Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Daniel 7:15

Clarke's Commentary

Verse 15. I Daniel was grieved, &c. — The words in the original are uncommonly emphatic. My spirit was grieved, or sickened, בגו נדנה bego nidneh, within its sheath or scabbard. Which I think proves,

1. That the human spirit is different from the body.

2. That it has a proper subsistence independently of the body, which is only its sheath for a certain time.

3. That the spirit may exist independently of its body, as the sword does independently of its sheath.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Interpretation of the vision (7:15-28)

One of God’s heavenly servants explained to Daniel the meaning of the vision. The kingdoms of the world may arrogantly oppose God in their ruthless drive for supremacy, but the kingdom that triumphs in the end is the kingdom of God, the people of God (15-18).
A reason is then given for God’s devastating judgment on the ‘little horn’ dictator of the fourth beast: he had used his power to make war against God’s people (19-22). He blasphemously challenged the Almighty and cruelly persecuted his people, even making special laws so that the whole power of the state could be turned against them. But God allowed him to rule only for a time, then suddenly intervened and destroyed him (23-26). Once again God’s kingdom triumphed; his people were victorious (27). Daniel was disturbed as he considered what the vision foretold (28).

History shows that the Roman Empire used its power with arrogance and cruelty. It blasphemed God and persecuted his people without restraint. But God’s people triumphed and the kingdom of God remained unconquerable, whereas the Roman Empire crumbled and even the most brutal of its emperors was destroyed. So will it be with all the ‘beasts’ and all the ‘little horns’, till the Son of man returns in power and glory, and his people in the fullest sense inherit his everlasting kingdom (v. 13-14,27; cf. Matthew 24:30-31; Matthew 25:31-33; Mark 13:26; Mark 14:61-62).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

“As for me, Daniel, my spirit was grieved in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth concerning all this.”

There is no wonder at Daniel’s grief. Such terrible monsters as appeared in the vision were a dreadful indication that terrifying times were in store for the troubled races of men.

“One of them that stood by,” indicates some heavenly being, perhaps an angel, who explained to Daniel the significance of the visions.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

I Daniel was grieved in my spirit - That is, I was troubled; or my heart was made heavy and sad. This was probably in part because he did not fully understand the meaning of the vision, and partly on account of the fearful and momentous nature of what was indicated by it. So the apostle John Revelation 5:4 says, “And I wept much because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book.”

In the midst of my body - Margin, as in the Chaldee, sheath. The body is undoubtedly referred to, and is so called as the envelope of the mind - or as that in which the soul is inserted, as the sword is in the sheath, and from which it is drawn out by death. The same metaphor is employed by Pliny: Donec cremato co inimici remeanti animae velut vaginam ademerint. So, too, a certain philosopher, who was slighted by Alexander the Great on account of his ugly face, is said to have replied, Corpus hominis nil est nisi vagina gladii in qua anima reconditur. - Gesenius. Compare Lengerke, in loc. See also Job 27:8, “When God taketh away his soul;” or rather draws out his soul, as a sword is drawn out of the sheath. Compare the note at that place. See also Buxtorf’s Lexicon Tal. p. 1307. The meaning here is plain - that Daniel felt sad and troubled in mind, and that this produced a sensible effect on his body.

And the visions of my head troubled me - The head is here regarded as the seat of the intellect, and he speaks of these visions as if they were seen by the head. That is, they seemed to pass before his eyes.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

Daniel says, his spirit was either cut off or vanished, as if he suffered some mental deficiency. In this way God wished to communicate to his servant the magnitude of the vision. And he inspires us also with reverence for this vision, lest we should treat it coldly and commonly. But we ought to understand how God opens up to Daniel, his servant, and to us by his assistance and ministry, these mysteries which meaning; be otherwise comprehended by our human senses. For if Daniel, whom we know to have been a remarkable Prophet, felt his spirit to be so deficient and nearly vanishing away, surely we who as yet know so little of God’s mysteries, nay, who have scarcely tasted their first rudiments, never can attain so great a height, unless we overcome the world and shake off all human sensations. For these things cannot be perceived by us unless our minds are clear and completely purified.

He says, therefore, in the first place, his spirit was cut off, or vanished, in the midst of his body; as if he had said he was almost lifeless and nearly dead. And he added, as reason, the visions of his head had frightened him No one can faint away — an event which sometimes happens — with-out a cause. When that terror called a panic seizes upon some persons, we observe how they become deprived of self-possession, and lie almost lifeless. But Daniel, to shew himself separate from such persons, says he was frightened or disturbed by visions of his head; as if he had said, he was not disturbed without occasion, but it was caused by the mystery of which the vision had been offered to him. He came to one of those standing by. He had said a short time before, ten thousand times ten thousand were at the right hand of the tribunal of God. Without the slightest doubt, the Prophet asked one of these angels. And here we must notice his modesty and docility in flying to some instructor, because he was conscious of his own ignorance and found no other remedy. At the same time, we are taught by the Prophet’s example not to reject all visions, but to seek their interpretation from God himself. Although God in these days does not address us by visions, yet he wishes us to be content with his Law and Gospel, while angels do not appear to us, and do not openly and conspicuously descend from heaven; but, since Scripture is obscure to us, through the darkness in which we are involved, let us learn not to reject whatever surpasses our capacity, even when some dark veil envelops it, but let us fly to the remedy which Daniel used, not to seek the understanding of God’s word from angels, who do not appear to us, but from Christ himself, who in these days teaches us familiarly by means of pastors and ministers of the gospel. Now, as a supreme and only Master has been given us from the Father, so also he exercises the office of teacher by his own ministers whom he set over us. (Matthew 23:8.) Therefore, as Daniel approached the angel who was near him, so we are daily commanded to approach those who have been entrusted with the gift of interpretation and who can faithfully explain to us things otherwise obscure. Our confidence, too, ought to be increased by what follows directly: The angel spoke, and opened the interpretation of the words. Daniel here shews his modesty and humility not to have been in vain, as God commanded the angel to explain all obscurities. So, without doubt, Christ will at this time satisfy our prayers, if we are truly his disciples; that is, if, after those mysteries which surpass and absorb all our senses have terrified us, we fly to that order which he has prescribed for us, and seen from faithful ministers and teachers the interpretation of those things which are difficult and obscure, and entirely concealed from us.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 7

Now at this point we come to, more or less, the end of the historic part of the book of Daniel. And beginning with chapter 7, we are now gonna go back and deal with visions that Daniel had during previous years. In other words, as we go to chapter 7, this particular vision came to Daniel in the first year that Belshazzar was king. You see, our story has taken us out to the end of Daniel's life during the reigns of Darius and Cyrus, the Medo-Persian kings. But now going back, we're gonna start dealing now with prophecies or with visions that Daniel received.

The first one, here in chapter 7, was when Belshazzar was in his first year as the king of Babylon.

Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: and then he wrote the dream, and he told the sum of the matters. And Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold there were four winds of the heaven striving upon the Mediterranean Sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, that were different from each other. Now the first was like a lion, and it had eagle's wings: and I beheld it until the wings where plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made to stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given unto it. And behold there was another beast, the second was like to a bear, and it raised itself up on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, and devour much flesh. And after this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; and the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given unto it. And after this I saw in the night visions, and behold there was a fourth beast, that was dreadful and awesome, it was exceedingly strong; it had great iron teeth: that devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was different from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns ( Daniel 7:1-7 ).

Now as we read of these four beasts, we immediately see their correlation with the dream that Nebuchadnezzar had that was interpreted by Daniel. As Nebuchadnezzar had a vision of those world-governing empires, or those governments that would govern over the world. Nebuchadnezzar's dream, he saw them as an image of a man, with a head of gold, the chest of silver, stomach of brass, legs of iron, and the feet of iron and clay with the ten toes. And, of course, he watched it until this rock came, not cut with hands, that hit the image in its feet and the whole image crumbled, and the rock grew into a mountain that covered the earth.

Now we have a parallel vision by Daniel. Only he does not see the world-governing empires as a man, but he sees them as beasts. And the first lion would, of course, be the Babylon Empire. It had eagle's wings that were plucked. It was lifted up from the earth, but then it was made to stand like a man. The second like a bear, three ribs in its mouth, the Medo-Persian Empire. The third, the leopard would be the Grecian Empire, under Alexander the Great. And interesting, the four heads, when Alexander the Great died, the kingdom, or the Grecian Empire, did not pass on, because Alexander the Great did not have any children, did not pass on in a dynasty, but actually was divided into four separate heads and four of his generals began to rule: one in Syria, one in Egypt, one in Asia Minor, and the other in Greece. And so the dividing into the four heads.

But finally this last beast, the Roman Empire, is just an awesome beast of which there is no correlation, there's no... you can't say it's a lion or a bear. It's just an awesome fearful-looking kind of a beast such as does not exist in realty. It has ten horns and of course we are reminded of the ten toes of Nebuchadnezzar's dream. So you have the ten horns coming out of the fourth beast, the Roman Empire, even as you have the ten toes, part iron, part clay showing the relationship to the Roman Empire. So you have parallel visions here. As God is again revealing the four world-dominating empires. But now we're gonna receive some other interesting enlightenment that did not come in Nebuchadnezzar's dream.

Now I considered the horns [that is, the ten horns of this final beast], and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things ( Daniel 7:8 ).

So there is to be a federation of nations in the last days. Nations that were related to the Roman Empire. Ten of them together, equaling the ten toes or the ten horns. Now in the European community we do see today ten nations that were related to the Roman Empire that have federated themselves together. So it is quite possible that what you see today in the European community is actually the beginning of the fulfillment of these prophecies of Daniel. If God doesn't use this alignment, He's missing a good opportunity. I believe that it is much more than coincidence that Western Europe is rising as a great financial and an industrial empire. And surely there are all the qualifications necessary to fulfill this vision of Daniel.

But there is an eleventh horn that arises, which actually takes over three of the horns, plucks them up by their roots. And in this horn there were eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth speaking great things. This eleventh horn is the antichrist, who will come in plucking up three of the kings.

And I beheld [he said] till the thrones were cast down ( Daniel 7:9 ),

You remember in Nebuchadnezzar's vision, the stone hit the feet in its... the stone hit the image in his feet and the image crumbled; it was cast down. "So I beheld until these thrones, the ten kings, were cast down."

and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like a fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. And a fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: and thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousands stood before him: and the judgment was set, and the books were open ( Daniel 7:9-10 ).

And so he beheld these horns until they were cast down and he saw actually the throne of God, the Ancient of days, and all of the splendor and glory surrounding the throne of God. A thousand thousand, or a million, ministering unto Him and ten thousand times ten thousand, or a hundred million, standing before Him.

Now when we turn to Revelation chapter 5... chapter 4, actually, we see God sitting upon the throne. We see the green emerald rainbow about the throne of God. We see the crystal sea in front of it. We see the twenty-four elders with their golden crowns there also before the throne of God and the cherubim surrounding Him and declaring, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty." We see the brightness of God as He sits there upon the throne. And then our attention is diverted to the scroll that is in the right hand of God because an angel is proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to take this scroll and to loose the seals?" And then we turn and we see Jesus as a Lamb that has been slaughtered as He comes forth and He takes the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sits upon the throne. And we watched them as they offered the golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of the saints, and we began to sing, "Worthy is the Lamb to take the scroll and to loose the seals thereof, for He was slain and He has redeemed us by His blood out of all the nations, tribes, tongues, and peoples and He has made us unto our God, kings and priests and we shall reign with Him upon the earth." And then he heard ten thousand times ten thousand and thousand of thousands--equivalent to Daniel here--angels, there before the throne of God, saying, "Worthy is the Lamb to receive glory and honor and dominion and might and authority and power," and all.

So, again, the scene in heaven which will be followed immediately, the book is open and when the scroll is open, brings actually the judgment, not the great white throne judgment, but the judgment of God upon the Christ-rejecting world, which is then described in Revelation, chapters 6 through 18. So Daniel and John had corresponding visions of this throne of God and the glory of the throne of God and the impending judgment upon the kingdom of man.

Now I beheld then [because in verse Daniel 7:11 ], because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: and I beheld even till the beast was slain ( Daniel 7:11 ),

We are told concerning this beast, the man of sin, the son of perdition, commonly called the antichrist, that he speaks great blasphemous things against the God of heaven. And that he finally declares that he himself is God and demands to be worshipped as God. Puts to death those that refuse to worship him. "So I beheld him till the beast was slain,"

and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame ( Daniel 7:11 ).

We are told in the book of Revelation that when Jesus comes again that He will destroy this instrument of Satan, this man of sin, and he will be cast into Gehenna, the lake that burneth with fire. So here Daniel and Revelation are just running side-by-side parallel visions.

Now concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: [the kingdoms of the earth,] yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. Now I saw in the night visions, and, behold, there was one like the Son of Man coming with clouds of heaven, and he came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given to him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and that which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed ( Daniel 7:12-14 ).

And so he sees now Jesus Christ and the receiving of the glorious kingdom being given to Jesus and coming to reign. A kingdom that shall never end. Isaiah 9:6 ,"Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, the government shall be upon His shoulders and He shall be called Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. And of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end. Upon the throne of David, to order and to establish it in righteousness and in judgment from henceforth even forever. For the zeal of the Lord of hosts shall perform this." And the angel said unto Mary, "Fear not, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive and bear a Son and thou shall Him Jesus and He shall be great. For He shall be called the Son of the Highest. And God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over Jacob. And of His kingdom there shall be no end" ( Luke 1:30-33 ).

So Daniel got a beautiful insight into these things. He sees Jesus coming with clouds of heaven. Coming to the Ancient of days and receiving the authority, the dominion, the glory, the kingdom, that all of the world should rule. In Psalm 2 , God says to Jesus, "Ask of Me and I will give unto You the heathen for Thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possessions," the glorious kingdom of God.

Now, I Daniel [he said] was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, the visions of my head troubled me. So I came near to one of those that were standing by, and I asked, What does all of this mean? And so he told me, and he made me know the interpretation of the things. Now the great beasts, which are four, are four kingdoms, which shall arise out of the earth. But the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever ( Daniel 7:15-18 ).

These are the kingdoms that are going to rule over the earth, but ultimately the saints will take the kingdom.

Then I would know the truth of this fourth beast, [this indescribable beast the Roman Empire,] which was different from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, his nails of brass; which devoured, and broke in pieces, and stomped the residue with his feet; And of those ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, before whom the three fell; even of that horn which had eyes, and a mouth that spoke very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. And I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them ( Daniel 7:19-21 );

Now we are told this also in Revelation 13:0 as he speaks of the rise of the beast out of the sea, the antichrist, that he makes war with the saints and overcomes them. Because the antichrist prevails against the saints, I conclude that the saints are not the church. For we have the promise of Jesus Christ made in Caesarea Philippi to His disciples, when Peter said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God," Jesus said, "Upon this rock I will build My church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" ( Matthew 16:18 ). There's no way the antichrist, or the gates of hell, or Satan can prevail against the church of Jesus Christ. So by virtue of the fact that the antichrist is prevailing against the saints, they could not be the church, but will be redeemed Israel in the Tribulation period. And he will make war against Israel. He comes to Jerusalem and he makes war against the remnant of the woman's seed or of Israel. But they are not church, or the church. Daniel did not see the church in his prophecies. He was making war against the saints prevailing against them.

until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom ( Daniel 7:22 ).

Now, you remember Paul rebuked the Corinthians, those in the church in Corinth, he said, "What are you doing taking your brother to a pagan judge? You know, suing them before the courts of the land. You ought to be settling these things in the church. Don't you know the saints are going to judge the world?" And so judgment is given to the saints. We will be judging the world one day. Interesting, that's one thing I never wanted to be. Maybe I can just get a job picking up coconuts on the beach in Hawaii. But the saints possessed the kingdom.

Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon the earth, [or the Roman Empire] which will be different from all of the kingdoms, and will devour the whole earth, and tread it down, and break it in pieces. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he will subdue three kings. And he shall speak great words against the Most High, and will wear out the saints of the Most High, and he will think to change the times and the laws: and they shall be given into his hands until a time times the dividing of the time ( Daniel 7:23-25 ).

Or for a three and half year period will he rule, coming to Jerusalem, and beginning to make war against Israel. During the first three and half years of his reign he'll make a treaty with Israel. We'll get this next week in Daniel, chapter 9. But then he will break this treaty which will start the beginning of the end and the countdown, the last days until the return of Jesus Christ. But he is given power to rule over these saints, the redeemed Israel, for three and half years.

But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and destroy it and unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominion shall serve and obey him. Hitherto is the end of the matters. And as for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart ( Daniel 7:26-28 ). "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Even though Daniel understood all kinds of visions and dreams (Daniel 1:17), much of what he had just seen baffled and alarmed him (cf. Daniel 7:28). He now saw himself participating in the events of his vision. He evidently addressed his question to an angel (cf. Daniel 8:16; Daniel 9:21). The fourth beast, and particularly the little horn, were the parts of the vision that he could not understand and most interested him.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

4. The interpretation of the four beasts 7:15-18

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body,.... Or "sheath" a; the soul being in the body as a sword in its scabbard; where it was "cut" b and pierced, as the word signifies; and was wounded, distressed, and grieved at the vision seen; not at the sight of the Son of man, and the glorious and everlasting kingdom given to him; but of the four beasts, and especially the last, and more particularly the little horn, and the look, and words, and actions of that, as well as the awful scene of judgment presented to his view:

and the visions of my head troubled me; the things he saw, which appeared to his fancy as real things, gave him a great deal of uneasiness, and chiefly because he did not understand the meaning of them; it was not so much the things themselves, as ignorance of them, that cut him to the heart, and grieved and troubled him; for what is more so to an inquisitive mind, that has got a hint of something great and useful to be known, but cannot as yet come to the knowledge of it?

a בגו נדנה "in medio vaginae", Montanus; "intra vaginam", Munster, Vatablus. b אתכרית "transfixus est", Junius Tremellius, Polanus "succisus, [vel] excisus est", Munster.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      15 I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.   16 I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.   17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.   18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.   19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;   20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.   21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;   22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.   23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.   24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.   25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.   26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.   27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.   28 Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.

      Here we have, I. The deep impressions which these visions made upon the prophet. God in them put honour upon him, and gave him satisfaction, yet not without a great allay of pain and perplexity (Daniel 7:15; Daniel 7:15): I Daniel was grieved in my spirit, in the midst of my body. The word here used for the body properly signifies a sheath or scabbard, for the body is no more to the soul; that is the weapon; it is that which we are principally to take care of. The visions of my head troubled me, an again (Daniel 7:28; Daniel 7:28), my cogitations much troubled me. The manner in which these things were discovered to him quite overwhelmed him, and put his thoughts so much to the stretch that his spirits failed him, and the trance he was in tired him and made him faint. The things themselves that were discovered amazed and astonished him, and put him into a confusion, till by degrees he recollected and conquered himself, and set the comforts of the vision over against the terrors of it.

      II. His earnest desire to understand the meaning of them (Daniel 7:16; Daniel 7:16): I came near to one of those that stood by, to one of the angels that appeared attending the Son of man in his glory, and asked him the truth (the true intent and meaning) of all this. Note, It is a very desirable thing to take the right and full sense of what we see and hear from God; and those that would know must ask by faithful and fervent prayer and by accomplishing a diligent search.

      III. The key that was given him, to let him into the understanding of this vision. The angel told him, and told him so plainly that he made him know the interpretation of the thing, and so made him somewhat more easy.

      1. The great beasts are great kings and their kingdoms, great monarchs and their monarchies, which shall arise out of the earth, as those beasts did out of the sea,Daniel 7:17; Daniel 7:17. They are but terræfilii--from beneath; they savour of the earth, and their foundation is in the dust; they are of the earth earthy, and they are written in the dust, and to the dust they shall return.

      2. Daniel pretty well understands the first three beasts, but concerning the fourth he desires to be better informed, because it differed so much from the rest, and was exceedingly dreadful, and not only so, but very mischievous, or it devoured and broke in pieces,Daniel 7:19; Daniel 7:19. Perhaps it was this that put Daniel into such a fright, and this part of the visions of his head troubled him more than any of the rest. But especially he desired to know what the little horn was, that had eyes, and a mouth that spoke very great things, and whose countenance was more fearless and formidable than that of any of his fellows,Daniel 7:20; Daniel 7:20. And this he was most inquisitive about because it was this horn that made war with the saints, and prevailed against them,Daniel 7:21; Daniel 7:21. While no more is intimated than that the children of men make war with one another, and prevail against one another, the prophet does not show himself so much concerned (let the potsherds strive with the potsherds of the earth, and be dashed in pieces one against another); but when they make war with the saints, when the precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, are broken as earthen pitchers, it is time to ask, "What is the meaning of this? Will the Lord cast off his people? Will he suffer their enemies to trample upon them and triumph over them? What is this same horn that shall prevail so far against the saints?" To this his interpreter answers (Daniel 7:23-25; Daniel 7:23-25) that this fourth beast is a fourth kingdom, that shall devour the whole earth, or (as it may be read) the whole land. That the ten horns are ten kings, and the little horn is another king that shall subdue three kings, and shall be very abusive to God and his people, shall act, (1.) Very impiously towards God. He shall speak great words against the Most High, setting him, and his authority and justice, at defiance. (2.) Very imperiously towards the people of God. He shall wear out the saints of the Most High; he will not cut them off at once, but wear them out by long oppressions and a constant course of hardships put upon them, ruining their estates and weakening their families. The design of Satan has been to wear out the saints of the Most High, that they may be no more in remembrance; but the attempt is vain, for while the world stands God will have a church in it. He shall think to change times and laws, to abolish all the ordinances and institutions of religion, and to bring every body to say and do just as he would have them. He shall trample upon laws and customs, human and divine. Diruit, ædificut, mutat quadrata rotundis--He pulls down, he builds, he changes square into round, as if he meant to alter even the ordinances of heaven themselves. And in these daring attempts he shall for a time prosper and have success; they shall be given into his hand until time, times, and half a time (that is, for three years and a half), that famous prophetical measure of time which we meet with in the Revelation, which is sometimes called forty-two months, sometimes 1260 days, which come all to one. But at the end of that time the judgment shall sit and take away his dominion (Daniel 7:26; Daniel 7:26), which he expounds (Daniel 7:11; Daniel 7:11) of the beast being slain and his body destroyed. And (as Mr. Mede reads Daniel 7:12; Daniel 7:12) as to the rest of the beast, the ten horns, especially the little ruffling horn (as he calls it), they had their dominion taken away. Now the question is, Who is this enemy, whose rise, reign, and ruin, are foretold? Interpreters are not agreed. Some will have the fourth kingdom to be that of the Seleucidæ, and the little horn to be Antiochus, and show the accomplishment of all this in the history of the Maccabees; so Junius, Piscator, Polanus, Broughton, and many others: but others will have the fourth kingdom to be that of the Romans, and the little horn to be Julius Cæsar, and the succeeding emperors (says Calvin), the antichrist, the papal kingdom (says Mr. Joseph Mede), that wicked one, which, as this little horn, is to be consumed by the brightness of Christ's second coming. The pope assumes a power to change times and laws, potestas autokratorike--an absolute and despotic power, as he calls it. Others make the little horn to be the Turkish empire; so Luther, Vatablus, and others. Now I cannot prove either side to be wrong; and therefore, since prophecies sometimes have many fulfillings, and we ought to give scripture its full latitude (in this as in many other controversies), I am willing to allow that they are both in the right, and that this prophecy has primary reference to the Syrian empire, and was intended for the encouragement of the Jews who suffered under Antiochus, that they might see even these melancholy times foretold, but might foresee a glorious issue of them at last, and the final overthrow of their proud oppressors; and, which is best of all, might foresee, not long after, the setting up of the kingdom of the Messiah in the world, with the hopes of which it was usual with the former prophets to comfort the people of God in their distresses. But yet it has a further reference, and foretels the like persecuting power and rage in Rome heathen, and no less in Rome papal, against the Christian religion, that was in Antiochus against the pious Jews and their religion. And St. John, in his visions and prophecies, which point primarily at Rome, has plain reference, in many particulars, to these visions of Daniel.

      3. He has a joyful prospect given him of the prevalency of God's kingdom among men, and its victory over all opposition at last. And it is very observable that in the midst of the predictions of the force and fury of the enemies this is brought in abruptly (Daniel 7:18; Daniel 7:22), before it comes, in the course of the vision, to be interpreted, Daniel 7:26; Daniel 7:27. And this also refers, (1.) To the prosperous days of the Jewish church, after it had weathered the storm under Antiochus, and the power which the Maccabees obtained over their enemies. (2.) To the setting up of the kingdom of the Messiah in the world by the preaching of his gospel. For judgment Christ comes into this world, to rule by his Spirit, and to make all his saints kings and priests to their God. (3.) To the second coming of Jesus Christ, when the saints shall judge the world, shall sit down with him on his throne and triumph in the complete downfall of the devil's kingdom. Let us see what is here foretold. [1.] The Ancient of days shall come,Daniel 7:22; Daniel 7:22. God shall judge the world by his Son, to whom he has committed all judgment, and, as an earnest of that, he comes for the deliverance of his oppressed people, comes for the setting up of his kingdom in the world. [2.] The judgment shall sit,Daniel 7:26; Daniel 7:26. God will make it appear that he judges in the earth, and will, both in wisdom and in equity, plead his people's righteous cause. At the great day he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he has ordained. [3.] The dominion of the enemy shall be taken away,Daniel 7:26; Daniel 7:26. All Christ's enemies shall be made his footstool, and shall be consumed and destroyed to the end: these were the apostle uses concerning the man of sin, 2 Thessalonians 2:8. He shall be consumed with the spirit of Christ's mouth and destroyed with the brightness of his coming. [4.] Judgment is given to the saints of the Most High. The apostles are entrusted with the preaching of a gospel by which the world shall be judged. All the saints by their faith and obedience condemn an unbelieving disobedient world; in Christ their head they shall judge the world, shall judge the twelve tribes of Israel,Matthew 19:28. See what reason we have to honour those that fear the Lord; how mean and despicable soever the saints now appear in the eye of the world, and how much contempt soever is poured upon them; they are the saints of the Most High; they are near and dear to God, and he owns them for his, and judgment is given to them. [5.] That which is most insisted upon is that the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever,Daniel 7:18; Daniel 7:18. And again (Daniel 7:22; Daniel 7:22), The time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. And again (Daniel 7:27; Daniel 7:27), The kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heavens, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High. Far be it from us to infer hence that dominion is founded on grace, or that this will warrant any, under pretence of saintship, to usurp kingship. No; Christ's kingdom is not of this world; but this intimates the spiritual dominion of the saints over their own lusts and corruptions, their victories over Satan and his temptations, and the triumphs of the martyrs over death and its terrors. It likewise promises that the gospel kingdom shall be set up, a kingdom of grace, the privileges and comforts of which now, under the heavens, shall be the earnest and first-fruits of the kingdom of glory in the heavens. When the empire became Christian, and princes used their power for the defence and advancement of Christianity, then the saints possessed the kingdom. The saints rule by the Spirit's ruling in them (and this is the victory overcoming the world, even their faith) and by making the kingdoms of this world to become Christ's kingdom. But the full accomplishment of this will be in the everlasting happiness of the saints, the kingdom that cannot be moved, which we, according to his promise, look for (that is the greatness of the kingdom), the crown of glory that fades not away--that is the everlasting kingdom. See what an emphasis is laid upon this (Daniel 7:18; Daniel 7:18): The saints shall possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever; and the reason is because he whose saints they are is the Most High and his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,Daniel 7:27; Daniel 7:27. He is so, and therefore theirs shall be so. Because I live, you shall live also,John 14:19. His kingdom is theirs; they reckon themselves exalted in his exaltation, and desire no greater honour and satisfaction to themselves than that all dominions should serve and obey him, as they shall do, Daniel 7:7; Daniel 7:7. They shall either be brought into subjection to his golden sceptre or brought to destruction by his iron rod.

      Daniel, in the close, when he ends that matter, tells us what impressions this vision made upon him; it overwhelmed his spirits to such a degree that his countenance was changed, and it made him look pale; but he kept the matter in his heart. Note, The heart must be the treasury and store-house of divine things; there we must hide God's word, as the Virgin Mary kept the sayings of Christ, Luke 2:51. Daniel kept the matter in his heart, with a design, not to keep it from the church, but to keep it for the church, that what he had received from the Lord he might fully and faithfully deliver to the people. Note, It concerns God's prophets and ministers to treasure up the things of God in their minds, and there to digest them well. If we would have God's word ready in our mouths when we have occasion for it, we must keep it in our hearts at all times.