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Daniel Chapter
Seven
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO DANIEL 7
This
chapter contains Daniel's vision of the four beasts
The time
place
manner
writing
and declaration of the vision
Daniel 7:1
the
rise of the beasts
and the description of them
Daniel 7:2
the
judgment of God upon them
especially the last
and the delivery of universal
monarchy to his Son
Daniel 7:9
the
interpretation of the vision at the request of Daniel
being greatly affected
with it
Daniel 7:15
a
particular inquiry of his about the fourth beast
concerning which a full
account is given
Daniel 7:19
all
which caused in him many thoughts of heart
and reflections of mind
Daniel 7:28.
Daniel 7:1 In the first
year of Belshazzar king of Babylon
Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while
on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream
telling the main facts.[a]
YLT 1In the first year of
Belshazzar king of Babylon
Daniel hath seen a dream
and the visions of his
head on his bed
then the dream he hath written
the chief of the things he
hath said.
In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon
.... Daniel
having finished the historical part of his book
and committed to writing what
was necessary concerning himself and his three companions
and concerning
Nebuchadnezzar
Belshazzar
and Darius the Mede
proceeds to the prophetic part
and goes back to the first year of Belshazzar's reign
seventeen years before
his death
and the fall of the Babylonish monarchy last mentioned; for so long
Belshazzar reigned
according to JosephusF21Antiqu. Jud. l. 10. c.
11. sect. 4. ; and with which agrees the canon of Ptolemy
who ascribes so many
years to the reign of Nabonadius
the same
with Belshazzar: he began to reign
according to Bishop UsherF23Annales Vet. Test. A. M. 3449.
Dean
PrideauxF24Connexion
&c. part. 1. p. 114.
and Mr
WhistonF25Chronological
Tables
cent. 10.
in the year of the world 3449 A.M.
and 555 B.C.; and in
the first year of his reign Daniel had the dream of the four monarchies
as
follows:
Daniel had a dream: as Nebuchadnezzar before had
concerning
the same things
the four monarchies of the world
and the kingdom of Christ
only represented in a different manner: or
"saw a dream"F26חלם חזה "somnium
vidit". V. L. Pagninus
Montanus
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
&c. ; in his dream he had a vision
and objects were presented to his fancy
as if he really saw them
as follows:
and visions of his head came upon his bed; as he lay
upon his bed
and deep sleep was fallen on him
things in a visionary way were
exhibited to him very wonderful and surprising
and which made strong
impressions upon him:
then he wrote the dream: awaking out of his
sleep
and perfectly remembering the dream he had dreamed
and recollecting the
several things he had seen in it; that they might not be lost
but transmitted
to posterity for their use and benefit
he immediately committed them to
writing:
and told the sum of the matters; the whole of what he had
dreamt and seen; or however the sum and substance of it
the more principal
parts of it
the most interesting things in it
and of the greatest importance:
when it was daylight
and he rose from his bed
and went out of his chamber
he
called his friends together
and told them by word of mouth what he had seen in
his dream the night past; or read what he had written of it
which was as
follows:
Daniel 7:2 2 Daniel
spoke
saying
“I saw in my vision by night
and behold
the four winds of
heaven were stirring up the Great Sea.
YLT 2Answered hath Daniel and
said
`I was seeing in my vision by night
and lo
the four winds of the heavens
are coming forth to the great sea;
Daniel spake and said
I saw in my vision by night
.... He
declared he had had a vision by night
and this was the substance of it:
and
behold
the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great
sea: the east
west
north
and south winds
broke out from each of
their quarters
and rushed in upon the great sea; either the Mediterranean
so
called in comparison of the sea of Sodom
and the sea of Tiberias in Judea; or
upon the waters of the main ocean
and raised up its waves
and seemed as it
were to be striving and fighting with them
and put them into a strange
agitation; by which may be meant the whole world
and the kingdoms and nations
of it
because of its largeness
inconstancy
instability
and disquietude; see
Revelation 17:15
and by the "four winds" some understand the angels
either good or
bad
concerned in the affairs of Providence on earth
either by divine order or
permission; or rather the kings of the earth raising commotions in it
striving
and fighting with one another
either to defend or enlarge their dominions; and
which have been the means in Providence of the rising up of some great state or
monarchy
as after appears.
Daniel 7:3 3 And
four great beasts came up from the sea
each different from the other.
YLT 3and four great beasts are
coming up from the sea
diverse one from another.
And four great beasts came up from the sea
.... Which are
afterwards interpreted of four kings or kingdoms
Daniel 7:17
which
rose up in the world
not at once
but successively
and out of the sea or
world
through the commotions and agitations of it; and these are the four
monarchies
Babylonian
Persian
Grecian
and Roman; compared to
"beasts"
because of the rapine and violence
cruelty
oppression
and tyranny
by which they were obtained
set up
supported
and maintained;
and to "great ones"
being not like single separate kingdoms
as the
kingdom of Israel
and the like
but consisting of many kingdoms and nations
and so like beasts of an enormous size:
diverse one from another; in their situation
language
manner
strength
and power; hence expressed by divers sorts of
beasts
as the lion
bear
leopard
&c.; as in Nebuchadnezzar's dream by
different metals
gold
silver
brass
and iron.
Daniel 7:4 4 The
first was like a lion
and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its wings
were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two
feet like a man
and a man’s heart was given to it.
YLT 4The first [is] like a lion
and it hath an eagle's wings. I was seeing till that its wings have been
plucked
and it hath been lifted up from the earth
and on feet as a man it
hath been caused to stand
and a heart of man is given to it.
The first was like a lion
.... That which rose up
first
the kingdom of the Babylonians
as the Syriac version expresses it; or
the Assyrian monarchy
founded by Nimrod
increased by the Assyrians
and
brought to its height under Nebuchadnezzar by the Babylonians and Chaldeans;
this is said to be like a "lion" for its strength and power
for its
greatness
dignity
and majesty; the same with the head of gold in
Nebuchadnezzar's dream; see Jeremiah 4:7
and had eagles' wings; denoting the celerity
and swiftness with which Nebuchadnezzar ran
or rather flew
over several
kingdoms and countries
and added them to his empire; see Jeremiah 4:13
and I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked; it was
retarded and stopped in its conquests; it could fly no further
nor make any
new acquisitions; yea
it was deplumed and stripped of some of its dominions
the Medes and Persians falling off
and making war with it:
and it was lifted up from the earth; or
"with which it
was lifted up from
the earth"F1ונטילת
מן ארעא "quibus
efferebatur e terra"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator; "per quas
efferebatur supra terram"
Grotius. ; with which wings it raised itself
up
and lifted itself above other kingdoms and nations; but now were plucked
and could not soar aloft as formerly; its glory and majesty
power and
strength
were lessened
whole provinces revolting
as in the times of
Evilmerodach
Neriglissar
and Belshazzar:
and made stand upon the feet as a man; it did not
fly like an eagle as before
and overrun countries
and waste them; or go upon
all four
as a beast; but stood on its feet
its two hinder legs
like a man;
signifying that it abated
in the reigns of the above princes
of its strength
and fierceness
and became more mild and tractable
and was reduced within
bounds like other kingdoms:
and a man's heart was given to it; instead of a lion like
heart
that was bold and intrepid
and feared nothing
it became weak and
fearful
and timorous like the heart of man
especially in Belshazzar's time;
not only when he saw the handwriting on the wall
to which Jacchiades refers
this; but when he was so fearful of Cyrus that he shut himself up in Babylon
and durst not stir out to give him battle
as XenophonF2Cyropaedia
l. 5. c. 10. relates; and when the city was taken
the Babylonians were obliged
to deliver up their arms
employ themselves in tilling their fields
and to pay
tribute to the Persians
and always salute them as their lords and masters
as
the same historianF3Cyropaedia
l. 7. c. 24. says; see Jeremiah 51:30.
Daniel 7:5 5 “And
suddenly another beast
a second
like a bear. It was raised up on one side
and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to
it: ‘Arise
devour much flesh!’
YLT 5And lo
another beast
a
second
like to a bear
and to the same authority it hath been raised
and
three ribs [are] in its mouth
between its teeth
and thus they are saying to
it
Rise
consume much flesh.
And
behold
another beast
a second
like to a bear
.... Another
monarchy
and which succeeded the former
and rose up upon the ruins of it
the
Medo-Persian monarchy; and so the Syriac version prefixes to this verse
by way
of explanation
"the
kingdom of the Medes'
like
to a bear
less generous and strong than the lion; more rough and uncivil
but
equally cruel and voracious; which describes the Medes and Persians as a fierce
and cruel people
and less polished
and more uncivilized
than the Chaldeans;
and answers to the silver breasts and arms in Nebuchadnezzar's dream; see Isaiah 13:17
and it raised up itself on one side; either of the lion
the
first beast it destroyed; or rather on one side of itself
on the side of
Persia; from whence Cyrus came
who was the principal instrument of raising
this empire to the pitch it was brought unto. Some render it
"and it
raised up one government"F4ולשטר חר הקימת "quae dominatum
unum erexit"
Junius & Tremellius
Polanus; "et dominatum
quendana erexit"
Piscator. ; one empire out of many nations and kingdoms
it subdued:
and it had three ribs in the mouth of it
between the teeth of it; that is
three
ribs covered with flesh
which
it was devouring; the bear being very
voracious
and a great flesh eater: these
according to some
signify three
kings that followed Darius the Mede; Cyrus
Ahasuerus
and Darius; so Jarchi
and Jacchiades; and
according to Jerom
three kingdoms
the Babylonian
Median
and Persian: but neither of these kings nor kingdoms can be said to be
in its mouth
and between its teeth
as ground and devoured by it
unless the
Babylonian; wherefore it is better interpreted by others
as Theodoret
the
three parts of the world it conquered
westward
northward
and southward
Daniel 8:4
though
it is best of all
with Sir Isaac Newton and Bishop Chandler
to understand by
them Babylon
Lydia
and Egypt; which countries were ground and oppressed by
the Medes and Persians
as the ribs of any creature are ground in the mouth of
a bear:
and they said thus unto it
arise
devour much flesh; which Jerom
refers to Haman's orders to destroy the Jews in the times of Ahasuerus; but it
is much better applied by others to Cyaxares or Darius sending for Cyrus to
take upon him the command of his army; and to the Hyrcanians
Gobryas
and
others
inviting him to avenge them on the Babylonians
promising to join and
assist him
as XenophonF5Cyropaedia l. 1. c. 22. l. 4. c. 4
24.
relates: or rather this is to be interpreted of the divine will
and of the
conduct of Providence by means of angels stirring up the spirit of Cyrus
and
of the Medes and Persians
to attack and subdue many nations
and particularly
the Babylonians
and fill themselves with their wealth and substance; hence
they are styled the Lord's sanctified
whom he ordered and called to such
service; see Isaiah 13:3.
Daniel 7:6 6 “After
this I looked
and there was another
like a leopard
which had on its back
four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads
and dominion was given to
it.
YLT 6`After this I was seeing
and lo
another like a leopard
and it hath four wings of a fowl on its back
and four heads hath the beast
and dominion is given to it.
After this I beheld
and
lo another
like a leopard
.... Another
beast
another monarchy
a third monarchy succeeding the Persian monarchy
and
which rose up on the ruins of that; Darius king of the Persians being beaten by
Alexander king of Macedon
who was the instrument of setting up the Grecian monarchy
here intended; compared to a leopard
a smaller creature than a lion;
signifying that this monarchy arose from a small beginning; and a crafty one
Alexander having many wise counsellors of his father's about him
though he
himself was rash and hasty; and a spotted one
denoting the various virtues and
vices of Alexander
and his inconstancy in them; sometimes exercising the one
and sometimes the other; or rather the different nations
and the manners of
them
he conquered
of which this empire consisted; not to say anything of the
cruelty and swiftness of this creature
which are both to be observed in this
conqueror:
which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; denoting the
swiftness of Alexander in his conquests; who in a few years made himself master
of the whole world
at least as he thought
whose empire was greater than that
of Nebuchadnezzar and the Chaldeans
to whom only two wings of an eagle are
given
Daniel 7:4. Says
Jerom
"nothing
was more swift than the conquest of Alexander
from Illyricum and the Adriatic
sea
unto the Indian ocean
and the river Ganges; he rather ran through the
world by victories than by battles
and in six years subdued part of Europe
all Asia even unto India
'
to
which may be added all Egypt
Syria
and Palestine. Arimazes being master of a
rock in Sogdiana
which was thought inaccessible and impregnable
Alexander
sent a messenger to him to demand the delivery of it to him; but
among other
things he proudly said
he asked the messenger
with a sneer
if Alexander
could fly; which
when the messenger reported
nettled him much
that he should
be insulted because he had not wings; and vowed that the next night he would
make him believe that the Macedonians did fly; and accordingly they found ways
and means to get to the top of it
which
when the governor saw
he declared
that Alexander's soldiers had wingsF6Curt. Hist. l. 7. c. 11. :
the beast also had four heads; which signify the four
kingdoms into which the Grecian empire was divided after Alexander's death
under four of his generals
who were heads or governors of them: Macedonia
under Antipater
or
as others
Cassander; Egypt under Ptolemy; Syria under Seleucus;
and Asia under Antigonus
or
as others
Lysimachus:
and dominion was given to it; the dominion of the
whole world
or
however
a very large dominion; and this was given of God
and
according to his will
and the ordering of his providence; for to nothing else
can it be ascribed
that with thirty thousand men Alexander should beat an army
of six hundred thousand; and with such a handful of men subdue so many kingdoms
and nations
and that in the space of a few years.
Daniel 7:7 7 “After
this I saw in the night visions
and behold
a fourth beast
dreadful and
terrible
exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring
breaking in pieces
and trampling the residue with its feet. It was
different from all the beasts that were before it
and it had ten horns.
YLT 7`After this I was seeing in
the visions of the night
and lo
a fourth beast
terrible and fearful
and
exceedingly strong; and it hath iron teeth very great
it hath consumed
yea
it doth break small
and the remnant with its feet it hath trampled; and it
[is] diverse from all the beasts that [are] before it; and it hath ten horns.
After this I saw in the night visions
and behold a fourth beast
.... Not in
another night
as Jarchi; but in the same night
and in the same visions of it;
only after he had seen the other three successively
then last of all he saw
this fourth beast; and more being said of this than of the rest
shows that
this was the principal thing in the vision to be observed
as being to endure
until
and having a close connection with
the kingdom of the Messiah; which
arising
shall destroy it
and take place of it: this is not the Turkish
empire
as Aben Ezra
and others: nor the kingdom of the Seleucidae
as
Grotius
and others; to which neither the characters
nor the duration of it
agree; but the Roman empire
which succeeded the Grecian
so GorionidesF7(Curt.
Hist.) l. 3. c. 15. p. 221. :
dreadful and terrible
and strong exceedingly; exceeding
powerful
as the Roman empire was
and terrible to all the kingdoms of the
earth; its armies
wherever they came
struck terror among the nations
and
threw them into a panic
killing
wasting
robbing all they met withF8Raptores
Orbis
&c. Taciti Vita Agricolae
c. 30. ; and especially it was terrible
to Christians
by their persecutions of them
as both Rome Pagan and Rome Papal
have been. Rome has its name from strength with the Greeks
and from height
with the Hebrews
as JeromF9Adv. Jovinian. l. 2. fol. 32. L.
observes:
it had great iron teeth; which may design its
generals and emperors
such as Scipio
Pompey
Julius Caesar
and others; which
crushed and devoured all that came in their way: this monarchy answers to the
legs and feet of iron in Nebuchadnezzar's dream:
it devoured and brake in pieces
and stamped the residue with the
feet of it; it devoured nations
broke kingdoms in pieces
and brought them
in subjection to them; reducing them to the greatest servitude
and obliging
them to pay heavy taxes and tribute:
it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it: in its
original
language
laws
customs
and forms of government; it was such a
monster
that no name could be given it; there was no one beast in nature to
which it could be compared; it had all the ill properties of the other beasts
for craft
cruelty oppression
and tyranny; and therefore John describes this
same beast as being like a leopard
having the feet of a bear and the mouth of
a lion. Revelation 13:2
and it had ten horns; which are explained of
ten kings or kingdoms
Daniel 7:24
the
same with the ten toes in Nebuchadnezzar's dream and with the ten kings that
received power as kings with the beast or ten kingdoms
into which the Roman
empire was divided about the time of the rise of antichrist
see Gill on cd11ul Rev_17:12.
Daniel 7:8 8 I
was considering the horns
and there was another horn
a little one
coming up
among them
before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots.
And there
in this horn
were eyes like the eyes of a man
and a mouth
speaking pompous words.
YLT 8`I was considering about
the horns
and lo
another horn
a little one
hath come up between them
and
three of the first horns have been eradicated from before it
and lo
eyes as
the eyes of man [are] in this horn
and a mouth speaking great things.
I considered the horns
.... The ten horns of the
fourth beast; these the prophet particularly looked at
took special notice of
them
carefully observed them
their number
form
and situation
and pondered
in his mind what should be the meaning of them:
and
behold; while he was attentive to these
and thinking within himself
what they should be
something still more wonderful presented:
there came up among them another little horn; not Titus
Vespasian
as Jarchi; nor the Turkish empire
as Saadiah; nor Antiochus
Epiphanes
as many Christian interpreters; for not a single person or king is
meant by a horn
but a kingdom or state
and a succession of governors; as by
the other ten horns are meant ten kings or kingdoms; besides
this little horn
is a part of the fourth
and not the third beast
to which Antiochus belonged;
and was to rise up
not in the third or Grecian monarchy
as he did
but in the
fourth and Roman monarchy; and was to continue until the spiritual coming of
Christ; or
until his kingdom in a spiritual sense takers place; which is not
true of him: and since no other has appeared in the Roman empire
to whom the
characters of this horn agree
but antichrist or the pope of Rome
he may be
well thought to be intended. IrenaeusF11Advers. Haeress
l. 5. c.
25.
an ancient Christian writer
who lived in the second century
interprets
it of antichrist; of whom having said many things
has these words:
"Daniel
having respect to the end of the last kingdom; that is the last ten kings among
whom their kingdom should be divided
upon whom the son of perdition shall
come; he says that ten horns shall be upon the beast
and another little horn
should rise up in the midst of them; and three horns of the first be rooted out
before him; and
"behold"
saith he
"in this horn were eyes as
the eyes of man"
&c.; of whom again the Apostle Paul
in 2 Thessalonians 2:8
declaring together the cause of his coming
thus says
"and then shall
that wicked one be revealed &c."'
and
in a following chapterF12Ibid. c. 26. the same writer observes
"John
the disciple of the Lord in the Revelation hath yet more manifestly signified
of the last time
and of those ten kings in it
among whom the empire that now
reigns (the Roman empire) shall be divided; declaring what shall be the ten
horns
which were seen by Daniel; saying
"the ten horns which thou sawest
are ten kings
which have received no kingdom as yet
&c."; therefore
it is manifest
that of these he that is to come shall slay three
and the rest
shall be subject to him
and he shall be the eighth among them;'
and
Jerom on the place says
that this is the sense of
"all
ecclesiastical writers
that when the Roman empire is destroyed
there shall be
ten kings who shall divide it among them; and an eleventh shall arise
a little
king
who shall conquer three of the ten kings; and having slain them
the
other seven shall submit their necks to the conqueror:'
who
he further observes is not a devil or demon
but a man
the man of sin
and son
of perdition; so as that he dare to sit in the temple of God
making himself as
if he was God: now to the Roman antichrist everything here said answers: he is
a "horn"
possessed of power
strength
authority
and dominion
of
which the horn is an emblem; a "little" one
which rose from small
beginnings
and came to his ecclesiastic power
from a common pastor or bishop
to be a metropolitan of Italy
and then universal bishop; and to his secular
power
which at first was very small
and since increased; and yet in
comparison of other horns or kingdoms
but little; though
being allowed to
exercise a power within others
is
or at least has been
very formidable: this
"came up among" the other horns; when the northern barbarous nations
broke into the empire and set up ten kingdoms in it
this little horn sprung up
among them; and while they were forming kingdoms for themselves
he was contriving
one for himself; they rose at the same time and reigned together; see Revelation 17:12
before whom
there were three of the first horns plucked up by the
roots; before whom three kings or kingdoms fell
and were subdued as in
Daniel 7:20 which
according to Mr. MedeF13Works
B. 4. p. 779.
were the kingdoms of
the Greeks
of the Longobards
and of the Franks; but
according to Sir Isaac
NewtonF14Observations on Daniel
p. 75-78
80
88.
they were the
exarchate of Ravenna
the kingdom of the Lombards
and the senate and dukedom
of Rome; or
according to the present bishop of ClogherF15Inquiry
into the Time of the Messiah's coming
p. 28.
the Campagnia of Rome
the
exarchate of Ravenna
and the region of Pentapolis
which were plucked up by
Pipin and Charlemagne
kings of France
and given to the pope; and were
confirmed to him by their successor Lewis the pious
and is what is called the
patrimony of St. Peter; in memory of which a piece of Mosaic work was made and
put up in the pope's palace
representing St. Peter with three keys in his lap;
signifying the three keys of the three parts of his patrimony; and to show his
sovereignty over them
the pope to this day wears a triple crown:
and
behold
in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man; in some
monstrous births there have been eyes in the knees
and in the belly above the
navelF16Vid. Schott. Phyica Curiosa
l. 5. c. 25. p. 711
712. ; but
never was there known such a monster as this
to have a horn
and eyes in the
horn; horns some monsters have but not eyes in them: these may design the
pretended sanctity and religion of the pope of Rome or antichrist
who
though
a beast
would be thought to be a man
a religious creature; or his pretended
modesty
humanity
and courtesy
when he is all the reverse; or rather his
insight into the Scriptures he makes pretension to
setting himself up as an
infallible judge of them
and of all controversies: though they seem better to
design what he really has than what he pretends to; and may denote his
penetration and sagacity
his craft and cunning
and sharp looking out to get
power and dominion
temporal and spiritual; and his watchfulness to keep it
that it is not encroached upon
and took away from him; and also all means and
instruments by which he inspects his own and others' affairs; particularly the
order of the Jesuits
which are his eyes everywhere
spies in all kingdoms and
courts
and get intelligence of what is done in the councils and cabinets of
princes: how many eyes this horn had is not said; nor is it easy to say how
many the pope of Rome has; he has as many as Argus
and more too
and these
sharp and piercing:
and a mouth speaking great things as that he is Christ's
vicar on earth
Peter's successor
head of the church
and universal bishop;
that he is infallible
and cannot err; that he has all power in heaven
earth
and hell; that he can forgive sin
grant indulgences
make new laws
and bind
the consciences of men; dispense with the laws of God and men; dispose of
kingdoms
and remove and set up kings at pleasure
with many others of the like
kind; see Revelation 13:5.
Daniel 7:9 9 “I
watched till thrones were put in place
And the Ancient of Days was seated; His
garment was white as snow
And the hair of His head was like pure
wool. His throne was a fiery flame
Its wheels a burning fire;
YLT 9`I was seeing till that
thrones have been thrown down
and the Ancient of Days is seated
His garment
as snow [is] white
and the hair of his head [is] as pure wool
His throne
flames of fire
its wheels burning fire.
I beheld till the thrones were cast down
.... On which
the governors of the above monarchies sat; and those of the ten kings
signified by the ten horns; and also that of the little horn. The prophet kept
looking on the objects before him
till he in his dream
and the visions of the
night
saw all those empires and kingdoms demolished
and all rule
power
and
authority
put down
and way made for the glorious kingdom of the Messiah
and
his saints with him; to this sense Aben Ezra
Saadiah
and Jacchiades
interpret the word used; but the Septuagint
Vulgate Latin
Syriac
and Arabic
versions
render it
"until the thrones were set up"F17כרסון רמיו "subsellia posita
sunt"
Tigurine version; "solia posita sunt"
Piscator
Cocceius; "throni elati sunt"
Pagninus
Montanus. ; for the judges
to sit upon to try
judge
and condemn the four beasts or monarchies; in order
to make way for the kingdom of the Son of man to take place in the spirituality
and glory of it: here are more thrones than one; see Revelation 20:4
one for the Ancient of days
and another for him who was like to the Son of
man
brought near before him; and so the JewsF18T. Bab. Chagiga
fol. 14. 1. & Gloss in ib. say
here were two thrones pitched and prepared
one for the Ancient of days
and another for David
that is
the Messiah
or
Son of David; and so Jarchi paraphrases the words
"the
thrones were pitched and prepared to sit upon in judgment:'
and
this sense is confirmed by the use of the word in Ezra 7:24 and in
the Targum on 2 Kings 18:14 and
to this agrees best the following clause:
and the Ancient of days did sit; on one of the thrones
pitched
as chief Judge: this is to be understood of God the Father
as
distinct from the Messiah
the Son of God
said to be like the Son of man
brought unto him
Daniel 7:13 and is
so called
not only because he is from everlasting
and without beginning of
days; but chiefly because he is permanent
and endures for ever; his years fail
not
and of his days there will be no end; and he will be when these empires
signified by the four beasts
will be no more; and very fit to be Judge of
them
because of his consummate wisdom and prudence
signified also by this
phrase; and the divine Father of Christ is still more proper
because it is in
Christ's cause the judgment will proceed; and this in order to introduce him openly
into his dominions in the world:
whose garment was white as snow; denoting the purity of
his nature
the brightness of his majesty
and his uncorruptness in judgment:
and the hair of his head like the pure wool; signifying
his venerableness
gravity
wisdom
and ripeness of judgment; being wonderful
in counsel
and excellent in working:
his throne was like the fiery flame; expressive of him
as
awful and formidable
as a consuming fire; and of his piercing judgment
and
the severity of it:
and his wheels as burning fire; the wheels of his
throne; alluding to such seats and thrones as were made to turn about
and to
be moved from place to place; denoting the power and providence of God
everywhere; the clear view he has of all things
in all places; and his
swiftness in the execution of his judgments.
Daniel 7:10 10 A
fiery stream issued And came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands
ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court[b] was
seated
And the books were opened.
YLT 10A flood of fire is
proceeding and coming forth from before Him
a thousand thousands do serve Him
and a myriad of myriads before Him do rise up
the Judge is seated
and the
books have been opened.
A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him
.... Or
"a river of fire"F19נהר די־נור "fluvius ignis"
Montanus
Junius &
Tremellius
Piscator
Cocceius
Michaelis. ; which denotes the copious
judgments of God
the abundance of them; the full flow of his wrath
and the
fierceness of it; and also its rapidity
which cannot be resisted and stopped:
thousand thousands ministered unto him; attended upon
him
waiting his orders
and ready to execute them; an innumerable company of
angels
Psalm 103:20
and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; to be judged
by him; the numerous inhabitants of the several monarchies
with their kings;
particularly all the antichristian states
and the worshippers of the beast
whom the whole world went after
Revelation 13:3
the judgment was set; that is
the court was
set; the Judge was upon the bench
and all his assessors and apparitors about
him
and that ministered to him:
and the books were opened; both to take the trial
in writing
and to produce evidence against the criminals; the book of God's
purposes and decrees concerning these beasts; the book of prophecies relating
to them; the book of God's remembrance
and of their own consciences
with
respect to the evils committed by them; and the book of records
statutes
and
laws made in such cases; even the book of the Scriptures
which contains the
revelation of the will of God. In some things there is a likeness between this
and the last and future judgment
and in other things a disagreement; the Judge
in both is a divine Person
the eternal God
omniscient
omnipotent
holy
just
and true
which is absolutely necessary for carrying on such a process;
none but God over all is equal to such a work: in the last judgment
as in
this
there will be thrones; the throne of God and of the Lamb
particularly a
great white throne
a symbol of purity
justice
and equity
on which the Judge
himself will sit
and execute judgment
from whose presence the earth and
heaven will flee away; and besides
there will be other thrones for the martyrs
of Jesus
and true professors of his name
to sit upon as spectators
witnesses
and approvers of the solemn procedure
and shall reign with Christ a
thousand years: likewise the number of the persons judged
as here
will be
very great
even innumerable; all
both small and great
as to age or dignity
will stand before the Judge
to be judged by him
and receive their sentence
from him; and there will be books for that purpose
as here
even the same
and
particularly the book of life
in which
if a man's name is not written
he
will be cast into the lake of fire; see Revelation 20:4
but in other things they differ; here the Judge is God the Father
the first
Person in the Trinity
called the Ancient of days
distinguished from Christ
said to be like the Son of man; whereas the last and future judgment will be
committed to the Son of God
the second Person
who is ordained Judge of quick
and dead; and who will come a second time to judge the world in righteousness;
and
though the description of the Ancient of days will agree well enough with
him
he having the same glorious perfections his Father has
which qualify him
for a Judge; see Revelation 1:14
yet it is certain not he
but his divine Father
is intended: nor in the
account of the future judgment is there any mention of "a fiery
stream" issuing forth before him
as here
for the burning of the body of
the beast; unless the lake of fire may be thought to answer to it
into which
will be cast all such who have no part in the Lamb
nor a name in his book of
life: however
the accounts of both are very awful and striking; and this may
be considered as a type
example
presage
and pledge
of the future judgment;
this will be at the beginning of the spiritual reign of Christ
when antichrist
will be destroyed with the breath of his mouth
and the brightness of his
coming; the judgment of the saints will be at the beginning of his personal
reign
even of the quick and dead
those that will be found alive
and those
that will be raised from the dead
at his appearing and kingdom; and the
judgment of the wicked will be at the close of it
or at the end of the
Millennium; see Revelation 20:5.
Daniel 7:11 11 “I
watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was
speaking; I watched till the beast was slain
and its body destroyed and given
to the burning flame.
YLT 11`I was seeing
then
because of the voice of the great words that the horn is speaking
I was seeing
till that the beast is slain
and his body hath been destroyed
and given to
the burning fire;
I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the
horn spake
.... Or
"from the voice"F20מן קל "a voce"
Montanus
Cocceius; "ex quo coepit vox"
Vatablus
Junius &
Tremellius; "ex quo audita fuit vox"
Piscator. ; from the time it
was heard
the prophet continued looking to see what would be the issue of all
this; especially from the time he heard the little horn speak such blasphemous
things against God
and Christ
and his people
which were so intolerable
that
he concluded some notice would be taken of them in a way of correction and
punishment; and the rather
when he saw the Judge appear with so much majesty
and grandeur
and all things prepared for a judicial process:
I beheld even till the beast was slain; the fourth
beast
the Roman monarchy
to which a period will be put
and be utterly
abolished in every form and shape
and with it the little horn or Papacy; when
the beast on which the whore of Rome sits and rules
and by whom she is
supported
will go into perdition; and she herself shall be made desolate and
naked
her flesh eaten
and she burned with fire by the ten horns
or kings
that shall rise up against her
being filled with hatred to her
Revelation 17:3
and his body destroyed
and given to the burning flame; when Rome
with all its power and wealth shall cease
and be no more
the whole body of
the antichristian states shall perish; the city of Rome shall be burnt with
fire; the beast and false prophet shall be taken and cast into a lake of fire
burning with brimstone
Revelation 18:8.
Daniel 7:12 12 As
for the rest of the beasts
they had their dominion taken away
yet their lives
were prolonged for a season and a time.
YLT 12and the rest of the beasts
have caused their dominion to pass away
and a prolongation in life is given to
them
till a season and a time.
As concerning the rest of the beasts..... The other
three which represent the Babylonian
Persian and Grecian monarchies:
they had their dominion taken away; not at this time when
the fourth beast
or Roman empire
is destroyed
but long ago; and not
together
but successively; the dominion was taken away from the Babylonians
and given to the Persians; and then their dominion was taken away
and given to
the Grecians; and after that the dominion of the Grecians was taken away from
them
and given to the Romans: the prophet having observed what became of the
fourth beast
he was most intent upon
just in a few words takes notice of the
fate of the other three
before this:
yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time: these
monarchies did not at once become extinct
as the fourth beast or monarchy
will
but by degrees; and the kingdoms of which they consisted are still in
being
though in another form of government
and in different hands; whereas
when the fourth monarchy is destroyed
all rule and authority will be put down
and the kingdom be given to Christ and his saints
as follow:
Daniel 7:13 13 “I
was watching in the night visions
And behold
One like the Son of Man
Coming
with the clouds of heaven!He came to the Ancient of Days
And they brought Him
near before Him.
YLT 13`I was seeing in the
visions of the night
and lo
with the clouds of the heavens as a son of man
was [one] coming
and unto the Ancient of Days he hath come
and before Him
they have brought him near.
I saw in the night visions
.... Very probably the
same night in which he had the dream and vision of the four beasts; but this
that follows
being a new object presented
is introduced and prefaced after
this manner; as well as
being something wonderful and worthy of attention
has
a "behold" prefixed to it:
and
behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven; not Judas
Maccabaeus
as Porphyry; nor the Roman people
as Grotius; nor the people of
Israel
as Aben Ezra; nor the people of the saints of the most High
as
Cocceius; but the Messiah
as most Christian interpreters
and even the Jews
themselves
both ancient and modern
allow. In the ancient book of ZoharF21In
Gen. fol. 85. 4. Ed. Sultzbac. it is said
"in
the times of the Messiah
Israel shall be one people
to the Lord
and he shall
make them one nation in the earth
and they shall rule above and below; as it
is written
"behold
one like the Son of man came with the clouds of
heaven"; this is the King Messiah of whom it is written
"and in the
days of these kings shall the God of heaven
set up a kingdom which shall never
be destroyed"
&c. Daniel 2:44 '
So
in the TalmudF23T. Bab. Sanhedrin
fol. 98. 1. this prophecy is thus
reconciled with another
concerning the Messiah
in Zechariah 9:9
to
what R. Alexander said
R. Joshua ben Levi objects what is written
and
behold
one like to the Son of man came with the clouds of
heaven; and it is written
"poor
and riding upon an ass":
which is thus adjusted
"if
they (the Israelites) are worthy
he (the Messiah) comes with the clouds of
heaven; but if they are not worthy
he comes poor
and riding on an ass;'
and
so it is interpreted in their ancient MidrashesF24Bemidbar Rabba
sect. 13. fol. 209. 4. Midrash Tillium apud Galatin. de Arcan. Cathol. ver. l.
10. c. 1.
or expositions
as well us in more modern ones: Jarchi on the text
says
"he
is the Messiah;'
and
so R. Saadiah Gaon and Jacchiades
this is Messiah our righteousness; and Aben
Ezra observes
that this is the sense R. Jeshua gives
"that one like to
the Son of man" is the Messiah; and he adds
it is right
only along with
him must be joined the holy people
who are the Israelites: and
with the Jews
Anani
which signifies "clouds"
is the name of the Messiah
founded
upon this text
in the Targum of 1 Chronicles 3:24
where mention is made of the name of a person
Anani
it is added
"who
is the Messiah that is to be revealed;'
so
in an ancient book called TanchumaF25Apud Yalkut Simeoni
par. 2.
fol. 85. 2.
speaking of Zerubbabel
it is asked
from whence did he spring?
it is answered from David
as it is said
1 Chronicles 3:10
"and Solomon's son was Rehoboam"
&c.; and so all in the line are
mentioned unto Anani
Daniel 7:24 and
then it is asked
who is this Anani? this is the Messiah
as it is said
Daniel 7:13
and I saw in the visions of the night
and
behold
one like to
the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven. He is said to be
"as"
or "like the Son of man"
in agreement with the style
of these visions
Daniel 7:4
or
because as yet he was not really incarnate
only appeared in a human form; or
this as is not a note of similitude
but of truth and reality
as in John 1:14 or
because he was more than a man: and his coming with the clouds of heaven
denotes the majesty
visibility
and swiftness
with which he came to take open
possession of his kingdom and glory. Saadiah interprets them of the angels of
heaven
with which he will be attended:
and came to the Ancient of days; his divine Father
from
whom
as man and Mediator
he receives his mediatorial kingdom
is invested
with it
and insisted it
to it; see Revelation 5:7 this
is not to be understood of his first coming in the flesh
which was from his
Father
and not to him; nor of his ascension to heaven
exaltation and session
at the right hand of God
when he indeed received the kingdom from the Father
and was made and declared Lord and Christ; but this seems to respect what shall
be upon the destruction of the fourth beast
when Christ shall receive and take
to himself his great power
and reign
and more visibly appear by his Father's
designation and appointment
and his open glory
to be King and Lord over all:
and they brought him near before him; not Elijah
the prophet
as Jacchindes; rather the angels
as others; or the saints by
their prayers
who hasten to
and hasten thereby
the coming and kingdom of
Christ in a more spiritual and glorious manner; or it may be rendered
impersonally
"he was brought near before him
' as by the Septuagint
Syriac
and Arabic versions.
Daniel 7:14 14 Then
to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom
That all peoples
nations
and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion
Which shall not pass away
And His kingdom the one Which shall not be
destroyed.
YLT 14And to him is given
dominion
and glory
and a kingdom
and all peoples
nations
and languages do
serve him
his dominion [is] a dominion age-during
that passeth not away
and
his kingdom that which is not destroyed.
And there was given him dominion
and glory
and a kingdom
.... That is
a large
powerful
and glorious kingdom; not but that he had a kingdom before
but now it will be more extensive
and appear in greater glory: this will be
fulfilled when the kingdoms of this world shall become his
and all nations
shall serve and worship him
Revelation 11:15
as follows:
that all people
nations
and languages
should serve him; embrace his
Gospel
submit to his ordinances serve and worship him in every religious duty;
every people
of all nations
and of every language under heaven; which will be
the case when the everlasting Gospel will be preached to them all with success
Revelation 14:6
his dominion is an everlasting dominion; it shall
never have an end
as the rest of the monarchies
signified by the four beasts
have had
or will have; see Psalm 14:6
which shall not pass away; or be removed from one
to another
like the above monarchies:
and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed; or
"corrupted"F26תתחבל "corrumpetur"
Pagninus
Montanus; "corrumpitur"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Coccceus. abolished and brought to nothing
as the said monarchies were one by
another; and
at last
all of them by the stone cut out of the mountain; see Daniel 2:44.
Daniel 7:15 15 “I
Daniel
was grieved in my spirit within my body
and the visions of my
head troubled me.
YLT 15`Pierced hath been my
spirit -- I
Daniel -- in the midst of the sheath
and the visions of my head
trouble me;
I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body
.... Or
"sheath"F1בגו נדנה "in medio vaginae"
Montanus; "intra
vaginam"
Munster
Vatablus. ; the soul being in the body as a sword in
its scabbard; where it was "cut"F2אתכרית
"transfixus est"
Junius & Tremellius
Polanus; "succisus
vel
excisus est"
Munster. and pierced
as the word signifies; and was
wounded
distressed
and grieved at the vision seen; not at the sight of the
Son of man
and the glorious and everlasting kingdom given to him; but of the
four beasts
and especially the last
and more particularly the little horn
and the look
and words
and actions of that
as well as the awful scene of
judgment presented to his view:
and the visions of my head troubled me; the things he
saw
which appeared to his fancy as real things
gave him a great deal of
uneasiness
and chiefly because he did not understand the meaning of them; it
was not so much the things themselves
as ignorance of them
that cut him to
the heart
and grieved and troubled him; for what is more so to an inquisitive
mind
that has got a hint of something great and useful to be known
but cannot
as yet come to the knowledge of it?
Daniel 7:16 16 I
came near to one of those who stood by
and asked him the truth of all this. So
he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things:
YLT 16I have drawn near unto one
of those standing
and the certainty I seek from him of all this; and he hath
said to me
yea
the interpretation of the things he hath caused me to know:
I came near unto one of them that stood by
.... To one of
the angels that attended
either the throne of judgment
or
the Son of man in
his approach to his divine Father:
and asked him the truth of all this; the substance of these
visions; what these images
presented to his view
were shadows and
representations of; so type and truth
shadow and substance
are opposed to
each other. The real meaning of all this was what he asked; nor need any be
ashamed to ask of whomsoever they can hope to get knowledge of truth
and
especially of superiors
of the angels of the churches
or pastors of them:
so he told me
and made me know the interpretation of the things; he
interpreted everything in the vision to him
and gave him the true meaning and
real design of the whole
as follows: this was asked and told
not when Daniel
was awake
and was considering of what he had dreamed; but in his dream
in his
vision by night; this was all transacted in a visionary way
both the things
and the interpretation of them.
Daniel 7:17 17 ‘Those
great beasts
which are four
are four kings[c] which
arise out of the earth.
YLT 17`These great beasts
that
[are] four
[are] four kings
they rise up from the earth;
These great beasts
which are four
are four kings
.... Or
kingdoms
as the Septuagint
Vulgate Latin
and Arabic versions; and so Jarchi
Aben Ezra
and Saadiah; so the fourth beast is called the fourth kingdom
Daniel 7:23 or a
succession of kings in four kingdoms or monarchies
comparable to beasts for
their strength
cruelty
and tyranny: these are the words of him that stood by
of one of the angels Daniel applied to
to know the meaning of his dream; and
might be better rendered
"as to theseF3"Quod
attinet"
Michaelis. great beasts
which are four"; for their quality
beasts
for their quantity great
and for number four. The meaning is
four kings shall arise out of the earth; or kingdoms;
which have an earthly original and foundation; are supported by earthly and
worldly means
and with earthly and worldly views; and are different from the
kingdom of Christ and his saints
which is not of the world
though it may be
in it: this explains what is meant by the great sea
from whence these beasts
are said to come up
Daniel 7:3
nor is
it any material objection that the first of these kingdoms
the Babylonian
was
risen already
and almost at an end; since the denomination is taken from the
larger number; three of them were to arise
and the first was of the same
original with them; thus it is said
Daniel 11:2
that
three kings of Persia should stand up
and yet Cyrus
who was one of them
reigned already.
Daniel 7:18 18 But
the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom
and possess the kingdom
forever
even forever and ever.’
YLT 18and receive the kingdom do
the saints of the Most High
and they strengthen the kingdom unto the age
even
unto the age of the ages.
But the saints of the most High
.... Or
"of the
most high Ones"F4קדישי עליונין "sanctorum altissimorum"
Pagninus
Montanus; "sanctorum excelsorum"
Junius & Tremellius.
Father
Son
and Spirit
separated by God the Father in election
and in that sense his
servants
or sanctified ones
Judges 1:1
and
redeemed by the Son
and sanctified with his blood
or their sins atoned by it
and to whom he is made sanctification
and so his saints
Hebrews 13:12 and
sanctified by the Spirit
who in conversion implants principles of grace and
holiness in them
1 Corinthians 6:11
or
"the saints of high"F5"Sancti exceisoram
sel
locorum"
Piscator.
places or things; who are born from above
and are
called with a high and heavenly calling
towards which they are pressing
reckoning themselves strangers here below:
these shall take the kingdom; or "receive"F6יקבלון "accipient"
Munster
Piscator
Tigurine
version. it
as a free gift from God; and not by force
and rapine
and
violence
as the beasts did:
and possess the kingdom for ever
even for ever and ever; after the
four monarchies are destroyed
a fifth kingdom shall be set up; and this will
be given to
and put into the possession of
the saints; they shall have the
rule and government in the world
even in the whole world
as well as reign
with Christ spiritually; which manner of rule shall last long; and then after
the first resurrection they shall reign with him a thousand years on earth
and
afterwards in heaven to all eternity. There is another rendering and sense of
the words given
"and they (the beasts) shall receive the kingdom of the
saints of the most High"F7"Suscipient regnum
sanctorum"
Pagninus
Montanus; "sortientur
vel obtienebunt
regnum"
Calvin; so Polanus
Sanctius.
&c.; and so Saadiah
interprets them
"and
these kingdoms shall receive the kingdom of Israel
who are the saints of the
most High
until the world to come
until the Messiah reigns;'
and
this way go many others
who understand the words of those several monarchies
possessing the land of Judea
and ruling over it; and of the continuance of it
in the hands of Papists or Turks for a long
time
even until the glorious
kingdom of Christ takes place; but this does not agree with the accentuation of
the words
their form of construction
their connection
and strong manner of
expression
"for ever and ever"; and especially if compared with Daniel 7:22.
Daniel 7:19 19 “Then
I wished to know the truth about the fourth beast
which was different from all
the others
exceedingly dreadful
with its teeth of iron and its nails
of bronze
which devoured
broke in pieces
and trampled the residue
with its feet;
YLT 19`Then I wished for
certainty concerning the fourth beast
that was diverse from them all
fearful
exceedingly; its teeth of iron
and its nails of brass
it hath devoured
it
doth break small
and the remnant with its feet it hath trampled;
Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast;.... What it
represented
what kingdom or monarchy was meant by it; for
by the above answer
of the angel
he understood the four beasts signified four kings or kingdoms;
the three first he pretty well understood; at least he was not so solicitous
about them as about the fourth; and this he was desirous of having a very
particular and exact account of; it threatening
by its appearance
a great
deal of trouble to the world
and especially to the church of God:
which was diverse from all the others; or
"from all them"
or "those"F8מן
כלהין "a cunctis ipse"
Pagninus
Montanus;
"ab omnibus illis"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator.
the other
three beasts:
exceeding dreadful; to other kingdoms and nations:
whose teeth were of iron; of these parts of its
description
see on Daniel 7:7
and his nails of brass; this is a new
circumstance
not before mentioned
and here added with great propriety:
"nails" belonging to a beast of prey
and these said to be of
"brass"
to denote its strength
cruelty
and voraciousness in
tearing its prey
to pieces; and
moreover
to show that this kingdom has
somewhat of the nature of the third or Grecian monarchy
said to be of brass in
Nebuchadnezzar's dream; some out of that kingdom being taken into the Roman
militia
as
Theodoret observes; and soldiers are to a king what nails are to a
beast:
which devoured
brake in pieces
and stamped the residue with his
feet; some kingdoms and provinces were destroyed by it
and the rest
were made subject to it; see Daniel 7:7.
Daniel 7:20 20 and
the ten horns that were on its head
and the other horn which
came up
before which three fell
namely
that horn which had eyes and a mouth
which spoke pompous words
whose appearance was greater than his
fellows.
YLT 20and concerning the ten
horns that [are] in its heads
and of the other that came up
and before which
three have fallen
even of that horn that hath eyes
and a mouth speaking great
things
and whose appearance [is] great above its companions.
And of the ten horns
.... That is
Daniel
desired to know the truth of the ten horns
or the meaning of them what they
signified
and who they pointed at
of which in Daniel 7:7
here it
is added
that were in his head; observing the situation
of them; thought the horns of a beast could hardly be thought to be elsewhere:
and of the other which came up
and before whom three fell; particularly
he was very desirous to know the meaning of a single horn
which rose up among
the rest
and before which three of the other horns fell
being plucked up by
the roots:
even of that horn that had eyes
and a mouth that spake very great
things: See Gill on Daniel 7:8
whose look was more stout than his fellows; than the
other beasts
or rather than the other horns; either than his fellow bishops
claiming an authority over them
as being universal bishop; or than the kings
and princes of the earth
setting up himself above all that is called god
emperors and kings; taking to himself all power in heaven and in earth; a power
to depose kings
and absolve their subjects from allegiance to them
and even
over the consciences of men; so that his look is more bold and impudent than
others
as well as more fierce and terrible
threatening kings and kingdoms
with his bulls
anathemas
and interdicts: or
"whose appearance is
greater than his fellows"F9וחזוה רב מן חברתה
"cujus aspectus"
Munster; "et aspectus ejus major sociis
suis"
Pagninus. ; in pomp and splendour
making a greater show and figure
than the kings of the earth
and claiming a superiority over them.
Daniel 7:21 21 “I
was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints
and
prevailing against them
YLT 21`I was seeing
and this
horn is making war with the saints
and hath prevailed over them
I beheld
and the same horn made war with the saints
.... The same
little horn before described; not Antiochus Epiphanes
who made war with the
Jews
as many think; or the Roman Caesars
that persecuted the church of
Christ
as others; nor Titus Vespasian
who fought against Israel
as Saadiah;
but antichrist
or the pope of Rome; and this refers to the wars of the popes
with the Waldenses
which began in the year 1160
and continued long
and with
the two witnesses at the close of their testimony
Revelation 11:7
this Daniel had a view of in vision; not while he was inquiring of the angel
but before
though not mentioned till now; and was a reason he was so very
inquisitive about this little horn
because of its war with the saints
and its
success
as follows:
and prevailed against them: as the popes and their
abettors did against the Waldenses and Albigenses
whom they slew in great
numbers
and got the victory over; as the beast also
the same with this little
horn
will overcome the witnesses
and slay them
Revelation 11:7.
Daniel 7:22 22 until
the Ancient of Days came
and a judgment was made in favor of the saints
of the Most High
and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.
YLT 22till that the Ancient of
Days hath come
and judgment is given to the saints of the Most High
and the
time hath come
and the saints have strengthened the kingdom.
Until the Ancient of days came
.... Not locally
by
change of place
he being the omnipresent God; but in a providential way
to
check and put a stop to the power and prevalency of the little horn over the
saints; for this is the terminus or end of that; which puts a period to it; for
when the Ancient of days comes in the exertion of his power and providence
he
will come and sit as a Judge upon this little horn or antichrist
and judge
and condemn
and punish it; see Daniel 7:9
and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; their
characters vindicated from all calumny and false aspersions; their adversaries
condemned and punished; and power
dominion
and authority
given to them with
Christ; see Daniel 7:27
and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom; See Gill on Daniel 7:18; till
which time the little horn or antichrist will reign and rage
and prevail over
the saints
but no longer.
Daniel 7:23 23 “Thus
he said: ‘The fourth beast shall be A fourth kingdom on earth
Which shall be
different from all other kingdoms
And shall devour the whole earth
Trample
it and break it in pieces.
YLT 23`Thus he said: The fourth
beast is the fourth kingdom in the earth
that is diverse from all kingdoms
and it consumeth all the earth
and treadeth it down
and breaketh it small.
Thus he said
.... The person that stood by
the angel
of
whom Daniel made his inquiries
and who answered him
as follows:
the fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom on earth; which shows
that the angel
by four kings
Daniel 7:17
meant
four kingdoms
that should successively arise in the earth
and out of it
one
after another; and this kingdom is not the kingdom of the Seleucidae
nor the
Turkish
but the Roman empire; for this is to continue until the kingdom of
Christ takes place; see Daniel 7:7
which shall be diverse from all kingdoms; from the
kingdoms and monarchies that were before it; particularly as a kingdom
in its
form of government
both when Pagan and when Papal; see Daniel 7:7
and shall devour the whole earth
and shall tread it down
and
break it in pieces: not the whole land of Judea only
as some read and interpret it;
but the whole world
which the Romans became masters of; and the phrases used
denote the destruction and desolation they made
wherever they carried their
arms
and the cruelty and tyranny they exercised
and the vast profusion of
blood made by them
both among the Heathens they subdued
and the Christians
they persecuted.
Daniel 7:24 24 The
ten horns are ten kings Who shall arise from this kingdom. And
another shall rise after them; He shall be different from the first ones
And
shall subdue three kings.
YLT 24And the ten horns out of
the kingdom [are] ten kings
they rise
and another doth rise after them
and
it is diverse from the former
and three kings it humbleth;
And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall
arise
..... Or ten kingdoms which sprung out of the Roman empire
or
into which it was broken and divided upon the dissolution of it
about A.D.
476; which
according to Mr. MedeF11Works
B. 3. c. 14. p. 661.
were thus divided
A.D. 456
1.
Britons; 2. Saxons; 3. Franks; 4. Burgundians; 5 Visigoths; 6. Suevians and
Alanes; 7. Vandals; 8. Almanes; 9. Ostrogoths; 10. Greeks.
The
list Bishop LloydF12Apud Lowth in loc. has given of them is
1.
Hunns
who erected their kingdom in that part of Pannonia and Dacia
which was
from them called Hungary
about A.D. 356. 2. Ostrogoths
who settled themselves
in the countries that reach from Rhetia to Maesia
even to Thrace
about 377;
and afterwards came into Italy under Alaricus
in 410. 3. Visigoths
who
settled in the south parts of France
and in Catalonia
about 378. 4. Franks
who seized upon part of Germany and Gaul
A.D. 410. 5. Vandals
who settled in
Spain; afterwards set up their kingdom in Africa
A.D. 407; their king
Gensericus sacked Rome
455. 6. Suevians and Alans
who seized the western
parts of Spain
A.D. 407; and invaded Italy
457. 7. Burgundians
who came out
of Germany
into that part of Gaul called from them Burgundy
407. 8. Herules
Rugians
and Thoringians
who settled in Italy under Odoacer
about A.D. 476.
9. Saxons
who made themselves masters of Great Britain about the same time
476. 10. Longobards
called likewise Gopidae
who settled in Germany
about
Magdeburg
A.D. 383; and afterwards succeeded the Heruli and Thuringi in
Hungary
about the year 826. Sir Isaac NewtonF13Observations on
Daniel
c. 6. p. 47. reckons the ten kingdoms in the following order:
1.
the kingdom of the Vandals and Alans in Spain and Africa; 2. of the Suevians in
Spain; 3. of the Visigoths; 4. of the Alans in Gallia; 5. of the Burgundians;
6. of the Franks; 7. of the Britons; 8. of the Hunns; 9. of the Lombards; 10.
of Ravenna; who gives an account of the various kings of these kingdoms; and
these
as the same learned writer saysF14Ibid. p. 73.
whatever was
their number afterwards
they are still called the ten kings from their first
number; and though they have not always been in the same form and order
yet
they have been generally about
if not exactly
the same number; as they are
now near the same; and may be thus reckoned
as the kingdoms of France
Spain
Portugal
Germany
Great Britain
Sardinia
Denmark
the two Sicilies
Swedeland
Prussia
and Poland; of which see more See Gill on Revelation 17:12.
And another shall rise after thee: not Titus Vespeasian
as
Jarchi and Saadiah; nor the nation of Gog and Magog
as Jacchiades: but the
pope of Rome
or antichrist; who came to his power as universal bishop
and as
a horn or temporal prince
after the above kingdoms arose; not after they were
at an end
but after they were constituted and established
as it was proper
they should first be; since they were to give their strength
power
and
kingdom
to the antichristian beast
by which it became a horn or temporal
prince
Revelation 17:13.
The Septuagint render it
"behind them"; which Mr. MedeF15Works
B. 4. ep. 24. p. 778. interprets of his springing up unawares
imperceptibly
unnoticed
and unobserved by them
till he overtopped them.
And he shall be diverse from the first; from the
first ten horns
kings or kingdoms; having
besides a secular power and
temporal authority
an ecclesiastical and spiritual one; a power not only over
the bodies and estates of men
but over their souls and consciences; and even
over the other horns and kingdoms
which they had not over one another; and so
was different from them all:
and he shall subdue three kings; designed by the three
horns plucked up by the roots
and which fell before him; of which See Gill on Daniel 7:8.
Daniel 7:25 25 He
shall speak pompous words against the Most High
Shall persecute[d] the saints
of the Most High
And shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints
shall be given into his hand For a time and times and half a time.
YLT 25and words as an adversary
of the Most High it doth speak
and the saints of the Most High it doth wear
out
and it hopeth to change seasons and law; and they are given into its hand
till a time
and times
and a division of a time.
And he shall speak great words against the most High
.... Or
"at the side of the most High"F16לצד
עליא "ad regionem
sive latus
Altissimi"
Calvin; "juxta Altissimum". Cocceius; "ex parte
Altissimi"
Munster. ; setting himself up as a rival
and upon an equality
with him; taking the names and characters of holiness
infallibility
yea
of
deity itself
unto him; claiming a power to forgive sin
which is peculiar to
God; and preferring his own laws
doctrines
and traditions
to the word of
God:
and shall wear out the saints of the most High; by his wars
with them
and murders and massacres of them; by taking away their lives and
their substance; so lessening their numbers
and weakening their strength and
power
wear them out
as a garment is wore out
as the wordF17יבלא παλαιωσει
Sept.; "deteret"
Junius & Trmellius
Piscator;
"abolebit"
Montanus; "absumet" Munster;
"consumet"
Vatablus. signifies; utterly consume and destroy them
at
least in his own apprehensions; which will be the case when the witnesses will
be slain
Revelation 11:8
and especially will wear out their patience
or however thoroughly exercise it.
The wordF18"ingrato et duriore modo tractavit
affixit"
Giggeius apud Golium
col. 325. Erpenius apud Castel. col. 363. So Michaelis on
the place observes.
in the Arabic language
signifies "to afflict and
handle roughly"; and such usage the saints have met with
more or less
in
all ages
from the man of sin.
And think to change times and laws: to alter the forms and
constitutions of kingdoms
and the customs and usages of them; yea
to set up
and pull down kings at pleasure; see Daniel 2:21
or to
change the use of times and seasons
by setting apart days as holy for
canonized saints; and appointing such days in a week
and such a season in the
year
for abstinence from meats; and even to change the laws of God and man
by
dispensing with both
and making new ones of his own:
and they shall be given into his hand; either the
saints he makes war with
and wears out
who shall be overcome by him; or the
times and laws
which he shall not only have it in his mind and purpose to
change
but shall have it in his power to do it
and shall do it:
until a time
and times
and the dividing of time; by "a
time" is meant a year
the longest part of time; by "times"
two
years; and "the dividing of time"
half a year; in all three years
and a half
which is the same with 1260 days
or forty two months
the time of
the witnesses prophesying in sackcloth
and of the reign of antichrist; so long
shall he continue
exercising his power and authority
his wrath and rage
and
blasphemy
and no longer; see Revelation 11:2.
Daniel 7:26 26 ‘But
the court shall be seated
And they shall take away his dominion
To consume
and destroy it forever.
YLT 26`And the Judge is seated
and its dominion they cause to pass away
to cut off
and to destroy -- unto
the end;
But the judgment shall sit
.... As in Daniel 7:10
the
court shall sit
the Judge shall take the bench
and all things be prepared for
the arraignment
trial
condemnation
and punishment
of the little horn or
antichrist
when the above time is up; God the Father
the Ancient of days
and
Christ
said to be like the Son of man
brought near to him
shall sit as
Judges
attended by the holy angels:
and they shall take away his dominion
to consume and to destroy
it unto the end; either the angels
or rather the saints of the most High; particularly
the Christian princes
into whose hearts God will put it to hate the whore
eat
her flesh
and burn her with fire; so that there shall be an utter end of
antichrist; he shall be stripped of all his power and authority; his destruction
will be inevitable and irrecoverable; he shall never come out of it; it shall
continue to the end of the world
to the end of time.
Daniel 7:27 27 Then
the kingdom and dominion
And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole
heaven
Shall be given to the people
the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is
an everlasting kingdom
And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’
YLT 27and the kingdom
and the
dominion
even the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heavens
is given
to the people -- the saints of the Most High
His kingdom [is] a kingdom
age-during
and all dominions do serve and obey Him.
And the kingdom and dominion
and the greatness of the kingdom
under the whole heaven
shall be given to the people of the saints of the most
High
.... Not only the dominion that shall be taken away from the
little horn or antichrist
and from all the antichristian states
but the
dominion of all others throughout all the earth
and under the whole heaven
shall be given to the people of God
and the true professors of faith in
Christ. The kingdoms of this world will become Christ's
and Christian princes
will be kings of them everywhere; and not only the royal power and authority
will be vested with them
but all the grandeur and state belonging to them will
be theirs; as well as all the saints in general shall reign in a spiritual
manner with Christ
enjoying all ordinances
and all religious liberties
as
well as civil
and be free from all persecutions.
Whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom
and all dominions shall
serve and obey him; the people of the saints of the most High
all shall be subject
to them
all dominions
and the governors of them; or Christ the head of them
under and with whom they reign. So SaadiahF19And R. Isaac in Chizzuk
Emunah
par. 1. p. 44. applies it to the Messiah. paraphrases it
"the
kingdom of the King Messiah is an everlasting kingdom
and his government is to
generation and generation
and all dominions shall serve and obey him.' This
spiritual reign of Christ
which will take place in a more glorious manner at
the destruction of antichrist
will continue until the Millennium
or the
personal reign of Christ
begins; and after that will be the ultimate glory
in
which Christ and his people will reign to all eternity.
Daniel 7:28 28 “This
is the end of the account.[e] As for me
Daniel
my thoughts greatly troubled me
and my countenance changed; but I kept
the matter in my heart.”
YLT 28`Hitherto [is] the end of
the matter. I
Daniel
greatly do my thoughts trouble me
and my countenance is
changed on me
and the matter in my heart I have kept.
Hitherto is the end of the matter
.... Of the angel's
words
and of the interpretation of those things Daniel was desirous of being
informed about
and of the whole dream and vision Daniel had; and indeed this
is the end and issue of all events in Providence
the kingdom and glory of
Christ with his people:
as for me Daniel: with respect to his frame of mind
and the
state of his body
when he awaked from this dream
and reflected upon it
and
especially upon that part of it which affected the people of God:
my cogitations much troubled me; when he thought of these
powerful monarchies
their strength and cruelty
and what the people of God
would suffer under them
and especially under the fourth beast or monarchy
and
ignore particularly under the little horn or antichrist:
and my countenance changed in me: turned pale: he looked
sorrowful and dejected
because of the afflictions of God's people; though the
issue of them
one would have thought
would have inspired him with joy and
pleasure:
but I kept the matter in my heart; laid it up in his memory;
pondered it in his mind; meditated upon it; and well weighed the several things
observed to him; that he might be thoroughly master of them
and make them
known to others
and leave them in writing for the benefit of the church of God
in future ages.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)