Commentary on Daniel, Chapter 7 · Doctrines 1 · Question 7 – Question 10
Quest. 7. What is meant by the fowre windes which stroue together vponupon the Sea.
1. Hierome by these fowre windes vnderstandeth the good Angels, who are compared to the windes in three respects. 1. for their celeritie. 2. because they are invisible. 3. and are knowne onelyonly of vsus by their effects, as the windes are: and these good Angels doe striue for the good of those seuerall countries, ouer the which they are set: as the Angel which was president of Chaldea, laboured that the Iewes might remaine still in captiuitie for the instruction of the Chaldeans: the Angel of the Hebrewes, endeauoured that they might be deliuered: But, neither hauehave the good Angels such speciall regiments assigned vntounto them, neither are their endeauours contrarie each vntounto other, neither doe any of them labour against the people of God, but they doe all minister for the elects sake.
2. Albertus Magnus (so also Hugo, Lyranus,) vnderstandeth here the euill Angels, which are said to fight and striue, because they stirre vp men to strife and contention: but these are called the windes or spirits of heauen, which title is not giuen vntounto euill Angels.
3. Pererius by these fowre principall windes which doe blowe from the 4. corners of the earth, would hauehave signified the 4. Monarchies, whereof one was in the North, an other in the South, one West, another East: But the fowre Monarchies and kingdomes are vnderstood by the fowre beasts, which rise out of the Sea.
4. Theodoret vnderstandeth by these windes, the great commotions and perturbations, quae in exortu cuiusque monarchiae extiterant, which were raised in the beginning of eueryevery Monarchie: for Darius and Cyrus by tumult of warre ouercame Balshazar: so did Alexander the great the last Darius of Persia: And thus the Monarchies were translated not without great vexation and trouble: so also Bullinge…, Osiander. but these stirres and commotions followe vponupon the rising of these beasts, as procured by them: these windes goe before, and bring forth these beasts.
5. Pellican by the windes vnderstandeth the afflictions and persecutions of the Church: but these beasts were the causes of these afflictions: the windes goe before, and are the causes of their comming forth.
6. Calvin thinketh that Daniel, similitudinem notam ominibus assumit, both take a similitude well knowne vntounto all: for the windes doe not blowe so much vponupon the solid earth, as vponupon the liquid Sea: by this similitude he sheweth that the world shall be like a troublesome Sea.
7. Iunius thinketh that mention is made of the windes, quia Deus solitus est seruos su…s praemisso ventorum impetu praeparare, because God vseth to prepare his seruants by sending the windes before, when they receiue any visions as Elias was so prepared, 1. King. 19.
8. But beside these allusions, specially by these words is expressed the ministrie of the Angels, who are compared to windes, Psal. 104. 4. which maketh the spirits or windes his messengers, so Reuel. 7. 1. the fowre Angels are said to hold the fowre windes of the earth, that they should not blowe: not that particular countries are assigned to the custodie of Angels; which conceite is refuted before: but hereby is signified, that the Angels are like the windes dispersed euerie where in the world, as ministers of Gods will, Iun. Polan.
9. Now whereas it is expounded afterward what the beasts signifie, v. 17. but not what the words betoken, the reason is, the harder and hidden things are expounded, and some things are pretermitted, tanquam per se manifesta, as manifest of themselues, Oecolamp.
Quest. 8. Of the description of these beasts in generall.
1. The cause is set forth, which raiseth vp these beasts, the windes, which signifie the ministring spirits, which are as swift as the windes to expedite the businesse committed vntounto them.
2. The place or subiect is expressed, where these windes blowe and worke, the world, which is compared vntounto a Sea, in respect of the turbulent and changeable state thereof.
3. Then followeth a description of the effect, the bringing forth of these beasts, which are described, 1. by their number, they are fowre. 2. they are great. 3. by the manner, they ascend, by degrees these terrene Monarchies attained to their power and strength. 4. by the matter, they all came out of the Sea, they are all terrene and earthly. 5. by their fashion and forme, they are one vnlike an other.
Quest. 9. Why the kings and kingdomes of the earth are likened vntounto beasts.
1. In that kings are resembled vntounto beasts, it is not spoken in disgrace of the honourable calling of Magistrates, which is the ordinance of God: and in these Monarchies there were some good Princes, as Cyrus, Artaxerxes, which fauoured the people of God: 2. But because many of those great kings were Tyrants, and oppressed the people of God, they are tearmed beasts: as Hierome saith, regnorum feritas bestiarum nomine demonstratur, the crueltie of those kingdomes is shewed by the name of beasts. 3. So that which is essentiall in the calling of princes, namely, the institution and ordinance of God, is not here signified, but that which is accidentall in them, the abuse of their gouernement, which proceedeth not from the institutor, or institution, but from themselues, Calvin. Polan.
Quest. 10. Of the agreement betweene this vision of the 4. beasts, and that of the image shewed to Nebuchadnezzar, cap. 2.
1. As there the king sawe a great image, so here the Prophet nameth a great Sea. 2. here fowre beasts came vp, and there the image is compounded of fowre mettalls, gold, siluer, brasse, and yron, which represent the fowre great Monarchies and kingdomes. 3. as there the yron and clay feete had their toes, which in number are tenne, so the last beast here hath tenne hornes, v. 7. 4. there the kingdomes are likened to an image, and here they come out of the Sea, to shewe the mutable and changeable state of the world. 5. there a stone cut out of the mountaine without hands, breaketh the image in peices: here also one like the sonne of man taketh vponupon him the kingdome, rule, and dominion, Oecolamp. ex Euseb.
But yet herein is the difference between these two visions. 1. both in respect of the manner: that which is but there obscurely propounded, is here more euidently handled, Iun. commentar. 2. and of the person: There Nebuchadnezzar had a dreame, but vnderstood nothing: here Daniel seeth a dreame, he hath a reuelation in his dreame, and the illumination of minde withall to vnderstand it, Calvin.