Summer Nights 2014 “Profiting from the ”

Session 7 - , the for All Time

The prophet Daniel personally

Ø As a youth, deported to 606 BC (1:1-7)

2 Kings 24:1 (NRSV) In his days [] King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came up; Jehoiakim became his servant for three years; then he turned and rebelled against him.

Ø A young man of nobility, possibly of royalty

Ø Similarities can be seen to Joseph the Patriarch

Ø A person of many fine qualities valued by God (9:23; 10:11, 19)

Mentioned 3 times by Ezekiel as a champion of faith! (Ezekiel 14:14, 20; 28:3)

Ø His life of service to God in Babylon & ministry extensive!

From deportation (606) to his last prophecy (534) is 72 years! (10:1)

Daniel 9:1-2 (HCSB) In the first year of Darius, the son of Ahasuerus, a Mede by birth, who was ruler over the kingdom of the Chaldeans: In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the books according to the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet that the number of years for the desolation of Jerusalem would be 70.

See Jeremiah 29:4-10

1 The as prophecy

Ø An incredible book of impact!

Daniel 4:17 (NIV) “…That the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of men.”

Ø A powerful witness to God’s supernatural power & glory

Ø Written in 2 languages

Chapters 2:4 through 7:28 in , the balance in Hebrew (Consider 2 Kings 18:26 & Nehemiah 8:8 on the historical significance of the language of this period.)

Ø “Apocalyptic” style of the prophecies

Ø An outline of the book

THE BOOK OF DANIEL

INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK (Ch. 1:1-7)

1. SIX RECORDS OF CONFLICT (Ch. 1:8-6:28)

The youths resist idolatry (1:8-21) The realm of wisdom (2:1-49) Test of fidelity (3:1-30) Contest for sovereignty (4:1-37) ’s insolence thwarted (5:1-31) Daniel in the lions’ den (6:1-28)

2. THE IMMINENT INTERVENTION OF GOD (Ch. 7)

The superscription (7:1) The vision of the four beasts (7:2-8) Three interpretations of the vision (7:9-28)

2 THE BOOK OF DANIEL, cont.

3. THE LITTLE HORN AND THE END (Ch. 8)

Description of the vision (8:1-14) Interpretation of the vision (8:15-27)

4. BASIS FOR HOPE (Ch. 9)

Scriptural background (9:1-2) Reward of faith (9:3-10) Angelic revelation (9:20-27)

5. VISION OF THE END (Chs. 10-12)

Prologue to the vision (10:1-11:1) Interpretation of the vision (11:2-45) Climax of the vision (12:1-4) The epilogue (12:5-13)

Taken from The Broadman Commentary

Ø The 2 key visions of the book

! Nebuchadnezzar’s “Dream Image” & the nations – Ch. 2

! Daniel’s “70 Weeks” & Israel – Ch. 9

Optional assignment for next session:

Peruse the books of the “Minor” prophets noting something of their styles.

3

The Book of Daniel

AUTHOR: Daniel, like Ezekiel, was a captive in Babylon. He was brought before King Nebuchadnezzar while young and trained in the Chaldean language and sciences, :17-18. HIS CAREER resembled that of Joseph. Promoted to the highest office in the realm (Daniel 2:48), he maintained his spiritual life in the midst of a heathen court,—Daniel 6:10.

DATE WRITTEN: Before 530 B.C. The book records the events of Daniel's lifetime, beginning with his teenage years in 605 B.C.

PURPOSE: To give hope to God's people by revealing God's sovereign program for them, even during Gentile domination. God's eternal program will not be deterred.

TO WHOM WRITTEN: Jewish exiles in Babylon and God's people everywhere. MAIN THEME: The sovereignty of God over the affairs of people in all ages. The pagan kings' confessions of this fact constitute significant verses of this book: Daniel 2:47; 4:37; 6:26. KEY WORDS: God's eternal Kingdom. KEY VERSES: Daniel 2:20-22, 44.

NOTABLE PASSAGES:

1. The purpose of Daniel,—Daniel 1:8. 2. The stone out of the mountain,—Daniel 2:44-45. 3. The answer of the three Hebrew captives,—Daniel 3:16-18. 4. The feast of Belshazzar,—Daniel 5. 5. Daniel in the lions' den,—Daniel 6:1-24. 6. The vision of the judgment,—:9-14. 7. The soul-winner's promise,—Daniel 12:3.

SYNOPSIS:

I. SECTION Largely a narrative of personal biography and local history. It contains an account of thrilling events and divine interpositions unsurpassed in the . It refers to six moral conflicts in which Daniel and his companions participated.

1. FIRST CONFLICT. Between pagan self-indulgence and conscientious abstinence in promoting health. o Abstinence wins,—Daniel 1:8-15. 2. SECOND CONFLICT. Between pagan magic and heavenly wisdom in the interpretation of dreams. o Divine wisdom wins,—Daniel 2:1-47. 3. THIRD CONFLICT. Heathen idolatry arrayed against loyalty to God. o Loyalty to God wins,—Daniel 3:1-30. 4. FOURTH CONFLICT. A pagan king's pride arrayed against divine sovereignty. o God wins-the king turned out to eat grass,—:4-37. 5. FIFTH CONFLICT. Impious sacrilege arrayed against reverence for sacred objects. o Reverence wins-the handwriting on the wall. Belshazzar dethroned,—Daniel 5:1-30. 6. SIXTH CONFLICT. Sixth conflict. Between malicious plotting and the providence of God over His saints. o Providence wins-the lions' mouths stopped,—Daniel 6:1-28.

II. SECTION Visions and prophecies relating to the controlling hand of God moving the scenes in the panorama of history,—Daniel 7-12.

III. INTERPRETATION Daniel is a companion to the book of Revelation; both contain much imagery which is mysterious.

The attempt to fit the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation into the facts and events of human history has produced an endless conflict of opinions.

The true interpretation of the details of the visions is not always clear.

Two facts are generally acknowledged by candid scholars:

1. That the prophecies represent a partly veiled revelation of future events in secular and sacred history. 2. That the visions point to the ultimate triumph of God's kingdom over all satanic and world powers.

In chapter 7 many commentators see the four beasts as representing the four great empires-Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome (Daniel 1-7), followed by a vision of the coming Messiah.

In chapter 8 another period of Medo-Persian and Grecian history appears under the figure of a Beast.

Chapter 9 contains Daniel's prayer and a veiled prophecy of the time of the coming of the Messiah.

Chapters 10 to 12 contain additional far-reaching predictions and revelations of future events. These three chapters have been the battleground of theological controversy with many varied interpretations.

PROMINENT PEOPLE: Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Belshazzar, Darius.

Taken from the Thompson Chain Reference Bible.