The Pulpit Commentary — Daniel — Section 283

eh111l wo foci ite esAenti11lly destructive character (Jas. i. 15). 2. Tho wr,rl.-l without God deteriorate.9. These kingdoms get worse nnd worse. The moral progress of mnnkind is dependent on our relation to God-on our submission to his redemptive and educational infiuonce. When these are discarded, morality declines. 3. When evil triumphs in the etate, the exercise of religioos !ll'dinances is endangered (ver. 11). Persecution usually has II moral cnuse. The protest of pure public worship is reg1uded 11B II danger to the away of wickedness. 4. Evil is inimical to truth, and when it triumphs truth enffere. Evil is darkness; it is essentially a lie (John viii. 44). Truth is a protest against evil, therefore evil "casts truth to the ground" (ver. 12; see 2 Thess. ii. 11). ·6. Evil gains power from its prosperity. It" practirns nnd prospers." When it flourishes it puts on an imposing appearance and grows by popularity. '1.'hus the more it prospers the more it tends to prosper. IJ, 'l'lIE LIGHT BIDE OF TIIE TlllUMPH OF EVIL. 1. It is /!ll'eBeen and prerlicted. Therefore it should not surprise us. It was foreknown by God from the Creation. It was known when the promises of Divine blessing were given. All the plans of Providence were made in view of it. Yet they are bright and hopefol (Rom. viii. 19-23). 2. It is converted into a chastisement for sin and a means of purifying those who suffer by it. '!'hough wicked men may only intend harm to God's people, the wrong tbey do may be tbe means of the highest good. 3. Its duration is limited. A period is named for the termination of its sway (vers. 13, 14). Evil is but for a time, and this is short compared with eternity. God holds power over it and fixes its limitations. 4. Ultimately evil shall be entirely cast oot. Then tbe triumph of goodness will be the greater by its contrast with the sway of evil. The glory of Cbrist in redeeming from sin and restoring the world to God is only possible after evil has had an opportunity of asserting its power (2 Thess. ii. 7, 8). Vere. 23-25.-Subtle sin. We have here a description of a terrible evil power which, in manner and nppearance, is deceptively harmless, and yet which is really most destructive and wicked and destined to detection and overthrow. I. EVIL WORKS MOST EFFECTIVELY WHEN IT BIDES ITS TRUE CHARACTER. 1. It works under a fair show. The king has "an insolent countenance" and "magnifies himself in his heart." There is a bold self-assertion and an apparent frankness which sometimes blind men to the falsehood beneath. 2. It works by craft, as much as by force. The king "understands dark stratagems" and "craft prospers under his hand." The tempter is more successful when he appears as the subtle serpent than when he comes as a raging lion. 'fransformed into an angel of light, he persuades by deceit. Intellect is a more dangerous weapon in the hands of a bad man than mere brute force. 3. It turns peaceful prosperity into a means of harm. Warfare nnd persecution are less dangerous than the insidious temptations of luxurious vices and flattering indolence. II. THOUGH EVIL MAY DE OBSCURE TO US, ITS CHABACTER AND DESTINY ARE NOT CHANGED. 1. It is still destructive. This crafty and peace-loving king is really as destructive as the old warlike monarch. Sin is not tbe less fatal because it wears a fair mask. 2. It is still only the abuse of Divine gifts. The king is mi~hty, "but not by bis own power." All sin is only possible by the abuse of talents lent us by God. The boldness of self-assertion is no proof of independence and liberty to pursue our own course. 3. It is still defiance of the will of God. " He shall stand up against the Prince of princes." We may rebel against God with a smilcl as much as with a frown. Guilt is not measured by manners, but by motives. Crafty treachery is not less guilty than open rebellion. 4. It is still destineu to judgment and overth,-ow. We may deceive men; we cannot deceive Gou (Rom. ii. 16). God also "understands the dark stratagems" of subtle wickedness. They will be detected and defeated. The punishmont of sins of subtlety and era.ft is o.s certain as that of sins of open and confessed guilt. 252 1'Ht BOOK OF DANIEL. [tn. flll, 1-27. - ----- - --- --------------------------- HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUIL'HORS. ,ren. 2, 13, 15.-Modes of supersensua.l vision. "I saw in a vision" (ver, 2); "Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint" (vcr. 13); " Behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man" (ver. 15). Of the next vision, the time should be n?ted-two years after the last, Belshazzar still living; and the place, viz. Shushan, Dame\ seems not to have been there in reality, but only in vision. So Ezekiel from Babylon was" brought in the visions of God to Jerusalem." This vision concorned the overthro"." of Persia, and so ~he prop_bet was plac~~ at the centre of the empire, whence he might see the desolation comrng. This v1s1on develops dramatically: 1. We have .'!!"!1'ols. (Vers. 1-12.) Then_: 2. Answering t1oices. (Vers, 13, 14.) 3, Communteatwn from God through Gabriel. (Vers. 15-27.) This may suggest dis- course on some modes of coming to the vision of supersensual truth. By- I. Co~"TEMPLATING PICTURES IN THE WORLD OF SENSE, Daniel was brought first into contact with symbol-picture of power and action, the ram, the <>oat; destruction of the ram; certain transformations of the goat. So man's first lesson ;ow comes through the sense-pictures of the world. This depends, as a fact, on the truth that the world is one transparency, through which is ever shining supersensu!Ll truth. Behind all phenomena of space and t.ime lie luminons eternal truths. Consider how much we can see in and learn from: 1. Our present home of the material world. 2. The life-form, with which it is crowded. 3. Oommon employment. 4. Social relations. How much of spiritual truth may be seen, e.g., in paternity, the family, civil constitution, law, etc. I 5. Our training through the successive incidents of life. II. LISTENING TO ANSWERING VOICES. "Then I heard one saint," etc. (ver, 13), Here we pass to a higher realm than that of sense-pictures, into the arena of pure ,'ntelligence. An angel-voice addressed Daniel, or was about to address him, when another, interrupting, requested the first angel to afford Daniel definite information on certain points; which he did. We may learn much : 1. From the colloquy of tha angels. True, we cannot hea.r this; but much of angel-discourse is recorded in the book. Think of Stier's' Words of the Angels.' 2. From the controversies of the Church. Present and past. What have they been but contentions, out of which truth bas come with a clearer definition and more resplendent aspect? 3. From the assaults of unbelief. The indebtedness of the Church to disbelief, misbelief, and non-belief can never be accurately reckoned. Scepticism often has: (1) Stripped the Ohurch of untenable positions. (2) Driven her back on deeper foundations, (3) Corrected the interpretation of supersen=l truth. We may go a step further: 4. From the continuities of infidelities among themselves. Ill. DEVOUT ATTENTION To MAN INFORMED BY Goo. (Ver. 15.) Daniel looking on the vision, behold, the apparition of a man I Gabriel-the man (the vir, not the Jwm.<i) of God. To Gabriel a voice-not that of the genius of the river Ulai, but of God. Here we have intimated another way in which eupersensual truth may be uncovered to man; i.e. by man, but by man informed by God. We use the word "informed" in two senses: (1) in the grand old sense-theformfilled out with spirit and power; (2) in tbe more modern sense, of being instructed simply. The name "Gabriel," equivalent to "Vir Dei," suggests that revelation may co_me: 1. Through, manltood. Through man at his highest, noblest, best. Through holiness unfallen, as in the case of Gabriel Or through holiness restored, as in the case of a man, Through power, virility, genius sanctified. 2. Vitalized by God. Filled with God, 3. Spoken to by God. (Ver.16.) Note: The Divine voice has a human tone in it, We may take, as exampl111 of this mode of revelation, the case of the text, Gabriel; any real r,rophet; Christ, the Divine Man; the true preacher of modern times. The first effect of Di vine revt-lation, as with Daniel, may be consternation ( ver. 17); but that effect may be relieved and softened by sympathy (ver. 18): "but he touched me," Think vf Christ's healing touch.-R. Vers. 3-8, 20-22.-Two world-empires. '' The ram which thou sawest," etc. (vers. 20, 21). The only way in which the substance of the vision can be le~i~imately treaied Beem.I! to us the expository, But be it remembered that the expoa1t1on of a en. vm. 1-27.] 'l'HE BOOK OI<' DANIEL. 253 ------------------·---·----- chnpter _like this is really an explication of the gra~lual unfolding of a pa~t or th~ history of the kmgdom of God nntecedont to the Incarnation. We set up here ,nm ply d1rectin~- po8ts to mark tho way. Noto particularly the partial character of this viRion-it is 11ot now of the four world-empires e.nd of the everlastin~ kingdom, but only of two-- Persia, Greece-and tho development of Greece. And mark, the. symbo!R are 11ulhoritatively interpreted (vcrs. 21, 22). Here we have a key where,w1th to unl<Jck tho secrets of the rest of the book. I. P1ms1A. In the symbol we ha.vo : 1. ltB unity. "A ram." 2. I/.i dw;,lity "Two horns." Media e.ncl Persie.. 3. Its inequality. One horn the hi 6hcr; and ea.me up last. 4. The direction of ?'.Is aygression. (Ver. 4.) Babylon ; Lydia; Eg:ypt. 5. Its temporary irresistibility, (Ver. 4.) 6. Complete overthrow, (Ver. 7.) Com- pare throughout with the bear of eh, vii. II. GREECE, Here should be opened out: 1. The fitness rf the goat as a. symbol; e.g. Greece abounded in goats; several municipalities adopted it as a symbol, and struck its image on their coins, etc. See detailed Expositions. 2. Its ubiqioity. "On the face of the whole earth." 3. Celerity. "Touched not the ground." 4. The concen- tration of its genius. "A notable horn." Alexander (ver. 21). 5. Its victory. (1) The conflict was within the Persian lines. "Close unto the ram." (2) The attack made with the concentrated wrath of Greece. "Moved with choler." The provocation was the successive Persian invasions. (3) Complete. 6. Its subsequent growth. 7. Sudden break-down. III. GREECE DIVIDED. 1. Into four. Greece; Asia. Minor ; Syria. ; Egypt. 2. At the zenith of power; i.e. under Alexander (ver. 8). 3. With instant collapse. (Ver. 22.) "Not in his power."-R. Vers. 9-12, 23-25.-7Viescourge of Israel. "He shall stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand" (ver. 25). As in the previous homily, we give a mere directive outline, for the help of those who may care to make the antichrist of· the le.ter Hebrew time the subject of treatment. The sketch given by the prophet undoubtedly applies to Antiochus Epipha.nes. The only question has been raised by those who wish to throw discredit on the supernatural in prophecy, and who, struck by the marvellous minuteness of Daniel's description, have tried to show that it must have been written after the event, and therefore not by Daniel at all. Observe: 1. The general descripti(}'TI,, Out of one of the four kingdoms into which Alexander's empire was divided, came forth e. new kingdom-at least a new king, with special characteristics, e.nd with special antagonistic relations to the kingdom of God. 2. 7Vie notes of time-very remarkable. The date of the rise of Antiochus is given. " In the latter time" of the dominion of the four kingdoms " a king of fierce counte- nance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up." These kingdoms were gradually absorbed into the Roman empire, hut may be considered to have commenced with the defee.t of Perseus at the battle of Pydna, B.c. 168. Another note : " When the transgressions e.re come to the full." We understand that to be said of the state of things in Judrea. There affairs were in a frightful state. We ce.n imagine the condition when men fought for the high priesthood, and obtained it often by bribery or murder. "The sacred writers often spee.k of iniquity as being full-of the cup of iniquity as being full-as if there was e. certain limit or capacity beyond which it could not be allowed to go, When that arrives, God interferes, e.nd cuts off the guilty by some heavy judgment." Such a state of things existed at Jerusalem, when Antioch us ascended the throne of Syria. I. Hrs CHARACTER was me.rked by : 1. Shameless audacity. " Of fierce countenance; " i.e." hardy of countenance" (ver. 23). Destitute of shame. Most conquerors respected the religion of the conquered; this me.n forced on the Jews his own. 2. Deceitful subtlety. Master of deceitful.wiles. "Understanding dark sentences_" (var. 23). 3. Power, Dut such advantage as he gained e.gainst Israel we.s "not by his own power." By whose? By God's. In what sense? The eterne.l law of righteousness made him its instrument, as against the iniquity of Israel. 4. Practical genius. " He shall practise" (var. 24); i.e. "he shall do;" i.e. the man we.s to be no mere dreamer. What he professed he would perform, 6. Destructiveness. (Ver, 24.) Tue activity should be malici01.lB, 254 THE BOOK 01~ DANIEL. [oH. VIII, 1-27,