Chap. 9
IN chapter 8 we were occupied with a power in the East. Here it is the West as in chapter 7, only the scene is Jerusalem, as in the previous chapter. The vision is concerning “the people and the holy city” (v. 24), and is given to Daniel consequent upon his confessing and interceding for them. No doubt the partial restoration in former days was a type of all this, and so much so as to cause many pious souls to be led away with the belief that it is all we are to look for with respect to the nation of Israel; but “the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” “Hath He said, and shall He not do it? or hath He spoken, and shall He not perform?” “This people,” whom He has formed for Himself, spite of all their failure and rebellion, will yet “show forth His praise.”
The main subject of this chapter then is Jerusalem, and the future history of God’s people. Daniel understood, by the use of the ordinary means that were within the reach of the spiritual man, that the time was drawing nigh for Israel’s deliverance from their captivity (v. 2); and the effect of this upon him is at once to bring about a deep and earnest intercession for the people and the sanctuary that the Lord loved, and for the place of which He had said He would “put His name there,” declaring of it that it was His “rest forever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.” (Psa. 132)
It is most solemn and important for the soul to seek, in but a small measure even, to enter into Daniel’s position here―how he pours out his heart before God, acknowledging the sins of the people and their rulers spreading it all before the Lord, and humbly confessing it as if every act had been his own. Like Moses of old, and Paul in his time (Rom. 9:33For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: (Romans 9:3)), he makes their cause his own―sees them as being God’s people, and on that ground appeals to Him, never giving up the truth that they were His people, and Jerusalem His city. Bad and degraded they might be, quite true; a hissing, a by-word and reproach; still nothing could alter the blessed fact that they were God’s people. Had He not said, “I am the Lord, I change not?” and faith ever counts on Him. As another has it, “sees Him as behind the scenes, though moving all the scenes which He is behind;” and faith thus draws into God’s presence the soul that understands His mina. with confession, not thanksgiving.
And good indeed would it be for us if that were more the spirit with which we were actuated. How little, if at all, are we before Him in confession for the state of failure around, while ever counting on His power and goodness to bring us safely through, owning, on the other hand, how every trust that has been committed to us has been abused, and that which to Him was as a pearl of great price been trailed in vs. 5 and mire of the world, to suit the carnal desires of those to whom the tare of this precious treasure had been committed.
From verses 5 to 11 Daniel owns the righteousness of God in bringing all this evil upon them. Their iniquities had been great; judgment they surely served; but the Lord was gracious (v. 9); mercy belonged to Him; it was His sweet and blessed attribute. This is pleaded for from verses 12 to 16, and then faith becomes more bold, and soars higher. Were they not His people? But they were a reproach to all about them. And was it not for this very reason that afore time He had said when they would be oppressed with the sword without and terror within―scattered into all corners―that He would then spare them, and not make their remembrance to tease from among men, “lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely and lest they should say, Our hand is high, and the Lord hath not “one all this?” And so on this ground he pleads, from verses 17-19, that the Lord would deliver them for His mercy sake, because of His “city and His people, which are called by His name.” (v. 19.) It is this we get brought out in Rom. 11. God is shown to have shut them all up in unbelief, that they might come in on the alone ground of grace ―unmerited, undeserved blessing, that thus it might be shown to have all come from Him.
It is to be noted here, that Daniel does not go back to the promises made to Abraham; for they were absolute, unconditional, bound up and centered in Christ; but to those made to Moses (vv. 13-15), which were only secured to Israel after failure by God’s intervention in grace, thus enabling Him, while dealing in righteousness, to have mercy on whom He would have mercy. (See Ex. 33:1919And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. (Exodus 33:19).) It is on this Daniel counts, and God never disappoints faith. While he was thus praying and interceding for Israel and Jerusalem ―the holy mountain of his God (Isa. 2) —not the Church, as some would have it, the man Gabriel, being caused to fly swiftly, came and talked with him. What a blessed scene (v. 23) opens out here before our souls! God’s faithfulness in sending an immediate answer to His beloved servant! “At the beginning of thy supplication the commandment came forth.” And then, because there is a needs-be that his heart should be drawn out in prayer and intercession, the answer is delayed until he has spread out the whole state of the people before God, who, while thus necessarily disciplining His child, will not fail from His gracious promise, that “before they call I will answer, and while they are yet speaking I will hear.”
The prophecy which begins at verse 24 is the answer to Daniel’s prayer; and here they are dealt with as of old time God dealt with Moses concerning them― “Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves.” (Ex. 32:77And the Lord said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: (Exodus 32:7).) He cannot own them as His, they are corrupt; but Moses intercedes; and though God cannot accept his intercession as making atonement for them, He can spare the people because of it. Nothing can be more beautiful than the way in which Moses appeals to God, apprehending His grace through it all, spite of Israel’s sin, still calling them “thy people,” refusing to be made a great nation of himself, and bringing in God’s glory as at stake. (See Ex. 32:1212Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people. (Exodus 32:12).) So here in like manner Daniel appeals to God, who answers him as He had done Moses, calling them “thy people,” and “thy holy city.”
We see also that it is the narrow sphere of Israel and Jerusalem upon which we have entered; and this is most important to be understood, in order to arrive at a right understanding of the prophecy. Seventy weeks, he is told, are determined upon his people and city before transgression will be finished and an end made of sins, reconciliation of iniquity fully accomplished, everlasting righteousness brought in, vision and prophecy done away with, and the Holy of Holies anointed. This period of time must elapse before these events can all be fully brought about. Separated from the ages they are surely; but still they must run their course ere perfect blessing can be brought in. This period of seventy weeks is divided into three parts, and speaks solely of the re-establishment of Israel’s city.
The first part consists of seven weeks (25) or forty-nine years, and is occupied with the building of the city, as described in Nehemiah, thirteen years after the book of Ezra. (See Ezra 7:88And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. (Ezra 7:8), and Neh. 1:11The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace, (Nehemiah 1:1).) During which time it would be re-built, its desolate houses overthrown, and its walls restored. Then a period sixty-two weeks, from the time of the wall being built again until the Messiah, the prince is cut off, which closes this portion. In chapter 7 we have seen a powerful empire rising up, with a great prince at its head, who would mightily oppress the Jews. Here, in verse 26, the people of this prince who is to come ―not the prince himself, but the people from whence he afterward arises―destroy the city and sanctuary, sweeping over the land like a flood: all of which has actually happened. A remnant of Israel were restored to their own land―rebuilt the temple and city; Messiah came, to whom the gathering of the people belonged; but Israel knew not her day, and uniting with her Roman oppressors put to death the Holy One and the true, and Pilate and Herod shook hands over the murder of the “Son of God.” But the very nation to whom she had thus crouched, declaring she had “no king but Cæsar,” soon (as described in Luke 21:11-2411And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. 12But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake. 13And it shall turn to you for a testimony. 14Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: 15For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. 16And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. 17And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. 18But there shall not an hair of your head perish. 19In your patience possess ye your souls. 20And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. 21Then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. 22For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. 24And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. (Luke 21:11‑24)) sent forth armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Titus consummates the act of destruction by drawing a plow and sowing salt across the city, whoso name even was soon afterward changed to a Gentile one―Ælia Capitolina. The course of seventy weeks is interrupted; Israel as a nation disappears from the history of the world; and nothing remains but a period of desolation of undefined extent for the beloved city; while those who might have been a holy nation are wanderers and outcasts. As Daniel only treats of that nation, it would not be in accordance with God’s ways as revealed in Scripture to go outside of them, and give a consecutive history of the course of events. He has done so elsewhere as far as it is necessary for us to know, especially in Ephesians and Revelation. In the former it is what His people are to Him during this interval, the special place they occupy in His counsels; and in the latter it is judgment on those who while professing that they know God yet “in works they deny Him, being abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”
One week more remains to be fulfilled; the close of the sixty-ninth, as we have seen, bringing us down to the cutting off of Messiah and judgment on the people’s city. The commencement of this last week or period of seven years is marked by this “Prince that shall come,” making a covenant with the leaders and people of the Jewish nation. It is thus connected with chapter 7, as that treats of the Roman Empire; and they are the people mentioned here, the city and temple being destroyed by them, as has actually been the case. Other scriptures show how a remnant will be saved; but the masa of the people receive him. It should be “a covenant,” not “the;” for that it is not Christ who is spoken of here is very clear. He is not merely Prince of one nation, but “of the kings of the earth,” and His covenant with Israel is an everlasting one, not for seven years. For the first part of this week, viz., three years and a half, things go on very well. Israel having been restored to their land through God’s providential dealings, by means of the Gentile nations (see Isa. 18.), make this covenant with the leader of the powers that have thus helped to restore them. Their temple being re-built, and sacrifices resumed, in the middle of the week this prince causes them to cease, breaking his covenant with them, and substituting something else instead―doubtless what we have in 2 Thess. 2:44Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. (2 Thessalonians 2:4). Anyway, Israel, as a nation giving up all trust in God, go back to idols for protection, as the Lord in Matt. 12:4343When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. (Matthew 12:43) had prophesied they would; and because of this He gives them up to a desolator, the Assyrian of a previous chapter, and whose actions are more fully unfolded in Isaiah, the power here mentioned, and the king of chapter 11, “the Antichrist,” being at that time the ones to whom they look for protection; therefor are they given up to these terrible chastisements. They would put their trust in man, and refuse God’s warning concerning him (Isa. 2:2222Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of? (Isaiah 2:22), and 40:6); they must now learn the lesson for themselves, as we see by the Psalms, hence a judgment “such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be,” is poured out upon the desolate one, that they may learn to say, “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man―better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.”