Course 1, Chapter 49: Preparation for the Messiah — Monarchy of the Greeks and Romans. (A. C. 336-170.)

1. How did the great monarchy of the Greeks concur for the glory of the Messiah and the establishing of his reign, which is the gospel?

God had resolved from all eternity that the reign of the Messiah, that is to say, the gospel, should be established with rapidity from one end of the earth to the other. The great monarchy of the Greeks, founded by Alexander, was established to contribute to this design, by preparing the way for the gospel.

2. In how many ways did the monarchy of the Greeks prepare for the introduction of the gospel?

The monarchy of the Greeks prepared for the o-ospel in three ways.

3. What is the first?

First. By spreading over a large portion of the world, it rendered very common the Greek language in which the gospel was to be published, not only orally but particularly by written teachings.

4. What is the second?

Secondly. It attracted the Jews to nearly every part of the earth. These new missionaries made the true God known to the different nations, and by this means prepared them to receive the light of the gospel.

5. What was the third?

It procured for all these nations a knowledge of the sacred Scriptures.

6. How so?

128 CATECHISM OF PERSEVERANCE.

A . One of the successors of Alexander, named Ptolemy, king of Egypt, established at Alexandria, the capital of his kingdom, a valuable library which soon became the resort of the learned of all countries. This king, having learned that the Jews had a book contain ing the laws of Moses and the history of his people, had it translated from Hebrew into Greek, in order to enrich his library.

7. To whom did he apply?

He applied to the high priest Eleazar, who sent him a copy ef the Sacred Books, written in letters of gold, and seventy-two of the more learned ancients to make the translation. It was deposited in the library of Alexandria, and is called the Septuagint version.

8. HOAV did the fourth monarchy foretold by Daniel, that is, the monarchy of the Romans, contribute to the glory of the Messiah and the establishment of his reign, which is the gospel?

When the monarchy of the Greeks had accomplished its mission of preparing the minds of men for the preaching of the Gospel, God caused that monarchy to pass into the hands of the Romans. The Romans were destined by Providence to open and afford an easy communication, from one end of the world to the other, for those who were to preach the gospel.

9. What was necessary for this?

*For this it was necessary to throw down all the walls of division which still separated the different peoples, to reduce all nations to one single kingdom and establish a universal peace. This was the task as signed to the Roman empire. Daniel had predicted it in saying that this empire would be like a terrible beast, with teeth of iron of enormous size, which would devour all, break all in pieces, and trample under foot all that it had not torn to pieces. **

10. How did the Roman empire contribute to the glory of the Messiah?

The empire of the Romans contributed to the

glory of the Messiah by effecting the accomplishment of the celebrated prophecy of Jacob, who foretold that the Messiah would come when a stranger was seated on the throne of Juda. The Roman senate having appointed Herod, an Idumean, king of the Jews, the Messiah came into the world.

11. To what reflection does the succession of the four great monarchies give rise?

The succession of the four great monarchies gives rise to the reflection that God from on high governs all the empires of the earth as well as all events; and that before Jesus Christ he made them serve for the accomplishment of his grand design, the salvation of man through the establishment of the rei°;n of the Messiah: and that since Jesus Christ, he still makes them serve for the accomplishment of that design, through the preservation and propagation of the reiga of the Messiah.