John Calvin Commentary Daniel 8

Here Daniel recounts another vision, differing from the previous one as a part from the whole. For God wanted to show him first what various changes would happen before Christ’s advent. The second redemption was the beginning of a new life, since God then not only restored anew His own Church, but, as it were, created a new people; and for this reason, the departure from Babylon and the return to their country are called the second birth of the Church.

But as God at that time gave them only a taste of true and solid redemption, whenever the prophets speak of that deliverance, they extended their thoughts and their prophecies to the coming of Christ. God therefore, very appropriately, showed the Four Monarchies to His Prophet, so that the faithful would not grow weary in seeing the world so often in turmoil, and almost changing its form and nature.

Thus they would be subject to the most distressing worries, become a laughingstock to their enemies, and always remain contemptible and lowly, without the power to help themselves, under these constant upheavals. The faithful, then, were forewarned about these Four Monarchies, so that they would not suppose themselves rejected by God and completely deprived of His care.

But now God wanted to show only one part to His Prophet. As the destruction of the Babylonian empire was near, and the second kingdom was approaching, this dominion also would quickly come to its end, and then God’s people would be reduced to the utmost distress. And the main purpose of this vision is to prepare the faithful to bear patiently the horrible tyranny of Antiochus, which the Prophet discusses in this chapter.

Now, therefore, we understand the meaning of this prophecy, where God speaks of only two Monarchies, for the Chaldean kingdom was soon to be abolished: he first discusses the Persian kingdom, and next, adds that of Macedon, but omits all others, and proceeds directly to Antiochus, king of Syria.

He then declares that the most wretched confusion would prevail in the Church, for the sanctuary would be deprived of its dignity, and the elect people would be slain everywhere, without sparing even innocent blood. We shall also see why the faithful were informed beforehand of these grievous and oppressive calamities: to lead them to look up to God when oppressed by such extreme darkness.

And even today this prophecy is useful to us, so that our courage does not fail us in the extreme calamity of the Church, because a lasting picture of the Church in that calamitous and mournful state is presented to us. Although God often spares our weaknesses, yet the Church is never free from many distresses, and unless we are prepared to endure all struggles, we will never stand firm in the faith. This is the scope and explanation of the prophecy. I will discuss the rest later.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, since You formerly permitted Your servants to maintain their courage in the midst of so many and such great upheavals, may we reap the same edification from these prophecies. And since we have fallen upon the fullness of times, may we profit from the examples of the ancient Church, and by the pious and holy admonitions which You have set before us. Thus may we stand firm and unconquered against all the attacks of Satan, the world, and the impious, and so may our faith remain impregnable, until at last we enjoy the fruit of its victory in Your heavenly kingdom, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

[Exposition continues from previous day's lecture]

I have written a short preface to this vision, which is described for us in this eighth chapter, to enable you to understand its contents, and to perceive the purpose for which it was given to the Prophet. Regarding the time, we must remember that the Prophet was informed of the victory of Cyrus and Darius while the Babylonian monarchy was still standing and flourishing.

Although Cyrus had already made great progress and had begun to lay waste the Chaldean territories, yet Belshazzar, as we have already seen, was carelessly enjoying his festivities. No one thought Cyrus would become the conqueror of such a great monarchy, because Belshazzar did not gather a large army to defend the boundaries of his kingdom. He thought he would repel all the endeavors of Cyrus as easily as possible; and the greater Cyrus’s violence, the more King Belshazzar hoped to overthrow him.

Now God wanted to show His servant these future events. First, the immediate change is revealed; and then the calamity that would ultimately follow is made known—the calamity, I mean, of the Church under King Antiochus and his successors. The Prophet therefore says:—

Without any doubt, the Prophet here recognized a new empire was about to arise, which could not happen without Babylon being reduced to slavery. This realization would greatly help to alleviate the cares of the devout and mitigate their sorrows, as they witnessed what they had previously thought unbelievable: the approaching destruction of that horrible tyranny under which they had been so cruelly oppressed.

And if the liberty of returning to their country was not immediately granted to the people, it would be a significant consolation to behold God’s judgment against the Chaldeans as foretold by the prophets. We must now examine the Prophet’s language. I have seen in a vision, he says. This word חזון, chezon, a “vision,” is added to show us that the ram mentioned was not seen with physical eyes.

Therefore, this was a heavenly oracle and should have raised the beholder above all human sensations, enabling him to discern from a lofty watchtower what was hidden from the rest of mankind. He did not see, then, what ordinary men might behold; instead, God showed him in a vision things that no mortal senses could apprehend.

He next adds, The vision was shown to me, Daniel, and I happened, he says, when I saw it, to be in Shushan. Some think Daniel was then dwelling in Persia, but this view is not at all probable. For who could persuade the holy Prophet of God—who had been taken captive with the rest and was in service to the king of Babylon—to leave as if he were entirely his own master and go into Persia when the Persians were then declared enemies?

This is not at all likely, and I wonder what can lead people to adopt this interpretation, which is so contrary to all reason. For we need not dispute about a matter that is not at all obscure if we consider the Prophet’s words, as he removes all doubt by saying he was in Shushan when he saw—that is, when he was caught up by the prophetic spirit beyond himself and above the world.

The Prophet does not say he lived in Shushan or in the neighborhood; he was there in the vision only. The next verse, too, sufficiently shows that he was then in Chaldea, for he says it was in the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar. By naming the king, he clearly expresses that he then lived under his power and dominion.

It is clearly to be gathered from these words, without the slightest doubt, that the Prophet then lived in Chaldea. And perhaps Babylon had already been besieged, as we saw before. He says he was in the palace at Shushan. I do not know how I ought to translate this word, הבירה, hebireh, as I see no reason for preferring the meaning “palace” to that of “citadel.”

We are sure of the nobility and renown of the citadel, which was later the head of the East, for all nations and tribes received their laws, rights, and judgments from there. At the same time, I think this citadel was not yet built then, as its dominion over the Persian territory was not firmly established until the successors of Cyrus. We might perhaps distinguish Shushan from Persia proper, yet since it is usually treated as part of that kingdom, I will not press the distinction.

The region is, however, far milder and more fertile than Persia, as it receives its name from being flowery and abounding in roses. Thus, the Prophet says he was there in a vision.

He afterwards repeats this: I saw in a vision, and behold I was near the river Ulai. The Latin writers mention a river Eulaeus, and as there is a great similarity between the words, I do not hesitate to understand Daniel’s language as referring to the Eulaeus. The repetition is not unnecessary; it adds certainty to the prophecy because Daniel affirms it.

He affirms it not to have been some vanishing phantom, as a vision might be suspected of being, but clearly and certainly a divine revelation, as he will later relate. He also says, he raised his eyes upwards. This attentive attitude signifies the same thing, as experience shows us how often people are deceived by wandering in erroneous imaginations. But Daniel here testifies to his raising his eyes upwards because he knew himself to be divinely called to discern future events.

He next adds, And behold a ram stood at the bank of the river, and it had horns. He now compares the empire of Persia and Media to a ram. It should not seem absurd that God proposed various similitudes to His servant, because his duty was to teach an untutored people in various ways; and we know this vision was presented to the Prophet, not for his private instruction only, but for the common benefit of the whole people.

I do not think we need to inquire meticulously why the Persian kings are called rams. I know of no valid reason, unless perhaps to make a comparison between them and Alexander of Macedon and his successors. If so, when God, under the image of a ram, shows His Prophet the Persian Empire, He does not illustrate its nature in an absolute sense, but only by comparison with that of Alexander.

We are well aware of the opposition between these two empires. The Persian monarchy is called “a ram” with reference to the Macedonian, which, as we shall later see, bears the name of “he-goat” because of its antagonism. And we may find the best reason for this comparison in the humble origin of the kings of Persia.

Very appropriately, then, Cyrus, the first ruler of this empire, is here portrayed for us under the form or image of a ram. His “horn” produced a shock throughout the whole earth, when no one expected anything to spring from a region not at all abounding in anything noble.

And as for Alexander, he is called a “he-goat” in relation to the “ram,” being far more agile, and yet more obscure in his origin. For what was Macedon but a mere corner of Greece? But I do not propose to draw out the parallel between these points; it is enough that God wishes to show His Prophet and the whole Church how, from among the Persians—unknown as they were then and despised by their neighbors—a king would arise to consume the Median power, as we shall see shortly, and also to overthrow the Babylonian monarchy.

Behold, therefore, he says, a ram stood before the river, or at the bank of the river, since Cyrus subdued both the Medes and his grandfather, as historians tell us. Cyrus then rushed forth from his own mountains and stood at the bank of the river. He also says, He had two horns. Here the Prophet presents two horns for two empires, and not at all for two persons.

For although Cyrus married the daughter of his uncle Cyaxares, we know the Persian empire lasted a long time and supplied historians with a long list of kings. Since Cyrus had so many successors, by the two horns God doubtless showed His Prophet those two empires—the Medes and Persians—united under one sovereignty. Therefore, when the ram appeared to the Prophet, it represented both kingdoms under one symbol.

The context confirms this by saying, The two horns were lofty, one higher than the other, and this was raised backwards. The two horns were lofty. For, though the Persian territory was not rich, and its people were rustic, living in woods, leading an austere life and despising all luxuries, the nation was always warlike.

Therefore, the Prophet says this horn was higher than the other, meaning the empire of the Medes. Now Cyrus surpassed his father-in-law Darius in fame, authority, and rank; yet he always permitted Darius to enjoy royal majesty until the end of his life. Since Darius was an old man, Cyrus could easily concede the highest honor to him without any loss to himself.

Regarding the following period, then, Cyrus was clearly pre-eminent, as he was certainly superior to Darius (whom Xenophon calls Cyaxares). For this reason, then, this horn was higher. Meanwhile, however, the Prophet shows how gradually Cyrus was exalted. The horn rose backwards; that is, 'afterwards'—meaning, although the horn of the Median kingdom was more illustrious and conspicuous, yet the horn which rose afterwards obscured the brightness and glory of the former one.

This agrees with the accounts of secular history, for every reader of those accounts will find nothing recorded by Daniel that was not fulfilled by the event. Let us continue.

The Prophet now briefly sketches the great success that would attend this double kingdom. He says, The ram struck all the nations towards the west, and north, and south. The Persian and Median territory lay to the east of Babylon, Egypt, Syria, Asia Minor, and Greece. This, without doubt, extends to all the successors of Cyrus, who are recorded as having convulsed the whole world.

Cyrus himself was soon afterwards cruelly and basely slain, according to many historians, although Xenophon affirms that he died in his bed. But I have warned you before not to put your trust in that writer, although most excellent, since, using the image of that king, he wished to set before us an example of perfect manliness; and therefore he presents him as speaking on his deathbed, and exhorting his sons to kingly virtues.

Whichever is the true account, Cyrus was clearly overtaken in the midst of his career. In this way God wished to chastise his insatiable cupidity, a vice in which he resembled Alexander. As to his successors, they caused such commotion in the whole world as to stir up heaven and earth.

Xerxes alone said he could bind the sea with fetters! And we know the greatness of the army that he commanded; and this passage deals not only with one king, but with all those of Persia. As they obtained a dominion so vast, their ambition and pride always inflamed them, and there was no end to their warfare until they had subdued the distant boundaries of the world.

We are also acquainted with their numerous attempts to destroy the liberty of Greece. The Prophet encompasses all this in very few words. God also wished to give his Prophet a brief glance into the future, as far as such knowledge could be useful. I saw, then, he says, a ram, namely, a beast that possessed a double horn, representing the Medes and Persians united in the same sovereignty.

He struck the west, and the north, and the south, so that no beasts could stand before him. As the Persian kingdom is here depicted under the image of a ram, all kings and people are called beasts. Thus, no beast stood before him, and no one could deliver out of his hand. It is well known, indeed, how Xerxes and others failed in their attacks, and how many wars the Monarchs of Persia attempted in which they were conquered by the Greeks; but still their conquerors were in no better condition, as they were compelled to seek peace like suppliants.

So great became the power of the Persians that they inspired all nations with fear. For this reason the Prophet says, he did according to his pleasure, not implying the complete success of these Monarchs according to their utmost wishes, for their desires were often frustrated, as we have already described, based on historical evidence.

Still, they were always formidable, not only to their neighbors who submitted to their yoke, but also to the most distant nations, as they crossed the sea and descended from Asia upon Greece. In the last word, he expresses this fact—the ram became mighty. For the Persian king became the greatest of all Monarchs in the world, and it is sufficiently well-known that his dignity and strength were so great that no one could augment them. It follows:

Here another change is shown to the Prophet, namely, Alexander’s coming to the east and acquiring for himself the mighty sway of the Persians, as later happened. Then, with the aim of securing confidence for his prediction, he says, he was attentive. He undoubtedly dwells upon the reverence with which he received the vision to encourage us to pursue piety, and also modesty and attention.

Therefore, the Prophet was not carried away in imagination by a dream that could be questioned; he knew this vision had been set before him by God, and he acknowledged his duty to receive it with modesty and humility. Therefore, he says, I was attentive, and behold a he-goat came forth from the west.

The location of Macedon relative to Persia must be noted. Since the Greeks were located to the west of Persia, the Prophet says, the he-goat came from the west, and went over the surface of the whole earth. These words signify Alexander's very extensive dominion and the terror of surrounding nations.

His arrival in Asia with a very small army is well known. He considered 30,000 men sufficient after he had been made their general by the Greek states. Thus, the passage is to be understood not in terms of numbers, but of the terror inspired on all sides; for, although he advanced with only a moderate force, he still terrified the whole earth.

He says, But he did not touch the ground. This refers to his swiftness, for he seemed to fly rather than travel either on foot or by sea, so incredible was his speed in this expedition. For if anyone had galloped through regions completely at peace, he could not have passed through Asia more quickly.

Thus, a he-goat was shown to the Prophet who did not touch the ground, that is, who was carried along with a rapid impulse, like that of lightning itself. He says, And the goat had a horn between its eyes — a remarkable horn.

We know how much glory Alexander acquired for himself in a short time. Yet, he did not undertake the war in his own name or on his own responsibility, but he used every scheme to obtain from the Greek states the office of general-in-chief against the Persians, as their perpetual enemies.

We are well aware of the hostility of the Persians toward the Greeks. Although often compelled to retreat with great disgrace, infamy, and loss of troops, the Persians still kept renewing the war, as they had an abundance of men and financial resources. When Alexander was made general of all Greece, he had a remarkable horn between his eyes; that is, he took care to have his title as general made known to increase his personal authority.

Besides, it was prominent enough to establish him as the sole general of the entire army, with all things being carried out according to his will, as he had undertaken the war. This, then, is the reason why the Prophet says, the horn was visible between the eyes of the goat.

It follows, It came to the ram, which had two horns; that is, it came against the king of the Medes and Persians. Cyrus also had seized Babylon and had subdued many kings, but two horns are assigned to the ram because the Persian kings had united the Medes in an alliance with themselves.

Thus, one he-goat with his horn came against the ram which had two horns, and ran against it in the ardor of its bravery. Thus, Alexander's perseverance is indicated, as he hurried so as to surpass all expectation by the speed of his arrival.

For Darius remained secure, although he had gathered a large army, but Alexander rushed forwards in the boldness of his strength, and surrounded the enemy with his swiftness. It follows:

Here God shows His prophet the victory of Alexander, by which he subdued almost the whole East. Although he encountered many nations in battle, and especially the Indians, yet the name of the Persian empire was so celebrated in the world, that the dignity of others never approached it.

Alexander, therefore, by conquering Darius, acquired nearly the whole East. God showed His prophet the easiness of his victory under this figure. I looked, he says, when he approached the land. Darius was fortified by both the distance of his stations and the strength of his fortifications, for many of his cities were impregnable, according to the common opinion of mankind.

It was incredible, then, that the he-goat should approach the ram, surrounded as he was on all sides by such strong and powerful garrisons. But the Prophet says he approached the ram, and then, he exasperated himself against him. This applies to Alexander’s furious assaults. We are well acquainted with the keenness of his talents and the superiority of his valor; yet, such was his unbridled audacity, that his promptness approached rashness rather than regal bravery.

For he often threw himself with a blind impulse against his foes, and it was not his fault if the Macedonian name was not destroyed ten times over. So, as he rushed on with such violent fury, we are not surprised when the Prophet says, he was exasperated of his own accord, and he struck the ram, he says.

He conquered Darius in two battles, when the power of the Persian sway throughout Asia Minor was completely ruined. We are all familiar with the results of these hazardous battles, showing the whole stress of the war to have rested on that engagement in which Darius was first conquered. For when he says, The ram had no strength to stand; and although he had collected an immense multitude, yet that preparation was available for nothing but empty pomp.

For Darius was resplendent with gold, silver, and gems, and he rather made a show of these luxuries in warfare than displayed manly and vigorous strength. The ram, then, had no power to stand before the he-goat. Hence, he threw him prostrate on the earth, and trod him down; and no one was able to deliver out of his hand. Darius, indeed, was slain by his attendants, but Alexander trod down all his glory and the dignity of the Persian Empire, under which all the people of the East trembled.

We are also aware of the pride with which he abused his victory, until under the influence of harlots and debauchees, as some report, he tumultuously set fire to that most celebrated citadel of Susa in a drunken fit. As he so indignantly trampled under foot the glory of the Persian monarchy, we see how aptly the events fulfilled the prophecy, in the manner recorded by all secular historians.

Prayer:

Grant, Almighty God, since You desire us to be tossed about amidst many and various convulsions, that our minds may always look upwards towards heaven, where You have prepared for us certain rest and a tranquil inheritance beyond the reach of disturbance and commotion.

When the land through which we are on pilgrimage is in confusion, may we be so occupied during its storms as to stand composed and grounded upon the faith of Your promises, until having completed our warfare, we are gathered together into that happy rest, where we shall enjoy the fruit of our victory, in Christ Jesus our Lord. — Amen.