Images de page
PDF
ePub

*

of the Text for the Roman Monarchy, and, contrary to all rea fon, be willing to allow that Antiochus Epiphanes might be here meant, and the Duration of his Profanation of Jerusalem, or of the Temple, it will not prove agreeable to the Hiftory there neither. For from Antiochus's firft Siege and Taking of Jerufalem, and Profanation of the Temple thereupon, till the Feast of Reftitution and Dedication afterwards was fomewhat above five years. And from the latter Profanation, where the Abomination of Defolation, or the Idol of Jupiter Olympius was plac'd on the Altar, till the fame Feaft of Dedication was butt three years and ten days. Nay, from the Sacrificing on the Idol-Altar by the Heathens, till the fame Dedication was but juft three years; as we are fure from the express Words of the Original Historians in the Books of Maccabees. So that altho' Jofephus, and others after him speak of this

And after that Antiochus had fmitten Egypt, he returned again, in the Maccab. i. 143d. year: and went up against Ifrael, and Jerufalem with a great multi- 20, 21, 22. tude; and entred prou fly into the fanctuary, and took away the Golden Altar, and the Candlestick of Light, and all the Veffels thereof; And the Table of the Shew bread, and the pouring Veffels, and the Vials, and the Cenfers of Gold, and the Veil, and the Crowns, and the Golden Ornaments that were before the Temple: all which he pulled off. And after two years expir'd, the King Ver. 29, 30. fent his chief Collector of Tribute unto the Cities of fudah: who came unto Ferufalem with a great multitude, and spake peaceable words unto them. But all was deceit: for when they had given him Credence, he fell fuddenly upon the City, and fmote it very fore, and destroyed much people of Ifrael.

+ Now the 15th day of Cafleu, in the 145th year, they fet up the Abomi- Ver. 54. nation of Defolation upon the Altar: and builded Idol Altars throughout the

Cities of Judah on every fide.- Now the 25th day of the month, they Ver. 59. did facrifice upon the Idol Altar, which was by the Altar of God.

Now on the 25th day of the month, which is the month Cafleu, in the 148th Chap. iv. 52. year, they rofe up betimes in the morning; and offered facrifice according to 53,54. the Law, upon the new Altar of Burnt offerings which they had made. Look,

at what time, and what day, the heathen had profan'd it; even in that was

it dedicated with Songs, and Citherns, and Harps, and Cymbals.

Now upon the fame day that the Strangers profaned the Temple, on the very 2 Maccab. x. 5. fame day was it cleansed again; even the 25th day of the fame month, which is Cafleu.

# Αντίοχα ὁ κληθείς Επιφανὴς ἑλῶν κατὰ κράτος Ιεροσόλυμα, και καταχών ἔτεσι τρισὶ ἢ μησὶν ἐξ, ὑπὸ ο Αστιμωναίο παίδων ἐκβάλλεται σε χώρας. Jofeph. Lib. 1. de Bello. Proœm.

Ερημώθη δ ̓ ἔτη τρία ἢ μήνας ἓξ τὸ ἅγιον. De Bello Lib. vs. P. 929.

[blocks in formation]

14.

Profanation as containing three years and fix months; which would concur with the ufual Interpretation of this Phrase for 3 years. Yet it fo little agreeing with the Original and Authentick Accounts above-mention'd, and being very probably only a mistaken Interpretation of this place, there can no weight be laid upon it.

The Second Text in Daniel that determins a Period by Days, is that famous Prophecy, added by it felf, after fome others, in Dan. viii. 13, the Eighth Chapter. Then I heard an Holy One Speaking: and another Holy One faid unto that certain Holy One which Spake; How long fall be the Fifion concerning the daily facrifice, and the tranfgreffion of defolation; to give both the Sanctuary and Host to be troden under foot? And he faid unto me, Unto 2300 Even ing-Mornings [Nuxeog:] Then ball the Sanctuary be cleans'd. This Prophecy is alfo commonly expounded of the fame Antiochus Epiphanes, and the Space of the Profanation of the Temple, or of Jerufalem by him. But it does not at all fit the fame; as appears by the Authentick Teftimonies above quoted. For let us take the longest Duration poffible, and it will amount to no more than between five and fix years at the utmost, from the 143d year of the Seleucida, to their 148th year: Whereas 1300 Evening-Mornings, or Noxes, are fix years and above a quarter, and cannot therefore by any means agree with the Space before-mention'd. And in truth, as will appear in due time, neither of thefe Numbers have any relation to Antiochus Epiphanes, or his Profanation of the Jewish Temple. Nor is the Duration of that Profanation any where determin'd in Daniel; on which yet all our Commentators infift fo much upon all occafions. But when the true import of fuch Prophecies as thefe, relating to Times long future, was not understood, 'tis no wonder if fuch Events as that of Antiochus's Profanation, were thought of, to make at leaft fome fhew of their fulfilling in those days. It having been a mighty creditable thing in later Ages, to pretend to find all the Ancient Prophecies applicable to Events long fince paft, rather than to fuppofe any of their Completions yet to come; how little foever the plain fense of Words, and the Hiftories of those ancient Times could be made to agree together; as will more cafily be observable in

the

the progrefs of the prefent Effay concerning them: But upon what fufficient foundation, I cannot tell.

The Third and most famous of all the Prophecies of Daniel, wherein a Period is determin'd by a collection of Days, or by Weeks, is that eminently known by the name of the 70 Weeks Prophecy and is of all others the most Important; as determining the very Year in which the Meffias was to be cut off. Seventy Weeks are determin'd upon thy People, and upon thy Holy Dan. ix. 24, City; To finish Tranfgreffion, and to make an end of Sins; and 25, 26, 27. to make reconciliation for iniquity; and to bring in everlasting Righteousness; and to feal up the Vision and Prophecy; and to anoint the moft Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the Commandment, to restore and to build Fernfalem, unto the Meffiah the Prince fhall be seven weeks, and fixty and two weeks: The Street fall be built again, and the Wall even in troublous times: and after thofe threescore and two weeks shall the Meffiah be cut off. And half a week shall cause the Sacrifice and the Oblation to cease.

Now this Prophecy, and the Words following it, fo evidently belonging to our Saviour; and we having his own certain Expofition of them [The Abomination of Defolation spo- Matt. xxiv. 15. ken of by Daniel the Prophet,] with a Caution not to over

look fo remarkable a fulfilling of this Prophecy [He that read- Mar. xiii. 14. eth, let him understand,] as well as the exactness of its Com- See Harm. p. pletion; I fhall not be fo unreasonable or injurious to Chri- 198, 199,200. tianity, as once to fuppofe it applicable to any other perfon. And indeed those who have at any time attempted to apply it to any other, have had fuch miferable fuccefs as may juftly difcourage any future pretences of that nature. This fignal Prophecy therefore belonging to the Times of the Meffias, and expreffing the Spaces first of 490, and then of 483 years, and then of 7,and of 62,and alfo of 3 by fo many days,is a moft eminent Inftance to our purpofe; and goes very far to afcertain the Propofition before us: And therefore most of all deferves our regard in the prefent Enquiry; especially fince this fenfe is not deny'd, but carneftly contended for by those who yet have been willing to allow no other Inftances of this nature in the fame Prophecy; nay, fcarcely in the whole Scriptures of the Old and New Testament.

B 2

The

Dan. xij. 7.

The Fourth Inftance in Daniel is in the Solemn Oath of the Man cloathed in Linnen, in anfwer to the queftion, How long it would be to the end of thofe Wonders he had been speaking of in that and the former Chapters? Where he afferts, that it fhould be for a Time, Times, and a half; and that when he Should have accomplished to fcatter the power of the Holy People all these things fhould be finished. Now thefe Numbers alfo have been commonly, by Interpreters, apply'd to the Time of Antiochus's Profanation, but do no wife belong to the fame : the Wonders, of which mention had been made,appertaining to the Times of the great Jewish Difperfion and Captivity, as the Text affures us; and not ending till the Reftoration of the Jews, and the first Refurrection relating to it. And we have already obferv'd how impoffible it is to reduce the Profanation of Antiochus to the exact space of three years and a half, as fuch an Interpretation muft of neceffity fuppofe. So that here we muft leave the Vulgar Expofition, and, as in the reft, allow that by Time, Times, and a half, is not meant the small space of 1260 days, but fo many years; as we shall find more clearly hereafter.

go

The Fifth and Sixth, which are the laft of the Prophecies of Daniel determin'd in this manner, are at the conclufion of Dan. xii. 9,&c. the whole Prophecy, and run thus: The Words are closed and fealed till the time of the end. Many fhall be purify'd, and made white, and tried: But the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked fhall understand; but the wife shall understand. And from the time that the daily Sacrifice shall be taken away, and the Abomination of the Defolator be fet up there fhall be 1290 days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the 1335 days. But thon thy way till the end be; for thou shalt reft, and stand in thy Lot at the end of the days. Thefe Numbers again, 1290, and 1335, if they denote bare days, are and must be apply'd, by Interpreters, to the fame Duration of the Profanation of Jeru falem, or of the Temple by Antiochus: or however from thence to the Publick Liberty of their Religion, granted after that Profanation as to the former Number 1290; and to the Death of Antiochus as to the latter Number 1335. But how contrary to the. authentick Accounts of the Books of the Maccabees all these

pre

pretences are, will foon appear on a little examination. Nay See Mede
indeed, the whole time from the fecond Profanation of the 882. c.
Temple, when the Idol of Jupiter Olympius was placed on
the Altar, till the Decree of Antiochus Eupator, the Son of
Epiphanes, for the Jews Liberty, was in all, no more than
three years and four months, or about 1218 days, as Mr. Mede
has fufficiently prov'd in the place juft now refer'd to; which
Dates yet, are of all other most favourable to their Caufe.
So that in truth, the Application has no manner of real ground
in Hiftory, but is utterly contradictory thereto. And 'tis
ftrange indeed, if fuch an Interpretation of Daniel's Numbers
as makes the fame Duration of Antiochus's Profanation to be
firft defin'd by a Time, Times, and a part, or 1110 days; then
by 2300 days; then by a Time Times and an half, or 1260 days;
then by 1290 days; and lastly, by 1335 days, fhould be e-
fteem'd Genuin, or even in the leaft probable; and still more
ftrange, that the Authentick Hiftories of thofe Times should
not agree with any one of thofe Numbers in any one of the
remarkable Periods of that Profanation. And indeed, all this
Application of these Numbers is wholly a mistake, and look'd
for in a wrong place. For thefe Chapters treat of quite other
Matters. And thofe Chapters which do certainly and largely treat Dan.xj.21-35-
of that Profanation, and foretell it, do not at all determin the and viij. 9, 10,
length of its Duration by any Numbers whatsoever. Thus 11,12.
'tis evident, by this view of the particulars, that if we fup-
pofe days in the Vifions of Daniel taken for bare days alone,
not one of his Numbers will agree to the Hiftories to which
they must belong. And fince it will appear, in due place,
that they every one agree with the Hiftories whereto they
properly appertain, if they be taken in the Prophetick Stile
for years, it cannot be difficult fure to determin in which
of those fences the fame word is to be taken, not only in these
places, but also in other parallel Prophecies of Scripture, writ-
ten in the fame Stile, and directly relating to, and particular-
ly explaining these Predictions of Daniel. I might go on in
like manner to fhew that the fame Obfervation holds true as
to the Apocalypfe alfo. For I do not find that any of thofe
Expofitors who are willing to divert that wonderful Syftem of
Prophecies

[ocr errors]
« PrécédentContinuer »