the advent and work of Messiah, to the reign and rise of Antichrist, and to the extension, prosperity, and glory of the Church to the latest ages of her existence in the world."* Of Daniel it has been well said, that he "was certainly one of the most admirable of Scripture worthies. His character was formed in youth; it was retained in defiance of the seductions and of the terrors of a court. His genius, furnished with every advantage of education, and every variety of Pagan learning, was consecrated to God. The window of his prophecy, like that of his chamber, stood open toward Jerusalem." Of him and three of his companions it is written,-" As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams." Thus he was the second prince of dreamers, Joseph being the first. "His pillow was at times a throne-the throne of his genius, the throne of empires, and of all future ages. All dreams must yield in magnitude, grandeur, and comprehensiveness, to the dreams which Daniel expounded or saw. Empires, religions, the history of time, the opening gateways of eternity, are all spanned by these dreams. They are recounted in language grave, solemn, and serene. A calm uniform dignity distinguish all his actions and words. It forsakes not his brow, even while he is astonied for an hour in the presence of the monarch. It enters with him as he enters, awful in holiness, into the hall of Belshazzar's feast. It sits over him in the lions' den like a canopy of state, and it sustains his style to its usual even exalted pitch in describing the session of the ANCIENT OF Days, and the fiery stream that goes forth before Him."+

We have thus given a very summary view of what is contained in the book of Daniel. In looking over which, we find that its author was a young man when, in the first captivity, in the reign of Jehoiachin, he was taken a captive to Babylon, where, under Divine inspiration and protection, in the courts and councils of Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Cyrus, and Darius, he lived a long and active life, as a statesman, a courtier, and a man of business. By his temperance, his piety, his unflinching firmness of principle, his patriotism, his discretion and prudence, he gained, and retained to an advanced old age, the most distinguished honours, and the highest offices of trust, which either the Babylonian or Persian monarchs could bestow. And what was of far more value, and infinitely of greater importance, Gabriel, the strong one of God, was despatched from the court of heaven, and charged to quicken his flight, and certify to The Rev. G. Gilfillan.

* Rev. W. Ramsay's Exposition.

Daniel that he was แ a man greatly beloved" of the "King of kings and Lord of lords;" that the pleadings and intercessions he was then making in behalf of his countrymen in captivity were heard in heaven, and were just about to be answered, in their liberation from Babylon's bondage. Nay, more, the angel is commissioned to make Daniel understand, that "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." "Thy people, and thy holy city," were the Jews and Jerusalem; and the "Seventy weeks" mentioned, must be understood in the common prophetic style, a day for a year-that is, seventy weeks of seven days each, make 490 prophetic days, or 490 literal years. Hence it has been found, according to the most accurate calculations, it was just about four hundred and ninety years from the end of the Babylonish captivity to the time when "Messiah was cut off, but not for himself."

EXERCISES.

Of what tribe was Daniel? For what was he celebrated by Ezekiel? Into how many divisions does the book of Daniel naturally divide itself? Whether is the first six chapters historical or prophetical? What does the second division of the book comprise? When was Daniel's character formed? What did God give unto him and three of his companions? Name another Scripture character that very much resembled Daniel. Were the dreams and visions which Daniel saw and expounded, greater and grander than all others? In what style are they recounted to us? Did Daniel occupy the highest offices of trust as a statesman in the courts of the Babylonian and Persian monarchs? What was of greater importance to him than all this? How was he employed at the time, when the angel came from heaven to tell him "that seventy weeks were determined upon his people and upon the holy city?" How are these weeks to be understood?

CHAPTER XVII.

OF THE RETURN OF THE JEWS FROM CAPTIVITY IN BABYLON, AND THEIR REBUILDING THE CITY AND TEMPLE OF JERUSALEM, B.C. 536-445.

Darius-Cyrus-Zerubbabel-Ezra-Nehemiah.

Towards the close of Daniel's life we find, that although he

was richly endowed with the spirit of prophecy, and " a man greatly beloved of God," yet he did not deem it below his notice diligently to study the writings of those who had gone before him. Hence we find it recorded, Dan. ix. 1, 2, "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; in the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem." The prediction referred to is to be found in several parts of the prophecies of Jeremiah, but more particularly in chaps. xxv. 12, and xxix. 10, 14.

Concerning the date when this took place Daniel is very particular. It was in the first year of the reign of Darius the Median, by whom the kingdom of Babylon was taken, in that night in which the voluptuous and impious Belshazzar was slain. He was the same Darius who had caused Daniel to be cast into the den of lions; but upon his learning that the living God, whom Daniel faithfully served, had sent His angel, and shut the lions' mouths, so that they had done him no harm, then king Darius wrote a decree unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth, "That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian."

As Daniel was prime minister, and held in high estimation at court, it is supposed by some that he wisely used his influence in behalf of his countrymen, in seasonably bringing before the notice of the Persian monarch the prophecies of Isaiah, so pointedly relating to himself, pronounced more than one hundred years before he was born, where it is written,-Isa. xliv. 28-"That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid."- -"Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two-leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron and I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that

thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts."-Isa. xlv. 1-3, 13.

The seventy years of captivity had now come to an end, and we are not left to conjecture what was the reason, or what was the cause, by which Cyrus felt himself convinced that he must now take an active part in being instrumental in fulfilling the counsels of the Almighty in the restoration of His people. In the Scriptures we have no fewer than two copies of the memorable and important edict which he wrote, and caused to be proclaimed throughout all his kingdom. The reason why he did it "That the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished." The cause why he did it— "The LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia." Hence the decree went forth-"Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem. And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, besides the freewill offering for the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem."-2 Chron. xxxvi. 23; Ezra i. 1-4. Here let it be observed, that as there were several seasons, and under different kings, when part of the children of Israel and Judah were carried into captivity, and several periods whence their desolations may commence, so there were several seasons also of their return and restoration; but the chief duration of their captivity and desolate circumstances was seventy years, according to the prophecy of Jeremiah-2 Chron. xxxvi. 21; Jer. xxv. 11, 12; compared with Ezra i. 1, 2, vi. 1–12, vii. 7; Neh. ii. 1, &c.

"Then rose

This proclamation gave great joy to the Jews. up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem. And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, besides all that was willingly offered.

Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house

of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the house of his gods." The number of these vessels we have in Ezra i. 9–11. They were given in charge by Cyrus to Zerubbabel, grandson of king Jehoiachin, and prince of the Jews; he was their leader, and Jeshua was high-priest. Cyrus appointed Zerubbabel governor of Judea. He was called Sheshbazzar by the Persians. In the second chapter of Ezra we have a catalogue of the several families that returned. "The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore, beside their servants and their maids, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and there were among them two hundred singing men and singing women.' By giving according to their ability, these Jews made a large contribution toward the rebuilding of the temple; they gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem, set up the altar of the God of Israel, and offered sacrifices upon it.—Ezra iii. 1–6. "And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the ordinance of David king of Israel." While the younger part of the assembly shouted for joy, many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, wept with a loud voice, when they remembered how much more glorious the first temple was than the second was like to be.-Hag. ii. 3.

"A company of poor exiles, returning from a long captivity, could not promise or hope for so glorious a building as the temple of Solomon, neither in the richness of the materials, nor in the magnificence and curiosity of the workmanship."See Dr Prideaux's Connection, Vol. i. p. 143. The Jews also generally suppose five things to be wanting in the second temple after it was finished, which did belong to the first; namely, (1.) The ark of the covenant, and the mercy-seat, which was upon it, with the cherubs of gold, together with the tables of stone on which the law was written which were in the ark when it was brought into Solomon's temple.-1 Kings viii. 9. (2.) The Shechinah, or Divine presence, in a cloud of glory on the mercy-seat. (3.) The Urim and Thummim, whence the oracle came, or divine answers to their inquiries. (4.) The holy fire upon the altar, which came from heaven. (5.) The spirit of prophecy. For though Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, lived while the second temple was building, and prophesied after it was built, yet on their death the prophetic spirit ceased until the days of John the Baptist.