ration of the power of Antichrist, and, as some suppose, for the commencement of the millennium, or universal reign of saints, which they conceive to be foretold, for the explanation of which we must wait the event. *

The historical part of the writings of Daniel contains the education and wisdom of Daniel and his associates in Babylon (ch. i.); Nebuchadnezzar's dream, with the interpretation thereof (ch. ii.); the miraculous preservation of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the fiery furnace, and their promotion (ch. iii.); a second dream of Nebuchadnezzar interpreted by Daniel, and its accomplishment (ch. iv.); Belshazzar's impious feast, Daniel's interpretation of the mysterious writing, the death of Belshazzar, and the taking of the city by the Medes and Persians (ch. v.); Daniel's promotion under Darius, the conspiracy formed against him, his preservation in the den of lions, and Darius's decree, ch. V1.

The prophetical part comprises the vision of the four beasts, concerning the four great monarchies, with its interpretation (ch. vii.); the vision of the Ram and he Goat, typifying the destruction of the Medo-Persian empire, by the Greeks and Macedonians, under Alexander, and its interpretation, ch. viii. Daniel, understanding from the Prophecies of Jeremiah that the termination of the 70 years' captivity was now drawing towards a close, was engaged in fasting and prayer for the restoration of Jerusalem, when the angel Gabriel was sent to him to inform him that the holy city should be rebuilt and peopled, and should continue for a period of 70 weeks, or 490 years; at the end of which it should be utterly destroyed for putting the Messiah to death (ch. ix. 1-24); the commencement of this period is fixed to the time when the order was issued for rebuilding the temple, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes, see Ezra vii. 11. Seven weeks, or 49 years, the temple was building; 62 weeks, or 434 years more, bring us to the public manifestation of Messiah, at the beginning of John the Baptist's preaching; and one week, or seven years added to this, will reach the time of our Lord's death, or 33d of the Christian era; in all 490 years, according to the prophecy, † ver. 25-27.-Daniel's last prophetic vision, in the third year of the reign of Cyrus, in which the succession of the Persian and Grecian monarchies is described, with the wars that should take place between Syria and Egypt, under the latter monarchy, and the conquest of Macedon by the

* Gray's Key, in loc.

+ Smith's Summary View, p. 164.

Romans (ch. x. 1-36); the tyranny of the antichrist which was to spring up under the Romans, till the church be purified from its pollutions (ver. 36—39); a prediction of the invasion of the Romans by the Saracens, from the south, and the Turks, from the north (ver. 40-45. Comp. Ezek. xxxviii. 2. 15. 4. 5. 16. 8; xxxix. 2. 4; xxxviii. 22. 23; Rev. xx. 8, 9); the proper conclusion to these great revolutions, in the general resurrection, ch. xii. 1-4. The whole concludes with a notation of the time when these great events were to be accomplished; when the Jews were to be restored, antichrist destroyed, the fulness of the Gentiles brought in, and the reign of the Saints to begin, ver. 5-13.*

The Book of Obadiah.

It is not quite certain when this prophet lived, but it is highly probable that he was contemporary with Jeremiah and Ezekiel, who denounced the same dreadful judgments on the Edomites, as the punishment of their pride, violence, and cruel insultings over the Jews, after the destruction of their city. The prophecy, according to Usher, was fulfilled about five years after the destruction of Jerusalem. Obadiah's prophecy may be divided into two parts-the judgments denounced on the Edomites (ver. 1-16); the restoration and future prosperity of the Jews, ver 17-21. Though this prophecy was partly fulfilled in the return of the Jews from Babylon, and the conquests of the Maccabees over the Edomites (1 Mac. v. 3—5. 65, &c.), it is yet thought to have a further aspect to events still future.

The Book of Ezekiel.

This prophet was the son of Buzi, a descendant of Aaron, of the tribe of Levi, consequently of the sacerdotal order. He was carried to Babylon along with Jehoiakim, or Jeconiah, King of Judah. He entered upon his prophetic office in the fifth year of his captivity, and exercised his functions for about 21 years. The commencement of this period falls on B. C. 595, and 35 years after Jeremiah had begun his office; so that the last eight years of that prophet coincide

the

year

*The reader who is desirous of studying these interesting and important pro phecies may consult the works of Mede, Sir Isaac Newton, Bishop Newton, Mr. Faber, Dr. Hales, &c.

K

with the first eight of Ezekiel. His design appears to have been chiefly to convince the captive Jews that they erred in supposing their brethren who still remained in Judea, to be in happier circumstances than themselves. Hence he describes the terrible judgments impending over that country, the final destruction of the city and temple; and inveighs against the heinous sins which were the cause of such calamities. Josephus affirms that Ezekiel wrote two books on the captivity at Babylon; but as we have no intimation of the kind in the Sacred Volume, and as the Jewish historian has not given his authority for the statement, it may fairly be rejected as groundless.

The Jews assert that the Sanhedrin hesitated long before they admitted the writings of Ezekiel into the canon of Scripture. If this were the case, it was occasioned by their misunderstanding some parts of his prophecies, particularly the eighteenth chapter, which they conceived to be contradictory to the law of Moses. The discrepancy, however, completely vanishes when the scope or design of the prophet is regarded; and, in fact, Moses himself has said the very thing which has been objected against Ezekiel. See Deut. xxiv. 16.

With regard to the style of Ezekiel, Bishop Lowth pronounces him to be much inferior to Jeremiah in elegance, but not excelled by Isaiah in sublimity, though his sublimity is of a different kind. "He is deep, vehement, tragical; the only sensation he affects to excite is the terrible: his sentiments are elevated, fervid, full of fire, indignant; his imagery is crowded, magnificent, terrific, sometimes almost to disgust; his language is pompous, solemn, austere, rough, and at times unpolished he employs frequent repetitions, not for the sake of grace or elegance, but from the vehemence of passion or indignation." "In many respects he is, perhaps, excelled by the other prophets; but in that species of composition to which he seems by nature adapted, the forcible, the impetuous, the great and solemn, not one of the sacred writers is superior to him." "The greater part of Ezekiel, towards the middle of the book especially, is poetical, whether we regard the matter or the diction. His periods, however, are frequently so rude and incompact, that I am often at a loss how to pronounce concerning his performance in this respect. Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, as far as relates to style, may be said to hold the same rank among the Hebrews, as Homer, Simo

* Antiquities of the Jews, b. x. ch. 6.

nides, and Eschylus, among the Greeks. There are some elegies in Ezekiel, which are actually distinguished by the title of lamentations, and which may, with the utmost propriety, be referred to the class of elegies. Among these are the two lamentations concerning Tyre, and the King of Tyre."* Michaelis dissents from Lowth, and is inclined to think that the prophet displays more art and luxuriance in amplifying and decorating his subject than is consistent with poetical fervour, or, indeed, with true sublimity. He pronounces him to be an imitator, but yet to have the art of giving an air of novelty and ingenuity, but not of grandeur and sublimity, to all his compositions; that the imagery which was familiar to the Hebrew poetry he constantly makes use of; and that those figures which were invented by others, but were only glanced at, or partially displayed by those who first used them, he dwells upon, and depicts with such accuracy and copiousness, as to leave nothing to add to them, nothing to be supplied by the reader's imagination. Archbishop Newcome, however, has entered into an elaborate investigation of the style of Ezekiel, which he concludes with remarking, that if the prophet's style is the old age of the Hebrew language and composition, it is a firm and vigorous one, and should induce us to trace its youth and manhood with the most assiduous attention.†

This book contains Ezekiel's call to the prophetic office (ch. i. 1-28); his commission and encouragements for executing it (ch. i. 28-ii.); his instructions (ch. iii. 1-27); denunciations against the Jewish people, mingled with promises of mercy and restoration (ch. iv-xxiv.); prophecies against the Tyrians (ch. xxv-xxviii. 19),-the Sidonians (ver. 20-23); promises of deliverance to the Jews, and restoration to their own land (ver. 24-26); a prediction of the conquest of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar (ch. xxix-xxxii.); a warning, reminding the prophet of the awful responsibility of his office (ch. xxxiii. 1-9); an exhortation to the Jews to repent, with promises of mercy and acceptance on their obedience, ver. 10-20. The prophet receives intelligence of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, whence he takes occasion to check the vain confidence of his countrymen, by fortelling the utter desolation of all Judea (ver. 21—29), and reproves the hypocrisy of those who listen to his instructions without obeying them, ver. 30-33. A reproof directed

against the rulers of the people, and a promise to restore them

* Lowth on the Poetry of the Hebrews, Lecture 21.
+ Preface to Ezekiel, p. lxii.

to their own land under the Messiah, and render them prosperous and permanently secure (ch. xxxiv.); a resumption of the predictions against the Edomites, for their insults to the Jews (ch. xxxv.-xxxvi. 15); and a promise of deliverance and restoration to the latter, ver. 16 xxxvii. A prophecy yet unfulfilled relating to the victory of Israel over Gog and Magog (ch. xxxviii. xxxix. 1–22. Compare Rev. xx. 8, 9), which is concluded with a promise of deliverance from the captivity, and of a future restoration of all Israel (ver. 28—29); a vision representing a new temple and city; a new religion and government, typical of an universal church, which is commonly believed to be the description of a temple of corresponding construction with the celebrated temple of Solomon; but it is obvious that the prophet has some further reference, and really delineates a spiritual edifice, which "shall be filled with the glory of the Lord," ch. xl-xlviii.

III. PROPHETS WHO FLOURISHED AFTER THE RETURN

FROM BABYLON.

The Book of Haggai.

This prophet lived about 520 years before Christ. He was raised up for the purpose of stimulating Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the people, to resume the building of the temple, which had been interrupted for fourteen years, by the intrigues of the Samaritans. He commences his work by remonstrating with the people for being so solicitous about the completion and adornment of their own houses, while they suffered the house of God to remain in an unfinished state. He declares that the glory of the latter temple should greatly surpass that of the former-not in external splendour-but in spiritual magnificence, as it should be visited by the king Mes

siah.

Bishop Lowth pronounces Haggai to be the most obscure of the prophetic writers. His work may be considered as in general a prose composition, but there are some passages of much sublimity and pathos.

This book contains a reproof as above mentioned, and an encouragement to set about the completion of the Lord's house (ch. i.-ii. 9); a prediction of an abundant harvest, as the reward of their obedience (ver. 10—19); a prophecy of the mighty revolution which should take place by the setting up of the kingdom of Christ, under the type of Zerubbabel, ver. 20-23.