b's army by
the destroying angel, and afterwards of Jerusalem itself by the Chaldean
armies--the former event so joyous in its outward form, the latter so
sad--these were both alike to the prophet's vision parts of the
preparation through which God was carrying his people for the future
glory and blessedness of the latter days. He accordingly connected both
with bright visions of the future, without pausing to notice the
intervening centuries, respecting the duration of which he had no
commission to speak.

(4.) _The end itself_ towards which the plan of redemption tends _is the
chief object of interest_ in prophetic representation. To nourish the
faith and hope of the church, to invigorate her in her present struggles
by the assurance of final victory--this, and not the gratification of a
prurient curiosity respecting the exact dates of "times and seasons," is
the main design of prophecy. That it has other subordinate ends need not
be denied. It challenges for itself the attribute of omniscience, and
its fulfilment is, to those who live after it, a proof of the validity
of its claim. But to become absorbed in calculations beforehand
respecting its dates is to elevate the subordinate and circumstantial in
prophecy to the place of the essential. The bright _end_ of the present
conflict with the powers of darkness is what prophetic vision is
continually presenting for our encouragement. To those who love God,
this is the point of chief interest; and accordingly the prophets make
it, not the exact number of years that is to elapse before the final
consummation with the details of their history, the prominent point.
Some great crises in the church's history are indicated so clearly that
they who can discern "the signs of the times" may understand beforehand
that they are near. The general expectation of the Messiah's advent at
the time when he actually appeared had its foundation in a sober
comparison of the prophecies with the existing condition of the covenant
people. The present universal belief among Christians that the time for
the final overthrow of the triple league between Satan, wicked kings,
and wicked priests for the suppression of the gospel is at hand rests,
we doubt not, on the same solid ground. But farther than this we cannot
go. We cannot say that it shall be in such a year of the present
century, or even in the century, in harmony with the true spirit of
prophecy. It is enough for us to know that God "will