We have a good deal of personal history and biography in the Prophets Jeremiah and Daniel, but so interwoven in the texture of their prophecies as to form an integral part of their prophetic utterances. Daniel was of the seed royal of Judah, and was taken to Babylon when very young—probably 14 or 15 years old. There seems to have been an invasion of Judea, at least of Jerusalem, in the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, the third to last, king of Judah (compare Dan. 1:1, 2 with 2 Kings 24:1), when part of the temple treasures were removed, and the King, Princes, and members of the royal family were taken captive to Babylon. This first attack upon Jerusalem took place nearly 20 years before the final sack of the city. Daniel, therefore, must have spent the greater part of his life in the Court of the Chaldeans, as he survived that dynasty, for we find him prophesying in the third year of Cyrus, King of Persia (Dan. 10:1). The consideration of these circumstances tends to give great weight to the confession of his own and the nation's sins (Dan. 9.), for personally he could not have been a sharer, at least to any great extent, of the national guilt.
God did not leave Himself without ample testimony, even to the people whom, in the exercise of righteousness, He had driven from their city, country, and temple. Jeremiah, as we have already seen, prophesied amongst the poor left by the conqueror in the land. Ezekiel spake "the word of the Lord" amongst the captives settled in Mesopotamia, while Daniel interpreted the dreams of Nebuchadnezzar, and revealed the visions granted to himself, in the immediate region and center of Gentile royalty itself. Thus all were left without excuse, both the conqueror and the conquered.
Attention may here be called to the interesting circumstance that the writing from Dan. 2:4 till the close of Dan. 7 is in the Syriac or Aramean language, and as that portion of our Prophet divinely sketches the rise, progress, and end of Gentile power, the Babylonians and Assyrians—the two powers used in the captivity of all Israel—had in their own language the mind of God upon that committed to them, the grant of sovereign authority in the world.
In this book of Gentile prophecy, "the times of the Gentiles," which historically commence with the removal of the throne and glory of God from Jerusalem, and the transference of governmental power from Judah to Nebuchadnezzar (the head of gold), are briefly sketched until the entire setting aside of Gentile rule, and the introduction of the world-kingdom of the Son of Man. The revival of the fourth or Latin Empire of the West in a ten-kingdom form, and its connection with apostate Israel in the last days of Gentile supremacy, are leading features of this prophecy. Certainly the distribution of the Empire into ten kingdoms, having a central and directly controlling head, has never taken place; yet it is clear from Dan. 2 and Dan. 7 that such will be its character at the close of this age. This new and hitherto unknown feature necessarily calls for the revival of the Empire; and indeed we know from Revelation 17, that its future revival by Satanic energy awaits fulfillment. It may simplify this important point if we direct, for fuller consideration by the reader, the four following conditions ascribed to the Roman Empire. "The beast that thou sawest was" - that is, its Imperial form as it existed in John's day -"and is not,"- that is, it has no present political existence -"and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit,"- that is, its future revival by direct Satanic energy -"and go into perdition,"- that is, its terrible end will be utter, awful ruin (Rev. 17:8). The ten kingdoms and the beast, or fourth imperial power, will be found in direct conflict with the Lamb and His heavenly saints (Rev. 17:12-14) in that awful crisis which will usher in the Kingdom of Christ. Daniel alone of the prophets and the Apocalypse occupy the field covered by "the times of the Gentiles." The nations, headed by the Assyrian and Gog, express their hatred to the Jews as a people; while the nations of the West, comprised in the empire of or headed by the beast or "little horn" of Dan. 7, express their hatred to the Lamb, while politically favoring the apostate nation, then returned to her land, having received the "Antichrist." Isaiah, and the prophets generally, treat of the political enemies of restored Judah and Israel, while Daniel and the Revelation treat specially of the last phase of the fourth empire, and its relation to the Jews (subject of the prophet) and to the Lamb (object of the apostle).
The political history of the four great empires is given us in Dan. 2 and 7; the former chapter symbolizing them as metals, and the latter chapter as beasts. First, the Babylonian power, as "head of gold," highest and purest character of governmental power, and "lion," the majesty of that power. Second, the Persian empire, as "arms and breast of silver," inferior character of power to the former, being lodged in the hereditary nobles of the empire, and binding even the sovereign, and "bear," the grasp it maintained upon its conquered and numerous dependencies. Third, the Grecian Empire, as "belly and thighs of brass," lower character of power still, being practically in the generals and officers of the army, and "leopard," the almost marvelous celerity by which Alexander accomplished his extensive conquests. Fourth, the Roman Empire, as "legs and feet of iron and clay," the constitutional forms of monarchial government, and "fourth beast," its extensive and cruel absorption into the empire of near and distant kingdoms and states.
The "little horn" of Dan. 7. is the great Gentile leader in the West; the "little horn" of Dan. 8. is the distinguished leader in the East. They are distinct personages. The seventy weeks or 490 years, date from the commission granted to Nehemiah (Neh. 2) to restore Jerusalem. The last seven of these years have yet to run. They will commence after the Temple is rebuilt and Jewish worship reinstituted, which of course supposes the Jews restored to their land (Dan. 9:27). Dan. 11:1-35 records the conflicts between the kings of the North (Syria) and South (Egypt)—Palestine, the object of contention by both powers, lying between. From Dan. 11:36 to the end the history is distinctly future. The previous part of the chapter has been historically fulfilled, but its typical bearing upon the coming crisis must not be overlooked. To do so is to make the prophetic word of "private interpretation." 2 Peter 1:20,21.
Dan. 12:11 is that referred to by our Lord in His great prophetic discourse on Mount Olivet (Matt. 24:15). Its future application is evident from the Lord's use of it in that chapter speaking of it to be fulfilled.
GENERAL DIVISIONS.
1.-The dreams of Nebuchadnezzar and their interpretation by Daniel, unfolding the history of Gentile power from its rise till its close. Dan. 1-6.
2.-The visions of Daniel, and the connection of the Grecian (Dan. 8-11) and Roman Empires with Daniel's people—the Jews in their latter-day history. Dan. 7-12.
NOTES.
Dan. 2-The great image represents Gentile authority or government.
The gold represents the Babylonian empire.
The silver represents the Persian empire.
The brass represents the Grecian empire.
The iron and clay represent constitutional governments.
The stone out of the mountain represents Christ in judgment.
Dan. 7-The four beasts represent the four universal empires.
The lion represents Babylon.
The bear represents Persia.
The leopard represents Greece.
The four wings represents the fourfold partition of Alexander's empire.
The fourth beast represents Rome.
The ten horns represents the ten kings of the Roman empire.
The little horn represents the personal head of the empire.
"Till the thrones were cast down," read "till the thrones were placed or set up."
Dan. 8-The ram with two horns represents the Medo-Persian empire.
The goat from the west represents Alexander the Macedonian.
The great horn was broken—Alexander's empire was broken up on his death.
"Four notable ones" represents the fourfold division of the empire.
Little horn (Dan. 8:9) represents Antiochus the Syrian king.
Dan. 11-The first 33 verses record past fulfillment; from verse 36 to the end, the application is yet future.
The days of Daniel and the Apocalypse are literal, and apply to the time of the end. Horns signify kings beasts, empires; and heads, the governing powers.