Key to the 1843 Prophetic Chart
upon the world unheralded; and none have ever fallen therein unwarned. And if from the uniform dealings of an unchangeable God with our world in the past, we may judge of the future, then may we confidently conclude that of the events yet to transpire, and above all the great event in which earth's drama shall close - the ushering in of the great day of the Lord, and the coming of the Son of man, something will be known, and the world be faithfully warned thereof, ere they shall take place.
In calling attention to these things we are sometimes accused of prying into the secrets of the Almighty. From this charge we want no better vindication than the language of Moses in Deut. xxix (29), 29: "The secret things belong unto the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed , belong unto us and to our children forever." Prophecy belongs to that portion of the Bible which may properly be denominated a revelation. It is designed to reveal to us things of which we could not in any other way gain information.
Again, we are met with the plea that the prophecies cannot be understood. But says the Saviour, referring directly to the prophecy of Daniel, "Whoso readeth let him understand ." Matt.xxiv (24), 15. With this endorsement by our Saviour of our efforts to understand, with the declaration that the wise shall understand, Dan.
xii (12), 10, and with the promise that if any man lack wisdom God will give liberally and upbraid not, if he will only ask of him, we are certain that the way is open for an understanding of these things before all those who are humble and teachable enough to ask and receive instruction of him through the medium of his word, and the agency of his Holy Spirit. To deny that the prophecies can be understood, is to deny that a part of God's word is a revelation, which, so for, infidelity.
That the Bible reveals the day or hour of Christ's coming we do not pretend. But there are certain prophecies given, and signs foretold, which are to show us when the great day is at hand; and we are commanded, when we see these things come to pass, to know that it [margin, he, Christ] is near, even at the doors. Matt. xxiv (24), 33. And Paul gives assurance that Christians will possess a knowledge of these things when he says, "But ye, brethren, are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief." 1 Thess. v (5), 4. With these remarks we call the attention of the reader to the events and prediction recorded in Dan. ii (2), vii (7), viii (8), and ix (9), illustrated upon the Chart.
Efforts are occasionally made to throw ridicule upon these illustrations of the symbols of Daniel and John's visions. We are described as going about the country with our "pictures," lecturing upon "heads and horns;" and some in their disgusting efforts to be witty on the subject, will even go so far as to apply to these symbols the names of the lowest and most offensive animals. Such simple- minded individuals ought to know that they are thus in reality casting contumely and reproach upon the word of God; for all these things are plainly described.
The illustrations upon the Chart are but the words of the prophet in another form. The figures are described on the sacred page as accurately and minutely as language can do it; on the Chart they are simply presented in their symbolic form,