Daniel 12
THE LAST THINGS
1 “And at that time shall
Michael stand up, the great prince
which standsth for the children of thy
people: and there shall be a
time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation
even to
that same time; and at that time thy people shall be delivered,
every
one that shall be found written in the book.” The rendering of the
Septuagint is “And unto that place shall come Michael the
archangel, who
standeth over (ἐπὶ - epi - for) the children of thy people; that day shall be a day
of
affliction, such as was not from the day when they were [presumably the
Jews as a nation] till that day, and in that day every
people shall be exalted
whose name is found written in the book,” reading lko μ[ instead of Alko
ÚM[. Theodotion’s rendering is, “In that time shall stand up
Michael, the
great prince that standeth for the
children of thy people, and it shall be a
time of affliction such as there has not been since there was a nation upon
the
earth till that time: in that time shall thy people be saved, every one
who
is written in the book.” The Peshitta rendering is,
“At that time shall
stand up Michael, the great angel who is overseer over the
children of thy
people, and it shall be a time of affliction such as has not been
from the
days of eternity; there shall be delivered of the children of thy people
every
one
who is found written in the book.” The rendering of the Vulgate is in
close agreement with the Massoretic
text. The difference in the first clause
between the text of the Septuagint and that represented by the Massoretic
text and that of the versions which follow it is of importance. It is hardly
possible to suggest any Hebrew word for the place which can have
been
suggested by t[e, the word used here for “time.” Both versions of
the
clause look like attempts to supply a link of connection which
was
wanting in the text before them. This supports our idea that the
eleventh
chapter is mainly an interpolation. It would seem that the
Septuagint
translator had before him a text having some derivative possibly of lls,
perhaps in the passive of the pilpel,
which has no extant example. And at
that time. The connection would
naturally imply the time of the destruction
of
the oppressor — the king of the south. When he was cut off “without a
helper” would be a time one would expect of joy, not of
affliction. It may
refer to the coming of the oppressor from
produced the great affliction, what is the result of
Michael’s standing up? It
seems as if the connection here were hopelessly broken;
some dislocation
has occurred. Michael
the great prince which standeth for the children of
thy people (see ch.10:21). “Thy people,” this pronominal suffix
only occurs once in the previous chapter, in the fourteenth
verse, in a
clause that does not harmonize with the context — a clause
that we think
is a portion of the missing vision of Daniel. Shall stand up. This,
taken in
connection with his function, means he shall come for the
help of
And there
shall be a time of trouble, such as
never was since there was a
nation. This is certainly not
what might be expected to result from Michael
arising for the deliverance of the people of God. It
certainly may be
intended to explain the fact that Michael does “stand up.”
But in the
succeeding verses we have no account of special deliverance
being given to
began to be a nation there had not been such affliction. It
might mean that
never since there were nations had there been such a
persecution. Either of
these interpretations would be true. Never in the history
of
been such a persecution, because the attempt to force the
people to
worship Jupiter was met by a far fiercer resistance than
that which met
Jezebel’s attempt to make
then so permeated with love and honor to Jehovah as they
were now.
Further, there was more kindred between Baal-worship and
that of
Jehovah originally than between the latter and the worship
of Jupiter. Baal
means simply” Lord,” and Jehovah seems to have been
worshipped under
that title (Hosea 2:16). A collateral proof of this is the
fact that Saul
named one of his sons after “Baal” — Eshbaal
(equivalent to Ishbosheth),
I Chronicles 8:33; and Jonathan also named his son from
Baal —
Meribaal (equivalent to Mephibesheth),
Ibid. v. 34. The plea
might thus be advanced that Baal-worship was a revival of
an ancient cult.
Hence the persecution, severe as it was, would not be so
severe as under
Antiochus. Yet, again, the Greek intellect, keen and
polished as it was,
could persecute in a way more thorough and complete. If
fiercer
persecution for religious views could not have been at any
earlier time in
Jewish history, in no other country would there have been
any persecution
at all, because there would have been no resistance to the
will of the
monarch. Our Lord, in Matthew 24:21, has this passage in mind, and
uses terms borrowed from it
to describe the sufferings to be endured by the
Jews at the hands of the Romans. when
taken. It is to
be observed that while in Daniel the comparison is only with
the past, in Matthew there is added a reference to the
future, “No, nor ever
shall be.” Nothing,
then, shall equal the appalling horrors of the siege and
sack of
mere fact of deliverance is mentioned, but the nature of
the deliverance is
not indicated there; cessation of persecution would not be
deliverance, for
only
a totally different reference — the Jews perished, the
Christians were
delivered. There is here another evidence of dislocation. Every one that
shall be found
written in the book. There seems to be a faint reminiscence
of this in Philippians 4:3, and a clearer one in Revelation
13:8. Although
“books” is here referred to, and referred to also in
ch.10:21, yet the
“books” are different. The “book” in the tenth chapter
contains presumably
an account beforehand of all that is to happen. This book
is, so to speak, a
register of the names of those who should stand through
the fiery trial that
was to try them and maintain their faithfulness.
The Roll of the
“Thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be
found written in the
book” (ch.12:1).
Two remarks here:
1.
That, deeply
interesting as may be the eleventh chapter considered as
prophecy, and so demanding
minute historical exposition, there does
not seem to be much admitting of
strictly homiletical treatment. The
impression of others may be
different; but that is our view; and we
act upon it by advancing to this
chapter.
2.
That the homilies
immediately following are founded upon the view
expressed by Keil,
that the closing verses of the eleventh chapter refer
to “the
end of the present world-period,” not
to Antiochus Epiphanes,
but to the final enemy of the people of God, the antichrist; and further,
that the first three verses of
the twelfth chapter treat of “the final
deliverance of
the prophecies of Daniel close by
projecting themselves on into the
closing scenes of
the history of our world. The first
verse declares that
the close, of earth’s history shall
be a time of unparalleled trouble; that
the activity of Michael, the
guardian angel of
prominent; that there shall be deliverance
for all the true Israel of God,
viz. of those
whose names are written in “the book.” Of that book we
treat; but seeking light upon it
from the
later revelations of God. By
“the book” we understand the register of
the redeemed of the Lord —
the heavenly
Church book (Revelation 20:12,15) — the roll of the
one universal
Church.
which may well be represented
by a book. Books play no mean part in
Scripture symbolism. To
understand the passages we must remember that
ancient books were, for the most
part, written on parchment, rolled on
cylinders, and usually the
writing was on one side only. In Revelation
5:1 the book is the crowded roll
of the providential counsels. A book
sealed is one whose contents are secret. To eat a book is
spiritually to
assimilate its contents (Ibid.
ch.10:9-10; Jeremiah 15:16). A
book “folded up” stands for
law repealed, or teaching of no further use. To
“receive” a book is to
enter on new dignity (Revelation 5:7). Christ
enters on the
functions of MEDIATORIAL PROVIDENTIAL KING!
Ø
What it is not.
Not what is called “the volume of
the Divine decrees.”
Revelation 3:5 settles
that.
Ø
What it is. One of the two to be produced at the last judgment
(see
<Revelation 20:11-13). Look at them separately.
o
The books of the deeds of men. The judgment of the
great
day will be “according to the deeds,” etc.
(II Corinthians 5:10).
But how does this comport
with the evangelical doctrine that
believers are saved and
unbelievers lost (John 3:14-19)?
§
As to the unbeliever. His deeds are the
evidence of
unbelief.
§
The believer.
ü
Deeds, again, are
evidence of faith.
ü
Deeds determine place
in glory.
o The book of
life. A book of names only, of the living —
spiritually; i.e. of
the saved. Alford says, “Those books
and the book of life bear
independent witness to the fact
of men being or not being
among the saved; the one by
inference from the works
recorded, the other by
inscription or
non-inscription in the list.”
Ø
The origin of the figure. Whence? Various answers,
but all suggestive.
The carefully kept list of priests?
of citizens? of wrestlers in the great
Greek agony? the monster roll of
soldiers in the Roman army?
Believers ought to be all there
— priests, etc. Think, then: In the
book every believer’s name, not
in the world’s order, but in the order
of coming into the Church
universal. It is THE FAMILY REGISTER
of OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN. What if we could read it? The
names clearly
written! NO MISTAKE! What disclosures! Names
there; names not there!
No impeachment of the record. No doubtful
name. ARE OUR NAMES THERE?
o
The book is the register of His property. His “own.”
§
Blood-bought.
§
His ransomed:
ü
servants,
ü
subjects,
ü
soldiers,
ü
friends,
ü
younger brethren.
o
He enters the names. How do we know? NONE beside has the
ability or
qualification. The writer must be:
§
everywhere,
§
see all,
§
know all.
What wise discrimination
needed too!
§
tender sympathy!
§
instant delicate
recognition of the trust of a soul going out to Him!
o
As Guardian, He
keeps the book. The book, ever open, lies in the
shadow of the protection of
Christ’s throne (John 10:28).
Ø
The names ever
there. Of
those “who go out no more for ever.”
Ø
The blotted names.
(Revelation 22:19; 3:5.) Surely no idle threats
these (Hebrews 10:29)!
names have been filled in; and “yet there is room.” (Luke 14:22 – I am so
thankful, that, in such a
secular society in which we live, that I, not knowing
exactly where these words of
Christ originated, that I could type the four
words in and in less than a
second, my browser referred me to Luke 14:22!
This is a great saver of time,
however that is not the issue. The most
important
thing is Reader, IS YOUR NAME IN THE BOOK OF LIFE? If not, there
is room and TODAY IS
THE DAY OF SALVATION! DO NOT PUT IT
OFF! I recommend How to Be Saved - # 5 – this website – CY – 2014)
The blank space for your name
waits your decision. Some names never will
be there. (John 5:40.) What then? Revelation
20:15: figurative language? Yes.
But figure must be LESS EVER THAN REALITY!.
,
2 “And many of them that
sleep in the dust of the earth shall
awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and
everlasting
contempt.” The Septuagint
rendering is, “And many that sleep in the
(πλάτει
– platei - breadth) of the earth shall arise, some to life eternal, and some
to
reproach, some to (διασπορὰν
– diasporav - dispersion) and eternal shame.” These
terms, “reproach” and “dispersion,” are different attempts
to render
twOpr;j} (haraphoth), “reproaches.” The differences between
the above and
Theodotion are merely verbal; “dispersion” is omitted, χώματι - chomati - dust, is
instead of πλάτει. The rendering of the Peshitta
is, “And many of those
that sleep in the dust shall awake, some to life
everlasting, and some to
destruction and contempt of their friends for ever.” The
Vulgate has a
somewhat singular version of the last clause, “And many
that sleep in the
dust of the earth shall awake, some to life eternal, and
some to contempt,
in order that they may always see it (ut
videant semper).”
Many of them
that sleep in
the dust of the earth. Sleep, as a symbol of death, is frequent,
both in the Old Testament and the New: Psalm 13:3; Job
3:13; for
the New Testament, Acts 7:60; I Corinthians 15:6. “Dust” is a
common phrase for the grave: Job 7:21; Psalm 22:29; 30:9;
Genesis 3:19. The reference here is to those who are not
only dead, but
buried. The phrase translated, “dust of the earth,” literally means “earth of
dust.” The phrase is so singular that Professor Robertson
Smith has
suggested that instead of reading ‘admath
‘aphar, we should read ‘armath
‘aphar —
however, as Professor Bevan remarks,
no instance in Hebrew or Aramaic
of such a word being in use. It is assumed that the
reference here
(Behrmann, etc.) is to the Jews
alone; but for this assumption there is no
justification. While, on the one hand, one cannot prove
from this that
others besides
can we assert that “the Jews,” at the period when this
verse was written,
excluded all but Jews. We cannot deduce that” many” here
excludes “all.”
The idea suggested is rather multitudinousness. Shall awake,
some to
everlasting
life, and some to shame and everlasting
contempt. This is a
distinct reference to the resurrection of the body; it is
those that “sleep in
the dust” that shall thus “awake.” It is to be noted that at the resurrection
the condition of each is fixed frailly — it is to “everlasting life”
and “everlasting
contempt” This
resurrection is individual, not national, as shown by
the contrasted fates. The
doctrine of the resurrection is thus clearly stated.
There is no need to examine how much the Jews of the time
of the
Maccabees understood of this doctrine. Isaiah 26:14-19, as clearly
as
does this passage, proclaims the same belief. Ezekiel
37:1-14 shows
that resurrection was to the Israelites not such an
incongruous or
impossible idea as it was to the Greeks. But when is this?
We might be led
by the juxtaposition of this to the account of the
sufferings of the Jews
under Antiochus, to think that the writer believed the end
of the world
would take place immediately on the fall of Antiochus. But
in the first
place we must remember that we have not the vision given to
Daniel; it has
been replaced by the eleventh chapter. Further, the method
of prophecy
must be borne in mind. The future was made known in vision.
If, as seems
probable, distance in space from the apparent standpoint of
the prophet
represented distance in time from his actual or assumed
chronological
position, then, if the description of the vision proceeded
from one side of
the picture to the other, those things would be in close
juxtaposition which
were to be far removed from each other chronologically.
Thus an
astronomer may place in the same constellation stars
inconceivably distant
from each other — nay, may even unite as one binary star
two suns, the
one nearer the earth than the other by thousands of
millions of miles. So
our Lord correlates the destruction of
Moreover, the misery endured by the Jewish saints under
Antiochus was a
type of the sufferings of the people of God of every age.
“…..some to
everlasting life, and some to shame and
everlasting contempt.”
Here are two types of humanity and two destinies. Many
motives to Christian
service may be urged; but here behold its supreme attractiveness!
“…shine
as the
brightness of the firmament.” (v. 3) Contrast with this that other destiny
“Shame and everlasting contempt
The Resurrection (v. 2)
resurrection is equivalent to
the idea of a future life.
Ø
The yearning for a
future life is involuntary and apparently instinctive;
(God has put eternity into our
hearts – Ecclesiastes 3:11 – CY - 2014)
the belief in a future life is
almost universal amongst people in all
degrees of civilization, and
with all varieties of religion; the need of a
future life for the execution of
justice and the development of the
hopes and promises of this life
is such that we might expect a righteous
God to secure
it.
holiest aspirations of the most spiritual men
of all ages and creeds to
grow to noble fruits by feeding on one huge
delusion – “If in this
life only we have
hope in Christ, we are of all men most
miserable.”
(I Corinthians 15:19).
Ø
In addition to these
presumptions in favor of a future life, we have the
following direct evidences:
o
Scripture, backed up by the force of all that goes to prove its
inspiration and truth, plainly
teaches that there will be a
resurrection, and this with a
development of clearness and
positiveness which is parallel to that of self-evidencing spiritual
ideas.
o
Jesus Christ taught the same. To reject this teaching, we must
believe that our Lord was
in complete error on one of the most
fundamental doctrines of
His religion (Matthew 22:23-33;
John 11:25-26; 14:2).
o
The fact of the resurrection of Christ — amply established on
Historical evidence which
is irresistible when once the supposed
presumption against it
founded on the testimony of experience
in regard to miracles, is balanced
by the presumption in favor of
it founded on grounds of
moral and religious truth — is one
instance sufficient in
itself to prove that there is a life
beyond
the grave.
DIVISION OF DESTINIES.
Ø
It will be an occasion
of revelation. Men’s past history
will be
rehearsed, their secret
thoughts exposed, their true character made
known (Luke 12:2-3; Romans
2:16).
Ø
It will result in justice to all. Now we see justice hindered and delayed,
so that the wicked often prosper
and the righteous seem to fail (Psalm
73:3). Then men will receive
according to their deserts (Ibid. ch. 83:17).
To those, however, who have
repented and sought forgiveness and
newness of life in Christ, the
justification will consist, not in their
meritorious works, but in their faith in the grace of God (Romans 4:5).
Ø The conditions of life thus brought about will be seen to
be the natural
fruits of the life on earth. The judgment will really only bring to light
inevitable natural processes.
Its results will be the development of
natural law — the fruit-bearing
of character (Galatians 6:7-8).
Ø
Eternal life. Life is the issue of godliness — not indolent rest, nor
selfish pleasure, but glad,
restful living. This implies not only
continued existence, but
o
the exercise of
faculties and energies;
o
growth and
development — larger being, increased
knowledge,
nobler activities (I John 3:2);
o
nearer communion
with God, who is true Life and the Source
of all life (John 17:3).
Ø
Eternal shame and contempt. This implies suffering
— spiritual, but
most bitter. It is the. degradation of
life as opposed to the fuller
development of life in God’s
people. This is more terrible than
physical torture: “And they shall go forth, and look upon the
carcasses of the
men that have transgressed against me:
for
their worm shall
not die, neither shall their fire be quenched;
and they shall be
an abhorring unto all flesh!”(Isaiah
66:24).
Note:
o
It implies continued
existence — not annihilation — and
also the preservation of
conscience. The lowest degradation
is where conscience is
extinguished, and shame becomes
impossible.
o
The eternity of the
suffering implies, at least, its duration
BEYOND ANY KNOWN
BOUNDS! Such a prospect is
UNSPEAKABLY
AWFUL, whatever the consideration of
other aspects of truth may
suggest in regard to the final
issues of all punishment.
3 “And they that be wise
shall shine as the brightness of the
firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the
stars for
ever and ever.” The rendering of the Septuagint differs from this
considerably,
“Those who understand shall appear as the lights of heaven,
and those that
confirm my word as the stars of heaven for ever and ever.”
There seems to
be a difference of reading in the first clause. Instead of yazheeroo kezohar,
there seems to have been yayraro
kim’ooroth. The
verb used in the
Massoretic text means really “admonish.” The noun occurs only in
Ezekiel 13:2. In the last clause, instead of μyBir"h; (harabbeem),
“many,” the Septuagint has read yreb;D] (deboray), “my words.” It is
difficult to account for the omission of the final μ unless from the
likeness
of m to k and <ARAMAIC> and <ARAMAIC> (see Corpus Insc. Semit.).
Theodotion renders, “And they that understand shall shine as the
brightness of the
firmament, and certain from amongst the righteous as the
stars for ever and ever.” The Peshitta
rendering is somewhat paraphrastic,
“Those that do good and are wise shall shine as the
brightness of the
firmament, and those who conquer many shall be lights, and
arise as the
stars of heaven for ever and ever.” The Vulgate is in close
harmony with
the Massoretic text. The versions
are superior to our Authorized, in having
“those that understand” instead of “those that be
wise.” The reading of the
Septuagint in the opening clause of the second member of
the sentence is
inferior, as confirming or justifying the words of Daniel
or of God is a
simpler idea than that of turning many to righteousness.
Further, there is a
difficulty of fixing who is referred to by the prenominal suffix “my.”
Professor Fuller refers to Isaiah 51:11 for a parallel use
of the hiphil of qd"x;;
but there, as elsewhere, it means, not “turn to
righteousness,” but “justify,”
that is, “declare righteous.” Yet the connection between
the two ideas is close,
and the forensic idea can have no place here. Matthew 13:43
represents a
similar reward to the righteous.
Stars of the Church (v. 3)
Though all godly men will be called to eternal life at the
resurrection, a
special honor is reserved for those who evince practical
wisdom in
spiritual fruitfulness.
RIGHTEOUSNESS?” The wise and those who are thus successful are
plainly identified in the text.
Ø
True wisdom will
choose this as the noblest work. Men have various
aims, as pleasure, pecuniary
gain, power, fame, rank, self-culture, etc.
The noblest aim
is to seek to do good to others, and the highest good
we can do is moral good.
Hence the mission of the spiritual physician
takes the first place
among all vocations. It is the most Christlike. The
neglect of this work for the
propagation of barren dogmas, the promotion
of sectarian tenets, the
extension of ecclesiastical influence, or the mere
intellectual culture of
theological notions, is a proof of folly. The wise
man will see that the work
of the Christian teacher is practical and
spiritual rather than intellectual
and theoretical. It is to persuade men
to turn from sin to God and
goodness! “Now then we are
ambassadors for
Christ, as though God did beseech you by us:
we pray you in
Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God
(II Corinthians 5:20).
Ø
True wisdom is
requisite for the successful execution of this work. God
has left this to be dependent on
the zeal, energy, and wisdom of His
Church (Ibid. ch.4:7). Wisdom is
needed:
o
to detect the
real needs of men, for spiritual
diagnosis;
o
to understand the
spiritual truths of the gospel, in which are
to be found the means of
conversion to righteousness; and
o
to choose the right
way of approaching, teaching, and
persuading men, that wise
words may be spoken seasonably
(Proverbs 15:23). This
wisdom is a spiritual gift, which is to
be sought in prayer (James
1:5).
CONVERSION TO RIGHTEOUSNESS WILL BE REWARDED
WITH PECULIAR HONOR.
Ø
Though all true
Christians will be saved from ruin, and blessed
with the heavenly inheritance,
all will not be equally honored.
There will be differences
of rank and honor in heaven
(Luke 9:17-19).
Ø
Though we shall not be
received into heaven on account of our own
desert, but through the free
grace of God (Ephesians 2:8), our relative
place and honor in heaven will be determined according to our merits
(Matthew 5:19). Indolent and
selfish Christians must take a lower place
than that of self-denying,
diligent servants of Christ (I Corinthians
3:14-15). (Beware of the temptation experienced by the
mother
of James and John – Matthew
20:20-21 – CY – 2014)
Ø
The chief honor of
heaven is reserved for those who have been wise
in effecting
the conversion of souls to righteousness. It is true that
we are ultimately
responsible for fidelity, not for success (Revelation
2:10). But failure often arises from unfaithfulness.
We have no excuse
for not having the wisdom which is the free gift of God, and may be
possessed by
those who are humanly accounted foolish
(I Corinthians
1:21-24). Successful missionary work receives especial honor, because
it requires the
greatest self-sacrifice, faith, zeal, and love; because it
secures the most
important good for mankind; and because it
glorifies
God supremely.
Ø
This honor consists in
shining
brightness, as:
o
a public recognition
of worthy service;
o
the possession of true
beauty and gladness of soul;
o
the means of still
directing and attracting others in the
way of right (Matthew
5:16).
4 “But thou, O Daniel,
shut up the words, and seal the book,
even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and
knowledge
shall be increased.”
The Septuagint rendering in the
last portion of the
verse is totally different from the Masserotic
recension, which is correctly
rendered in our English version, “And thou, Daniel, hide
the commands
and seal the book till the time of the end, till many shall
rave violently
(ἀπομανῶσιν
– apomanosin – run back and forth) and the earth be filled with
unrighteousness.” It is possible that W[Gvuy] (yeshoogg’oo),
“were mad,” was
read instead of Wff]cYi (yishoetoo), “ran to and
fro.” In the older script m. was
not unlike [. Professor Bevan has
suggested that instead of t["D;h" (hadda’th), “
the knowledge,” the Septuagint translator has read t[Or;h; (hara’oth), “the
evils,” and thinks that this gives the Septuagint Greek.
Were one, however,
to render the Greek back into Hebrew, that would not be the
form the
words would take. It may, however, be regarded as a
paraphrase.
Theodotion’s version is closer to the Massoretic,
“And thou, Daniel, shalt
guard (ἔμφραξον – emphraxon - make a fence round)
the words, and seal the
book till the time of the end, till many shall be taught,
and knowledge shall be
fulfilled.” Theodotion here takes
fyç as
meaning, not “run to and fro,” but
“peruse carefully.” The last clause somewhat justifies
Professor Bevan’s
suggestion: hb;r; used
to mean “fulfill” or “fill out.” The Peshitta
renders,
“And thou, then, Daniel, seal these commands, render
silent, and seal this
book till the time of the end, and many shall inquire, and
knowledge shall
be increased.” The Vulgate agrees on the whole with the Massoretic text.
Shut up the
words. The exact rendering of the words is “close up;” hence
Theodotion’s rendering “put a rampart round,” the μt"s; (satham), means
generally “to stop up a well;” e.g. II Kings 3:19; II Chronicles 32:30;
Genesis 26:15. In Nehemiah 4:7 it is used of stopping the
breaches in the wall; only in Ezekiel 28:3 and Psalm 8:6 is
the word
rendered, even in the English versions, “hidden;” but even
in these cases
that is not the necessary or even the natural meaning of
the word. These
remarks apply also to ch. 8:26. Seal the book. There is a
question as
to the force of this phrase. Does it mean that the book was
to be hidden and
concealed? This view, if correct, would certainly give a
plausibility to the
contention that the book of Daniel is the work of a falsarisu. We have
seen, however, that the real meaning of the verb translated
“shut up” is not
“conceal,” but “to shut up” with the view certainly of
hindering access to
them, but not at all with the intention of concealment. So
the “sealing” here
does not necessarily indicate concealment, but rather the
conclusion of the
matter with further idea of confirmation. The oracles of
God are regarded
as a spring of water; if we follow the figure implied in
the first word used,
the flow is stopped now; so far as this message is
concerned, nothing more
is to be drawn from the fountain. But a fountain may also
be sealed (see
Song of Solomon 4:12, “A garden enclosed, a fountain
sealed”). In that
case there is no idea of concealment. The book, then, of
the prophecy is to
be sealed against any change or addition. Even take the
view of the critics,
there is here no elaborate directions as to the concealment
of the vision as
we find in the case of the ‘Assumption of Moses.’ But
further, we have no
account of the finding of the book. Daniel was not like the
‘Assumption of
Moses,’ the esoteric possession of a single sect, it was on
the critical
hypothesis soon known all over
finding of the book of the Law in the reign of Josiah is
narrated in II Kings
22. and II Chronicles 34.; but neither I Maccabees nor II Maccabees says a
word about the finding of the Book of Daniel. Josephus also
has no word
of the discovery of Daniel, although he relates the finding
of the book of
the Law in the days of Josiah. There must have been no
tradition of such a
thing taking place, yet two centuries was not so long as to
obliterate
tradition. The sealing had metaphorical meaning — a book
sealed, though
it was visible to the eye, and was not hidden away — could
not be read. If
the key by which to interpret it is not granted, a book in
cipher cannot be
read (compare Isaiah 29:11-12, “And the vision of all is become unto you
as a book that is
sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying,
Read this, I pray
thee: and he saith, I cannot, for it is sealed. And
the book
is delivered to
him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he
saith, I am not
learned.” If the book were sealed that it
could not be
opened, the delivering of the book and the request to read
it would be
meaningless). Prophecy was delivered frequently in
enigmatic language,
and the meaning of it could only be grasped when
circumstance supplied
the key. To the
time of the end. The end is not the end of the persecution
of the days of Antiochus — that is already past; we have
now reached the
consummation of all things. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge
shall be
increased. This is to be looked upon as a description of the last
time, when circumstance shall remove the seal from
the book. (Is this
not what has happened in the last century? I highly recommend
Clarence Larkin’s Dispensational
Truth for an example! – CY – 2014)
The translator of the Septuagint has been led away by the
idea of the time as
one of sorrow. The verb, however, translated “going to and
fro” may be
rendered as “to peruse.” The veil then shall be removed,
the seals broken
when men peruse the prophecy carefully, and knowledge is
increased.
Progressive Knowledge of Scripture (v. 4)
The treatment of one of Daniel’s prophecies which is here
referred to may
be applied to all the prophecies of the Bible, and to the
higher truths of
Scripture generally.
shut up” and “the book is sealed.” Revelation,
while it clears up some
mysteries, presents new ones. It
is full of dark places, unfathomable depths,
suggestions of endless truths.
Ø
All is not clear,
because we cannot yet understand all; if it were made
more clear, we might only
misunderstand it and so fall into the error.
Revelation is open to us only so
far as we have capacity to receive it
(Psalm 109:18).
Ø
There is a Divine
reserve, because we are not morally fit to use all truth
(Matthew 7:6). There are truths
which we should degrade if we had not
the spiritual capacity for the
right use of them. This may apply to some
questions concerning the
ultimate destiny of man.
Ø
Some truths may be
concealed for the present, because the special use of
them is for some future time.
Now they might only amuse our idle
curiosity, and distract our
attention from more practical concerns. At “the
time of the end” they will do valuable service. This may be the case with
revelations of the millennium.
UNDERSTOOD. “Many
shall run to and fro,” traversing the book, and
comparing its several sayings in
order to see their full meaning. So must we
do with Scripture (John 5:39;
Acts 17:11). There are truths so clear
that the most foolish can
understand them (Isaiah 35:8); and all men
can practice them without
hesitation (Habakkuk 2:2). But there are
large and deep
truths which must be sought to be found.
Ø
When truths are thus
obtained, they are better understood and more
valued than when they are learned without effort.
Ø
The very act of
searching is a useful exercise of patience, zeal, and
spiritual
thoughtfulness.
Ø
Experience proves the success of this method of learning truth. The
difficulties of Scripture
attract thought. Scripture is A
MINE OF
INEXHAUSTIBLE
TREASURE! Men run to and fro
through it
now more than they ever did, and
its truths are fresher and brighter
than ever (Matthew 13:52).
knowledge is
increased. Scripture repays the
searching it calls for.
Ø
Experience increases the knowledge. History illustrates revelation.
deeper spiritual truths of
Messianic prophecy.
Ø
Our own spiritual
growth leads to the increase of knowledge.
Scripture contains more to
the advanced Christian than it does to
the young disciple of
Christ (John 7:17).
Ø
The progressive
life of the Church leads to enlarged knowledge of
Scripture
o
by accumulation of
experience, thought, and study of the Bible;
o
by the correction and
mutual criticism of various minds in
different ages;
o
by improved methods of
inquiry superseding the errors of
patristic exposition and
scholastic theology.
5 “Then I Daniel looked,
and, behold, there stood other two,
the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the
other on that side
of the bank of the river.” The versions do not require remark, save that the
Septuagint and the Peshitta do
not repeat “river.” The abrupt introduction
of “two other’ is another proof that the long eleventh
chapter, as we have
it now, is an interpolation. We must go back to ch. 10:18 to get the
person from whom these two mentioned are distinguished. The
two new
dramatis personae are, in all likelihood angels, and the river in
question is the
often used of the
raOy (y’or) is an Egyptian appellative, made by the
Hebrews into the proper
name of the
false premise he deduces that the Book of Daniel was
written in
may be angels of countries. There seems nothing to justify
the idea that
Michael and Gabriel are the two here intended — the word
“other”
excludes this. The reason of this introduction of two
angels is, Professor
Bevan thinks, as witnesses to the oath of the angel. But an
oath, to be
binding, did not need witnesses; e.g. when David sware to Jonathan, there
were no witnesses. Another idea may be hazarded — the
looked upon as the boundary of the East and the West; and
the two other
angels may be the angelic guardians of these two regions.
6 “And one said to the man
clothed in linen, which was upon
the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of
these
wonders?” The
Septuagint rendering is, “And I said” — reading rma
instead of rmay — “to one clothed in (βύσσινα – bussina - fair linen), which is
above the water of the river” — the last five words being
omitted from the
Syriac of Paulus Tellensis
— “When, then, shall the end be of these
marvels which thou hast told me, and their purification?”
The last clause,
which does not represent anything in the Massoretic, is due to a confusion
between [m"v]a,, with which
the next verse begins, and μm"v;a".
Theodotion’s rendering is, as usual, closer to the Massoretic,
“and he said
to the man clothed in baddin,
who was upon the waters of the river, When
shall be the end of those marvels of which thou speakest?” Both the Greek
versions insert “of which thou speakest.”
The rendering of the Peshitta
differs slightly, “And they said” — a reading that one
would be wishful to
adopt if it had any probability in its favor — “to the man
clothed in
beautiful apparel, who was standing above the waters of the
river, Until
when shall the end of these things be?” The omission of
“wonders” is to be
observed. The Vulgate follows the Septuagint in making
Daniel the
speaker, “And I said to the man clothed in linen, who was
standing over
the waters of the river, When shall be the end of these
marvels?” And one
said. Aben Ezra makes this one of the two who spoke. This suggestion
is
the most natural, only the sentence is singularly abrupt,
and favors the
idea that there is an omission here. The Septuagint and
Vulgate, as we have
seen, read, “I said.” While the reading is an easy
one, it is against the analogy
of ch. 8:13. To the man clothed in linen. This man is mentioned in
ch.10:5,
presumably Gabriel. Which was upon the waters of the river.
The reference may
be to ch. 8:16, where a voice comes to him
from between the banks of
the river Ulai. Here, not upon
the waters of the river
was the appearance of the angel Gabriel. How long shall it be to the end of
these wonders? One difficulty that
strikes one is that there are no wonders
foretold. That the rulers of
marvels referred to are the events foretold, quotes Isaiah 29:14 (consider
this as an example of what is going on in
Congress, and Supreme Court! – CY – 2014) as a parallel
instance, but,
though marvels are there mentioned, such marvels that all
the wisdom of the
wise should fail, etc., yet here nothing is told of the
nature of these marvels.
Had there been visions of symbolic animals, as in the
seventh and eighth
chapters, we could have understood these things being
spoken of as marvels.
The probability, then, is heightened that there have been
omissions as well
as insertions here. The time contemplated is the end, when
judgment and
resurrection are passed. It
is, in fact, the question of the apostles
(Matthew 24:3),
“Tell us, when shall these things be? and
what shall be the sign of thy coming,
and of the end of the world?”
7 “And I heard the man
clothed in linen, which was upon the
waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his
left hand
unto heaven, and sware by Him
that liveth for ever that it shall be for
a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have
accomplished to
scatter the power of the holy people, all these things
shall be finished.”
The Septuagint essentially agrees with this. It omits “man”
in the first
clause; has “water” instead of “waters;” adds “God” as
explanatory of “Him
that liveth for ever;” it renders
“scatter the power” by “loose the hands.”
Theodotion, while agreeing with the Massoretic
text as to the first portion
of the verse, differs very much in the end. He renders,
“when the scattering
is finished, they shall know these things.” There is, as
will be seen, no
reference to the “holy people.” His manuscript must have
omitted “holy,”
for the rest may be explained by a false division into
words, μ[Ady being
read w[dy The Massoretic
reading is to be preferred. The Peshitta and
Vulgate do not call for remark. When he held up his right hand and his left
hand unto
heaven. The lifting up the hand, in sign of making a solemn
asseveration, is used of God himself (Deuteronomy 32:40),
of Abraham
(Genesis 14:22), of the angel in the passage in Revelation
founded on
this (Revelation 10:5). Here the fact that both right hand
and left hand
are lifted up to heaven gives greater solemnity to the act.
And sware
by
him that liveth for ever. This
title is ascribed to God in ch. 4:34;
also in Deuteronomy 32:40; the idea is involved in the name
Jehovah (Yahveh). The
relationship between the oath and the ascription to
God, on whose faithfulness its fulfillment depended, is
obvious, The fact
that the “man clothed
in linen” thus “swears” implies that in some way he is
the source of the determination of the period. This notion
is involved in the
whole spiritual scenery of the Book of Daniel; the angels
of the nations are
the agents under God for carrying out the decrees of
providence. That it
shall be for a
time, times, and an half. This is a space of
time repeatedly
used in the Biblical apocalypses (ch.
7:25; Revelation 12:14). In
Ibid. ch.11:3, the same period seems to be represented by
twelve
hundred and sixty days. In the present case twelve hundred
and ninety days
seem to be regarded as equivalent to the “time, times, and
an half (v. 11).
The divergency of interpretation
comes to its height here. A great number
of interpreters — not merely those of the critical school —
maintain that
“time” here is a literal year, and the days of the
succeeding verses literal
days, and that the period in question is that between the
desecration of the
temple by Antiochus’s orders, and the setting up “the
abomination of
desolation” (I Maccabees 1:54),
till the Jews were able to sacrifice once more
in the reconsecrated temple
(Ibid. ch. 4:52). This period, however, is only
ten days over the three years from the 15th Casleu, 145 of the era of the
Seleucids, to the 25th Casleu,
148. Or, if we take the date from the time
that sacrifices to Jupiter began, till the re-establishment
of the worship of
Jehovah, it is then exactly three years from the 25th Casleu to the 25th
Casleu. This period is not sufficient. Professor Moses Stuart
gets over the
difficulty by reckoning back from the cleansing of the
temple to what he
considers the probable date of Antiochus’s entrance into
retreat from
the terminus a quo the setting up of the
“abomination of desolation,”
which occurred in 145, Seleucid era. Professor Bevan would reckon to the
death of Antiochus. Of this event we only know it happened
in 149,
Seleucid era (Ibid. ch.6:16). If the year began, as the Maceabaean
reckoning seems to have been, with the month Nisan, it
might be that
approximately three years and a half was the time from the
desecration of
the temple to the death of Antiochus. But the death of Antiochus produced
but little change on the condition of the Jews. In the
following year Lysias
inflicted a defeat on Judas and besieged
of the city. To some extent we have anticipated our remarks
on this text
when considering ch. 7:25. There
are, however, peculiarities due to
the fact that Aramaic, not Hebrew, is the language used in
that passage.
d[ewOm (mo’ed), here
rendered “time.” is translated “congregation” most
generally in the Peutatcuch.
Sometimes it is “feast,” and sometimes it is
“season;” but if the word here means a definite period of
time, it is the only
case in which it does so, and it is a word that appears
several hundreds of
times in the Scriptures. We admit that the enumeration of
days which
follows renders the assertion that mo’ed
means here a “year,” to some
extent plausible, yet only plausible. But the next question
arises — Even
though we should grant that it means a year, are we to
understand a literal
year? We saw that the “weeks” of ch.
9. are not to be taken literally, but as
weeks of years, in which each day stands for a year; the
contention of the
traditional interpreters has then a justification from analogy
in taking a
mo’ed, if a “year,” to be one of three hundred and sixty or
three hundred
and sixty-five years. Not only is the extent of time
indicated here extremely
doubtful, but the terminus a qao
is also. Although the writer of I Maccabees
fixes the setting up the abomination of desolation, that is
only
his interpretation. Our Lord, on the other hand, refers it
to the Roman
conquest of
that inflicted by Antiochus. The meaning of this period is
not fixed yet.
When he shall
have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people.
Professor Bevan would change the
reading here, as from the order of the
Greek words in the Septuagint he deduces that the order in
the text before
the translator was different from that in the Massoretic text. He would
render, “When the power of the shatterer
of the holy people shall come to
an end.” Behrmann sees
grammatical difficulties, but these are not cogent;
but the argument for this change is weak. Yet we prefer,
though with
difficulty, Professor Bevan’s
reading. It makes the connection much
simpler to take this solution, as the end of all things is
not the scattering of
the holy people, but their building up. If we had any
authority from the
versions we should be inclined to read twOlK"mi instead
of twOLk"k]W,
and
insert d["
before hn;yl,k]Ti,
and thus would wish to render, “From the
breaking of the power of the scatterer
of the holy people till all these things
are ended.” This gives beth termini,
but none of the versions gives any hint
of such a reading. All
these things shall be finished. As the resurrection is
mentioned in the second verse, we might at once assume that
this refers to
the end of time; but Matthew 24:34, compared with 30,
renders this
conclusion doubtful.
8 “And I heard, but I
understood not: then said I, O my Lord,
what shall be the end of these things?” The Septuagint rendering differs
in a somewhat singular way from the above, “And I heard and
understood
not, especially about this time; and I said, Lord, what is
the solution of this
word, and what are those parables?” These variations seem
due to glosses
and paraphrase. Theodotion is in
complete agreement with the Massoretic
text. The Peshitta differs only
by inserting “Daniel.” The Vulgate renders
the last clause, Quid erit
post haec? “What will be after these things?”
Daniel understood the words, but by hypothesis he did not
understand the
meaning of them. This exhibits the relation of the prophet
always to the
revelations given — his faculty of understanding was
totally independent of
the receptive faculty by which he received the revelation.
If we assume this
as representing a fact, then all arguments which are
grounded on the
meanings which the prophet himself might see in his words
are beside the
question. Since he does not understand, he appeals to the
angelic
messenger, who had declared so much.
The End (v. 8)
change, All things are temporary
and transient. But the order of change
itself will change. The whole present system of life will pass away.
(Matthew 24:35a). Life is a
process, a preparation, a series of changing
events which is to end and
give place to an entirely
different order.
Ø
Pleasure will end; therefore live for higher interests.
Ø
Sorrow will end; therefore be patient
and hopeful.
Ø
Temptation will end; therefore be brave.
Ø
The opportunity for work will end; therefore be diligent
now
(John 9:4).
Ø
This life will end; therefore be prepared for the life beyond.
Ø
This world will end; therefore take account of the other world
in judging of the mysteries
of present
Ø
Though the world
passes away, we remain. The soul’s life outlasts all
earthly things. It is therefore of great
moment to us to be right for the
end.
Ø
The end is the most
important thing to be considered. We all work for
ends. Passing things are used as
means to obtain some end. We have not
yet rest and
satisfaction. We look for such
blessings at the end of life
(Micah 2:10).
Ø
The character of
the end will determine our estimate of present things.
We value the process according
to our estimate of the result. If it is right,
at the end the hard and dark questions
concerning things as they are may
be waved. “All is well that ends well” (Shakespeare). (Romans 8:28;
II Corinthians 4:16-18).
Ø
The principles of
government which determine the end are
revealed; the
moral conditions of the end are
made known. We cannot plead ignorance
as an excuse for
negligence. Enough is revealed to guide and urge us in
the right way (Matthew 7:13-14),
and to cheer the Christian with
boundless hope (I
Corinthians 15:24-25).
Ø
The external
condition, the detail of events, the destiny of individual
souls, and the final issues of
eternity, are not revealed. Therefore we
walk by faith. (II Corinthians 5:7)
beginning (Isaiah 46:10). It cannot surprise him. It cannot
frustrate, but
can only fulfill, His purposes.
Ø
It is foolish
as well as wicked to
expect to reach a happy end by
opposing God’s ways, since
the end is with Him.
Ø
If we are following
in his ways, we need have no fear for
the end.
He will provide the best
that infinite love can give (John 14:2).
9 “And he said, Go thy
way, Daniel; for the words are closed
up and sealed till the time of the end.” The
Septuagint omits the last
clause, and completes this verse from that which succeeds,
“And he said,
Depart, Daniel; for the commands are veiled and sealed
until many shall be
tried and shall be sanctified.” Theodotion
renders, “Come, Daniel, because
the words are fenced and sealed till the time of the end.”
The Peshitta and
the Vulgate agree with the Massoretic.
Go thy way, Daniel.
This is a
refusal to grant Daniel’s prayer, but in the refusal no
condemnation of
Daniel is implied. The
oracles were sealed until circumstance broke the
seal. The purpose of
prophecy was not to enable men to write history
beforehand. It is to be a sign that, recognized in its fulfillment, may afford
evidence of the Divinity of the message or person to whom it referred.
Closed up and sealed. This
verse gives us the real meaning of these words.
Daniel’s oracles were not concealed and sealed from being
read, but
because they were not interpreted they were not understood.
For even to
Daniel they are “closed up and sealed.” Till the time of the end. This
is
omitted, as may be seen above, from the Septuagint.
Although this has a
satisfactory meaning, yet it seems better to connect this
verse more directly
with that which follows.
10 “Many shall be
purified, and made white, and tried; but
the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall
understand; but the wise shall understand.” As before observed, the
Septuagint takes the first words of this verse and joins
them to the verse
preceding, omitting, however, one of the three stages of
the process. The
rest of the verse is, “And the sinners shall sin, and none of the sinners shall
understand, and the wise
shall attend.” The version of Theodotion is longer
than the Massoretic, “Many shall
be chosen and made white, and tested,
and sanctified; and none of
the transgressors shall understand, and the
wise
shall understand.” The additional stage is probably due to
a “doublet.” The
Peshitta rendering is, “Many shall be chosen, and made white, and
tried;
and the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the sinners shall understand;
but those that then do good shall understand.” The Vulgate
rendering is,
“And many shall be chosen, and made white, and tried as by
fire; and the
wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall
understand; but the
learned shall understand.” It is to be observed that all the
versions take the
hithpael of rr"b; and ˆb"l;as if they were the passives of the kal
— a view
that shows the grammatical influence of the Aramaic
dialects. This verse as
a whole is paraphrased in Revelation 22:11, “He that is unjust, let him
be unjust still: and he that is filthy, let him be filthy
still: and
he that is
righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is
holy, let him be holy
still.” Many shall be purified, and
made white. If we keep strictly to the
meaning of the hithpael, we ought
to render, “Many shall purify themselves
and make themselves white,” as the Revised renders. When
men make a
sincere effort after purity, then the Lord is ready to help
them. John 7:17,
“If any man will do His will, he shall know of the
doctrine.” Then,
when men were thus striving after purity, would the meaning
of Daniel’s
prophecy be made known. An
age in which there is great religious fervor
is never one in which men are conscious of prevailing
goodness; on the
contrary, it is one when men are conscious of prevailing evil
in themselves
and others. Hence
the Book of Daniel could not have been written in the
age of the Maccabees; by their
very earnestness they would be conscious of
moral and spiritual defects in themselves and others, and
would not reckon
their age one in which special revelations could be
expected. Tried. The
reference implied in the word used is trying by fire —
after these saints
have purified themselves they are tested by fire. But the wicked shall
do
wickedly. No amount of
affliction will of itself produce purity. The northern
tribes were oppressed by Hazael
(II Kings chps. 8-13), but that did not work
any change in them. The most striking example of this in
all history is the siege
of
lawless than before. (What about the end of time? See Revelation 16:9 –
CY – 2014). Our Lord
interprets a portion of this passage as
referring to this siege. None of the wicked shall understand; but the wise
shall
understand. This again repeats the doctrine that effort after holiness
is necessary to understanding God’s ways. The historical
instance above
cited proves the truth of the statement here. The
Christians, who were the
wise in the sense of those that considered and sought after
God,
understood the signs of the times, and left
wicked understood, and so perished in the fall of the
city. (Consider
II Thessalonians 2:9-12 for what is occurring in our
day! Apparently
the result of the havoc the deception of Satan causes when
he is
loosed from prison.
Revelation 20:7-8 – CY – 2014)
11 “And from the time that
the daily sacrifice shall be taken
away, and the abomination that maketh
desolate set up, there shall be
a thousand two hundred and ninety days.” The Septuagint is,
“From the
time the sacrifice is taken away for ever, and the
abomination of desolation
is prepared to be set up, are a thousand two hundred and
ninety days.” The
translator must have had tl"[O (‘olath) before him, and read it hl;[
(‘olah), else he could not
have translated dymuiT;
“for ever,” and written
“sacrifice” also. The Hebrew copyist, following the usage
of
which makes “sacrifice” understood after “continual,” had
omitted it in the
text followed by the Massoretes. Theodotion’s rendering is, “From the
time of the change of the daily sacrifice (ἐνδελεχισμοῦ
- endelechismou –
continual burnt offering)
and the abomination of desolation set up (δοθῆναι –
dothaenai) is a thousand two
hundred and ninety days.” The Peshitta and
Vulgate do not call for remarks. This verse is a veritable crux interpretum
(crossroad of interepreters; difficult to understand). From the time that the
daily
sacrifice shall be taken away. This event is
referred to in ch.11:31.
Whether the eleventh chapter is earlier or later is in our
opinion
scarcely doubtful. Also in ch.
8:11 we have the taking away of the
daily sacrifice mentioned as one of the deeds of Antiochus.
While the
reference in ch. 11. and ch. 8. is to the action of Antiochus, it is not
necessary to maintain that this refers to him; other
oppressors might take
away the daily sacrifice. This clause certainly seems to
give the terminus a
quo (limit from which), but it is
difficult to fix the date m question. Certainly
from the fact that the words used here are used by the
writer of the eleventh
chapter to describe the actions of Antiochus, and that in I
Maccabees 1:54 there
is also a similar identification, we might be inclined to
take the event here
mentioned as the starting-point of the twelve hundred and
ninety days. But
the acknowledged impossibility of fitting the days to the
chronology
militates against this view. And the abomination that maketh desolate
set
up. At first sight the
reader is inclined to regard this as a statement of the
terminus ad quem (the point at which something
ends or finishes). The grammatical
difficulties against this view are forcible. Although l]... ˆmi,
“from” and “to,” are
sometimes used for d[ ... ˆmi,
“from... until,” it is rare, and the intrusion of
w], “and,”
is strong against this interpretation. Yet it seems strange that two
termini a quo should
be assigned and no terminus ad quota (terminal point).
A thousand two
hundred and ninety days. While this seems to be the same
period as that reckoned in the seventh verse, “a time, times, and half a time,”
yet it is not absolutely coincident. It is thirty
days more than three and a half
times the prophetic year of three hundred and sixty,
and eleven days more than
three and a half mean solar years. As we have already said,
if we take the
profanation of the temple, 25th Casleu,
145 Seleucid era, as our starting
point, it is impossible to fix any great deliverance or any
event of
importance which happened some three years and seven months
after.
Antiochus may have died seven months after the news arrived
of the
reconsecration of the temple; but we have no data. As above stated, the
death of Antiochus wrought but little alteration in the
condition of the
Jews. If we regard the days as literal days, there is one period that nearly
coincides with the twelve hundred and ninety days — our Lord’s ministry
upon the earth. It
is difficult to understand how our Lord’s commencing
His ministry was the removing of the daily sacrifice. Yet
in the “heavenlies”
it might be so. Further, we sometimes reckon “from” a
period to come, as
we can say, “We are yet — weeks from harvest, midsummer, or
Christmas.” So the Crucifixion
as the fulfillment of all the sacrifices of the
Law may be regarded as their removal. Certainly in His crucifixion was the
real abomination which maketh
desolate set up. It suits the next verse.
From our Lord’s crucifixion to His ascension there would be
exactly forty-five
days if, as is commonly believed, His ascension, as His
resurrection,
took place on a Sunday. This, however, is merely a thought
thrown out. If
we take the date indicated by our Lord, the war against the
Jews, dating
from Vespasian’s march to Ptolemais in the beginning of A.D. 67 to
the
capture of the temple and the cessation of the daily sacrifice
(Josephus,
‘
this to the final capture of the city is close upon
forty-five days. If we,
however, take a day for a year, then another series of
possible solutions are
before us, all more or less faulty. One has the merit of
postponing the
solution to a date still future. The capture of
637 is made the starting-point; if we add to that twelve
hundred and ninety
years, we have A.D. 1927. The
Mohammedan power may have fallen by
that time; anything may have happened then. All these
various solutions, all
more or less unsatisfactory, prove that no solution is
possible. If the
fulfillment is yet in the future, circumstances may convey to us
the
interpretation. We must remember the vision was sealed to “the
time of the
end.”
12 “Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand
three hundred and five and thirty days.” None of the versions occasion
any remark. Blessed
is he that waiteth. It might be
rendered, Oh the
blessednesses of him that waiteth! This implies that forty-five days or
years after the unknown event that terminates the twelve
hundred and
ninety days, another event of yet more surpassing interest,
and fraught with
yet greater benefit, shall occur. It seems most natural to
regard this period
as including in it that which precedes, though there is no
grammatical
reason why this period should not commence at the expiry of
the twelve
hundred and ninety days. In the latter case we are fully
more at sea than
before.
13 “But go thou thy way
till the end be: for thou shalt rest,
and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.” The Septuagint Version here
differs considerably from the Massoretic,
“Go thy way and rest, for there
are days and hours till the fulfillment of the end; and
thou shalt rest and
arise to thy glory at the end of days.” Theodotion
closely resembles the
Septuagint in his rendering of this verse, “But go thou and
rest, for there are yet
days and hours to the fulfillment of the end, and thou shalt arise in thy lot at
the end of days.” The Peshitta
renders, “Go, Daniel, to the end, rest and
arise at thy time at the end of days.” The Vulgate agrees
with the
Massoretic text. As to the additional clause which appears in the
Septuagint and in Theodotion, Origen has appended the mark which
indicates that these words were only found in the
Septuagint, or, at all events,
had nothing corresponding to them in the Hebrew text of his
day. Go thou
thy way. Daniel is dismissed
in peace, without having his question
answered. Before Daniel was a course, and on that course he
was to go,
without occupying his thoughts with this secret thing.
There is no word for
“way” in the Hebrew or in any of the older versions. Till the end. The
versions transpose this clause with that which follows. “The end” is not
naturally the end of Daniel’s life, for that ought to be
“thy end;” still, the
next clause seems to necessitate this. Hitzig
would interpret the word qaytz
as “goal” (ziel); but it
is not the usual meaning of the word, and is not so
used elsewhere in this passage. Professor Robertson Smith’s
suggestion
(Bevan, 207), that the word xqe (qaytz) is due to a mistake of a copyist,
who has inserted it wrongly, is worthy of consideration. For thou shalt
rest. This is rendered by Hitzig, “und magst ruhig sein” — “and you may
be at rest.” The fulfillment of the prophecy was for a time
long future, and
Daniel need not disturb himself. (For those living during
the time of
fulfillment, Christ gives us this advice, “And
when these things begin to
come to pass, then LOOK
UP, and
lift up your heads; for your redemption
DRAWETH NIGH.” Luke
21:28 – CY – 2014). Against this
interpretation
is the fact that the verb hW"n (nuah), here translated “rest,” never has the
subjective meaning which Hitzig
here attaches to it. The natural view is that of
most interpreters — “rest”
in the grave. And stand in thy lot at the
end of the
days. In Jeremiah 13:25 “lot”
is used for what is assigned by
the judgment of God. “Standing
in the lot” primarily suggests one taking
possession of what has been assigned by Divine
judgment. The verb “to stand”
does not mean to rise from the dead, which is true; but the
connection
necessitates this meaning, and as the idea of resurrection
had not received
theological definition, no technical word would have the
exclusive claim to
be used. Even now we do not always use “resurrection,” and
in poetry rarely do.
“The end of days” must mean the end of time after the resurrection.
Precept and Promise (vs. 4-13)
“But go thou thy way,” etc. (v. 13). From
v. 4 to the end we have the epilogue
to
the last vision of the book. In the epilogue are many interesting matters.
near ninety years is bidden
to continue in the path of well-doing until death;
for that is “the end” referred to.
Ø
Rest. In the grave. After that long, toilsome, noble life.
Ø
Resurrection. dwOf[}T"AμWqT;: To rise up from the rest of the grave.
Ø
Inheritance; i.e. with the saints in light. “
the inheritance of
Heaven. (What a terrible
thing to be said to me what was said to
Simon Magus, “Thou has neither part nor lot in this matter!” -
CY – 2014)
In View of the End (v. 13)
Daniel is the apocalyptic prophet of the Old Testament. To
him, more than
to
any other man, were given visions of the vast future and the destined
end
of the present world. Such revelations must have made a deep impression
on
the man himself. The right use of that impression is here indicated.
QUIETLY, FAITHFULLY, AND PATIENTLY. The vision of
the end is
not to distract our attention from present duties, but rather to
inspire us for
them. The neglect of
practical Christianity for millennarian speculations
is
contrary to the purpose of revelation. The idea that we must omit
any
earthly duty in order to be ready for heaven is a delusion. He is
most fit to
die who is most fit to live. He who does his work best here is
most ready
for his rest hereafter. And he
who feels most truly the power of the world
to come will serve most
faithfully in the present world.
Ø
We should be simple and calm. The true view of the
end is not
disturbing and exciting, it brings before our mind visions of rest
and
peace, the anticipation of which should impart a quiet simplicity to
our spiritual life.
Ø
“We should be faithful to our mission.” “Go thy way” — do not go out
of thy vocation. Serve God there. Prepare for the end in thy
natural
condition. If the end is thought of, it should inspire the more
earnestness
in present work, because
o
this is a preparation
for the end;
o
we are cheered in this by the prospect of the end. We can
walk with more energy and gladness if we know that in going
our way we are nearing
light and home and rest.
Ø
We should be patient. Daniel is admonished
to go on his way till the end.
This implies patience. He that
thus “waiteth” is blessed (v. 12). We do
not know when the end will be. We cannot expedite it. It is
best that it
should delay till God’s time. Since His time is best, impatience
is foolish.
FOR GUIDING OUR COURSE HERE ARIGHT. We need have no
feverish anxiety about the future if we are truly Christian. Though
there is
much mystery, there is light
for guidance and encouragement. This
reveals
important facts, viz.:
Ø
There will be rest — the rest of the grave (Job 3:17), and the sleep in
Jesus (I
Thessalonians 4:14).
Ø
There will be a resurrection. Daniel will awake
from the sleep of the
grave to “stand in his lot” (v. 2). This is
confirmed by the teaching
(John 5:28-29)
and example of Christ (I Corinthians 15:12).
Whatever may be the external
conditions of the resurrection, the
essential fact is LIFE AFTER
DEATH, with the possession of all
our powers and faculties.
Ø
There will be a discriminating
allotment of destinies in the future life.
Daniel will stand in his tot. Every man will go to “his
own place”
(Acts 1:25). The place is first determined
o
by merit;
o
by fitness;
o
by the natural
development of the future out of the present
(Galatians 6:7); but,
o
finally assigned according to the righteous judgment and
forgiving grace of God
(Acts 17:31).
Certainty Among Many
Uncertainties (vs. 5-13)
Among many shifting factors in the great problem of human
life, one factor
at
least is fixed, viz. that the
interests of the righteous are secure.
Their fate
is linked to God’s.
All events shall have but one effect on them. This is the
granite rock that retains its stable glory amid the restless,
seething sea.
ARE INTERESTED IN HUMAN WELFARE. As Daniel looked with a
more intent gaze, he perceived other angelic forms in close
proximity. So
when God opened the eyes of Elisha’s
servant, he saw a host of heavenly
cavalry encircling his master (II Kings 6:17). Devout
research is ever well
rewarded. The angels have not attained one common level of
knowledge.
They inquire one of another;
become each other’s teachers and each other’s
helpers. The same topics that interest good men interest angels
also. The
same impatience to penetrate future events, which men feel,
angels also in
some measure cherish. They especially take an interest in the
God. They sympathize
with us in trial, persecution, and suffering.
(“which things
the angels desire to look into” (I Peter 1:12).
They
desire to see God, in the progressive revelations of Himself.
THE ANGELS TO GIVE US STRONG
ASSURANCE. This illustrious
angel raised himself to a particular posture, employed special
gesticulation,
and uttered a special form of words, with this one view, viz.
to persuade
his auditors of the authority with which he spake, and of the certainty that
his words should be performed. Thus God commands His highest servants
to accommodate themselves to human infirmities. Nothing on His part shall
be wanting to enlighten and
ennoble men. The eternity of God is
pledged
for the fulfillment of prophecy. As the
eternal God lives, IT SHALL BE
DONE!
hear and to understand are not identical. Perhaps we really
understand
nothing. We see not things as they are, but only as they
are related to us.
Feeling,
affection, inclination, assist greatly
the understanding. It is possible
that God might tell us fully and lucidly the future course of
this world, and
still we might be only bewildered. It is the voice of fatherly
kindness that
says to his child, “Go thy way.” Perform all thy common
duties. The future
is “closed and sealed.” “A good understanding have all they that
keep His
commandments” (Psalm
111:10). There is solid happiness for
every man
who can calmly wait the larger unfoldings
of God’s will. Food for real
hunger there always shall be; but provision for imaginary wants
will not
be forthcoming.
RIGHTEOUS AND ON THE WICKED. No amount or severity of
outward trial is, in itself, competent to improve or soften men. “Though
a
fool be bruised in a mortar, yet will not his folly depart” (Proverbs 27:22);
“Who can bring a clean
thing out of an unclean?” (Job 14:4)
The hottest
fire of suffering cannot. Hence God saith,
“Why
should ye he stricken any
more? Ye will revolt more and more” (Isaiah 1:5). Notwithstanding
exile,
bondage, defeat in war, desolations of every kind, “the
wicked will still do
wickedly.” (v. 10) The voice Divine at
last will speak. “He that is filthy,
let him be filthy still.” (Revelation
22:11) But the effect upon the
righteous is the very reverse of this. The fire, that hardens clay,
melts the
wax. Not a few shall discover that the fire only removes the
dross —
separates vile elements from the sterling — and produces luster and
renown. Under this severe and searching discipline, true
Israelites shall be
purified and made whiter than snow. Purity of character shall bring
with it
greater clearness of vision; while, on the other hand, persistence
in sin will
tend to darken intellect more and more, until it shall be submerged “IN
THE BLACKNESS OF
DARKNESS FOR EVER.” (Jude
1:13)
EXTERNAL CALAMITIES. This is, in reality, a greater calamity than the
desolations of a war or the ravages of a plague. God’s calculations of
human epochs date from His withdrawal flora His temple. (See
Ezekiel
43 – this
web site – first part – CY – 2014) The
suspension of
the daily sacrifice — this marks the commencement of an
era. Men are
wont to reckon epochs from the rise or fall of human dynasties.
Not so
God. His interest in human affairs centers in the temple. The
profanation of
the temple by setting up idol-worship there — this marks the
opening of a
dark and tempestuous day. This chastisement is a fitting type
for a yet
greater woe. The number seven has long time been a signature and
symbol
for perfection and rest; therefore the broken period of three
times and a
half betokens the very opposite — disquietude,
turmoil, woe.
PERFECT SECURITY. Whatever disasters shall befall the wicked, or
whatever tempests may roll over the heads of the righteous man, this
is
certain — “Thou shalt rest,
and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.”
This is a fixed and definite
end, which the Divine Being has set before him,
and every arrangement of
This is the
inheritance which God Himself has chosen for us, and secured by
promise, oath, and blood.
If
could sing, “We have a goodly heritage” (Psalm
16:6), much more can the
redeemed in heaven chant that joyous strain. The lot is already apportioned
unto us. The Divine
attributes are pledged to us for its enjoyment. No event,
nor force, nor personal being, in the broad universe, can
prevent the grand
consummation, “Thou shalt stand
in thy lot.” (“Who
shall separate us
from the love of Christ? ……..For I am persuaded that neither
death,
nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor
things present,
nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other
creature
shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in
Christ
Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35, 38-39)
The kingdom has been
prepared for us “before the
foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34).
“If children then heirs;
heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ.”
(Romans 8:17)
Larger unfolding of the truth is reserved for the
future. In each succeeding age
men
have still to say, “We know in part” (I
Corinthians 13:9). It is, without
question, best for us here that revelation should be gradual, and
that attainments
of
knowledge should be secured by successive steps. It would be lavish waste
(such as we see nowhere in God’s
universe) if God should reveal at once to men
all
that He intends to make known on earth. The thing would be impossible.
There must be an eye to perceive, as well as objects to be
presented. We should
be
blinded with the excess of light. God reveals Himself and His redemption
through human as well as through angelic agencies. Though
every prophet must
be
in advance of his contemporaries, in order to be a prophet; still he must not
be
greatly in advance. The stream of revelation must be stayed for a time;
“the book must be closed and
sealed.” Time is allowed to reduce
known
truth to practical advantage. In later times, teachers shall be
multiplied, and
truth, unfettered, shall spread through wider and wider circles.
“Wisdom
and
knowledge shall be the stability” and the glory of future ages.
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