even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.

12 As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.

13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

15 I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.

16 I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.

17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.

18 But the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.

19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;

20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.

21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; 22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.

23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.

24 And the ten horns out of this knigdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the

first, and he shall subdue three kings.

25 And he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

This is the high point of Old Testament eschatology. There is nothing like it in all Old Testament prophecy. It is paralleled only by scenes in the Book of Revelation. While Daniel beheld, he saw a little horn come up, amid the ten. It had eyes and spake like a man. It overcame three of the horns. An angel gives to Daniel the explanation. Ten kings are to arrive in the latter days. They will form a confederacy doing honor to one that shall arise. Three kings of the ten will revolt whilst the remainder render adoration.

The height of presumption will be reached by this notable king as he usurps the authority of God, changes times and laws and wears out the saints of the Almighty. We can well believe that such a condition is possible of fulfillment when we recall how easy it is today for men and women who speak great swelling words and who advertise some new form of religious devotion that denies the fundamentals of the faith and the sovereignty of God, to draw after them great throngs of people, among whom are many who formerly loved their Lord.

At a point where the New York Central tracks cross the body of water that makes of New York an island, there once stood a bridge tender's tower. It was toward the close of a summer day that there was heard the whistle of a tug boat signaling for the railroad bridge at that point to open. Looking up at the clock the bridge tender saw that in a few minutes the fast mail was due to pass over the bridge. Believing he had time enough, he threw the switch and the great draw began to open. The boat passed through and slowly the bridge began to close. Suddenly out on the night air there came the shrill shriek of a locomotive whistle. Looking up the

tracks the bridge tender saw bearing down toward the opened bridge, the train with its cargo of human freight. Rushing to the switch he applied all his strength but he had miscalculated the time. On came the train and down it went. Many lives were lost and years afterwards in a padded cell the bridge tender was heard to cry "It is too late, too late, too late. I had my chance, but I missed it." What a terrible time of awakening awaits those who throw away their faith in Christ, for the vain speculations of self-deceived apostates. Alas, it will then be too late to repent.

(c) PRE-EMINENCE. 7:26-28.

26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.

27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

28 Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.

In the record of the second chapter of Daniel the climax was reached when a stone from out the mountain fell upon the feet of the great image causing it to fall. This stone was none other than the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Up to the present that kingdom has not fully come into view. It is well for us to keep in mind the whole order of events. Ascending from Olivet the Savior left behind his witnesses who said to the disciples, "this same Jesus shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go."

St. Paul, in describing this return, says "the dead in Christ shall rise first and we which are alive and remain, shall be caught up with them to meet the Lord in the air. With the Christian Church out of the world the confederation suggested in the foregoing verses by the ten horns of the

beast takes place. A tribulation period is ushered in and because during this time there are those who continue to faithfully proclaim Christ, many Jews acknowledge him as Savior. These are set upon and persecuted by the great presumer. At the end of this tribulation time Jesus returns to the earth with his church. It is then that every eye sees him and unredeemed men cry for the rocks to fall upon them. Brethren, the day will come when He shall reign pre-eminent forever and ever. "Every knee shall bow and tongue confess" and there will be a millennial period when Satan shall be bound. Loosed for a little season at its close the wicked one wars against the Most High but is finally defeated and banished for ever. The wicked are judged and then comes in the new heaven and the new earth. With such a divine program why should we who believe, fear? Though we live in a world of upheaval let us carry unafraid hearts for He who watches the sparrows fall will go with us through change and decay into the glory.

A great evangelist returned to his home in England from an extended tour. Met at the pier by his wife and daughter he was very much impressed with the silence of his little girl. All the way home she sat in the carriage, saying not a word, but looking intently at her father's face. At last he said, "Daughter why don't you speak to daddy?" To which she replied, "Oh daddy you've been away such a long time, I just can't help looking at you.' My brethren, Jesus is coming again to reign-what day it will be when walking by faith shall be changed to walking by sight and we shall see Him as He is.

CHAPTER EIGHT

THEME "The Incredible Things of Life." 8:1-27. Divisional Words-Perspective-Persistence-Perplexity.

(a) PERSPECTIVE. 8:1-8.

In the third year of the reign of king

Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, even
unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto
me at the first.

2 And I saw in a vision: and it came to
pass, when I saw, that I was at Shushan in the
palace, which is in the province of Elam; and
I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of
Ulai.

3 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last.

4 I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great.

5 And as I was considering, behold, an he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes.

6 And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power. 7 And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand.

8 Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.

In the last year of Belshazzar which was also the first of Darius' reign Daniel was transported in spirit from Babylon to Susa. In vision he sees a ram with two horns, one higher than the other, pushing West, North and South. Suddenly from the West rushes a he goat with a notable horn. The ram is without power and none delivers him. The goat grows very strong and the horn waxes exceedingly large. Without force of arms it is broken and in its place come up four notable ones. Daniel in perspective is viewing the conquest of Babylon by Cyrus and the conquest of Cyrus by Alexander the Great. At thirty-two years of age Alexander died