Observations upon the Prophecies of Daniel, and the Apocalypse of St. John · Isaac Newton
CHAP. I.
_Introduction concerning the Compilers of the books of the Old Testament._ When _Manasses_ [1] set up a carved image in the house of the Lord, and built altars in the two courts of the house, to all the host of Heaven, and us'd inchantments and witchcraft, and familiar spirits, and for his great wickedness was invaded by the army of _Asserhadon_ King of _Assyria_, and carried captive to _Babylon_; the book of the Law was lost till the eighteenth year of his grandson _Josiah_. Then [2] _Hilkiah_ the High Priest, upon repairing the Temple, found it there: and the King lamented that their fathers had not done after the words of the book, and commanded that it should be read to the people, and caused the people to renew the holy covenant with God. This is the book of the Law now extant.
When [3] _Shishak_ came out of _Egypt_ and spoil'd the temple, and brought _Judah_ into subjection to the monarchy of _Egypt_, (which was in the fifth year of _Rehoboam_) the _Jews_ continued under great troubles for about twenty years; being _without the true God, and without a teaching Priest, and without Law: and in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries, and nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city, for God did vex them with all adversity_. But [4] when _Shishak_ was dead, and _Egypt_ fell into troubles, _Judah_ had quiet ten years; and in that time _Asa_ built fenced cities in _Judah_, and got up an army of 580000 men, with which, in the 15th year of his reign, he met and overcame _Zerah_ the _Ethiopian_, who had conquered _Egypt_ and _Lybia_, and _Troglodytica_, and came out with an army of 1000000 _Lybians_ and _Ethiopians_, to recover the countries conquered by _Sesac_. And after this victory [5] _Asa_ dethroned his mother for idolatry, and he renewed the Altar, and brought new vessels of gold and silver into the Temple; and he and the people entered into a new covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers, upon pain of death to those who worshiped other Gods; and his son _Jehosaphat_ took away the high places, and in the third year of his reign sent some of his Princes, and of the Priests and Levites, to teach in the cities of _Judah_: and they had the book of the Law with them, and went about throughout all the cities of _Judah_, and taught the people. This is that book of the Law which was afterwards lost in the reign of _Manasses_, and found again in the reign of _Josiah_, and therefore it was written before the third year of _Jehosaphat_.
The same book of the Law was preserved and handed down to posterity by the _Samaritans_, and therefore was received by the ten Tribes before their captivity. For [6] when the ten Tribes were captivated, a Priest or the captivity was sent back to _Bethel_, by order of the King of _Assyria_, to instruct the new inhabitants of _Samaria_, in _the manner of the God of the land_; and the _Samaritans_ had the _Pentateuch_ from this Priest, as containing the law or _manner of the God of the land_, which he was to teach them. For [7] they persevered in the religion which he taught them, joining with it the worship of their own Gods; and by persevering in what they had been taught, they preserved this book of their Law in the original character of the _Hebrews_, while the two Tribes, after their return from _Babylon_, changed the character to that of the _Chaldees_, which they had learned at _Babylon_. And since the _Pentateuch_ was received as the book of the Law, both by the two Tribes and by the ten Tribes, it follows that they received it before they became divided into two Kingdoms. For after the division, they received not laws from one another, but continued at variance. _Judah_ could not reclaim _Israel_ from the sin of _Jeroboam_, and _Israel_ could not bring _Judah_ to it. The _Pentateuch_ therefore was the book of the Law in the days of _David_ and _Solomon_. The affairs of the Tabernacle and Temple were ordered by _David_ and _Solomon_, according to the Law of this book; and _David_ in the 78th Psalm, admonishing the people to give ear to the Law of God, means the Law of this book. For in describing how their forefathers kept it not, he quotes many historical things out of the books of _Exodus_ and _Numbers_.
The race of the Kings of _Edom_, before there reigned any King over _Israel_, is set down in the book of [8] _Genesis_; and therefore that book was not written entirely in the form now extant, before the reign of _Saul_. The writer set down the race of those Kings till his own time, and therefore wrote before _David_ conquered _Edom_. The _Pentateuch_ is composed of the Law and the history of God's people together; and the history hath been collected from several books, such as were the history of the Creation composed by _Moses_, _Gen_. ii. 4. the book of the generations of _Adam_, _Gen._ v. i. and the book of the wars of the Lord, _Num._ xxi. 14. This book of wars contained what was done at the Red-sea, and in the journeying of _Israel_ thro' the Wilderness, and therefore was begun by _Moses_. And _Joshua_ might carry it on to the conquest of _Canaan_. For _Joshua_ wrote some things in the book of the Law of God, _Josh._ xxiv. 26 and therefore might write his own wars in the book of wars, those being the principal wars of God. These were publick books, and therefore not written without the authority of _Moses_ and _Joshua_. And _Samuel_ had leisure in the reign of _Saul_, to put them into the form of the books of _Moses_ and _Joshua_ now extant, inserting into the book of _Genesis_, the race of the Kings of _Edom_, until there reigned a King in _Israel_.
The book of the _Judges_ is a continued history of the _Judges_ down to the death of _Sampson_, and therefore was compiled after his death, out of the Acts of the _Judges_. Several things in this book are said to be done _when there was no King in _Israel__, _Judg._ xvii. 6. xviii. 1. xix. 1. xxi. 25. and therefore this book was written after the beginning of the reign of _Saul_. When it was written, the _Jebusites_ dwelt in _Jerusalem_, _Jud._ i. 21 and therefore it was written before the eighth year of _David_, 2 _Sam._ v. 8. and 1 _Chron._ xi. 6. The books of _Moses_, _Joshua_, and _Judges_, contain one continued history, down from the Creation to the death of _Sampson_. Where the _Pentateuch_ ends, the book of _Joshua_ begins; and where the book of _Joshua_ ends, the book of _Judges_ begins. Therefore all these books have been composed out of the writings of _Moses_, _Joshua_, and other records, by one and the same hand, after the beginning of the reign of _Saul_, and before the eighth year of _David_. And _Samuel_ was a sacred writer, 1 _Sam._ x. 25. acquainted with the history of _Moses_ and the _Judges_, 1 _Sam._ xii. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. and had leisure in the reign of _Saul_, and sufficient authority to compose these books. He was a Prophet, and judged _Israel_ all the days of his life, and was in the greatest esteem with the people; and the Law by which he was to judge the people was not to be published by less authority than his own, the Law-maker being not inferior to the judge. And the book of _Jasher_, which is quoted in the book of _Joshua_, _Josh._ x. 13. was in being at the death of _Saul_, 2 _Sam._ i. 18.
At the dedication of the Temple of _Solomon_, when the Ark was brought into the most holy place, there was nothing in it but the two tables, 1 _Kings_ viii. 9. and therefore when the _Philistines_ took the Ark, they took out of it the book of the Law, and the golden pot of Manna, and _Aaron_'s Rod. And this and other losses in the desolation of _Israel_, by the conquering _Philistines_, might give occasion to _Samuel_, after some respite from those enemies, to recollect the scattered writings of _Moses_ and _Joshua_, and the records of the Patriarchs and Judges, and compose them in the form now extant. The book of _Ruth_ is a history of things done in the days of the _Judges_, and may be looked upon as an addition to the book of the _Judges_, written by the same author, and at the same time. For it was written after the birth of _David_, _Ruth_ iv. 17, 22. and not long after, because the history of _Boaz_ and _Ruth_, the great grandfather and great grandmother of _David_, and that of their contemporaries, could not well be remembered above two or three generations. And since this book derives the genealogy of _David_ from _Boaz_ and _Ruth_, and omits _David_'s elder brothers and his sons; it was written in honour of _David_, after he was anointed King by _Samuel_, and before he had children in _Hebron_, and by consequence in the reign of _Saul_. It proceeds not to the history of _David_, and therefore seems to have been written presently after he was anointed. They judge well therefore who ascribe to _Samuel_ the books of _Joshua_, _Judges_, and _Ruth_.
_Samuel_ is also reputed the author of the first book of _Samuel_, till the time of his death. The two books of _Samuel_ cite no authors, and therefore seem to be originals. They begin with his genealogy, birth and education, and might be written partly in his lifetime by himself or his disciples the Prophets at _Naioth_ in _Ramah_, 1 _Sam._ xix. 18, 19, 20. and partly after his death by the same disciples. The books of the _Kings_ cite other authors, as the book of the Acts of _Solomon_, the book of the _Chronicles_ of the Kings of _Israel_, and the book of the _Chronicles_ of the Kings of _Judah_. The books of the _Chronicles_ cite the book of _Samuel_ the Seer, the book of _Nathan_ the Prophet, and the book of _Gad_ the Seer, for the Acts of _David_; the book of _Nathan_ the Prophet, the Prophecy of _Ahijah_ the _Shilonite_, and the visions of _Iddo_ the Seer, for the Acts of _Solomon_; the book of _Shemajah_ the Prophet, and the book of _Iddo_ the Seer concerning genealogies, for the Acts of _Rehoboam_ and _Abijah_; the book of the Kings of _Judah_ and _Israel_ for the Acts of _Asa_, _Joash_, _Amaziah_, _Jotham_, _Ahaz_, _Hezekiah_, _Manasseh_, and _Josiah_; the book of _Hanani_ the Seer, for the Acts of _Jehosaphat_; and the visions of _Isaiah_ for the Acts of _Uzziah_ and _Hezekiah_. These books were therefore collected out of the historical writings of the antient Seers and Prophets. And because the books of the _Kings_ and _Chronicles_ quote one another, they were written at one and the same time.
And this time was after the return from the _Babylonian_ captivity, because they bring down the history of _Judah_, and the genealogies of the Kings of _Judah_, and of the High Priests, to that captivity. The book of _Ezra_ was originally a part of the book of the _Chronicles_, and has been divided from it. For it begins with the two last verses of the books of _Chronicles_, and the first book of _Esdras_ begins with the two last chapters thereof. _Ezra_ was therefore the compiler of the books of _Kings_ and _Chronicles_, and brought down the history to his own time. He was a ready Scribe in the Law of God; and for assisting him in this work _Nehemias_ founded a library, and _gathered together the Acts of the Kings and the Prophets, and of _David_, and the Epistles of the Kings, concerning the holy gifts_, 2 _Maccab._ ii. 13. By the Acts of _David_ I understand here the two books of _Samuel_, or at least the second book. Out of the Acts of the _Kings_, written from time to time by the Prophets, he compos'd the books of the Kings of _Judah_ and _Israel_, the _Chronicles_ of the Kings of _Judah_, and the _Chronicles_ of the Kings of _Israel_. And in doing this he joined those Acts together, in due order of time, copying the very words of the authors, as is manifest from hence, that the books of the _Kings_ and _Chronicles_ frequently agree with one another in words for many sentences together. Where they agree in sense, there they agree in words also.
So the Prophecies of _Isaiah_, written at several times, he has collected into one body. And the like he did for those of _Jeremiah_, and the rest of the Prophets, down to the days of the second Temple. The book of _Jonah_ is the history of _Jonah_ written by another hand. The book of _Daniel_ is a collection of papers written at several times. The six last chapters contain Prophecies written at several times by _Daniel_ himself: the six first are a collection of historical papers written by others. The fourth chapter is a decree of _Nebuchadnezzar_. The first chapter was written after _Daniel_'s death: for the author saith, that _Daniel_ continued to the first year of _Cyrus_; that is, to his first year over the _Persians_ and _Medes_, and third year over _Babylon_. And, for the same reason, the fifth and sixth chapters were also written after his death. For they end with these words: _So this _Daniel_ prospered in the reign of _Darius_ and in the reign of _Cyrus_ the_ Persian. Yet these words might be added by the collector of the papers, whom I take to be _Ezra_. The Psalms composed by _Moses_, _David_, and others, seem to have been also collected by _Ezra_ into one volume. I reckon him the collector, because in this collection I meet with Psalms as late as the _Babylonian_ captivity, but with none later.
After these things _Antiochus Epiphanes_ spoiled the Temple, commanded the _Jews_ to forsake the Law upon pain of death, and caused the sacred books to be burnt wherever they could be found: and in these troubles the book of the _Chronicles_ of the Kings of _Israel_ was entirely lost. But upon recovering from this oppression, _Judas Maccabæus_ gathered together all those writings that were to be met with, 2 _Maccab._ ii. 14. and in reducing them into order, part of the Prophecies of _Isaiah_, or some other Prophet, have been added to the end of the Prophecies of _Zechariah_; and the book of _Ezra_ has been separated from the book of _Chronicles_, and set together in two different orders; in one order in the book of _Ezra_, received into the Canon, and in another order in the first book of _Esdras_. After the _Roman_ captivity, the _Jews_ for preserving their traditions, put them in writing in their _Talmud_, and for preserving their scriptures, agreed upon an Edition, and pointed it, and counted the letters of every sort in every book: and by preserving only this Edition, the antienter various lections, except what can be discovered by means of the _Septuagint_ Version, are now lost; and such marginal notes, or other corruptions, as by the errors of the transcribers, before this Edition was made, had crept into the text, are now scarce to be corrected.
The _Jews_ before the _Roman_ captivity, distinguished the sacred books into the Law, the Prophets, and the _Hagiographa_, or holy writings; and read only the Law and the Prophets in their Synagogues. And Christ and his Apostles laid the stress of religion upon the Law and the Prophets, _Matt._ vii. 12. xxii. 4. _Luke_ xvi. 16, 29, 31. xxiv. 44. _Acts_ xxiv. 14. xxvi. 22. _Rom._ iii. 21. By the _Hagiographa_ they meant the historical books called _Joshua_, _Judges_, _Ruth_, _Samuel_, _Kings_, _Chronicles_, _Ezra_, _Nehemiah_, and _Esther_, the book of _Job_, the _Psalms_, the books of _Solomon_, and the _Lamentations_. The Samaritans read only the _Pentateuch_: and when _Jehosaphat_ sent men to teach in the cities, they had with them only the book of the Law; for the Prophecies now extant were not then written. And upon the return from the _Babylonian_ captivity, _Ezra_ read only the book of the Law to the people, from morning to noon on the first day of the seventh month; and from day to day in the feast of Tabernacles: for he had not yet collected the writings of the Prophets into the volume now extant; but instituted the reading of them after the collection was made. By reading the Law and the Prophets in the Synagogues, those books have been kept freer from corruption than the _Hagiographa_.
In the infancy of the nation of _Israel_, when God had given them a Law, and made a covenant with them to be their God if they would keep his commandments, he sent Prophets to reclaim them, as often as they revolted to the worship of other Gods: and upon their returning to him, they sometimes renewed the covenant which they had broken. These Prophets he continued to send, till the days of _Ezra_: but after their Prophecies were read in the Synagogues, those Prophecies were thought sufficient. For if the people would not hear _Moses_ and the old Prophets, they would hear no new ones, no not _tho they should rise from the dead_. At length when a new truth was to be preached to the _Gentiles_, namely, _that Jesus was the Christ_, God sent new Prophets and Teachers: but after their writings were also received and read in the Synagogues of the Christians, Prophecy ceased a second time.
We have _Moses_, the Prophets, and Apostles, and the words of Christ himself; and if we will not hear them, we shall be more inexcusable than the _Jews._ For the Prophets and Apostles have foretold, that as _Israel_ often revolted and brake the covenant, and upon repentance renewed it; so there should be a falling away among the Christians, soon after the days of the Apostles; and that in the latter days God would destroy the impenitent revolters, and make a new covenant with his people. And the giving ear to the Prophets is a fundamental character of the true Church. For God has so ordered the Prophecies, that in the latter days _the wise may understand, but the wicked shall do wickedly, and none of the wicked shall understand_, Dan. xii. 9, 10. The authority of Emperors, Kings, and Princes, is human. The authority of Councils, Synods, Bishops, and Presbyters, is human. The authority of the Prophets is divine, and comprehends the sum of religion, reckoning _Moses_ and the Apostles among the Prophets; and _if an Angel from Heaven preach any other gospel_, than what they have delivered, _let him be accursed_. Their writings contain the covenant between God and his people, with instructions for keeping this covenant; instances of God's judgments upon them that break it: and predictions of things to come. While the people of God keep the covenant, they continue to be his people: when they break it they cease to be his people or church, and become _the Synagogue of Satan, who say they are _Jews_ and are not._ And no power on earth is authorized to alter this covenant.
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.