IN the seventh Of Daniel there are three parties associated together in executing judgment upon the Beasts--the holy ones, the High Ones, and "the people of the holy ones". The holy ones are 'styled "the saints" in the common version; and the High Ones are termed "the Most High" in the singular. The word saint signifies a holy one; but it has been so misapplied by the Gentiles that I have preferred the latter, as keeping before the mind the saying, that "without holiness no man shall see the Lord". The phrase "the Most High" in the singular number is in the plural in the Chaldee original. The word there is elyonin. This is not accidental, for it occurs four times in the same chapter, which supply the reason of the expression in the introduction of the Ancient of Days and the Son of Man into the vision. These are the High Ones to whom the holy ones belong; as it is written, "Ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's"
The holy ones of the High Ones whose Head is Christ, take the kingdom which is then given to the people of the holy ones. These are the Twelve Tribes of Israel, who, under the government of the holy ones, possess "the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven". They possess these in the sense in which a nation is said to possess such things, while at the same time it is only the princes and rulers of the nation who possess the glory, honour, majesty, and high offices of the kingdom. The holy ones and their Head the Most Holy Prince will possess these with immortality, which pertains to them exclusively; while the Israelites who constitute "the people", or subjects of the kingdom, will stand related to the holy ones as the subjects of all other nations do to the nobility and government of their kingdoms; but with this exception that, whereas the subjects and rulers of kingdoms hitherto existing in the world have been all mortal, and therefore under the necessity of leaving their houses, dignities, and power to other people, or successors, the princes of the kingdom of the Deity in the Holy Land will be deathless, but the subjects thereof mortal.
The possessing of the kingdom and dominion and their greatness under the whole heaven of the four beasts by Israel, is predicted by the prophet Micah in these words: "I will surely assemble all of thee, O Jacob; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel . . . In that day, saith Yahweh, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted; and I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and Yahweh shall reign over them in Mount Zion from henceforth, even for the age. And thou, O Citadel of the flock, the stronghold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the First Dominion; the Kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem" (Micah 2:12; 4:6-8). And by Zephaniah, Yahweh saith, "Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. Yahweh hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy (the Turk, and afterwards the Russian); the King of Israel, Yahweh, is in the midst of thee; thou shaft not see evil any more . . . Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee; and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out, and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame" (Zeph. 3:14-20). And again, he says by Zechariah, "Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion; for lo, I (Christ) come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee; and many nations shall be joined to Yahweh in that day, and shall be my people; and I will dwell in the midst of thee; and Yahweh shall possess Judah his portion in the Land of Holiness, and shall choose Jerusalem again" (Zech. 2:10-12). "I will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth, and the mountain of Yahweh of hosts the holy mountain. There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof. For I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; and I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be my people, and I will be to them for Elohim in truth and righteousness. . .Yea, many people, and strong nations shall come to seek Yahweh of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before Yahweh. In those days ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that Elohim is with you" (Zech. 8: 3-8, 22).
"Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves One Head (or king), and they shall come up out of the land (of the enemy), for great shall be the day of Jezreel" (Hos. 1:11). "And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all. And THE BELOVED my servant shall be king over them: and they shall have one Shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statues, and do them. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, they, and their children's children forever. And my servant the Beloved shall be their prince for ever" (Ezek. 37:22-25).
From these testimonies it is evident, that a kingdom consisting of the twelve United Tribes of Israel is to be established in the Holy Land under a king high in the favour of the Ancient of Days; and that when it exists it will have the ascendancy in the world, and be celebrated for the fame and glory of its people among all nations. It is clear also that the accomplishment of these predictions will settle all controversies about "the Holy Places", and be a quietus to all "Eastern Questions". The reduction of the promises of Deity to accomplished facts must be the extinction, not only of the Ottoman, but of all the governments and powers of Europe and Asia; and the substitution of the Israelitish Dominion in their place, when Israel shall be Yahweh's firstborn (Exod 4:22) among the nations of the coming age. Being the body of this kingdom, whose founders are the High Ones, and its rulers and princes their holy ones, the people of the holy ones are the constituents, or commonalty, of the body, even the twelve tribes of Israel, the nation of Yahweh.
The Holy Ones that slay the Graeco-Roman Dragon, destroy its body in the burning flame of their power, and take away the dominion of the Lion-Man, Bear, and Leopard, are persons who have attained to immortality as a part of the reward promised in the gospel of the kingdom to all "who walk in the steps of the faith of Abraham," whose faith was made perfect by his works (Rom. 4:12; Jas. 2:22). That they are immortals is evident, from it being affirmed of them that they possess the kingdom for ever, which those only can do who are deathless. These immortals are called holy ones, because they attain to immortality on account of their previous holiness "without which no one can see the Lord"; that is, the High Ones of the vision. From this a very interesting question arises, namely, What did their holiness consist in that gave them acceptance with the High Ones? This is a question answered in the following words by the Spirit of God: "The saints are they who keep the commandments of Deity, and the faith of Jesus" (Rev. 14:12). Hence, it is written, "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city"; that is, that they may have right to immortality, and may enter into the kingdom by resurrection to everlasting life (Rev. 22: 14). The faith of Jesus is explained as being "the testimony of Jesus"--what is taught of Jesus Christ (Rev. 12:17; 19:10); and "the testimony of Jesus" is the spirit, or import, of the prophecy. "The words I speak unto you", said he, "they are spirit, and they are life" (John 6:63); that is, the words I speak believed, make alive. The doctrine taught by Jesus intelligently and heartily believed is spirit, from which as the germ of a new existence, holiness unto eternal life originates. The words spoken by Jesus are styled "the good message concerning the kingdom of the Deity", and "the words of eternal life". To those who received these words he said, "Ye are clean through the word which I have spoken to you"; and on such, purified in mind and disposition by belief of that word, he commanded his apostles to enjoin "immersion into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" (Matt. 28:19) that they might thus become the children and brethren of the High Ones (Gal. 3:26,27). Being thus by faith and obedience introduced into Christ, he is to them "wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" (1 Cor. 1:30); that is, they are in a state of purity, and holy, being in him.
Having been thus constituted righteous and holy persons by being washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of their God (1 Cor. 6:9-11), they therefore "yield their members servants to righteousness unto holiness"; for" having been made free from sin, and become servants to God, they have their fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life" (Rom. 6: 19, 22). In the vision under consideration, Daniel saw them as having attained to that end; and saw them likewise as the military chieftains of their people Israel, taking violent possession of "the kingdom and glory to which they had been called"; for "the kingdom of the heavens suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force"
