The Great Empires of Prophecy From Babylon to the Fall of Rome "To the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men." By Alonzo T. Jones ii CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. The Empire of Babylon – Nebuchadnezzar..................................... 11 Predominance of Babylon – God's Purpose with Israel – Religious Imposture Exposed – There is a God That Revealeth Secrets – The Siege of Tyre – Egypt Given to Nebuchadnezzar – Nebuchadnezzar's Great Golden Image – The Supremacy of Conscience – The Most High Ruleth – The City of Babylon – A Great Builder. CHAPTER II. Empire of Babylon – From Evil-Merodach to Belshazzar............... 30 The Reign of Nabonadius – Belshazzar's Household. The World's Great Kingdoms – The Three Great World Kingdoms – The Coming of Medo- Persia. CHAPTER III. The Empire of Media and Persia – The Fall of Babylon.................. 40 The Doom of Babylon – Cyrus Drains the Gyndes – Cyrus Drains the Euphrates – Belshazzar's Feast – The City Taken – Cyrus's Inscription – Babylon Is Fallen, Is Fallen. CHAPTER IV. Empire of Media and Persia – Darius the Mede and Cyrus ............. 51 Daniel's Business Faithfulness – The Rights of Conscience – Cyrus Acknowledges God – Opposition of the Samaritans – Death of Cyrus. CHAPTER V. Empire of Persia and Media – Cambyses and "Smerdis"................. 60 Death of Cambyses – Death of "Smerdis." iii CHAPTER VI. Empire of Persia and Media – Darius ............................................. 65 Darius Supports the Jews – The Provinces and Revolts – A Lover of Truth- Telling CHAPTER VII. Empire of Persia and Media – Darius ............................................. 71 In Scythia – The Burning of Sardis – Destruction of the Fleet – Second Expedition Against Greece – Marathon – The Persians Return to Asia – Death of Darius. CHAPTER VIII. Empire of Persia and Media – Xerxes............................................. 83 Xerxes Starts to Greece – The Great Bridge of Boats – Xerxes Rides Forth – The Nations Arrayed – Xerxes Reviews His Army. CHAPTER IX. Empire of Persia and Media – Xerxes............................................. 95 At Thermopylae – The Greeks Betrayed – Thermopylae Is Taken. CHAPTER X. Empire of Persia and Media – Xerxes............................................. 102 Athens Taken and Burnt – Defence of the Isthmus – The Greeks Make Ready – The Greeks Victorious – Xerxes Flees. CHAPTER XI. Empire of Persia and Media – Xerxes............................................. 112 The Battle of Plataea – The Greeks Victorious. CHAPTER XII. Empire of Persia and Media – Artaxerxes to Darius Codomanus ... 117 iv Jerusalem Rebuilt – Apostasy in Jerusalem – The Samaritans – The Battle of Cunaxa – The Anabasis – The Last Native King of Egypt. CHAPTER XIII. Empire of Grecia – Reign of Phillip................................................ 129 Demosthenes Against Philip – The Sacred War – Philip the Head of Greece – Philip Generalissimo. CHAPTER XIV. Empire of Grecia – Alexander ........................................................ 137 Demonstrates His Capabilities – Alexander Generalissimo – Alexander's Matchless Celerity – Final Departure from Greece. CHAPTER XV. Empire of Grecia – Alexander ........................................................ 144 Battle of the Granicus – Takes All Asia Minor – Darius's Army – Battle of Issus – Alexander Takes Tyre – Alexander's Vision – Holiday and Triumph in Egypt – The Battle of Arbela. CHAPTER XVI. Empire of Grecia – Alexander ........................................................ 158 Alexander's Court and Carousals – Grand Entry into Babylon – Alexander's Wide Dominion – Alexander's Swiftness of Conquest – A Man of Providence. CHAPTER XVII. Empire of Grecia – Alexander's Successors .................................... 167 The Governors and Generals – Plot and Counterplot – "King" Aridaeus Is Murdered – Seleucus Obtains Babylon – The Siege of Rhodes – Four Kingdoms Did Stand Up. CHAPTER XVIII. Empire of Grecia – Alexander's Successors .................................... 178 v Lysimachus Takes Macedonia – The Two Divisions – The Kingdom of Pergamus – "The King's Daughter of the South" – Berenice's Hair – The Battle of Gaza – Ptolemy and the Jews – The Romans Appear. CHAPTER XIX. Rome – The Republic..................................................................... 192 Pyrrhus in Italy – Philip and Hannibal – Embassies to Rome – Roman Freedom to the Greeks – Profitable to the Romans – Antiochus and the Romans – War with Antiochus Magnus – The Day of Magnesia – Heliodorus and the Temple of God – Death of Hannibal – Antiochus Epiphanes in Egypt – Rome Saves Egypt – Empire of Grecia Perishes – Rome's Profound Policy – The World's Tribunal – Rome Fulfils the Prophecy. CHAPTER XX. Rome – The Failure of The Republic.............................................. 219 Rome's Plunder and Luxury – Territory and Government – Money the One Thought – The Rich Richer, the Poor Poorer – Distribution of the Land – Public Granaries Established – War with Mithradates – Sulla's "Reforms" – Rise of Pompey and Caesar – Mithradates on the Romans – Pompey Subdues Judea – Antipater the Idumaean – Rullus and Cicero. CHAPTER XXI. Rome – The First Triumvirate ........................................................ 240 Pompey and the Senate – Caesar and the Senate – Caesar's Land Laws – Reform by Law – The Senate Wins Pompey – Legal Government Ended – Pompey and the Nobles – Antipater and Herod – The Senate Flatters Caesar – The Senate Murders Caesar. CHAPTER XXII. Rome – The Second Triumvirate.................................................... 257 Rise of Octavius – Plot, Counterplot, and War – The Triumvirate Formed – The Triumvirs' Proscription – "The Saviors of their Country" – Antony and Cleopatra – Herod Made King. vi CHAPTER XXIII. Rome – The Empire ....................................................................... 270 Rome Ruled the World – The Only World Power – The World's Homage to Rome – "The Iron Monarchy." CHAPTER XXIV. Rome – The Monarchy................................................................... 277 The World-Prison – Augusts and His Family – Everything "High Treason" – A Furious and Crushing Despotism – Caligula's Popularity – Caligula's Prodigality – Caligula's Deadly Cruelty – Claudius's Popularity – Messalina and Agrippina – Roman Society – Ultimate Paganism. CHAPTER XXV. Rome – Against Christianity........................................................... 296 Antagonistic Principles – The Roman Idea of Ethics – Vox Populi, Vox Dei – God and Caesar – Christians and the State – Pliny and the Christians – Roman Religious Life – The Roman Laws – Sources of Persecution – The Priests and Artisans – The Governors and Emperors – The Governmental System at Fault – Ground of Governmental Persecution – Christianity Victorious – The "Ten Persecutions." CHAPTER XXVI. Rome – The Great Apostasy........................................................... 323 That Man of Sin – Men Speaking Perverse Things – The Mysteries – Worshiping Toward the East – Ambition of the Bishop of Rome – The New Platonists – School of Clement and Origen – The Two Pagan Streams – Political Designs – The New Paganism – The Two Streams Unite; a New Religion. CHAPTER XXVII. Rome – Exaltation of the Bishopric ................................................ 342 One Is Master, Even Christ – Lover of Pre-eminence Begins – The Church of Rome Claims Supremacy – The Bishop the Infallible Judge – An Episcopal Punic War – Paul of Samosata. vii CHAPTER XXVIII. Rome – The Rise of Constantine .................................................... 353 The Persecution by Diocletian – Condition of the Church – The Persecution Stopped – The City of Rome Offended – Six Emperors at Once – Battle of the Milvian Bridge – Victory of Christian Principles. CHAPTER XXIX. Rome – The Religion of Constantine.............................................. 366 Constantine a Sun-Worshiper – The Labarum – Dies Solis and the Haruspices. Murder of Crispus and Fausta – The "True Cross" and Constantine – Is This Paganism or Christianity? – A Murder Even in Death. CHAPTER XXX. Rome – Constantine and the Bishops.............................................. 379 Constantine a New Moses – The New "Israel Delivered" – Constantine's Tabernacle – Bishops at the Imperial Banquet – Constantine Sent to Heaven – The Mystery of Iniquity. CHAPTER XXXI. Rome – The Union of Church and State ......................................... 393 Restoration of the Church Property – Which Was the Catholic Church – The Donatist Controversy – The Council at Arles – The State a Religious Partizan – Liberty to the Donatists – Clergy Exempt from Public Offices – The Church of the Masses – The Church a Mass of Hypocrites. CHAPTER XXXII. Rome – The Original Sunday Legislation ....................................... 410 True and False Theocracies – The New, and False, Theocracy – Constantine's Famous Sunday Law – The New Kingdom of God – The Sunday Law only Religious – By Authority of Pontifex Maximus – Sunday in the Council of Nice – Sunday Work Made Sacrilege – The Church Obtains the Monopoly – Origin of the Inquisition. viii CHAPTER XXXIII. Rome – Establishment of the Catholic Faith ................................... 428 The Trinitarian Controversy – homoousion or Homoiousion? – The Secret of the Controversy – Constantine's Design – The Council of Nice – Grand Entry of the Emperor – The Parties in the Council – The Making of the Creed – The Dissenters Banished – The True Estimate of the