FAITH – HOPE – FORGIVENESS by Growing Older

The Book Of Daniel

Introduction: Daniel was a Jew held captive in Babylon; he was most likely taken there as a young boy in about 606 B.C. Daniel was trained to work in the palace of the king.  In the Old Testament, Daniel is parallel to the Book of Revelation, in the New Testament.  This Book contains many visions, as does Ezekiel. It has often been called a Book of Visions – the word “vision” and “visions” appears over 30 times in the Book of Daniel.

Of the Books of the Bible that are under attack by the modernistic, liberal, scholars, Daniel is at the top of the list. The modernist do not believe in miracles nor in prophecy. Many deny that Daniel wrote the book of Daniel, and that it is a forgery.

The man: The Hebrew name Daniel, means “the judgment of God.” His Chaldee name was Belteshazzar, meaning: “Bel’s prince.” Bel was the chief deity of Babylon.

Daniel rose to the position of ruler over Babylon, second only to the King. Daniel lived in Babylon at least 72 years.

Central message: Similar to Ezekiel’s: Daniel 4:17, 25, and 32.

Outline of the Book

1. The History Of Daniel – chap. 1 – 6
2. The Prophecies Of Daniel – chaps. 7-12

1. The History Of Daniel
2. Many of the events were fulfilled at that time and they also looked to the future
3. Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (chap. 2) also deals with the times of the Gentiles
4. The 3 children in the fiery furnace (chap 3) also is a picture of Israel’s later tribulation
5. The Pride of King Nebuchadnezzar – chap 3
6. Vs 1 and 6- the image of gold
7. Vs – 12 – Daniel and his friends refused to compromise their convictions and faith
8. The Lord never promised to keep us out of the furnace of trials, but He did promise to be with us there – Vs 25
9. I Peter 1:7 – I Peter 4:12 – James 1:2
10. The handwriting on the wall – chap. 5
11. Vs 5 – the hand was the Hand of God
12. The candle stick – taken from the temple of Jerusalem
13. The plaster – the significance is – that this was the same wall on which the king was accustomed to read the flattering legends of his own magnificence. He beholds the mysterious inscription which foretells his fall: Proverbs 16:18 and Acts 12:21-23
14. Vs 8 – I Cor. 2:14
15. Vs 11 – The king’s wife knew of Daniel – who could interpret the dream
16. The interpretation – Vs 24-30

The Prophecy in chapter 2 is paralleled by the vision of chapter 7

           Chapter 2 – Nebuchadnezzar                   Chapter 7 – Daniel

The 4 metals of the image                            Representing 4 kingdoms

1. Gold – Babylon                                                          1. Lion – Babylon
2. Silver – Medo – Persia                                              2. Bear – Medo-Persia
3. Brass – Greece                                                           3. Leopard – Greece
4. Iron – Rome                                                               4. Diverse beast – Rome
5. 10 Toes – Old Roman Empire                                5. 10 Horns – Old Roman Empire
6. The Stone – Christ                                                    6. Ancient of Days – Christ
7. The Mountain – Millennial Kingdom                  7. Everlasting Kingdom / Millennial Kingdom

The Prophecies Of Daniel

1. The 70 weeks – chapter 9
2. The first 69 weeks Daniel 9:25-26
3. “weeks” means sevens = 69 X 7 = 483 years
4. The decree of king Artaxerxes to rebuild Jerusalem – Nehemiah 2:5

(1)  Date found in Nehemiah 2:1 – determined to be March 14, 445 B.C.

(2)  From that day to the public announcement of Messiah’s ministry and His                                                                  rejection  (on what we call Palm Sunday – April 6, A.D. 32) was exactly 483 years

(3) 483 prophetic years of 360 days each = 173,880 days to the day                                                           5. The public announcement and rejection is the mark of the beginning of His being “cut off.”                                   It was prophesied 500 years before His birth with precise accuracy

The 70th week – Daniel 9:27

This 7 year period (week) is treated separate from the others – it has not come yet

This is known as the Tribulation

(1)  In the middle of it – anti-christ will set himself up in the Temple and desecrate it

Dan. 9:27; 7:25; II Thess. 2; Revelation 13:1-8

(2)  The people of God are persecuted

(3) This is also known as “The time of Jacob’s trouble” – Jeremiah 30                                                          The time between the 69th and 70th Week is known as The Church Age

(1)  This concerns the Gentile local church and not Israel

(2)  Israel is gone from the scene of Prophecy until the 70th Week (tribulation)