Daniel 4:17 This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones… I. First, THE APPELLATIONS; the watchers and the holy ones. Now here I am obliged again to differ from the commentators, some of whom speak of these watchers and holy ones as being created angels or glorified saints. The saints in glory have entered into rest, and cannot interfere with, nor be disturbed by, earthly affairs. The angels, it is true, are emphatically called "ministering spirits sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation"; but where is the Scripture which gives the least idea of either saints or angels having the prerogative of decreeing and demanding? We have many instances of angels being sent as messengers of vengeance and of mercy, but the prerogative of decreeing and demanding belongs only to Jehovah! I, therefore, conclude that these watchers, these holy ones, are the blessed, glorious, undivided Trinity in unity, distinct in personality, indivisible in essential eternal union. All the solicitude which paternal love can possess — all the affection which can be supposed to exist in the heart of a bridegroom or husband, and all the tenderness and care which the very name of the Comforter implies put forth to watch over and preserve the Zion of our God: this accounts for her safety, and opens to her a never-failing source of consolation, for so long as Jehovah wears the sacred appellations of the watchers and the holy ones, the most vigilant enemies of His Church must be disappointed and frustrated in their malicious assaults because they cannot elude omniscience. The holy ones must cease to be holy ones before they can neglect their charge. These watchers watch over the church publicly, personally, and perpetually. Their public watchings are sometimes for signal judgments and sometimes for special mercies (Jeremiah 31:28). Now who is so blind as not to see that the watchers have been watching over the professing churches in dear old England. Moreover, the Lord watches over His people personally as well as collectively, as it is written, "The Lord is thy keeper, the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand" (Psalm 121:5). So that while these holy watchers take special charge of the church as a body, protecting her, providing for her, and present with her; every member, however obscure, is as much His care as the whole body, for the body would not be complete if the least member were missing. He watches the book where all their names are written — He watches the dates there recorded when they are to be regenerated — He watches the instruments and the providences which He has decreed to employ. So that our blessed watchers are never off the watch, though we often are, then let earth and hell assail by day or night, Israel is safe because omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence belong to our watchers, our holy ones, the covenant God of Israel. We ought also to bear in mind that these Heavenly watchers are quite aware of, and well know both the friends and the foes of, the church; so as to be prepared to suppress the one and to succour the other. You and I may be taken by surprise, but our holy watchers cannot. Does the appellation of "the holy ones" find a response in your experience? Does the nature, yea, the very life of these holy ones dwell in you? Then it must and will manifest itself in holy aspirings, holy feastings, holy actions and the like, as it is written, "but as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation" (1 Peter 1:15). II. Let us now proceed to notice THE LEGISLATION SET FORTH IN OUR TEXT in the words "decreeing and demanding," throughout the wide range of Divine government in the worlds of nature, providence, and grace; and who, I ask, can be trusted to decree and demand, but these Almighty watchers, these holy ones? This glorious Triune Jehovah alone doeth what seemeth Him good in the armies of Heaven and among the inhabitants of earth. Of Him only can it be said, "He spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast"; for "the counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations." So that what the watchers decree, the holy ones demand throughout the world of nature. Hence the Psalmist assures us that fire and hail, snow and vapours, stormy wind, mountains and all hills, fulfil His word (Psalm 148:8). Yea, when He decrees the reversing of nature's order for any special purpose, He also demands its accomplishment; as when the sun stood still while Joshua completed his victory over Israel's enemies (Joshua 10); and when the sun went backward ten degrees by the sun-dial of Ahaz to confirm the Lord's promise of adding unto the king's days fifteen years (Isaiah 38:8). Let us now turn from the world of nature to the world, of providence, and see how Divine legislation rules there without human interference; yea, against human hostility. The history of the patriarch Joseph was a striking exemplification of this principle. The watchers had decreed that he should rise to an eminence above all his brethren for the purpose of saving Egypt from desolation, and the chosen tribes from perishing in the time of famine; but at every step of his advancement human hostility seemed determined to frustrate that decree. Just glance at the history of David in confirmation of the grand truth which we are dwelling upon. "The decree of the watchers" was that he should be King of Israeli that he should slay Goliath and vanquish the Philistines; but everything human seemed to militate against that decree. Take one more sample of sacred history to illustrate this point, the history of Paul. The decree of the watchers concerning him is recorded thus, "He is a chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel." Yet, before the demand is made, "he is breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord." But what an imperative demand was that word of the holy ones, "Saul! Saul!" which invincibly struck him to the ground, changed his heart, and made him cry out, "Lord, what wilt thou have me do?" Still, human hostility determines upon reversing the decree of the watchers, and perverse man sets himself to overturn Divine legislation by conspiring against the life of Paul — yea, against the progress of Christ's Kingdom; but what do all their conspiracies effect, but the very furtherance of that great work which they aimed to destroy? Having thus surveyed the worlds of nature and providence as under this Divine legislation, we will turn our attention to the world of grace; and here our text will be the running title of the statute-book, and the farther we read the more deeply shall we be convinced that decrees and demands made up the whole amount of legislation by which the world of grace is governed. The whole system is ushered in with this royal proclamation, "I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I wilt show mercy" (Exodus 33:19). III. We will now attend, in the third place, TO THE LESSONS OF INFORMATION SET BEFORE US IN THIS HIGH AND HOLY PROCLAMATION. And the first lesson of information is that there is but one sovereign Ruler of all worlds, all beings, and all things; To throw off Divine authority, and the absolute sovereignty of Jehovah, is the bent and determination of fallen man; "because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Romans 8:7). Moreover, His redeemed, grace-taught subjects may well rejoice even now that all nations, all kings, yea, all worlds shall know that the Most High ruleth over all; so that all the great events, the revolutions, the rise and fall of empires are subject to His control, and subservient to the decree of the watchers, and to the demand by the word of the holy ones. Now let us learn a second lesson of information from this subject, the entire dependence of the creature upon these Almighty watchers. (Joseph Irons.) Parallel Verses KJV: This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. |
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