terms of history: a battle of spiritual forces which later ages have proved and are still proving to have been accurately prophesied. "Two Empires," says Bishop Westcott,1 "two social organizations, designed to embrace the whole world, started together in the first century. . . . In principle, in mode of action, in sanctions, in scope, in history they offer an absolute contrast.... The history of the Roman Empire is from the first the history of a decline and fall ... the history of the Christian Empire is from the first the history of a victorious progress." The informing spirit of the first is like that of a monstrous beast, set on and inspired by Satan the arch-enemy of mankind, "the dragon, the old serpent (Rev. xx, 2; cf. Gen. iii, 1; Isa. li, 9 A. V.), whose powers emanate from the pit of all corruption and foulness. The informing spirit of the second is like that of a Lamb, "as it had been slain " (Rev. v, 6), who at the throne of God "prevailed" to open the seven-sealed book of destiny, and who as "the root and the offspring of David" works out to salvation and redemption the eternal purpose of God (Rev. xxii, 16). Agencies of contrasted nature, demoniac and angelic, employing natural forces and human energies, carry on the conflict in unseen regions; while with every new onset the saints are exhorted to steadfastness and courage, and the celestial hosts raise songs of joy. So the mighty campaign goes on. The culmination of it all is typified in two cities, standing respectively for the worldly and the spiritual capitals of the earth the licentious and despotic city named Babylon but unmistakably identified as Rome (Rev. xvii, 9, 18), over whose downfall a song like the old-time taunt songs is raised 2 (Rev. xviii, 2-20; cf. Isa. xiv, 4-20); and the holy 1" Epistles of St. John," p. 253. Quoted here from Swete, "The Apocalypse of St. John," p. lxxxi. 2 For the taunt song, as a species of mashal, see above, p. 69. city New Jerusalem, which is beheld "coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband" (Rev. xxi, 2; cf. Isa. lxii, 1-5; lxv, 18, 19). Thus as a purified municipality, a perfected social organization, from which all that defiles and disintegrates is banished, this culminating vision of God's great purpose leaves us. It is the summary of an epic portrayal which, with all its wealth of symbolic imagery, is beyond expression sublime. And it lays hold on the deepest elements of human and divine nature, the elements which, walking in the light, as He is in the light, have fellowship one with another. For the perfected city, the "Jerusalem which is above, is free, which is the mother of us all."1 INDEX [Titles of main divisions, chapters, and books of Scripture are in small capitals. Abraham, as embodiment of racial faith, 31 Absoluteness of Jesus' words, 547 AMOS, BOOK OF, 148–152 tion of John), 664-677 icles), 517; to Jeremiah in modern in Isaiah's time, 01792185 taxas H Christ, term equivalent to Messiah, CHRONICLES, BOOKS OF, 404-410; Classics, the three great, 432-482; works, movement for, 16 Confession, the great (Peter's), 567 ond, 304-307 Covenant, mutual relation by, 53- Culminating event in the Revelation of John, 675 Cultus literature, the later, 403-416 DANIEL, BOOK OF, 278-300; lit- Daughter of Zion in prophecy, 305 Davidic destiny in Israel, 324; key- Dearth of learning in Jerusalem, 372 Deborah, Song of, 40; as starting Deliverance, keynote of Israel's Departure, Jesus', reckoning o Deutero-Isaiah. See Second Isaiah Divine character, Jesus' utterances ECCLESIASTEs, Book of, 497-505 Edom, prophets against, 215, note Elohim, as name of Deity, 48 112 El Shaddai, primitive name of Deity, End of the era, Jesus' words con- Epistles, of St. Paul Lee Letters); ESTHER, BOOK DESäfoś1gifode Event, culminating MoReinta 277, |