Daniel and the Revelation; the response of history to the voice of prophecy, a verse by verse study of these important books of the Bible

Front matter

Glass IB 5 \£gjg_

Book J5_£SL_

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Preface

10. An increase of knowledge respecting- the prophetic portions of the word of God was to be one of the characteristics of the last days. Said the angel to Daniel, " But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end : many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased ; " or, as Michaelis's translation reads : " When many shall give their sedulous attention to the understanding of these things, and knowledge shall be increased." It is our lot to live this side the time to which the angel told Daniel to thus shut up the words and seal the book. That restriction has now expired by limitation. In the language of the figure, the seal has been removed, and many are running to and fro, and knowledge has marvelously increased in every department of science; yet it is evident that this prophecy specially contemplates an increase of knowledge concerning those prophecies that are designed to give us light in reference to the age in which we live, the close of this "dispensation, and the soon-coming transfer of all earthly governments to the great King of Righteousness, who shall destroy his enemies, and crown with an infinite reward every one of his friends. The fulfilment of the prophecy in the increase of this knowledge, is one of the pleasing signs of the present time. For more than half a century, light upon the prophetic word has been increasing, and shining with ever-growing luster to our own day.

11. In no portion of the word of God is this more apparent than in the books of Daniel and the Revelation ; and we may well congratulate ourselves on this, for no other parts of that word deal so largely in prophecies that pertain to the closing scenes of this world's history.' No other books contain so many chains of prophecy reaching down to the end. In no other books is the grand procession of events that leads us through to the termination of probationary time, and ushers us into the realities of the eternal state, so fully and minutely set forth. No other books embrace so completely, as it were in one grand sweep, all the truths that concern the last generation of the inhabitants of the earth, and set forth so comprehensively all the aspects of the times, physical, moral, and political, in which the triumphs of earthly woe and wickedness shall end, and the eternal reign of righteousness begin. We take pleasure in calling attention especially to these features of the books of Daniel and the Revelation, which seem heretofore to have been too generally overlooked or misinterpreted.

12. There seems to be no prophecy which a person can have so little excuse for misunderstanding as the prophecy of Daniel, especially as relates to its main features. Dealing but sparingly in language that is highly figurative, explaining all the symbols it introduces, locating its events within the rigid confines of prophetic periods, it points out the first advent of the Messiah in so clear and unmistakable a manner as to call forth the execration of the J ews upon any attempt to explain it, and gives so accurately, and so many ages in advance, the outlines of the great events of our world's history, that infidelity stands confounded and dumb before its inspired record.

13. And no effort to arrive at a correct understanding of the book of the Revelation needs any apology; for the Lord of prophecy

PREFACE has himself pronounced a blessing upon him that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep the things that are written therein; for the time is at hand. Rev. 1:1-3. And it is with an honest purpose of aiding somewhat in arriving at this understanding, which is set forth by the language above referred to as not only possible but praiseworthy, that an exposition of this book, according to the literal rule of interpretation, has been attempted.

11. With thrilling interest we behold to-day the nations marshaling their forces, and pressing forward in the very movements described by the royal seer in the court of Babylon twenty-five hundred years ago, and by John on Patmos eighteen hundred years ago; and these movements — hear it, ye children of men — are the last political revolutions to be accomplished before this earth plunges into her final time of trouble, and Michael, the great Prince, stands up, and his people, all who are found written in the book, are crowned with full and final deliverance. Dan. 12 : 1, 2.

15. Are these things so ? " Seek," says our Saviour, " and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." God has not so concealed his truth that it will elude the search of the humble seeker.

With a prayer that the same Spirit by which those portions of Scripture which form the basis of this volume were at first inspired, and whose aid the writer has sought in his expository efforts, may rest abundantly upon the reader in his investigations, according to the promise of the Saviour in John 16 : 7, 13, 15, this work is commended to the candid and careful attention of all who are interested in prophetic themes. U. S.

Battle Creek, Mich., January, 1897.

^be Book of £>aniel

CHAPTER I Daniel in Captivity - - - ' - -23

Characteristics of the Sacred Writings — Five Historical Facts — Prophecy of Jerusalem's Captivity — The Holy City . Three Times Overthrown — God's Testimony against Sin — Condition and Treatment of Daniel and His Companions — Character of King Nebuchadnezzar — Signification of Pagan Names — Daniel's Integrity — The Result of His Experiment — < Daniel Lives till the Time of Cyrus.

CHAPTER II The Great Image - - - - - 33

A Difficulty Explained — Daniel Enters upon His Work — Who AVere the Magicians ? — Trouble between the King and the Wise Men — The Ingenuity of the Magicians — The King's Sentence against Them — Remarkable Providence of God — The Help Sought by Daniel — A Good Example — Daniel's Magnanimity — A Natural Character — The Magicians Exposed — What the World Owes to the People of God

— Appropriateness of the Symbol — A Sublime Chapter of Human History — Beginning of the Babylonian Kingdom

— What is Meant by a Universal Kingdom — Description of Babylon — The Heavenly City — Babylon's Fall — Stratagem of Cyrus — Belshazzar's Impious Feast — Prophecy Fulfilled - — Babylon Reduced to Heaps — The Second Kingdom, Medo- Persia — Persian Kings, and Time of Their Reign — Persia's Last King — Alexander the Great — His Contemptible Character — The Fourth Kingdom — The Testimony of Gibbon — Influences which Undermined Rome — A False Theory- Examined — What the Toes Signify — Rome Divided — Names of the Ten Divisions — Subsequent History — ■ God's Kingdom Still Future — Its Nature, Location, and Extent.

CHAPTER III The Fiery Ordeal - - - - - 92

Nebuchadnezzar's Image vs. God's — Devotion of Idolaters — The Jews Accused — The King's Forbearance — The Fiery- Furnace — Its Effect on the Chaldeans — The Course of the Three Worthies — The Wonderful Deliverance — Its Effect on the King's Mind — Integrity Honored.

CHAPTER IV Nebuchadnezzar's Decree - - - • - 103

The Oldest Decree on Record — Humiliation Confessed — A Good Example — Nebuchadnezzar's Condition — God's Dealing with the King — The Magicians Humbled — A Remarkable Illustration — Mercy in Judgment — An Important Key to Prophetic Interpretation — Angels Interested in Human Affairs — The King's Acknowledgment — Daniel's Hesitation — ■ His Delicate Answer to the King — Judgments Conditional—The Lesson Unheeded — The Blow Falls — The King's Restoration — The End Gained — Nebuchadnezzar's Death — Summary of His Experience.

CHAPTER V Belshazzar's Feast - - - - - 114

Closing Scenes of Babylon's History — Celebration of the Conquest of Judea — The Sacred Vessels Desecrated — God Interferes with the Revelry — The Phantom Hand — Change of Scene — Daniel Called — The Lesson to the King — The Writing Interpreted — The Fulfilment Follows — Edwin Arnold's Prize Poem.

Chapter VI

Daniel in the Lions' Den - 128 Date of the Persian Kingdom — Cyrus Sole Ruler — Paul's Reference to Daniel's Experience — Extent of the Persian Kingdom — A Fiendish Plot — Righteousness Daniel's only Fault — False Witness of the Conspirators — Daniel Undisturbed — The Decree Secured — The Victim Ensnared — The King's Dilemma — Daniel Cast into the Lions' Den — His

Wonderful Preservation — Fate of Daniel's Accusers — Daniel Doubly Vindicated — The King's Decree.

CHAPTEK VII

The Pour Beasts - - - - - - 139

Chronological Connection — Eule of Scripture Interpretation — ■ Signification of the Symbols — The Kingdoms Identical with Those of Daniel 2 — Why the Vision is Repeated

— Change in Babylonish History — Deterioration of Earthly Governments — The Symbol of the Bear Explained — Grecia the Third Kingdom — Rapidity of Its Conquests — Testimony of Rollin — ■ Signification of the Four Heads of the Leopard Beast — The Nondescript — Signification of the Ten Horns — 'A- Little Plorn among the 'Ten — The Judgment Scene — A Temporal Millennium Impossible — Character of the Little Horn — Gradual Development of the Romish Church — Opposition of the Arians — The Three Horns Plucked Up — Millions of Martyrs — A Peeble Defense' — Paganism Outdone — Meaning of Time, Times, and a Half — 'Date of Papal Supremacy — Date of Papal Overthrow — Rome a Republic — The Power of the Papacy Waning in Its Stronghold — A Later Judgment — The Ecumenical Council — Victor Emmanuel's United Italy — End of the Pope's Temporal Power — Its Coming Destruction.

CHAPTER VIII Vision of the Ram, He-Goat, and Little Horn - - 188

Change from Chaldaic to Hebrew — Date of Belshazzar's Reign — Date of This Vision — Where was Shushan ? — A Prophecy of Isaiah Fulfilled — The Angel Explains the Symbols — How the Goat Represents the Grecians — Alexander the Great — Battle at the River Granicus — Battle at the Passes of Issus — The Great Battle of Arbela — Subversion of the Persian Kingdom, b. c. 331 — Alexander's Famous Reply to Darius — The World Will not Permit Two Suns nor Two Sovereigns — Increase of Power — Alexander's Disgraceful Death — Division of the Kingdom — The Roman Horn — 'How It Came out of One of the Horns of the Goat — Antlochus Epiphanes not This Horn — Rome the Power Symbolized by the Little Horn — What is the "Daily"? — Two Desolating Powers Brought to View — When Oppression of the Saints Will End — The 2300 Days not Here Explained

— The Sanctuary Explained — What the Cleansing of the Sanctuary Is — The King of Fierce Countenance — By

What Means the Romans Prospered — The Explanation not Finished — The Reason Why.

CHAPTER IX The Seventy Weeks - - - • - 233

The Short Time between the Visions — Daniel's Understanding of Jeremiah's Prophecy — Daniel's Wonderful Prayer — Gabriel again Appears — Vision of Chapter 8 Explained — Connection between Chapters- Eight and Nine Established — The Time Explained — The Seventy Weeks — The Meaning of " Cut Off " — Testimony of Dr. Hales — Date of the Seventy Weeks — The Decree of Cyrus — The Decree of Darius — -The Decree of Artaxerxes — The Year 457 before Christ — 'Date of Christ's Baptism — Date of Christ's Crucifixion — Invention of the Christian Era — Intermediate Dates — Harmony Established — The Genuine Reading — Ptolemy's Canon — The End of the 2300 Days.

CHAPTER X Daniel's Last Vision - - - - 270

Time of Daniel's Various Visions — How Cyrus Became Sole Monarch — Daniel's Purpose in Seeking God — Scriptural Easting — Another Appearance of the Angel Gabriel — The Effect upon Daniel — Daniel's Age at This Time — The Answer to Prayer Sometimes not Immediately Apparent — Who Michael Is — Daniel's Solicitude for His People — The Relation of Christ and Gabriel to the King of Persia and the Prophet Daniel.

CHAPTER XI A Literal Prophecy - - - - - 279

Succession of Kings in Persia — The Rich King — The Largest Army ever Assembled in the World — Meaning of the Phrase " Stand Lip " — Alexander in Eclipse — His Kingdom Divided among His Four Leading Generals — Location of the King of the North and the King of the South — Macedon and Thrace Annexed to Syria — The Syrian Kingdom Stronger than the Kingdom of Egypt — Divorce and Marriage of Antiochus Theos — Laodice's Revenge — Berenice and Her Attendants Murdered — Ptolemy Euergetes Avenges the Death of His Sister — Syria Plundered — 2,500 Idols Carried to Egypt — Antiochus Magnus Avenges the Cause of His Father — Defeated by the Egyptians — Ptolemy Overcome by His Vices — Another Syrian Campaign against Egypt

— New Complications — Rome Introduced — Syria and Macedonia Forced to Retire — Rome Assumes the Guardianship of the Egyptian King — The Egyptians Defeated — Antiochus Falls before the Romans — Syria Made a Roman Province — Judea Conquered by Pompey — Caesar in Egypt — Exciting Scenes — Cleopatra's Stratagem — Caesar Triumphant — Veni, Yidi, Vici — Caesar's Death — Augustus Caesar — ■ The Triumvirate — The Augustan Age of Rome — The Birth of Our Lord — Tiberius, the Vile — Date of Christ's Baptism — Rome's League with the Jews — Caesar and Antony — The Battle of Actium — Final Overthrow of Jerusalem — What is Meant by Chittim — The Vandal "War — The " Daily " Taken Away — Justinian's Famous Decree — The Goths Driven from Rome — Long Triumph of the Papacy — The Atheistical King — The French Revolution of 1793 — The Bishop of Paris Declares Himself an Atheist — France as a Nation Rebels against the Author of the Universe — The Marriage Covenant Annulled — God Decleared a Phantom, Christ an Impostor — Blasphemy of a Priest of Illuminism — -A Dissolute Female the Goddess of Reason — Titles of Nobility Abolished — Their Estates Confiscated — The Land Divided for Gain — Termination of the Reign of Terror — Time of the End, 1798 — Triple War between Egypt, France, and Turkey — Napoleon's Dream of Eastern Glory — He Diverts the War from England to Egypt — His Ambition Embraces all Historical Lands of the East — Downf all of the Papacy — Embarkation from Toulon — Alexandria Taken — Battle of the Pyramids — The Combat Deepens — -Turkey, the King of the North, Declares War against France — Napoleon's Campaign in the Holy Land — Beaten at Acre — Retires to Egypt — Called back to France — Egypt in the Power of Turkey — Tidings out of the East and North — The Crimean War of 1853 — Predicted by Dr. Clarke from this Prophecy in 1825 — The Sick Man of the East — The Eastern Question; What is It? — Russia's Long- Cherished Dream

— The Last Will and Testament of Peter the Great — Startling Facts in Russian History — The Prophecy of Napoleon Bonaparte — Kossuth's Prediction — Russia's Defiant Attitude in 1870 — The Russo-Turkish War of 1877 — The Berlin Congress — Turkey Bankrupt — The Whole Empire Mortgaged to the Czar — Wonderful Shrinkage of Turkish Territory — The Wonder of Statesmen — The Eastern Question in the Future.

CHAPTER XII Closing Scenes - - - - * - <

The Reign of Christ — The Grand Signal of Its Approach — ■ What Events are Next in Order — The Time of Trouble — ■ The Kesurrection — The Key to the Euture — Some to Life, Some to Shame — Promised Rewards of the Coming Day — The Sealed Book Opened — Knowledge Wonderfully Increased — The Progress of a Thousand Years Made in Eifty — The Wise Understand — Daniel Stands in His Lot.

XLhc Book of IRevelatfon

CHAPTER I The Opening Vision - - - - 399

The Title and Character of the Book — Its Object — Christ's Angel — His Benediction — The Churches in Asia — The Seven Spirits — Prince of the Kings of the Earth — His Coming Visible — The Church's Response — John's Experience — The Cause of Banishment — In the Spirit — The Lord's Day — Alpha and Omega — The Revelation to be Understood.

CHAPTER II The Seven Churches - 422

The Church of Ephesus — Definition — The Cause of Complaint — The Nicolaitanes — The Promise to the Victor — The Tree of Life — The Church in Smyrna — Tribulation Ten Days — The Overcomer's Reward — The Church in Pergamos — Satan's Seat — Antipas — The Cause of Censure — The Promise — The New Name — Thyatira — The Woman Jezebel.

Chapter III

The Seven Churches. — Continued - 442 Sardis, Definition of — "White Raiment — The Book of Life — Philadelphia Defined — The Key of David — Signification of Laodicea — Neither Cold nor Hot — The Counsel — The Einal Promise.

CHAPTER IY

New Vision. — The Heavenly Sanctuary - - - 463 Four and Twenty Elders — Seven Lamps of Fire — The Sea of Glass — The Happy Unrest.

CHAPTER V The Heavenly Sanctuary. — Continued - - 470

The Book — The Angelic Challenge — Christ Prevails — The Anticipation — ■ A Clean Universe.

CHAPTER YI

The Seven Seals ------ 481

Symbols Explained — Souls under the Altar — The Great Earthquake at Lisbon — Darkening of the Sun and Moon — Falling of the Stars — An Objection Answered — The Great Prayer-Meeting.

CHAPTER YII

The Sealing - - - - - 520

Symbols Explained — The Seal of God — The 144,000 — The True Israel — The New Jerusalem a Christian City — Out of the Great Tribulation.

CHAPTER VIII The Seven Trumpets - - - - 537

Encouragement for Christians — Complement of Daniel's Prophecy — Testimony of Standard tlistorians — Rome Divided — The Western Empire Extinguished — Alaric, Genseric, Attila, and Theodoric.

CHAPTER IX

The Seven Trumpets. — Continued - 561 Rome and Persia — Chosroes Overthrown — The Rise of Mohammedanism — The Bottomless Pit — The Five Months' Torment — An Established Date — Surrender to the Turks — Constantinople Taken — The Use of Firearms Foretold — Cessation of the Ottoman Supremacy — A Remarkable Prophecy Fulfilled.

CHAPTER X

Proclamation of the Advent - 588

The Book Opened — The Time of the End — Close of the

Prophetic Periods — Sounding of the Seventh Trumpet — The Sweet and the Bitter.

CHAPTER XI

The Two Witnesses - 601

An Important Message — The French Revolution of 1793 — Spiritual Sodom — Crush the Wretch! — The Bible Triumphant — The Nations Angry — God's Temple in Heaven Opened.

CHAPTER XII

The Gospel Church - 619

A Wonderful Scene in Heaven — Definite Data — Satan Defeated — ■ The Trial of the Church — The Coming Joy.

CHAPTER XIII Persecuting Powers Professedly Christian - - 636

A Change of Symbols ■ — The Papacy — Comparison with the Little Horn of Daniel 7 — Deadly Wound — How It was Healed — Another Beast — The United States in Prophecy

— Wonderful Growth of Our Country — "A Place for Everything, and Everything in Its Place " — The Coming Crisis

— The Path of Safety — The Beginning of the End — The Number of His Name.

CHAPTER XIV The Three Messages - - 705 A Glorious Culmination — -The 144,000 — The Proclamation of the Advent — A Moral Fall — The Severest Denunciation of Wrath in All the Bible — The Commandments of God — A Blessing on the Dead — Wickedness Swallowed Up.

CHAPTER XV

The Seven Last Plagues - - 764

Preparation for the Plagues — An Impressive Scene — God's J udgments Righteous — Mercy Withdrawn from the Eearth The Sea of Glass — The Glorious Victory — Well with the Righteous.

CHAPTER XVI The Plagues Poured Out - 767

The Plagues of Egypt — Death in the Sea — Fountains of Blood — A Scorching Sun — Egyptian Darkness — Decay of Turkey — The Eastern Question — Spirits of Devils — The

Battle of Armageddon — The Air Infected — Babylon Judged

— Terrific Effects of the Great Hail — Close of the Scene.

CHAPTER XVII Babylon — the Mother - - - - - 787

Church and State — Different Forms of Roman Government

— The Eighth Head — Waning Away of Papal Power — Symbolic Waters.

CHAPTER XVIII Babylon — the Daughters - - - - 795

Popery beyond Reformation — Its Influence still Felt — Apostate Christendom — Separation between the Good and the Bad — Amazing Judgments — The Will for the Deed.

CHAPTER XIX Triumph of the Saints - 813

The Marriage of the Lamb — The Bride the Lamb's Wife — The Marriage Supper — Heaven Opened — A Startling Contrast — The Beast Taken — The Lake of Fire.

CHAPTER XX

The First and Second Resurrections' - 820 The Bottomless Pit — Binding of Satan — Exaltation of the Saints — The Second Resurrection — The Second Lake of Fire — The Sentence Executed.

CHAPTER XXI The New Jerusalem ------ 837

The New Heaven and Earth — The Holy City — Wonderful Dimensions — Precious Stones — The Rainbow Foundations

— No Need of the Sun.

CHAPTER XXn The Tree and the River of Life - - - 855 The Home of Peace — The Tree of Life — John's Emotions

— Without the City — ■ The Gracious Invitation — " Through the Gates " — The Lord's Promise — The Church's Response

— God All in All.

Index of Author.i - - - - - - 887

Portrait of Author - - - - - Frontispiece'

Siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar ----- 25

Daniel and His Fellows are Sought to be Slain - - 38

The Great World-Kingdom Image, Dan. 2 : 31 - 34 - - - 45

A Babylonian Palace - 52

Babylon Taken by the Medo-Persians 58

Alexander Removing the Ruins at Babylon - - - 61

Alexander Commanding the Conflagration of Persepolis* - 67 Map Showing Territory Covered by the Four Universal

The Three Worthies Refusing to Bow to the Image - - 93 *

The Three Hebrews in the Fiery Furnace - - - 98

The Humiliation of Nebuchadnezzar - 108

Belshazzar's Feast 118

Daniel in the Den of Lions - - 132

The Lion — Symbol of Babylon - 138 *

The Bear — Symbol of Medo-Persia 142

The Leopard — ■ Symbol of Grecia - - - - - 145

The Fourth Beast — Symbol of Rome . - - - 148

The Little Horn — Symbol of the Papacy - 151

Waldenses Fleeing from Papal Persecution - 160

The Law of God - 163 -

The Decalogue as Changed by the Papacy - 167

Belisarius Entering Rome - - - - 175

Prominent Martyrs -------- iqq

The Ram — Symbol of Medo-Persia ----- 190

The He-Goat — Symbol of Grecia 193

The Little Horn of Daniel VIII - - - - 199

The Temple at Jerusalem at the Time of Christ - - 215 (16)

ILLUSTRATIONS

The Angel Gabriel Sent to Instruct Daniel - 238

Diagram of the TO Weeks and 2300 Days - - 244 *

Rebuilding the Walls of Jerusalem - - 251

The Crucifixion ----- - 260 *

Alexander Viewing the Dead Body of Darius - 281

The Alexandrian Library - - - - - - - 297

The Battle of Actium : Fulfilling Dan. 11 : 25 - - - 308

A Roman Triumph --------- 314

Imprisonment of Huss - - - - - ' - - 328 /

Storming of the Tuilleries - - - - - - - 335

The Goddess of Reason 339 ^

"Many Shall Run To and Fro, and Knowledge Shall be

Increased" - 382, 383 v

John Writing the Revelation 39(3

The Isle of Patmos -------- 413/

Christian Martyrs in Arena - - - - - - - 431

Arch of Constantine --------- 484-/

The Lisbon Earthquake -------- 497

Meteoric Shower, or Falling of the Stars, Nov. 13, 1833 - 506

The Vandals Invading Africa ------ 544

Attila, King of the Huns ------- 550

Surrender of Western Rome to Odoacer -* - - 555

" Woe, Woe, Woe, to the Inhabiters of the Earth " - - 560

Mohammed and Mohammed II - 565

Saracen Warrior - - - - - - - - 571 v

Entry of Mohammed II into Constantinople - - 578

Turkish Warrior 534V

The Angel on Sea and Land ------- 539

Preaching the Advent Message in [Norway - - - 594

Fugitive Huguenots - - - - - - - - 606

The Berlix Insurrection of 1848 - 613

The Gospel Church -------- ^18 v

Pagan and Papal Rome g23 --

Burning the Papal Bull - - ■• - - - - 629 x/

Eminent Reformers - - - - - - - 633

Symbol of the United States in Prophecy - 644

Landing of the Pilgrims ------- 555

ILLUSTRATIONS

Map Showing the Territorial Growth of the United States 656 The Pope's Tiara — From a Photograph Taken in the Vatican

Museum - - - - 699 a

The Everlasting Gospel - 709

The Three Messages of Revelation 14 726

The Seven Angels Pouring Out the Seven Last Plagues - 772

The Great Earthquake _______ 781

The Message of Rev. 18 : 1 - - - - - - - 794

Babylon Palls, like a Millstone Cast into the Sea - - 810

The Investigative Judgment - 831 <

The Angel Showing John the Holy City - 842

Foundation Walls of the New Jerusalem - - - 850

Banyan Tree Illustrating the Tree of Life - - - 858

" Visions of Beauty are There, Fields of Living Green " - 866 *

THAT the book of Daniel was written by the person whose name it bears, there is no reason to doubt. Ezekiel, who was contemporary with Daniel, bears testimony, through the spirit of prophecy, to his piety and uprightness, ranking him in this respect with Noah and Job : " Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast; though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness." Eze. 14 : 19, 20. His wisdom, also, even at that early day, had become proverbial, as appears from the same writer. To the prince of Tyrns he was directed by the Lord to say, " Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee." Eze, 28:3. But above all, our Lord recognized him as a prophet of God, and bade his disciples understand the predictions given through him for the benefit of his church : " When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place (whoso readeth, let him understand), then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains." Matt. 24:15, 16.

Though we have a more minute account of his early life than is recorded of that of any other prophet, yet his birth and lineage are left in complete obscurity, except that he was of the royal line, probably of the house of David, which had at this time become very numerous. He first appears as one of the noble captives of Judali, in the first year of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, at the commencement of the seventy years' captivity, b. c. 606. Jeremiah and Habakkuk were yet utter-

INTRODUCTION ing their prophecies. Ezekiel commenced soon after, and a little later, Obadiah ; but both these finished their work years before the close of the long and brilliant career of Daniel. Three prophets only succeeded him, Haggai and Zechariah, who exercised the prophetic office for a brief period contemporaneously, b. c. 520 - 518, and Malachi, the last of the Old Testament prophets, who flourished a little season about b. c. 397.

During the seventy years' captivity of the Jews, b. c. 606 - 536, predicted by Jeremiah (Jer. 25:11), Daniel resided at the court of Babylon, most of the time prime minister of that brilliant monarchy. His life affords a most impressive lesson of the importance and advantage of maintaining from earliest youth strict integrity toward God, and furnishes a notable instance of a man's maintaining eminent piety, and faithfully discharging all the duties that pertain to the service of God, while at the same time engaging in the most stirring activities, and bearing the weightiest cares and responsibilities that can devolve upon men in this earthly life.

What a rebuke is his course to many at the present day, who, having not a hundredth part of the cares to absorb their time and engross their attention that he had, yet plead as an excuse for their almost utter neglect of Christian duties, that they have no time for them. What will the God of Daniel say to such, when he comes to reward his servants impartially, according to their improvement or neglect of the opportunities offered them?

But. it is not alone nor chiefly his connection with the Chaldean monarchy, the glory of kingdoms, that perpetuates the memory of Daniel, and covers his name with honor. From the height of its glory he saw that kingdom decline, and pass into other hands. Its period of greatest prosperity was embraced within the limits of the lifetime of one man. So brief was its supremacy, so transient its glory. But Daniel was intrusted with more enduring honors. While beloved and honored by the princes and potentates of Babylon, he enjoyed an infinitely higher exaltation, in being beloved and honored by God and his holy angels, and admitted to a knowledge of the counsels of the Most High.