he shall cause the sacrifice ... oblation to cease--distinct from the temporary "taking away" of "the daily" (sacrifice) by Antiochus ([Da 8:11]; ). Messiah was to cause all sacrifices and oblations in general to "cease" utterly. There is here an allusion only to Antiochus' act; to comfort God's people when sacrificial worship was to be trodden down, by pointing them to the Messianic time when salvation would fully come and yet temple sacrifices cease. This is the same consolation as Jeremiah and Ezekiel gave under like circumstances, when the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar was impending ([Jr 3:16]; ; [Eze 11:19]). Jesus died in the middle of the last week, A.D. 30. His prophetic life lasted three and a half years; the very time in which "the saints are given into the hand" of Antichrist ([Da 7:25]). Three and a half does not, like ten, designate the power of the world in its fulness, but (while opposed to the divine, expressed by seven) broken and defeated in its seeming triumph; for immediately after the three and a half times, judgment falls on the victorious world powers ([Da 7:25], ). So Jesus' death seemed the triumph of the world, but was really its defeat ([Joh 12:31]). The rending of the veil marked the cessation of sacrifices through Christ's death ([Le 4:6], ; , ; [He 10:14-18]). There cannot be a covenant without sacrifice ([Ge 8:20]; ; , &c.; [He 9:15]). Here the old covenant is to be confirmed, but in a way peculiar to the New Testament, namely, by the one sacrifice, which would terminate all sacrifices ([Psa 40:6], ). Thus as the Levitical rites approached their end, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, with ever increasing clearness, oppose the spiritual new covenant to the transient earthly elements of the old.
for the overspreading of abominations--On account of the abominations committed by the unholy people against the Holy One, He shall not only destroy the city and sanctuary ([Da 9:25]), but shall continue its desolation until the time of the consummation "determined" by God (the phrase is quoted from [Is 10:22], ), when at last the world power shall be judged and dominion be given to the saints of the Most High ([Da 7:26], ). Auberlen translates, "On account of the desolating summit of abominations (compare [Da 11:31]; ; thus the repetition of the same thing as in [Da 9:26] is avoided), and till the consummation which is determined, it (the curse, [Da 9:11], foretold by Moses) will pour on the desolated." Israel reached the summit of abominations, which drew down desolation ([Mt 24:28]), nay, which is the desolation itself, when, after murdering Messiah, they offered sacrifices, Mosaic indeed in form, but heathenish in spirit (compare [Is 1:13]; [Eze 5:11]). Christ refers to this passage ([Mt 24:15]), "When ye see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place" (the latter words being tacitly implied in "abominations" as being such as are committed against the sanctuary). Tregelles translates, "upon the wing of abominations shall be that which causeth desolation"; namely, an idol set up on a wing or pinnacle of the temple (compare [Mt 4:5]) by Antichrist, who makes a covenant with the restored Jews for the last of the seventy weeks of years (fulfilling Jesus' words, "If another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive"), and for the first three and a half years keeps it, then in the midst of the week breaks it, causing the daily sacrifices to cease. Tregelles thus identifies the last half week with the time, times, and a half of the persecuting little horn ([Da 7:25]). But thus there is a gap of at least 1830 years put between the sixty-nine weeks and the seventieth week. Sir Isaac Newton explains the wing ("overspreading") of abominations to be the Roman ensigns (eagles) brought to the east gate of the temple, and there sacrificed to by the soldiers; the war, ending in the destruction of Jerusalem, lasted from spring A.D. 67 to autumn A.D. 70, that is, just three and a half years, or the last half week of years [Josephus, Wars of the Jews, 6.6].
poured upon the desolate--Tregelles translates, "the causer of desolation," namely, Antichrist. Compare "abomination that maketh desolate" ([Da 12:11]). Perhaps both interpretations of the whole passage may be in part true; the Roman desolator, Titus, being a type of Antichrist, the final desolator of Jerusalem. Bacon [The Advancement of Learning, 2.3] says, "Prophecies are of the nature of the Author, with whom a thousand years are as one day; and therefore are not fulfilled punctually at once, but have a springing and germinant accomplishment through many years, though the height and fulness of them may refer to one age."
Chapter 10
Da 10:1-21. Daniel Comforted by an Angelic Vision
The tenth through twelfth chapters more fully describe the vision in the eighth chapter by a second vision on the same subject, just as the vision in the seventh chapter explains more fully that in the second. The tenth chapter is the prologue; the eleventh, the prophecy itself; and the twelfth, the epilogue. The tenth chapter unfolds the spiritual worlds as the background of the historical world ([Job 1:7]; 2:1, &c.; [Zec 3:1], ; [Re 12:7]), and angels as the ministers of God's government of men. As in the world of nature ([Joh 5:4]; [Re 7:1-3]), so in that of history here; Michael, the champion of Israel, and with him another angel, whose aim is to realize God's will in the heathen world, resist the God-opposed spirit of the world. These struggles are not merely symbolical, but real ([1Sa 16:13-15]; [1Ki 22:22]; [Ep 6:12]).
1. third year of Cyrus--two years after Cyrus' decree for the restoration of the Jews had gone forth, in accordance with Daniel's prayer in [Da 9:3-19]. This vision gives not merely general outlines, or symbols, but minute details of the future, in short, anticipative history. It is the expansion of the vision in [Da 8:1-14]. That which then "none understood," he says here, "he understood"; the messenger being sent to him for this ([Da 10:11], ), to make him understand it. Probably Daniel was no longer in office at court; for in [Da 1:21], it is said, "Daniel continued even unto the first year of King Cyrus"; not that he died then. See on [Da 1:21].
but the time appointed was long--rather, "it (that is, the prophecy) referred to great calamity" [Maurer]; or, "long and calamitous warfare" [Gesenius]. Literally, "host going to war"; hence, warfare, calamity.
2. mourning--that is, afflicting myself by fasting from "pleasant bread, flesh and wine" ([Da 10:3]), as a sign of sorrow, not for its own sake. Compare [Mt 9:14], "fast," answering to "mourn" ([Da 10:15]). Compare [1Co 8:8]; [1Ti 4:3], which prove that "fasting" is not an indispensable Christian obligation; but merely an outward expression of sorrow, and separation from ordinary worldly enjoyments, in order to give one's self to prayer ([Ac 13:2]). Daniel's mourning was probably for his countrymen, who met with many obstructions to their building of the temple, from their adversaries in the Persian court.
3. no pleasant bread--"unleavened bread, even the bread of affliction" ([De 16:3]).
anoint--The Persians largely used unguents.
4. first month--Nisan, the month most suited for considering Israel's calamity, being that in which the feast of unleavened bread reminded them of their Egyptian bondage. Daniel mourned not merely for the seven days appointed ([Ex 12:18]), from the evening of the fourteenth to the twenty-first of Nisan, but thrice seven days, to mark extraordinary sorrow. His mourning ended on the twenty-first day, the closing day of the passover feast; but the vision is not till the twenty-fourth, because of the opposition of "the prince of Persia" ([Da 10:13]).
I was by ... the ... river--in waking reality, not a trance ([Da 10:7]); when younger, he saw the future in images, but now when old, he receives revelations from angels in common language, that is, in the apocalyptic mode. In the patriarchal period God often appeared visibly, that is, theophany. In the prophets, next in the succession, the inward character of revelation is prominent. The consummation is when the seer looks up from earth into the unseen world, and has the future shown to him by angels, that is, apocalypse. So in the New Testament there is a parallel progression: God in the flesh, the spiritual activity of the apostles and the apocalypse [Auberlen].
Hiddekel--the Tigris.
5. lifted up mine eyes--from the ground on which they had been fixed in his mourning.
certain man--literally, "one man." An angel of the highest order; for in [Da 8:16] he commands Gabriel to make Daniel to understand the vision, and in [Da 12:6] one of the two angels inquires of him how long it would be till the end predicted.
linen--the raiment of priests, being the symbol of sanctity, as more pure than wool ([Ex 28:42]); also of prophets ([Jr 13:1]); and of angels ([Re 15:6]).
girded with ... gold--that is, with a girdle interwoven with gold ([Re 1:13]).
6. beryl--literally, "Tarshish," in Spain. The beryl, identical with the chrysolite or topaz, was imported into the East from Tarshish, and therefore is called "the Tarshish stone."
7. they fled--terrified by the presence of the presence of the angel.
8. comeliness--literally, "vigor," that is, lively expression and color.
into corruption--"deadliness," that is, death-like paleness ([Da 5:6]; ).
9. voice of his words--the sound of his words.
was I in a deep sleep--"I sank into a deep sleep" [Lengkerke].
10. an hand--namely, of Gabriel, who interpreted other revelations to Daniel ([Da 8:16]) [Theodoret].
set me upon my knees--Gesenius translates, "cause me to reel on my knees," &c.
11. man ... beloved--(See on [Da 9:23]).
understand--"attend to." See [Da 8:17], .
12. Fear not--Be not affrighted at my presence.
didst set thine heart to understand--what shall come to pass to thy people at the last times (compare [Da 10:14]).
chasten thyself--([Da 10:2], ).
thy words were heard--([Ac 10:4]). Prayer is heard at once in heaven, though the sensible answer may seem to be delayed. God's messenger was detained on the way ([Da 10:13]) by the opposition of the powers of darkness. If in our prayers amidst long protracted sorrows we believed God's angel is on his way to us, what consolation it would give us!
for thy words--because of thy prayers.
13. prince of ... Persia--the angel of darkness that represented the Persian world power, to which Israel was then subject. This verse gives the reason why, though Daniel's "words were heard from the first day" ([Da 10:12]), the good angel did not come to him until more than three weeks had elapsed ([Da 10:4]).
one and twenty days--answering to the three weeks of Daniel's mourning ([Da 10:2]).
Michael--that is, "Who is like God?" Though an archangel, "one of the chief princes," Michael was not to be compared to God.
help me--Michael, as patron of Israel before God ([Da 10:21]; ), "helped" to influence the Persian king to permit the Jews' return to Jerusalem.
I remained--I was detained there with the kings of Persia, that is, with the angel of the Persian rulers, with whom I had to contend, and from whom I should not have got free, but for the help of Michael. Gesenius translates, "I obtained the ascendency," that is, I gained my point against the adverse angel of Persia, so as to influence the Persian authorities to favor Israel's restoration.
14. what shall befall thy people in the latter days--an intimation that the prophecy, besides describing the doings of Antiochus, reaches to the concluding calamities of Israel's history, prior to the nation's full restoration at Christ's coming--calamities of which Antiochus' persecutions were the type.
vision is for many days--that is, extends far into the future.
15. face toward the ground--in humble reverence ([Ge 19:1]).
dumb--with overwhelming awe.
16. touched my lips--the same significant action wherewith the Son of man accompanied His healing of the dumb ([Mr 7:33]). He alone can give spiritual utterance ([Is 6:6], ; [Ep 6:19]), enabling one to "open the mouth boldly." The same one who makes dumb ([Da 10:15]) opens the mouth.
sorrows--literally, "writhings" as of a woman in travail.
17. this ... this my lord--to avoid the tautology in English Version, join rather "this," with "servant," "How can this servant of my lord (that is, how can I who am so feeble) talk with this my lord (who is so majestic)?" Thus Daniel gives the reason why he is so overwhelmed with awe [Maurer].