Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/6_200.lzh/6_280.TXT

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which was owing to the providence of God, that
wrought upon the heart of Arioch, to listen to what
Daniel said, and inspired them both with courage to go
in to the king: and desired of the king that 'he would give
him time; not two or three days, but only that night,
till morning, as Saadiah observes; and this with a view
not totcad books, or study any art; or, by reasoning
with himself, or conversation with others, to getknow-
ledge; but to pray to God: and that he wou!d shew` the
king the interpretation; that is, of his dream, and the
dream itself; being persuaded in his own mind that
God would hear his p:ayers, and make it known to
him. The king granted him his request, though he
upbraided the wise men of their design to gain time;
but perhaps, upon the sight of Daniel, he remembered
him again, and how superior in wisdom he was to all
his magicians and wise men; and besides, Daniel gave
him hope, yea, assurance, of shewing his dream, and the
interpretation of it, which his mind was very eager
aft. er; but chiefly this subsiding of his wrath, and his
indulging Daniel in his request, were owing to the
overruling providence of God.
Ver. 17. The!t .Danielwent to his house, &c.] Which
Sanctius thinks was in the king's palace; very pro-
bably it might be near it, somewhere in the city o.f
Babylon; for that it should be twenty miles from that
city, as Benjamin of Tudela relates*, is not likely;
since Arioch's orders reached to .none but the wise
men of Babylon, and where he sought for and found
Daniel; hither he went, to be alone, and to seek the
Lord in secret: and made the thing known to Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah, his companions; who either dwelt
in the same house with him, or not far off; whom he
sent for and acquainted with all that had passed, both
between the king and the wise me_n, and the-conse-
quence of that.; and between him and the king, and
what promise he had made, relying on his God and
theirs.
Ver. 18. That they would desire mercies of the God of
heaven concerning this secret, &c.3 His view in sending
for them, and informing them of this whole affair, was
to engage them in prayer to God with him; even to
that God that made the heaven, and dwells there, and
is above all, and sees and knows what is done in earth,
aud rules both in heaven and in earth according to his
will; to entreat his mercy, whose mercies are manifold,
and not plead any merits of their own; and that he
would, in compassion to them, and the lives of others
that were in danger, make known this secret of the
king's dream, and the interpretation of it; which could
never be found out by the sagacity 'of men, or by any
art they are masters of: this Daniel requested of them,
as knowing that it was their duty and interest, as well
as his, to unite in prayer unto God on this account,
and that the joint and fervent prayer of righteous men
avails much with him: that Daniel and his fellows
should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Ba-
bylon; which they were in danger of: this was tim
mercy they were to implore, being in distress, and
this the interest they had in this affair; a strong argu-
ment to induce them to it.
Ver. 19. Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in
a night-vision, &c.3 That is, after Daniel and his
companions had importunately sought the Lord by
prayer, tire secret of the king's dream, and the inter-
pretation of it, were made known to Daniel, and to
him only; he being the person designed in Providence
to be raised to great honour and dignity by means of it;
this was done either the same night, or the night/bl-
lowlug, and, as some think, in a dream, and that he
dreamed the same dream Nebuchadnezzar did, which
he remembered, though the king forgot it; or, however,,
the same image was represented, to him, whether
sleeping or waliing, and the meaning of it given him:
then J)aniel blessed the God of heaven: gave thanks to
him, that he had heard Iris prayer, and indulged him
in his request; which thanksgiving, blessing, or praise,
is expressed in the following words:
Vet. 2O..Daniel answered and said, &c.] That is, he
began his prayer, as Jacchiades observes, or iris thanks-
giving, and e, xpressed it in the following manner:
blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: a fortn of
blessing God, or a wishthat he may be blessed by men
for evermore; for there is that in his name, in Iris na-
ture, in his perfections, and in his works, which re-
quire that praise be given him now, and to all eternity:
Jbr wisdom and might are his; wisdom iu tbrming the
scheme of things, and might or power in the execution
of them; wisdom in reveafing the secret of the dream to
Daniel, and might to accomplish the various eyents pre-
dicted in it: tbr what Daniel here and afterwards ob-
serves has a very peculiar regard to the present affair,
tbr which Iris heart was warm with gratitude and
thankfulness.
Vet. 21. And he changeth the times and the seasons,
&c.] NOt only of day and night, summer and winter,
and times and seasons of prosperity and adversity; but
all the changes and revolutions in states and kingdoms,
in all times and ages, are from him; and particularly
those pointed at in the following dream, in the Ba-
bylonian, Persian, Grecian, and Roman monarchies:
he removeth kings, and setteth up kings; he is King of
kings, and Lord oflords; by him they reign, and con-
tinue on their thrones, as long as he pleases; and then
he removes them by death or otherwise, and places
others in their stead; and who are sometimes raised
from a low estate; and this he does in the ordinary
course of Providence; see Psal. lxxv. 6, 7- and particu-
larly Daniel might have in view the removal of the Ba-
bylonian monarchs, and setting up kings of the race of
the Medes and Persians; and then the degrading them,
and advancing the Grecians to the height of monarchy;
and then reducing of them, and raisihg the Romans to
a greater degree of power and authority; and at last
crushing them all in their tusns, to make way for the
kingdom of his son: he giveth wisdom to the wise, and
knowledge to them that know understanding: an increase
'of wisdom and knowledge, to wise politicians and
counsellots of state, to form wise schemes of peace or
war, to make wise laws, and govern kingdoms in a pru-
dent manner; and to wise master-builders or ministers
of the word, to speak the wiidom ofGod in a mystery,
to diffuse the knowledge of Christ everywhere, and
make known the mysteries of grace to the sons of

{o} Itinerarium, p. 76.