A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Volume 3 · Appendix · Chapter 10
Daniel CHAP. X.
HERE falleth in and followeth the Hiſtory of Daniel the 10th. which is a Narrative of Daniel's Mourning Three Weeks for the Sad Tidings that the Building of the Temple was now Hindred.
Remark the Firſt, Is the Time of Daniel's Mourning in General; 'twas in the Third Year of Cyrus, ver. 1. Namely, (ſaith Polanus) from his Conqueſt over Babylon in conjunction with Darius as before, and the Constitution of his Abſolute Empire and Monarchy over 120 Nations, for he had Reigned over Perſia only about 28 Years before this, leaving his Son Cambyſes to keep at home what he had already Conquer'd, while himſelf went abroad to Conquer more Nations; and in this Third Year of his Empire (which was the 31th. of his Reign) he was ſlain by Tomyris Queen of the Scythians, as both Herodotus and Juſtin relate. It was in the firſt Year of Cyrus or of Darius Priſcus, (who was Cyrus's partner in Conquering Babylon, and who gave to Cyrus his Daughter in Marriage, and the Kingdom of Media with her for a Dowry after Darius's Death) wherein Daniel pray'd that prevalent Prayer for the Jews Deliverance, Dan. 9.1, &c.
Remark the Second; The Occaſion of Daniel's Mourning, Dan. 10 2, 3 or the Proca…a…click external cauſe was manifold: As 1. Becauſe the Jews had liberty to paſs from Captivity, yet many of them would not, but ſtaid ſtill in Babylon (ſay Grotius and Pererius) as careleſs of God's Worſhip, having little love to the True Religion: 2. Becauſe thoſe that Returned and were begun to build the Temple, had now a ſtop put to that Temple-work at Jeruſalem, which ceaſed by means of the Samaritan…, Ezra 4.4, 5, &c. And 3. Becauſe he foreſaw the many future Calamities of the Jews that would befall them for their many foul following Sins, (ſaith Vatablus) more eſpecially for their killing Chriſt, and Rejecting his Goſpel. But this preſent Diſaſter of obſtructing the Temple's Building was the chiefeſt and moſt immediate cauſe of caſting Daniel into ſuch diſmal Dumps at this time: Moreover, this damped and daunted Daniel the more, that tho' he had been ſo Famous, even in foreign Nations for his Wiſdom, Worth, and walking with God, and ſo Advanced by Nebuchadnezzar for his Skill in Dreams and Interpreting Viſions, and by Belſhazzar for Reading the Hand-writing upon the Wall, and for foretelling future Matters, whereof many were already come to paſs; for which cauſe he was Exalted and Highly employed by both Cyrus and Darius, and was a great Man ſtill, and of great Account; yet was not now great enough at the Court of Perſia as to be able to Defeat the Deſperate Deſigns of Cambyſes's Corrupt Counſellors, &c.
Rewark the Third; The Place where Daniel was in his Dumps; 'twas by a River call'd Hiddekel, ver. 4. which ſignifies Sharp-ſwift, having a moſt Rapid Current, call'd alſo Tygris, (from the Tyger, the ſwifteſt of all Beaſts) being a great Branch of that famous River Euphrates. N. B. Daniel had withdrawn himſelf from the noiſe of the City, and retired to this River-ſide for Meditation and Prayer, as Act. 16.13. Polanus obſerveth, that God was wont to manifeſt his mind many times to his Servants by Rivers-ſides: As 1. To Ezekiel by the River Chebar, Ezek. 1.3, &c. 2. To Daniel (before this) by the River Ʋlai, Dan. 8.…. and now again here by this River Tygris: And 3. To John Baptiſt by the Banks of the River Jordan, Matth. 3.16, 17. And 4. A River-ſide was a place of Prayer, Act. 16.13. Perhaps (ſaith the ſame Author) that the flowings of the Water might be a Symbol to them of the flowings of the Graces of the Holy Spirit, and hence probably the Pagans believed that their Deities did dwell in Rivers, as the Poe… ſay their Muſes do.
Remark the Fourth; Daniel's Preparation for the Conſolation of the following Viſion: Daniel had been before caſt into the Den of Lions, and miraculouſly delivered out of that Den, and now again is he caſt into a Den of Deſpair, and not the Angel, but the Lord of Angels comes to deliver him out of it: For whoſe preſence Daniel prepared himſelf, 1. By full three Weeks Faſting, ver. 3. in all which time he eat no pleaſant Bread, that is, no Fine Manchet, (ſay Vatablus, Junius, A Lapide, Calvin, Grotius, and Piſcator, &c.) but he eat panem Atrum and Siligineum, courſe brown Bread, (for without ſome Food his Life would have fail'd in ſo long a time) and no more of that neither than needs muſt, to keep (as we ſay) Life and Soul together; and he eat no Fleſh, but fed upon Hops, Haws, and Apples, ſaith Grotius: And his Drink was not Wine, but Water, merely to ſuſtain Nature; doing all this to Afflict his Soul in this ſpace of Penance, by denying himſelf all thoſe Delicates which he daily did enjoy in the Court of Kings; being now an Old and a Great Man, (ſay Polanus and Calvin) and not under ſuch Circumſtances as in Dan. 1.8. when he was Young. And 2ly. By abſtaining not only from Delicate Diet, but alſo from coſtly and curious Ointments, that common cuſtom of thoſe Eaſtern Countries (ſaith Polanus) for Ornament-ſake, and which the Scripture teſtifies, 2 Sam. 12.20. Pſal. 23.5, &c. and which Anointing was omitted in Mourning Times, 2 Sam. 14.2. N. B. With Grotius, All Delights of Senſe muſt be laid aſide in … time of Solemn Humiliation, as Mirth, Muſick, Junkets, Perfumes, Coſtly Apparel, &c. Exod. 33.4, 5, 6. 1 Kin. 21.27. Judg. 20.26. Jon. 3.8. Matth. 6.17. and 9.15. Mark 2.20. Luke 5.35, &c. Yea the Lord himſelf doth doom it as a foul fault to find Joy and Pleaſure on a Faſt-day, Iſa. 58.3.
Remark the Fifth, Then at the end of Daniel's deep Humiliation, upon the twenty fourth of Marth did the bleſſed Meſſiah appear to comfort dejected Daniel, ver. 4, 5, 6. when Daniel had thus voluntarily abridged himſelf of voluntary Delights, macerating and mortifying his Fleſh, that he might pray the more earneſtly for his poor afflicted Brethren, with whom he did ſincerely ſympathize, putting his Soul in their Souls ſtead. N.B. When his Faſting had inflamed his Praying, and his Praying had ſanctified his Faſting for three full Weeks, then comes Chriſt the Comforter with an Anſwer of Peace to his Prayers. Then he lift up his Eyes and looked, to wit, after his Faſting, Prayer, and Meditation, ſo long for due Preparation, and he beheld Chriſt coming, &c. ver. 5.
Mark 1. Who this Iſh-Achad, Hebr. one or certain Man (as we read it) was, is controverted among the Learned. This Man (ſo called becauſe he appeared in humane form) ſome ſay was an Angel, either Gabriel who had appear'd to Daniel, Dan. 8.16. and 9.21. or Michael named after here, Dan. 10.13, 21. call'd the Arch-Angel; Jude ver. 9. as Grotius ſaith: But Junius, Piſcator, Polanus, and Calvin ſay better, that it was Chriſt himſelf, who was afterwards to become very Man, and this was a Prelude of his Incarnation (ſaith Tertullian) as were his many humane Appearances in the Old Teſtament. Three Reaſons they render to prove it the Meſſias, 1. His Regal and Sacerdotal Apparel can be congruous to no Angel, but to the Angel of the Covenant, &c. 2. His prodigious Splendour and Majeſty (which overwhelmed Daniel) could be no leſs than that of the Son of God, &c. 3. That Parallel Place, Rev. 1.13. hath the like Deſcription of Chriſt with this here, both as to his Habit, and as to the End of his appearing, namely to reveal the future Fates of the Church.
Mark 2. The glorious Manifeſtation of the Majeſty of the Meſſiah here, holdeth forth all the three Offices of our Redeemer, for beſide the Regal and Sacerdotal Offices aforementioned; implied by the Robes of a great King, and of the High-Prieſt, Chriſt comes as a Prophet to tell Daniel what would come to paſs, as he doth in the whole eleventh Chapter of Daniel, and again Dan. 12. throughout. N.B. Juſt as Jeſus tells his Beloved Diſciple John (another Iſh-Chamudoth a Man of Deſires▪ as Daniel was, Dan. 9.23.) both the Arcana Imperii, and the Arcana Eccleſiae, Rev. 1.14, 15, 16, &c. The three firſt Chapters of the Revelations, declaring the preſent State of Matters both Civil and Sacred, relating to the ſeven Golden Candleſticks, and from Chap. 4. to Chap. 22. what was to come, &c.
Mark 3. Brand Myller well obſerves, that as Chriſt is call'd [Iſh-Achad] one Man here, to denote the Ʋnity of his Perſon, for though he conſiſt of two Natures, Divine and Humane, yet do they not conſtitute two Perſons: So there were two procreating Cauſes of Daniel's Affrightment at Chriſt's Apparition here, to wit, not only his Tranſcendent Luſtre and Glory ſo ſuddenly ſhewn to his Eyes; but alſo the dreadful ſound of his Speech, that beat upon his Ears, ver. 6. which was as the ſound of a Multitude or of many Waters, Rev. 1.15. this ſignified (ſaith Polanus) the Divine Efficacy of Chriſt in teaching Diſciples, ſee Ezek. 1.24. Acts 2.2. Rev. 1.10. the like to this, &c.
Remark the Sixth, The Products of this Glorious Proſpect, ver, 7, 8, 9. it ſeems that Daniel (after his long Solitary retirement for his deep Devotion) had now ſome Companions here, which the Providence of God ordered, that there might be proof of this Prophecy (ſaith Dr. Willet out of Polanus) that none might doubt of it, when Daniel declared i… to the Church. And though the Effects of this Viſion were alike both upon Daniel and upon his Companions; as to the Affrightment of it; yet were they unlike in this Reſpect, that his Companions ſaw not the Perſon of Chriſt appearing to Daniel, but being ſtruck with a Panick Fear at the dreadful Noiſe, ran away to hide themſelves in ſome Rock by the River, ſaith Dr. Willet, ſee the like (ſaith Grotius) Acts 9.7. and 22.9. God darkens Men's Eyes when and whom he pleaſeth, Gen. 19.11. Luke 24.16, &c. ſuch a dread was upon them through Senſe of Sin, and fear of Wrath, that they lurk in holes as faln Adam did in a Buſh, &c. Their fright at the frightful Noiſe upon the Waters (ſaith Grotius) made them Fly, however this ſerved (ſaith Calvin) to ſhew the Truth of the Viſion, and Daniel is leſt alone, the better to bear his Divine Rapture.
Remark the Seventh, Christ the great Comforter casts Terrour upon Daniel before he calls for a Cup of Cordial and Comfort. N.B. This is God's Method, first there is a casting down, and then cometh a lifting up, Job 22.29. the Preaching of the Law (in the Hand of a Mediator, Gal. 3.19.) caſts us down, and then come the Glad tidings of the Goſpel to raiſe …s up again. Though Daniel ſtood in his Station, and ran not away with the reſt of his Companions, yet a fourfold Effect had this Fright upon him: As 1. He loſt his natural Vigour. 2. The Comelineſs of his Countenance was Blaſted. 3. He is ſtruck down groveling upon the Ground. And 4. Caſt into a Dead ſleep, and all this to make Daniel more docible to the Myſteries about to be declared to him; for this Chap. 10. is but a Preface to that large Prophecy, Recorded in the two following Chapters. Thus Ezekiel had his caſting down, Ezek. 1.29. and Saul when changed into Paul, Acts 9.8, 4▪ yea that beloved Diſciple himſelf (that ſecond Daniel of the new Teſtament) fell down as o… Dead at the Feet of Chriſt, appearing to him much after the ſame manner (as he did here to Daniel) Rev. 1.17. and though Daniel was thus ſunk down in a ſwound, yet Chriſt gave him Power in weakneſs, cauſing him to hear the Voice of his Words, ver. 9. what theſe Words were, is not here Recorded, but by comparing (ſaith a Learned Expoſitor) they may be gather'd to be the ſame with thoſe expreſſed, Dan. 8.18. namely, Chriſts commanding Gabriel to draw near and ſpeak to the Prophet: Chriſt can teach Men ſleeping as well as waking, and can give both Light and Sight, &c. Inlightning both the Organ and the Object, Luke 24.27, 31, 32, 45.
Remark the Eighth, Is Daniel's Confirmation and Conſolation after all.
Mark 1. Chriſt in the aforeſaid Glory, ſends Gabriel to dictate unto Daniel the Prophecy following, in Chap. 11. and 12. and to make him capable for the Reception of it, this Angel toucheth Daniel with his Hand to awake him out of his ſleep and ſwound, ver. 10. this hand was a Symbol of the Holy Spirit, Ezek. 1.3. Matth. 12.28. and Luke 11.20. this firſt touch revived Daniel a little, it ſet him upon his Knees into a Praying Poſture, yet he remained trembling, ver. 11. which was (ſaith Calvin) to keep him humble, &c. therefore was he raiſed up, and reſtored by certain Degrees, not from any Debility in God (who could have ſet him upon his Feet at firſt, but from Divine Wiſdom (ſay Junius and Polanus) for God meaſures out his Mercies meet for our Model.
Mark 2. The Angel encourageth Daniel in this trembling Poſture, by giving him an honourable Title, and bidding [Stand upright, ver. 11. and ſaying [Fear not Daniel for thy Prayer was heard on the firſt Day of thy Faſt, though thou haſt heard nothing for three whole Weeks, yet now am I brought hither by thy Prayers with an Anſwer of Peace to them, ver. 12.] and the Angel excuſes the Delay of his coming, ver. 13. ſaying [I have theſe three Weeks remained with Cambyſes and his Counſellours (who ſtopp'd the building of the Temple, Ezra 4.1, 6.) to repreſs their Rage] the Devil on the one hand inſtigating them to Act againſt God's Church, and God on the other hand permitting it a little while for his People's Sins: Nor may we imagine, that Cambyſes could really hinder this Angel by overpowering him, but figuratively only, hindering thoſe good Tidings; which otherwiſe (ſaith Dr. Lightfoot) he ſhould have brought ſooner, had not the Temple been hindred, and many more miſchievous Machinations deſigned againſt the Je… which were blaſted at Court, not only by Gabriel but by Michael alſo, N.B. This is great Comfort, that when Satan and his Imps oppoſe God's Church, then Chriſt and his Angels Interpoſe, Pſalm 34.7. Rev. 12.7. &c.
Mark 3. Notwithſtanding all this encouraging Diſcourſe Daniel continues diſcouraged▪ ver. 14, 15. hangs down his Head, and became Dumb, though God's Darling, yet was … thus deeply affected with God's Word. Then the Angel touch'd his Lips to reſtore. his Speech, ver. 16. and upon this he both complains of his Conſternation, and then profeſſeth his Senſe both of Diſtance and of Dependance, which was ſuch as he durſt not Dialogue with his Lord, ver. 17. nor Parly in Prayer any longer.
Mark 4. The Angel fortifies Daniel more fully with a third Touch, ver. 18, 19. … then was he enabled to hear a Word of Comfort, which was this [that Cambyſes had …ay hindring God's Temple) laid the Foundation of the Perſians Empire's Ruine, for God …ll ſend the Prince of Greece, Alexander the Great, and others before him to overturn … Empire, &c. ver. 20. N.B. They ſpoil'd the Perſians Plots againſt the Jews, fi… them other Work, than to hinder God's Houſe, Michael, the Meſſiah Prince of his Church orders and over-rules the whole Ʋniverſe for its good, &c. ver. 21. Thus ſome Converts … have three touches from the Hand of Heaven before throughly Comforted.