A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Volume 3 · Appendix · Chapter 9
Daniel CHAP. IX.
THIS Chapter conſiſts of two general Parts, Firſt, The Prophet's Prayer, ver. 3, to ver. 20. And Secondly, God's Anſwer to Daniel's Prayer from thence to the end. In the firſt General Part.
Remark the Firſt, The Time of it, which was the firſt Year of Darius the Mede, ver. 1, 2. 'tis ſaid, Dan. 6.28. that Daniel proſper'd in the Reign of Darius (the Mede) and of Cyrus the Perſian, both of them had him in great Honour, and preferr'd him to high Employment; As he had born a conſiderable Figure in the Court of Babylon, until the firſt of Cyrus, Dan. 1.21. ſo he did no leſs until the Death of Darius, who lived not long after He and Cyrus took Babylon, ſome ſuppoſe that Darius dyed at or about the End of that Year, wherein the Chuldean Kingdom was ſwallowed up by the Medo-Perſian, and that Year is call'd the firſt Year of Darius, Dan. 9.1. and the firſt Year of Cyrus alſo, Ezra. 1.1. both then entring upon that Babylonian Empire, and Darius is dead before the third Year of Cyrus, for Daniel mentions the firſt of Darius, Dan. 9.1. but after Darius's Death, he Names now the third Year of Cyrus, Dan. 10.1. moreover the Decree for the Jews return ran not in Darius's, but in Cyrus's Name.
Remark the Second, Is the occaſion of Daniel's Prayer, which was the very laſt end of the ſeventy Years Captivity, ver. 2. for the Babylonian Kingdom and the Jews Captivity expired both together: This Daniel underſtood by Jeremy's Prophecy, Jer. 25.11, 12. and 27.5, 6, 7. and 29.10, &c. N.B. Though Daniel was an excellent Prophet, had his extraordinary Revelations, and frequently convers'd with Angels, yet diſdain'd he not to ſtudy the Holy Scriptures, as 1 Tim. 4.13. and 2 Tim. 3.15, 16, 17. he read both Jeremy and Moſes's Books, as appears, from ver. 10, 11, 12, 13. ſaith Grotius. N.B. Hence Junius and Polanus exclaim againſt that Apocryphal Fiction, that the Book of the Bible were burnt at the Burning of the Temple, and were reſtor'd by Ezra, 2 Eſdras 14.21, 48. if ſo, how came Daniel to have them? and no ſooner had he read them, and underſtood the Captivity was at an End, but he immediately applies himſelf to God in Prayer, N.B. Well knowing that there is no readier way to ſpeed at the Throne of Grace, than to put God's Promiſes into ſuit by Prayer: If we ſpeak the ſame to God in our Prayers, which God hath ſpoke to us in his Promiſes, then is there the ſweeteſt Harmony, and God will anſwer all in his Providences. The Term of the Captivity was ended according to the Prophecie of Jeremy in the firſt Year of Cyrus, ſaith 2 Chron. 36.22. and here Daniel ſaith it was the firſt Year of Darius, ſo that they two concurred.
Remark the Third, The Prayer of the Prophet after the Time and Occaſion: His Prayer conſiſts of three Parts. 1. A Prologue or Proem, wherein he gives God a threefold Praiſe, 1. Of his Majeſty. 2. Of his Veracity. And 3. Of his Benignity, ver. 4. whereby he ſheweth (ſaith Calvin) in this Preface, that he came not to Cavil or Murmure, but to wreſtle with God for Reconciliation. N.B. 'Tis good in the beginning of our Prayers to propound God to our ſelves, under ſuch ſuitable Attributes, as wherein we may ſee beforehand the very thing we pray for, this is the beſt Art of Praying and Begging, &c.
The Second Part of his Prayer is, Confeſſion of Sin, ver. 5, to 15.
Mark 1. 1ſt. In his perſonating his People, he puts himſelf all along among the greateſt of Sinners, as the great Apoſtle doth (ſaith Grotius) in Rom. 7. this is to teach us (ſaith Calvin) that when we are publick Penitents and Petitioners for our People, we muſt include our ſelves in the general Petition.
Mark 2. He doth not mince the Matter in his Confeſſion of Sin, but aggravates it to the heighth with a full Mouth, and without any Excuſe or Extenuation, ver. 5. laying load upon Sin (as if it had now ſwelled like a Toad in his Eyes) with four weighty Words [We have ſinned, traded in it, and that obſtinately, yea maliciouſly and rebelliouſly, as if therein we would wage War againſt God.] In this Gradation is great Aggravation.
Mark 3. After this General Confeſſion, he comes to particular Sins, as Omiſſion of Duty in not hearkening to the Voice of God… in his Prophets, ver. 6, 10. this hath uſher'd in Commiſſion of Iniquity, both in Princes and in People; as Omiſſion of Diet breeds Diſeaſes, ſo Omiſſion of Duty breeds Commiſſion of Iniquity, therefore our Omiſſions of Good ought to be bewailed, &c. N.B. And the greater means of Grace God affords and we omit, the greater is our Sin committed in omitting them, Matth. 11.20, 23, 24. Heb. 2.2, 3. and 10.28, 29.
Mark 4. He juſtifies God's Juſtice in all his juſt Judgments by the Babylonians, ver. 7.14, &c. bewailing that General Defection God had found in all ſorts and degrees, and (as it were) making an Abridgment of all Jeremy's Lamentations, ver. 11, 12, 13. yet acknowledges that God's Mercy did triumph over his Juſtice, James 2.13. and that he would in Wrath remember Mercy, Hab. 3.2. for matchleſs Mercies are with God, and Pardons ready prepared for poor Penitents, ver. 9. and his Promiſes are infallible, ver. 12, &c. He will perform with his Hand, what he had promiſed with his Mouth, and do as he hath ſaid, 2 Sam. 7.25. 2 Chron. 6.15. in returning us from Captivity, as he promis'd by his Prophet Jeremy, though we have not repented aright in one right Faſt, for ſeventy Years, Zech. 7.5.
Mark 5. Then he propounds, 2ly. His Petition for performing that great and gracious Promiſe of returning his People, ver. 16, 17, 18, 19. Pleading with God, that 1. He had deliver'd them from Egypt, ver. 15. ſo can put forth the ſame Power to bring us out of Babylon. Thankfulneſs for former Mercies is an artificial arguing for future Favours. 2. The Event will redound to thy own Glory, for thy People Quarter Arms (as it were) with thee, and their Reproach being thine alſo, therefore wipe away this double Reproach, that it may no longer reflect upon thee. 3. Do this for thy Righteouſneſs-ſake, though not that of Equity, yet that of Fidelity, 1 John 1.9. and ſeeing our Righteouſneſs is but a rotten Rag, do it through the Merits of the promiſed Meſſiah, ver. 16, 17.
Mark 6. And growing to the Concluſion of his Prayer, the 3d. part. He prays the more earneſtly, as Luke 22.14. tugging with God as reſolved not to let him go without a Bleſſing, as Gen 32.26. urging the ſet Time to favour Sion was now come, Pſalm 102.13, 14. [Do it Lord, oh do it now, &c. ver. 18, 19.] cold Suitors, who want the Aſpiration of the Spirit to pronounce Shiboleth, do but beg a denial, ſaith one, &c. N.B. Though it was certainly promis'd, that this Captivity ſhould laſt no longer than ſeventy Years by the Prophet Jeremy, as above, and Daniel being a Prophet himſelf, did not at all doubt of the Divine Decree, yet prays he this well-wrought Prayer, as foreign ſignifies, James 5.16, 17. notwithſtanding his Aſſurance of its Accompliſhment; either 1. Leſt the Sins of the People ſhould cauſe God to delay the Time of their Deliverance foretold by Jeremy, (ſaith Theodoret) fearing it might not be an Abſolute but a Conditional Promiſe, as was the Promiſe that the Seed of Abraham ſhould Inherit Canaan for ever, Gen. 17.8. to wit, upon Condition of Obedience. 2. He knew well (ſaith Hieron) that God's Decrees and Promiſes do not excuſe Man from Duty and Prayer, but include and require it. God will be enquired of for what he hath purpos'd and promis'd, Ezek. 36.37. And 3. Calvin ſaith, [Non ergo trepide orabat] Daniel did not Pray Doubtingly, but rather Thankfully, to ſhew his Thankfulneſs to God for his already giving ſuch a Gracious Promiſe, with a firm Faith that God was not Inexorable.
The Second Part of this 9th. of Daniel, is God's Anſwer to the Prophet's Prayer; Illuſtrated (1.) In its Time. (2.) In its Effects.
Remark the Firſt, As to the Time, which hath a double Specification: 1. When he had now newly done his Prayer, ver. 20. while his Affections were ſtill upon the wing, not falling down praecipitantly (as the Bird that is ſhot dead) but gradually, as the living Bird doth, or as the Bell-rope will be often hoiſing up after the Ringer have done ringing the Bell: And 2. At the Evening Sacrifice, ver. 21. that was a ſolemn and ſet time for Devotion; then it was that God Anſwered Elijah with a Miracle, 1 Kings 18.36, 37, 38. and then it was that our Lord Chriſt paid our Ranſom for Sin, at the 9th. hour of the Day, Matth. 27.46. Mar. 15.34. Luke 22.44, &c. which was the time of the Evening Sacrifice: At this time Gabriel is ſent by God with a Gracious Anſwer to Daniel's Devout Prayer. N. B. 1. How quick is the Prayer-hearing God, Pſal. 65.2. in hearing the Prayers of his People, according to his promiſes? Levit. 26.40, 41, 42. Deut. 30.1, 2, 3. Iſa. 30.19. and 45.11, and 19. They ſhall not ſeek the Lord in vain, but while they are Praying he will hear, Iſa. 65.24. N. B. 2. The Prayers of God's People are ſo pleaſing to God, that he doth not only beg them, Cant. 2.14. but he will ſend an Angel out of Heaven with an Anſwer of Peace to them, as Gabriel here: God will want his Attendance in Heaven, that he may comfort Daniel on Earth. N. B. 3. God commands Gabriel to fly with ſwiftneſs of flight, Hebr. to a wearineſs, with this Comfort: Aſtronomers ſay, it muſt be an hundred and ſixty Millions of Miles from Heaven to Earth: All this vaſt ſpace did this Angel in Man's ſhape, come flying to Daniel, in ſo little a time as betwixt the beginning of his Prayer to the end of it: God heard with his Ear when ſcarce out of Daniel's Mouth, ver. 23.
Second; The Effects of God's Anſwer (after the Time aforeſaid) are Two: 1. The Miſſion of Gabriel: And 2ly. His Inſtruction of Daniel.
Remark the Second; The Angel here ſent is deſcribed, 1. By his Name of Gabriel, which ſignifies the Might of the Mighty God; whom the Man Chriſt Jeſus (that Great Doctor of the Church) had ſent to Inſtruct Daniel in ſome Abſtruſe Myſteries, Dan. 8.16, 17. which Daniel well remembred, to his great Comfort here, ver. 21. and who was ſent to Zachary, Luke 1.11, 19. and to the bleſſed Virgin Mary, ver. 26. to mind them of this very Promiſe and Prophecy of Daniel. 2. By his flight, it was ſwift, and even to a wearineſs, Hebr. as before; and ſo Vatablus Expounds the word Jagnath. N. B. Oh that we could do God's Will on Earth ſo promptly and preſently as the Angels do it in Heaven, Matth. 6.10. Maldonate ſaith, that in the form of a Man he had Wings, yet may we not imagine that he did fly as the Fowls of the Air do; tho' a certain Fryar (a Lyer certainly) undertook to ſhew his over-credulous Novices a Feather that drop'd out of this Angel Gabriel's Wings, as if Angels mowted off their Feathers like the ordinary Birds in their yearly Mowting-times: This doubtleſs was a Popiſh Impoſture, received only by thoſe that are given up to believe Deluſions, &c. 2 Theſ. 2.10, 11. Nor ought we to think that Angels can be weary with their ſpeedy and expeditious execution of God's Commiſſions and Commands for the Church's good; but all this is ſpoken [foreign] after the manner of Men for our better Apprehenſions. And 3. This Gabriel is deſcribed here by his Geſture and Speech: 'Tis ſaid here [He touched Daniel,] ver. 21. that is, not with any Churliſh Throb, ſuch as the Devil's Touches be, very obnoxious to Tempted Souls, 1 Joh. 5.18. but with a gentle and familiar Jogg, to make him mind the more in hearing thoſe Myſteries he was about to declare; or it was ſuch a Friendly Touch as he had given Daniel before, Dan. 8.18. Solo Tactu Vires Danieli Reſtituit] ſaith Grotius: The ſole Touch of the Angel there infuſed new Strength into him, it kept him from Reeling too and fro, and made him ſtand firmly: So here this Touch drop'd in Divine Light into Daniel, whereby he underſtood what follows.
Remark the Third, Gabriel's Inſtruction of Daniel; wherein
Mark 1. His Prologue or Preface; wherein he (1.) tells his Errand: All this haſte he had made in coming from Heaven to Earth, was only to Inform him in God's Anſwer to his Prayer, ver. 22. N. B. 'Tis an excellent Obſervation, Rather than God's Saints and Servants ſhould want either Information or Conſolation, God will ſpare one out of his own Train and Attendants to do them any good Office, Luke 1.11.19, 26. Gal. 3.19, &c. nor will the greateſt Angel in Heaven grudge to ſerve them, being Miniſtring Spirits to heirs of Salvation, Heb. 1.14. (2.) Gabriel tells him what was the Procatarctick Cauſe that mov'd God to ſend him on this Errand, becauſe Daniel was [1ſh Chamudoth] A Man of Deſires, ver. 23. very dear to God as the bleſſed Virgin, Luk. 1.28. and Christ altogether lovely, Can. 5.16. therefore God heard thy Prayer at the firſt, Pſal. 34.15. and thou ſhalt know God's Counſels above others, Gen. 18.17, 19. Pſal. 25.14, &c.
Remark the Fourth; The Speech or Sermon of Gabriel to Daniel.
Mark 1. Daniel not only receiveth a Gracious Anſwer to his Requeſt about the Jews Return from the Captivity, (Gabriel telling him of the going forth of a Commandment to Reſtore and to Rebuild Jeruſalem, which neceſſarily imply'd it, ver. 25.) but alſo a Prediction of what Times ſhould paſs over the Jews till the Death of Chriſt.
Mark 2. The Angel Divides this ſpace of Time into Three Unequal Parts, as Dr. Lightfoot well obſerveth: 1. Seven Sevens, or Forty-nine Years to the Finiſhing of Jeruſalem's Walls. 2. Sixty-two Sevens, or four Hundred Thirty-four Years, from that time till the laſt Seven: Then 3. The laſt Seven, in the latter half of which Chriſt Preacheth, to wit, three Years and an half, and then Died, &c. ver. 24.
Mark 3. The Angel uſeth the word Seventy to ſhew God's Kindneſs to the Jews at Daniel's Suit; not only that for their Seventy Years Captivity, they ſhould Return, and enjoy their own Country for Seventy Years, but alſo for Seventy Sevens, or Weeks of Years, N. B. God's Mercies bear the ſame proportion to his Judgments and Puniſhments, which Seven (a compleat Number) beareth to an Ʋnit; here is Seven for One, beſide that Mercy of Mercies, the Grace of the Meſſiah.
Mark 4. Leſt the Jews ſhould miſtake their Return from Captivity to be their Grand Redemption promiſed of old; the Angel therefore foretels that the City and Temple ſhould be Rebuilt in Troubleſome Times, ver. 25. that is, their Enemies would create them much Trouble and Obſtruction, as was done in Nehemiah's Days.
Mark 5. As an Antidote againſt all thoſe Evils, the Angel propounds a Promiſe of Chriſt, who ſhould (1.) expiate all ſorts of Sin, both Original (that of Adam and that in us) and Actual; Sins of Ignorance and of Preſumption in his Redeemed; The three Hebrew words [gnauon, chattaam, Reſhang] includes all ſorts of Sins: And the other three [le callee, le cathem, le capher] ſignifie that Chriſt will pardon, blot out, and mortifie Sin; taking away both its Damning, Domineering and Accuſing Power of Sin; he will make an end of it, and cauſe it to die by virtue of his Death. (2.) He will not only Remove this Evil, but alſo bring in everlaſting Righteouſneſs, both Imputed and Imparted, which never can be loſt as Adam's was.
Mark 6. The Angel declares to Daniel, that after all this, the Lord will ſend forth his Armies, Matth. 22.7. (the Romans) to deſtroy the City (that Slaughter-houſe of Saints) and the Sanctuary, (that Den of Thieves) for their Murdering the Innocent Lamb of God, ver. 26. becauſe the Jews then have overſpreading Abominations, ver. 27. N. B. The Jews have oft attempted to Recover their Country, and to Rebuild the Temple in Julian's Reign, &c. in deſpight of Chriſtians, but could not, &c.
Mark 7. The Doctors are much Divided about the Beginning and Ending of theſe Seventy Weeks, or four hundred and ninety Years: But ſeeing the Angel of the Lord hath ſo exactly pointed forth their beginning at Cyrus's iſſuing forth his Decree for Re-edifying the City and Temple, ver. 25. Ezra 1.1. 2 Chron. 36.22, 23. 'tis better ſo to compute it than to diſpute about it. This preſent Deliverance from Captivity was but a Type of their Redemption by Chriſt, who will Ruine his Rejectors, and Releaſe his Redeemed, &c.