The Work of the Age, Chapter 3
Dan. Chap. 9.
23 At the beginning of thy ſupplications the WORD went forth, and I come to declare it, for thou art zOr [a man] of deſires.deſires: therefore underſtand that word, and conſider that Viſion.
24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon aHeb. the City of thy holineſſe.thy holy City, to reſtrain tranſgreſſion, and to ſeal up ſinnes, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlaſting righteouſneſſe: and to ſeal the Viſion and the Prophet, and to anoint the bOr moſt holy.holy of holies.
25 Know thou therefore, and weigh thou, that from the going forth of the WORD, to bring back and to build Jeruſalem, unto cOr the anointed Prince.Meſſias the Prince, are ſeven weeks; and ſixty and two weeks, (the ſtreet and the ditch dHeb. Shall return and be built.ſhall be built again, and that in the ſtreit of thoſe times.)
26 And after thoſe ſixty and two weeks, the Meſſias ſhall be cut off, but not for himſelf: (and in that City and in that Sanctuary God will permit to be deſtroyed the people of the Prince that is to come, and their end ſhall be with a flood, and at the end of the warre, a finall judgement of deſolations.)
27 And hee ſhall confirm the covenant with many, for one week: and in half of that week, hee ſhall cauſe to ceaſe the Sacrifice and oblation, (making it alſo deſolate by the eHeb The Wing of abominations. Meaning the Roman Army.Army of abominations, even untill the conſumption, even the determined conſumption, be powred forth by the deſtroyer.)
THis ſealed Prophecy having been long ſince accompliſhed, and by moſt men underſtood to lead us unto the death of our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, I ſhall not enter upon any large explication of the words, but briefly as may be, indeavour to clear up from the words of this Text, and other parallell Scriptures, what time wee ought to account for the beginning and ending of Daniels Seventy weeks. For wonderfull is the policy of Sathan to raiſe up miſts, that hee may darken our diſcerning of a truth which in it ſelf is moſt clear. In ſo much as wee are now leſſe able to read the Book diſtinctly, ſince the accompliſhment thereof, than good old Simeon was, a little before. The principall reaſon of which dimneſs, I cannot attribute to any thing ſo much, as our leaning upon humane writers, which hath a ſecret nature of poiſon in it to narrow our ſight. So that wee are not able to diſcern things which are eaſily diſcernable in themſelves. Wherefore it will be wholſome to vomit up this poiſon, laying humane ſtories a ſide, and looking wiſtly at the word of God alone. To the Law and to the Teſtimony, if they ſpeak not according to this word, it is becauſe there is no morning light in them. Let every Chriſtian therefore in theſe Knowing times put the queſtion to his own heart, and accordingly, eccho forth an anſwer thereunto, Whether the word of God alone be not fforeign.ſelf-ſufficient, as I may ſay, That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furniſhed for every good work? And if ſo, then what need of humane writers, to perfect the Scriptures Chronology?
Firſt, Therefore to ſpeak ſomething of the beginning of Daniels The beginning of Daniels ſeventy weeks.ſeventy weeks
It is moſt evident from the Text, (as Mr. Tillinghaſt well obſerves in his Knowledge of the Times pag. 162.) that theſe ſeventy weeks of Daniel muſt take their beginning from ſome WORD. Only the Queſtion will ſtill be, what WORD it is, & by whom that WORD was ſpoken, from which wee ought to begin our account of Daniels weeks?
I ſhall firſt ſhew what WORD it is. Our Tranſlators render it Commandement, but the Originall calls it a WORD. I know wee commonly put a difference between the word of a ſubject, and of a Prince. Wee call the one a word, and the other wee call a Command, Edict, Ordinance, or Proclamation. I would not ſtrive about words. I put not much in letters and ſyllables. Yet let mee ſay thus much, that Scripture language is ever beſt, and fitteſt for Syons Children. And good it were for Princes, that they ſhould know, that God makes no more account of their Commands, Edicts, Ordinances, and Proclamations, than of ſo many words. But to ſpeak a little more fully, and directly to the matter of this WORD, what it is? Or about what it is? The Angel gives a clear anſwer to that; that it is a WORD wch concerns the return of Gods people, to Jeruſalem, to built Jeruſalem. For ſo runne the Angells words, to cauſe, to return, and to build Jeruſalem. This is the WORD. And this, Ezra calls a VOICE, which Cyrus cauſed to paſſe through all his Dominions, (and put it alſo in writing,) that whoſoever there was of the people of God, he ſhould go up to Jeruſalem, which is in Judah, and there build the houſe of Jehovah, the God of Iſrael, and his God be with him, Ezr. 1. 1, 3. And Cyrus gives the ground or reaſon of his action, The Lord God of heaven hath given mee all the Kingdoms of the earth, and hee hath charged mee to build him an houſe at Jeruſalem, which is in Judah.
Queſt. And how did Cyrus know this?
Anſw. I conceive it to be moſt likely, that Daniel, who was Ruler of the Province of Babel, the third perſon in the Kingdom, and continuing in Babel to that time (as hath been ſhewed before) might have eaſie acceſſe to theſe great Princes. And though Darius for his ſeniority and antiquity of his Kingdome, had the preheminence; yet Daniel underſtanding by books, to wit, the Book of Jeremy, that the years of their Captivity were now expired; and by Eſaiah, that this Cyrus was the inſtrument deſigned of God for that ſervice, hee makes his application to Cyrus, and acquaints him with the whole mind of God revealed by Iſaiah, and that hee ſhould be the man that muſt grant the Jews deliverance, and give them authority to build the City, and Temple; leaving great weight upon the building of the houſe of God, as a matter of higheſt concernment, wherein hee moſt deſired the Kings gracious anſwer, Which done, this holy prophet retires himſelf, and goes to God, wreſtling earneſtly with him, for the deliverance of his people, and for the building of the City and Temple. Whereupon God ſends his Angel to aſcertain him of the grant of his deſires, (and therefore calls him, thou art deſires. As if he ſhould have ſaid, thou haſt left thy deſires with Cyrus, and now alſo with the Lord, and haſt prevailed with both, and therefore gives him that name,) and alſo to reveal unto him how long it ſhould be from that day, unto the death of the promiſed Meſſias.
But to return to the point. Cyrus cauſed a VOICE to paſſe for cauſing Gods people to return, and build the Houſe of God in Jeruſalem. And this is the WORD of which the Angel here ſpeaks. And of this Jeremy propheſied many years before Jer. 29. 10. Thus ſaith Jehovah, that after ſeventy years be accompliſhed at Babylon, I will viſit you: and there hee makes a great diſtinction. And what means hee by the word viſit? The next word tells you. That I may perform THIS my good word towards you, and there makes a diſtinction. And what word was that which he calls THIS my good word? The Prophet in the next words gives anſwer, to cauſe you to return, (ſaith hee) to this very place, to this Jeruſalem. This is the WORD, which God put into Cyrus heart to publiſh, according as Iſaiah had propheſied of him, that hee ſhould perform all Gods pleaſure: ſaying to Jeruſalem, thou ſhalt be built, and to the Temple, thy foundation ſhall be laid, Iſa. 44. 28.The exact time of the beginning of Daniels weeks.
Having ſhewed more generally the time of Daniels weeks, and in whoſe reign they beganne, I ſhall give a more particular anſwer. By which you may take a true eſtimat of the very nick or ſeaſon when they began, which was (as the Angell certifieth Daniel at the beginning of thy ſupplication, the WORD went forth. Daniel did not know ſo much, that Cyrus had publiſhed ſuch a voice, till the Angell brought him tydings. But now ſaith the Angel to Daniel, know thou, and weigh thou. Had this WORD been to come forth a long time after, when Daniel was dead, how could the Angell ſay, weigh thou, know thou? For there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wiſdome in the grave, Eccle. 9. 10. And therefore ſaith the Angell, do thou (O Daniel) know it, and do thou weigh the matter (as Merchants weigh ſilver in a ballance) if thou wouldſt underſtand. For I aſſure thee the WORD whereof I ſpeak it is already gone out. And if the Angell ſay, it is gone out, yea ſo ſoon as ever Daniel beganne to ſpeak to God, the WORD went forth, what boldneſſe is it, in any man, to ſay, it is not yet gone forth when Daniel ſaw this Viſion, but was to go forth afterwards? what Scripture have wee for that?
Object. But it may be ſaid, that Darius & Cyrus did both reign at one and the ſame time, and Daniel ſeems to give preheminence to Darius, in as much as hee dates his time from Darius, and therefore it may be inquired, from whether of thoſe Kings the word was to go forth? Anſw. I anſwer; It much matters not (as touching the ſubſtance or matter of the account) whether you ſhould reckon from the one or from the other, ſince both of them reigned together. But yet if you read 2 Chron. 36. 22. and Erz. 1. 1, 3. it will plainly appear, that this WORD came forth in the name of Cyrus King of Perſia, and ſo fulfilled the word of the Lord by Iſaiah the Prophet.
Object. 2 Yet it may be further ſaid, that the Angel tels Daniel, of the going forth of a WORD, to build Jeruſalem. And we do not find any word of building Jeruſalem, recorded by Ezra in that WORD or Proclamation of Cyrus. Anſw. I anſwer; It is true indeed, that there is no mention made by Ezra, of building Jeruſalem, nor is it abſolutely neceſſary. It is enough that hee ſpeaks of building the houſe of Jehovah, in Jeruſalem. For who would not conclude, that he who was ſo ſeriouſly carefull, about the building of Gods Houſe, would alſo grant liberty to Jehovahs ſervants, to re-edify their own houſes? But ſecondly I anſwer, that (though Ezra make not mention of that particular, of building Jeruſalem yet) Iſaiah propheſied long before that ſuch a WORD ſhould proceed from Cyrus mouth, ſaying to Jeruſalem, thou ſhalt be built, and to the Temple, thy foundation ſhall be laid. And hath God ſaid it, and ſhall it not come to paſſe? What is become of our faith, if a company of poor Hiſtorians can turn us beſides our path? And thirdly I anſwer, That as Iſaiah propheſied that it ſhould be; ſo the Angel tells Daniel, that hee no ſooner ſet himſelf to intercede with God, but the WORD went forth imediately, verſ. 23. And what WORD was it that went forth? Look to the 25 verſ. (where the Angel doth proceed, to ſhew Daniel, what WORD it was, of which hee had ſpoken) and hee ſaith, that it was this very WORD, to cauſe to return, and to build Jeruſalem. So that if we will beleeve either Iſaiah, or the Angell, Cyrus is the man that gave out this WORD, that Jeruſalem ſhall be built. Yet ſuppoſe Jeruſalem had not been named, nor yet the Temple, (neither by Daniel, nor by Ezra) ſave only this one word, to cauſe to return, it had been enough to determine the beginning of Daniels ſeventy weeks. Thus much concerning the beginning of Daniels weeks.The durance of Daniels weeks.
The next thing to be conſidered is the durance, which is here expreſſed two waies.
1 Collectively, giving us the groſſe ſumme, verſ. 24. Seventy weeks are determined.
2 Diſtributively, dividing the whole into three unequall parts.
The firſt diviſion is into ſeven weeks or 49 years, the true diſtance of time, betwixt the going forth of the WORD, and the finiſhing of the Temple, in the ſixth year of Darius, which agreeth with the Jews ſpeech unto Chriſt Joh. 2. 20. forty ſix years was this Temple a building. Whereunto add one year and a half from Cyrus Proclamation, untill they beganne gEzr. 3. 8.to build the temple, & as much more, that the Temple was interrupted, in the beginning of hEzr. 4. 4.Darius, & it will make up the juſt number of 49 years, as the Angell here ſpeaketh. From which time, count 62 years, untill Chriſt was 25 years of age, according to the Law Num. 4. 3. From which time Chriſt beganne to confirm the Covenant from one week, as the Angel ſpeaketh, and to prepare for the full execution of his office, in his 30 year, current, & then in half of that week (to wit the latter half) he made the ſacrifice and oblation to ceaſe, offring up himſelf once for all, in the very cloſe of the ſame. And thus you have the totall ſumme, and the integrall parts to agree, and conſtitute the juſt number of 490 years, from the WORD, that went forth from Cyru, unto the death of Chriſt.
Now the cloſe or end of Daniels account is twice expreſſed.The end of Daniels weeks.
Firſt, When the Angell tells Daniel, in one groſſe ſumme, that ſeventy weeks are determined (verſ. 24.) to end at the death of Chriſt; as all theſe expreſſions do fully import, to reſtrain tranſgreſſion; to ſeal up ſins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlaſting righteouſneſſe. For without blood there is no remiſſion of ſins, Heb. 9. 22. We were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne, Rom. 5. 10. Therefore it is moſt clear, that the ſeventy weeks did determine at the death and reſurrection of Chriſt: For if Chriſt be not raiſed, our faith is in vain, wee are yet in our ſins, 1 Cor. 15. 17.
Secondly, The end of theſe ſeventy weeks is expreſſed, when the Angel makes a diſtribution of them into parts; allotting the laſt week unto Chriſts confirming the Covenant, ſaying, and in half of that week, he ſhall be cut off &c. That is, he ſhall be wholly ſet apart to the mediators office, during that half, and in the cloſe thereof, ſhall offer up himſelf by death. This half, I take to be the latter half. And ſo the account of the particulars doth agree with the totall ſumme, of ſeventy weeks. Some would have it underſtood of the former half of the week, but that will not agree with the ſumme totall; nor can it ſtand with truth, for in 69 week & an half, is not 70 weeks. And it had been as eaſie, in that language, to have ſaid 69 weeks and an half as to ſay, in half of that week. Wherefore I conclude, that thoſe 70 weeks of Daniel, were terminated in the death of Chriſt, and neither before nor after. Thus much I thought neceſſary to ſpeak of this ninth chapter, in reſpect of the various interpretations, which men do give of the Chronologicall part thereof. Which opens a door to ſome, to queſtion the Doctrinall part, not only of this, but of other Scriptures alſo. For if Scriptures be uncertain or untrue in any reſpect, it will infirm the credit of their Teſtimony in every reſpect.
I might have added much more, but that I affect brevity, only one word let me adde (which I have pretermitted) to advertiſe thoſe that are not acquainted with the original; that in all the Commiſſion granted to Nehemiah (where ſome with overmuch confidence do fix the beginning of Daniels weeks) there is not one word of iforeignCommand, kforeignEdict, Decree, or lforeignProclamation once mentioned. And therefore cannot with any colourable ground bee accounted to bee the going forth of that WORD mforeignof which the Angel ſpeaks to Daniel. Wherefore as the Angel commands Daniel, let us weigh all interpretations in the ballance of the Sanctuary.