Chapter XXXI.—If Christ’s power be now so great, how much greater at the
second advent!
“But if so great a power is shown to have followed and to be still following the dispens-
ation of His suffering, how great shall that be which shall follow His glorious advent! For
He shall come on the clouds as the Son of man, so Daniel foretold, and His angels shall come
with Him. These are the words: ‘I beheld till the thrones were set; and the Ancient of days
did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool. His
throne was like a fiery flame, His wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came
forth from before Him. Thousand thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times
ten thousand stood before Him. The books were opened, and the judgment was set. I beheld
then the voice of the great words which the horn speaks: and the beast was beat down, and
his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. And the rest of the beasts were taken
away from their dominion, and a period of life was given to the beasts until a season and
time. I saw in the vision of the night, and, behold, one like the Son of man coming with the
clouds of heaven; and He came to the Ancient of days, and stood before Him. And they who
stood by brought Him near; and there were given Him power and kingly honour, and all
nations of the earth by their families, and all glory, serve Him. And His dominion is an
everlasting dominion, which shall not be taken away; and His kingdom shall not be destroyed.
And my spirit was chilled within my frame, and the visions of my head troubled me. I came
near unto one of them that stood by, and inquired the precise meaning of all these things.
In answer he speaks to me, and showed me the judgment of the matters: These great beasts
are four kingdoms, which shall perish from the earth, and shall not receive dominion for
ever, even for ever and ever. Then I wished to know exactly about the fourth beast, which
destroyed all [the others] and was very terrible, its teeth of iron, and its nails of brass; which
devoured, made waste, and stamped the residue with its feet: also about the ten horns upon
its head, and of the one which came up, by means of which three of the former fell. And
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that horn had eyes, and a mouth speaking great things; and its countenance excelled the
rest. And I beheld that horn waging war against the saints, and prevailing against them,
until the Ancient of days came; and He gave judgment for the saints of the Most High. And
the time came, and the saints of the Most High possessed the kingdom. And it was told me
concerning the fourth beast: There shall be a fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall prevail
over all these kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall destroy and make it
thoroughly waste. And the ten horns are ten kings that shall arise; and one shall arise after
them;263 and he shall surpass the first in evil deeds, and he shall subdue three kings, and he
shall speak words against the Most High, and shall overthrow the rest of the saints of the
Most High, and shall expect to change the seasons and the times. And it shall be delivered
263 Literally, “And the ten horns, ten kings shall arise after them.”
Chapter XXXI.—If Christ’s power be now so great, how much greater at the second advent!
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Chapter XXXI.—If Christ’s power be now so great, how much greater at the…