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SECTION II.

CONTENTS. The three last Visions of Daniel, which are-that of the ram and he-goat, in the eighth chapter,—that of the seventy weeks, in the ninth chapter,—and that of the things noted in the Scripture of truth, in the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth chapters, have all one main subject, and mutually throw light on each other.-Exception to this, in the prophecy of the 2300 evenings and mornings, in the vision of the eighth chapter, which stands detached from every thing else, both in the vision, and in the explanation of it by Gabriel, and is shut up, and not yet fulfilled.—Certain terms in Daniel's last prophecy plainly declare that all parts of it would be fulfilled when the Jews were scattered abroad, which took place at the capture of Jerusalem by the Romans.-Christ's express quotation from Daniel, in his prediction of the destruction of Jerusalem, taken from the concluding part of Daniel's last prophecy, proving that part to be a prediction having the same subject with his own. We must therefore look for the fulfilment of the whole of Daniel's last prophecy in events that occurred before, or at, the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans.

We have now endeavoured to ascertain the true meaning of the terms in this part of Daniel's last prophecy, respecting the interpretation of which commentators have greatly dif fered from each other; and we will now proceed to shew,

that there are certain relations between this prophecy and the two immediately preceding ones of the same prophet, and clear and express terms contained in itself, and, more especially, that there are express quotations and illustrations of it by Christ, in his prediction of the destruction of Jerusalem,—all of which limit and circumscribe the time within which the events foretold in it were to take place.

There are three distinct visions and prophecies of Daniel, which an examination of his own account of them, and attention to various passages contained in them, obviously direct us to consider as severally fortelling only one series of events ;-as differing, indeed, from each other, in respect of various circumstantial details in the series,some giving the circumstances more fully, and others more sparingly, but still in complete consistency with each other, and all bringing the series down to one definite and well marked event.* These three visions and prophecies are that contained in the viii. chapter, named commonly by commentators, "the vision of the ram and he-goat;"-that contained in the ix. chapter, named, "the prophecy of the seventy weeks;"-and that contained in the x., xi., and xii. chapters, named, "the prophecy of the things noted in the scripture of truth." There were considerable intervals of time between these visions and prophecies; for the first was granted to Daniel in the reign of Belshazzar, the second in the reign of Darius the Mede, and the third in the reign of Cyrus.+

* There is one exception to this, which will be particularly noticed

afterwards.

Daniel viii. 1.-ix. 1.-x. 1.

The vision of the ram and he-goat was explained to Daniel by the angel Gabriel. He was informed by him, that in it were represented, by certain images, the succession of kings, or kingdoms, of Persia, Grecia,—the four kingdoms that were to arise out of the latter, on the fall of the first king,-and a king of fierce countenance, who was to come last, and destroy the mighty and the holy people.-Daniel says that, on seeing this vision, he fainted and was sick for days, and that he was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.* At the time of this vision, Daniel's people were captives in Babylon.

Some years after this, the prophet, having understood that the time, predicted by Jeremiah for the continuance of the desolation of Jerusalem, was about expiring, after fasting and humiliation, offered up, in behalf of his coun trymen, the truly pious and patriotic prayer to be found in the beginning of the ninth chapter of his Book.-His piety was rewarded by the communication to him of the prophecy of the seventy weeks. He says" Whiles I was 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. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.”—This language of

*Daniel viii. 27.

+ Daniel ix. 21-23.

Gabriel evidently refers to the vision of the ram and hegoat; for no other vision had been granted to Daniel, in which Gabriel was an agent, but it. It was for his further instruction, then, respecting matters comprehended in that former vision, that Gabriel taught the prophet this prophecy of the seventy weeks. He did not desire him to understand any thing beyond, or out of, that vision; but to understand that matter, and consider that vision. Accordingly, as the explanation of the vision of the ram and he-goat contains, among its last terms, an announcement, that a king of fierce countenance would destroy the mighty and the holy people,* so the conclusion of this prophecy announces, that the people of the prince that would come, would destroy the city+ (Jerusalem, as appears from the context,) and the sanctuary, and that complete desolation would ensue. Thus the main subject-matter of the prophecy of the seventy weeks becomes identified with that of the vision of the ram and he goat. In the former, however, there is an important filling in of circumstances, which must have been highly interesting to Daniel, but which are wanting in the latter. In the prophecy of the seventy weeks, previously in order to the prediction of the destruction and desolation of the city, is an intimation, that, although in ruins at the time of the vision, a commandment would go forth to rebuild and restore it, and that it would be rebuilt. In the same previous order are intimations of things of infinitely higher importance,—of finishing transgression, and making an end of sins, and

* Daniel viii. 23, 24.

Daniel ix. 26.

Daniel ix. 25.

making reconciliation for iniquity, and bringing in everlasting righteousness, and sealing up the vision and prophecy, and anointing the most holy, and of the Messiah, the Prince, being cut off, but not for himself. The very time when the Messiah, that is the Anointed, was to be cut off, but not for himself, is intimated in very plain terms. It was to be a certain number of weeks from the date of the commandment about to go forth to rebuild the city, but before its destruction by the people of the prince that should come ;-which prince, from the order of the two Prophecies, and the identity of their subject-matter, as intimated by Gabriel, can be no other than the king of* fierce countenance of the vision of the ram and he-goat."

*

It was again some years after this that Daniel, after fasting and humbling himself three whole weeks, was favoured with the vision and prophecy of the things noted in the scripture of truth, contained in the x., xi., and xii. chapters of his Book, and the latter part of which is the subject of our present illustration. It is clear, from various terms and conditions of this prophecy itself, that its subject-matter is also the same with that of the vision of the ram and he-goat, and which it presents, not differently, but with a great deal more detail and filling in of circumstances. This prophecy does not, in short, present an extension, in point of time, of the events foretold in it, but presents the events foretold in the vision of the ram and he-goat with more fulness and clearness; in so much that, in the end, after being favoured with it in supplement to

* Daniel ix. 24-26.

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