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John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 9:14

Verse 14 Daniel confirms what he had formerly said respecting the slaughter which afflicted the Israelites not being the offspring of chance, but of the certain and remarkable judgment of God. Hence he uses the word שקר , seked, which signifies to watch and to apply the mind attentively to anything. It is properly used of the guards of cities, who keep watch both by night and by day. This phrase does not appear to me to imply haste, but rather continual carefulness. God often uses this metaphor... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 9:15

Verse 15 After Daniel has sufficiently confessed the justice of those judgments which God had inflicted upon the people, he again returns to beg for pardon. First, he would conciliate favor for himself; next, he would stir up the minds of the pious to confidence, and so he sets before them that proof of grace which ought to avail to support the minds of the pious even to the end of the world. For when God led his people out of Egypt, he did not set before them any momentary benefit merely, but... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 9:16

Verse 16 Lastly, he would not permit that redemption to fail which was an illustrious and eternal proof of his virtue, favor, and goodness. Hence he subjoins, O Lord, may thine anger be averted according to all thy righteousness, and thine indignation from thy city Jerusalem, the mountain of thy holiness. We observe how Daniel here excludes whatever merit there might be in the people. In reality they did not possess any, but I speak according to that foolish imagination which men can scarcely... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 9:17

Verse 17 His next prayer is, Do thou who art our God hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine forth In these words Daniel wrestles with distrust, not for his own sake privately, but for that of the whole Church to whom he set forth the true method of prayer. And experience teaches all the pious how necessary this remedy is in those doubts which break into all our prayers, and make our earnestness and ardor in prayer grow dull and cold within us, or at... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 9:18

Verse 18 This short clause breathes a wonderful fervor and vehemence of prayer; for Daniel pours forth his words as if he were carried out of himself. God’s children are often in an ecstasy in prayer; they moan and plead with God, use various modes of speech and much tautology, and cannot satisfy themselves. In forms of speech, indeed, hypocrites are sometimes superior; they not only rival God’s sincere worshippers, but are altogether carried along by outward pomps, and by a vast heap of words... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Daniel 9:19

Verse 19 Here vehemence is better expressed, as I have previously observed. For Daniel does not display his eloquence, as hypocrites usually do, but simply teaches by his example the true law and method of prayer. Without doubt, he was impelled by singular zeal for the purpose of drawing others with him. God, therefore, worked in the Prophet by his Spirit, to render him a guide to all the rest, and his prayer as a kind of common form to the whole Church. With this intention, Daniel now relates... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Daniel 9:1-19

The omnipotence of prayer. The man of prayer exerts a greater influence over national affairs than even crowned heads. "Prayer moves the hand that moves the world." Daniel on his knees was a mightier man than Darius on his throne. Daniel was in the service of the King of kings; was admitted to the audience-chamber of the Most High; and received the announcements of the Divine will. Darius now mainly serves as a landmark on the course of time to indicate a date; Daniel is still the teacher... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Daniel 9:1-21

The nation's advocate at God's bar. "Whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel … touched me" ( Daniel 9:21 ). Our subject is the prayer of Daniel, and the following points will demand full and careful consideration. I. THE MOMENT IN TIME . This was most critical; for: 1 . The moment had been anticipated in prophecy. ( Jeremiah 25:11 , Jeremiah 25:12 ; Jeremiah 29:10-14 .) How Daniel reckoned the seventy years, and how others did so, must be carefully... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Daniel 9:1-27

EXPOSITION THE SEVENTY WEEKS . This is the chapter of Daniel which has occasioned most controversy. It was appealed to by Tertullian and the early Fathers as a demonstration of the correctness of our Lord's claims to Messiahship. It is now received by critical commentators that to our Lord this prophecy cannot refer. Many treatises have been written on the "seventy weeks" of Daniel, and none of them have entirely cleared up the difficulties; indeed, it may be doubted whether all... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Daniel 9:14

Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the Lord our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice. The Greek versions agree with this, save that the LXX . has "Lord God" in the first case as well as the second. The Peshitta, when one remembers the different division of the verses, is also identical. There is an obvious resemblance here to Jeremiah 44:27 , "Behold, I am watching over you for evil, and not for good." The... read more

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