Visions and Prophecies of Daniel Expounded, Prophecy 5 · Part 2 · Section 5
Sect. 5. Concerning the Remover of the Oppreſſour. Verſe 20.
The controverſal part.
COncerning the next Succeſſor of the Roman Emperour, deſcribed Verſe 20. The common opinion is, that he is Seleucus Philopator. In which accommodation, I require ſatisfaction from the Authours in theſe particulars.
1. What reaſon or ground they can ſhew, why the glory of the Kingdom ſhould be eſpecially attributed unto him: Being rather meaner and baſer, then his Predeceſſours.
2. Why foreign ſhould be tranſlated a raiſer of Taxes, eſpecially without the addition of foreign or the like.
3. If ſo: Why Seleucus Philopator ſhould be the onelyonly raiſer of Taxes mentioned among the Kings of Syria.
4. How he was deſtroyed, or broken down, but neither in wrath, neither in battle, but by the peaceable machinations and flatteries of his Succeſſour: As it is expreſſed in the next Verſe.
Contrarily I affirm, That this Succeſſour is Justinian with his followers.
1. Becauſe theſe ſucceeded into the place of the Emperours of the Weſt, deſcribed immediately before.
2. Becauſe they roſe immediately before the publike manifeſtation of Antichriſt, deſcribed in the Verſe next following.
3. Becauſe in them came in a ſucceſſion in the glory of the Kingdom.
4. Becauſe theſe were properly foreign the Removers of the Oppreſſour: Foraſmuch as they removed, expelled and ſubdued the Barbarians, which had invaded and oppreſſed the Empire on all parts.
5. Becauſe theſe were properly broken down, not fundamentally in wrath or in battle, but by the peaceable Arts, machinations and flatteries of Antichriſt.
6. Becauſe by parallel proportion it was meet, That as theſe being the ſwallowers up of the Barbarian flood, are prefixed immediately before Antichriſt in the Revelation: So alſo in Daniel, they ſhould be propoſed in this Verſe immediately before Antichriſt, deſcribed in the next. Apoc. 12.13, 14, 15, 16, 17. and 13.1.
The ſecond part containing the Explication. Verſe 20.
THen ſhall ſtand in his place] That is, in the place of the Weſtern Emperour.
the remover of the oppreſſour] So properly ſignifieth foreign. This phraſe I confeſſe is commonly tranſlated one that ſhall raiſe taxes. But I rather judge, that the phraſe doth ſignifie one that ſhall remove or take away the oppreſſour. For if it were to be underſtood in the former ſenſe, it would have been thus expreſſed foreign or foreign, one that cauſeth the exactour to paſſe over his land or people, as Zach. 9.5. For otherwiſe the Verb foreign and foreign being abſolutely uſed, as in this place; that is, without reſtraint or determination unto any term, by or over which or unto which the paſſage is made, doth properly ſignifie to paſſe away: And in Hiphil, to cauſe to paſſe away, that is, to remove. I inſtance in theſe Scriptures, 1 King. 22.24. When went the Spirit of the Lord from me? Cant. 2.11. For lo, the winter is paſt. Cant. 5.6. My beloved had withdrawn himſelf, and was gone. Jere. 8.20. The harveſt is past and gone. Thus foreign. Proportionately foreign the conjugation in which it is uſed in this place, being likewiſe abſolutely and indeterminately applyed, doth properly ſignifie to make or cauſe to paſſe away, or to remove. 2 Sam. 12.13. God hath put away or taken away thy ſin. Zech. 3.4. Behold I have cauſed thy iniquity to paſſe away from thee. Heb. foreign joyned here with foreign, that is, I have removed. 2 Sam. 24.10. Take away my iniquity. Heb. foreign. Eſther 8.3. Esther beſought the King to out away the miſcheif of Haman. Heb. foreign. Zech. 13.2. I will cauſe the unclean ſpirit to paſſe away out of the Land. See alſo Pſal. 119.37, 39. Eccleſ. 11.10. 2 Chron. 15.8, &c.
As for foreign, it ſignifieth in a ſpecial uſe one that extorteth or exacteth money or tribute, to the grievance of a perſon. 2 King. 23.35. Zech. 10.4. And one that uſeth extremity in exacting debts. Deut. 15.2, 3. Iſai. 58.3. Moreover generally it is applyed alſo to ſignifie an oppreſſour, ſuch as the Taskmaſters, Exod. 5.6, 10, 14. and 3.7. And ſuch as the Babylonians and Philistines were to Iſrael. 1 Sam. 13.6. and 14.24. Iſai. 9.4. and 14.2. Job 3.17. Zech. 9.5. and ſuch as the Jews were to Christ. Iſa. 53.7. Wherefore I conclude, that foreign doth properly ſignifie one that removeth or cauſeth ſuch in oppreſſour to paſſe away.
Now to return to the matter. The oppreſſour was the Barbarians, whereby the Roman Empire was overthrown and oppreſſed, as in the former Verſe. The remover of this oppreſſour began in Justinian the Greek Emperour, who brake down the Gothes and Vandals, by the yeer 556. From which time forward the Empire ſtood renewed and reſtored in ſome degree, until the time of Charls the Great, by whom was brought in a ſecond reſtauration more perfect, general, and laſting then the former, from after the yeer 768.
in the glory of the Kingdom] That is, in the ſimilitude of the ancient glory of the Roman Empire, after it had been long and greatly defaced by the Barbarians. Or he may be ſaid to ſtand up in the glory of the Kingdom, in oppoſition unto Antichriſt, who at the ſame time ſtood up with him; but not as yet in the glory of the Kingdom, as it followeth in the next Verſe.
but within few dayes] That is, in a ſhort time, Apoc. 17.10.
he ſhall be broken down] That is, made ſubject and ſervile under the power of another King.
but neither in wrath, nor in battel.] That is, by voluntary grant and donation of his power and authority to another King; whereby he ſhall break down himſelf, and not be broken down by violent extorſion: But this is eſpecially to be meant of the beginning and firſt entrance of his Succeſſour, as it is expreſſed in the next Verſe.
The Succeſſour was Antichriſt the Pope of Rome whom Justinian firſt decreed to be chief of Biſhops; and afterward Phocas, willingly and without war or compulſion, decreed in the yeer 606. that he ſhould be Univerſal Biſhop.
From which time forward, the Pope did ſo increaſe, that he became more forcible and powerful not onelyonly in forrain Kingdoms, but alſo in Italy, then the Emperour himſelf. Charls the Great after the ſecond reſtauration, did the like, and much more, whereby it came to paſſe that the remover of the oppreſſour being in few dayes broken down by his own voluntary conceſſion, the Pope or Antichriſt did peaceably and without wrath or battle, ariſe into his place.