mh_parser/vol_split/27 - Daniel/Chapter 9.xml

<div2 id="Dan.x" n="x" next="Dan.xi" prev="Dan.ix" progress="71.89%" title="Chapter IX">
<h2 id="Dan.x-p0.1">D A N I E L.</h2>
<h3 id="Dan.x-p0.2">CHAP. IX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Dan.x-p1" shownumber="no">In this chapter we have, I. Daniel's prayer for
the restoration of the Jews who were in captivity, in which he
confesses sin, and acknowledges the justice of God in their
calamities, but pleads God's promises of mercy which he had yet in
store for them, <scripRef id="Dan.x-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.1-Dan.9.19" parsed="|Dan|9|1|9|19" passage="Da 9:1-19">ver. 1-19</scripRef>.
II. An immediate answer sent him by an angel to his prayer, in
which, 1. He is assured of the speedy release of the Jews out of
their captivity, <scripRef id="Dan.x-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.20-Dan.9.23" parsed="|Dan|9|20|9|23" passage="Da 9:20-23">ver.
20-23</scripRef>. And, 2. He is informed concerning the redemption
of the world by Jesus Christ (of which that was a type), what
should be the nature of it and when it should be accomplished,
<scripRef id="Dan.x-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.24-Dan.9.27" parsed="|Dan|9|24|9|27" passage="Da 9:24-27">ver. 24-27</scripRef>. And it is the
clearest, brightest, prophecy of the Messiah, in all the Old
Testament.</p>
<scripCom id="Dan.x-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9" parsed="|Dan|9|0|0|0" passage="Da 9" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Dan.x-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.1-Dan.9.3" parsed="|Dan|9|1|9|3" passage="Da 9:1-3" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Dan.x-p1.6">
<h4 id="Dan.x-p1.7">Daniel's Confession and
Prayer. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Dan.x-p1.8">b. c.</span> 538.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Dan.x-p2" shownumber="no">1 In the first year of Darius the son of
Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the
realm of the Chaldeans;   2 In the first year of his reign I
Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the
word of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Dan.x-p2.1">Lord</span> came to Jeremiah
the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the
desolations of Jerusalem.   3 And I set my face unto the Lord
God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and
sackcloth, and ashes:</p>
<p class="indent" id="Dan.x-p3" shownumber="no">We left Daniel, in the close of the
foregoing chapter, employed in the <i>king's business;</i> but here
we have him employed in better business than any king had for him,
speaking to God and hearing from him, not for himself only, but for
the church, whose mouth he was to God, and for whose use the
<i>oracles</i> of God were <i>committed to him,</i> relating to the
days of the Messiah. Observe, 1. When it was that Daniel had this
communion with God (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.1" parsed="|Dan|9|1|0|0" passage="Da 9:1"><i>v.</i>
1</scripRef>), <i>in the first year of Darius the Mede,</i> who was
newly made king of the Chaldeans, Babylon being conquered by him
and his nephew, or grandson, Cyrus. In this year the seventy years
of the Jews' captivity ended, but the decree for their release was
not yet issued out; so that this address of Daniel's to God seems
to have been ready in that year, and, probably, before he was cast
into the lions' den. And one powerful inducement, perhaps, it was
to him then to keep so close to the duty of prayer, though it cost
him his life, that he had so lately experienced the benefit and
comfort of it. 2. What occasioned his address to God by prayer
(<scripRef id="Dan.x-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.2" parsed="|Dan|9|2|0|0" passage="Da 9:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>): He
<i>understood by books</i> that seventy years was the time fixed
for the continuance of <i>the desolations of Jerusalem.</i>
<scripRef id="Dan.x-p3.3" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.2" parsed="|Dan|9|2|0|0" passage="Da 9:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. The <i>book</i>
by which he understood this was the book of the prophecies of
Jeremiah, in which he found it expressly foretold (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p3.4" osisRef="Bible:Jer.29.10" parsed="|Jer|29|10|0|0" passage="Jer 29:10">Jer. xxix. 10</scripRef>), <i>After seventy
years be accomplished in Babylon</i> (and therefore they must be
reckoned from the first captivity, in the <i>third year</i> of
Jehoiakim, which Daniel had reason to remember by a good token, for
it was in that captivity that he was carried away himself,
<scripRef id="Dan.x-p3.5" osisRef="Bible:Dan.1.1" parsed="|Dan|1|1|0|0" passage="Da 1:1"><i>ch.</i> i. 1</scripRef>), <i>I will
visit you, and perform my good word towards you.</i> It was
likewise said (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p3.6" osisRef="Bible:Jer.25.11" parsed="|Jer|25|11|0|0" passage="Jer 25:11">Jer. xxv.
11</scripRef>), <i>This whole land shall be seventy years a
desolation</i> (<i>chorbath</i>), the same word that Daniel here
uses for the <i>desolations of Jerusalem,</i> which shows that he
had that prophecy before him when he wrote this. Though Daniel was
himself a great prophet, and one that was well acquainted with the
visions of God, yet he was a diligent student in the scripture, and
thought it no disparagement to him to consult Jeremiah's
prophecies. He was a great politician, and prime-minister of state
to one of the greatest monarchs upon earth, and yet could find both
heart and time to converse with the word of God. The greatest and
best men in the world must not think themselves above their Bibles.
3. How serious and solemn his address to God was when he understood
that the seventy years were just upon expiring (for it appears, by
Ezekiel's dating of his prophecies, that they exactly computed the
years of their captivity), then he <i>set his face to seek God by
prayer.</i> Note, God's promises are intended, not to supersede,
but to excite and encourage, our prayers; and, when we see the day
of the performance of them approaching, we should the more
earnestly plead them with God and put them in suit. So Daniel did
here; he prayed three times a day, and, no doubt, in every prayer
made mention of the desolations of Jerusalem; yet he did not think
that enough, but even in the midst of his business set time apart
for an extraordinary application to Heaven on Jerusalem's behalf.
God had said to Ezekiel that though Daniel, among others, stood
before him, his intercession should not prevail to prevent the
judgment (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p3.7" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.14.14" parsed="|Ezek|14|14|0|0" passage="Eze 14:14">Ezek. xiv. 14</scripRef>),
yet he hopes, now that <i>the warfare is accomplished</i>
(<scripRef id="Dan.x-p3.8" osisRef="Bible:Isa.40.2" parsed="|Isa|40|2|0|0" passage="Isa 40:2">Isa. xl. 2</scripRef>), his prayer
may be heard for the removing of the judgment. When the day of
deliverance dawns it is time for God's praying people to bestir
themselves; something extraordinary is then expected and required
from them, besides their daily sacrifice. Now <i>Daniel sought by
prayer and supplications,</i> for fear lest the sins of the people
should provoke him to defer their deliverance longer than was
intended, or rather that the people might be prepared by the grace
of God for the deliverance now that the providence of God was about
to work it out for them. Now observe, (1.) The intenseness of his
mind in this prayer; <i>I set my face unto the Lord God to seek
him,</i> which denotes the fixedness of his thoughts, the firmness
of his faith, and the fervour of his devout affections, in the
duty. We must, in prayer, set God before us, an set ourselves as in
his presence; to him we must <i>direct our prayer</i> and must
<i>look up.</i> Probably, in token of his setting his face towards
God, he did, as usual, set his face towards Jerusalem, to affect
his own heart the more with the desolations of it. (2.) The
mortification of his body in this prayer. In token of his deep
humiliation before God for his own sins, and the sins of his
people, and the sense he had of his unworthiness, when he prayed he
<i>fasted,</i> put on <i>sackcloth,</i> and lay in <i>ashes,</i>
the more to affect himself with the desolations of Jerusalem, which
he was praying for the repair of, and to make himself sensible that
he was now about an extraordinary work.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Dan.x-p3.9" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.4-Dan.9.19" parsed="|Dan|9|4|9|19" passage="Da 9:4-19" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Dan.x-p3.10">
<h4 id="Dan.x-p3.11">Daniel's Confession and Prayer; Daniel's
Prayer for His People. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Dan.x-p3.12">b. c.</span> 538.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Dan.x-p4" shownumber="no">4 And I prayed unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Dan.x-p4.1">Lord</span> my God, and made my confession, and said, O
Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to
them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;  
5 We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done
wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts
and from thy judgments:   6 Neither have we hearkened unto thy
servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our
princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.  
7 O Lord, righteousness <i>belongeth</i> unto thee, but unto us
confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the
inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, <i>that are</i>
near, and <i>that are</i> far off, through all the countries
whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they
have trespassed against thee.   8 O Lord, to us
<i>belongeth</i> confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes,
and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee.   9
To the Lord our God <i>belong</i> mercies and forgivenesses, though
we have rebelled against him;   10 Neither have we obeyed the
voice of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Dan.x-p4.2">Lord</span> our God, to walk
in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.
  11 Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by
departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse
is poured upon us, and the oath that <i>is</i> written in the law
of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.
  12 And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against
us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a
great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath
been done upon Jerusalem.   13 As <i>it is</i> written in the
law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our
prayer before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Dan.x-p4.3">Lord</span> our God, that
we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.  
14 Therefore hath the <span class="smallcaps" id="Dan.x-p4.4">Lord</span> watched
upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the <span class="smallcaps" id="Dan.x-p4.5">Lord</span> our God <i>is</i> righteous in all his
works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.   15 And
now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the
land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as
at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.   16 O
Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine
anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy
mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our
fathers, Jerusalem and thy people <i>are become</i> a reproach to
all <i>that are</i> about us.   17 Now therefore, O our God,
hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause
thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the
Lord's sake.   18 O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open
thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is
called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before
thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.   19
O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not,
for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are
called by thy name.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Dan.x-p5" shownumber="no">We have here Daniel's prayer to God as his
God, and the confession which he joined with that prayer: I
<i>prayed, and made my confession.</i> Note, In every prayer we
must make confession, not only of the sins we have been guilty of
(which we commonly call <i>confession</i>), but of our faith in God
and dependence upon him, our sorrow for sin and our resolutions
against it. It must be our confession, must be the language of our
own convictions and that which we ourselves do heartily subscribe
to.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Dan.x-p6" shownumber="no">Let us go over the several parts of this
prayer, which we have reason to think that he offered up much more
largely than is here recorded, these being only the heads of
it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Dan.x-p7" shownumber="no">I. Here is his humble, serious, reverent
address to God, 1. As a God to be feared, and whom it is our duty
always to stand in awe of: "<i>O Lord! the great and dreadful
God,</i> that art able to deal with the greatest and most terrible
of the church's enemies." 2. As a God to be trusted, and whom it is
our duty to depend upon and put a confidence in: <i>Keeping the
covenant and mercy to those that love him,</i> and, as a proof of
their love to him, <i>keep his commandments.</i> If we fulfil our
part of the bargain, he will not fail to fulfil his. He will be to
his people as good as his word, for he keeps covenant with them,
and not one iota of his promise shall fall to the ground; nay, he
will be better than his word, for he keeps mercy to them, something
more than was in the covenant. It was proper for Daniel to have his
eye upon God's mercy now that he was to lay before him the miseries
of his people, and upon God's covenant now that he was to sue for
the performance of a promise. Note, We should, in prayer, look both
at God's greatness and his goodness, his majesty and mercy in
conjunction.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Dan.x-p8" shownumber="no">II. Here is a penitent confession of sin,
the procuring cause of all the calamities which his people had for
so many years been groaning under, <scripRef id="Dan.x-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.5-Dan.9.6" parsed="|Dan|9|5|9|6" passage="Da 9:5,6"><i>v.</i> 5, 6</scripRef>. When we seek to God for
national mercies we ought to humble ourselves before him for
national sins. These are the sins Daniel here laments; and we may
here observe the variety of words he makes use of to set forth the
greatness of their provocations (for it becomes penitents to lay
load upon themselves): <i>We have sinned</i> in many particular
instances, nay, <i>we have committed iniquity,</i> we have driven a
trade of sin, <i>we have done wickedly</i> with a hard heart and a
stiff neck, and herein we have <i>rebelled,</i> have taken up arms
against the King of kings, his crown and dignity. Two things
aggravated their sins:—1. That they had violated the express laws
God had given them by Moses: "We have <i>departed from thy
precepts and from thy judgments,</i> and have not conformed to
them. And (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.10" parsed="|Dan|9|10|0|0" passage="Da 9:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>)
<i>we have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God.</i>" That
which speaks the nature of sin, that it is <i>the transgression of
the law,</i> does sufficiently speak the malignity of it; if sin be
made to <i>appear sin,</i> it cannot be made to appear worse; its
<i>sinfulness</i> is its greatest hatefulness, <scripRef id="Dan.x-p8.3" osisRef="Bible:Rom.7.13" parsed="|Rom|7|13|0|0" passage="Ro 7:13">Rom. vii. 13</scripRef>. God has <i>set his laws before
us</i> plainly and fully, as the copy we should write after, yet
<i>we have not walked in</i> them, but turned aside, or turned
back. 2. That they had slighted the fair warnings God had given
them by the prophets, which in every age he had sent to them,
<i>rising up betimes and sending them</i> (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p8.4" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.6" parsed="|Dan|9|6|0|0" passage="Da 9:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>): "<i>We have not hearkened to thy
servants the prophets,</i> who have put us in mind of thy laws, and
of the sanctions of them; though they <i>spoke in thy name,</i> we
have not regarded them; though they delivered their message
faithfully, with a universal respect to all orders and degrees of
men, to <i>our kings and princes,</i> whom they had the courage and
confidence to speak to, <i>to our fathers,</i> and to all the
<i>people of the land,</i> whom they had the condescension and
compassion to speak to, yet <i>we have not hearkened to them,</i>
nor heard them, or not heeded them, or not complied with them."
Mocking God's messengers, and despising his words, were Jerusalem's
measure-filling sins, <scripRef id="Dan.x-p8.5" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.16" parsed="|2Chr|36|16|0|0" passage="2Ch 36:16">2 Chron. xxxvi.
16</scripRef>. This confession of sin is repeated here, and much
insisted on; penitents should again and again accuse and reproach
themselves till they find their hearts thoroughly broken. <i>All
Israel have transgressed thy law,</i> <scripRef id="Dan.x-p8.6" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.11" parsed="|Dan|9|11|0|0" passage="Da 9:11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. It is <i>Israel,</i> God's
professing people, who have known better, and from whom better is
expected—Israel, God's peculiar people, whom he has surrounded
with his favours; not here and there one, but it is <i>all</i>
Israel, the generality of them, the body of the people, that
<i>have transgressed by departing</i> and getting out of the way,
<i>that they might not</i> hear, and so might not <i>obey, thy
voice.</i> This disobedience is that which all true penitents do
most sensibly charge upon themselves (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p8.7" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.14" parsed="|Dan|9|14|0|0" passage="Da 9:14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>): <i>We obeyed not his voice,
and</i> (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p8.8" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.15" parsed="|Dan|9|15|0|0" passage="Da 9:15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>) <i>we
have sinned, we have done wickedly.</i> Those that would find mercy
must thus confess their sins.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Dan.x-p9" shownumber="no">III. Here is a self-abasing acknowledgment
of the righteousness of God in all the judgments that were brought
upon them; and it is evermore the way of true penitents thus to
justify God, that he may be clear when he judges, and the sinner
may bear all the blame. 1. He acknowledges that it was sin that
plunged them in all these troubles. Israel is <i>dispersed</i>
through <i>all the countries</i> about, and so weakened,
impoverished, and exposed. God's hand has <i>driven them</i> hither
and thither, some <i>near,</i> where they are known and therefore
the more ashamed, others <i>afar off,</i> where they are not known
and therefore the more abandoned, and it is <i>because of their
trespass that they have trespassed</i> (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.7" parsed="|Dan|9|7|0|0" passage="Da 9:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>); they mingled themselves with the
nations that they might be debauched by them, and now God mingles
them with the nations that they might be stripped by them. 2. He
owns the righteousness of God in it, that he had done them no wrong
in all he had brought upon them, but had dealt with them as they
deserved (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p9.2" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.7" parsed="|Dan|9|7|0|0" passage="Da 9:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>): "<i>O
Lord! righteousness belongs to thee;</i> we have no fault to find
with thy providence, no exceptions to make against thy judgments,
for (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p9.3" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.14" parsed="|Dan|9|14|0|0" passage="Da 9:14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>) <i>the
Lord our God is righteous in all his works which he does,</i> even
in the sore calamities we are now under, for <i>we obeyed not the
words</i> of his mouth, and therefore justly feel the weight of his
hand." This seems to be borrowed from <scripRef id="Dan.x-p9.4" osisRef="Bible:Lam.1.18" parsed="|Lam|1|18|0|0" passage="La 1:18">Lam. i. 18</scripRef>. 3. He takes notice of the
fulfilling of the scripture in what was brought upon them. <i>In
very faithfulness he afflicted them;</i> for it was according to
the word which he had spoken. <i>The curse is poured upon us and
the oath,</i> that is, the curse that was ratified by an oath in
the law of Moses, <scripRef id="Dan.x-p9.5" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.11" parsed="|Dan|9|11|0|0" passage="Da 9:11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>. This further justifies God in their troubles, that
he did but inflict the penalty of the law, which he had given them
fair notice of. It was necessary for the preserving of the honour
of God's veracity, and saving his government from contempt, that
the threatenings of his word should be accomplished, otherwise they
look but as bugbears, nay, they seem not at all frightful.
Therefore <i>he has confirmed his words which spoke against us</i>
because we broke his laws, <i>and against our judges that judged
us</i> because they did not according to the duty of their place
punish the breach of God's laws. He told them many a time that if
they did not execute justice, as terrors to evil-workers, he must
and would take the work into his own hands; and now he has
<i>confirmed</i> what he said <i>by bringing upon us a great
evil,</i> in which the princes and judges themselves deeply shared.
Note, It contributes very much to our profiting by the <i>judgments
of God's hand</i> to observe how exactly they agree with the
<i>judgments of his mouth.</i> 4. He aggravates the calamities they
were in, lest they should seem, having been long used to them, to
make light of them, and so to lose the benefit of the chastening of
the Lord by despising it. "It is not some of the common troubles of
life that we are complaining of, but that which has in it some
special marks of divine displeasure; for <i>under the whole heaven
has not been done as has been done upon Jerusalem,</i>" <scripRef id="Dan.x-p9.6" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.12" parsed="|Dan|9|12|0|0" passage="Da 9:12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. It is Jeremiah's
lamentation in the name of the church, <i>Was ever sorrow like unto
my sorrow?</i> which must suppose another similar question, <i>Was
ever sin like unto my sin?</i> 5. He puts shame upon the whole
nation, from the highest to the lowest; and if they will say
<i>Amen</i> to his prayer, as it was fit they should if they would
come in for a share in the benefit of it, they must all put their
hand upon their mouth, and their mouth in the dust: "<i>To us
belongs confusion of faces as at this day</i> (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p9.7" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.7" parsed="|Dan|9|7|0|0" passage="Da 9:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>); we lie under the shame of the
punishment of our iniquity, for shame is our due." If Israel had
retained their character, and had continued a holy people, they
would have been <i>high above all nations in praise, and name, and
honour</i> (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p9.8" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.19" parsed="|Deut|26|19|0|0" passage="De 26:19">Deut. xxvi.
19</scripRef>); but now that they have <i>sinned and done
wickedly</i> confusion and disgrace belong to them, to <i>the men
of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem,</i> the inhabitants both
of the country and of the city, for they have been all alike guilty
before God; it belongs to <i>all Israel,</i> both to the two
tribes, <i>that are near,</i> by the rivers of Babylon, and to the
ten tribes, <i>that are afar off,</i> in the land of Assyria.
"Confusion belongs not only to the common people of our land, but
to <i>our kings, our princes,</i> and <i>our fathers</i> (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p9.9" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.8" parsed="|Dan|9|8|0|0" passage="Da 9:8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>), who should have set a
better example, and have used their authority and influence for the
checking of the threatening torrent of vice profaneness." 6. He
imputes the continuance of the judgment to their incorrigibleness
under it (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p9.10" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.13-Dan.9.14" parsed="|Dan|9|13|9|14" passage="Da 9:13,14"><i>v.</i> 13,
14</scripRef>): <i>"All this evil has come upon us,</i> and has
lain long upon us, <i>yet made we not our prayer before the Lord
our God,</i> not in a right manner, as we should have made it,
<i>with a humble, lowly, penitent, and obedient heart.</i> We have
been smitten, but have not returned to him that smote us. <i>We
have not entreated the face of the Lord our God</i>" (so the word
is); "we have taken no care to make our peace with God and
reconcile ourselves to him." Daniel set his brethren a good example
of praying continually, but he was sorry to see how few there were
that followed his example; in their <i>affliction</i> it was
expected that they would <i>seek God early,</i> but they sought him
not, that they might <i>turn from their iniquities</i> and
<i>understand his truth.</i> The errand upon which afflictions are
sent is to bring men to <i>turn from their iniquities</i> and to
<i>understand God's truth;</i> so Elihu had explained them,
<scripRef id="Dan.x-p9.11" osisRef="Bible:Job.36.10" parsed="|Job|36|10|0|0" passage="Job 36:10">Job xxxvi. 10</scripRef>. God by them
<i>opens men's ears to discipline</i> and <i>commands that they
return from iniquity.</i> And if men were brought rightly to
<i>understand God's truth,</i> and to submit to the power and
authority of it, they would turn from the error of their ways. Now
the first step towards this is to <i>make our prayer before the
Lord our God,</i> that the affliction may be sanctified before it
is removed, and that the grace of God may go along with the
providence of God, to make it answer the end. Those who in their
affliction <i>make not their prayer to God,</i> who <i>cry not when
he binds them,</i> are not likely to <i>turn from iniquity</i> or
to <i>understand his truth. "Therefore,</i> because we have not
improved the affliction, <i>the Lord has watched upon the evil,</i>
as the judge takes care that execution be done according to the
sentence. Because we have not been melted, he has kept us still in
the furnace, and <i>watched over it,</i> to make the heat yet more
intense;" for when God judges he will overcome, and will be
justified in all his proceedings.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Dan.x-p10" shownumber="no">IV. Here is a believing appeal to the mercy
of God, and to the ancient tokens of his favour to Israel, and the
concern of his own glory in their interests. 1. It is some comfort
to them (and not a little) that God has been always ready to pardon
sin (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.9" parsed="|Dan|9|9|0|0" passage="Da 9:9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>): <i>To the
Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness;</i> this refers to
that proclamation of his name, <scripRef id="Dan.x-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.6-Exod.34.7" parsed="|Exod|34|6|34|7" passage="Ex 34:6,7">Exod.
xxxiv. 6, 7</scripRef>, <i>The Lord God, gracious and merciful,
forgiving iniquity.</i> Note, It is very encouraging to poor
sinners to recollect that <i>mercies belong to God,</i> as it is
convincing and humbling to them to recollect that righteousness
belongs to him; and those who give him the glory of his
righteousness may take to themselves the comfort of his mercies,
<scripRef id="Dan.x-p10.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.62.12" parsed="|Ps|62|12|0|0" passage="Ps 62:12">Ps. lxii. 12</scripRef>. There are
abundant mercies in God, and not only forgiveness but
<i>forgivenesses;</i> he is a <i>God of pardons</i> (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p10.4" osisRef="Bible:Neh.9.17" parsed="|Neh|9|17|0|0" passage="Ne 9:17">Neh. ix. 17</scripRef>, marg.); he <i>multiplies
to pardon,</i> <scripRef id="Dan.x-p10.5" osisRef="Bible:Isa.55.7" parsed="|Isa|55|7|0|0" passage="Isa 55:7">Isa. lv. 7</scripRef>.
<i>Though we have rebelled against him,</i> yet with him there is
mercy, pardoning mercy, even <i>for the rebellious.</i> 2. It is
likewise a support to them to think that God had formerly glorified
himself by delivering them out of Egypt; so far he looks back for
the encouragement of his faith (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p10.6" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.15" parsed="|Dan|9|15|0|0" passage="Da 9:15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>): "<i>Thou hast</i> formerly
<i>brought thy people out of Egypt with a mighty hand,</i> and wilt
thou not now with the same mighty hand bring them out of Babylon?
Were they then formed into a people, and shall they not now be
reformed and new-formed? Are they now sinful and unworthy, and were
they not so then? Are their oppressors now mighty and haughty, and
were they not so then? And has not God said that their deliverance
out of Babylon shall outshine even that out of Egypt?" <scripRef id="Dan.x-p10.7" osisRef="Bible:Jer.16.14-Jer.16.15" parsed="|Jer|16|14|16|15" passage="Jer 16:14,15">Jer. xvi. 14, 15</scripRef>. The force of
this plea lies in that, "<i>Thou hast gotten thyself renown,</i>
hast <i>made thyself a name</i>" (so the word is) "<i>as at this
day,</i> even to this day, by bringing us out of Egypt; and wilt
thou lose the credit of that by letting us perish in Babylon? Didst
thou get a renown by that deliverance which we have so often
commemorated, and wilt thou not now get thyself a renown by this
which we have so often prayed for, and so long waited for?"</p>
<p class="indent" id="Dan.x-p11" shownumber="no">V. Here is a pathetic complaint of the
reproach that God's people lay under, and the ruins that God's
sanctuary lay in, both which redounded very much to the dishonour
of God and the diminution of that name and renown which God had
gained by bringing them out of Egypt. 1. God's holy people were
despised. By <i>their sins and the iniquities of their fathers</i>
they had profaned their crown and made themselves despicable, and
then though they are, in name and profession, God's people, and
upon that account truly great and honourable, yet they become <i>a
reproach to all that are round about them.</i> Their neighbours
laugh them to scorn, and triumph in their disgrace. Note, <i>Sin is
a reproach to any people,</i> but especially to God's people, that
have more eyes upon them and have more honour to lose than other
people. 2. God's holy place was desolate. Jerusalem, the holy city,
was a reproach (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p11.1" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.16" parsed="|Dan|9|16|0|0" passage="Da 9:16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>) when it lay in ruins; it was an <i>astonishment</i>
and a hissing to all that passed by. The sanctuary, the holy house,
was desolate (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p11.2" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.17" parsed="|Dan|9|17|0|0" passage="Da 9:17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>),
the altars were demolished, and all the buildings laid in ashes.
Note, The desolations of the sanctuary are the grief of all the
saints, who reckon all their comforts in this world buried in the
ruins of the sanctuary.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Dan.x-p12" shownumber="no">VI. Here is an importunate request to God
for the restoring of the poor captive Jews to their former
enjoyments again. The petition is very pressing, for God gives us
leave in prayer to wrestle with him: "<i>O Lord! I beseech
thee,</i> <scripRef id="Dan.x-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.16" parsed="|Dan|9|16|0|0" passage="Da 9:16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. If
ever thou wilt do any thing for me, do this; it is my heart's
desire and prayer. <i>Now therefore, O our God! hear the prayer of
thy servant and his supplication</i> (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p12.2" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.17" parsed="|Dan|9|17|0|0" passage="Da 9:17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>), and grant an answer of peace."
Now what are his petitions? What are his requests? 1. That God
would turn away his wrath from them; that is it which all the
saints dread and deprecate more than any thing: O let <i>thy anger
be turned away from thy Jerusalem, thy holy mountain!</i> <scripRef id="Dan.x-p12.3" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.16" parsed="|Dan|9|16|0|0" passage="Da 9:16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. He does not pray for the
turning again of their captivity (let the Lord do with them as
seems good in his eyes), but he prays first for the <i>turning away
of God's wrath.</i> Take away the cause, and the effect will cease.
2. That he would lift up the light of his countenance upon them
(<scripRef id="Dan.x-p12.4" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.17" parsed="|Dan|9|17|0|0" passage="Da 9:17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>): "<i>Cause
thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate;</i> return
in thy mercy to us, and show that thou art reconciled to us, and
then all shall be well." Note, The shining of God's face upon the
desolations of the sanctuary is all in all towards the repair of
it; and upon that foundation it must be rebuilt. If therefore its
friends would begin their work at the right end, they must first be
earnest with God in prayer for his favour, and recommend his
desolate sanctuary to his smiles. <i>Cause thy face to shine</i>
and then <i>we shall be saved,</i> <scripRef id="Dan.x-p12.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.80.3" parsed="|Ps|80|3|0|0" passage="Ps 80:3">Ps.
lxxx. 3</scripRef>. 3. That he would forgive their sins, and then
hasten their deliverance (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p12.6" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.19" parsed="|Dan|9|19|0|0" passage="Da 9:19"><i>v.</i>
19</scripRef>): <i>O Lord! hear; O Lord! forgive.</i> "That the
mercy prayed for may be granted in mercy, let the sin that
threatens to come between us and it be removed: <i>O Lord! hearken
and do,</i> not hearken and speak only, but hearken and do; do that
for us which none else can, and that speedily—<i>defer not, O my
God!</i>" Now that he saw the appointed day approaching he could in
faith pray that God would make haste to them and not defer. David
often prays, <i>Make haste, O God! to help me.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Dan.x-p13" shownumber="no">VII. Here are several pleas and arguments
to enforce the petitions. God gives us leave not only to pray, but
to plead with him, which is not to move him (he himself knows what
he will do), but to move ourselves, to excite our fervency and
encourage our faith. 1. They disdain a dependence upon any
righteousness of their own; they pretend not to merit any thing at
God's hand but wrath and the curse (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p13.1" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.18" parsed="|Dan|9|18|0|0" passage="Da 9:18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>): "<i>We do not present our
supplications before thee</i> with hope to speed <i>for our
righteousness,</i> as if we were worthy to receive thy favour for
any good in us, or done by us, or could demand any thing as a debt;
we cannot insist upon our own justification, no, though we were
more righteous than we are; nay, though we knew nothing amiss of
ourselves, yet are we not thereby justified, nor <i>would we
answer,</i> but we would <i>make supplication to our Judge.</i>"
Moses had told Israel long before that, whatever God did for them,
it was <i>not for their righteousness,</i> <scripRef id="Dan.x-p13.2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.4-Deut.9.5" parsed="|Deut|9|4|9|5" passage="De 9:4,5">Deut. ix. 4, 5</scripRef>. And Ezekiel had of late told
them that their return out of Babylon would be <i>not for their
sakes,</i> <scripRef id="Dan.x-p13.3" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.36.22 Bible:Ezek.36.32" parsed="|Ezek|36|22|0|0;|Ezek|36|32|0|0" passage="Eze 36:22,32">Ezek. xxxvi. 22,
32</scripRef>. Note, Whenever we come to God for mercy we must lay
aside all conceit of, and confidence in, our own righteousness. 2.
They take their encouragement in prayer from God only, as knowing
that his reasons of mercy are fetched from within himself, and
therefore from him we must borrow all our pleas for mercy, and so
give honour to him when we are suing for grace and mercy from him.
(1.) "Do it <i>for thy own sake</i> (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p13.4" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.19" parsed="|Dan|9|19|0|0" passage="Da 9:19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>), for the accomplishment of thy
own counsel, the performance of thy own promise, and the
manifestation of thy own glory." Note, God will do his own work,
not only in his own way and time, but for his own sake, and so we
must take it. (2.) "Do it <i>for the Lord's sake,</i> that is, for
the Lord Christ's sake," for the sake of the Messiah promised, who
is the Lord (so the most and best of our Christian interpreters
understand it), <i>for the sake of Adonai,</i> so David called the
Messiah (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p13.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.110.1" parsed="|Ps|110|1|0|0" passage="Ps 110:1">Ps. cx. 1</scripRef>), and
mercy is prayed for for the church for the sake of the <i>Son of
man</i> (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p13.6" osisRef="Bible:Ps.80.17" parsed="|Ps|80|17|0|0" passage="Ps 80:17">Ps. lxxx. 17</scripRef>), and
<i>for thy Word's sake,</i> he is Lord of all. It is for his sake
that God causes his face to shine upon sinners when they repent and
turn to him, because of the satisfaction he has made. In all our
prayers that therefore must be our plea; we must <i>make mention of
his righteousness, even of his only,</i> <scripRef id="Dan.x-p13.7" osisRef="Bible:Ps.71.16" parsed="|Ps|71|16|0|0" passage="Ps 71:16">Ps. lxxi. 16</scripRef>. <i>Look upon the face of the
anointed.</i> He has himself directed us to <i>ask in his name.</i>
(3.) "Do it <i>according to all thy righteousness</i> (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p13.8" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.16" parsed="|Dan|9|16|0|0" passage="Da 9:16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>), that is, plead for us
against our persecutors and oppressors <i>according to thy
righteousness.</i> Though we are ourselves unrighteous before God,
yet with reference to them we have a righteous cause, which we
leave it with the righteous God to appear in the defence of." Or,
rather, by the <i>righteousness of God</i> here is meant his
faithfulness to his promise. God had, <i>according to his
righteousness,</i> executed the threatening, <scripRef id="Dan.x-p13.9" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.11" parsed="|Dan|9|11|0|0" passage="Da 9:11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. "Now, Lord, wilt thou not do
according to <i>all</i> thy righteousness? Wilt thou not be as true
to thy promises as thou hast been to thy threatenings and
accomplish them also?" (4.) "Do it <i>for thy great mercies</i>
(<scripRef id="Dan.x-p13.10" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.18" parsed="|Dan|9|18|0|0" passage="Da 9:18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>), to make it
to appear that thou art a merciful God." The good things we ask of
God we call <i>mercies,</i> because we expect them purely from
God's mercy. And, because misery is the proper object of mercy, the
prophet here spreads the deplorable condition of the church before
God, as it were to move his compassion: "<i>Open thy eyes and
behold our desolations,</i> especially the desolations of the
sanctuary. O look with pity upon a pitiable case!" Note, The
desolations of the church must in prayer be laid before God and
then left with him. (5.) "Do it for the sake of the relation we
stand in to thee. The sanctuary that is desolate is thy sanctuary
(<scripRef id="Dan.x-p13.11" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.17" parsed="|Dan|9|17|0|0" passage="Da 9:17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>), dedicated to
thy honour, employed in thy service, and the place of thy
residence. Jerusalem is <i>thy</i> city and <i>thy holy
mountain</i> (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p13.12" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.16" parsed="|Dan|9|16|0|0" passage="Da 9:16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>);
it is <i>the city which is called by thy name,</i>" <scripRef id="Dan.x-p13.13" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.18" parsed="|Dan|9|18|0|0" passage="Da 9:18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. It was the city which
God had <i>chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name
there.</i> "The people that have <i>become a reproach</i> are
<i>thy people,</i> and thy name suffers in the reproach cast upon
them (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p13.14" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.16" parsed="|Dan|9|16|0|0" passage="Da 9:16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>); they
are <i>called by thy name,</i> <scripRef id="Dan.x-p13.15" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.19" parsed="|Dan|9|19|0|0" passage="Da 9:19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. Lord, thou hast a property in
them, and therefore art interested in their interests; wilt thou
not provide for thy own, for those of thy own house? They are
<i>thine, save them,</i>" <scripRef id="Dan.x-p13.16" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.94" parsed="|Ps|119|94|0|0" passage="Ps 119:94">Ps. cxix.
94</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Dan.x-p13.17" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.20-Dan.9.27" parsed="|Dan|9|20|9|27" passage="Da 9:20-27" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Dan.x-p13.18">
<h4 id="Dan.x-p13.19">Daniel's Prayer Answered; The Answer to
Daniel's Prayer; The Coming of the Messiah; Destruction of
Jerusalem Foretold. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Dan.x-p13.20">b.
c.</span> 538.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Dan.x-p14" shownumber="no">20 And whiles I <i>was</i> speaking, and
praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and
presenting my supplication before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Dan.x-p14.1">Lord</span> my God for the holy mountain of my God;
  21 Yea, whiles I <i>was</i> speaking in prayer, even the man
Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being
caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening
oblation.   22 And he informed <i>me,</i> and talked with me,
and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and
understanding.   23 At the beginning of thy supplications the
commandment came forth, and I am come to show <i>thee;</i> for thou
<i>art</i> greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and
consider the vision.   24 Seventy weeks are determined upon
thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and
to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity,
and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the
vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.   25 Know
therefore and understand, <i>that</i> from the going forth of the
commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the
Prince <i>shall be</i> seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks:
the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous
times.   26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah
be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that
shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end
thereof <i>shall be</i> with a flood, and unto the end of the war
desolations are determined.   27 And he shall confirm the
covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he
shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the
overspreading of abominations he shall make <i>it</i> desolate,
even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured
upon the desolate.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Dan.x-p15" shownumber="no">We have here the answer that was
immediately sent to Daniel's prayer, and it is a very memorable
one, as it contains the most illustrious prediction of Christ and
gospel-grace that is extant in all the <i>Old Testament.</i> If
John Baptist was the morning-star, this was the day-break to the
Sun of righteousness, the <i>day-spring from on high.</i> Here
is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Dan.x-p16" shownumber="no">I. The time when this answer was given.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Dan.x-p17" shownumber="no">1. It was while Daniel was at prayer. This
he observed and laid a strong emphasis upon: <i>While I was
speaking</i> (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p17.1" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.20" parsed="|Dan|9|20|0|0" passage="Da 9:20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>),
yea, <i>while I was speaking in prayer</i> (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p17.2" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.21" parsed="|Dan|9|21|0|0" passage="Da 9:21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>), before he rose from his knees,
and while there was yet more which he intended to say.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Dan.x-p18" shownumber="no">(1.) He mentions the two heads he chiefly
insisted upon in prayer, and which perhaps he designed yet further
to enlarge upon. [1.] He was confessing sin and lamenting
that—"both <i>my sin and the sin of my people Israel.</i>" Daniel
was a very great and good man, and yet he finds sin of his own to
confess before God and is ready to confess it; for there is not a
<i>just man upon earth that does good and sins not,</i> nor that
sins and repents not. St. John puts himself into the number of
those who deceive themselves if they say that they <i>have no
sin,</i> and who therefore <i>confess their sins,</i> <scripRef id="Dan.x-p18.1" osisRef="Bible:1John.1.8" parsed="|1John|1|8|0|0" passage="1Jo 1:8">1 John i. 8</scripRef>. Good men find it an ease
to their consciences to pour out their complaints before the Lord
against themselves; and that is <i>confessing sin.</i> He also
confessed the <i>sin of his people,</i> and bewailed that. Those
who are heartily concerned for the glory of God, the welfare of the
church, and the souls of men, will mourn for the sins of others as
well as for their own. [2.] He was <i>making supplication before
the Lord his God,</i> and presenting it to him as an intercessor
for Israel; and in this prayer his concern was for <i>the holy
mountain of his God,</i> Mount Zion. The desolations of the
sanctuary lay nearer his heart than those of the city and the land;
and the repair of that, and the setting up of the public worship of
God of Israel again, were the things he had in view, in the
deliverance he was preparing for, more than re-establishment of
their civil interests. Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Dan.x-p19" shownumber="no">(2.) While Daniel was thus employed, [1.]
He had a grant made him of the mercy he prayed for. Note, God is
very ready to hear prayer and to give an answer of peace. Now was
fulfilled what God had spoken <scripRef id="Dan.x-p19.1" osisRef="Bible:Isa.65.24" parsed="|Isa|65|24|0|0" passage="Isa 65:24">Isa.
lxv. 24</scripRef>, <i>While they are yet speaking, I will
hear.</i> Daniel grew very fervent in prayer, and his affections
were very strong, <scripRef id="Dan.x-p19.2" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.18-Dan.9.19" parsed="|Dan|9|18|9|19" passage="Da 9:18,19"><i>v.</i> 18,
19</scripRef>. And, <i>while he was speaking</i> with such fervour
and ardency, the angel came to him with a gracious answer. God is
well pleased with lively devotions. We cannot now expect that God
should send us answers to our prayer by angels, but, if we pray
with fervency for that which God has promised, we may by faith take
the promise as an immediate answer to the prayer; for <i>he is
faithful that has promised.</i> [2.] He had a discovery made to him
of a far greater and more glorious redemption which God would work
out for his church in the latter days. Note, Those that would be
brought acquainted with Christ and his grace must be <i>much in
prayer.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Dan.x-p20" shownumber="no">2. It was <i>about the time of the evening
oblation,</i> <scripRef id="Dan.x-p20.1" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.21" parsed="|Dan|9|21|0|0" passage="Da 9:21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>.
The altar was in ruins, and there was no oblation offered upon it,
but, it should seem, the pious Jews in their captivity were daily
thoughtful of the time when it should have been offered, and at
that hour were ready to weep at the remembrance of it, and desired
and hoped that their prayer should be <i>set forth before God as
incense,</i> and the <i>lifting up of their hands,</i> and their
hearts with their hands, should be acceptable in his sight <i>as
the evening-sacrifice,</i> <scripRef id="Dan.x-p20.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.141.2" parsed="|Ps|141|2|0|0" passage="Ps 141:2">Ps. cxli.
2</scripRef>. The evening oblation was a type of the great
sacrifice which Christ was to offer in the evening of the world,
and it was in the virtue of that sacrifice that Daniel's prayer was
accepted when he prayed <i>for the Lord's sake;</i> and for the
sake of that this glorious discovery of redeeming love was made to
him. The Lamb <i>opened the seals</i> in the virtue of his own
blood.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Dan.x-p21" shownumber="no">II. The messenger by whom this answer was
sent. It was not given him in a dream, nor by a voice from heaven,
but, for the greater certainty and solemnity of it, an angel was
sent on purpose, appearing in a human shape, to give this answer to
Daniel. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Dan.x-p22" shownumber="no">1. Who this angel, or messenger, was; it
was <i>the man Gabriel.</i> If Michael the archangel be, as many
suppose, no other than Jesus Christ, this Gabriel is the only
created angel that is named in scripture. Gabriel signifies the
<i>mighty one of God;</i> for the angels are <i>great in power and
might,</i> <scripRef id="Dan.x-p22.1" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.2.11" parsed="|2Pet|2|11|0|0" passage="2Pe 2:11">2 Pet. ii. 11</scripRef>.
It was he <i>whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning.</i>
Daniel heard him called by his name, and thence learned it
(<scripRef id="Dan.x-p22.2" osisRef="Bible:Dan.8.16" parsed="|Dan|8|16|0|0" passage="Da 8:16">Dan. viii. 16</scripRef>); and, though
then he trembled at his approach, yet he observed him so carefully
that now he knew him again, knew him to be the same that he had
seen at the beginning, and, being somewhat better acquainted with
him, was not now so terrified at the sight of him as he had been at
first. When this angel said to <i>Zacharias, I am Gabriel</i>
(<scripRef id="Dan.x-p22.3" osisRef="Bible:Luke.1.19" parsed="|Luke|1|19|0|0" passage="Lu 1:19">Luke i. 19</scripRef>), he intended
thereby to put him in mind of this notice which he had given to
Daniel of the Messiah's coming when it was at a distance, for the
confirming of his faith in the notice he was then about to give of
it as at the door.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Dan.x-p23" shownumber="no">2. The instructions which this messenger
received from the Father of lights to whom Daniel prayed (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p23.1" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.23" parsed="|Dan|9|23|0|0" passage="Da 9:23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>): <i>At the beginning of
thy supplications</i> the word, <i>the commandment, came forth</i>
from God. Notice was given to the angels in heaven of this counsel
of God, which they were desirous to look into; and orders were
given to Gabriel to go immediately and bring the notice of it to
Daniel. By this it appears that it was not any thing which Daniel
said that moved God, for the answer was given as he began to pray;
but God was well pleased with his serious solemn address to the
duty, and, in token of that, sent him this gracious message. Or
perhaps it was <i>at the beginning of Daniel's supplications</i>
that <i>Cyrus's word,</i> or <i>commandment, went forth to restore
and to build Jerusalem,</i> that going forth spoken of <scripRef id="Dan.x-p23.2" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.25" parsed="|Dan|9|25|0|0" passage="Da 9:25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>. "The thing was done
<i>this very day;</i> the proclamation of liberty to the Jews was
signed this morning, just when thou wast praying for it;" and now,
at the close of this fast-day, Daniel had notice of it, as, at the
close of the <i>day of atonement,</i> the jubilee-trumpet sounded
to proclaim liberty.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Dan.x-p24" shownumber="no">3. The haste he made to deliver his
message: He was <i>caused to fly swiftly,</i> <scripRef id="Dan.x-p24.1" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.21" parsed="|Dan|9|21|0|0" passage="Da 9:21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. Angels are winged messengers,
quick in their motions, and delay not to execute the orders they
receive; they run and <i>return like a flash of lightning,</i>
<scripRef id="Dan.x-p24.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.1.14" parsed="|Ezek|1|14|0|0" passage="Eze 1:14">Ezek. i. 14</scripRef>. But, it should
seem, sometimes they are more expeditious than at other times, and
make a quicker despatch, as here the angel was <i>caused to fly
swiftly;</i> that is, he was ordered and he was enabled to fly
swiftly. Angels do their work in obedience to divine command and in
dependence upon divine strength. Though they excel in wisdom, they
fly swifter or slower as God directs; and, though they excel in
power, they fly but as God causes them to fly. Angels themselves
are to us what he makes them to be; they are <i>his ministers,</i>
and <i>do his pleasure,</i> <scripRef id="Dan.x-p24.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.103.21" parsed="|Ps|103|21|0|0" passage="Ps 103:21">Ps. ciii.
21</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Dan.x-p25" shownumber="no">4. The prefaces or introductions to his
message. (1.) He <i>touched him</i> (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p25.1" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.21" parsed="|Dan|9|21|0|0" passage="Da 9:21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>), as before (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p25.2" osisRef="Bible:Dan.8.18" parsed="|Dan|8|18|0|0" passage="Da 8:18"><i>ch.</i> viii. 18</scripRef>), not to awaken him out of
sleep as then, but to give him a hint to break off his prayer and
to attend to that which he has to say in answer to it. Note, In
order to the keeping up of our communion with God we must not only
be forward to speak to God, but as forward to hear what he has to
say to us; when we have prayed we must look up, must look after our
prayers, must set ourselves upon our watch-tower. (2.) He <i>talked
with him</i> (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p25.3" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.22" parsed="|Dan|9|22|0|0" passage="Da 9:22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>),
talked familiarly with him, as one friend talks with another, that
<i>his terror might not make him afraid.</i> He informed him on
what errand he came, that he was sent from heaven on purpose with a
kind message to him: "<i>I have come to show thee</i> (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p25.4" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.23" parsed="|Dan|9|23|0|0" passage="Da 9:23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>), to tell thee that which
thou didst not know before." He had shown him the troubles of the
church under Antiochus, and the period of those troubles (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p25.5" osisRef="Bible:Dan.8.19" parsed="|Dan|8|19|0|0" passage="Da 8:19"><i>ch.</i> viii. 19</scripRef>); but now he has
greater things to show him, for he that is faithful in a little
shall be entrusted with more. "Nay, <i>I have now come forth to
give thee skill and understanding</i> (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p25.6" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.22" parsed="|Dan|9|22|0|0" passage="Da 9:22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>), not only to show thee these
things, but to <i>make thee understand</i> them." (3.) He assured
him that he was a favourite of Heaven, else he would not have had
this intelligence sent him, and he must take it for a favour: "<i>I
have come to show thee, for thou art greatly beloved.</i> Thou art
<i>a man of desires,</i> acceptable to God, and whom he has a
favour for." Note, Though God loves all his children, yet there are
some that are more than the rest <i>greatly beloved.</i> Christ had
one disciple that lay in his bosom; and that <i>beloved
disciple</i> was he that was entrusted with the prophetical visions
of the New Testament, as Daniel was with those of the Old. For what
greater token can there be of God's favour to any man than for the
secrets of the Lord to be with him? Abraham is the <i>friend of
God;</i> and therefore <i>Shall I hide from Abraham that thing
which I do?</i> <scripRef id="Dan.x-p25.7" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.17" parsed="|Gen|18|17|0|0" passage="Ge 18:17">Gen. xviii.
17</scripRef>. Note, Those may reckon themselves greatly beloved of
God to whom, and in whom, he <i>reveals his Son.</i> Some observe
that the title which this angel Gabriel gives to the Virgin Mary is
much the same with this which he here gives to Daniel, as if he
designed to put her in mind of it—<i>Thou that art highly
favoured;</i> as Daniel, <i>greatly beloved.</i> (4.) He demands
his serious attention to the discovery he was now about to make to
him: <i>Therefore understand the matter, and consider the
vision,</i> <scripRef id="Dan.x-p25.8" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.23" parsed="|Dan|9|23|0|0" passage="Da 9:23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>.
This intimates that it was a thing well worthy of his regard, above
any of the visions he had been before favoured with. Note, Those
who would understand the things of God must consider them, must
apply their minds to them, ponder upon them, and compare spiritual
things with spiritual. The reason why we are so much in the dark
concerning the revealed will of God, and mistake concerning it, is
want of consideration. This vision both requires and deserves
consideration.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Dan.x-p26" shownumber="no">III. The message itself. It was delivered
with great solemnity, received no doubt with great attention, and
recorded with great exactness; but in it, as is usual in
prophecies, there are things dark and hard to be understood.
Daniel, who understood by the book of the prophet Jeremiah the
expiration of the seventy years of the captivity, is now honourably
employed to make known to the church another more glorious release,
which that was but a shadow of, at the end of another seventy, not
years, but weeks of years. He prayed over that prophecy, and
received this in answer to that prayer. He had prayed for <i>his
people</i> and the <i>holy city</i>—that <i>they</i> might be
released, that <i>it</i> might be rebuilt; but God answers him
<i>above what he was able to ask or think.</i> God not only grants,
but outdoes, the desires of those that fear him, <scripRef id="Dan.x-p26.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.21.4" parsed="|Ps|21|4|0|0" passage="Ps 21:4">Ps. xxi. 4</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Dan.x-p27" shownumber="no">1. The times here determined are somewhat
hard to be understood. In general, it is <i>seventy weeks,</i> that
is, <i>seventy times seven years,</i> which makes just 490 years.
The great affairs that are yet to come concerning the people of
Israel, and the city of Jerusalem, will lie within the compass of
these years.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Dan.x-p28" shownumber="no">(1.) These years are thus described by
weeks, [1.] In conformity to the prophetic style, which is, for the
most part, abstruse, and out of the common road of speaking, that
the things foretold might not lie too obvious. [2.] To put an
honour upon the division of time into weeks, which is made purely
by the sabbath day, and to signify that that should be perpetual.
[3.] With reference to the seventy years of the captivity; as they
had been so long kept out of the possession of their own land, so,
being now restored to it they should seven times as long be kept in
the possession of it. So much more does God delight in showing
mercy than in punishing. The land had <i>enjoyed its sabbaths,</i>
in a melancholy sense, seventy years, <scripRef id="Dan.x-p28.1" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.34" parsed="|Lev|26|34|0|0" passage="Le 26:34">Lev. xxvi. 34</scripRef>. But now the people of the Lord
shall, in a comfortable sense, enjoy their sabbaths seven times
seventy years, and in them seventy sabbatical years, which makes
ten jubilees. Such proportions are there in the disposals of
Providence, that we might see and admire the wisdom of him who has
<i>determined the times before appointed.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Dan.x-p29" shownumber="no">(2.) The difficulties that arise about
these seventy weeks are, [1.] Concerning the time when they
commence and whence they are to be reckoned. They are here dated
<i>from the going forth of the commandments to restore and to build
Jerusalem,</i> <scripRef id="Dan.x-p29.1" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.25" parsed="|Dan|9|25|0|0" passage="Da 9:25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>.
I should most incline to understand this of the edict of Cyrus
mentioned <scripRef id="Dan.x-p29.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.1.1" parsed="|Ezra|1|1|0|0" passage="Ezr 1:1">Ezra i. 1</scripRef>, for by
it the people were <i>restored;</i> and, though express mention be
not made there of the building of Jerusalem, yet that is supposed
in the building of the temple, and was foretold to be done by
Cyrus, <scripRef id="Dan.x-p29.3" osisRef="Bible:Isa.44.28" parsed="|Isa|44|28|0|0" passage="Isa 44:28">Isa. xliv. 28</scripRef>. He
shall <i>say to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built.</i> That was, both
in prophecy and in history, the most famous decree for the building
of Jerusalem; nay, it should seem, this <i>going forth of the
commandment</i> (which may as well be meant of God's command
concerning it as of Cyrus's) is the same with that going forth of
the commandment mentioned <scripRef id="Dan.x-p29.4" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.23" parsed="|Dan|9|23|0|0" passage="Da 9:23"><i>v.</i>
23</scripRef>, which was <i>at the beginning of Daniel's
supplications.</i> And it looks very graceful that the seventy
weeks should begin immediately upon the expiration of the seventy
years. And there is nothing to be objected against this but that by
this reckoning the <i>Persian monarchy,</i> from the taking of
Babylon by Cyrus to Alexander's conquest of Darius, lasted but 130
years; whereas, by the particular account given of the reigns of
the Persian emperors, it is computed that it continued 230 years.
So Thucydides, Xenophon, and others reckon. Those who fix it to
that first edict set aside these computations of the heathen
historians as uncertain and not to be relied upon. But others,
willing to reconcile them, begin the 490 years, not at the edict of
Cyrus (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p29.5" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.1.1" parsed="|Ezra|1|1|0|0" passage="Ezr 1:1">Ezra i. 1</scripRef>), but at
the second edict for the building of Jerusalem, issued out by
Darius Nothus above 100 years after, mentioned <scripRef id="Dan.x-p29.6" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.6.1-Ezra.6.12" parsed="|Ezra|6|1|6|12" passage="Ezr 6:1-12">Ezra vi.</scripRef> Others fix on the seventh year of
Artaxerxes Mnemon, who sent Ezra with a commission, <scripRef id="Dan.x-p29.7" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.7.8-Ezra.7.12" parsed="|Ezra|7|8|7|12" passage="Ezr 7:8-12">Ezra vii. 8-12</scripRef>. The learned Mr.
Poole, in his Latin Synopsis, has a vast and most elaborate
collection of what has been said, <i>pro</i> and <i>con,</i>
concerning the different beginnings of these weeks, with which the
learned may entertain themselves. [2.] Concerning the termination
of them; and here likewise interpreters are not agreed. Some make
them to end at the death of Christ, and think the express words of
this famous prophecy will warrant us to conclude that from this
very hour when Gabriel spoke to Daniel, at the time of the evening
oblation, to the hour when Christ died, which was towards evening
too, it was exactly 490 years; and I am willing enough to be of
that opinion. But others think, because it is said that <i>in the
midst of the weeks</i> (that is, the last of the seventy weeks) he
<i>shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,</i> they
end <i>three years and a half</i> after the death of Christ, when
the Jews having rejected the gospel, the apostles turned to the
Gentiles. But those who make them to end precisely at the death of
Christ read it thus, "He shall <i>make strong the testament to the
many; the last seven,</i> or the last week, yea, <i>half that
seven,</i> or <i>half that week</i> (namely, the latter half, the
three years and a half which Christ spent in his public ministry),
shall bring to an end sacrifice and oblation." Others make these
490 years to end with the destruction of Jerusalem, about
thirty-seven years after the death of Christ, because these seventy
weeks are said to be <i>determined upon the people</i> of the Jews
<i>and the holy city;</i> and much is said here concerning the
destruction of the city and the sanctuary. [3.] Concerning the
division of them into seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks, and one
week; and the reason of this is as hard to account for as any thing
else. In the first seven weeks, or forty-nine years, the temple and
city were built; and in the last single week Christ preached his
gospel, by which the Jewish economy was taken down, and the
foundations were laid of the gospel city and temple, which were to
be built upon the ruins of the former.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Dan.x-p30" shownumber="no">(3.) But, whatever uncertainty we may
labour under concerning the exact fixing of these times, there is
enough clear and certain to answer the two great ends of
determining them. [1.] It did serve them to raise and support the
expectations of believers. There were general promises of the
coming of the Messiah made to the patriarchs; the preceding
prophets had often spoken of him as <i>one that should come,</i>
but never was the time fixed for his coming until now. And, though
there might be so much doubt concerning the date of this reckoning
that they could not ascertain the time just to a year, yet by the
light of this prophecy they were directed about what time to expect
him. And we find, accordingly, that when Christ came he was
generally <i>looked for</i> as the <i>consolation of Israel,</i>
and <i>redemption in Jerusalem</i> by him, <scripRef id="Dan.x-p30.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.2.25 Bible:Luke.2.38" parsed="|Luke|2|25|0|0;|Luke|2|38|0|0" passage="Lu 2:25,38">Luke ii. 25, 38</scripRef>. There were those that for
this reason thought the <i>kingdom of God should immediately
appear</i> (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p30.2" osisRef="Bible:Luke.19.11" parsed="|Luke|19|11|0|0" passage="Lu 19:11">Luke xix. 11</scripRef>),
and some think it was this that brought a more than ordinary
concourse of people to Jerusalem, <scripRef id="Dan.x-p30.3" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.5" parsed="|Acts|2|5|0|0" passage="Ac 2:5">Acts
ii. 5</scripRef>. [2.] It does serve still to refute and silence
the expectations of unbelievers, who will not own that Jesus is he
who <i>should come,</i> but still <i>look for another.</i> This
prediction should silence them, and will condemn them; for, reckon
these seventy weeks from which of the commandments to build
Jerusalem we please, it is certain that they have expired above
1500 years ago; so that the Jews are for ever <i>without
excuse,</i> who will not own that the Messiah has come when they
have gone so far beyond their utmost reckoning for his coming. But
by this we are confirmed in our belief of the Messiah's being come,
and that our Jesus is he, that he came just at the time prefixed, a
time worthy to be had in everlasting remembrance.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Dan.x-p31" shownumber="no">2. The events here foretold are more plain
and easy to be understood, at least to us now. Observe what is here
foretold,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Dan.x-p32" shownumber="no">(1.) Concerning the return of the Jews now
speedily to their own land, and their settlement again there, which
was the thing that Daniel now principally prayed for; and yet it is
but briefly touched upon here in the answer to his prayer. Let this
be a comfort to the pious Jews, that a <i>commandment</i> shall
<i>go forth to restore and to build Jerusalem,</i> <scripRef id="Dan.x-p32.1" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.25" parsed="|Dan|9|25|0|0" passage="Da 9:25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>. And the commandment
shall not be in vain; for though the times will be very troublous,
and this good work will meet with great opposition, yet it shall be
carried on, and brought to perfection at last. The <i>street</i>
shall be <i>built again,</i> as spacious and splendid as ever it
was, and <i>the walls, even in troublous times.</i> Note, as long
as we are here in this world we must expect <i>troublous times,</i>
upon some account or other. Even when we have <i>joyous times</i>
we must rejoice with trembling; it is but a gleam, it is but a
lucid interval of peace and prosperity; the clouds will <i>return
after the rain.</i> When the Jews are restored in triumph to their
own land, yet there they must expect troublous times, and prepare
for them. But this is our comfort, that God will carry on his own
work, will build up his Jerusalem, will beautify it, will fortify
it, <i>even in troublous times;</i> nay, the troublousness of the
times may by the grace of God contribute to the advancement of the
church. The more it is afflicted the more it multiplies.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Dan.x-p33" shownumber="no">(2.) Concerning the Messiah and his
undertaking. The carnal Jews looked for a Messiah that could
deliver them from the Roman yoke and give them temporal power and
wealth, whereas they were here told that the Messiah should come
upon another errand, purely spiritual, and upon the account of
which he should be the more welcome. [1.] Christ came to <i>take
away sin,</i> and to abolish that. Sin had made a quarrel between
God and man, had alienated men from God and provoked God against
man; it was this that put dishonour upon God and brought misery
upon mankind; this was the great mischief-maker. He that would do
God a real service, and man a real kindness, must be the
destruction of this. Christ undertakes to be so, and <i>for this
purpose</i> he is <i>manifested, to destroy the works of the
devil.</i> He does not say to <i>finish your</i> transgressions and
your sins, but <i>transgression</i> and <i>sin</i> in general, for
he is the propitiation not only for <i>our sins,</i> that are Jews,
but <i>for the sins of the whole world.</i> He came, <i>First,</i>
To <i>finish transgression,</i> to <i>restrain</i> it (so some), to
break the power of it, to <i>bruise the head</i> of that serpent
that had done so much mischief, to take away the usurped dominion
of that tyrant, and to set up a kingdom of holiness and love in the
hearts of men, upon the ruins of Satan's kingdom there, that, where
<i>sin and death</i> had <i>reigned, righteousness</i> and
<i>life</i> through grace might <i>reign.</i> When he died he said,
<i>It is finished;</i> sin has now had its death-wound given it,
like Samson's, <i>Let me die with the Philistines. Animamque in
vulnere ponit—He inflicts the wound and dies. Secondly,</i> To
<i>make an end of sin,</i> to abolish it, that it may not rise up
in judgment against us, to obtain the pardon of it, that it may not
be our ruin, to <i>seal up sins</i> (so the margin reads it), that
they may not appear or break out against us, to accuse and condemn
us, as, when Christ cast the devil into the bottomless pit, he
<i>set a seal upon him,</i> <scripRef id="Dan.x-p33.1" osisRef="Bible:Rev.20.3" parsed="|Rev|20|3|0|0" passage="Re 20:3">Rev. xx.
3</scripRef>. When sin is pardoned it is <i>sought for and not
found,</i> as that which is <i>sealed up. Thirdly,</i> To <i>make
reconciliation for iniquity,</i> as by a sacrifice, to satisfy the
justice of God and so to <i>make peace</i> and bring God and man
together, not only as an arbitrator, or referee, who only brings
the contending parties to a good understanding one of another, but
as a surety, or undertaker, for us. He is not only the
<i>peace-maker,</i> but the <i>peace.</i> He is the
<i>atonement.</i> [2.] He came to <i>bring in an everlasting
righteousness.</i> God might justly have made an end of the sin by
making an end of the sinner; but Christ found out another way, and
so made an end of sin as to save the sinner from it, by providing a
righteousness for him. We are all guilty before God, and shall be
condemned as guilty, if we have not a righteousness wherein to
appear before him. Had we stood, our innocency would have been our
righteousness, but, having fallen, we must have something else to
plead; and Christ has provided us a plea. The merit of his
sacrifice is <i>our righteousness;</i> with this we answer all the
demands of the law; <i>Christ has died, yea, rather, has risen
again.</i> Thus Christ is <i>the Lord our righteousness,</i> for he
is <i>made of God to us righteousness,</i> that we might be <i>made
the righteousness of God in him.</i> By faith we apply this to
ourselves and plead it with God, and our <i>faith is imputed to us
for righteousness,</i> <scripRef id="Dan.x-p33.2" osisRef="Bible:Rom.4.3 Bible:Rom.4.5" parsed="|Rom|4|3|0|0;|Rom|4|5|0|0" passage="Ro 4:3,5">Rom. iv. 3,
5</scripRef>. This is an <i>everlasting</i> righteousness, for
Christ, who is <i>our righteousness,</i> and the <i>prince</i> of
our <i>peace,</i> is the <i>everlasting Father.</i> It was from
everlasting in the counsels of it and will be to everlasting in the
consequences of it. The application of it was from the beginning,
for Christ was <i>the Lamb slain from the foundation of the
world;</i> and it will be to the end, for he is <i>able to save to
the uttermost.</i> It is of everlasting virtue (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p33.3" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.12" parsed="|Heb|10|12|0|0" passage="Heb 10:12">Heb. x. 12</scripRef>); it is the <i>rock that follows
us</i> to Canaan. [3.] He came to <i>seal up the vision and
prophecy,</i> all the prophetical visions of the Old Testament,
which had reference to the Messiah. He <i>sealed them up,</i> that
is, he accomplished them, answered to them to a tittle; all things
that were written in the law, the prophets, and the psalms,
concerning the Messiah, were fulfilled in him. Thus he confirmed
the truth of them as well as his own mission. He <i>sealed them
up,</i> that is, he put an end to that method of God's discovering
his mind and will, and took another course by completing the
scripture-canon in the New Testament, which is the more sure word
of prophecy than that <i>by vision,</i> <scripRef id="Dan.x-p33.4" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.1.19 Bible:Heb.1.1" parsed="|2Pet|1|19|0|0;|Heb|1|1|0|0" passage="2Pe 1:19,Heb 1:1">2 Pet. i. 19; Heb. i. 1</scripRef>. [4.] He came
to <i>anoint the most holy,</i> that is, himself, the Holy One, who
was <i>anointed</i> (that is, appointed to his work and qualified
for it) by the Holy Ghost, that oil of gladness which he received
<i>without measure,</i> above his fellows; or to <i>anoint</i> the
gospel-church, his spiritual temple, or holy place, to sanctify and
cleanse it, and appropriate it to himself (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p33.5" osisRef="Bible:Eph.5.26" parsed="|Eph|5|26|0|0" passage="Eph 5:26">Eph. v. 26</scripRef>), or to consecrate for us <i>a new
and living way into the holiest,</i> by his own blood (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p33.6" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.20" parsed="|Heb|10|20|0|0" passage="Heb 10:20">Heb. x. 20</scripRef>), as the sanctuary was
<i>anointed,</i> <scripRef id="Dan.x-p33.7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.25" parsed="|Exod|30|25|0|0" passage="Ex 30:25">Exod. xxx.
25</scripRef>, &amp;c. He is called <i>Messiah</i> (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p33.8" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.25-Dan.9.26" parsed="|Dan|9|25|9|26" passage="Da 9:25,26"><i>v.</i> 25, 26</scripRef>), which signifies
<i>Christ-Anointed</i> (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p33.9" osisRef="Bible:John.1.41" parsed="|John|1|41|0|0" passage="Joh 1:41">John i.
41</scripRef>), because he received the unction both for himself
and for all that are his. [5.] In order to all this the Messiah
must be <i>cut off,</i> must die a violent death, and so be <i>cut
off from the land of the living,</i> as was foretold, <scripRef id="Dan.x-p33.10" osisRef="Bible:Isa.53.8" parsed="|Isa|53|8|0|0" passage="Isa 53:8">Isa. liii. 8</scripRef>. Hence, when Paul
preaches the death of Christ, he says that he preached nothing but
<i>what the prophet said should come,</i> <scripRef id="Dan.x-p33.11" osisRef="Bible:Acts.26.22-Acts.26.23" parsed="|Acts|26|22|26|23" passage="Ac 26:22,23">Acts xxvi. 22, 23</scripRef>. And <i>thus it behoved
Christ to suffer.</i> He must be <i>cut off, but not for
himself</i>—not for any sin of his own, but, as Caiaphas
prophesied, he must <i>die for the people,</i> in our stead and for
our good,—not for any <i>advantage of his own</i> (the glory he
purchased for himself was no more than the glory he had before,
<scripRef id="Dan.x-p33.12" osisRef="Bible:John.17.4-John.17.5" parsed="|John|17|4|17|5" passage="Joh 17:4,5">John xvii. 4, 5</scripRef>); no; it
was to atone for our sins, and to purchase life for us, that he was
<i>cut off.</i> [6.] He must <i>confirm the covenant with many.</i>
He shall introduce a new covenant between God and man, a covenant
of grace, since it had become impossible for us to be saved by a
covenant of innocence. This covenant he shall confirm by his
doctrine and miracles, by his death and resurrection, by the
ordinances of baptism and the Lord's supper, which are the
<i>seals</i> of the New Testament, assuring us that God is willing
to accept us upon gospel-terms. His death made <i>his testament</i>
of force, and enabled us to claim what is bequeathed by it. He
confirmed it to <i>the many,</i> to the common people; the poor
were <i>evangelized,</i> when the <i>rulers</i> and <i>Pharisees
believed not on him.</i> Or, he confirmed it <i>with many,</i> with
the Gentile world. The New Testament was not (like the Old)
confined to the Jewish church, but was committed to all nations.
Christ gave his life a <i>ransom for many.</i> [7.] He must
<i>cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease.</i> By offering
himself a sacrifice once for all he shall put an end to all the
Levitical sacrifices, shall supersede them and set them aside; when
the substance comes the shadows shall be done away. He causes all
the peace-offerings to cease when he has made peace by the blood of
his cross, and by it confirmed the covenant of peace and
reconciliation. By the preaching of his gospel to the world, with
which the apostles were entrusted, he took men off from expecting
remission by the blood of bulls and goats, and so <i>caused the
sacrifice and oblation to cease.</i> The apostle in his epistle to
the Hebrews shows what a better priesthood, altar, and sacrifice,
we have now than they had under the law, as a reason why we should
<i>hold fast our profession.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Dan.x-p34" shownumber="no">(3.) Concerning the final destruction of
Jerusalem, and of the Jewish church and nation; and this follows
immediately upon the cutting off of the Messiah, not only because
it was the <i>just punishment</i> of those that put him to death,
which was the sin that filled up the measure of their iniquity and
brought ruin upon them, but because, as things were, it was
necessary to the perfecting of one of the great intentions of his
death. He died to take away the ceremonial law, quite to abolish
<i>that law of commandments,</i> and to vacate the obligation of
it. But the Jews would not be persuaded to quit it; still they kept
it up with more zeal than ever; they would hear no talk of parting
with it; they stoned Stephen (the first Christian martyr) for
saying that Jesus should <i>change the customs which Moses
delivered them</i> (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p34.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.6.14" parsed="|Acts|6|14|0|0" passage="Ac 6:14">Acts vi.
14</scripRef>); so that there was no way to abolish the Mosaic
economy but by destroying the temple, and the holy city, and the
Levitical priesthood, and that whole nation which so incurably
doted on them. This was effectually done in less than forty years
after the death of Christ, and it was a desolation that could
<i>never be repaired</i> to this day. And this is it which is here
largely foretold, that the Jews who returned out of captivity might
not be overmuch lifted up with the rebuilding of their city and
temple, because in process of time they would be finally destroyed,
and not as now for seventy years only, but might rather rejoice in
hope of the coming of the Messiah, and the setting up of his
spiritual kingdom in the world, which should <i>never be
destroyed.</i> Now, [1.] It is here foretold that <i>the people of
the prince that shall come</i> shall be the instruments of this
destruction, that is, the Roman armies, belonging to a monarchy yet
to come (Christ is <i>the prince that shall come,</i> and they are
employed by him in this service; they are <i>his armies,</i>
<scripRef id="Dan.x-p34.2" osisRef="Bible:Matt.22.7" parsed="|Matt|22|7|0|0" passage="Mt 22:7">Matt. xxii. 7</scripRef>), or the
Gentiles (who, though now strangers, shall become the people of the
Messiah) shall destroy the Jews. [2.] That the destruction shall be
<i>by war,</i> and the <i>end</i> of that <i>war</i> shall be this
<i>desolation determined.</i> The <i>wars of the Jews</i> with the
Romans were by their own obstinacy made very long and very bloody,
and they issued at length in the utter extirpation of that people.
[3.] That the <i>city</i> and <i>sanctuary</i> shall in a
particular manner be <i>destroyed</i> and laid quite waste. Titus
the Roman general would fain have saved the temple, but his
soldiers were so enraged against the Jews that he could not
restrain them from burning it to the ground, that this prophecy
might be fulfilled. [4.] That all the resistance that shall be made
to this destruction shall be in vain: <i>The end of it shall be
with a flood.</i> It shall be a deluge of destruction, like that
which swept away the old world, and which there will be no making
head against. [5.] That hereby the <i>sacrifice and oblation</i>
shall be <i>made to cease.</i> And it must needs cease when the
family of the priests was so extirpated, and the genealogies of it
were so confounded, that (they say) there is no man in the world
that can prove himself of the seed of Aaron. [6.] that there shall
be <i>an overspreading of abominations,</i> a general corruption of
the Jewish nation and an abounding of iniquity among them, for
which it shall be <i>made desolate,</i> <scripRef id="Dan.x-p34.3" osisRef="Bible:1Thess.2.16" parsed="|1Thess|2|16|0|0" passage="1Th 2:16">1 Thess. ii. 16</scripRef>. Or it is rather to be
understood of the armies of the Romans, which were abominable to
the Jews (they could not endure them), which <i>overspread the
nation,</i> and by which it was <i>made desolate;</i> for these are
the words which Christ refers to, <scripRef id="Dan.x-p34.4" osisRef="Bible:Matt.24.15" parsed="|Matt|24|15|0|0" passage="Mt 24:15">Matt. xxiv. 15</scripRef>, <i>When you shall see the
abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel, stand in the holy
place, then let those who shall be in Judea flee,</i> which is
explained <scripRef id="Dan.x-p34.5" osisRef="Bible:Luke.21.20" parsed="|Luke|21|20|0|0" passage="Lu 21:20">Luke xxi. 20</scripRef>,
<i>When you shall see Jerusalem encompassed with armies then
flee.</i> [7.] That the desolation shall be total and final: <i>He
shall make it desolate, even until the consummation,</i> that is,
he shall make it completely desolate. It is a <i>desolation
determined,</i> and it will be accomplished to the utmost. And when
it is made desolate, it should seem, there is something more
determined that is to be <i>poured upon the desolate</i> (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p34.6" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.27" parsed="|Dan|9|27|0|0" passage="Da 9:27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>), and what should that be
but the <i>spirit of slumber</i> (<scripRef id="Dan.x-p34.7" osisRef="Bible:Rom.11.8 Bible:Rom.11.25" parsed="|Rom|11|8|0|0;|Rom|11|25|0|0" passage="Ro 11:8,25">Rom. xi. 8, 25</scripRef>), that blindness which has
happened to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in?
And <i>then all Israel shall be saved.</i></p>
</div></div2>