John Calvin Commentary Daniel 8:10

"And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and some of the host and of the stars it cast down to the ground, and trampled upon them." — Daniel 8:10 (ASV)

Here Daniel continues the vision he had received. We have already shown the object of the Almighty to be the preparation of the faithful to bear serious calamities, so that nothing new or unexpected should happen to them. Now, Daniel’s dwelling on this point is not surprising, for it becomes his duty to inform the faithful of the heavy calamities that were near, and thus to shape them for patience and composure.

Thus he says, The horn became magnificent, even to the army of the heavens. Without the slightest doubt, this figure represents the elect people of God. Although the Church often lies prostrate in the world, and is trodden underfoot and buried, yet it is always precious before God. Hence the Prophet adorns the Church with this remarkable praise, not to obtain for it any honor before men, but because God has separated it from the world and provided a sure inheritance in heaven.

Although the sons of God are pilgrims on earth and have hardly any dwelling-place here, becoming like castaways before men, yet they are nevertheless citizens of heaven. The usefulness of this teaching to us is apparent, by its leading us to bear it patiently whenever we are often thrown prostrate on the ground, and whenever tyrants and the despisers of God look down upon us with scorn.

Meanwhile, our seat is laid up in heaven, and God numbers us among the stars, although, as Paul says, we are as dung and the offscouring of all things (1 Corinthians 4:13). In short, God here shows His Prophet, as in a mirror, the estimation in which He holds His Church, however contemptible it is on earth.

That horn, then, was magnified before the army of the heavens, and cast down some of that army upon the earth, and trod them out of the stars. This was exactly as if it was proclaimed that the tyrant's reins were loosened, permitting him to treat the Church with contempt, to tread it underfoot, and to draw down the stars from heaven, just as if God never appeared for its protection.

For when God, who holds us safe and secure in His hand and pronounces it impossible to prevail against His help, nevertheless permits tyrants to harass and oppress us by their unbridled desires, it is like drawing down stars from heaven.

God, therefore, while He takes us under His guardianship, does not offer us any apparent aid but acts as if He wished to betray us to our enemies. Nothing, therefore, is superfluous in these expressions of the Prophet: The stars were trodden down and the heavenly army thrown down to earth.

He now adds—