Interpretation of the book of the prophet Daniel

Chapter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Daniel 1:3–4. And the king said to Ashpenaz, the captain of his eunuchs, that he should bring 4 young men from the sons of Israel, from the line of the king and prince. This is allowed so that the power of God may be revealed through comparison; and as happened in many other cases, so it was with wisdom. Lest anyone attribute what happened to Persian wisdom, to refute this, others study with them (the Jewish youths). Foolish people judge things primarily by comparison; That’s why God often uses comparison, and when he speaks about Himself, He does not hesitate to compare and contrast Himself with pagan gods; and the prophets say: “There is none like You, O Lord, among the gods” (Ps. 85:8). Dan.1:4. Who have no physical defect, are beautiful in appearance, and understand all science, and understand science, and are intelligent and fit to serve in the royal palaces, and to teach them the books and the language of the Chaldeans. And beauty serves as an obstacle to chastity and wisdom. Why does he demand those who would be superior to all others in the slenderness of their limbs and the beauty of their faces? Let's listen. If a king, and a barbarian king, demands such people, then doesn’t God love spiritual beauty much more? If those who had a flaw in the body were unworthy to stand before those who had a flaw in the body, “who,” it is said, “have no physical defect,” then those who have a vice in the soul are much more unworthy to stand before God. Does the king rightly demand the strong, capable of domestic service, as the prophet says, or does he also point to spiritual strength; this means the words: “smart and fit to serve in the royal palaces.” And why does he demand “smart”? Those qualities, that is, wisdom and prudence serve for the benefit, but what is this for? Like a barbarian and a worldly man, the king demands this out of his great ambition; but a wise man needs to seek only spiritual qualities. Just as we seek beautiful clothes, not for profit, so does he demand beautiful faces, as if they were toys. Listen to another, who says: “The author of their existence is known comparatively from the greatness of the beauty of creatures” ( Pres.13:5). So you can see that in our body much exists not only for benefit, but also for beauty; colors and paints exist for beauty, and not for utility alone; You can be black and not lose anything in terms of benefits. And we have hair for beauty, just as Paul says: “If a man grows his hair, it is a disgrace to him” (1 Cor. 11:14). And the neck is straight and of proportionate size, and everything else is given to us for beauty, so that if you take away anything small from the whole, you will spoil the beauty, but the benefit will remain. Therefore, especially for beauty, the Creator created this animal (body) for us, and not only this, but also all the others. However, He gave more beauty to some, less to others; and after birth imparts to many a pleasantness that they did not have before. And in the very position of the limbs you can perceive beauty - for example, in the fact that the eyes are at the top, like a rainbow, and have smooth roundness, a variety of colors, regularity, purity, whiteness. But they will say: was beauty a temptation? - Not by their own nature, but by the frivolity of those who are tempted. “Turn your eye away from a beautiful woman,” says the Wise One, “and do not gaze at someone else’s beauty” (Sir.9:8). He didn’t just say: “don’t stare”, but added: “at someone else’s beauty”; therefore he approves of his own pleasure. Why didn’t beauty harm Joseph, didn’t make him pampered, didn’t fill him with pride and vanity? “Take comfort in the wife of your youth, the dear doe and the beautiful brimstone: let her breasts make you drunk at all times,” says the Wise One, “enjoy her love constantly” (Prov. 5:18–19). And beauty serves as a marriage union, because people are very attracted to the body. Since we have been given a difficult and difficult life, we have also been given some consolation. From here ignites love that embraces everything. The Lord provided and used many means to ensure that the marriage union remained indissoluble. But, you will say, beauty was a temptation in the beginning: “then the sons of God saw the daughters of men,” says the Scripture, “that they were beautiful, and they took them as wives whom they chose” (Gen. 6:2). It was not she who was the temptation, but the depravity of those people. God created beautiful daughters not so that they would be shameless, but so that everyone would love his wife. “Intelligent,” it says further, “and understanding for all science,” that is, zealous, capable of all wisdom. “And to teach them the books and the language of the Chaldeans.” Moses, being a private person, was raised like a king; and they, descended from the royal family, were brought up along with the slaves of the ruler. It is well arranged that they learn the sciences and the language of the Chaldeans, so that when Daniel will begin to talk with the king about great things, no one acted as an intermediary and did not distort his words. And what for the rest? So that you would know the wisdom of Daniel and see from the very beginning how he was above the belly. Another would say: I am a captive, I do not have the necessary food from anywhere, God certainly did not do this to me, because not for some reward and not only out of fear, but also out of love, he served God, with great zeal and not a little. time. They studied wisdom for three years and fasted for three years. Do you see the prudence of Daniel? When it was necessary to beware, he was very firm and prudent, and he did not obey, but asked, begged; and when there was no harm, he did not refuse to study the language and wisdom of foreigners, because it was reprehensible not to learn, but to follow their teaching. In this way he could get to know his own wisdom better, learn - again through comparison - that there is no other wisdom like Jewish wisdom, and become stronger. And if it were criminal, then here too he would have resisted and resisted. Do you see that his virtues came from the same place as the vices of gluttons who prefer garlic to manna? That is why Daniel appeared wise. Dan. 1:6. Among them were from the sons of Judah Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. Dan.1:7. And the chief of the eunuchs renamed them Daniel Belshazzar, Hananiah Shadrach, Mishael Meshach, and Azariah Abednego. Daniel, it is said, he gave the name Belshazzar. And their god was called the same, or - better - that was the name of the king's son. Therefore, didn’t he act impudently by calling the prisoner by that name? Of course, he would have acted impudently if this same name had not had a completely different meaning here, as it did with Joseph, to whom his father bowed. And what’s so great about it being called by that name? Do we not see that even now many private people are called by the names of kings? But, you say, not in the royal house. Why is the name change being done? Look how all these circumstances work out. The king does not dream until three years have passed. Do you see what God is doing here? For what? So that Daniel would have more boldness before the king. But they can say that he would have become more famous if the king had seen the dream earlier than three years. But then a decree would not have been issued against the young men, and besides, they would not have believed Daniel. Therefore, the eunuch receives evidence of God’s favor towards them in small and insignificant things, so that when they ask him for more important things, he does not refuse out of distrust and so that they can better learn the language and become more courageous. Don't you see how the same thing happened to David - how the king, judging his deeds by his age, did not believe him when he promised to defeat the foreigner? Finally, notice that Daniel studied the basics of their lives. Moses and Daniel carefully studied the foreigners. So that it does not seem that they preferred their own to someone else's out of ignorance, for this purpose God allows them to taste the wisdom of those, so that when you see, or better yet, hear the words of Moses: “Only this great nation is a wise and understanding people” (Deut. 4:6), you do not think that such a response came from love or partiality, but attributed it to sound judgment, since it cannot be said that out of hatred for the teachers he moved away from their teaching. Both of them enjoyed great honor, and yet they preferred their own. So Paul also spoke with surprise about Moses: “and he would rather suffer with the people of God than to have the temporary pleasure of sin, and he considered the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt” (Heb. 11:25-26). Dan. 1:8. Daniel decided in his heart not to be defiled by the food from the king’s table and the wine that the king drinks, and therefore asked the chief of the eunuchs not to be defiled by him. Dan.1:9. God granted Daniel the favor and favor of the chief of the eunuchs; Look how he starts with good deeds. So from that time on he showed that he was great and wonderful; that is why he is called by a glorious name. Where possible, he kept the law. Who else, tell me, would consider the royal meal an abomination? See how he discovered wisdom from the very beginning. “He asked the chief of the eunuchs,” they say, “not to be defiled by him.” You see how unambitious he was. He did not say: I would rather give my soul; but asked not to extradite him, if possible. Why, he says, should I seek honor? But that is not what Joseph and Moses did. What then? Will we condemn them? Of course not, because they did not know what happened later: there was still no law prohibiting certain foods. Look how he both denounces and philosophizes, showing wisdom in small things. The apostles said the same thing: “this ought to be done, and this ought not to be abandoned” (Luke 11:42). He did this not because the food was sacrificed to idols, but because it was prohibited by law. Did he beg the eunuch? See how Scripture immediately resolved your confusion. “God granted Daniel mercy,” it says, “and the favor of the chief of the eunuchs.” It was the same with Joseph; and there Joseph enjoyed favor, “and Joseph found favor in his sight” (Gen. 39:1–4). Meanwhile, both of them were slaves in the houses of foreigners. Daniel's words could rightly arouse the king's wrath. What are you saying? Do you call the meal of a ruler vile? Are you cleaner for us? Don’t you know that you are studying the language and sciences of the Chaldeans in order to enter our midst? Why did the eunuch show him respect? Daniel was a despised slave, a captive. Even though he was important and deserved respect, it was dangerous to show him respect. Therefore, Scripture, having said that “benevolence,” conveys both the words of the eunuch and his fears. How did it all work out? This would be impossible and would not be allowed if the highest grace had not arranged everything. Dan. 1:11. Then Daniel said to Hamelsar, whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah: Dan. 1:12. make an experiment on your servants for ten days; let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink; Dan. 1:13. and then let our faces and the faces of those youths who feed on the royal food appear before you, and then do to your servants as you see. Dan. 1:14. He obeyed them in this and tested them for ten days. Dan. 1:15. After ten days, their faces turned out to be more beautiful, and their bodies were fuller than all those youths who ate the royal dishes. Great boldness, great determination, great prudence, great faith! “Make an experiment on your servants for ten days.” And lest you think that the blooming appearance of your face depended on the properties of the seeds, pay attention to the water, which is not nutritious. And not only did they turn out to be healthy, but even healthier than those who enjoyed the royal meal; and everyone knows that meat and wine are usually the most nutritious. Notice how a good consequence immediately resulted from the determination of the youths and the grace of God. Their determination was expressed in the fact that they did not want to, but their grace was expressed in the fact that they could (abstain). “And then,” he says, “let them appear before you.” We leave it to you to judge. This mercy is easy and easily fulfilled: make sure in practice; although I myself know well, I do not announce it ahead of time, for your own benefit. Look how he taught the courtiers and showed that he loves God. Moreover, he did not simply say: “Do it with us,” but: “Make an experiment on your servants.” They did not they refused to give honor to people where this did not in the least harm piety. And Paul did the same. Beginning his defensive speech, he first of all said in praise of the judge: “For many years you have judged this people fairly” (Acts 24:10); he enjoys public affairs here. Also, Nathan, prophesying, showed honor to David, Jacob to Pharaoh, Abraham to his cohabitants. And Daniel says: “King! live forever!” (Dan.6:21). You see a word full of flattery; but I would not call this flattery, but prudence and wisdom. So Paul says: “deal with outsiders wisely, making use of the time” (Col. 4:5). This is what Christ taught: “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s” (Luke 20:25). What then? Weren't the seeds unclean? Not at all, nor is water. They continued to do this for three years. Dan. 1:18. At the end of those days, when the king ordered them to be presented, the chief of the eunuchs presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. Dan. 1:19. And the king spoke to them, and of all the youths there was none like Daniel, Ananias, Mishael and Azariah, and they began to serve before the king. Dan. 1:20. And in every matter of wise understanding, whatever the king asked them about, he found them ten times higher than all the mystic scholars and magicians who were in his entire kingdom. “At the end of those days,” he says, they succeeded in both beauty and health. Look how supernatural it all is; look how the Creator reveals His activity. Just as a sculptor is not only one who can melt copper and give it a shape, but no less than one who can correct an already made statue, the same can be seen in relation to God and these youths. The preservation of bodies healthy after such nourishment is no less a proof of creative power than the creation of man from the earth. How do they look healthy? Where does the shiny color come from? Where does the strength come from? You know that drinking water and eating seeds weakens your strength. They did not want to eat even bread; and not a small difference between cooked and uncooked wheat; strength is strengthened not only from eating, but also from boiling what is served, and it is not typical for seeds to boil. Note that this request did not stem from the ambition of those asking, but was based on urgent need. Not simply, without any reason, they subjected themselves to the test, but out of necessity. The soul of the youths was so far from ambition. Meanwhile, who, having such faith and being among foreigners, would not want to show the rulers the favor that God has towards him? But they didn't want this. See also how their denunciation of elders was caused only by necessity. Dan. 2:1. In the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, and his spirit was troubled, and sleep departed from him. But this year is the twelfth. If three years have passed since the capture of the city, and it was taken in the ninth year, then this year is the twelfth. Some say that the same sign among the Jews denotes both numbers. Either this is a scribe’s mistake, or this is, of course, the second year after that, so the youths were presented. But that's not what we're talking about. The situation here is more complicated. Which one? The fact that the king did not know what his dream was. And this was wisely arranged, because if this had not happened, then the wisdom of Daniel would not have been revealed. Let us imagine that he too was called and said the future, and others would say; but, since the fulfillment has not yet taken place, which of them is telling the truth and which is lying? This would need to be explored in other ways. Let us assume that the dream itself were announced; let Daniel say what he said; even if they said the opposite: how would one know whether he was lying or telling the truth? That's why he presents the proof here. It was not so with Joseph, but the king tells the dream because the time for fulfillment was near. It is worthy of surprise that in Egypt the wise men of Egypt, being safe, did not want to invent anything, but said that they did not know. If they cannot explain dreams, then what else can you trust them about? It should not have happened otherwise here; and in Joseph’s prophecy the fulfillment was clear, especially in the case of the courtier. Note that the Chaldean wise men do not invite Daniel, but decide to die rather than see him become famous. However, was the dream only revealed so that Daniel would become famous? I won't say this. Even if only for this, then there would be a great and amazing thing of the manifestation of God’s power; but not for that only. For what? So that the king would come to his senses, having learned that his family would not always dominate - after all, if even after this was told to him, he did not abandon his pride, then even more so if this had not been said - and so that he would recognize God as the Lord of all. Since they attached great importance to dreams, all this happened. That is why God reveals the future to them; equally because they revered the gods especially for foretelling the future. All their magic was directed towards this. Daniel 2:13. When this commandment came out to kill the wise men, they looked for Daniel and his companions to kill them. Daniel 2:14. Then Daniel turned with advice and wisdom to Arioch, the commander of the king's bodyguard, who went out to kill the wise men of Babylon; Daniel 2:15. and asked Arioch, the strongman under the king: “Why such a formidable command from the king?” Then Arioch told the whole matter to Daniel. Do you see the boldness? Do you see courage? He says this to the one who had the power to kill! Moreover, he grieves for others too. This command, he says, has no basis, no pretext, no plausibility - we call such people shameless. “And Daniel entered and begged the king to give him time, and he would present to the king the interpretation of the dream" (Dan. 2:16). It’s amazing how the king allowed this. Notice how everyone trusts Daniel in everything. On what basis did the king think that he was telling the truth? Why didn’t he say: everyone was convicted and admitted that this is above human nature; and you, a foreigner, why do you think to surpass everyone? But when God arranges and arranges the events, then do not doubt at all. But on the other hand, it would have been safer to come to the king afterwards. Why did God not immediately reveal it to him, firstly, so that the event would become known, and so that the wise men would be put into great difficulty? And although he was a prophet, he did not know this before. Moreover, through the righteous, God is justified before you, showing that if He did not give anything to them, who were in danger, without intense prayer, then much less will He give you. That is why Paul demands prayers everywhere: “persist in prayer,” he writes (Rom. 12:12). A pure life is not enough if there is no prayer. Look also at Daniel's great faith. This is the second labor, and again Daniel is the leader and asks for the time required for intense waiting and prayer. He did not ask the king to listen to him immediately. The king did this favor to him, together with his friends. Daniel 2:19. And then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision, and Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel 2:20. And Daniel said: Blessed be the name of the Lord from everlasting to everlasting! For with Him is wisdom and power; Daniel 2:21. He changes times and seasons, deposes kings and sets up kings; gives wisdom to the wise and understanding to the understanding; Daniel 2:22. He reveals the deep and hidden, He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him. Daniel 2:23. I praise and magnify You, God of my fathers, that You have given me wisdom and strength and revealed to me what we prayed to You for; for You have revealed to us the king's work. It was not yet clear to him, but in the vision the prophet was preparing. Look at his boldness. “Why,” he says, “such a formidable command?” It seems to me that even before the discovery of the dream, he stopped the archmagir from killing both by condemning this command and by promising to find a remedy for the trouble. Why was it revealed to Daniel? And among the saints there is a degree of advantage; that’s why he is preferred. How did he see? In a vision, says Scripture, and not with the help of human wisdom. What is well called “mysteries” is what was unknown to everyone. “And he blessed the God of heaven,” i.e. Almighty, Who is strong even there, in the land of foreigners. There was no sacrifice, church or altar there, but there was a good will, and everything was accomplished. Look: upon receiving what he asked, he did not immediately rush to the king’s palace, but first gave the greatest gratitude to the Giver, not like us, who often forget about gratitude from joy at the success of our affairs. But he is not like that; he blessed God and said: “Blessed be the name of the Lord from everlasting to everlasting!” . We, he says, are temporary and short-lived, but we send Him blessing not only for this time, but for everything, not only for the one in which we live, but also for the past and for the future. One must always bless God, whether He appears or does not appear, because His providence extends to everything. Look how in thanksgiving he shows to whom the knowledge of dreams belongs: “he gave me wisdom and strength,” i.e. knowledge of everything and foreknowledge. Here he says the following: God knows everything; there is nothing that He does not know. Well, is it only this, does He have only one foreknowledge? Moreover, the prophet did not say: he has, but: “with Him is wisdom and power,” wanting to show us that this is the natural perfection of God, that this belongs to Him by nature. What then? Does he only foresee and not act? No, and it works. "Changes the times and the summers". He is not talking about changes in years, but about changes in affairs. “He deposes kings and sets up kings” because He makes these changes. But does He only foresee and act? Isn’t it also characteristic of Him that there is something else, something greater, namely, the power to communicate knowledge to others? "Gives wisdom to the wise." Not to those who were previously wise, but to those to whom He gives wisdom. If any wise man has wisdom that is not from Him, then he is not wise. Do not think that wisdom is the art of the Chaldeans. “And,” he says, “understanding is reasonable.” Next, let's see whether Daniel received wisdom from science or from nature. And he says about this: “He reveals the deep and hidden.” He did not say: finds, but: “reveals” to others that which is deep and hidden for us, that has been separated from us for a long time and is hidden. “He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him.” Look what he says? David also says the same thing: “as is the darkness, so is the light” (Ps. 139:12) 1, - speaks of the depth of knowledge, either because even if it was dark, there is no darkness for Him, or because He Himself is light. How then does He know what is in darkness? (He knows) as He has light with Him. “The Light dwells with Him” always, - speaks in a human form. Just as there is nothing dark for the one who has a lighted lamp, so for God; or even more (for Him there is nothing dark): as for the one who has light in his eyes, who always carries it with him - the light. In good time, he now mentioned the fathers, wanting to beg Him through them, just as a strongly loving person is reminded of his beloved persons. And now “he revealed to me what we prayed to You for.” He probably asked for something else, so God revealed this to him too. “For You have revealed to us the king’s work,” he says, “after this Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king commanded to kill the wise men of Babylon. He came and said to him: Do not kill the wise men of Babylon; Bring me before the king, and I will reveal the meaning of the dream" (Dan. 2:23–24). Hastily he came to him and said: “Do not kill the wise men of Babylon.” Who would take care of them? Look how humane and meek the prophet is. But they would not have listened to him if he had not added the following: “Bring me to the king, and I will reveal the meaning of the dream. Then Arioch, it is said, immediately brought Daniel to the king and said to him: I have found from among the captive sons of Judah a man who can reveal to the king the meaning of the dream" (Dan. 2:25). “I found,” he says, “a man from the captive sons of Judah.” He was not ashamed of his origin, because in difficult circumstances one does not ask about anything like that, and all pride, usual in happiness, is suppressed. Thus, a patient will never ask about the origin of a doctor, and someone in some other danger will not investigate whether the one who intends to save him from danger belongs to a higher or lower class, but wants only one thing - deliverance. Who would not be ashamed, who would not be put to shame, seeing that all the wise men of the fatherland are being killed, and the captives are being exalted and exalted? He didn’t think anything of the kind, but hastily led him (to the king), and he asked, no longer with the same pride. What does the king say when he is convinced by experience that his demand was reckless? “The king said to Daniel, who was called Belshazzar: Can you tell me the dream that I saw and the meaning of it” (Dan. 2:26)? He now speaks with greater meekness; he does not say: if you cannot, you will suffer the fate of others. Daniel 2:27. Daniel answered the king and said: the secret that the king asks about cannot be revealed to the king by wise men, charmers, mystic scholars, or fortune-tellers. Daniel 2:28. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets; and He revealed to King Nebuchadnezzar what would happen in the last days. Look at the prudence of the prophet. He did not immediately say: I can tell you; but that first of all the king needed to know, that’s what he says. “The secrets,” he says, “about which the king asks, cannot be revealed to the king by wise men, charmers, mysticists, or fortune-tellers. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets.” He defends those who were unjustly killed, showing that he is not speaking on his own. I said, he says, that this is not the work of the Magi, not at all in order to present himself as more glorious than them, but so that you are convinced that I am speaking too not by the inspiration of human nature. “But there is God in the heavens”: do not limit Him to the sky, but speaks thus to the king, as to a barbarian, distracting him from the earth; God is not like your gods, who revolve around the earth. “And He revealed to King Nebuchadnezzar what would happen in the last days.” unpleasant. “Your dream,” he says, “and the visions of your head on your bed were like this: you, O king, on your bed thought about what will happen after this? And the Revealer of secrets showed you what will happen” (Dan. 2:28-29). He speaks in accordance with the popular opinion, as if dreams hang over the head, either because the thinking ability is concentrated in it, or because under the head are meant the eyes; and His very words mean: you gave the occasion (to revelation). He did not simply say: God revealed it to you; but he said this: you were thinking about “what will happen after this.” Since he took possession of the universe, he was wondering whether he would extend his royal power to everyone, or die. The greatness of power usually leads us to forget that our nature is mortal. I am sure that he will die. The same thing happened to the other king. That’s why someone said to him: “being a man, and not God,” meaning the king of Tyre (Ezek. 28:2). And look how he denounces the king without insult. You thought about this and wondered what would happen next. “On your bed”, when no one disturbed, but the soul was calm; when especially many thoughts are born in us that abuse our peace and leisure. That is why many have the custom of spending this time in prayer, since then the soul is inactive and great harm occurs if we are careless. “And He who reveals secrets has shown you what will happen.” Notice that this is the second time he mentions God and not as he had to; there he says: He who “is in heaven,” and here: “He who reveals secrets has shown you what will happen. But this mystery was revealed to me, not because I was wiser than anyone living, but so that the king’s understanding might be revealed and that you might know the thoughts of your heart” (Dan. 2:30). He seems to be saying: the revelation does not come from me, and the fact that I am the only one who knows about it does not give me an advantage over others. God did not do this because he saw my wisdom. If even after such words the king bowed to him as if he were God, then what if he had not said this? “But in order for it to be revealed to the king,” he says. It’s not you who should thank me, but I who should thank you; I found out so that you would know. Look how he brings the king closer to God, and ascribes the upcoming miracle and love for him to God in advance. When the king found out that this was for his honor, he obviously could cleave to God. God has honored you, he says, more than me. Do you see how unambitious this young man is, how he approaches the subject of speech not before rejecting the king from his high opinion of him? Therefore, could someone who rejects it even when it is given to him, pursue glory? And he did not say: since I honor God, since I serve Him more than others, then it is revealed to me; but - so that you learn something that is very useful. And the first thing should have occurred to the listeners even without his words. Daniel 2:31. You, king, had such a vision: behold, some kind of large idol; This idol was huge, it stood before you in extreme splendor, and its appearance was terrible. Daniel 2:32. This image had a head of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of copper, Daniel 2:33. His legs are of iron, his feet are partly iron, partly clay. Look what vision Nebuchadnezzar received. Since the preaching (of the Gospel) was subsequently to spread among the pagans, it was introduced in advance into pagan tradition, and a similar vision appeared in the pagan land when the temple had already been destroyed and the establishment of the law had ceased. But it is explained through Jews - because, although the sermon was supposed to spread among the pagans, it was through Jewish men - the apostles. So it was with Cornelius. The pagans go ahead, not behind. So here, Nebuchadnezzar was the first to see the vision, but Daniel was the first to recognize its meaning. You see that the Jews are both the first and the last: they were the first to receive benefits, but did not understand what they received so that there would be equality (with the pagans). So then (the believers) were rewarded with the Spirit before baptism. And under Abraham, first the promise of a multitude of nations was given, and then circumcision; but salvation is through circumcision. The prophets spoke about this to the Jews many times, and if your laziness had not been great, I would have revealed where and when. And since the Jews did not listen, the sermon then goes to the pagans. The Jews, hearing such words, showed contempt; and the pagan, having heard, bowed. Notice that this typifies what happened under Christ. The Canaanite woman worships Him; and they not only do not do this, but drive Him out. So here, the Jews put Jeremiah in bonds, and the pagan bowed to Daniel. Also, the Jews drive out the apostles, and the pagans say: “The gods have come to us in human form” (Acts 14:11). When a judgment is pronounced without bias, it is immaculate and pure. Do you see how vivid the images are here? In Babylon the message of Christ is heard, and the listener is a barbarian, so that you may know that not only the pagans, but also the barbarians will hear about this, as Paul says: he must preach the gospel “to both the Greeks and the barbarians” (Rom. 1:14). And so that you do not despair, hope is given. And really, how unfavorable everything is! Royal pride, barbaric nature, the insignificance of the speaker - after all, he was a captive, - his age - after all, he was a youth, - a different faith. The king did not say: you needed to foresee your deeds, the captivity of the city; You didn’t know then, but now you predict? This is what the fools subsequently said: Christ should have resurrected Himself. The very subject of Daniel's speech was the destruction of Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom and the end of the entire universe - and yet Nebuchadnezzar believed; If he had not believed, he would not have sacrificed to Daniel. Nebuchadnezzar believes, but some do not believe it. That is why many prophecies have been given. If those did not come true, then do not believe these either. However, in order not to obscure the speech, we will interpret this prophecy for you. Nebuchadnezzar saw five substances: gold, silver, copper, iron, clay. The whole image signifies time and the sequence of time. It is good that he called it an image, because all our deeds are like an image, an inanimate image. And it is well said: the image is “gold”, because just as gold, although it shines, comes from the earth, so does our nature and deeds. And look: it turns to “dust” as it was before (Dan. 2:35). Meanwhile, a stone could not do this. A stone can break, but cannot change its essence; and here it was so. You see the mystery of resurrection. Indeed, when our bodies decompose into the elements and return to their former nature, i.e. into the ground, then decay occurs. And all this is done by the stone. So, when you imagine this image to be composed of different substances, its head shiny, its chest less beautiful, its belly even more simple, and its legs even worse, then consider this a difference only in appearance - because they are all of the same nature, as is proven by the end, which turns everything into dust. There is quite a bit of wisdom here. One can apply this wisdom to present circumstances, moving from the then ruler to the one now reigning, then to the boss who follows him and corresponds to copper, then to the lower ones - iron and clay. But if you enter the tomb, then, even though they took thousands of efforts to build a golden coffin for themselves there too, you will see the same nature. Then remember that rich man who was a prisoner (i.e. Paul), or that rich man who became poor like clay (i.e. Job), and you will see that everything is dust. But notice: everything turned to dust not before the stone fell. Daniel 2:34. You saw him until the stone came off the mountain without the help of hands, struck the image, his iron and clay feet, and broke them. Daniel 2:35. Then everything was crushed together: iron, clay, copper, silver and gold became like dust on the summer threshing floors, and the wind carried them away, and no trace remained of them; and the stone that broke the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. Not until the essence of things was revealed, did the Sun of Truth shine (and show) that gold is not gold. Look, in this very image before its destruction, when the substances still remained in place, not one of them was at all better than the other; but only in appearance, in time and in property did some seem better than others. That is why God created gold from the earth, so that you would not find anything great in it. Why is the kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar called golden, the Persian kingdom silver, the Macedonian kingdom copper, and the Roman kingdom iron and clay? Look how well the substances are arranged. Gold represents wealth, but it is weak and serves more for seduction, decoration and vanity. Such is the kingdom of this barbarian. He and (those) barbarians had a lot of gold, because there, they say, is a country of metals. A lot of wealth is brought from the Syrians, but it is useless. It takes the place of the head, because it appeared first. The Persian is not so rich, nor is the Macedonian; the Roman is the most useful and strongest, but later in time, and therefore takes the place of the legs. However, it has weak parts and stronger parts. Such is the variability of people. “And because iniquity will increase,” said the Lord, “the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12). And when love dries up, then, of necessity, strife and war occur; when there are intruders and enemies, then people necessarily relate to each other as clay relates to iron. Just as these substances are different in nature and can never combine with each other, so it happens then. The prophets and apostles speak about this. Then the end comes. Just as under Noah, when evil intensified, a flood followed, so it is now. And just as a sick body, when it indulges in intemperance, perishes, so does the world. If God spares a city when there are five righteous people in it, then much more will He spare the world when there is a corresponding number of righteous people in it. “The stone that broke the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth” (Dan. 2:35). “Until,” he says, “the stone was torn away from the mountain.” Look when this happened: not when there was a kingdom of gold, or silver, or copper, but when the iron one appeared; then, he says, “he was torn from the mountain”; he says, “from the mountain,” meaning height. But before the king he showed that the dream refers to human affairs. “The stone,” he says, “was torn away from the mountain.” Indicates free action without coercion; he did not say: he was thrown out, but: “he was torn away from the mountain”; it also indicates that no one knew this. “He was cut off from the mountain not by hands” (Dan. 2:45). Sometimes Scripture also calls women a mountain, for example, when it says: “look at the rock from which you were cut out, into the depths of the pit from which you were born.” taken out" (Is. 51:1). And Christ is often called a stone, because of its hardness. “But on whomever it falls,” it is said, “he will be crushed” (Luke 20:18). “And the wind carried them away, and no trace remained of them.” Kingdoms are destroyed as if they never existed. “And the stone that broke the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.” The apostolic preaching filled the entire universe. Thus this stone is sometimes called a mountain, sometimes a cornerstone, and sometimes a foundation, so that you know that it fills everything - a mountain because it contains everything, a cornerstone because everything stands on it, and for this reason it is also called the foundation and the root of the vine. “I am the vine, and you are the branches” (John 15:5). “Here is a dream,” it goes on, “let us say before the king and its meaning. You, king, king of kings, to whom the God of heaven gave kingdom, power, strength and glory, and He gave all the sons of men, wherever they lived, the beasts of the earth and the birds of the air into your hands and made you ruler over them all. You are the head of gold” (Dan. 2:36-38). Having shown the power of God, he then boldly teaches and the sermon to him. And look with what respect and reverence he speaks. You rule not only over people like you, but also over the desert and over what is above your head. Notice how he pointed to the gift of God that was given at the beginning: “and have dominion over it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea” (Gen. 1:28), so that you know that God is the Creator of the desert, that He is the Creator of not only the meek, but also the wild animals. “You, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given kingdom, power, strength and glory, and to all the sons of men, wherever they may live.” He no longer says: “there is a God in heaven.” See how he gradually teaches the doctrine (about God). First he said that He dwells in heaven, so that they would not imagine Him near the earth. When the king became accustomed to this thought, he moves on and shows that God is the Creator of heaven itself, and the Master and Lord, and is not contained in any place, but every place is His creation. If He is the Lord of heaven, He can give you earth. He Himself took heaven and gave you earth. What He is there is what you are on earth: the highest of all, the ruler of all, the head of all. He gave you more earthly blessings than others, making you the head and showing your kingdom to be golden, made of pure gold. Daniel 2:39. You are a head of gold! After you, another kingdom will arise, lower than yours, and a third kingdom of copper, which will rule over the whole earth. Such was the Macedonian kingdom. Daniel 2:40. And the fourth kingdom will be strong as iron; for just as iron breaks and crushes everything, so it, like all-crushing iron, will crush and crush. By the fourth he means Roman. But he doesn't give names. Why? For this reason, he does not speak more clearly, so that many do not destroy the books themselves. Daniel 2:41. And because you saw the feet and toes partly made of pottery clay, and partly of iron, then there will be a divided kingdom, and some strength of iron will remain in it, just as you saw iron mixed with pottery clay. Daniel 2:42. And just as the toes were partly made of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom will be partly strong and partly fragile. Daniel 2:43. And that you saw iron mixed with pottery clay, this means that they will mix through human seed, but will not merge with one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. When did this happen to the Romans? You know what changes took place in their kingdom. And (the kings) were not all from the royal family; Moreover, many were unfaithful. Daniel 2:45. And in the days of those kingdoms, the God of heaven will erect a kingdom that will never be destroyed, and this kingdom will not be transferred to another people; it will crush and destroy all kingdoms, and itself will stand forever. Bring the Jews here to me. What will they say about this prophecy? Of course, it cannot be said about the human kingdom that it will be endless; and yet there must be something about which this is said. If you say that it is said here about God the Father, then listen to what is said: “in the days of those kingdoms,” i.e. Romans On the other hand, they can say: how did He crush gold - the Babylonian kingdom, which had long been destroyed, and silver - the Persian kingdom, and copper - the Macedonian? These kingdoms existed a long time ago and are already over. But don't be surprised, beloved. If Paul did not dare to speak clearly, but says: “until he who now holds back is taken out of the way” (2 Thess. 2:7), then how much more so is he a prophet. But tell me, what would be the benefit if it were said clearly? If they ask: how did He crush copper and iron, then this question will be the same as the previous one: after all, those words also express doubt - how does He destroy already lost kingdoms? He actually does this by destroying other kingdoms into which the former ones entered. Moreover, He did this secretly before, because He was God before, although He did not reveal His action - which causes your just bewilderment. If anyone wants to attribute this prophecy to the present time, he will not sin. Indeed, even now He destroys kingdoms - the pride of the Macedonians and the dominion (of the Romans). When you look at the martyrs who do this and willingly decide to die to fulfill His commandments, you will see how His kingdom filled the earth. You know the prophecies: if any of them were not fulfilled, then do not believe the end. Further, the prophet adds: “since you saw that the stone was torn out of the mountain not by hands and crushed iron, copper, clay, silver and gold. The Great God let the king know what would happen after this. And this dream is true, and its interpretation is certain” (Dan. 2:45). Look at how he proves what is said, which is unclear, by means of the clear, and as if he says this: whoever said a dream must be believed in the interpretation. What about the king? “Then,” he says, “King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face and bowed to Daniel, and ordered gifts and fragrant incense to be brought to him” (Dan. 2:46). So they soon believed the prophet. And rightly the king said: “he ordered gifts and fragrant incense to be brought to him.” You see the greatest miracle. You see how it was the custom of the pagans to make gods out of people. Therefore, when it is asked: where does idolatry come from? - know its beginning. So the apostles were made gods from people (Acts 14:11). So the devil at the beginning, trying to sow wickedness, said: “You will be like gods” (Gen. 3:5). But since he did not succeed then, he intensifies afterwards, trying to introduce polytheism everywhere. Dan.2:47. And the king said to Daniel: Truly your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings, the revealer of secrets, when you could reveal this secret. After this one event, he believed so quickly, but the Jews, hearing many similar things, did not heed. Do you see how God shows you the prudence of the pagans? Since the time had already arrived at which it was necessary to preach to them, He was justified in advance by their ancestors that it was not in vain and not without reason that He preferred them to the Jews. Daniel 3:1. King Nebuchadnezzar made a golden image, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and placed it in the field of Deir, in the region of Babylon. Daniel 3:2. And King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, governors, governors, chief judges, treasurers, lawyers, guardians of the court and all the regional rulers, so that they would come to the solemn opening of the image, which King Nebuchadnezzar had erected. Look at the veracity of the story: who would not be ashamed to announce this? What are you saying? The one who worshiped (Daniel), poured a libation before him, honored God, was so surprised and amazed, the same one, after a short time, again returns to his previous error. And it happened for the best: the signs had not yet struck him. But (the youths) did not think anything like that, but had only one thing in mind, how to preserve the pure truth. Nebuchadnezzar, having taken the city - then he conquered it and took possession of it - erected an image, probably carried away by pride. Some claim that he remembered the image that was shown to him in a dream; and others say that he wanted to elevate himself to the number of gods. The ancients, like the devil, had a tendency to consider themselves gods. Look at the consequences. Without demanding worship of himself, he ordered the image to be worshiped, wanting to achieve this with splendor, trying to amaze both with the size and weight of this body, as well as with its location. “In the field of Deir,” says the prophet. Maybe it was a flat field. Daniel 3:12. There are men of Judah whom you have placed over the affairs of the land of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego; These men do not obey your command, O king, they do not serve your gods, and they do not worship the golden image that you set up. Daniel 3:13. Then Nebuchadnezzar, in anger and rage, ordered Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to be brought; and these men were brought to the king. Why is Daniel not visible here? It seems to me that the informers did not name him out of fear, or that the king, out of respect for him, did not force him, so as not to have an obvious accuser in him. Some see the reason for this in the fact that he was called Belshazzar - and this name was the name of an idol - and therefore God arranged that Daniel was not thrown into the furnace, so that his deliverance would not be attributed to the power of this name and would not evade reproof. What about the three youths? Of course, they too could expose this matter. But why didn’t God make sure that they predicted in advance (about their deliverance)? The Chaldeans slandered them, because envy does a lot. They could not bear to see the captives dominating them. But look: just as during the (interpretation of the dream) by Daniel they first learned the way of life and his meekness, and then saw the signs, so here too, first the youths become known and God reveals their piety, but they themselves, being so prepared, were not exposed. You know that a person who despairs of staying alive and is ready to die is capable of deciding on anything, and even what seems very daring. But they, despising death, were meek, not extending their courage to insolence, and did not do this out of ambition. Daniel 3:23. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, fell bound into a fiery furnace. Daniel 3:24. And they walked in the midst of the flames, chanting to God and blessing the Lord. Look: isn’t it amazing and wonderful to walk and sing in a fiery furnace, as if in a font of water? Nothing prevented this because God wanted it that way. The same, it seems to me, was the fire that burned those outside; and this is fire, and this is fire, and this is bodies and this is bodies; and, however, he touched those, but did not touch these. Do you see how great was their piety? Are you surprised by him? Marvel at the favor of the Lord and the honor He showed them. “I will glorify those who glorify Me,” He says (1 Samuel 2:30). He made them a spectacle for everyone. They spoke supernaturally; supernaturally and He glorifies them. Look at the slaves who can do what the Lord can do. Why be surprised that they laughed at the king, when the elements revere and marvel at him? The oven became a church and became like heaven itself. They have already experienced incorruption here. In the beginning, sin subjected our bodies to suffering; when a person does the truth, they again become free from suffering. “And they walked,” says the prophet. But let's see what they say; Let's listen to their mysterious voice, full of calm. Have you heard the disorderly and discordant sounds of samvika, psaltery and harp? Listen to the voice from the fire. Didn't it seem surprising to you that the voice of God was heard from the fire? So He gave it to His servants too. What kind of air, shaking, did this voice produce? Are not those who are doomed to be burned always urged to open their mouths so that after this the power (of the soul) cannot remain in the body even for a short time? Look at the musical harmony, how they all praise, as if with one mouth. “And Azariah stood and prayed, and opened his mouth in the midst of the fire and cried out” (Dan.3:25). So that you do not think that they give thanks only for the present, they cry out to God about the captivity and the disasters that happened to them. Look how they start. Daniel 3:26. Blessed are You, Lord God of our fathers, praised and glorified is Your name forever. Daniel 3:49. The Angel of the Lord descended into the furnace with Azariah and those with him Daniel 3:50. and he threw the flame of fire out of the furnace, and made it appear that in the middle of the furnace there was, as it were, a noisy, moist wind, and the fire did not touch them at all, and did not harm them, and did not disturb them. So, it was not by chance that this happened. Not only were they not burned, but “the fire did not touch them at all, and did not harm them,” did not do them the slightest harm, and even they did not feel the heat. The flame rose so high that it could be seen by those who were outside. The firewood thrown in, the continuity of the fire, the fact that it seemed to ignite more and more, and the fact that this happened in front of everyone, could amply certify them (of the truth of the miracle). Daniel 3:91. King Nebuchadnezzar [hearing them singing] was amazed, and hastily stood up and said to his nobles: Have we not thrown three men into the fire bound? They answered the king: “Truly so, king!” . How did it happen that Nebuchadnezzar heard? Maybe he's been sitting here the whole time. God did not allow him to hear immediately so that time itself would testify to what had happened, i.e. that the youths, being there for a long time, did not suffer anything bad. Daniel 3:92. To this he said: behold, I see four unbound men walking in the midst of the fire, and there is no harm to them; and the appearance of the fourth is like the son of God. He saw them through the hole. Daniel 3:93. Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the mouth of the fiery furnace and said: Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God! come out and come! Then Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out from the midst of the fire. Why didn't they come out before he called them? It is also good that he asked the nobles in advance, so that after his answer they could not make any objection, and so that they would not have time to change their minds. As God said to Moses: “What is this in your hand?” (Exodus 4:2), - so Nebuchadnezzar warns them with this question. “Behold, I see,” he says, “four unbound men walking in the midst of the fire, and there is no harm to them; and the appearance of the fourth is like the son of God." He probably appeared in great beauty. Why did you, Nebuchadnezzar, recognize the Son of God? See how the barbarian prophesies from one sight. “Then Nebuchadnezzar came to the mouth of the fiery furnace and said: Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God! come out and come." Notice: he did not order the stove to be turned off, but he told them to go out. You see a great and wondrous miracle. He called them by the name with which he hoped to especially please them. There is nothing equal to this noble title. In fact, listen to what God himself says: “Moses my servant is dead” (Joshua 1:2). And “to Isaac,” it is said, “your servant” (Gen. 24:14). This name is admired by angels, cherubs, and seraphim. After this, the youths did not hesitate, as a vain person would have done, but immediately obeyed; and everyone came together to see the miracle. Dan.4:1. I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at peace in my house and prosperous in my palaces. Why did the prophet write like this, and not say: Nebuchadnezzar was calm, as if he wrote on his behalf? It seems to me that these are the words of Nebuchadnezzar himself. When he corrected himself from his previous error, he perhaps published such a message. And Daniel cites the decree itself to be reliable. Here the one who experienced this himself speaks to the human race. And look what instruction is given here to the proud. What he suffered was due to pride, and he himself indicates at the beginning and at the end that the cause of everything was pride. At the end he says: “Who is able to humble those who walk proudly” (Dan. 4:34), and in the attack, at the very beginning, he shows the reason for pride: there he explains that for this he was humiliated, and here he says why this happened - precisely because he enjoyed great prosperity; So David says: “Pride took possession of them” (Ps. 73:6) 2. So exactly here, the reason for this is complete prosperity. At the beginning he says: “I was at peace in my house and prosperous in my palaces.” It is impossible for all the blessings to be united together. It happens to be happy in your position and unhappy in your home, as was the case with Herod or David; it happens to be unhappy in public affairs, but not tolerate anything unpleasant in the home; It happens that you enjoy peace in the city, but experience anxiety about your position. And this man prospered in every way; nothing upset him. Do you see how evil serenity is? Just as to strengthen the body, when there are no obligatory labors and activities, we engage in special exercises, so God usually does in order to tame excess strength. Dan.4:2. But I saw a dream that frightened me, and the reflections on my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. Dan.4:3. And I gave the command to bring all the wise men of Babylon to me so that they could tell me the meaning of the dream. Look how God wants to humble him not by the deed itself, but by predicting a future event, and how terrible the dream was. Why did not his spirit depart from him even now and he did not forget sleep, as before? Because Daniel had already provided sufficient proof (of his wisdom), precisely in explaining the previous dream, and there was no need to resort to a second test. God does everything out of need, not out of vanity. On the other hand, this is also done to expose the wise men, so that they do not again say: “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will explain its meaning” (Dan. 2:7); they are convicted of being unable to do either of these things. They could not say again: “The matter that the king requires is so difficult that no one else can reveal it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with the flesh” (Dan. 2:11). By this the king was convinced that Daniel had not spoken according to human wisdom before; He was convinced that in previous times the Magi did not say anything sensible, as he himself admitted, but there was no one to denounce them. And when reproof came to them from Judea in the person of Daniel, they no longer dared to pretend. Thus they are again invited by inspiration (of God). It is worthy of wonder why the king, having experienced Daniel’s strength in such matters, did not call him first of all? God himself arranged for Daniel's victory to occur after their defeat. “He frightened me,” says the king; however, even at the same time he did not become the best, but wanted to really experience it. So God is always innocent. Dan.4:4. Then came the magicians, charmers, Chaldeans and fortune-tellers; I told them the dream, but they could not explain to me its meaning. Dan.4:5. Finally Daniel came in to me, whose name was Belshazzar, after the name of my god, and in whom was the spirit of the holy God; I told him the dream. “Finally,” he says, “Daniel came in to me.” He speaks as if he had forgotten Daniel. Indeed, many years had already passed (after the first dream), and he soon forgot how he had so many worries and lived in such luxury. The name: “other” (there is no word for this in the Russian translation) shows that the king almost completely forgot him. “By the name,” he says, “of my god.” Does he mean by this: I honored him so much that I called him by the name of God? They had the custom of calling their children after the names of gods, because they sometimes recognized people as gods. So we have the names Vil and Veliy. When the demons saw that in this way people were given veneration and the title of gods was attributed, they themselves began to contribute to this. Why does he say: “Daniel, whose name was Belshazzar”? Because Daniel had the power of God. This name was their greatest honor. And Daniel allowed them to call him by this name; but nowhere, when mentioning himself, does he call himself Belshazzar, but says: “I am Daniel.” Whatever honor the king's son received, so did he, because even before the test he seemed amazing in his very appearance. It is said that he spoke not by his own power, but “in whom is the spirit of the holy God”; here we are not talking about that Spirit whom we call the Comforter, but inspired, he was divinely inspired. "Belshazzar, Chief of the Wise Men". He was, he says, the first of them. Look how many signs of his superiority over others. “Belshazzar, chief of the wise men! I know that the spirit of the holy God is in you” (Dan. 4:6). The best one I know. The king said this so as not to again put him in the need to answer: “not because I was wiser than everyone else” (Dan. 2:30); The king, with his words, hoped to especially win him over, and therefore said this before anything else. If I called you the prince of charms, then do not think that I said this as evidence that you speak from human wisdom; you are the “chief of the wise,” but I know that you say everything, moved by divine power; I learned this from experience. “And no secret,” he says, “does not bother you.” Such are the works of God; human works are imperfect, but God's works are not. “Explain to me the visions of my dream that I saw and its meaning. Visions of my head on my bed." What is he saying? Dan.4:7. I saw, behold, a very tall tree in the middle of the earth. Dan.4:8. This tree was large and strong, and its height reached to the sky, and it was visible to the ends of the whole earth. Dan.4:9. Its leaves are beautiful, and there is a lot of fruit on it, and there is food on it for everyone; the beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the air nested in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it. What does this vision mean? They again depict the impermanence of human affairs. Birds, he says, and animals enjoyed his shade, and lived in him, and their food was from him. It speaks of his power, which extended to the entire universe. So, first under the guise of an idol, and now under the guise of a tree, events are revealed to him. Why didn't God send Daniel to proclaim this? Because when events are presented visually, then the speech about them is more reliable and terrible, in order to prove that the One who grows plants exalts the kingdom secretly and without our knowledge. Daniel 4:10. And I saw in visions my head on my bed, and, behold, He came down from heaven, He who was Watchful and Holy. Dan.4:11. Exclaiming loudly, He said: “Cut down this tree, cut off its branches, shake off its leaves and scatter its fruit; let the beasts be removed from under it and the birds from its branches; Dan.4:12. but leave its main root in the ground, and let it be watered with heavenly dew in chains of iron and copper among the grass of the field, and let a part of it be with the animals in the grass of the earth. Daniel 4:13. The heart of man will be taken away from him and the heart of a beast will be given to him, and seven times will pass over him. Daniel 4:14. This has been determined by the commandment of the Watchful, and by the judgment of the Saints it has been appointed, so that the living may know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of man, and gives it to whomever He wants, and appoints over it one who is lowly among men.” “And behold, the Watchful and Holy One came down from heaven,” so that he terrified him. “Crying out loudly, He said: Cut down this tree... but leave its main root in the ground.” But since this industry is easily damaged, then “leave...,” he says, as if “in bonds of iron and copper.” “And seven times will pass over him,” he says, “and the heart of a beast will be given to him.” And that this applied to man can be seen from what follows. “And he will be given,” he says, “the heart of a beast.” “By the saying of Ira the word” 3, i.e., the word itself cannot be clear, but it needs an interpreter. “And according to the verdict,” he says, “the saints are appointed,” that is, the saints will be able to say so. Either this he means, or that they will be able to propose a question and show the reason why this happens and which was revealed from the answer. “So that the living may know,” he says, “that the Most High rules over the kingdom of men.” Here's the reason. Do you see how God provides for people, how His power was not limited to the Jews? Daniel 4:15. I saw such a dream, King Nebuchadnezzar; and you, Belshazzar, tell me its meaning, since none of the wise men in my kingdom could explain its meaning, but you can, because the spirit of the holy God is in you. “Since none of the wise men in my kingdom could explain.” He knew that Daniel would be pleased when everyone recognized themselves as defeated, not for his glory, but so that the power of God would be revealed again. “Can you...,” he says, “tell me.” Why can you? “Because the spirit of the Holy God is in you.” Look: with this he began his speech, and with this he ended. Daniel 4:17. The tree that you saw, which was large and strong, its height reached to heaven and was visible throughout the whole earth, Daniel 4:18. on which were beautiful leaves and an abundance of fruit and food for everyone, under which the beasts of the field dwelt and in whose branches the birds of the air nested, Daniel 4:19. It is you, O king, who have become exalted and strengthened, and your greatness has increased and reached to the heavens, and your power to the ends of the earth. Daniel 4:20. And that the king saw the Watching and Holy One descending from heaven, Who said: “Cut down the tree and destroy it, only leave its main root in the ground, and let it be in bonds of iron and copper, among the grass of the field, watered with the dew of heaven, and let a part of it be with the beasts of the field, until seven times have passed over it,” - Daniel 4:21. then this is the meaning of this, king, and this is the decree of the Most High that will befall my lord the king: Dan.4:22. you will be separated from people, and your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field; You will be fed with grass like an ox, you will be watered with the dew of heaven, and seven times will pass over you until you know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of men and gives it to whomever He wants. Dan.4:23. And the fact that it was commanded to leave the main root of the tree means that your kingdom will remain with you when you know the power of heaven. What does he say next? What will be the end of the disaster? Dan.4:24. Therefore, king, may my advice be pleasing to you: atone for your sins with righteousness and your iniquities with mercy towards the poor; This is how long your peace can last. Why do you say: “redeem”, and cast some doubt on the power of healing? I didn’t say “redeem” because I doubt it; no, I want to instill fear in him and show that he has sinned beyond all healing and all forgiveness. If even after such words he was not freed from madness, then even more so if no doubt had been expressed. God has the same goal in mind in other places, when for example. says through the prophet: “Even if you washed your face with soap and used a lot of lye on yourself, your wickedness is marked before Me, says the Lord God” (Jer. 2:22); and again: “Can an Ethiopian change his skin, and a leopard his spots?” (Jer.13:23). Just as there he does not allow repentance to be rejected, not in order to further frighten, so here He said: “atone,” wanting to show the abyss of sins. Why didn’t he say: humble yourself, acknowledge God? If the king suffers for this, as he himself says, then why are you advising otherwise? He said: “The Most High rules over the kingdom of men.” So, am I being punished so that others will come to their senses? No, not wanting to reveal clearly in a dream, God said: “so that the living may know,” and Daniel says: “The Most High rules over the kingdom of men and gives it to whomever He wants.” Do you see how it talks about humility? In a dream, he says, such a cure was suggested, and I will indicate another one. This happens, for example, when a boss is angry, he himself does not say anything, and one of his close associates, approaching the culprit, says: do this and that, give money, more than once, and we can save you from the threatening disasters. Daniel 4:28. While this speech was still in the mouth of the king, a voice came from heaven: “They say to you, King Nebuchadnezzar: the kingdom has departed from you! Dan.4:29. And they will separate you from men, and your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field; They will feed you grass like an ox, and seven times will pass over you until you know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of man and gives it to whomever He wants!” Daniel 4:30. Immediately this word was fulfilled over Nebuchadnezzar, and he was excommunicated from the people, ate grass like an ox, and his body was watered with the dew of heaven, so that his hair grew like a lion’s, and his nails like a bird’s. This is the decree from above that befell Nebuchadnezzar himself. And everything came true to the end. You did not appreciate, he says, human nobility, so you fell to the baseness of animals. Nothing could be more shameful than this, not if God had made him poor, or a prisoner, or anything else like that. However, He did not deprive him of his natural nobility, did not make his body bestial, but what distinguishes man from the dumb, He brought to a brutal state. And he did it in such a way that others could recognize it by his food, by his appearance. What can we learn from this? Because, even if nothing like this happened to us, we are no better than the dumb if we fall into pride or another brutal passion. Many today, like Nebuchadnezzar, have the soul of the beast. Listen to Matthew, who says: “serpents, brood of vipers” (Matthew 23:33); and the prophet says: “fat horses: each of them neighs at the other’s wife” (Jer. 5:8); another says: “They are all dumb dogs, unable to bark” (Is. 56:10); some call people “foxes” (Ezek. 13:4), others call them “asps and basilisks” (Ps. 90:13). But it is much worse to reach the point of atrocity in ordinary life than to experience what happened to Nebuchadnezzar. The soul in him did not suffer at all; and we, having accumulated so many sins, have become much worse, as has already been said. Pagan sages, they say, turned people into animals. But this is a fable, and this is the truth. Why did they turn them? Without any purpose; and Scripture also states the reason: “so that the living may know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of men.” Do you see how everything is possible for God - to turn people into beasts and change their minds? Imagine how amazing it was to see a man who had previously lived in such splendor living with animals, naked. He did not change his appearance; otherwise there would be nothing terrible here. Receiving the “heart of the beast” does not mean that he lost his mind, but that, having a human soul, he felt his position. If he had turned into a beast, he would not have been aware of what had happened. What does it mean: “he will be given the heart of a beast”? Those. he became wild and did not want to be with people, or was afraid to be with people, or was afraid of people like animals. What was above him, and what is now below him? “And he was excommunicated from the people.” Power did not protect him at all. He did not become a carnivorous beast, but ate grass, and was like a dumb animal. You will eat grass as usual food. How did the animals not eat him? How could his body tolerate such food? How did he not die? And a lot of time has passed. He walked around, presenting everyone with an example of humiliation, wearing signs of punishment on himself, as if he had been branded. Perhaps they will say that it would be better for him to endure this, remaining with people; but this was not allowed to increase his punishment; but admonition still worked, since everyone talked about what happened to him, and, perhaps, they themselves saw him outside (the city); to see it was much more terrible. Moreover, not a little time has passed, but a whole week. “Until,” he says, “seven times pass over him,” three years and a half. Daniel 4:31. At the end of those days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes to heaven, and my mind returned to me; and I blessed the Most High, praised and glorified the Ever-Bearing One, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and whose kingdom endures throughout all generations. Daniel 4:32. And everyone living on earth means nothing; according to His will, He acts both in the heavenly army and among those living on earth; and there is no one who can resist His hand and say to Him, “What have you done?” “He lifted up,” he says, “my eyes to heaven,” that is, he turned to God and prayed to Him, and asked Him for help. Although the time had completely passed, he did not rely on it. Just as he himself had the power to prevent the fulfillment of the event, so now, if after a certain time he had remained incorrigible, this definition would not have brought him any benefit, because the definition of God is not fulfilled out of necessity, but in relation to our condition. Daniel, although the time has already been fulfilled, does not pray in vain that with the continuation of wickedness it will not continue (Dan. 9:4). As this happens with pardon, for example, Hezekiah (2 Kings 20), and with punishment, for example, the Jews: God wanted to quickly bring them into Palestine, but with their wickedness they added forty years to themselves. Look how the king resorts to God. I looked up, he says, to heaven, and became a man again. “And my mind returned to me.” Just as his human appearance changed, but did not turn into an animal one, so did his mind. What's next? "Praised and glorified". In what terms? “The Most High,” he says, “he praised and glorified the Ever-Bearing One.” Nothing is considered more worthy of God than constant existence. “Whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and whose kingdom endures throughout all generations.” This is what makes a person specially different from Him, and this was considered by people to be the highest bliss. “Whose dominion is an everlasting dominion,” exists at all times. Without food, he says, He fed me; without clothes and without everything else, my body did not perish. Imagine what he became like when he returned from the desert to the kingdom. Daniel 4:33. At that time my mind returned to me, and my dignity and my former appearance returned to me to the glory of my kingdom; Then my advisors and my nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my kingdom, and my greatness increased even more. “Then my advisors and my nobles sought me out,” he says, “and they drove out the ruler and the king,” however, by order of God. This is why the time is determined so that you don’t think that something happens by chance. “Whose kingdom endures from generation to generation. And everyone living on earth means nothing.” If I, who rule over all, was counted as nothing, then how much more so did all the others. He who deprived such a strong man of his kingdom, much more (will deprive his subjects of everything). “According to His will, He acts both in the heavenly army and among those living on earth.” The expression: “they mean nothing” does not mean that God despises them - not at all, it means that He is strong and disposes of them as He wants. The following words also express: “according to His will He acts both in the heavenly army and among those living on earth.” So be it; You know about the earth, but where did you know about the sky? From a dream. He commanded and they obeyed. From the fire of the furnace. “And there is no one who can resist His hand and say to Him, “What have you done?” Not only, he says, will he not resist, but he won’t even say a word. He rules over everyone; He himself is everything. “At that time my mind returned to me.” “At that time” – what time? As determined by God. Why did they return him to the kingdom? They overthrew him - so strong, how did they raise him up again, having become weak? “To the glory of my kingdom, my dignity and my former appearance returned to me; Then my advisers and my nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my kingdom, and my greatness increased even more.” Do you see how God can both establish and destroy a kingdom? He should have been convinced of this from previous experiences, but since he was not convinced, God destroyed his kingdom and restored it again. Daniel 4:34. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, glorify, extol and magnify the King of Heaven, Whose deeds are true and all ways are righteous, and Who is able to humble those who walk in pride It cannot be said that He has power, but unjust; no, and his truth is great. “And who is able to humble those who walk proudly.” He did not say, “Humbles,” in order to show you His long-suffering, and so that you would know that He does not do this out of weakness, but through one He admonishes others. Do you see His power? Do you see the truth? Do you see humanity? Do you see how the mouth of a barbarian pronounces this? Who spoke so wisely? Those raised by prophets did not say anything like that; on the contrary, they said: “The Lord does neither good nor evil” (Zeph. 1:12); and again: “Has it not been through our own strength that we have acquired power for ourselves?” (Amos.6:13). And again: “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and He delights in such people” (Malach.2:17); and again: “Serving God is in vain, and what profit is it that we have kept His statutes” (Mal. 3:14). Do you see Satanic teachings in Palestine? Do you see prophetic wisdom in a barbaric land? These are types of the grace that the pagans had to receive, types of what the latter had to precede the first. It is further narrated how Belshazzar, having become drunk during the feast, commands the vessels (of the church) to be brought, as if boasting of his father’s victory, or, more accurately, going mad from intoxication; or maybe because the Jews were spectators of what was happening, in order to eradicate in them the reverence that they had for God. This came from pride and drunkenness. Let us beware of drunkenness, beloved. A lot of reckless things come from him. Drunkenness also reigns over great people; for Belshazzar commanded this after he had drunk wine. His father, having taken out the vessels, spared them, and, having taken the city, did not dare to use them for human service; and this one not only used it himself, but gave it to his nobles and concubines and those who reclined with him for use. Daniel 5:1. King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine before the eyes of thousands. Daniel 5:2. Having tasted the wine, Belshazzar ordered the gold and silver vessels to be brought, which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple of Jerusalem, so that the king, his nobles, his wives and his concubines could drink from them. Dan.5:3. Then they brought golden vessels, which were taken from the sanctuary of the house of God in Jerusalem; and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. Dan.5:4. They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, copper, iron, wood and stone. You see that the vessels were taken. But look at their strength even after they were taken and laid in the idol church. The king treats them according to his own will. Why is this? They were taken for the sins (of the Jews), which were punished. How did it all end after the sign? Why did the nobles not tolerate anything, but only the king? Because he ordered, he was the culprit. “And they praised the gods of gold and silver, copper, iron, wood and stone.” Why did they have such a difference in gods? The devil, wanting to deprive them of all justification, often inspired them to make wooden gods, so that they would not have justification even in the preciousness of the substance. “Glorified” them. Look, God never starts, but acts after. Why did the trial follow immediately and at the same hour? So that what was done by previous miracles would not be destroyed; By offending God by using vessels, the king wanted to offend people too. And look what happens. He desired the vessels, and was punished at that very hour. Why is a prophet not sent with reproof, but with the fingers of the hand? In order to make the revelation more striking. Dan.5:5. “At that very hour the fingers of a human hand came out and wrote against the lamp on the limestone wall of the royal palace, and the king saw the hand that was writing.” Note that it was evening. It was necessary to tame the arrogance that resulted from intoxication; everyone present needed to know that the king was being punished. Why didn’t God immediately send lightning from heaven? Then, so that his servant would be glorified again, so that they would hear from him why the king tolerated this. Daniel, having entered, not only explains what was written, but speaks a long speech, and, moreover, an exhorting one - not in order to benefit the king, but in order to make others better. Dan.5:13. Then Daniel was brought before the king, and the king began to speak and said to Daniel: Are you Daniel, one of the captive sons of Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judea? . He says this as if wanting to intimidate and oppress Daniel. But having said: “whom my father the king brought from Judea,” he brought these words against himself: it means that he himself needs these captives! Daniel 5:14. I heard about you that the spirit of God is in you and light, and intelligence, and high wisdom is found in you. Dan.5:15. Behold, wise men and charmers were brought to me to read this writing and explain to me its meaning; but they couldn't explain it to me. Dan.5:16. And I heard about you that you can explain meaning and resolve knots; So, if you can read this writing and explain to me its meaning, then you will be clothed in purple, and a golden chain will be around your neck, and you will be the third ruler in the kingdom. He recognizes his wise men as defeated and says: say it and receive it. But look at the prophet: before his father he was troubled in spirit (Dan. 4:16), but now he does not feel any confusion. What is he saying? Dan.5:17. Then Daniel answered and said to the king: Let your gifts remain with you, and give honor to another; and I will read what is written to the king and explain the meaning to him. Why does he refuse gifts? So that you know that he is not speaking for them. He says this without anger and therefore adds: “And I will read what is written to the king and explain the meaning to him.” Do you see how he is above wealth, above honors, and does not need anything royal? Such should be those who proclaim the works of God. (He refuses) and so that the king would not think that he had won him over with gifts or that there was something human in what was said. What is he saying? Before explaining what was written, he offers advice, reminding him of what happened to his father from the very beginning. Daniel 5:18. Tsar! The Almighty God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar kingdom, greatness, honor and glory. Dan.5:19. Before the greatness that He gave him, all peoples, tribes and languages ​​trembled and feared him: whomever he wanted, he killed, and whomever he wanted, he left alive; whom he wanted, he elevated, and whom he wanted, he humiliated. Daniel 5:20. But when his heart became proud and his spirit hardened to the point of insolence, he was overthrown from his royal throne and deprived of his glory, Dan.5:21. and he was cut off from the sons of men, and his heart became like that of a beast, and he lived with wild asses; they fed him grass like an ox, and his body was watered with heavenly dew, until he knew that the Most High God rules over the kingdom of man and puts over it whomever he wants. If he, he says, was not worthy of forgiveness, then tell me, what are you worthy of, who have not corrected yourself after such an example? And you cannot justify yourself by ignorance. Didn't you know all this? Who and to whom do you prefer? Do you prefer gods who neither hear nor see? Daniel 5:22. And you, his son Belshazzar, did not humble your heart, although you knew all this, Dan.5:23. but you ascended against the Lord of heaven, and the vessels of His house were brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them, and you glorified the gods of silver and gold, copper, iron, wood and stone, who neither see, nor hear, nor understand; but you have not glorified God, in whose hand is your breath and with whom are all your ways. Dan.5:24. For this reason the hand was sent from Him, and this scripture was written. Dan.5:25. And this is what is written: mene, mene, tekel, upharsin. Dan.5:26. This is the meaning of the words: me - God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it; Dan.5:27. Tekel - you are weighed on the scales and found very light; Daniel 5:28. Peres - your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians. “God has numbered,” he says, “your kingdom and put an end to it.” And the fact that it was divided and did not remain whole was done as a punishment. So it was with Solomon. Not only did Belshazzar’s son not receive the kingdom, but it was also divided. Look how right God is before him; look how he himself is to blame. “The God in whose hand,” he says, “is your breath and in whom all your ways, you have not glorified.” . Не мог ли он тотчас же умертвить тебя? Но он долготерпелив. Кого не устрашило бы такое наказание, и притом столь близкое? Видишь ли, что Бог властен и в том и другом? Чем, скажи мне, ты заслуживаешь проще­ния? Ты сын, не скажу даже – потомок, Навуходоносора, – как же ты не знал всего этого? Определение пишется, как в су­дилище; а Даниил объясняет написанное. Как пришло царю на the idea of honoring Daniel? It seems to me that he wanted to avoid the condemnation of those present, perhaps he hoped to receive deliverance for this. Dan.6:3. Daniel was superior to other princes and satraps, because he had a high spirit, and the king was already thinking of placing him over the entire kingdom. Daniel 6:4. Then the princes and satraps began to look for a pretext to accuse Daniel of ruling the kingdom; but no excuse or fault could be found, because he was faithful, and no fault or guilt was found in him, i.e. was well disposed towards the king. Or maybe the words: “he was faithful” mean: he trusted in God, who rules everything; and when God controls, then what danger can there be? What's next? Dan.6:5. And these people said: We will not find an excuse against Daniel, unless we find one against him in the law of his God. It is impossible, they say, to find anything. Why? Isn't he human? Didn't he do anything wrong? The future is unknown; How can you guarantee the future? We learned about this, they say, from experience. "Unless we find it against him in the law of his God." But there he is even more impeccable. God allows temptation to test us. Could He not tame their anger? But in order to teach you and cause your surprise at the feat, He does not deprive His slaves of the crown. Dan.6:6. Then these princes and satraps approached the king and said to him: King Darius! live forever! Dan.6:7. All the princes of the kingdom, governors, satraps, advisers and military leaders agreed among themselves that a royal decree should be made and a command issued that whoever within thirty days asks any god or person other than you, king, to be thrown into the lions’ den. Dan.6:8. So, king, confirm this definition and sign the decree so that it will be unchanged, like the law of the Medes and Persians, and so that it will not be violated. Daniel 6:9. King Darius signed the decree and this command. Look at what they are doing, how they are trying to establish a reckless law, and strenuously asking for it. Was it reasonable to say: “to ask any god or man”? They try to find justification for their request in the shortness of time. But what kind of excuse is this? Why are you asking for this? “We agreed,” they answer; We all gathered together decided to ask only one thing from you for thirty days. Oh, barbaric request! Oh, servility, filled with great madness, dishonoring the one to whom it apparently honors! After all, if it is good, then it should always be done; if it is not good, then it should not be for thirty days. And then, if this is good, then why point to the multitude (of those who decided)? Even without this, the king had to agree. And if this is not good, then at least the whole universe commanded, one should not obey. The king did not notice the treachery, as can be seen from what follows. He decreed, and they secured this decree by decree, so that the king would not have time to cancel it, even if he later wanted to. What does Daniel say when he hears about this? He was not embarrassed and did not change his life in any way. Look how a virtuous person always lives smoothly, looking at everything like some fleeting flowers - both joy and sorrow, like shadows. If he was unshakable at the beginning, then even more so now that he has received victorious crowns in so many exploits. Why didn’t he come (to the king)? Why wasn’t he indignant, using such influence with the king? He wanted to make an impact not with words, but with deeds. We see that on other occasions, when it was necessary, he was always in a hurry to appear. Daniel 6:10. Daniel, having learned that such a decree had been signed, went to his house; the windows in his upper room were open towards Jerusalem, and three times a day he knelt down and prayed to his God and praised Him, as he had done before. Why does Scripture remind us that doors were opened towards Jerusalem? The Jews had a strong love for him, and just as one whose beloved is absent loves the path leading to her, so it was exactly with Daniel. Others loved Jerusalem for the sake of sensual benefits, but he for the sake of the glory of God. And that this is so is evident from the fact that he did not want to return to Jerusalem when he waited for the desired time. Therefore, we, as the fathers commanded us, pray, looking to the east; we also strive for the ancient city and fatherland; and it is quite worthy of it. Why do we turn to the east, if God is everywhere, and the prophet says: “Sing praises to God, sing praises to His name, prepare the way for Him who travels to the west” (Ps. 67:5) 4? There, in the east, there was, as it were, a hospital in ancient times. But you didn’t resort to it? Think about it; after all, we also live in captivity - however, only until the coming of Christ. Why did he only bow down at three times of the day? his knees? What then? Isn’t this surprising? He was a man burdened with so many worries and not having a little rest. Look how the apostolic saying was fulfilled: “in every place men said prayers, lifting up clean hands” (1 Tim. 2:8). And what Christ commanded, they did. “When you have shut your door,” it says, “pray to your Father” (Matthew 6:6). h5 Daniel 6:13 . Then they answered and told the king that Daniel, who is one of the captive sons of Judah, pays no attention either to you, king, or to the decree you signed, but prays his prayers three times a day. Daniel 6:14. The king, hearing this, was greatly saddened and decided in his heart to save Daniel, and even before the sun set he tried hard to deliver him. Daniel 6:15. But those people approached the king and said to him: know, king, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians, no definition or decree approved by the king can be changed. Daniel 6:16. Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions' den; at the same time, the king said to Daniel: Your God, Whom you always serve, He will save you! Perhaps some of you will say: couldn’t the king have delivered him? Of course, God could have made the king firmer, but He led the fighter to great feat. He knew the end of events. And the king would not have argued if he had known how it would all end; but he couldn't know. He is worthy of praise for his diligence, worthy of forgiveness for his efforts. Daniel was so kind to him! But envious people do not allow you to see the good, or - better - they allow you to see, but not with such eyes. You must not allow, they say, that your decisions be so unsteady and our laws so weak; the whole people are offended. Daniel is thrown into the pit; impose a stone. Dan.6:17. And a stone was brought and placed on the mouth of the ditch, and the king sealed it with his ring, and with the ring of his nobles, so that nothing would change in the order concerning Daniel. Daniel 6:18. Then the king went to his palace, went to bed without supper, and did not even order food to be brought to him, and sleep fled from him. Remember the tomb of Christ, when the Jews put a seal on it. If this had not happened, they would have said that the deed was accomplished by magic. But everything that is done by our enemies is to our benefit. This was done in order to take away from the slanderers any pretext for justification: and the king imposes a seal so that they would not be able to do anything or drag Daniel out and refer to the lions, and they impose a seal so that it would be impossible for the king to deliver him, and so that in this way the decision of the case would be impartial. And the king did not have supper, they say, and did not sleep. Look how great his love is. What happened? He first encouraged Daniel by saying, “Could your God, whom you serve without fail, save you from the lions” (Dan. 6:20). Again he says exactly what could encourage his soul. Maybe he's already heard about it. Then he comes, saying the doxology. Daniel 6:23. Then the king rejoiced exceedingly over him and ordered Daniel to be raised from the pit; and Daniel was taken up out of the pit, and no injury was found on him, because he believed in his God. Daniel 6:24. And the king commanded, and those people who accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the lions' den, both themselves and their children and their wives; and they had not reached the bottom of the ditch when the lions took possession of them and crushed all their bones. Why are children and wives exterminated? What did they sin? Maybe they also participated in this matter. Do you see the punishment of the wicked? Do you see the reward of the righteous? Learn from everyone, be edified by everyone. Do you see how God, even if He leaves a person, does it for the good? He overcame fire, overcame animals. After this, don’t ask why lions, leopards and other wild animals exist. They, like some executioners, stood on the sides of Daniel, as if at some divine and terrible judgment seat, and did not dare to tear apart the ribs of the righteous man, because they did not hear the command of the Judge. But when others were thrown to them, they, at the command of God, destroyed them. “And they crushed,” it says, “all their bones.” Who bridled their lips? Who ordered to abstain from the food offered? What wise man is so temperate that, tormented by hunger and seeing before him a means to satisfy it, he would not want to get rid of it? Again decrees, again divine preaching, again evidence in practice. Daniel 7:1. In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and prophetic visions of his head on his bed. Then he wrote down this dream, outlining the essence of the matter. Dan.7:2. Having begun his speech, Daniel said: I saw in my vision at night, and behold, the four winds of heaven fought on the great sea, Dan.7:3. and four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another. Dan.7:4. The first is like a lion, but he has eagle wings; I watched until his wings were torn out, and he was lifted up from the ground, and stood on his feet like a man, and a human heart was given to him. Dan.7:5. And here was another beast, a second one, like a bear, standing on one side, and three fangs in its mouth, between its teeth; He was told this: “Get up, eat a lot of meat!” Dan.7:6. Then I saw another beast, like a leopard; on his back were four wings of a bird, and this beast had four heads, and power was given to him. Dan.7:7. After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, terrible and terrible and very strong; he has large iron teeth; he devours and crushes, and tramples the remains underfoot; he was different from all the previous beasts, and he had ten horns. Dan.7:8. I looked at these horns, and behold, another small horn came out between them, and three of the former horns were uprooted in front of it, and behold, in this horn there were eyes like human eyes, and lips that spoke arrogantly. Why is it not said that he saw women? When it was necessary to represent punishment and damnation, then Scripture used the images of women; and when - kingdoms, then - animals. Here the subject of speech is the kingdom; he is given a sensual image. And that's quite good. Since the properties of kingdoms are especially clearly manifested in animals, they were needed for the prophet. He wanted to show luxury combined with ferocity, and introduced a lioness; wanted to show slowness, and introduced a bear; wanted to show the speed and ease and destruction of all authorities through wars, and introduced the lynx. Look how good it is that he first of all contemplated the sea, i.e. the whole universe. She is full of such confusion and is so worried, as if she were inhabited by fish and not by people. So Christ explains that real life is the sea when he says: “The kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea and captured fish of all kinds” (Matthew 13:47). “And behold, the four winds of heaven fought on the great sea.” Explaining that the animals came out from there, he shows the speed of God's providence. So when we talk about speed, we point to the wind. The winds rushed, he says, to the sea, and animals came out of the sea. And our leaders have our same nature. So often Scripture calls the king a lion, wanting to show royal dignity combined with brutal morals. It is said about four winds because there is an east wind, a north wind, and a south wind; it’s the same as saying: they disturbed the sea, agitated it to the sky. “Four great beasts came out of the sea, unlike one another. The first is like a lion,” that’s how he appeared in the dream; in reality it was not. Two images signify royal dignity. Some say that (the Babylonian king) defeated the Assyrian, and therefore two images are used. “But he has the wings of an eagle; I watched until his wings were torn out,” i.e. power, “and he was lifted up from the earth, and stood on his feet like a man, and a human heart was given to him.” Ferocious animal! On both sides it had organs for rapid movement: on top - wings, below - legs; but both were taken away: the wings were crushed and were no longer visible, and the legs turned into weak human ones. “And the heart of man was given to him.” Great was the arrogance of this animal; but now, he says, this king has become humble, meek, tame. “And here was another beast, a second one, like a bear, standing on one side, and three fangs in its mouth, between its teeth; He was told this: “Get up, eat a lot of meat!” The Persian kingdom was characterized by its slowness. Under the rule of the Medes and Persians, "three fangs", i.e. the countries or kingdoms they united. “He was told this: “Get up, eat a lot of meat!” , since they took Babylon and caused many disasters. “Then I saw, behold, another beast, like a leopard; on his back were four wings of a bird, and this beast had four heads, and power was given to him.” Then, he says, “leopard”, i.e. Alexander, king of Macedon, who ran across the entire universe, since there was no one faster and faster than him; he was strong and fast, like this beast. “Four,” he says, “bird’s wings” above him, that is, he seized all the power for himself, so, dividing the Persians into thirteen regions, he subjugated everyone to himself. Do you see his speed? It is depicted both by the properties of the beast and by the wings. He went through the entire universe. “And this beast had four heads, and power was given to him.” Next, the prophet speaks of the appearance of a beast with diverse and heterogeneous properties, to which he cannot give an image: this beast was so changeable. He conquered all those kingdoms. Others had strength in speed, but this one had strength in his teeth, because they were made of iron. “He tramples the remnants underfoot.” There are many wars being talked about here. What are the ten kings? What does little horn mean? I claim that this Antichrist appears between several kings. “Eyes like human eyes, and lips that speak arrogantly.” Indeed, what could be more arrogant than the lips of one who exalts himself “above all that is called God or that is worshiped” (2 Thess. 2:4)? Do not be surprised that he has “the eyes of a man,” because it is also said about him that he is “a man of sin, the son of perdition” (2 Thess. 2:3). Why is he small and not great from the very beginning? However, after that he will grow up and defeat several kings. What then? Another kingdom no longer follows him, but God himself destroys it. Dan.7:9. I saw at last that thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days sat down; His robe was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool; His throne is like a flame of fire, His wheels are like blazing fire. Dan.7:10. A river of fire came out and passed before Him; thousands upon thousands served Him, and darkness stood before Him; the judges sat down and the books were opened. Let us intensify our attention, beloved, because we are not talking about unimportant subjects. “The thrones,” he says, “have been set, and the Ancient of Days has sat down.” Who is He? Just as, when you heard about a bear, you did not mean a bear, and when you heard about a lion, you meant not him, but kingdoms, and when you heard about the sea, you meant not the sea, but the universe, and so on, and so on, and so it is now. Who is this “Ancient of Days”? He was like a certain old man. God takes upon Himself images according to the requirements of the circumstances for which he appears, and (here) shows that the judgment should be entrusted to the elders. Hearing about the throne, you will not understand the seat; how can you understand someone ordinary by sitting, when in one place He appears armed (Wis. 5:18), in another - bloodied (Is. 63:3)? Here the prophet wants to express that (the time has come)? judgment. “His robe was white as snow.” Why? Because the time has come not only for judgment, but also for retribution; because “My judgment,” as the prophet says, “is like a rising light” (Hosea 6:5). Then “thrones were set.” Are these not the thrones about which Christ says: “You also will sit on twelve thrones” (Matthew 19:28)? “And the hair of His head is like pure wool.” The fire did not destroy anything; it was harmless. Do you see the image of the state and the people here? The throne was terrible because it had a lot of fire, and not just fire, but “like the flame of fire.” So that you do not think that it is used for comparison, the prophet also indicated its effect, saying that it was not just fire, but “like the flame of fire.” “A river of fire came out and passed before Him; thousands upon thousands served Him, and darkness stood before Him; the judges sat down” i.e., He came to carry out the trial. "And the books were opened". What are you saying? Does God, who “knows all things before he was” (Dan. 13:42), “created hearts one by one, and considers all their affairs” (Ps. 33:15) have a need for books? No, this is said in relation to the custom of rulers, just as we use notes. Just as with us notes are read not so that only the boss knows the matter, but so that the justice of the court is visible, so it is here: although the righteous Judge knows, but opens books. What do you want to say? Why doesn't he talk about honors? He said: “Thrones were set,” as a sign that God had determined and honors; but since we did not obey, He appointed punishment and torment. Isn’t this the same appeal that Christ made to us? “From that time,” says the evangelist, “Jesus began to preach and say: Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). Do not understand here, beloved, anything corporeal, and do not think that the infinite God is embraced by the throne. If “in His hand are all the ends of the earth” (Ps. 95:4), 5, if He “weighed the mountains in scales,” if “the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are counted as a speck of dust in the balance,” as He Himself says (Is. 40:12, 15), then what place can embrace Him all? No, He was not enclosed by the throne. If He had clothing, then it was not like fire. destroyed it? What is the name of the “Ancient of Days”, Who exists before all ages? “And You,” says the Psalmist, “are the same” (Ps. 101:28). How can He be old? “And Your years,” they say, “will not fail” (Ps. 101:28). How could the Boundless and the Bodiless have clothes? “And His greatness,” says the Psalmist, “has no end” (Ps. 145:3); and again: “If I ascend to heaven, You are there; if I go down to hell, You remain there” (Ps. 139:8). How was He clothed in human clothing and the fire did not destroy it? However, the prophet could see much more. How was the hair not burned in the fire? That is why the prophet added: “the throne His is like a flame of fire.” “And the books were opened,” so that whoever is condemned is condemned through his own fault. Dan.7:11. I saw then that for uttering the arrogant words that the horn spoke, the beast was killed in my eyes, and its body was crushed and given over to be burned with fire. For arrogance, although Alexander bowed to God. Dan.7:12. And their power was taken away from other animals, and the continuation of life was given to them only for a time and for a period. Although their power ended, life remained. “The beast was killed in my sight, and his body was crushed and given up to be burned with fire.” This expresses complete destruction. “I saw in the night visions, behold, one like the Son of Man walked with the clouds of heaven” (Dan. 7:13). Who doesn't know this? Who can't see this? Isn’t that what Peter or Paul says, O Jew? “He came to the Ancient of Days and was brought to Him.” From this it is clear that they have equal honor. “He was brought to Him.” So that when you see that the kingdom is given to Him, you do not understand the word: “given” in human terms, the prophet says: “with the clouds of heaven.” Scripture usually refers to the sky as clouds. Dan.7:14. And to Him was given dominion, glory, and a kingdom, that all nations, nations, and languages ​​should serve Him; His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which will not pass away, and His kingdom will not be destroyed. What, tell me, could be clearer than this? “All nations,” he says, “tribes and languages ​​served Him.” See how the prophet embraced all the nations of the universe. Look how (the Son of Man) received the power of judgment. And lest you think that this is only for a while, he says: “His dominion is an eternal dominion, which will not pass away, and His kingdom will not be destroyed,” but stands and abides. If you do not believe this, then be convinced by your deeds. Do you see His equality with the Father? Since He appeared after the Father, the prophet says that He came along with the clouds. And that He existed before is evident from the fact that He comes “with clouds.” “And to Him was given authority,” i.e. the one He had. "That all peoples, nations and tongues might serve Him." He had power before and then he accepted the very power that he had. In what sense do you understand the Father’s hair and so on, understand this in the same way. When you hear: “given,” and the like, do not think anything human or low about the Son. Just as, seeing the “Ancient of Days,” you do not understand the old man, so understand the rest. Do not seek clarity in prophecies, where there are shadows and fortune-telling, just as in lightning you do not seek constant light, but are content with the fact that it only flashes. Dan.7:15. My spirit trembled in me, Daniel, in my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. Of course, what he was contemplating confused him. He was the first and only to see the Father and the Son, as if in a vision. What can the Jews say to this? Since the upcoming coming of the Son was already close, it is fair that wonderful visions appear. Dan.7:16. I approached one of those present and asked him about the true meaning of all this, and he began to talk to me and explained to me the meaning of what was said. He asks what it means what he saw, and learns about the Antichrist, and learns about the kingdom that has no end. Dan.7:17. These, - he says, - great beasts, of which there are four, mean that four kings will rise from the earth. Dan.7:18. Then the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess the kingdom forever and ever.” Dan.7:19. Then I wanted an exact explanation about the fourth beast, which was different from all others and very terrible, with iron teeth and copper claws, devouring and crushing, and trampling the remains underfoot, Dan.7:20. and about the ten horns that were on his head, and about another that came out again, in front of which three fell, about that same horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke arrogantly, and which in appearance became larger than the others. Dan.7:21. I have seen this horn make war with the saints and overcome them, Dan.7:22. until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to take possession of the kingdom. Dan.7:23. He said about this: the fourth beast - the fourth kingdom will be on earth, different from all kingdoms, which will devour the whole earth, trample and crush it. Dan.7:24. And ten horns mean that ten kings will rise from this kingdom, and after them another will arise, different from the previous ones, and will destroy three kings, Dan.7:25. and he will speak words against the Most High and oppress the saints of the Most High; He will even dream of abolishing their holidays and the law, and they will be delivered into his hand until a time and times and half a time. Dan.7:26. Then the judges will sit and take away from him the power to destroy and destroy to the end. Dan.7:27. The kingdom and power and royal greatness in all the heavenly places will be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will serve and obey Him. Dan.7:28. This is the end of the word. I, Daniel, was greatly troubled by my thoughts, and my face changed; but I kept the word in my heart Why didn't you, man, say this verb? Because this had nothing to do with the Jews; on the contrary, in words God communicated this secretly, but kept it in the heart of the prophet. So at the end he says: “these words are hidden and sealed until the time of the end” (Dan. 12:9), and he wants them to remain unclear. Christ Himself does the same when He speaks in parables. Look how the prophet exalts this kingdom in every possible way, so that you do not understand anything human. People, even if they have taken possession of the whole earth, cannot (possess) always and for an infinite time. Let no one tell me that the prophet here means a short time. What do the words mean: “this kingdom will not be given to another nation” (Dan.2:44)? Look at what happened under Darius and the Macedonians. Who was it for? For the Jews. Therefore, Alexander, as they say, bowed to the temple, seeing the book of Daniel, and the pagans were amazed at the power of his prediction. No one spoke about this except this one prophet. Daniel 8:1. In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar, a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after the one that appeared to me before. Daniel 8:2. And I saw in a vision, and when I saw, I was in Susa, the capital city in the region of Elam, and I saw in a vision, as if I was at the Ulai River. Dan.8:3. I lifted up my eyes and saw: behold, one ram stood by the river; he has two horns, and the horns are high, but one is higher than the other, and the highest rose up after. Dan.8:4. I saw how this ram butted to the west and to the north and to the south, and no beast could resist him, and no one could save him from him; he did what he wanted and was proud. Dan.8:5. I looked attentively at this, and behold, from the west there came a goat across the face of the whole earth, without touching the ground; this goat had a prominent horn between his eyes. Dan.8:6. He went towards that ram with horns, which I saw standing by the river, and rushed at him in his great rage. Dan.8:7. And I saw how he, approaching the ram, became angry with him and struck the ram, and broke both of its horns; and the ram was not strong enough to stand against him, and he threw him to the ground and trampled him, and there was no one who could save the ram from him. Dan.8:8. Then the goat became extremely exalted; but when it grew stronger, the great horn was broken, and four came out in its place, facing the four winds of heaven. Dan.8:9. From one of them came a small horn, which grew enormously to the south and east and to the beautiful country, Daniel 8:10. and he ascended to the host of heaven, and cast down to the earth part of that host and the stars, and trampled them underfoot, Dan.8:11. and he even ascended against the Captain of this army, and the daily sacrifice was taken away from Him, and the place of His sanctuary was desecrated. Dan.8:12. And the army was delivered up along with the daily sacrifice for wickedness, and he, casting the truth to the ground, acted and succeeded. Dan.8:13. And I heard one saint speaking, and this saint said to someone who asked: “How long will this vision of the daily sacrifice and the devastating wickedness last, when the shrine and the army will be trampled underfoot?” Dan.8:14. And he said to me: “for two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings; and then the sanctuary will be cleansed.” Daniel 8:15. And it came to pass: when I, Daniel, saw this vision and sought its meaning, behold, he stood before me as the form of a man. Dan.8:16. And I heard a human voice from the middle of Ulai, which called out and said: “Gabriel! explain this vision to him!” Daniel 8:17. And he came to the place where I stood, and when he came, I was horrified and fell on my face; and he said to me: “Know, son of man, that the vision refers to the end of time!” Dan.8:18. And when he spoke to me, I lay unconscious with my face on the ground; but he touched me and put me in my place, Dan.8:19. and said, “Behold, I show you what will happen in the last days of wrath; for it refers to the end of a certain time. Daniel 8:20. The Aries you saw with two horns is the kings of Media and Persia. Daniel 8:21. And the shaggy goat is the king of Greece, and the great horn that is between his eyes is her first king; Dan.8:22. he broke, and four others came out in his place: these are four kingdoms that will arise from this people, but not with his strength. Dan.8:23. At the end of their kingdom, when the apostates have fulfilled the measure of their iniquities, an insolent and skillful king will rise up in deceit; Daniel 8:24. and his strength will be strengthened, although not by his own strength, and he will produce amazing devastation and will succeed in acting and destroying the mighty and the people of the saints, Dan.8:25. and with his intelligence and deceit will prosper in his hand, and he will be exalted in his heart, and in the midst of the world he will destroy many, and he will rise up against the Lord of lords, but he will be crushed - not by hand. Daniel 8:26. The vision about evening and morning, about which it is said, is true; but hide this vision, for it belongs to distant times.” “The voice of man, which cried and said,” it says, “Gabriel!” explain this vision to him." Look at the duties of angels and archangels. Is there another greater force? “And he came,” says the prophet, “to the place where I stood, and when he came, I was horrified and fell on my face.” Where are those who curse the angels? The angel did nothing on his own. Do you see that they too are divided into many ranks and types? In the first vision, the prophet says: “he approached one of those present and asked” (Dan.7:16); but that's not the case here. “And I heard one holy man speaking”; asks another, as if not knowing, so that Daniel finds out. “And he said,” he says. “At the end of their kingdom, when the apostates have fulfilled the measure of their iniquities, a king will arise, impudent and skilled in deceit.” See how the prophet shows the Jews that they themselves are to blame; but he does not express this clearly, so that they do not deliberately remain evil: after all, if they remained so when nothing like this was said, then even more so they would have remained if this had been clearly expressed; also so that you know that the Spirit has power everywhere, that God foresees everything, and that, although He knew about their future sins, He nevertheless brought them out (from captivity). And note: if he pointed to years, time would seem short - therefore he counts the days in order to frighten them with their multitude, and, moreover, he counts not only the days, but also the nights. He dwells for a long time on the sad events under Antiochus in order to terrify in this way. “And his strength will be strengthened,” i.e., God could have stopped him, but he allowed him for the sins of the Jews, and not just for the sins, but because the measure was fulfilled. Is there any measure of sins? “For the measure of the iniquities,” says God, “of the Amorites has not yet been filled” (Gen. 15:16). And note: it is no longer burning that is predicted, but individual cases of murder. Since some will be kinder and better than their fathers, the punishment will be less. This is said so that they, being proud of the victories that happened under Zerubbabel, will not become careless. And look how he does not indicate nothing bright after the time of Antiochus, but speaks only about the end of disasters and the time that embraces them. Didn’t he predict this captivity, but it is very unclear. That’s why Christ said: “When you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place” (Matt. 24:15), he says, but as if he had not predicted. However, some say that this was not rightly predicted, since this captivity did not have a specific time. “He was assigned,” says the prophet, “a grave with evildoers, but He was buried with a rich man” (Is. 53:9). “But you hide this vision, for it belongs to distant times,” that is, preserve, preserve, so that it does not become distorted over a long period of time. Look how God always spared the Jews. They came to Egypt and became bad; He did not retreat from them, but led them out into the wilderness. They remained in wickedness; He did not abandon them, but brought them into the promised land. Under Antiochus he brought them out again, and again they remained the same. Under Christ they were the same again; but even then He did not retreat from them, but constantly cares about them. Just as the natural properties given to us by nature do not leave us, no matter what happens, so does God; or better, they may leave us, but God never leaves us with His providence and care. “Will a woman forget her suckling child,” He says, “so as not to have compassion on the son of her womb? but even if she forgot, I will not forget you” (Is. 49:15). Just as a mother does not look at whether her children are good, but fulfills the law of nature, so, and even more, God constantly cares, never leaves, always acts in the same measure. Dan.8:27. And I, Daniel, was exhausted and sick for several days; then he got up and began to attend to royal affairs; I was amazed at this vision and did not understand it. Why was he exhausted? Perhaps from grief when thinking about future disasters, while the present ones have not ended. And, he says, there are so many disasters! Or: I have not yet reconciled God with them, and they themselves are again arming Him against themselves. And “then he got up and began to engage in royal affairs,” i.e. served. And “I was amazed at this vision and did not understand it.” Grief is especially strong when it is impossible to share it with anyone; or (he mourns) because they were wicked. And “I began to engage,” he says, “in royal affairs,” that is, I did not omit anything, but carried out my duties. Dan.9:1. In the first year of Darius, the son of Assuir, from the family of Media, who was appointed king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans, Dan.9:2. In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, figured out from the books the number of years about which the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that seventy years would be fulfilled over the devastation of Jerusalem. Dan.9:3. And I turned my face to the Lord God with prayer and supplication, in fasting and sackcloth and ashes. This is Darius the Mede. By the first year the prophet does not mean the first year of his reign, since he did not say: in the first summer of his reign, but “in the first year of his reign,” so we can call it the first year in which he, as king, perhaps took Belshazzar’s followers captive. “I, Daniel, figured out the number of years from the books,” i.e., the time of the murder of Belshazzar, and I reflected. Look how he did not dare to approach the Lord before a certain time. Three youths also entered the cave; but in the ditch he did not act that way. What then? Did they act badly, or did he? Neither they nor he. They expressed their love, and he expressed his understanding of the time he was experiencing. So, did he not read the prophecies with understanding? I think that he is counting not from the capture of the city, but perhaps from the captivity of Israel; Wars can rightly be called the desertion of Jerusalem. Notice that this is also a seventh number. As before he changed four hundred and thirty years (Ex. 12:40) into two hundred and fifteen, so now, I think, it has been reduced. “Concerning which the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that seventy years would be fulfilled upon the desolation of Jerusalem. And I turned my face to the Lord God with prayer and supplication, in fasting and sackcloth and ashes.” Look at his piety. “And I turned my face,” he says, “that is, before, to the point of humiliation, I was ashamed, but now “I turned my face,” in other words: I dared. If he had asked what was due, he would not have said: “I turned my face,” as if the matter was connected with danger. If he cares so much about others, if, enjoying such favor from God and the king, he does not enjoy it at all, but he laments more than those in need, as if he himself were exposed to disasters, then how can one not be rightly surprised at him? Look how even after these disasters he did not dare to approach God until he saw that the time was fulfilled. What will happen to us unhappy people? What are you saying, Daniel? You are among blessings, enjoying honor from God and from people; Why do you care about others? Moses did the same. And what does he say? “In fasting and sackcloth and ashes,” he asked for his due. Why, if it was due? Because he feared that the Jews might turn out to be unworthy of this too. There is no need for God; He is above the laws. “And I turned my face to the Lord God,” he says, “with prayer and supplication.” First of all, he asks for this. Will God, he says, allow me to pray for them? Because he heard that Jeremiah was told: “Do not ask for this people and do not offer prayers and petitions for them” (Jer. 7:16). Despite the fact that the intercessors for him were captivity, and the coming of the deadline, and his own virtue, and countless sufferings, he does not feel courage in himself, but is sprinkled with ashes and covered with sackcloth, and thus prays. What will we do, careless ones? We must imitate him. So that no one can say that other prophets did this out of poverty, the one who enjoyed great honor the most humbles himself the most. He came from a royal family and enjoyed so many benefits. This is how one must mourn one’s own misfortunes; so you need to feel sorry for your neighbors; such is the compassion of the prophets. Look how he was especially distinguished by this. Moses said: “Forgive them their sin, and if not, then blot me out of Your book” (Exodus 32:32). And Daniel was constantly in fasting and tears. And Paul was constantly in tears and was ready to go to Gehenna itself. None of them enjoyed their own benefits; but just as the eye in the body, although it is beautiful, cannot feel its beauty when the legs are damaged and rotten, so it was with them. What are the ashes for? It reminded him of his own nature. What is sackcloth for? It humbles you with its rudeness. What is the post for? And it reminds us of what happened in heaven. This is the custom (of the pious): they strive for that which causes sorrow. I am not worthy, he says, of land, clothing, or other gifts of nature, but I deserve the most severe punishment, although I am clothed in Persian fabrics and wear the Persian tiara. And what else does he say? Let's listen to his confession. “And I prayed to the Lord my God” (Dan. 9:4). Look at his love for the Lord. “To my God,” he says. He calls the one whom he did not dare ask his God. Dan.9:20. And while I was still speaking and praying, and confessing my sins and the sins of my people Israel, and presenting my prayer before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God; Dan.9:21. While I was still praying, the husband Gabriel, whom I had seen before in a vision, quickly flew in and touched me around the time of the evening sacrifice. Dan.9:22. and admonished me, spoke to me and said: “Daniel! Now I have come forth to teach you understanding. Dan.9:23. At the beginning of your prayer the word came out, and I came to tell it to you, for you are a man of desires; Therefore, look into the word and understand the vision. If the Jews tell us: why during the time of Isaiah, when the son of Uzziah was afraid of war and the invasion of two kings, the prophet came out and gave them a sign that was to be fulfilled many years later? - then we will tell them: why, when Daniel prayed for a return and wanted to hear something about it, the angel who came did not announce anything about it, but pointed out things that were going to happen after a long time? Just as the issue is completely resolved there, so it is here. The restoration of the city is made very certain when it is announced that it will be taken again. What then? Did He want to sadden the prophet by doing this? No, He wanted to instill greater fear in the Jews. And not once or twice, but many times He does this, because the upcoming prosperity could easily fill their soul with pride, since the city was not only to be restored, but also built by the hands of barbarians, the very hands of barbarians who destroyed it. Isaiah speaks about this, showing that God is omnipotent, that He can do and change everything (Is. 49:17). The Jews were subsequently returned to the blessings of their fatherland and given brilliant and frequent victories, which the prophets proclaim, for example. Ezekiel says that the weapons of those who are taken captive will be burned for seven years (Ezek. 39:9), and others have often said the same thing; So that they, having become proud of this, do not become worse than before, God, through the fear of prediction and repeated repetition of the same thing, seems to put them in the inevitable need not to become corrupted, even if they wanted to. That is why He did not reveal clearly the time; and what was the use of opening it? And notice when the prophecy is communicated? Upon their return, when their circumstances were favorable and prosperous. Moses, intending to lead them into the promised land, upon the very receipt of blessings, predicts the coming disasters, saying: “I am testified to you today by heaven and earth” (Deut. 4:26): he contrasts the insensibility that comes from prosperity with the threat of punishment, and so Daniel holds them back with fear. That’s why Zechariah dwells on this a lot and talks about it because there is nothing less useful for human nature than prosperity and tranquility. “While I was still continuing the prayer,” he says, “my husband Gabriel,” who usually appeared to him, “whom I had seen before in a vision, quickly flew in and touched me around the time of the evening sacrifice,” either so that he would not be afraid of the vision, or so that he would understand what was said. Since it was impossible to reveal this clearly in front of others, he touches. “And he admonished me,” he says, “he spoke to me and said: “Daniel! Now I have come forth to teach you understanding. At the beginning of your prayer the word came out, and I came to tell it to you, for you are a man of desires; therefore, look into the word and understand the vision.” Take heed, he says, into what will be said. When someone asks for one thing and hears about another, then great attention is needed. “And the people will return, and the streets and walls will be built” (Dan. 9:25). Some here mean the wall that Agrippa built. Dan.9:25. Therefore, know and understand: from the time the commandment goes out to restore Jerusalem until Christ the Master there are seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; and the people will return and the streets and walls will be built, but in difficult times. Dan.9:26. And at the end of sixty-two weeks Christ will be put to death, and will not be; and the city and the sanctuary will be destroyed by the people of the leader who comes, and its end will be like a flood, and until the end of the war there will be devastation. Dan.9:27. And the covenant shall be established for many for one week, and in the half of the week sacrifice and offering shall cease, and the abomination of desolation shall be upon the wing of the sanctuary, and the final predetermined destruction shall befall the desolator.” Look how amazingly he talks about disasters! “And the covenant shall be established for many for one week, and in the half of the week sacrifice and offering shall cease, and the abomination of desolation shall be on the pinnacle of the sanctuary, and the final predestined destruction shall befall the desolator.” Look how he ended his speech with regrettable events, but did not speak clearly about favorable ones - the latter are indicated in the words: “one week will confirm the covenant for many”; he speaks often and a lot about the deplorable. “And the abomination of desolation”, i.e., Adrianov. Zechariah speaks of this more clearly; he also speaks of favorable circumstances for those who remain. And the Jews lived in Egypt for so many years, and yet were not destroyed; and now you no longer expect this (their salvation)! Look at other circumstances. The Jews now do not enter their city as before, and who can even talk about their return? Nobody. Daniel 10:1. In the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia, there was a revelation to Daniel, who was called by the name of Belshazzar; and this revelation was true and of great power. He understood this revelation and understood this vision. Daniel 10:2. In these days I, Daniel, was in mourning for three weeks of days. Daniel 10:3. I didn’t eat tasty bread; meat and wine did not enter my mouth, and I did not anoint myself with ointments until the completion of three weeks of days. Why is he mourning again? If the first year of Cyrus's reign has come, then why is he crying, and all these days, although it was possible to mourn only one day? And again he does not hear anything about what he is praying for. He prays, it seems to me, that the disasters will stop; but God does not say anything like that, but expresses it more clearly as before. The prophet prays that all the Jews will return, although great disasters awaited them and, although God wanted to reject their fatherland. And here God says it more clearly and precisely. Notice that Daniel always receives a vision, only after fasting. When it was necessary to recognize the dream (of Nebuchadnezzar), fasting preceded it; when Gabriel appeared, there was again fasting, ashes and sackcloth; when the angel now appears, fasting and prayer again. But look how he almost makes excuses before Daniel. Dan.10:4. And on the twenty-fourth day of the first month I was on the banks of the great Tigris River, Daniel 10:5. and I lifted up my eyes, and saw: behold, a man clothed in linen, and his loins were girded with gold from Uphaz. Daniel 10:6. His body is like topaz, his face is like the appearance of lightning; His eyes are like burning lamps, his hands and feet are like shiny brass in appearance, and the voice of his speech is like the voice of many people. Dan.10:7. And only I, Daniel, saw this vision, and the people who were with me did not see this vision; but great fear attacked them and they ran away to hide. Daniel 10:8. And I was left alone and looked at this great vision, but there was no strength left in me, and the appearance of my face changed enormously, there was no vigor in me. Dan.10:9. And I heard the voice of his words; and as soon as I heard the voice of his words, I fell on my face in a daze and lay with my face to the ground. Dan.10:10. But behold, a hand touched me and made me on my knees and in the palm of my hands. Daniel 10:11. And he said to me: “Daniel, man of desires! take heed of the words that I will tell you, and stand upright on your feet; for to you I have been sent today.” When he spoke these words to me, I stood up in trepidation. Daniel 10:12. But he said to me: “Do not be afraid, Daniel; from the first day that you set your heart to gain understanding and humble you before your God, your words were heard, and I would come according to your words. Do you see how I said that he is almost making excuses before the prophet? “From the first day,” he says, I was sent. Why did he hesitate? “But the prince of the kingdom of Persia stood against me twenty-one days” (Dan. 10:13). Have you heard that “when the Most High gave inheritance to the nations and scattered the sons of men, then he set the borders of the nations according to the number of the children of Israel” 6 (Deut. 32:8)? Every nation has a patronizing angel who wants to be stronger than others. “I, Daniel, saw this vision,” because it was not enough to listen to the words spoken. Do you see that the prophets were instructed in other ways? "And great power". Truly great if weak people overcame that Antiochus who won so many victories. “And this revelation was true.” This is said because they might not believe it. "Which was called by the name of Belshazzar". The prophet recalls previous events in order to appear reliable. So he broke Easter, since Easter occurs in the first month, and he fasted until the twenty-fourth day of this month. His fast begins on the fourteenth day and lasts from the fourteenth to the twenty-first and two more days. Look how the laws are already being repealed. Wasn't it fear that made you run away, Daniel? No he says. Notice where he sees the vision: in the desert, like Moses, because the cities are full of noise and confusion. So Christ is transfigured on the mountain. Daniel 10:13. Behold, Michael, one of the first princes, came to help me, and I remained there with the kings of Persia. Daniel 10:14. And now I have come to tell you what will happen to your people in the last times, since the vision refers to distant days.” Daniel 10:15. When he spoke such words to me, I fell with my face to the ground and became speechless. Daniel 10:16. But behold, someone who looked like the sons of men touched my mouth, and I opened my mouth, began to speak and said to the one standing in front of me: “My lord! from this vision my insides turned in me, and there was no strength in me. Daniel 10:17. And how can a servant of such a master of mine speak to such a master of mine? for I have no strength, and my breath has died within me.” Daniel 10:18. Then that human form touched me again and strengthened me Daniel 10:19. and said: “Do not be afraid, man of desires! peace be with you; take heart, take heart!” And when he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said: “Speak, my lord; for you have strengthened me.” Dan.10:20. And he said: “Do you know why I came to you? Now I will return to fight the Prince of Persia; and when I go out, behold, the prince of Greece will come. Daniel 10:21. However, I will tell you what is written in the true Scripture; and there is no one who would support me in this except Michael, your prince. And “a man clothed in linen,” perhaps priestly. The vision of him is “like the appearance of lightning.” How did he appear to them in lightning? Why does this angel appear like this? Is it not to amaze the people? But what is the use of this? He appears in order to convince the prophet not to grieve over the fact that he is told the same thing over and over again: the angel testifies to the power of the future; or to assure the prophet. And “the voice of his speeches is like the voice of many people,” so as to frighten. Daniel faints and then, during the conversation, becomes exhausted again: probably the angel only allows this, and does not himself make him powerless, because before he said: “Take courage,” and he stood up. Do you see what the angel's appearance was like? Do not think that Daniel saw copper or gold. Who could be so amazed by the sight of them? And here there is light everywhere. Since I was sent, he says, I only warn you that you have not lost grace. “Your words have been heard, and I would come according to your words.” What did he ask and what did he pray for? But the angel does not tell him about this or anything like that. Maybe he wanted to know exactly the time (of deliverance), what would follow. "The prince of the kingdom of Persia stood against me." Isn't he talking about an earthly boss? No, because in another place he says: “Behold, the prince of Greece will come.” It seems to me that this prince is not from among the chiefs or rulers of the people, but from among the higher powers. Then, when the other angels could not resist him, he tells the prophet about this. The Jews, he says, have been liberated. What else are you asking for? And “behold, Michael, one of the first princes, came to help me, and I remained there with the kings of Persia. And now I have come to tell you what will happen to your people in the last times." Why didn’t Michael come before twenty days? It seems to me that he wants to show the prophet that he is asking for what is prohibited, illegal and difficult, as if he is putting the angels in difficulty. That is why Michael does not immediately, not at the very beginning, come to the rescue, but subsequently, in order to inspire that the (Jews) who lived after were unworthy of returning. The angels are offended by this. “And I remained there” either to persuade or to hinder. But what angel will resist when he hears that God bestows grace? I think that here the matter is presented in a sensual image, just as it is said elsewhere: “who would captivate Ahab” (2 Chronicles 18:19); and again: “Leave Me therefore, that My wrath may burn against them, and I may destroy them” (Ex. 32:10). The prophet, as it were, restrains God, but He does not tolerate obstacles or coercion. The same is true here. And in another place it says: “Let Me go, for the dawn has risen” (Gen. 32:26); and also about the angel and the donkey: “If she had not turned away from Me” (Num. 22:33); and again: “Only his face will I accept” (Job.42:8). Consequently, this does not show that the angel opposes God, but only that the angels are offended. Daniel had such power! And “I have come to tell you what will happen to your people in the last times.” Look how he, leaving the necessary work, justifies himself before the prophet. Daniel again becomes weak, and again the angel lifts him up and says: “Now I will return to fight the prince of Persia; and when I go out, behold, the prince of Greece will come.” Perhaps he was going to fight one of those who opposed him because of the future, for example those who acted against Macedonia; however, he is not yet sure of this. Do angels really fight and compete for people? Yes, because they care a lot about people. He wasn’t sure yet, and he kind of said: I’m forced to fight him. Daniel 11:1. So, from the first year of Darius the Mede, I became his support and reinforcement. Daniel 11:2. Now I will tell you the truth. I am the one, he says, who saved (the Jews) even then. So that someone doesn't say: why are you fighting? – what if you don’t win? - he says: no; and then I defended them. “And there is no one who will support me in this except Michael your prince” (Dan. 10:21). He says this in order to convince the prophet that he is not an enemy or adversary to him, but that the prophet demands what is prohibited; and he doesn’t say that because he needs help. What then? Obviously, he was not one of the "princes". Then he talks about everything in detail and indicates where the defeats will come from. Next he proclaims the salvation and glory of his people in the future. Dan.12:7. And I heard how a man in linen clothing, who was above the waters of the river, raising his right and left hands to the sky, swore to the One who lives forever that at the end of time and times and half a time, and after the complete overthrow of the power of the holy people, all this would be accomplished. Daniel 12:8. I heard this, but did not understand, and therefore said: “My lord! what will happen after this? Dan.12:9. And he answered: “Go, Daniel; for these words are hidden and sealed until the time of the end. Daniel 12:10. Many will be purified, made white, and refined in temptation; But the wicked will do wickedly, and none of the wicked will understand, but the wise will understand. Dan.12:11. From the time the daily sacrifice ceases and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, one thousand two hundred and ninety days will pass. Daniel 12:12. Blessed is he who waits and reaches one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days. Dan.12:13. And you go to your end and rest, and rise to receive your lot at the end of days.” You, he says, “go,” because it will be after a long time. Consequently, the prophet does not cry about the return, but after the return he cries for those who returned. Daniel 14:1. King Astyages venerated his fathers, and Cyrus the Persian took over his kingdom. And Daniel lived with the king and was more glorious than all his friends. Daniel wrote us a story about Vila. “Don’t you think that Vil is an inanimate god? don’t you see how much he eats and drinks every day?” (Dan. 14:6). Alas, here is the proof and sign of a deity: he eats and drinks a lot! Daniel did not object: is this God, tell me? - because the king was weak, but won a complete victory. He did not say: I am telling you about God, who created heaven and earth; and you represent to me an insatiable womb; this is completely uncharacteristic of God; God neither hungers nor is weary. But the prophet wants to win not by reasoning, but by deeds. The king himself appointed the punishment. Why does Vil eat not in front of those present, but at night? How did the priests not realize that they would be exposed through their own cunning? When God arranges it, then don’t be surprised at anything. And “the king commanded to kill,” says the prophet (Dan. 14:22). What else does he say about the serpent? Does anyone really worship the beast? And he killed him. Do you see how foolish and weak the Persian kings were? “I was forced to betray” (Dan. 14:30). Why did he betray him after such a brilliant victory? “The angel of the Lord said to Habakkuk,” it says, “take this dinner that you have to Babylon to Daniel” (Dan. 14:34). Look at the miracle. Was it impossible to bring him food from some other place other than Judea? It pleased the prophet so as not to act in the same way as with the eunuch, and not to suffer hunger, considering food to be defiled. How did he recognize Habakkuk? By similarity of speech. Habakkuk was to become the messenger of the greatest miracle for those who were in Judea. How is man not afraid of animals? He ate and they fasted. Let them not touch the body of the righteous; but why did they abstain from food? It was as if some kind of muzzle or bridle was holding them back. Translation by P. Yungerov – Editorial office of “The ABC of Faith” these words are not in the Russian translation This interpretation is in many places incomplete, unclear and confusing, so that the publisher “not without some doubt” placed it among the true works of St. I. Chrysostom. Perhaps these shortcomings are explained by the malfunction of the only copy from which it was published by Min, or we have here only draft notes of St. father, left without further processing. You might be interested in: