How known to him.

This last event was revealed to him by the prophet Gabriel, and is one of the most marvellous prophecies in the whole Bible.

The prophecy.

He says: "From the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem unto the Messiah, the Prince of Peace, shall be 70 weeks; and after that shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself." (ix. 25, 26.)

explained.

The prophecy The 70 weeks or 490 days means 490 years, a year for a day; which was the exact time between the edict of Artaxerxes to rebuild Jerusalem and the crucifixion of our Lord.

Artaxerxes delivered to the Jews his decree to go and rebuild their city, B.C. 460. The Messiah began his ministry A.D. 30. Adding these two together we have 490, the time predicted. Daniel's other The other prophecies of Daniel refer to the fall of the leading empires of the world; whose fate was revealed by visions to the prophet.

prophecies.

First vision His first vision occurred in the

of Daniel.

first

year

of Belshazzar.

He saw

therein :

(1.) A lion with eagle's wings, which, after a time, were plucked off;

(2.) A bear with three ribs between its teeth;

(3.) A leopard with four wings and four heads; and

(4.) A dreadful creature with iron teeth and 10 horns. All of which beasts were successively destroyed.

signified.

What was The winged lion means the kingdom of Babylon, whose wings were plucked off by Darius;

The bear with three ribs means Persia, which seized on the three ribs or kingdoms of Babylon, Lydia, and Egypt;

The leopard signifies the empire of Macedon, which, on the death of Alexander, was divided into four heads or parts;

The 4th creature probably refers to

the great Roman empire, and is not yet fully accomplished.

His second

vision.

In his next vision he saw a ram with two horns, pushing with irresistible fury on all sides. After a time a hegoat, with one horn, coming from the west, rushed at the ram, and killed it. Fate of the The he-goat became very fierce, but at length its horn was broken off, and four others grew in its place. On one of the four horns a lateral horn shot forth, which became larger than all the rest.

he-goat.

thereof.

Meaning The ram with two horns signifies the kingdom of the Medes and Persians;

The he-goat means Alexander the Great, who conquered this kingdom;

The four horns of the goat refer to the four parts into which the empire of Macedon was divided on the death of Alexander;

The lateral horn refers to the kingdom of Syria; a lateral shoot from one

of the four horns or kingdoms into which the Macedonian empire was divided.

The reference is more especially to Antiochus Epiphanés, king of Syria, who pushed his conquests on all sides, oppressed the Jews, profaned the temple, and took away the daily sacrifice.

Daniel.

Style of The style of Daniel is remarkably clear and distinct. A part of his book is written in Hebrew, and a part in Chaldee.

[A.M. 3483-3519.

CHAPTER II.

CAMBYSES AND AHASUERUS.

B.C. 525-485.

ESTHER.

COTEMPORARY PROPHETS-HAGGAI & ZECHARIAH.

COTEMPORARY EVENTS.

510. Tarquinius Superbus banished from Rome, and the Pisistratidæ from Athens.

490. Battle of Marathon.

485. Coriolānus banished from Rome.

Confucius, the Chinese philosopher; Zoroaster, the Persian philosopher; Pythagoras and Heraclitus, the Grecian philosophers; and the Greek poets, Anacreon, Symonidés, and Bion, flourished in this period.

of Cyrus.

Successor Cyrus, king of Persia, was succeeded by his son Camby'ses, who reigned eight years. (B.C. 525-517.) Treatment of At the solicitation of the Samaritans, he rescinded the edict made by his father Cyrus, and prohibited the Jews from proceeding in their work.

the Jews.

What fol

lowed.

In consequence of which, the city and temple of Jerusalem lay deso