vii. 2, xiv. i. 2): the world will be full of his signs and wonders: images of him shall be set up in all cities, &c.," would answer best to Caligula's history. The coincidence, too, in the time of reign with that of Caligula is very remarkable. Twice Josephus states that Caligula reigned 3 years and 8 months, which is within 3 days of the time predicted of the atheistical king; and (reckoned as above) would be exactly the 1335 days of Daniel. It may be observed, however, that the name of Nero may possibly have been so written as to indicate a "half-week" period in connexion with him. The letters in Kaioap Nýpo would amount to 1290=430 × 3 and the principal of the component items in 1335, (Dan. xii. 11). the whole, we are inclined to think that both of these kings are pointed at, since some of the things predicted are found in the history of the one, and some in that of the other. Nay, it may be that the triad was completed by the inclusion of either Vespasian or Titus, since the time from the revolt until they accomplished the conquest of Judæa was made to be a "half-week," and in the earliest times an attempt was made to fix upon Titus "the number of the beast" by rendering his name Τεῖταν=666. On 655. The hypothesis that this passage was purposely so worded as to be capable of a twofold or threefold application, receives support from the circumstance that the same appears to have been the case with the prediction of the beast in Rev. xiii. We cannot enter into an exposition of this passage, but the following notice of the salient points may serve to give an idea of the view that may be taken, and indeed has been taken in its main features. The "beast" is an emblem of the imperial power. The "7 heads" represent the 7 hills on which Rome is situated (xvii. 9). The 10 crowned "horns" are the 10 Cæsars included within our present Division, or possibly the 12 reduced to 10 by reckoning as one the 3 rivals who had but a single Thoth amongst them. "The name of blasphemy" may have been either Λατεῖνος οι ἡ Λατίνη βασιλεία, in both of which is contained "the number of the beast." "The dragon" would aptly symbolise the military power. The unity or identity of the emblem does not appear however to have been maintained throughout; for in v. 3 "one of the heads" apparently denotes "one of the Cæsars," namely, Caligula; and in v. 12 * He also states, in one place, that Julius Cæsar reigned 3 years 6 months (at 360 days 1260 days); and, in another, 3 years 7 months = 1290 days. The latter, in Julian years, might=1310 days. the same person or thing, be it what it may, is designated as "the first beast." The imperial power was supposed to have been "wounded unto death" by the blow which the tribune of the prætorian band with his "sword" (Rev. xiii. 14. Comp. Ant. XIX. i. 14) struck Caligula. This appears from the following passage. "When Cheræa demanded of the Consuls the watch-word, and they gave him Liberty,' it was a cause of astonishment to themselves, and appeared incredible; for it was a century since (on the subversion of the democracy) this privilege had been taken from the Consuls. The people also were full of joy and hope, as having recovered their former democracy" (Ant. XIX. ii. 3). "The dragon," however, (the army) "gave the power unto the beast" again, "and his deadly wound was healed." "Another beast" arose:- the imperial power was re-established in the person of Claudius, and by him and his successors the image or counterpart of the first beast was set up again, new life infused into it, and all men compelled to buy and sell by means of the "image and superscription" of the beast, i. e. under his name and authority. The "42 months" of v. may refer in the first instance to the reign of Caligula, in the second to the duration of the persecution by Nero (the "Anti-Christ" of the early Fathers), and in the third to the war against the Holy Land and Temple: - possibly the brothers Titus and Domitian may have been specially intended by the description of the beast, as having "2 horns like a lamb and speaking as a dragon"; Domitian may well have been supposed to be Nero come to life again, according to the common belief that he was either not dead, or would rise again. Thus this passage may have been adapted, or supposed to have been, to a three-fold accomplishment; and hence a similar adaptation introduced into the forgery of a later date. 5 656. The foregoing interpretation is the more probable on account of its compatibility with the previous prediction, contained in Chap. XII.: and in this respect it has a decided advantage over the common interpretation. The "great red dragon, having 7 heads and 10 horns, and 7 crowns upon his heads," may here also be taken to denote the military power. The locality is similarly indicated by the "7 heads." The "7 crowns" (the number being necessarily determined by that of the heads) represent the imperial power. And the 10 horns, as in Chap. XIII., shew the number of Cæsars reckoned to have held that power down to the terminus of the prediction. The close connexion of this vision with that 66 which follows it may be inferred from the occurrence in both of the same "half-week" number; which, singularly enough, is expressed in three different ways. 657. The applicability of the passages to Caligula may receive some confirmation from the circumstance that it is possible his name may have been so written as to be brought into connexion with the "half-week" numbers. Taλyouλa 1096_3651 × 3 _ åpılμòs (430) +666 =548 2 2 = 2 Perhaps too a numerical equality between Caligula and Titus was made out; for Kaioap Taλyouλa and Tiros each =880, (40 × 22). It may be added that the difference between the numbers 1332 and 1260, viz. 72, appears to indicate a connexion between them. The same may be said in reference to 1260 and the sum of the products of the numbers in Rev. xii. 3 and xiii. 1. 7 x 10 x 7=490. 7 x 10 x 10 700. 490+700 =1190. 1260-1190=70. Also, from the following coincidence a mystical connexion between the 1260 days and "the number of the beast" may be suspected. 1260+666 =1926-214 × 9. 658. With regard to the number xs it may be allowed to suggest whether possibly it may not have been intended that the letters composing it should be multiplied, not added together. Their product strongly favours this conjecture. 600 × 60 × 6=216,000. 659. It is well worthy of notice that this number was in the earliest times exchanged for, or (as some would say) corrupted into 606; for we find Irenæus expressing an opinion that God would pardon those who had introduced the reading 606 for 666, if they had done it only through inadvertence.* We cannot doubt that we have here another instance of 60 being made a moveable, or (as we should say) an intercalary quantity. And this leads us to observe that Καισαρ Γαιος =616. Can the moveable quantity have been varied? 660. In addition to what has been advanced above, and with a special reference to the suggestion that the number 666 may stand connected with the second destruction or the final desolation, the following coincidences are worth notice. * It has hence been erroneously inferred that the ancients had such a reverence for the very letters of the Scriptures as to hold that the alteration of a single letter would entail damnation. The change of a figure in a mystical number would obviously be a very different thing from the change of a letter in an ordinary word. Perhaps we may see in the remark of Irenæus an indication that rival mystical systems were in existence. As to the former, 666 years may have been reckoned from Jehoiachin's Captivity to the second destruction. As to the latter. The final desolation of Judæa took place in A. D. 135.- Deducting 3 years for the "half-week" of war leaves 132 years (=66 x 2). 534 B. c. would reach back to the end of the 2nd year of Cyrus, in which Josephus (in one passage) places the Return. So that we may say, From the Return to the final "half-week" which preceded the desolation were 666 years. And this leads us to other coincidences. 1. Clemens made out between the Exode and the building of Solomon's Temple 2. Thence to the 1st destruction 37 +393 (333) 3. Thence to the 2nd Cyrus incl. 4. Thence to Bar-Cochab A. D. 132 - 666 54 - 666 Years. ii. MISCELLANEOUS NON-CHRONOMETRICAL NUMBERS. ance. 661. The following are miscellaneous examples of nonchronometrical numbers, having an unhistorical appear(1). Pilate brought a stream of water to Jerusalem from 200 stadia (23 miles) distance. (2). Decius Mundus offered Paulina "200,000 attic drachmæ (at 93d.= 81251.) for one night's lodging." (3). Agrippa borrowed a million of drachmæ (=40,6257.), from a freed man of Cæsar. (4). Claudius gave to each of the guards 5000 drachmæ (=2031. 2s. 6d.), and in proportion to the officers, and promised the same to the rest of the armies, wherever they were. (5). Izates left 24 sons and 24 daughters. (6). 18,000 workmen were thrown out of employ when the Temple was finished. (7). In Ant. XX. v. 3 20,000, but in Wars II. xii. 1 10,000 are said to have been killed in a crush to get out of the Temple. (8). At the Passover, when Cestius Gallus came to Jerusalem, 66 not fewer than three millions of the people came about him." (9). The people of Cæsarea slew 20,000 Jews on the same day and hour that the Jews at Jerusalem treacherously massacred the Roman garrison. (10). Josephus raised an army of 100,000 young men in Galilee: and chose for the war 60,000 foot and 250 horse; having besides 4500 mercenaries and 600 body-guard. (11). At a few hours' notice 100,000 armed men were collected against Josephus, and crowded into the hippodrome at Tarichææ. (12). The very Comp. ¶¶ 649, 650. least of the villages in Galilee contained 15,000 inhabi(13). There were 600 senators at Tarichææ. (14). Vespasian sent Cerealis with 600 horsemen. tants. (15). At the first attack on Jotapata 600 Jews were wounded. (16). 13 cohorts had 600 men each. sent Titus with 600 horsemen. 600 horsemen against M. Tabor. horse to reconnoitre Jerusalem. (17). Vespasian (18). Placidus took (19). Titus took 600 (20). Josephus and others, "apout 600 in number," having been shipwrecked, swam for their lives all night. (21). 600 armed men came to set Josephus's house on fire. (22). Jesus had a band of 600 men. (23). The Lake of Gennesareth is said to be 40 stadia (=41⁄2 miles) long, and 140s. (= 16m.) long. (Prof. Robinson estimates it at 5 or 6 geog. m. in breadth and 11 or 12 in length). Asphaltites 580f. by 150 (=663m. by 17): but actually 39 to 40 geog. m. by 9 to 10. (24). M. Tabor is 30 stadia (34m.) high, its top is a plain of 26 stadia (3m.), which Josephus encompassed with a wall in 40 days. (25). On several occasions 70 persons are spoken of as judges, &c. 70 and 12 in Life p. 11. (26). "The whole compass of the city (Jerusalem) was 33 stadia" (3m.).* Titus built a wall round it in 3 days. This wall was "40 stadia save one" (4m.) long, and had 13 towers on it "whose circumferences put together amounted to 10 stadia" (14m.). (27). Josephus says that it was found that 256,500 lambs were sacrificed at the Passover, which at 10 persons to a lamb would make the population 2,700,200 (!), exclusive of foreigners, and those who happened to be disqualified by uncleanness. His statements may fairly be taken to make out a population of †4 millions (!!!) in a city, the circuit of whose walls was only 31 geog. miles. (28). The numbers of the slain and prisoners in the War are proved to be unhistorical by their incredible magnitude: for example, 20,000 Jews are said to have been killed by Florus at Cæsarea; 50,000 (in one place, 60,000 in another) at Alexandria; 10,000 (in one place, 18,000 in another) at Damascus; 40,000 at Jotapata; of those who fled from Gadara 15,000, besides those who were compelled to throw themselves into the Jordan, such a number that Jordan could not be passed over, and the Dead Sea also was filled with corpses; and during the siege of Hecatæus says: "50 stadia and 120,000 inhabitants." (Con. Ap. I. 22.) † Modern Jerusalem is estimated to contain 11,000 souls, and the circuit of its walls does not exceed 24 geographical miles. |