_And I met my face unto the Lord God._ SETTING THE FACE UNTO THE LORD Daniel, when he would seek God, “set his face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer.” He was an eminently holy man, and far advanced in piety. His example cannot be an unfitting one to follow. 1. There must be great difficulties... [ Continue Reading ]
_Neither have we harkened unto thy servants the prophets._ THE PROPHETIC MINISTRY It was the design of Daniel, in this sentence, to look back upon the whole course of the prophetic ministry that people had enjoyed from the time of its establishment to the time of their humiliation. We now consider... [ Continue Reading ]
_Neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God._ ESTIMATING OUR OWN CHARACTER We take the words of the text in their more general reference. They are such as we ought all to use. Glory is ascribed to God; a proper view and estimate of our own character is taken. I. GOD HAS SPOKEN TO US. Da... [ Continue Reading ]
_Cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate._ THE CHRISTIAN’S DUTY TO THE CHURCH IN THE PRESENT TIMES I. THE STATE OF THE CHURCH WHEN DANIEL WROTE WAS ONE OF RUIN AND DESOLATION. Jerusalem, the city of God was desolate and without inhabitant, and the temple, which was the dwelling-... [ Continue Reading ]
_O Lord, hear._ ANSWER TO DANIEL’S PRAYER A believer might say to one who questioned the value of prayer, that God has authourised and commanded him to pray, with the express promise that the prayer of faith, offered up in the name of Christ, shall be heard and answered, and that he can safely leav... [ Continue Reading ]
_Even the man Gabriel._ WORDS OF THE ANGEL Daniel’s history is in every way profoundly interesting, and stands in connection with spiritual phenomena most startling and sublime. These verses are the words of an angel, whose name was Gabriel (the strength of God). Gabriel furnishes this intelligenc... [ Continue Reading ]
_At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth._ THE DAWN OF REVIVAL, OR PRAYER SPEEDILY ANSWERED Prayer is useful in a thousand ways. It is spiritually what the old physicians sought after naturally, namely, a catholicon--a remedy of universal application. There is no case of ne... [ Continue Reading ]
_Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people._ SHUTTING, SEALING, AND COVERING: OR, MESSIAH’S GLORIOUS WORK The Lord God appointed a set time for the coming of His Son into the world; nothing was left to chance. Infinite wisdom dictated the hour at which the Messiah should be born, and the moment... [ Continue Reading ]
_Even in troublous times._ THE WALL BUILT IN TROUBLOUS TIMES Jerusalem was a type of the Church of God; and as the former was built “in troublous times,” so is the latter. I. THIS IS TRUE OF INDIVIDUALS. This world is the house of discipline in which Christians are broken to the Divine service by... [ Continue Reading ]
_Shall Messiah be cut off, but not for Himself._ “CUT OFF, BUT NOT FOR HIMSELF” The Messiah here mentioned is the great and only God, who, in reference to His office as the anointed Saviour, was called Messiah, and also Christ. He is said to be “cut off, but not for Himself.” His being “cut off” d... [ Continue Reading ]