Daniël 2:22

22 Hij openbaart diepe en verborgen dingen; Hij weet, wat in het duister is, want het licht woont bij Hem.

Daniël 2:22 Meaning and Commentary

Daniel 2:22

He revealeth the deep and secret things
The purposes of his own heart, which are the deep things of God, and the secrets that belong to him, and which are opened in providence by the execution of them; the "arcana imperii", or secrets of state, committed to men designed for government; the secrets or mysteries of grace, the deep things of the Gospel, made known to Gospel ministers; and particularly the deep and impenetrable secret of the king's dream, and the interpretation of it, revealed to Daniel: he knoweth what is in the darkness;
the actions of men committed in darkness; the schemes that are drawn in the privy councils and cabinets of princes; yea, the thoughts of men's hearts, which he in the utmost recesses of them, as well as their dreams in the night season; and particularly this of the king's, and which must have been buried in darkness, had he not revealed it: and the light dwelleth with him;
he is light itself, and the Father of lights; the light of nature, grace, and glory, is with him, and from him; the light of the word, the light of prophecy, and the light of the glorious Gospel; and also the Light of the world, the sun of righteousness, the Messiah; and of him some of the ancient Jews interpret this passage. R. Aba Serungia F16, mentioning this passage, "and the light dwelleth with him", adds, this is the King Messiah, as it is said, "arise, shine"; and his commentator F17 observes, that the sense of it is, he (God) retains the Messiah with himself, and does not send him forth unto us; see ( Psalms 43:3 ) , and elsewhere F18, in answer to the question, what is the name of the Messiah? among others, this is said, his name is Light, as it is said, "and the light dwelleth with him": and this is a name that is often given to Christ, and he takes to himself in the New Testament; see ( John 1:7-9 ) ( 3:19 ) ( 8:12 ) ( 9:5 ) ( John 12:35 John 12:46 ) where he is called the "Light", that Light, the true Light, and the Light of the world; as he is both of Jews and Gentiles, even of all his people throughout the world: indeed, the light of nature, which every man has, is from him, as the Creator of all; and the light of grace, and the increase of it, which any are favoured with, is given by him; and all the light of knowledge in divine things, and of spiritual joy and comfort, beams from him the sun of righteousness: the light of the latter day, which will be so very great, as to be as the light of seven days, and to make the sun and moon unnecessary in a figurative sense, will be owing to him; as well as all that light of life and glory, the saints shall possess to all eternity, will be communicated through him: and Christ, who is this light, "dwells" with God; he who is the same with the divine Word, was with God, and dwells with him to all eternity; in the fulness of time this Word or Light was made flesh, or was clothed with it, and dwelt with men; when it was, that be came a light into the world, of which he often speaks; and having done his work, ascended to heaven, and now dwells with God in human nature; and will come again, and dwell with men on earth a thousand years, when he will be the light of the New Jerusalem state; and, after that, will take his people with him to heavens, and dwell with God, and they with him, for evermore. This shows that this Light, or the divine "Logos", is a person distinct from God the Father, with whom he dwells; that he is an eternal one, God never being without this Light and Word; and that he is all abiding light to his saints, and will be for evermore.


FOOTNOTES:

F16 In Bereshit Rabba, sect. 1. fol. 1, 3.
F17 Auctor. Yade Moseh in ib.
F18 Echa Rabbati, fol. 50. 2.

Daniël 2:22 In-Context

20 Daniel antwoordde en zeide: De Naam Gods zij geloofd van eeuwigheid tot in eeuwigheid, want Zijn is de wijsheid en de kracht.
21 Want Hij verandert de tijden en stonden; Hij zet de koningen af, en Hij bevestigt de koningen; Hij geeft den wijzen wijsheid, en wetenschap dengenen, die verstand hebben;
22 Hij openbaart diepe en verborgen dingen; Hij weet, wat in het duister is, want het licht woont bij Hem.
23 Ik dank en ik loof U, o God mijner vaderen! omdat Gij mij wijsheid en kracht gegeven hebt, en mij nu bekend gemaakt hebt, wat wij van U verzocht hebben, want Gij hebt ons des konings zaak bekend gemaakt.
24 Daarom ging Daniel in tot Arioch, dien de koning gesteld had om de wijzen van Babel om te brengen; hij ging henen en zeide aldus tot hem: Breng de wijzen van Babel niet om, maar breng mij in voor den koning, en ik zal den koning de uitlegging te kennen geven.
The Dutch Staten Vertaling translation is in the public domain.