broils sixty thousand _Egyptian Jews_ were slain. All which is thus described by _Daniel_: [4] _But his sons_ [_Seleucus Ceraunus_, and _Antiochus Magnus_, the sons of _Callinicus_] _shall be stirred up, and shall gather a great army; and he_ [_Antiochus Magnus_] _shall come effectually and overflow, and pass thro' and return, and_ [again the next year] _be stirred up_ [marching even] _to his fortress_, [the frontier towns of _Egypt_;] _and the King of the _South_ shall be moved with choler, and come forth_ [the third year] _and fight with him, even with the King of the _North_; and he_ [the King of the _North_] _shall lead forth a great multitude, but the multitude shall be given into his hand. And the multitude being taken away, his heart shall be lifted up, and he shall cast down many ten thousands; but he shall not be strengthned by it: for the king of the _North_ shall return_, &c.
About twelve years after the battle between _Philopator_ and _Antiochus_, _Philopator_ died; and left his kingdom to his young son _Ptolemy Epiphanes_, a child of five years old. Thereupon _Antiochus Magnus_ confederated with _Philip_ king of _Macedon_, that they should each invade the dominions of _Epiphanes_ which lay next to them. Hence arose a various war between _Antiochus_ and _Epiphanes_, each of them seizing _Phoenicia_ and _Coelosyria_ by turns; whereby those countries were much afflicted by both parties. First _Antiochus_ seized them; then one _Scopas_ being sent with the army of _Egypt_, recovered them from _Antiochus_: the next year, _An. Nabonass._ 550, _Antiochus_ fought and routed _Scopas_ near the fountains of _Jordan_, besieged him in _Sidon_, took the city, and recovered _Syria_ and _Phoenicia_ from _Egypt_, the _Jews_ coming over to him voluntarily. But about three years after, preparing for a war against the _Romans_, he came to _Raphia_ on the borders of _Egypt_; made peace with _Epiphanes_, and gave him his daughter _Cleopatra_: next autumn he passed the _Hellespont_ to invade the cities of _Greece_ under the _Roman_ protection, and took some of them; but was beaten by the _Romans_ the summer following, and forced to return back with his army into _Asia_.
Before the end of the year the fleet of _Antiochus_ was beaten by the fleet of the _Romans_ near _Phocæa_: and at the same time _Epiphanes_ and _Cleopatra_ sent an embassy to _Rome_ to congratulate the _Romans_ on their success against their father _Antiochus_, and to exhort them to prosecute the war against him into _Asia_. The _Romans_ beat _Antiochus_ again at sea near _Ephesus_, past their army over the _Hellespont_, and obtain'd a great victory over him by land, took from him all _Asia_ westward of mount _Taurus_, gave it to the King of _Pergamus_ who assisted them in the war; and imposed a large tribute upon _Antiochus_. Thus the King of _Pergamus_, by the power of the _Romans_, recovered what _Antiochus_ had taken from him; and _Antiochus_ retiring into the remainder of his kingdom, was slain two years after by the _Persians_, as he was robbing the Temple of _Jupiter Belus_ in _Elymais_, to raise money for the _Romans_. All which is thus described by _Daniel_. [5] _For the King of the_ North [_Antiochus_] _shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former; and shall certainly come, after certain years, with a great army and with much riches.
And in those times there shall many stand up against the King of the_ South, [particularly the _Macedonians_;] _also the robbers of thy people_ [the _Samaritans_, &c.] _shall exalt themselves to establish the vision, but they shall fall. So the King of the _North_ shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities; and the arms of the _South_ shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there he any strength to withstand. But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land, which shall fail in his hand. He shall also set his face to go with the strength_ [or army] _of all his kingdom, and make an agreement with him_ [at _Raphia_;] _and he shall give him the daughter of women corrupting her; but she shall not stand his side, neither be for him. After this he shall turn his face unto the Isles, and shall take many: but a Prince for his own behalf_ [the _Romans_] _shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him. Then he shall turn his face towards the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found._
_Seleucus Philopator_ succeeded his father _Antiochus_, _Anno Nabonass._ 561, and reigned twelve years, but did nothing memorable, being sluggish, and intent upon raising money for the _Romans_ to whom he was tributary. He was slain by _Heliodorus_, whom he had sent to rob the Temple of _Jerusalem_. _Daniel_ thus describes his reign. [6] _Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom, but within few days be shall be destroyed, neither in anger nor in battle._ A little before the death of _Philopator_, his son _Demetrius_ was sent hostage to _Rome_, in the place of _Antiochus Epiphanes_, the brother of _Philopator_; and _Antiochus_ was at _Athens_ in his way home from _Rome_, when _Philopator_ died: whereupon _Heliodorus_ the treasurer of the kingdom, stept into the throne. But _Antiochus_ so managed his affairs, that the _Romans_ kept _Demetrius_ at _Rome_; and their ally the King of _Pergamus_ expelled _Heliodorus_, and placed _Antiochus_ in the throne, while _Demetrius_ the right heir remained an hostage at _Rome_. _Antiochus_ being thus made King by the friendship of the King of _Pergamus_ reigned powerfully over _Syria_ and the neighbouring nations: but carried himself much below his dignity, stealing privately out of his palace, rambling up and down the city in disguise with one or two of his companions; conversing and drinking with people of the lowest rank, foreigners and strangers; frequenting the meetings of dissolute persons to feast and revel; clothing himself like the _Roman_ candidates and officers, acting their parts like a mimick, and in publick festivals jesting and dancing with servants and light people, exposing himself by all manner of ridiculous gestures. This conduct made some take him for a madman, and call him _Antiochus_ [Greek: Epimenês].
In the first year of his reign he deposed _Onias_ the high-Priest, and sold the high-Priesthood to _Jason_ the younger brother of _Onias_: for _Jason_ had promised to give him 440 talents of silver for that office, and 15 more for a licence to erect a place of exercise for the training up of youth in the fashions of the heathen; which licence was granted by the King, and put in execution by _Jason_. Then the King sending one _Apollonius_ into _Egypt_ to the coronation of _Ptolemy Philometor_, the young son of _Philometor_ and _Cleopatra_, and knowing _Philometor_ not to be well affected to his affairs in _Phoenicia_, provided for his own safety in those parts; and for that end came to _Joppa_ and _Jerusalem_, where he was honourably received; from thence he went in like manner with his little army to the cities of _Phoenicia_, to establish himself against _Egypt_, by courting the people, and distributing extraordinary favours amongst them. All which is thus represented by _Daniel_. [7] _And in his_ [_Philometor_'s] _estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they_ [the _Syrians_ who set up _Heliodorus_] _shall not give the honour of the kingdom.
Yet he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries_ [made principally to the King of _Pergamus_;] _and the arms_ [which in favour of _Heliodorus_ oppose him] _shall be overflowed with a food from before him, and be broken; yea also_ [_Onias_ the high-Priest] _the Prince of the covenant. And after the league made with him,_ [the King of _Egypt_, by sending _Apollonius_ to his coronation] _he shall work deceitfully_ [against the King of _Egypt_,] _for he shall come up and shall become strong_ [in _Phoenicia _] _with a small people. And he shall enter into the quiet and plentiful cities of the Province_ [of _Phoenicia_;] _and_ [to ingratiate himself with the _Jews_ of _Phoenicia_ and _Egypt_, and with their friends] _he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers fathers: he shall scatter among them the prey and the spoil, and the riches_ [exacted from other places;] _and shall forecast his devices against the strong holds_ [of _Egypt_] _even for a time._
These things were done in the first year of his reign, _An. Nabonass._ 573. And thenceforward he forecast his devices against the strong holds of _Egypt_, until the sixth year. For three years after, that is in the fourth year of his reign, _Menelaus_ bought the high-Priesthood from _Jason_, but not paying the price was sent for by the King; and the King, before he could hear the cause, went into _Cilicia_ to appease a sedition there, and left _Andronicus_ his deputy at _Antioch_; in the mean time the brother of _Menelaus_, to make up the money, conveyed several vessels out of the Temple, selling some of them at _Tyre_, and sending others to _Andronicus_. When _Menelaus_ was reproved for this by _Onias_, he caused _Onias_ to be slain by _Andronicus_: for which fact the King at his return from _Cilicia_ caused _Andronicus_ to be put to death. Then _Antiochus_ prepared his second expedition against _Egypt_, which he performed in the sixth year of his reign, _An.
Nabonass._ 578: for upon the death of _Cleopatra_, the governors of her son the young King of _Egypt_ claimed _Phoenicia_ and _Coelosyria_ from him as her dowry; and to recover those countries raised a great army. _Antiochus_ considering that his father had not quitted the possession of those countries[8], denied they were her dowry; and with another great army met and fought the _Egyptians_ on the borders of _Egypt_, between _Pelusium_ and the mountain _Casius_. He there beat them, and might have destroyed their whole army, but that he rode up and down, commanding his soldiers not to kill them, but to take them alive: by which humanity he gained _Pelusium_, and soon after all _Egypt_; entring it with a vast multitude of foot and chariots, elephants and horsemen, and a great navy. Then seizing the cities of _Egypt_ as a friend, he marched to _Memphis_, laid the whole blame of the war upon _Eulæus_ the King's governor, entred into outward friendship with the young King, and took upon him to order the affairs of the kingdom.
While _Aniochus_ was thus employ'd, a report being spread in _Phoenicia_ that he was dead, _Jason_ to recover the high-Priesthood assaulted _Jerusalem_ with above a thousand men, and took the city: hereupon the King thinking _Judea_ had revolted, came out of _Egypt_ in a furious manner, re-took the city, slew forty thousand of the people, made as many prisoners, and sold them to raise money; went into the Temple, spoiled it of its treasures, ornaments, utensils, and vessels of gold and silver, amounting to 1800 talents; and carried all away to _Antioch_. This was done in the year of _Nabonassar_ 578, and is thus described by _Daniel_. [9] _And he shall stir up his power, and his courage against the King of the _South_ with a great army; and the King of the _South_ shall be stirrd up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they_, even _Antiochus_ and his friends, _shall forecast devices against him_, as is represented above; _yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat, shall_ betray and _destroy him, and his army shall be overthrown, and many shall fall down slain. And both these Kings hearts shall be to do mischief; and they_, being now made friends, _shall speak lyes at one table_, against the _Jews_ and against the holy covenant; _but it shall not prosper: for yet the end_, in which the setting up of the abomination of desolation is to prosper, _shall be at the time appointed. Then shall he return into his land with great riches, and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall act_, against it by spoiling the Temple, _and return into his own land_.
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.