Commentary on Daniel, Chapter 7 · Doctrines 1 · Question 1 – Question 6
1. Quest. Of the order obserued by Daniel, in the setting downe of these visions.
This vision contained in this chapter, beeing shewed vntounto Daniel in the first yeare of Balthazar, who was the last king of the Chaldeans, and before Darius, vnderunder whome that miracle fell out, in Daniels deliuerance from the lyons, c. 6. is a manifest argument that the former storie is transposed; this vision in time comming before it, yet in order beeing placed after it: the reasons hereof are these. 1. Theodoret saith, that in the former sixe chapters, historico more prophetiam conscripsit, he writ the prophecie after an historicall manner, shewing what things happened vnderunder Nebuchadnezzer, Balthazar, Darius; but in the sixe chapters following, he setteth downe those predictions, quas… per diuinam reuelationem doctus est, which he was taught by diuine reuelation. 2. Hierome doth adde further, that in the former chapters Daniel historically setteth downe, quid mirabilium signorum acciderit, &c. what memorable signes happened vnderunder these kings; but in the rest of this booke he declareth such visions, quarum solus propheta conscius est, which the Prophet onelyonly was priuie vntounto himselfe. 3. Hugo giueth this reason: the things before historically rehearsed, tempore suo impleta sunt, were such as were fulfilled in Daniels time; but these here following were visiones futurorum, visions of things to come to passe afterward. 4. Further, in the former histories God had appointed Daniel, interpretem & magistrum profanis regibus, an interpreter and teacher vntounto the profane kings: nunc praefecit Ecclesiae doctorem, now he set him vp as an instructer of his Church, Calvin. 5. The former histories and miracles shewed the calling of Daniel, and the confirmation thereof by signes and miracles: in these chapters Daniel exerciseth his vocation and function, in his propheticall visions, Iun. 6. Lyranus beside the reason before touched, that the former visions were partly historicall, partly propheticall, and therefore were set downe together, but these visions are mere propheticae, merely propheticall; assigneth also this reason, that the former visions belong vntounto the first comming of Christ, and therefore are set together: these following concerne his second comming: but this is not so, for c. 9. there is a manifest prophecie of the first comming of the Messiah, and the very time is described: and though mention be made by the way (as it were) of the resurrection, and the finall iudgement, c. 12. yet the visions are principally intended to foretell such things, as should befall the Church of the Iewes before the first comming of the Messiah.
2. Quest. Of the visions which follow in generall.
1. Bullinger reduceth all the visions following vntounto fowre, making the visions in the 3. last chapters but one: for it is a continuance of the same prophecie: wherein the condition of the Church is described vnderunder the state of the Persians and Grecians, especially vnderunder Antiochus Epiphanes. c. 11. 2. Lyranus maketh fiue visions of them, thus distinguishing them: the first, c. 7. significat (vltimae) tribulationis totalem processum, signifieth the totall proceeding in the last tribulation of (that) Church: the second, c. 8. which treateth of the combate between the Persians and Grecians, designat …iusdem tribulationis principalem conflictum, doth designe the principall conflict of that tribulation: the third, c. 9. which prophecieth of the comming of the Messiah: and so, designat eiusdem tribulationis solatium, it sheweth the comfort in the same tribulation: the fourth vision is of the man which appeared, prophecying of the deliuerance of the people, & designat eiusdem tribulationis terminum, and sheweth the ende of that tribulation, c. 10. the fift is of the victorie of Christ vnderunder the signe and figure of the king of the South, and the king of the North, & designat eiusdem tribulationis triumphum, it setteth forth the triumph ouer that tribulation. c. 11. But, as is shewed before, the same vision is contained and continued, c. 10, 11, 12. 3. This vision in this chapter is generall of the state of the foure Monarchies, which afterward are particularly described: like as Cosmographers in the description of the world, doe first set forth a generall mappe of the whole world, and then particular tables of seuerall countries: the same order Daniel obserueth in these visions: in the 7. chapter, he is informed concerning the generall condition and state of the foure kingdomes: then in the 8. followeth a particular narration of the Persian and Grecian Monarchie: and in the 11. chap. a more large description of particular accidents vnderunder the diuided kingdomes of the Grecians, one of the South, the other of the North. Bulling.
4. The summe then of these visions following is this. 1. The state of the Church of the Iewes is described, how they shall suffer much affliction vnderunder the fowre Monarchies, but especially vnderunder the fourth. 2. But the affliction shall be but for a time, it shall ende at the comming of the Messiah: who shall of many be refused, and put to death, whereupon shall follow the destruction of Ierusalem, and dissolution of the Leuiticall state… 3. And then Christ at his second comming shall perfect all: the dead shall rise, some vntounto life, some vntounto euerlasting condemnation.
3. Quest. Of visions in generall.
1. Two waies did the Lord reueale himselfe vntounto his seruants, either by oracle and liuely voice, as he spake to Moses face to face, Numb. 12. 6. or by vision; wherein certaine representations and similitudes of things were exhibited for the more liuely demonstration of that thing which was reuealed: in which visions sometime the truth it selfe of things to come was simply manifested without any other shadow, as Ezek. 40. sometime vnderunder the similitude of beasts and other things, demonstration was made, as here, c. 7, 8.
2. Visions were shewed either vntounto men waking, or sleeping: and beeing waking they either saw them with their eyes, as Abraham was bid to behold the starres, for so should his …eede be in multitude, Gen. 15. 5. or in the minde, as in a traunce: such was the vision of the … cornerd sheete which Peter sawe, Act. 10.
…. And visions also were declared vntounto men by dreame, when they were a sleepe in the … as vntounto Iacob was shewed while he slept, that vision of the ladder, Gen. 28.
…. This vision which Daniel sawe was of both kinds: it was both a dreame, and a vision: … shewed vntounto Daniel partly in his sleepe, and partly beeing awake: God did giuegive a b…essing vntounto Daniels religious care to knowe the vision, visione redintegrans id ipsum, quod … per somnum exhibuerat, renewing the same thing by vision, which he had exhibited before by dreame, Inn.
Quest. 4. Of the time when this vision was re…aled vntounto Daniel.
V. 1. In the first year… of Belshazzar, &c. 1. …ererius saith that this first yeare of Belshazzar, whom he supposeth to hauehave raigned 17. yeares, was 18. yeares before the deliuerance of Israel out of captiuitie, which was the 54. yeare of their captiuitie, and from the building of Rome, the 176… yeare, when …quinius Priscus was king of the Romanes: But Pe…ius in this reckoning committeth diuerse errours. 1. Belshazzar raigned not 17. yeares, but three yeares onelyonly: as hath beene shewed before, cap. 5. quest. 51. 2. the 54. yeare of the captiuitie was indeede the 18. yeare before their deliuerance, but the first yeare of Belshazzar was in the 68. yeare of their captiuitie, 3. yeare before they were deliuered. 3. the 54. yeare of the captiuitie did concurre with the 190. yeare after the building of Rome, in the raigne of Seruius Tullius, not of Tarquinius Priscus, as Bullinger well collecteth in his tables.
2. Pelanus also is deceiued, which thinketh that this vision in the first yeare of Belshazar, was 17. yeares before the ende of the captiuitie, for so long he thinketh Belshazar to …ue raigned: which was in the 34…9. yeare from the beginning of the world, and 552. before the comming of Christ: But three yeares onelyonly must be allowed vntounto Belshazar: Berosus giueth vntounto him but 5. yeares, as M…t…she…es reporteth him in his booke de iudicio temporum: and the 17. yeare before the captiuitie ended, was according to Bullinger… account, in the yeare of the world 3408. H. Br. in his account much varieth for the yeare of the world, making the first yeare of Belshazar to fall into the yeare 3407. In these accounts there is great vncertaintie, eueryevery one following his owne coniecture.
3. Herein therefore I approoue rather Bullingers iudgement, that this first yeare of Belshazar, was onelyonly three yeares before the 70. yeares ended: for Daniel maketh mention onelyonly of the third yeare of Belshazar, c. 8. 1. and now the time of their deliuerance approached, and was neere at hand, Oecolamp.
Quest. 5. Why the vision of the fowre Monarchies is againe reuealed vntounto Daniel, beeing shewed before to Nebuchadnezzar, cap. 2.
1. The vision which Nebuchadnezzar saw was more obscure, aspiciunt quidem aliquid impij, sed in caligine, vt nihil distinguant, the wicked indeede see somewhat, but darkely, they cannot distinctly perceiue any thing: This vision which Daniel hath of the same thing is more distinct and manifest, Calvin.
2. An other reason of this repetition, is for more certaintie: as Pharaoh had two dreames signifying the same thing, vt firmitatis indicium sit r…petiti… illa, that the repeating thereof might be a token of the firmenesse and certaintie, Pap. & …ine noua repetitione non tam attenti essent Iudaei, &c. without a renewing of that vision, the Iewes would not hauehave beene so attent vntounto the prophesies, Calvin.
3. Beside, it was requisite, that Belshazar and his people, the times beeing now much declined, should be admonished, as Nebuchadnezzar was: and therefore this vision is onelyonly written in the Chalde, that they might be without excuse: the rest of the visions following are not imparted vntounto them, because the Chaldes went on in their impietie, and shewed themselues obstinate, Iun. in comment.
4. And in respect of the people of God, it was necessarie, that the same vision in substance should be reuealed, now vponupon the point of their deliuerance, that they should not promise vntounto themselues a quiet state, no not after they were come o…t of captiuitie, but should knowe, that still they must be exercised vnderunder affliction, Calvin, Genevens.
Quest. 6. What manner of vision this was which Daniel here had, and how it was reuealed.
1. This propheticall vision was two wayes shewed vntounto Daniel, first by a dreame, which was sent of God; and then this vision was reuealed vntounto him againe beeing awake: he sawe it in his minde, Polanus. and therefore he calleth them the visions of his head: composita & sobria mente ab ipso visa, they were seene and perceiued of the Prophet with a sober and well aduised minde, Bulling, therefore he saith, I sawe a dreame, he porceiued and vnderstood: Nebuchadnezzar had a dreame, but he vnderstood it not, Calvin.
2. This dreame came in the night: which signifieth as Pellican▪ quod annuntiantur grauia, that many heauie things are declared; for the night is taken in Scripture for tribulation: But this rather was the meetest time for such visions, when the mind was freest from all other incumbrances: and when the externall senses are quiet, facilius recipitur cognitto supernaturalium, the knowledge of supernaturall things is more easily receiued, Lyran.
3. This vision Daniel committeth to writing: some thinke, eum repente exilijsse ex lecto, that he of a sudden leaped out of his bedde, least he should forget the dreame… but that is a friuolous collection: hereby is signified, that Daniel knowing that this things was reuealed vntounto him, not for himselfe, but for the generall vse of the Church, committeth the same to writing, Calvin. And where it is said. Daniel spake and said, this is to be vnderstood of the writing, as is …uident in the first verse; he wrote the dreame, and declared the summe of the matter, that is, in writing.