crime qui causera la désolation pour livrer le sanctuaire et l'armée à étre foulés?" Réponse (verset 14). "La période de tems comprenant la durée de ces deux époques ajoutées l'une à l'autre, et prises ensemble, sera en tout de deux mille trois cents ans; après quoi le sanctuaire sera purifié." Cette manière simple et presque littérale d'expliquer le verset 13, me parait confirmée par la suite du chapitre. La durée de la période étant déterminée au verset 14, il est naturel d'attendre que l'ange va donner à Daniel quelque lumière sur l'époque depuis laquelle les deux mille trois cents ans devront être comptés. En effet, dans le verset 19, il lui dit: Voici, je te ferai savoir ce qui arrivera à la fin de l'indignation, &c. Par l'indignation il faut sans doute entendre ici la captivité de Babylone, malédiction sous laquelle le peuple de Dieu gémissait encore, quand Daniel eut la vision. Ce sens parait en harmonie avec la prière que le même Daniel adressait quinze ans plus tard au Seigneur, et qui se lit dans la chapitre suivant. (Dan. ix: voyez entr'autres les versets 2, 11, 16). Il s'accorde aussi avec la manière dont les autres prophètes d'Israel parlent de ce châtiment rigoureux. Ainsi la fin de l'indignation, c'est le retour des Juifs de Babylone à Jérusalem, et l'entier rétablissement du service religieux dans la ville sainte; et ce que l'ange va faire savoir à Daniel (viii. 19), c'est ce qui arrivera à la fin de l'indignation, c'est à dire les événements renfermés dans les deux mille trois cents années qui commenceront leur cours à l'époque de ce rétablissement. En fin, le verset 26, qui termine l'explication donnée par l'ange, me parait appuyer encore l'interprêtation proposée. Si, comme je l'ai dit plus haut, le verset 14 contient un sommaire de toute l'histoire révélée dans la vision, on peut dire que le verset 26 en est comme la récapitulation en peu de mots: La vision du soir et du matin, qui a été dite, est très véritable. La vision du soir et du matin est sans doute ici la même chose que la vision du sacrifice continuel; et du crime qui cause la désolation pour livrer le sanctuaire et l'armée à être foulés. En d'autres termes, c'est toujours l'histoire prophétique de ce qui doit arriver dans l'eglise, depuis que le sacrifice continuel aura éte rétabli, jusqu'au moment où le sanctuaire, de nouveau foulé aux pieds par les nations, sera ensuite définitivement purifié. § 4. Recherche plus précise du commencement et de la fin des deux mille trois cents années en question. Dans l'hypothèse que j'ai envisagée comme la plus probable, il serait intéressant de parcourir en détail les différentes phases du rétablissement progressif des Juifs à Jérusalem. Pour abréger, je me bornerai à observer d'abord que, sous la règne de Cyrus, le culte Judaïque ne fut pas rétabli d'une manière assez complète, pour que ce soit là le point de départ que nous cherchons. La lecture du livre d'Esdras, et de celui de Néhémie, semble ne pas laisser de doute à cet égard. Des raisons semblables doivent nous faire rejeter aussi l'époque de l'achèvement et de la dédicace du second temple, qui eurent lieu la sixième ou septième année de Darius, fils d'Hystaspe, 515 ans avant notre Seigneur. Dès-lors jusqu'à la septième année d'Artaxerce Longue-main, nous ne trouvons, dans l'histoire du rétablissement des Juifs, aucune circonstance assez saillante pour fixer notre attention. Mais alors commence la mission d'Esdras: celle de Néhémie lui succède treize ans plus tard. Cette époque de l'histoire Juive mérite le plus sérieuse examen, puisque c'est probablement là, que doit se trouver la première année de la période de 2300 ans, dont l'expiration ne serait par conséquent pas très-éloignée du tems où nous vivons. Pour déterminer cette première année de la période, nous arréterons-nous à l'édit obtenu par Esdras, ou à celui qui fut accordé à Néhémie? Cette seconde date me parait préférable. Je me fonde sur ce que ce ne fut qu'alors que les Juifs commencèrent à rebâtir Jérusalem, et que tant que cette ville sainte n'était pas relevée de ses ruines, et entourée de nouvelles murailles, le culte du vrai Dieu n'y était pas rétabli d'une manière sûre, complète, et stable. De plus, cette époque est désignée par l'Esprit Divin comme le commencement des soixante et dix semaines d'années, pendant lesquelles devait encore durer le culte Mosaïque, jusqu'à la cessation du sacrifice et de l'oblation, et à l'établissement de l'alliance de grâce (Dan. ix. 24, 27). Ces raisons me font regarder comme probable que les deux mille trois cents ans doivent être comptés depuis la mission de Néhémie. Si, d'après la chronologie la plus généralement approuvée, nous admettons que la vingtième année du règne d'Artaxerce correspond à l'an 454 avant notre Seigneur, l'expiration des 2300 ans tomberait sur l'année 1846, ou 1847, de notre ère. Il paraitrait donc qu'à cette époque les fidèles peuvent espérer de voir s'effectuer la purification du sanctuaire. ALPHONSE NICOLE, A Trélex, près de Nyon, Canton de Vaud (Suisse), le 23e. Juin, 1829. VOL. I.-NO, III. 3 A 354 THEOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT. ON THE NEW COVENANT. (Concluded from p. 224.) WE left off with the question of the "new covenant" having assumed a prophetic aspect. I purpose now examining the notice of the covenant of peace, in Ezek. xxxiv., to which our Lord alludes in Matt. xxv. But in order to this, I will first consider the declarations respecting the kingdom given by Messiah during the week previous to his crucifixion; as I think it more advantageous to truth to consider the whole tendency of a discourse, rather than detached expressions; it being also necessary, in order to ascertain the prevailing impression on the disciples' minds, and therefore to what ideas the Lord Jesus appeals. The inquiry may be divided into two propositions: First, That there is an age, or dispensation, yet future. Secondly, That this future dispensation will be the new co venant. I shall attempt to prove the former at some length, as the latter must depend upon it. And as I shall have occasion to make several digressions, I think the best arrangement will be to throw the matter I advance into several sections. SECTION I.-Luke xix. 11, &c. Messiah, previously to revealing his sufferings, Matt. xx. 18, 19, told his disciples, that in the regeneration (palingenesia), when the Son of Man should sit on the throne of his glory, they should also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt. xix. 28). This glorious hope took such powerful possession of their minds, that when, shortly afterwards, he told them of his sufferings and crucifixion, and that "the third day he should rise again," the sons of Zebedee either took no notice of, or probably could not conceive, the nature of his passion (Luke xxiv. 45, 46); and therefore misunderstood the resurrection of Messiah to be the regeneration of which he had been speaking *. Thus, conceiving their hopes of reigning would be realized within a week, they (taking no notice of what was declared should intervene,) asked to sit on the seats of honour in his kingdom (Matt. xx. 19-21). This gives the connection between their request and his sufferings. Indeed, this same notion prevailed so strongly in their minds, that even * Galatius, in Lightfoot, whose Harmony I have followed for the connection of the discourses. after the resurrection they asked, "Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts i. 6.) In consequence of this, "He added and spake a parable; the reason assigned being," because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear" (Luke xix. 11). This entry of Christ into Jerusalem, was in a manner and with the intention to fulfil the prophecy of Zechariah, ix. 9: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, even a colt the foal of an ass." An unbroken colt (Luke xix. 30-the very animal taken to set out the perverseness of fallen man, Job xi. 12) was no small indication that at that very period should be established the dominion of man over the creature, which it was known should be restored in Messiah's reign. The impression that this state of things should immediately take place, would be further confirmed by our Lord's quotation from the viii th Psalm. The fulfilment of this prophecy being therefore very likely to confirm his disciples in their erroneous impression" that the kingdom of God should immediately appear," our Lord, both before and shortly after this entry, addresses himself to remove this opinion. In the parable we find vehemently implied, that the "kingdom of God" would "6 appear," in the manner and at the place, but not at the time, the disciples expected for it was intended to correct their erroneous views; and, therefore, what it did not correct, it did implicitly confirm. Christ must go away into a far country" (heaven), "to receive for himself a kingdom;" which must signify a kingdom peculiar to himself as he is Christ. He had the kingdom of grace before he went away; he was crowned with glory and honour at his ascension; but all things are not yet under his feet he goes to be installed, and then "to return." But the going into a far country, together with the command to trade during his absence, implies a considerable space of time previous to his RE-"appearing and his kingdom." The parable cannot with propriety be confined merely to the kingdom of grace; that being expressed by the Talents. Nor can his reigning in heaven be intended; for " his citizens hated him:" certainly those whose denizenship is in heaven (Phil. iii. 20) would not object to "have that Man to reign over them." It is therefore when he returned, having received the kingdom, that those his citizens who were enemies were slain. Moreover, the figure of the rewards bestowed on the faithful dis ciples was calculated to confirm, and not in any way to qualify, their previous notion of the nature of the kingdom. SECTION II.-Christ's Entrance into Jerusalem: Matt. xxi. 1; Mark xi. 1; Luke xix. 29; John xii. 12. Having spoken this parable, in order to warn his disciples respecting the time at which his kingdom should come, "he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem." The transaction was extraordinary. It appears that it was necessary Christ should go up to suffer as the King of the Jews. His witnessing a good confession to the question "Art thou a King?" (Matt. xxvii. 11); the superscription, "This is the King of the Jews" (John xix. 21); the purple robe, and crown: all appear to imply, that not only "the Judge of Israel" must be smitten, but that he must be smitten as the judge of Israel. Therefore he was proclaimed King, though (in one respect) as one out of due time:" in due time to suffer, but his time to reign was not yet come; Jerusalem knew not the time of her visitation. So the prophecy describes him as a King, not in his glory, but lowly; not coming with ten thousand of his saints in the chariots of salvation, but riding upon an ass, even a colt, the foal of an ass. The disciples, till after his resurrection, being quite ignorant that Messias should suffer previously to entering into his glory (Luke xxiv. 26), necessarily misunderstood the nature of this procession, and mistook this for the time when he "shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the angels" (Luke ix. 26). We therefore are told they were in error : "These things understood not his disciples at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and (that) they had done these things unto him" (John xii. 26). The people, having seen his power in raising the dead (John xii. 27), bare record intentionally to his glory (John xi. 4, 40), but unwittingly that it was He who had power to lay down his life and power to take it up again. It was the universal belief amongst the Jews, that the MesIsiah would manifest himself at the Feast of Tabernacles, as noticed in John vii. 2, 3 *. On all the days of that feast they sung the Hallel,' composed of Psalms cxiii. to cxviii. inclusive. The Hallel, say they, recorded five things, the coming out of Egypt; the dividing the sea; the giving of the law; the resurrection of the dead; and the lot of Messias. Now, when they came, in the Hallel, to the beginning of Psalm cxviii. all the company shook their branches; and so did they when they came to these words, "Hosanna," or, Save now, Lord, I be * See Morning Watch, No. I. p. 42. |