Hints on Daniel.
“The Interpretation of the Things.” Daniel 7:15-2815I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. 16I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things. 17These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. 18But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. 19Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; 20And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. 21I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; 22Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. 23Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. 24And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. 25And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. 26But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. 27And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. 28Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart. (Daniel 7:15‑28)
THE fourth and closing division of our chapter contains the interpretation of the three preceding visions. But, as always in Scripture, the explanation adds details, and enlarges upon what has gone before; for Scripture never merely repeats itself.
Thus in vs. 17, the four great beasts are explained to be four kings, and these are said to “arise out of the earth.” This in no wise contradicts what is said in vs. 3, where we are told that they “came up from the sea.” It was out of a state of restless confusion of nations that these four beasts arose; this seems to be meant by the figure of the sea. Great empires, such as Egypt and Assyria, had existed before these four of which the prophet writes, but they had been broken up and disorganized, and out of the chaos that ensued these four kingdoms of Daniel’s vision are seen to arise. It is interesting to note from history that though they did not all spring into power at once, they nevertheless all had their origin at pretty much the same period, though the Eastern powers developed much more rapidly than the Western.
But not only did they providentially arise out of a state of chaos, morally they are seen to have an earthly origin. They arise out of the earth; this no doubt is in contrast to the kingdom of the Son of man who will come with the clouds of heaven.
In vs. 18, another feature of great importance is added, viz., “the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom,” We are not to suppose that this is a mere repetition of what had gone before. Some have imagined that this is a figurative way of describing the reign of Christ. But no, when the time comes for Christ to take His great power and reign, the saints of the Most High will reign with Him.
It may be asked, Who are the saints of the Most High? Other parts of Scripture will help us to a right reply. No doubt the expression is similar to that with which we are familiar in the epistle to the Ephesians, and indeed the marginal rendering appears to be the more correct, not “saints of the Most High,” but saints of the high (or heavenly) places. “It would seem to mean the heavenly saints in contrast to the earthly, for at the time at which Daniel’s vision will be fulfilled, God will have saints upon the earth, as well as saints in the heavenly places. These earthly saints are alluded to further down in our chapter as” the people of the saints of the high places” (vs. 27).
We are not to expect to find the Church alluded to in any direct or special manner in Daniel, but nevertheless we have no doubt that the saints of this present period are included in the expression. It seems to us that the Old Testament saints, the saints from Pentecost to the rapture, that is the Church, and the saints martyred between the rapture and the appearing of Christ, will all be included amongst “the saints of the high places” who will “take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever”(vss.,8).
But while this is so, the Church alone possesses the intelligence of her heavenly position during her sojourn on earth. How great should be the influence of this upon our walk and ways! Greater privileges and nearer relationships to Christ belong to the Church than those spoken of here, but this would lead us too far from our subject. It is well, however, to remember that the greater does not obliterate Ole less, and the apostle uses the very truth brought before us in Daniel, to bear upon the Corinthians in a practical manner (1 Cor. 4:10-9) There are many details of exceeding interest in the remaining part of the chapter, but one object seems to occupy a very prominent part in the mind of the Spirit of God; it is the “little horn.” He will be a character of exceptional wickedness, and is to fill a very important part in the future of European politics, and is likewise to come into very close contact with the Jewish people in the end. He will possess intelligence to a remarkable extent “in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man” (vers. 8:20), but all will be directed to his own aggrandizement― “a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.” Owing to these qualities, some have been led to think that the little horn is the same as the antichrist, or the man of sin of 2 Thess.
Later on we shall see that this is not the case, There will be a personal antichrist alive at the same time, but the sphere of antichrist’s activities will be Jerusalem, whereas the “little horn” will flourish in Western Europe.
We do not mean by this to imply that this chief of the Roman Empire will have no connection with Palestine, and the antichrist who will be reigning there. In verse 21 we are told that “the same horn made war with the saints.” Some might ask, Who are these? Have not the saints already been caught up when the Lord comes into the air? How then are there any more saints upon the earth? The answer is that these saints are Jewish saints converted after the rapture. Revelation 7. is clear as to this point, that many from amongst the tribes of Israel, as well as a vast multitude from amongst the heathen, will be converted after the Church has been taken away. It is a fatal delusion to imagine that any from amongst Christ-rejecting Christendom are included in these two companies. Christendom’s opportunity is now; at that time the door will be shut, so far as all those are concerned who have the opportunity to-day, but despise it. No one giving a serious consideration to 2 Thessalonians 2. can have any doubt of this.
That these are Jewish saints seems clear from verse 25. The little horn will blaspheme God. There can be little doubt that the same evil personage is described in Revelation 13:5-85And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. 6And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 7And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 8And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Revelation 13:5‑8). But not only does he speak great words of blasphemy against God, he will blaspheme “them that dwell in heaven,” who would no doubt be the same as “the saints of the high places” (vs. 25). These would be in heaven, and are not the same, it appears to us, as the saints against whom he prevails (vs. 21), who are evidently on earth; “it was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them (Rev. 13:77And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. (Revelation 13:7)). These last are doubtless Jewish saints, the persecuted remnant of Israel when back in their own land.
What confirms us in this thought is the fact that the “times and laws” are given into his hand. These are evidently the Jewish feasts and solemn days which will once again be observed according to the law; they and not the saints will be delivered into his hand, but not forever― “until a time and times and the dividing of time.” Later on in our study of the book we shall learn more about this defined period; at present it may be sufficient to say that it coincides with the forty-two months of Revelation 13:55And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. (Revelation 13:5). It will be the period of “the great tribulation” which is to last for three and a half years. At its close “the judgment will sit,” and the dominion of this exceedingly wicked power will be taken away. This will take place by and at the coming of the Ancient of Days. The Son of man will appear with power and glory, and the fiery judgment of God will be poured forth upon this representative of all the pride and blasphemy of man. Other parts of Scripture enter more fully into this, and these will come before us in due course.
But how sublime is the picture here given. On the one hand, man on earth in all the littleness of his own self-importance in tumultuous activity setting himself against God, against His saints, against heaven; on the other, God in heaven in all the dignity and tranquility of His majesty and power, unseen by mortal eyes, yet seeing everything. At length the last blasphemy rolls from man’s lips, the last deed of daring defiance rises up before the eye of God. Then all is changed. Heaven is astir. The wheels, wheels of burning fire, of that throne on which sits the Ancient of Days begin to move. Then the coming of one “like a Son of man,” and yet much more than man, and to Him it is given to execute judgment, long delayed, yet justly earned.
How solemn it is to see everything rapidly converging to this in the world around us. The times are moving quickly. “Heaven and earth shall pass away; but My words shall not pass away” (Luke 21:3333Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. (Luke 21:33)). But how bright the prospect for this world after judgment has done its work, and all things that offend, and them that do iniquity have been gathered out of the kingdom of the Son of man (Matt. 13:4141The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; (Matthew 13:41)); then “the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him” (vs. 27).