The oath is the protestation of the saints-spirit swearing by Spirit -- by the all-creating Spirit -- concerning the termination of the times attested in the oath of the Spirit in the hearing of Daniel xii. 7. This prophet saw in vision a man clothed in linen, standing upon the waters; and John saw a man clothed with a multitudinous cloud, standing upon the sea. They both have their feet upon the waters; which imports that the peoples shall be subject to them whom they represent. Daniel heard the question put to the linen-invested man, "How long to the end of these wonders?" This elicited an oath from him with uplifted hands to heaven, in which he declared by THE LIVING ONE OF THE FUTURE AGE, b’khai ha-olahm (ho zon eis tous aionas ton aionon), that it should be "for a time, times, and a half:" that is, that the ending of the wonders should be synchronical with the end of that cycle of time. In this oath he declared the duration of the wonders, but not the beginning of the period. The duration expressed in figures is 1260 years. Daniel did not hear when they began; but he was informed of a certain event that would characterize their terminal epoch -- the concentration of the power of the holy people. So long as the twelve tribes of Israel remain scattered among the nations, their power is scattered. It will occupy forty years after the Rainbowed Multitude commence their labors before they will have established the twelve tribes in the Holy Land, an independent, glorious, and powerful kingdom, under David II, their King and Prince for the future age (Ezek. xxxvii. 21-28). When this is accomplished, the multitudinous angel of the covenant will have "accomplished, to scatter the power of the holy people;" which is the same as to cease to scatter it, or equivalent to restitution in the era of Israel’s regeneration (Matt. xix. 28). The development of this work will be terminal with 1260, which ought to be a jubilee year, in which every Israelite of that generation shall return to his possessions (Lev. xxv. 10). Be this as it may, this 1260 will not end so long as "the whole house of Israel" is helplessly trodden under foot of the Gentile governments. It must be restored "as in the days of old" (Amos ix. 11-15; Acts xv. 16); and then the wonders revealed to Daniel will have been fully developed.

Thus he heard, "but," says he, "I understood not;" he then inquired about the end of these times, saying, "O my lord, what the end of these?" -- of "the time, times, and a half?" But, the only additional premises supplied was the co-eval termination of 1335 years; when his lot or inheritance, should be developed, as the result of wonders elaborated during 40 subsequent years; and he should stand in it.

Such was the scanty information vouchsafed to Daniel 2400 years ago. The times, however, still remained incomprehensible to him. He was like other prophets "who inquired and searched diligently searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of the Christ that was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of the Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not for themselves, but for us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them (the apostles) who have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into" (1 Pet. i. 11,12). He might have been told, that the times, or 1260 years, when the glory should follow, would end in a certain year of the world’s age. This would have been very gratifying to his curiosity and to ours; but such information was not granted to any "until the time of the end." He was therefore commanded to go his way, which is the way of all the earth. He was to die in ignorance of the year of the world’s age when the 1260 should terminate; but he is to rise again in the time of the end, and to become one of the cloud with which the Spirit will then be invested. Then the words will be no longer closed and sealed. He will himself be engaged in the work of unclosing and unsealing in the time of the end, when "the mystery of the Deity will be finished," and fully "opened" to his view.

But, six hundred and thirty-eight years after Daniel went his way (he died in the first year of Cyrus’ sole reign, B.C. 540; which was the third from the capture of Babylon, and the death of Lucifer -- Dan. i. 21; x. 1; Isa. xiv. 12; Dan. v. 30), John was favored with a vision of the same man seen by Daniel, only instead of seeing him clothed with linen at the time, he saw him "clothed with a cloud." He had to communicate with John upon the same subject he had been treating of with Daniel upon the "How long to the end of the wonders?" In effect, he swore by Him who lives for the Millennial Future, that when he should stand upon the sea and upon the earth, chronos ouk estai eti -- Time should be no longer; that is, "the time, times, and a half" should expire; therefore, he adds, "But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall sound, otan melle salpizein, the Mystery of the Deity should also be finished, as he hath declared the good , hos euaggelise, to his servants the prophets" (x. 6,7). The time, concerning which Daniel inquired, saying: "What the end of these times?" is to continue "no longer" than the sounding of the seventh and last trumpet. When this shall sound, the 1260 time of Dan. xii. 7 will all be in the past -- this time will be no longer; but will be superseded by another "manner of time," commonly styled, "The Millennium;" by Daniel hah-olahm; and by John, as in verse 6, hoi aiones ton aionon, the cycles of the cycles, which constitute YAHWEH’S TIMES, or the future age (Isa. xxxiii. 5,6).

Such is the angel’s oath. It is to be remarked, that he did not sware, that the 1260 time should be no longer than when the seventh angel should begin to sound, as rendered in the English Version; but "when he shall sound," which sounding will occupy "days;" for he said, "in the days of the voice." This indicates an indefinite continuance of the voice; indefinite as far as the words of the oath are concerned. In the days of sounding, neither at the beginning, nor in the middle, of the sounding; but when the sounding shall be progressing, the mystery shall be finished. The sixth trumpet ended with "the remnant giving glory to the Deity of the heaven" (Apoc. xi. 13); which was nationally proclaimed MAY 7, A.D. 1794. Since that event the seventh angel has been sounding. He is sounding his trumpet at the present time. It is "the third woe," in the development of which, direful calamities befall the catholic and protestant "worshippers of the daemonials and idols," not expressly detailed. This American woe, which afflicts the old and new worlds, is, doubtless, an unwritten calamity of the seventh trumpet. It is a just punishment upon "the spirituals of the wickedness in the heavenlies" in Church and State, and upon the blind multitude which is led by them into the ditch, "the last ditch," which will engulf them all. This seventh trumpet is "the last trumpet;" and will not cease to sound until "the mystery of the Deity is finished as he hath declared the glad tidings to his servants the prophets;" that is, until the end of the seventh vial, in the consummation of which John heard the announcement from the throne "IT IS DONE!" (xvi. 17). What is done, or finished? The only answer possible is, "the Mystery of the Deity is finished."

Now, on the ground of the commencement of the seventh trumpet "quickly" after the ending of the sixth; that is, in the same year; the seventh trumpet has been sounding seventy years in the current A.D. 1865. But it will probably continue to sound forty years longer, or till A.D. 1905-8; making in all a period of one hundred and ten years. Hence, this century and a fraction answers to the "days of the voice of the seventh angel." In these days the mystery is to be finished; and the "time" of the mystery "will be no longer -- the 1260 will be all expired, and the thousand years begin. Looking at the events of the past seventy years, and at the present woeful condition of this "evil world," no one can be so blind as to say that the mystery is finished. Its finishing then, is unquestionably in the future; which will be an epoch of the world’s history -- "a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation to that same time" (Dan. xii. 1): "Blessed is he that watcheth, and keeps his garments;" and is able to discern the time (Apoc. xvi. 15).