Studies on Daniel
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STUDIES ON DANIEL Table of Contents Page # 1. Notable Dates and Events Related to Daniel 3 2. Daniel’s Central Theme 7 3. Daniels Little Book 19 4. Notes on Revelation 10 27 5. The Historical Chapters of Daniel 37 6. Notes on Daniel 1 45 7. Notes on Daniel 2 53 8. Notes on Daniel 3 63 9. Notes on Daniel 4 81 10. Notes on Daniel 5 91 11. Daniel 5 as the Background to Revelation 16 and 17 101 12. Notes on Daniel 6 111 13. Notes on Daniel 7 117 14. The Jewish View of Tradition 209 15. A Case Study: Mark 7:1-13 217 16. Jesus and Theological Conflict 225 17. The Roman Catholic View of Tradition - Part 1 233 18. The Roman Catholic View of Tradition - Part 2 243 19. Sabbath Controversies and Tradition 253 20. Dies Domini The Horn that Attempted to Change God’s Law 263 21. Notes on Daniel 8 293 22. Notes on Daniel 9 327 23. Notes on Daniel 10 367 24. Ellen White’s View of Daniel 11 379 25. Notes on Daniel 11 (a work in progress) 387 Contact Secrets Unsealed 459 Studies in Daniel | by Pastor Stephen Bohr | visit SecretsUnsealed.org | Page 2 of 459 LESSON #1 – NOTABLE DATES AND EVENTS RELATED TO DANIEL 1445 BC: Israel enters a covenant relationship with God at Mt. Sinai (Exodus 19:5, 6). 1405 BC: Israel begins the conquest of the Promised Land after 40 years in the wilderness (the book of Joshua). 1000 BC: Beginning of the Hebrew Monarchy with Saul and David. 953 BC: Temple built by Solomon is dedicated (2 Chronicles chapters 6 and 7). 931 BC: Jeroboam causes the split of the tribes of the south (Judah) from the tribes of the north (Israel). 723 BC: Destruction of Samaria by the Assyrians leads to the dispersion of the Ten Tribes of the north. The remnants of the Ten Tribes are the Samaritans of Christ’s day. 626 BC: The call of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 25:3) begins his ministry that lasts for about 40 years. 623 BC: Birth of Daniel (2 Chronicles 35:18; in Testimonies for the Church, Volume 4 p. 470 Ellen White affirms that Daniel was 18 when he was taken captive in 605 BC). 621 BC: Josiah’s reformation (2 Chronicles 35:18; Testimonies for the Church, Volume 4 p. 570) Huldah the prophetess leads Israel in a great reformation when the book of the law is discovered in the temple (2 Kings 22:14-20). Daniel grew up during this reformation. 612 BC: Babylon conquers Nineveh, the capital of the waning Assyrian Empire (predicted by the prophecy of Nahum). 605 BC: Daniel and his friends are taken captive to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 1). 605-536 BC: Jeremiah’s prophecy of the 70 year captivity begins and ends (Jeremiah 25:11, 12). The book of Lamentations was sung by the Hebrew captives on the way to Babylon and Psalm 137 was sung by them while in Babylon. 597 BC (March 15): After Judah rebelled and sided with Egypt, Nebuchadnezzar took Jerusalem for a second time and Ezekiel was taken captive to Babylon. Studies in Daniel | by Pastor Stephen Bohr | visit SecretsUnsealed.org | Page 3 of 459 588-586 BC: Jerusalem was besieged and destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar (described in 2 Chronicles 36:15-21). 539 BC: The fall of Babylon (prophesied in Jeremiah 50 and 51 and Isaiah 47 and described in Daniel 5). 536 BC: Cyrus issues the decree to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. The Seventy year captivity comes to an end (605-536 BC). 535-520 BC: Rebuilding of the temple is suspended due to opposition by the Samaritans. 520-515 BC: The temple rebuilt and finished (described in the books of Haggai and Zechariah). 483 BC: The story of Esther. 457 BC: The decree of King Artaxerxes Longanimus marks the beginning of the seventy weeks and allows the Jews to reestablish its civil and religious institutions. 408 BC: The walls of Jerusalem rebuilt and finished by Nehemiah in troublous times (the book of Nehemiah). 425 BC: Malachi was the last prophet of the Old Testament but the promise of Elijah to come closes the Old Testament period with a note of hope (Malachi 4:4, 5). 331 BC: The kingdom of Persia falls and the kingdom of Greece takes its place in history. 168 BC: The kingdom of Greece falls and the Iron Empire of Rome begins its rule. 27 AD (spring and fall): John the Baptist prepares the way in the spring for the Messiah’s anointing in the fall. 31 AD: Messiah is crucified on the 14th day of Nissan at 3 o’clock in the afternoon as the Passover Lamb (Exodus 12:5, 6; Leviticus 23:5; 1 Corinthians 5:7, 8). 31 AD: Messiah rests in the tomb on the 15th of Nissan (on the Seventh-day Sabbath as the Unleavened Bread and the Manna; Leviticus 23:6-8; Acts 2:25-32). 31 AD: Messiah resurrects on the 16th of Nissan and presents Himself as the first-fruits to His Father at 9 o’clock in the morning (Leviticus 23:9-14; 1 Corinthians 15:23; Acts 2:15). 31 AD: (forty days after the resurrection): Jesus ascends to heaven (Acts 1:9-11). 31 AD: (ten days before Pentecost) Jesus is invested as High Priest and receives the promise of the Spirit to pour out upon His disciples. Meanwhile the disciples prepare to receive the Spirit in the Upper Room (Acts 1; Revelation 4; Leviticus 8; Psalm 133). 34 AD: The stoning of Stephen marks the close of probation for the Jewish theocracy (Acts 7). 70 AD: Jerusalem destroyed by the Roman Armies under General Titus (Daniel 9:26, 27; Luke 19:41-44; Matthew 24:15; Matthew 22:7). 476 AD: The final fall of the Roman Empire and the beginning of ‘divided Rome’ (Daniel 2:41-43). Studies in Daniel | by Pastor Stephen Bohr | visit SecretsUnsealed.org | Page 4 of 459 508 AD: Clovis King of the Franks lends the help of the civil power to the papacy for the first time. Beginning of the 1290 and 1335 days/years (Daniel 12:11, 12; 11:31). 538 AD: The beginning of the 1260 days/years and the dominion of papal Rome (Daniel 7:25; Revelation 12:14; 13:5). 1798 AD: The end of the 1260 and the 1290 years marks the conclusion of the first stage of papal dominion. 1843 AD: The end of the 1335 days/years (Daniel 12:12). 1844 AD: The beginning of the investigative judgment in heaven in fulfillment of the prophecy of the 2300 days of Daniel 8:14. Date Unknown: Close of human probation (Daniel 12:1). Studies in Daniel | by Pastor Stephen Bohr | visit SecretsUnsealed.org | Page 5 of 459 Studies in Daniel | by Pastor Stephen Bohr | visit SecretsUnsealed.org | Page 6 of 459 LESSON #2 – DANIEL’S CENTRAL THEME Ellen White on the Central Theme of Daniel “In the annals of human history the growth of nations, the rise and fall of empires, appear as dependent on the will and prowess of man. The shaping of events seems, to a great degree, to be determined by his power, ambition, or caprice. But in the word of God the curtain is drawn aside, and we behold, behind, above, and through all the play and counterplay of human interests and power and passions, the agencies of the all-merciful One, silently, patiently working out the counsels of His own will.” Education, p. 173 Three Key Phrases Dan 2:20-21: Three key phrases reveal the central theme of the book of Daniel: “Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. And He [1] changes the times and the seasons; He [2] removes kings and raises up kings; He [3] gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.” The idea of the ‘change’ of times is found in some very interesting places in the book of Daniel. The word basically means that God is in charge of the historical events of nations and individual persons. In Daniel 3:28 we are told that the three young Hebrews changed the king’s word (actually God did). In Daniel 6:8, 17 we are told that the law of the Medes and Persians could not be changed but God changed and overturned it. In Daniel 4, when the king was looking forward to many years of prosperity, God changed his plans and made seven times pass over him before he recovered his sanity. Daniel 7:25 uses the same word to describe the little horn thinking that it could control times. On an individual level the Psalmist exclaimed to God: “My times are in your hand” (Psalm 31:15). Central Theme in Daniel 1 Daniel 1:1, 2: The two sides in the conflict are introduced Two kings: Jehoiakim versus Nebuchadnezzar Two gods: Yahweh versus Marduk Two cities: Babylon versus Jerusalem Two temples: the temple of God versus the temple of Marduk Studies in Daniel | by Pastor Stephen Bohr | visit SecretsUnsealed.org | Page 7 of 459 Two peoples: The Hebrews versus the Babylonians On the surface, Nebuchadnezzar appeared to have the upper hand. He and his god appeared to be more powerful than Jehoiakim and His God. But Daniel 1:1, 2 removes the veil and shows that Nebuchadnezzar prevailed only because God allowed it. It was necessary that Daniel end up in Babylon because God had a very important work for him there: Daniel 1:1,2: “In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.