The Book of Daniel

1. The Book of Daniel • Author: Daniel (9:2, 10:2, Mt 24:15) • Daniel means ‘My judge is God.’ • Date: completed 530 BC • Themes • The kingdoms of the world versus the Kingdom of God • To encourage us to be faithful to the end and overcome the temptations of this world and the antichrist • Key Verse: 2:44 In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.

2. Why do so Many Disputethe Authorship and Date? • Prophecy of Daniel was proven accurate • Unbelievers do not believe because it is supernatural • So they insist on a later date, after the events occured • Evidence supports an early date • Linguistic evidence: some terms were obsolete by 200BC • Prophecies of Jesus (who came later) are equally accurate • We should be aware of this heretical view, because it is often presented as fact, without support, in the literature

3. Why Should we Study Daniel • Serves as a foundation for studying Revelation • Referred to by Jesus “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel …” Mt 24:15, see Da 9:27, 11:31, 12:11) • Fulfilled prophesy is a testimony to the truth of the Bible and of Jesus (Jn5:39)

4. Why Should we Study Daniel (cnt’d)Contains accurate prophecies of the Messiah A rock in not cut by human hands: In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those Kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever…(2:44) When he will come: …from the issuing of the decree to rebuild the Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ … After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be cutoff, but not for himself. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary…(9:25-26) His second coming: …there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. (7:13-14)

5. Why Should we Study Daniel (cnt’d) • But, many studied Daniel with the wrong motive • Didn’t study with the fear of God • Lead to many harmful ideas, cults • Point: Daniel has sensational elements, • but that should not be our focus

6. Outline • The Decision of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (ch 1) • Destinies of the Nations of the World (ch 2-7) (2:4b-7:28 are in Aramaic, the rest in Hebrew) • The Destiny of Israel (ch 8-12)

7. I. The Decision (chapter 1) • Carried to captivity in Babylon • Were enrolled in assimilation classes • Decision of faith But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. (1:8) • Reward To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds. (1:17) • Found 10 times better than the magicians

8. II. Destinies of the Nations of the World (ch 2-7) • Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a large statue (ch.2) • The gold image(ch.3) • Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a large tree (ch.4) • Babylon’s downfall (ch.5) • Daniel in the lion’s den (ch.6) • Daniel’s Dream of the four beasts (ch.7)

9. III. The Destiny of Israel (ch 8-12) • Daniel’s vision of a ram and a goat (ch.8) • Daniel’s prayer and his vision of 70 “sevens” (ch.9) • Daniel’s vision of Israel’s future (chs. 10-12) • Vision of a ‘man’ (10:1-11:1) • Prophecies of Israel under foreign control (11:2-11:45) • Antiochus Epiphanes IV • Prophecies of end-time resurrection (12:1-3) • Direction for Daniel (12:4-13) “As for you, go your way till the end…” (12:13)

10. Lessons from Daniel and his Friends • Live by faith without compromising • Kept identity when tempted with royal food “But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.”(1:8) • Persecuted for not worshipping statue and for praying “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to rescue us from your hand, O King. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O King, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (3:17-18) • Prayer life (2-17-23, 6:10, 9:3-18, 10:2-3) Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. (6:10)

11. Conclusion • This world is temporary, but the kingdom of God endures forever • Have hope of the Kingdom of God • Be faithful to the end, without compromising • Persecutions are inevitable • Trust in God (3:17-18) • Go your way (12:9,13) • Remember your specific mission • Do not be overwhelmed or worry