Commentary on Daniel, Chapter 7 · Doctrines 1 · Question 48 – Question 51
48. Quest. Who shall possesse the kingdome of the Saints.
v. 18. Some read, they shall take the kingdome of the Saints of the most high. 2. Some, the most high Saints shall take the kingdome, &c. and possesse the kingdome for euer, yea for euer and euer. 3. Some referre the first clause to the beasts, that they shall take the kingdome, the second to the Saints, who shall possesse it for euer.
1. They which so vnderstand these words, as though these foure kingdomes which should rise out of the earth, shall possesse the kingdome of the Saints. 1. Some. by the kingdome vnderstand the earth, which is due vntounto the Saints, and in Abraham was promised to the faithfull, which these foure Monarchies shall possesse for euer: that is, till the world be restored by Christ. Genevens. Iun. 2. Or it is said for euer, in respect of the longing desire of the Saints that are afflicted, who shall thinke the time very long before they be deliuered, Calvin. 3. Some doe thus interpret it: for euer, yea for euer and euer, that is, for diuers ages, shall these Monarchies keepe the people of God in subiection: for the Chaldeans held them and their countrey in bondage 70. yeares, the Persians 207. yeares, the Seleucians 148. yeares, which make aboue 400. yeares: foure complete generations, Polan. But all these expositions are confuted by these two arguments. 1. because it seemeth an hard speech, that the wicked should possesse the kingdome of the Saints for euer and euer: whereas the kingdome onelyonly of the Messiah shall be euerlasting, v. 14. 2. the kingdome of the Saints is not here taken for any earthly inheritance, but for a celestiall and spirituall dominion, as is euident, v. 22. 27. And therefore the other kingdomes are said to rise out of the earth, to shew a difference betweene this kingdome, and theirs: as the ordin. gloss. well obserueth, Whatsoeuer is earthly, shall returne to the earth: Sancti non accipient regnum terrenum, sed coeleste, the Saints shall not receiue an earthly kingdome, but an heauenly.
2. They which follow the second reading, that the Saints shall take the kingdome. 1. Some referre it to the euerlasting kingdome of heauen onelyonly, which they shall receiue at the comming of Christ: hoc erit in iudicio finali, this shall be in the finall iudgement, Lyran. post regna mundi finita, post mortem Antichristi, after all the kingdomes are at an ende, after the death of Antichrist, gloss. interlin. But this fift kingdome the Saints shall receiue presently after the dissolution of the foure former kingdomes, which were ended before the first comming of Christ. 2. Oecolampad. likewise vnderstandeth this fift to be the celestiall kingdome, where the faithfull shall raigne with Christ: But it is euident, v. 27. where it is said, the kingdomes vnderunder the whole heauen shall be giuen vntounto the people of God, that this kingdome of the Saints shall begin in earth: for the heauenly kingdome can not be saide to be the kingdome vnderunder heauen. 3. Some thinke that this kingdome of the Saints shall take place, while the other Monarchies doe yet stand; as vnderunder the fourth Monarchie of the Romanes the Church of Christ was propagated ouer all the world, Pellican: So also Bullinger, Ecclesiam per omnes istus Monarchias in mundo futuram, that the Church shall be in the world during all these Monarchies: which exposition in part is true, that the Church of God, the spirituall kingdome of Christ, can not be extinquished, or ouercome, but shall still continue in the world, the very gates of hell shall not preuaile against it: yet herein it faileth, that they suppose these Monarchies shall still hauehave dominion, when this fift kingdome taketh place: whereas the contrarie is euident, v. 11, 12. that the fourth beast shall be slaine, and the dominion taken from the other three beasts, before this kingdome should be giuen vntounto the Saints.
4. It remaineth then, that the fift kingdome, beeing the spirituall dominion of the Church, shall then beginne when the other foure kingdomes are extinguished. And for the more certen and euident demonstration hereof, these positions shall be here affirmed. 1. that the kingdome here spoken of, though the foure beasts shall first take it, yet in the ende shall be possessed of the Saints, not that those Monarchies shall possesse the kingdome of the Saints: so is it interpreted, v. 22. The time approched, that the Saints possessed the kingdome. 2. this kingdome of the Saints is begun here in this world, it is not deferred to the second comming of Christ, though then it shall be perfited: as Hugo well interpreteth, ab hoc seculo in quo regnant per gratiam, vsque in futurum seculum in quo regnabunt per gloriam, their kingdome shall begin in this world, wherein they raigne by grace, and continue vntounto the next world, wherein they shall raigne in glorie, &c. 3. this kingdome of the Saints in Christ shall beginne after the dissolution of the foure former Monarchies, as is before shewed.
49. Quest. Why they are called the most high Saints, v. 18.
1. The vulgar Latine readeth, which H. Br. followeth in his commentarie, Saints of the most high God: but beside that the word high, ghelonin is in the plural, and so must be ioyned with Saints, the other word (God) is not in the text. 2. Some by the high Saints, vnderstand the Angels: but that can not be, for v. 27. they are interpreted to be the holy people of the most high: the Saints in earth. 3. neither by the high Saints, can God himselfe be vnderstood: the Scripture vseth not in the plural number so to speake of God. 4. some thus read, the Saints of the high things: that is, to whome belongeth the inheritance of the high and heauenly things, Iun. Polan. Calvin. But it is better ioyned as an epithete to Saints: they are called the high Saints: as v. 27. the people of the Saints most high: they are most high, in respect of all other people in the world, in respect of the most high Prince the Lord Christ, to whome they belong, and in regard of the most high inheritance of heauen, which appertaineth vntounto them.
50. Quest. v. 20. How the horne called before little, is said to be in shew greater then the rest.
1. Before in the vision it is saide to be a little horne in respect of the obscure, base, and meane beginning: for so Antiochus Epiphanes beeing the younger brother, had no right nor title to the kingdome, and in this sense he was a little horne. 2. But the euent considered, how afterward Antiochus Epiphanes, proud Antiochus, who of some is rather called Epimanes, madde Antiochus, exceeded all other of the Seleucians in greatnes, he is in this respect said to be greater in shew then the rest. So both are true, but not in the same time.
51. Quest. How this little horne is said to chaunge lawes and times.
1. Hierome, by changing times and lawes, vnderstandeth that Antichrist shall abolish and take away all religion: so also Lyran. he shall abrogate the worship of God, & sibi illum cultum vsurpabit, and shall vsurpe vntounto himselfe that worship, making himselfe God. But Antichrist which was prophecied of, and is now come into the world, shall not be an open and professed enemie vntounto all religion, but rather through hypocrisie and vaine shew of religion, shall deceiue many: and therefore the Apostle saith, he shall come with lying wonders, 2. Thess. 2. 9.
2. Calvin vnderstanding the Romane Emperours to be this little horne, giueth this sense, that omnia iura humana & divina peruertent, they shall peruert all lawes humane and diuine: as Augustus caused altars to be erected vntounto him, though otherwise a ciuill Prince: Tiberius neglected all religion: Caligula threatned to banish Iuppiter their great god into Greece, and would often smite his image with his fift: Domitian wished that all the people of Rome had but one necke, that he might smite it off at once: he would hauehave made his horse Consul. But though these things may by way of analogie be thus applied, yet historically, as hath beene shewed at large, this prophecie was fulfilled before the comming of the Messiah into the world.
3. Bullinger, with others, shew how this is practised by the Pope of Rome, to chaunge lawes and times: for he canonizeth Saints, and erecteth holy daies vntounto them: appointeth fast… and fasting daies for religion: he chaungeth lawes, as commanding adoration of Images, which is forbidden by the law of God: restraining mariage, which God hath made free for all: taking away the cuppe in the Eucharist, which Christ in the institution of his last supper appointed to be vsed.
4. Other doe verifie these things in the Turke, who endeauoureth what he can to abolish all Christian religion: he thinketh to doe it: laboureth what he can to extitpate the Gospel of Christ, but he can not. These two last expositions also we refuse vponupon the former reason. These applications by way of analogie we mislike not: but this prophecie had the historicall accomplishment before the birth of Christ.
5. Wherefore this is a true and liuely description of Antiochus Epiphanes, how he attempted to change times, to abolish the festiuals of the Iews, & to prophane their Sabbaths: the rites also and ceremonies of Moses law he abrogated, defiling the Temple and the altars, and setting vp most abominable idols, as is shewed at large, 1. Macch. 1. 46. &c. Antiochus sent his letters to Ierusalem and the cities of Iuda, that they should follow the straunge lawes of the countrey: that they should forbid the burnt offerings, and the sacrifices, and the offerings of the Sanctuarie: and that they should defile the sabbaths, and the feasts, and pollute the sanctuarie, and the holy men: and to set vp altars and groues, and chappels of idols, and offer vp swines flesh, and vncleane beasts, &c. The like reporteth Ioseph. lib. 12. Antiquit. Iudaic. c. 6. It is very euident now by comparing the historie of the Macchabees with the prophecie of Daniel, that all these things were most truly and properly fulfilled in the raigne of Antiochus Epiphanes, which are here described of this little horne.