Notes by Thomas Williams on Dan. 7.
By Thomas Williams
VERSE 7. A fourth beast.—[The Roman empire which destroyed the Grecian, and became mistress of the world]—Bagster.—Great iron teeth—verse 18 it is added, and his nails of brass—he was calculated in every way to destroy, whether by tearing, trampling, or devouring. The ten horns here answer to the “ten toes,” in Nebuchadnezzar’s image. The ten horns of this fourth beast are also explained by Daniel, (verse 24) to be “ten kings,” or kingdoms which shall successively arise. . . . [The ten kingdoms into which the western Roman empire was divided, were, primarily according to Machiavel and Bishop Lloyd: 1. The Huns in Hungary, A. D. 356; 2. The Ostrogoths in Moesia, 377; 3. The Visigoths in Pannonia, 378; 4. The Sueves and Alans in Gascoigne and Spain, 407; 5. The Vandals in Africa, 407; 6. The Franks in France, 407; The Burgundians in Burgundy, 407; 8. The Heruli and Turingi in Italy, 476; 9. The Saxons and Angles in Britain, 476; 10. The Lombards, first upon the Danube, 526, and afterward in Italy. Though the ten kingdoms differed from these in later periods, and were sometimes more or less, yet they were still known by that name.] Bagster. Verse 8. Another little horn—This may be considered as a new and singular power which plucked up three of the ten kingdoms by the root. Verse 9. The horns were cast down—Wintle. “Were placed.” So Boothroyd. But both come to the same meaning. The Asiatics have neither chairs nor stools, but to receive persons of rank “cast down” or “placed” cushions around the room for seats; which seem to be here alluded to. See Matt. 19:28; Rev. 20:4. Verse 24. Another shall arise.—[This evidently points out the papal supremacy in every respect diverse from the former, which from small beginnings thrust itself up among the ten kingdoms till at length it successively eradicated three of them—the kingdoms of the Heruli, of the Ostrogoths and of the Lombards].—Bagster. Verse 25. Speak great words.—[In assuming infallibility, professing to forgive sins, and to open and shut Heaven, thundering out bulls and anathemas, excommunicating princes, absolving subjects from their allegiance, and exacting obedience to his decrees in open violation of reason and Scripture.]—B.