Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
by Arend Remmers
http://www.biblecentre.org
12 chapters
1.
2.
3.
4.
The last indication of a date is the 3rd year of king Cyrus of Persia in Dan. 10:1 which
was the year 536/35 BC. Daniel must have been around 85 to 90 years of age when he
wrote down his last visions.
Daniel was a contemporary of Ezekiel who went into Babylonian captivity in 597 BC
(around eight years later than Daniel). Ezekiel mentions Daniel three times in his book
( Ez. 14:14.20; 28:3). Daniel knew also Jeremiahs writings whose service had begun
already some years before the Babylonians started to attack Jerusalem. While studying
the book of Jeremiah Daniel came to the conclusion that the announced 70-yearscaptivity would come to a soon end (Dan. 9:2).
When the Lord Jesus in his Olivet discourse spoke of the profanation of the temple
through the Antichrist He explicitly mentions Daniel the prophet (Matt. 24:15; compare
with Dan. 11:31; 12:11). The Lord refers to Daniel 7:13 in Matt. 24:30 and 26:64 as well.
Daniel is not mentioned especially in Heb. 11 among the heroes of faith of the OT. But
should the words of verse 33 who stopped the mouths of lions not refer to Daniel who
was spared in the lions den (Dan. 6)?
The book of Daniel has been the object of unbelieving criticism for ages. The first attacks
go back to the heathen New Platonist Porphyrius of Tyre (3rd century AC). Porphyrius
designates the book of Daniel as the work of a Jew of the 2nd century BC. The modern
critics hold similar opinions. The reasons mentioned against Daniels authorship are
pretended historical inaccuracies, linguistic details and the theology of Daniel. The
main reason for criticism however is no doubt the fact that Daniel prophesied historical
events with absolute precision (as did Isaiah). For Daniel has in detail described the SyroEgyptian fights of the time of the Maccabees among other events (Dan. 11:1-35). This is
simply impossible say the critics. They say a book with such details must have been
written only after these events. But Daniel has also prophesied precisely of the coming of
Christ (Dan. 9:25). Finally he writes on the still future events of the time of the end
before the second coming of Christ. In all this the words of Amos the prophet are clearly
affirmed: Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealed his secret unto his
servants the prophets (Amos 3:7).
2. Purpose of Writing
In the Hebrew Bible the book of Daniel does not belong to the prophets but to the
writings (hebr. ketubim), which is the third and last part of the OT. There the book is
placed between Esther and Ezra.
A large part of the book is written in Aramaic (chapters 2:4 7:28). Aramaic was the
official language of the Babylonians and Persians. The reason for these facts is probably
that Daniel in contrast to the other prophets living during and after the exile prophesied
hardly anything in relation to Israel or Judah but his prophecies are mainly about the
heathen nations.
The great theme of the book of Daniel are the four world empires which rule and will rule
the worlds history from after Jerusalems destruction up to Christs appearing before the
millennium. This period is called the times of the Gentiles in the NT (Luke 21:24).
Jehovah could no longer publicly accept His earthly people Israel or Judah respectively.
He punished it through the captivity in Babylon and the destruction of Jerusalem and the
temple. He had left His habitation the temple (Ez. 10:4.18; 11:23). The most high God,
possessor of heavens and earth (Gen. 14:19), had as it were retired to the heavens. In the
book of Daniel God is called the God of heaven four times (chap. 2:18.19.37.44),
King of heaven once (chap. 4:37) and once Lord of heaven (chap. 5:23). During this
time of His indirect government God puts the authority over the earth into the hands of
heathen nations until His Blessed One, the Lord Jesus, shall take over the government as
glorified Son of Man.
Daniel gives a prophetic overview on the times of the Gentiles that is the four world
empires: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome. After the complete failure of these
empires government finally the people of Israel will be restored to God and Christ will
reign over all as king.
The fact that Daniel is describing the times in which we are still living makes the book
especially interesting for the Christian.
The book may be divided into two great parts. The first part (chap. 1 6) after the
introduction of a faithful remnant (Dan. 1) describes various historical events out of
Daniels life. To start with, chapter 2 tells us of Nebuchadnezzars dream and Daniels
interpretation of it. This dream contains Nebuchadnezzars human view of the four world
empires. This is an imposing view indeed! The following chapters 4 6 not only show
Daniel and his friends exemplary faithfulness but also indicate various characteristics of
the heathen world empires, which will find their culmination in the time of the end.
Chapter 3 shows the idol worship, chapter 4 the human arrogance, chapter 5 the
blasphemy and chapter 6 the deification of man.
The second part starts in chapter 7 with a second revelation on the four world empires but
out of Gods sight: The empires are like four wild beasts. Chapter 8 tells us of the second
and third empire, chapter 9 of the end of the Babylonian captivity and of the Messiah and
chapters 10 to 11 of the kings of the north (Syria) and the south (Egypt). Chapter 12
forms the end in which we find the faithful remnant again.
There is a close relationship between the book of Daniel and the revelations concerning
the future in the New Testament. Matt. 24 25, 2 Thes. 1 2 and Revelation are
additions respectively extensions of the revelations Daniel received. Only by considering
them all together will we receive the right comprehension over the future events.
3. Peculiarities
Daniel 2
Daniel 7
Explanation
Babylon
Legs of Iron, Feet part of Beast with 10 Horns Roman Empire (compare Rev.
Iron and Part of Clay
13:1; 17:3.7.12)
The fourth empire ( Rome) ruled at the time the Lord Jesus was living on earth (compare
Luke 2:1). It perished during the Middle Age but will rise again according to Rev. 17:8b
in the last days (the beast that was, and is not, and yet is) and then be destroyed by
Christ with the other countries before the millennium will be set up (Dan. 2:44-45; 7:1114; Rev. 13; 19:19-21).
4. Overview of Contents
Daniel 1, Introduction: Daniels Decision and Gods Answer
Daniel 2 6: Character of the World Empires
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Nebuchadnezzars
Arrogance, Fall and
Restoration
Chapter 5
Belshazzars
Blasphemy and
Punishment
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Daniels Humiliation
and the Time of the
70 Year Weeks
Arend Remmers