No. 1.
THE book of Daniel gives us “the times of the Gentiles,” and also many important revelations concerning Daniel’s own people—the Jews—especially at the end of those times. Details of the millennial age are not entered into; but we have the termination of “the times of the Gentiles” by divine judgment, followed by the kingdom of Messiah being established in the earth, when Israel will enjoy their long-promised blessing.
The book, therefore, opens with the account of the removal, in divine displeasure, of the kings of Judah, the people, and the vessels of the Lord’s house to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, head of Gentile power, which God had raised up in consequence of His people’s sin. Certain of the royal house—the king’s seed—highly accomplished and unblemished youths, were also taken to the palace at Babylon, among whom was Daniel.
Daniel was a God-fearing Jew—a Nazarite. Though in the luxurious palace of the greatest potentate on earth, he did not forget whose he was. Accordingly, we are told, that he purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s wine and meat. (Comp. chapter 1:8 and Numbers 6). Thus he honored God, and God honored him—an important principle at all times, of which this is a striking instance. Hence the knowledge of the “God of heaven,” and of His ways, were specially with Daniel and his companions. (chapter 1.)
But Daniel, like all God’s servants, having proved God in retirement, is now fitted for honoring God in public. Accordingly the unreasonable demand of the heathen king, that his dream, which he had wholly forgotten, should be made known to him, and also the interpretation of it, under penalty of being cut to pieces, and their houses made a dunghill, led Daniel and his companions to cast themselves in earnest prayer on the mercy of “the God of heaven” to reveal it to them. Then the thing was revealed to Daniel in a night vision, for which he blessed God. But before he makes known either the dream or the interpretation, he confesses to the king, that all the glory of this revelation is due to “God in heaven.” The king’s dream comprised the whole course of the Gentile powers, gradually deteriorating in quality, and ending in judgment by the coming of the Lord from heaven—the stone cut out without hands—and the establishment of the kingdom of the heavens on earth. (Chap. 2)
But Nebuchadnezzar soon showed what man was when brought into responsibility to God. He made an image of gold, and used the power entrusted to him to command all nations to fall down and worship it, or be cast into a fiery furnace. His blasphemy also comes out in defying that God who should deliver out of his hand. But those who feared God could not obey the king in this. Hence three God-fearing Jews refused to bow to the image, were thrown into the furnace, found the Lord’s presence with them, and received no hurt. No doubt this scene is a striking type of the faithful during the time of the antichrist in the great tribulation. (Chapter 3) No marvel, then, that such willfulness, pride, and blasphemy are so soon followed by such deep personal humiliation, until the king knows that “the heavens do rule.” (chapter 4)
Belshazzar’s impious feast closes the history of the Babylonish empire. It was worse for him, because he knew the deep humbling his grandfather had received of God. God’s handwriting upon the wall greatly troubled him, and Daniel alone could interpret it. In that night was the king slain, and the kingdom passed into the hands of Darius the Mede. (chapter 5)
No sooner is the Medo-Persian power set up than shocking impiety and blasphemy are wrought by Darius and his princes. The king signed a decree, that whoever asked a petition of any God or man, save of him, for thirty days, should be cast into a den of lions. What daring arrogance and infidelity! Daniel, however, was faithful, and prayed at his open window to his God as heretofore. He was therefore cast into the den of lions; but he received no hurt, “because he believed in his God.” (chapter 6)
We now come to the second part of this book—Daniel’s visions. In chapter 7. he records the vision of the four empires—and especially the Roman—under the similitude of wild beasts. The lion with eagle’s wings being the Babylonian empire; the bear, the Medo-Persian; the leopard, the Grecian; and the fourth beast, or Roman, dreadful and terrible, having great iron teeth, which devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; and it had ten horns, among which another little horn came up, speaking great things, and it plucked up three other horns by the roots. The prophet beholds till the thrones are set, and the Ancient of days sits. It is a throne of judgment. The great words which the little horn spake are considered, the beast is slain, and his body given to the burning flame. The rest of the beasts had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. Then Daniel sees One, like the Son of Man, receive from the Ancient of days everlasting dominion, and glory, and the kingdom. The interpretation of this vision occupies the remainder of the chapter.
We have here evidently the closing days of the times of the Gentiles, and their relation to God’s people at that time—the period when the ten kingdoms are in existence, and “among them” another little horn comes up. We are told that this little horn is characterized by three things: 1. Speaking against the Most High; 2. Wearing out the saints; 3. Changing the feasts and laws, or setting aside Jewish ordinances, which are given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time, or three years and a half. But his dominion is taken away and destroyed. The saints of the Most High—high places, heavenly saints—have the judgment given to them— “Know ye not that the saints shall judge the world” (1 Corinthians 6:2), and it will be then known that “the heavens do rule;” but the saints, or the people of the holy ones—the Jews—take the kingdom. Observe, then, that this little horn is seen in connection with the horns of the fourth beast, or Roman empire, who comes up after the existence of the ten kingdoms. Can there be, therefore, any doubt that this little horn answers to the first beast of Revelation 13?
That there will be saints upon the earth at that time—Jewish saints—is clearly taught in Scripture. In Matthew 24:22 They are called “the elect.” They will own God, and, in some measure, Jesus also. Hence we read in Revelation 14:12: “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” This “little horn” will be their great oppressor for three years and a half, till the Lord comes out of heaven to execute judgment.
It is remarkable that the book of Daniel, from an early part of the second chapter to the end of the seventh, which particularly gives us the four Gentile monarchies, was written in Chaldee; the remainder of the book, which especially gives details of the Jewish people “at the time of the end,” in the Hebrew language.