THE BOOK OF DANIEL

DANIEL 1

Introduction...

 

Daniel 1:1-7 "Judah Goes into Captivity"

Paragraph Summary: Nebuchadnezzar has won a great battle at Carchemesh and he is using his captives to his own advantage. From Judah he has captured some royalty and is now going to educate them for 3 years in Babylon (to brainwash). Among these nobles are four young men who receive new names and a new life.

Observations:

Nebuchadnezzar changes the names from godly names to pagan names:

 

Daniel 1: 8-14 "No Compromise"

Paragraph Summary: Daniel and his 3 friends refuse to eat the food that has been offered to idols. They tell the chief official to feed them vegetables and water -- to test their appearance against the other youths who do eat the choice food offered by the king. The chief official seems to like these youths but he fears the king

Observations:

**They could change their names and give them pagan education, but when the Word of God was clear (don’t eat meat offered to idols: Lev. 11 & Psalm 141) they stood firm. Alcohol is not evil in and of itself, but these men had a higher standard; they were men of high character.

Daniel 1: 14-16 "Rewards for Faithfulness"

Summary: After ten days of just eating vegetables and water, Daniel and friends were fatter than those who did not. The overseer was convinced and let it continue.

Observations:

Daniel 1:17-21 "Daniel and Friends Complete Their Training"

 

Summary: Daniel and his friends have completed their three years of education. Out of all the other young captives (don’t know exactly how many) Daniel and friends stood out as the best. From here the boys entered into the king’s presence and worked in his cabinet. The boys had wisdom beyond their years, and Daniel could even interpret dreams.

Observations:

 

DANIEL 2

Chapter 2:1-3, "Nebuchadnezzar’s Frightful Dream" -- The second year of his reign. The Babylonians counted the reigns of their king’s tenure after they had been in office for a year. This was called "the accession year." So, in reality it is the third literal year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign.

Chapter 2:4-13, "The Need For Interpretation" -- The King has ordered all the wise men in his kingdom to gather together to tell and interpret his dream. The wise men are dumbfounded and tell the king that they are unable but that they can interpret it if he will tell them the dream. Their expertise lies in the interpretation of dreams not in the giving of them. They tell the king that no man on earth can give him what he asks, so the King orders their execution.

Chapter 2: 14-16, "Daniel Takes Leadership and Assumes the Position" -- After hearing of the King’s order of the death of all wise men in Babylon, including himself and his three friends, Daniel tactfully buys the time he needs. He receives his wish, something the others were denied.

Daniel 2: 17-24, "God Gives Daniel the Answer" -- Daniel and his friends go to their knees and ask God for the king’s dream and the interpretation thereof. God answered and immediately gave them the dream and interpretation. They sing praises to God and give Him all the credit.

Daniel 2:25-30, "All Glory to God" -- Dan is taken to the king’s presence and is asked to give the dream and interpretation. He gives all credit to God and reveals Him to Nebuchadnezzar.

Daniel 2:31-35, "The Future Revealed in a Statue" -- Nebuchadnezzar was looking at an enormous statue that had a head of gold, arms and chest of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron, and feet made of a mixture of iron and clay. As he was looking at this statue he saw a small stone cut out of a mountain but not by any man. He observed this small stone roll to the statue and completely destroy it. The statue became like dust in the wind and the small stone became a large mountain. Nothing remained of the statue, but the mountain filled the entire earth.

Daniel 2:36-45, "Interpretation of the Future" -- Nebuchadnezzar is the head of gold. His kingdom rules the earth, even the birds of the air. After he falls there will be another kingdom signified by the silver. It will not be inferior to Nebuchadnezzar’s -- just after. Once that kingdom has run its course a third kingdom signified by bronze will rule followed by the fourth and final kingdom signified by iron and iron and clay. Finally, the stone cut out of the mountain not by human hands signifies the fifth kingdom which will surpass all the others.

Daniel 2:46-49, "The Reward of the Righteous" -- The King is convinced that Daniel’s God is the God of the universe. He knew the impossibility of telling another man’s dream. Daniel became the ruler over all of the so-called wise men in the kingdom. He served in the court and requested that the king appoint his three friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego to rule over the province of Babylon. Daniel ruled in the court of the king and his three friends ruled outside as governors over the land. This was God’s sovereign plan as more Jews arrived in Babylon.

 

DANIEL 3

Chapter 3:1-7 -- Nebuchadnezzar sets up a large image of gold (90 ft. X 9) to worship. Every time someone hears this music they are to fall down and worship this image. The king brings in his cabinet and has them witness this decree.

Chapter 3:8-12 -- A faithful response to a pagan in the face of death.

Chapter 3:13-18 -- In his fury Nebuchadnezzar has the three brought to him. He confronts them with the accusations and before they can answer he gives them a way out by allowing them to bow down. The boys are all united in their decision not to bow down to the image. Standing firm in their faith they claim their God has power to save, but even if He won’t they won’t budge.

Chapter 3:19-23 -- Upon hearing the explanation of the three boys the king grows fierce with anger to the point that his facial expression is altered.

Chapter 3:24-27 -- The appearance of God incarnate, a theophany.

Chapter 3:28-30 -- The king changes his disposition after seeing the power of God once again.

 

DANIEL 4

Chapter 4:1-3, "Nebuchadnezzar Praises God, the Most High"

Summary: King Nebuchadnezzar is bubbling over with joy. He is writing a letter to all nations and peoples and he is telling them that he loves God. It seemed good to him to sing praises and shout for joy about what the Lord had done in his life.

Observations:

Chapter 4:4-12, "Nebuchadnezzar Dreams of a Great Tree"

Summary: Neb was enjoying his life and was relaxing in his palace when he has another dream. He then calls all the so-called wise men together for the interpretation of his dream. After explaining the dream to them it becomes more alarming because the wise men cannot find an interpretation of his dream. Neb then calls Daniel (Belteshazzar) to interpret his dream because he knows that he can do it; he had done it in the past. Neb tells Daniel of a very large tree filled with fruit and whose branches reach to the sky -- a tree that he whole world can observe.

Observations:

Chapter 4:13-18, "The Holy Messenger Chops Down the Tree"

Summary: Neb continues to tell Daniel his dream about the tree reaching to the sky. He tells him that a holy one of God comes and chops the tree down and strips it of its fruit and foliage. All those who took refuge under and in the tree are scattered. The only thing left is a stump in the ground, protected by iron and bronze, and the roots which stabilize the stump. The stump is now left alone with the grass of the field and the dew from heaven. The stump is spoken of in terms of a man because that is what it represents. This man is given the mind of a beast for seven years. This decision to do this comes straight from Heaven and it is to the glory of God who exalts man and humbles man.

Observations:

Daniel 4:19-27, "Daniel’s Interpretation of the King’s Dream"

Summary: Daniel, perplexed, tells Nebuchadnezzar that the tree represents him and that he is going to be chopped down by the angelic messenger. Daniel interprets further and tells him that this order comes from the Most High God and that Neb will be given the mind of an animal for seven years until he can learn to recognize that the Most High God is God -- not Nebuchadnezzar. This is said to occur after seven years have passed. The king will get his kingdom back after he repents. The king will go from sovereign to animal, king to pauper. Daniel then tries to convince the king to repent of his arrogance and pride so that God may relent.

Observations:

Daniel 4:28-33, "Daniel’s Interpretation of Neb’s Dream is Fulfilled"

Summary: One year later, while Neb is looking over his kingdom and boasting to himself about how great and mighty he is, God calls out from Heaven and reminds Neb of the very words Daniel spoke to him twelve months prior to that. All that Daniel had decreed upon the king God sovereignly causes to come to pass. Neb is immediately put out into the field with the animals and the grass and becomes like the cattle. His hair grows long and course, he is soaked with the dew of Heaven, and his nails grow long like that of a bird. All in the kingdom can see him.

Observations:

Daniel 4: 34-37, "Nebuchadnezzar Repents and is Restored to Power"

Summary: Neb is restored to sanity and is able to look toward Heaven and praise God. God restores Neb and reestablishes him in his kingdom. All the power and glory of days past are given back to the king due to his repentance. The king sings for joy at what God has done for him (rather than curse His name). His nobles seek him out and all earthly sovereignty is restored. King Neb now realizes how small he is in the sight of God and he is now well aware of the sin that caused his downfall. He is now boldly proclaiming his faith in the Most High God by telling all that God’s ways are just and He humbles those who walk in pride.

Observations:

DANIEL 5

Historical background from the end of chapter 4 to the beginning of chapter 5: The year is 539 BC (23 years removed from the end of chapter 4). Nebuchadnezzar has passed on, and he has been succeeded by three other men -- all of whom were assassinated. Following his death his son, Evil-Marodach, or Amel-Marduk, takes the throne and reigns for two (562-560) years until he is assassinated. He is mentioned twice in the OT (2 Kin. 25:27; Jer. 52:31). In the first year of his reign he released from prison Jehoiachin, king of Judah, the son of Jehoiakim. He had been in prison for thirty-seven years, and Amel-Marduk "spoke kindly to him" (2 Kin. 25:28). Following his death, Amel-Marduk was succeeded by Neriglissar, mentioned in Jeremiah 39 as Nergal-sarezer.

Neriglissar played a part in Jeremiah's release from the prison that Zedekiah put him in. Following a conspiracy to overtake the throne, Neriglissar was found dead. He was succeeded by his very young son, Lebishi-Marodach, who was beaten to death by other conspirators. One of the conspirators placed a man named Nabonidus on the throne of Babylon. Nabonidus reigns for 17 years beginning around 555 BC. In the third year of his reign he appointed his son Belshazzar as acting king while he moved to Teima and built a palace there. Belshazzar began his reign in Babylon around the year 553 BC and continued until the fall of the empire in 539. Nabonidus was in Teima during the seventh, ninth, tenth and eleventh years of his reign and he left Belshazzar in charge with the princes and the troops. The Babylonian record is very similar to the biblical record. Apparently Belshazzar was lineally related to Nebuchadnezzar because his mother, Nitrocris, seems to have been Nebuchadnezzar’s daughter (also the wife of Nabonidus). Moreover, "son of" in Semitic usage is equivalent to "successor of"; so one could properly be called a son of even if not in lineal descent. Nabonidus was the last king of the Neo-Babylonian, or Chaldean, Empire (555-539 B.C.). He is not mentioned in the Bible. Among the Dead Sea Scrolls discovered at Qumran was a fragmentary document containing the "Prayer of Nabonidus." This document tells how Nabonidus was struck by a "dread disease of the most high God" and for seven years was "set apart from men." Apparently he was struck with a severe skin disease. Some scholars suggest that a nervous disorder, or psychological disturbance, may also have been involved. Nabonidus' mysterious illness has been compared with the madness of Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4:23-33).

Setting: Outside the great walls of Babylon the Medes and the Persians are laying siege to the city. They are led by a man named Darius the Mede. The army general is Cyrus the Great who does not appear to be present. They have been there for about three months. The walls of this great city are 350 ft. high and 85 ft. thick. This means the siege will last a while. There are towers that extend over the walls which serve as a lookout; they are 450 ft. high. Later, the army goes in via the Euphrates River while the Babylonians were in high spirits and took the city without a fight.

Chapter 5:1-4, "Belshazzar, King of Babylon, Hosts a Great Feast"

Summary: The king of Babylon, Belshazzar is hosting a feast with a thousand of his nobles. As he is drinking to his heart’s desire it dawns on him that he could be drinking out of a more precious item, namely, the articles of silver and gold which his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem seventy years prior to that. He sends someone to get those items and he and his guests begin to drink from them while praising the gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, and stone.

Observations:

Chapter 5:5-9, "The Writing on the Wall"

Summary: As the king and his nobles were eating, drinking and being merry a hand appeared over the king’s head and began writing an inscription on the wall. This hand, which had no body attachment to it, caused the king to become greatly perplexed. His knees knocked together in fear from what he was seeing. The whole party must have grown deathly silent over what they all saw. The king immediately brought in the wise men so that they could interpret the meaning of what the hand had written on the wall. As usual, the "wise men" could not interpret the words and so the king became even more alarmed.

Observations:

Chapter 5:10-12, "The Queen Mother Advises Belshazzar to Seek Daniel"

Summary: The queen comes on the scene here. She tells Belshazzar about Daniel and his reputation and that he has a "spirit of the gods" in him. She goes on to tell him that Belshazzar’s father, Nebuchadnezzar, had appointed this man as head over all the "wise men" of the kingdom because he had such insight and wisdom. She tells the king to summon Daniel.

Observations:

Chapter 5:13-16, "Daniel Stands Before the King"

Summary: Daniel comes in and stands before the king. Belshazzar tells him that he is aware of his reputation and that he is able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. He then give Daniel the scenario and offers him third ruler in the kingdom if he can interpret the writing on the wall.

Observations:

Chapter 5:17-24, "Daniel Reprimands the King for His Idolatrous Behavior"

Summary: Daniel speaks to the king and tells him that he wants no part of the gifts the king is offering. He tells him about his father, Neb, and explains to him the power that Neb had. He tells him that all the power he had came from God but that God also took his power away due to his pride. Daniel reminds Belshazzar that he himself already knew all of this history but did not heed the warnings his father had given him. Instead, Daniel reminds Belshazzar that he has exalted himself against the Lord. This exaltation will be his downfall. Daniel concludes his finger pointing by telling the king what had gone on in the orgy even though he was not there (this would indicate that Daniel either knew what went on during these parties or that God revealed it to him so as to intimidate the king since Daniel was not actually present at the orgy).

Observations:

Chapter 5:25-28, "Interpretation of the Dream"

Summary: Daniel interprets the dream by giving Belshazzar the meaning of the four Aramaic words which were written above his head. God has numbered the days of Belshazzar’s reign and his time is up; Belshazzar has been weighed in the balance and he has come up short of God’s standard; and the Babylonian empire will be given over to another -- the Medes and Persians.

Observations:

Daniel 5:29-31, "Daniel is Rewarded While the Babylonian Kingdom Falls"

Summary: Daniel receives his reward as third ruler in the kingdom and is presented and announced as such. The very same night the Medes and the Persians penetrated through the walls of Babylon and conquered the kingdom, killing Belshazzar just as Daniel had prophesied. A man named Darius the Mede (from the country Media) took over the kingdom at that point; he was sixty-two years of age.

Observations:

DANIEL 6

Chapter 6:1-9, "A Conspiracy Against Daniel"

Summary: The kingdom is now in the hands of the Medes and Persians (Medo-Persia) led by King Darius the Mede and/or Cyrus the Great. Daniel has already been given a high position of leadership in this new world empire as an administrator over the many satraps who preside over the smaller provinces in the land (most likely only two years or so have passed since the takeover of the Medes and Persians). There are 120 satraps and three governors of which Daniel is one. What’s more, the king is also planning to put Daniel in charge of the entire kingdom. This caused the satraps to become jealous of Daniel’s influence over the king. Therefore, they got together and tried to find accusations to bring against Daniel so they could bring him down. Most likely they were not familiar with this old man and his life because they were new in the kingdom. When they discovered that Daniel was above reproach they conspired to have him killed by proposing to King Darius that no god other than the king should be worshipped for thirty days. The king agreed (not knowing what they were up to) and the law was issued that no god was to be prayed to, other than King Darius, for thirty days.

Observations:

Daniel 6:10-15, "Daniel Falls Into the Trap of His Conspirators"

Summary: After hearing of the new injunction to not pray to anyone except Darius, Daniel goes directly to the upper house chamber, the same place he had been going every other day, and prays to God. The men who set the trap for Daniel see him praying, and just like little children tattling on their friends, they tell Darius what happened. Darius is not angry like Nebuchadnezzar was but he is now obligated to follow through on his injunction, because it cannot be revoked, to throw Daniel into the lions den. Darius does make every effort to save Daniel, but he cannot avoid the fact that he signed into law the fatal decree.

Observations:

Daniel 6:16-18, "Daniel is Thrown into the Lions Den"

Summary: Here the king does the only thing that he can do -- follow through with his decree to throw Daniel into the lions den. After making every effort to keep him out of the death chamber Darius has Daniel brought to him and he says his good-byes. Darius assures Daniel that his God will take care of him, but it is evident that he was not so sure of it himself. Daniel is put into the lions den and the door is sealed with the official stamp of the king’s signet ring. The scene goes away from Daniel and with King Darius to his palace. Darius spends the evening without sleep, food, or entertainment. He is counting the minutes before dawn like a child on the night before Christmas.

Observations:

Daniel 6:19-24, "Justice Prevails"

Summary: The king goes out early the next day to see if Daniel is still alive. As he approaches the den he cries out to Daniel, and Daniel answers him. Darius has him removed from the lions den and has the conspirators thrown into the den of lions with their wives and children.

Observations:

Daniel 6:25-28, "Darius Praises the Name of Daniel’s God"

Summary: Darius is so relieved and so impressed with Daniel’s God that he praises Him. Next, he commands all the people of his empire to worship only the God of Daniel. In so doing, he quotes a handful of OT passages and also things that Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had said.

Observations:

CYRUS (taken from Unger's Bible Dictionary) -- the powerful king of Persia (559-530 BC), sometimes called "Cyrus the Great," who allowed the Jewish captives to return to their homeland in Jerusalem after he led the Persians to become the dominant nation in the ancient world. Within 20 years after becoming king of Persia, Cyrus had conquered the Medes, Lydians, and Babylonians (549, 547, and 539 B. C., respectively). He is praised most highly, in the Old Testament, in <Isaiah 44:28> and <45:1>, where he is called God's "shepherd" and His "anointed."

Cyrus first appears in the Old Testament in connection with the release of the Jewish captives (taken in the Babylonian captivity of Judah), when he proclaimed their return from CAPTIVITY <2 Chr. 36:22-23; Ezra 1:1-4>. This restoration, which was highlighted by the rebuilding of the TEMPLE in Jerusalem, had been prophesied by Jeremiah <Jer. 29:10-14>; (also see <Is. 44:28>). The Book of Ezra contains a number of reports on the progress of the work related to the decree of Cyrus <Ezra 3:7; 4:3, 5; 5:13,14,17; 6:3,14>. The only other references to Cyrus occur in <Daniel 1:21; 6:28; 10:1>.

Cyrus was known in Persia as a wise and tolerant ruler. He was able to gain the goodwill of the varied ethnic and religious groups within his large empire, which extended from India to the western edge of Asia Minor (modern Turkey). The Old Testament describes him as chosen by the Lord God of Israel as the deliverer of His people. It was not that Cyrus became a follower of Israel's God; rather, he described himself as the one who received "all the kingdoms of the earth." He declared that God "commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem" <2 Chr. 36:23>. The famous Cyrus Cylinder containing records of Cyrus' reign, revealed that Babylon's chief god, Marduk, had accepted Cyrus as "righteous prince," and had appointed him ruler "over the whole world."

<Ezra 6:1-12> gives some idea of the careful organization carried out by Cyrus in relation to the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. Its dimensions and the materials and supplies required are carefully described, along with the specification of severe penalties for anyone who would change his orders regarding its construction.

Cyrus' reign ended in 530 B. C., when he was killed in battle. His tomb still stands at Pasargadae in southwestern Iran. He was succeeded by his son, Cambyses II (from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary) (Copyright (C) 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers).

 

DANIEL 7

Chapter 7:1-8, "Daniel Dreams the Panorama of Prophecy"

Summary: Around the year 555 B.C., during the first year of Belshazzar, Daniel had another dream regarding the future. In his dream he sees the four winds stir up the Mediterranean Sea. Out of the sea he sees four kingdoms who will rule the earth. The first one looks LIKE a lion with wings of an eagle. The wings were plucked and the beast stood up on two feet and had the mind of a man. The second beast Daniel saw looked LIKE a bear which was raised up on its side and had three ribs in its teeth. This beast was told to arise and gather much meat. The third beast he saw looked LIKE a leopard with wings on its back. It had four heads and it had much power. The fourth beast was strong, dreadful, and terrifying to Daniel. It had teeth of iron and it was very strong. It was more powerful than the other beasts and it trampled them under its feet. It was different from the rest, and Daniel does not compare it to anything like he did the other three. In addition, the beast had ten horns, but while Daniel stared at it a bit longer another horn came up and uprooted three of the horns that were already there. This horn had eyes LIKE a man and a tongue that made great boasts.

Observations:

Daniel 7:9-12, "God and His Son Appear on the Scene"

Summary: The awesome majesty of God is revealed to some extent here. Daniel observes in his vision God coming on the scene with blazing white clothing and white hair. A river of fire runs before Him, and his throne was blazing with flames. His throne sat on wheels that were also burning with fire. Standing before Him were numerous angelic warriors that praised His name and gave Him glory. Suddenly, the scene becomes one of a courtroom as all the people sit down. God takes out books (a reference to judgment). As God opens the books Daniel notices that the little horn is uttering great boasts while all this is happening. All at once the beast (little horn) is slain and thrown into the burning fire. All the rest of the beasts had their power taken away but were not destroyed; they were given an extension of life for an "appointed time" (unspecified).

Observations:

Daniel 7:13-22, "Son of Man Presented"

Summary: As Daniel continues to look at this vision he is having he sees one who looks like a son of man. He approaches the Ancient of Days and is given power, dominion, and a kingdom. His kingdom is the nations and men of every language; it will never cease to exist. At this point Daniel is distressed and frightened by what he is seeing. Apparently, there were others standing around watching Daniel’s dream within his dream, and he approached one of them (most likely an angel) to seek an interpretation to the dream he was having. The angel then tells Daniel the dream by telling him that the four beasts represent four kingdoms coming out of the earth (Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome). However, the saints of God will inherit the earth and will never pass away from existence. Daniel then asks what the exact meaning of the fourth beast is because it frightened him so badly (probably because it waged war with the saints and overpowered them for a time.

Observations:

Chapter 7:23-28, "The Future Foretold"

Summary: Daniel is given the interpretation of the fourth beast. He is told that it will be a kingdom different from all others and it will rule the entire earth by trampling down everything in its path. Out of that same kingdom a ten-nation confederacy will arise with another one on its tail which will subdue three of the previous kings, or kingdoms. Verse 25 tells us that he (the little horn) will blaspheme God and suppress the saints of God. He will alter the law of God and make his own rules. The saints of God will be handed over to this ruler for 3 1/2 years. Following this the little horn will be ousted by God and destroyed forever. Once this is done the saints of God will rule all the nations of the world and their kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom under the reign of Christ. Daniel’s vision ends, but his thoughts alarm him, his face grows pale, and he keeps the matter to himself.

Observations:

 

DANIEL 8

8:1 In the third year of the reign of Belshazzar the king a vision appeared to me, Daniel, subsequent to the one which appeared to me previously. 2 And I looked in the vision, and it came about while I was looking, that I was in the citadel of Susa, which is in the province of Elam; and I looked in the vision, and I myself was beside the Ulai Canal. 3 Then I lifted my gaze and looked, and behold, a ram which had two horns was standing in front of the canal. Now the two horns were long, but one was longer than the other, with the longer one coming up last. 4 I saw the ram butting westward, northward, and southward, and no other beasts could stand before him, nor was there anyone to rescue from his power; but he did as he pleased and magnified himself.

5 While I was observing, behold, a male goat was coming from the west over the surface of the whole earth without touching the ground; and the goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes. 6 And he came up to the ram that had the two horns, which I had seen standing in front of the canal, and rushed at him in his mighty wrath. 7 And I saw him come beside the ram, and he was enraged at him; and he struck the ram and shattered his two horns, and the ram had no strength to withstand him. So he hurled him to the ground and trampled on him, and there was none to rescue the ram from his power. 8 Then the male goat magnified himself exceedingly. But as soon as he was mighty, the large horn was broken; and in its place there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.

9 And out of one of them came forth a rather small horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Beautiful Land. 10 And it grew up to the host of heaven and caused some of the host and some of the stars to fall to the earth, and it trampled them down. 11 It even magnified itself to be equal with the Commander of the host; and it removed the regular sacrifice from Him, and the place of His sanctuary was thrown down. 12 And on account of transgression the host will be given over to the horn along with the regular sacrifice; and it will fling truth to the ground and perform its will and prosper. 13 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to that particular one who was speaking, "How long will the vision about the regular sacrifice apply, while the transgression causes horror, so as to allow both the holy place and the host to be trampled?" 14 And he said to me, "For 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the holy place will be properly restored."

The high priest and the people were in the greatest distress. But when Heliodorus had already entered the temple, "the Sovereign of spirits, and of all authority caused a great apparition," a horse with a terrible rider accompanied by two strong and beautiful young men who scourged and wounded Heliodorus. At the intercession of Onias, his life was spared. Heliodorus advised the king to send on the same errand any enemy or conspirator whom he wished punished. Simon then slandered Onias, and the jealousy having caused bloodshed between their followers, Onias decided to repair in person to the king to intercede for his country. Apparently before a decision was given, Seleucus was assassinated and Epiphanes succeeded (175 BC). Jason, the brother of Onias, having offered the new king larger revenue, secured the priesthood, which he held until he himself was similarly supplanted by Menelaus, Simon's brother (2 Macc 4:23; Josephus, Ant, XII, v, 1, says Jason's brother). Menelaus, having stolen golden vessels belonging to the temple to meet his promises made to the king, was sharply reproved by Onias. Menelaus took revenge by persuading Andronicus, the king's deputy, to entice Onias by false promises of friendship from his sanctuary at Daphne and treacherously slay him-an act which caused indignation among both the Jews and the Greeks (2 Macc 4:34 ff). Josephus (Ant, XII, v, 1) says that "on the death of Onias the high priest, Antiochus gave the high-priesthood to his brother Jesus (Jason)," but the account of 2 Macc given above is the more probable. Some see in Dan 9:26; 11:22 reference to Onias III (Schurer, 4 th edition, I, 194 ff; III, 144).

15 And it came about when I, Daniel, had seen the vision, that I sought to understand it; and behold, standing before me was one who looked like a man. 16 And I heard the voice of a man between the banks of Ulai, and he called out and said, "Gabriel, give this man an understanding of the vision." 17 So he came near to where I was standing, and when he came I was frightened and fell on my face; but he said to me, "Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the time of the end."

18 Now while he was talking with me, I sank into a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me and made me stand upright. 19 And he said, "Behold, I am going to let you know what will occur at the final period of the indignation, for it pertains to the appointed time of the end. 20 "The ram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia. 21 "And the shaggy goat represents the kingdom of Greece, and the large horn that is between his eyes is the first king. 22 "And the broken horn and the four horns that arose in its place represent four kingdoms which will arise from his nation, although not with his power.

23 "And in the latter period of their rule, when the transgressors have run their course, a king will arise insolent and skilled in intrigue. 24 "And his power will be mighty, but not by his own power, and he will destroy to an extraordinary degree and prosper and perform his will; He will destroy mighty men and the holy people. 25 "And through his shrewdness He will cause deceit to succeed by his influence; And he will magnify himself in his heart, and he will destroy many while they are at ease. He will even oppose the Prince of princes, But he will be broken without human agency. 26 "And the vision of the evenings and mornings Which has been told is true; But keep the vision secret, for it pertains to many days in the future."

27 Then I, Daniel, was exhausted and sick for days. Then I got up again and carried on the king's business; but I was astounded at the vision, and there was none to explain it.

 

Dan 9:1-19… The Prayer of Daniel

Humility…

9:1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of Median descent, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans-- 2 in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was revealed as the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. 3 So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

Worship…

4 And I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed and said, "Alas, O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, 5 we have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly, and rebelled, even turning aside from Thy commandments and ordinances. 6 "Moreover, we have not listened to Thy servants the prophets, who spoke in Thy name to our kings, our princes, our fathers, and all the people of the land.

Confession…

7 "Righteousness belongs to Thee, O Lord, but to us open shame, as it is this day-- to the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all Israel, those who are nearby and those who are far away in all the countries to which Thou has driven them, because of their unfaithful deeds which they have committed against Thee. 8 "Open shame belongs to us, O Lord, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against Thee. 9 "To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against Him; 10 nor have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in His teachings which He set before us through His servants the prophets. 11 "Indeed all Israel has transgressed Thy law and turned aside, not obeying Thy voice; so the curse has been poured out on us, along with the oath which is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against Him. 12 "Thus He has confirmed His words which He had spoken against us and against our rulers who ruled us, to bring on us great calamity; for under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what was done to Jerusalem. 13 "As it is written in the law of Moses, all this calamity has come on us; yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our iniquity and giving attention to Thy truth. 14 "Therefore, the LORD has kept the calamity in store and brought it on us; for the LORD our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done, but we have not obeyed His voice. 15 "And now, O Lord our God, who has brought Thy people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and has made a name for Thyself, as it is this day-- we have sinned, we have been wicked.

Petition…

16 "O Lord, in accordance with all Thy righteous acts, let now Thine anger and Thy wrath turn away from Thy city Jerusalem, Thy holy mountain; for because of our sins and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Thy people have become a reproach to all those around us. 17 "So now, our God, listen to the prayer of Thy servant and to his supplications, and for Thy sake, O Lord, let Thy face shine on Thy desolate sanctuary. 18 "O my God, incline Thine ear and hear! Open Thine eyes and see our desolations and the city which is called by Thy name; for we are not presenting our supplications before Thee on account of any merits of our own, but on account of Thy great compassion. 19 "O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and take action! For Thine own sake, O my God, do not delay, because Thy city and Thy people are called by Thy name."

  1. It is significant that Daniel's prayer has to do with the sanctuary and its restoration in Jerusalem.
  2. Jeremiah 25 says Babylon will be punished after 70 years. Were they?
  3. Jeremiah 29 speaks of 70 years away from the land then a return. If they went into captivity beginning in 605 BC when would they need to return for this to be accurate?
  4. Is there a difference between the desolations of Jerusalem and captivity of the people?
  5. Jeremiah’s prophecies were accurate, at least in a roundabout way (not exactly 70), but it is significant that Daniel’s prayer has to do with the desolated sanctuary on God’s Holy Hill which was restored 70 years after it was destroyed (destroyed in 586, rebuilt in 516).
  6. Only the few who went into captivity in 605 were actually there for 70 years. All others, especially those who went in 586, were only there 50 years. Does this negate the prophecy? Why or why not? (it wouldn’t b/c they were vassals to Babylon even before they actually left the land; their legitimate king was deposed never to return again).

 

Dan 9:20-27

Verses 20-23…

Verse 24…

  1. Finish transgression… Israel’s course of apostasy and sin would come to an end.
  2. Make an end of sins… Sin would be brought to its final judgment.
  3. Make atonement for iniquity… A clear picture of Christ in His atoning sacrifice.
  4. Bring in everlasting righteousness… In Christ God justified all sinners
  5. Seal up vision and prophecy… Termination of the unusual direct revelation of God to His people (through the NT).
  6. To anoint a most holy place… from the temple of Zerubbabel to the final temple in the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:1-27).

Verse 9:25

Verse 26…

Verse 27…

In sum… The total history of Israel is seen here beginning with a decree that goes out in 444 BC. In the first period of "sevens" Israel and its streets are rebuilt. In the second "sixty-two sevens" the Messiah appears and is living at the conclusion of the period. There is a parenthesis of time between this and the last "seven," and it is here that Messiah is killed and Jerusalem destroyed. In the final "seven," which is still future, a covenant will be made between Israel and the antichrist. He will break this covenant after 3 ½ years and take the world into the great tribulation time period – all of which is described in detail in the Book of Revelation.

 

Daniel 10

10:1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar; and the message was true and one of great conflict, but he understood the message and had an understanding of the vision.

2 In those days I, Daniel, had been mourning for three entire weeks. 3 I did not eat any tasty food, nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I use any ointment at all, until the entire three weeks were completed. 4 And on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, while I was by the bank of the great river, that is, the Tigris, 5 I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a certain man dressed in linen, whose waist was girded with a belt of pure gold of Uphaz. 6 His body also was like beryl, his face had the appearance of lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a tumult.

Daniel’s Theophany (compare to John's vision of Christ in Revelation 1:12-17).

 7 Now I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, while the men who were with me did not see the vision; nevertheless, a great dread fell on them, and they ran away to hide themselves. 8 So I was left alone and saw this great vision; yet no strength was left in me, for my natural color turned to a deathly pallor, and I retained no strength. 9 But I heard the sound of his words; and as soon as I heard the sound of his words, I fell into a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.

10 Then behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. 11 And he said to me, "O Daniel, man of high esteem, understand the words that I am about to tell you and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you." And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. 12 Then he said to me, "Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words. 13 "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia.

14 "Now I have come to give you an understanding of what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision pertains to the days yet future." 15 And when he had spoken to me according to these words, I turned my face toward the ground and became speechless. 16 And behold, one who resembled a human being was touching my lips; then I opened my mouth and spoke, and said to him who was standing before me, "O my lord, as a result of the vision anguish has come upon me, and I have retained no strength. 17 "For how can such a servant of my lord talk with such as my lord? As for me, there remains just now no strength in me, nor has any breath been left in me."

18 Then this one with human appearance touched me again and strengthened me. 19 And he said, "O man of high esteem, do not be afraid. Peace be with you; take courage and be courageous!" Now as soon as he spoke to me, I received strength and said, "May my lord speak, for you have strengthened me." 20 Then he said, "Do you understand why I came to you? But I shall now return to fight against the prince of Persia; so I am going forth, and behold, the prince of Greece is about to come. 21 "However, I will tell you what is inscribed in the writing of truth.

Yet there is no one who stands firmly with me against these forces except Michael your prince.

And in the first year of Darius the Mede, I arose to be an encouragement and a protection for him.

Conclusions

  1. Angels and demons do not rule over geographic regions – they rule over people.
  2. Daniel’s prayer contrasts today’s "demon purging" prayers. He didn’t seek the names of the demon(s) nor did he use those names.
  3. We are not to "bind" or "evict" demons. We don’t pray against them but for God’s people and for His plans and purposes to be fulfilled. Pray the Scriptures and hope, not wish, in their fulfillment.

 

Daniel 11:2-35

There are five men who are the subject of Daniel 11…

Verse 2: "And now I will tell you the truth. Behold, three more kings are going to arise in Persia. Then a fourth will gain far more riches than all of them; as soon as he becomes strong through his riches, he will arouse the whole empire against the realm of Greece.

Verses 3-4: "And a mighty king will arise, and he will rule with great authority and do as he pleases. 4 "But as soon as he has arisen, his kingdom will be broken up and parceled out toward the four points of the compass, though not to his own descendants, nor according to his authority which he wielded; for his sovereignty will be uprooted and given to others besides them.

Verse 5: "Then the king of the South will grow strong, along with one of his princes who will gain ascendancy over him and obtain dominion; his domain will be a great dominion indeed.

Verse 6: "And after some years they will form an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the South will come to the king of the North to carry out a peaceful arrangement. But she will not retain her position of power, nor will he remain with his power, but she will be given up, along with those who brought her in, and the one who sired her, as well as he who supported her in those times.

Verses 7-8: "But one of the descendants of her line will arise in his place, and he will come against their army and enter the fortress of the king of the North, and he will deal with them and display great strength. 8 "And also their gods with their metal images and their precious vessels of silver and gold he will take into captivity to Egypt, and he on his part will refrain from attacking the king of the North for some years.

 Verse 9: Then the latter will enter the realm of the king of the South but will return to his own land.

Verse 10: "And his sons will mobilize and assemble a multitude of great forces; and one of them will keep on coming and overflow and pass through, that he may again wage war up to his very fortress.

Verses 11-12: "And the king of the South will be enraged and go forth and fight with the king of the North. Then the latter will raise a great multitude, but that multitude will be given into the hand of the former. 12 "When the multitude is carried away, his heart will be lifted up, and he will cause tens of thousands to fall; yet he will not prevail.

Verse 13: "For the king of the North will again raise a greater multitude than the former, and after an interval of some years he will press on with a great army and much equipment.

Verse 14: "Now in those times many will rise up against the king of the South; the violent ones among your people will also lift themselves up in order to fulfill the vision, but they will fall down.

Verses 15-16: "Then the king of the North will come, cast up a siege mound, and capture a well-fortified city; and the forces of the South will not stand their ground, not even their choicest troops, for there will be no strength to make a stand. 16 "But he who comes against him will do as he pleases, and no one will be able to withstand him; he will also stay for a time in the Beautiful Land, with destruction in his hand.

Verse 17: "And he will set his face to come with the power of his whole kingdom, bringing with him a proposal of peace which he will put into effect; he will also give him the daughter of women to ruin it. But she will not take a stand for him or be on his side.

Verse 18: "Then he will turn his face to the coastlands and capture many. But a commander will put a stop to his scorn against him; moreover, he will repay him for his scorn.

Verse 19: "So he will turn his face toward the fortresses of his own land, but he will stumble and fall and be found no more.

Verse 20: "Then in his place one will arise who will send an oppressor through the Jewel of his kingdom; yet within a few days he will be shattered, though neither in anger nor in battle.

Verses 21-22: "And in his place a despicable person will arise, on whom the honor of kingship has not been conferred, but he will come in a time of tranquility and seize the kingdom by intrigue. 22 "And the overflowing forces will be flooded away before him and shattered, and also the prince of the covenant.

Verse 23: "And after an alliance is made with him he will practice deception, and he will go up and gain power with a small force of people.

Verses 24-26: "In a time of tranquility he will enter the richest parts of the realm, and he will accomplish what his fathers never did, nor his ancestors; he will distribute plunder, booty, and possessions among them, and he will devise his schemes against strongholds, but only for a time. 25 "And he will stir up his strength and courage against the king of the South with a large army; so the king of the South will mobilize an extremely large and mighty army for war; but he will not stand, for schemes will be devised against him. 26 "And those who eat his choice food will destroy him, and his army will overflow, but many will fall down slain.

Verse 27: "As for both kings, their hearts will be intent on evil, and they will speak lies to each other at the same table; but it will not succeed, for the end is still to come at the appointed time.

 

Verse 28: "Then he will return to his land with much plunder; but his heart will be set against the holy covenant, and he will take action and then return to his own land.

Verses 29-30: "At the appointed time he will return and come into the South, but this last time it will not turn out the way it did before. 30 "For ships of Kittim will come against him; therefore he will be disheartened, and will return and become enraged at the holy covenant and take action; so he will come back and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant.

Verse 31: "And forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation.

Verses 32-34: "And by smooth words he will turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will display strength and take action. 33 "And those who have insight among the people will give understanding to the many; yet they will fall by sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder, for many days. 34 "Now when they fall they will be granted a little help, and many will join with them in hypocrisy.

Verse 35: "And some of those who have insight will fall, in order to refine, purge, and make them pure, until the end time; because it is still to come at the appointed time.

 Daniel 11:36-45

Chapter 11 speaks of five kings:

  1. Ahasuerus v. 2
  2. Alexander the Great vv. 3-9
  3. Antiochus III the Great vv. 10-20
  4. Antiochus IV Epiphanes v. 21
  5. Antichrist vv. 36-45

All of these things are for the cleansing of God’s people. They fulfill the 70 weeks of Daniel 9…

HIS DISPOSITION…

36 "Then the king will do as he pleases, and he will exalt and magnify himself above every god, and will speak monstrous things against the God of gods; and he will prosper until the indignation is finished, for that which is decreed will be done. 37 "And he will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the desire of women, nor will he show regard for any other god; for he will magnify himself above them all. 38 "But instead he will honor a god of fortresses, a god whom his fathers did not know; he will honor him with gold, silver, costly stones, and treasures. 39 "And he will take action against the strongest of fortresses with the help of a foreign god; he will give great honor to those who acknowledge him, and he will cause them to rule over the many, and will parcel out land for a price.

 HIS DISCORD…

40 "And at the end time the king of the South will collide with him, and the king of the North will storm against him with chariots, with horsemen, and with many ships; and he will enter countries, overflow them, and pass through. 41 "He will also enter the Beautiful Land, and many countries will fall; but these will be rescued out of his hand: Edom, Moab and the foremost of the sons of Ammon. 42 "Then he will stretch out his hand against other countries, and the land of Egypt will not escape. 43 "But he will gain control over the hidden treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; and Libyans and Ethiopians will follow at his heels.

HIS DOOM…

44 "But rumors from the East and from the North will disturb him, and he will go forth with great wrath to destroy and annihilate many. 45 "And he will pitch the tents of his royal pavilion between the seas and the beautiful Holy Mountain; yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.

Exegetical Outline

  1. The Disposition of the Coming Antichrist is One of Humanistic Selfishness (vv. 36-39).
    1. His prerogative is that he will do as he pleases (v. 36).
    2. His pride is that he exalts and magnifies himself (v. 36).
    3. His profanity is that he speaks monstrous things against God (v. 36).
    4. His perversion is that he has no natural affection for family but rather for the god of war (v. 37-39).
  1. The Discord of the Coming Antichrist Involves a Victorious Worldwide War (vv. 40-43).
    1. Africa from the south and Russia from the north will advance on him (v. 40).
    2. Though entering Palestine and conquering many, Moab, Ammon, and Edom are spared (v. 41).
    3. As part of his spoils Antichrist will conquer Egypt, along with other countries, taking much silver and gold with him (v. 42-43).
  1. The Doom of the Coming Antichrist Comes While Waging War in Palestine (44-45).
    1. Angered from news of more war, he marches out in battle to destroy (v. 44).
    2. While camped out between the Great Sea and the Dead Sea, he is destroyed without any aid coming to him (v. 45).
  1. Following a Time of Tribulation Such as the World Has Never Known, There Will Be a Resurrection from the Dead of those Who Are Righteous (12:1-3).
    1. The guardian angel and of the Hebrew people, Michael, will arise (v. 1a).
    2. A worldwide distress like never before will come upon the world (v. 1b).
    3. All Hebrews who are found written in the book of life will be rescued (v. 1c).
    4. The righteous who are dead will come out of the grave to have eternal life (v. 2a).
    5. All those who are wicked will come out of the grave to live in contempt (v. 2b).
    6. Those who are righteous who live through the Tribulation will be glorified (v. 3).

Central Proposition of Text: In the end times a profane man will rise up with great power and intrigue, leading the nations into world-war and dying alone after a short period of tremendous success.

Purpose Bridge: To show the importance of obedience to God’s revealed will. To show Israel and the world what the results are of disobedience to God’s will. To understand that time as we know it will come to a dramatic end with a vile world ruler conquering many as a result of disobedience to God’s will. To show that though the world strives for peace, God has revealed that He knows the exact end of all things, and peace comes only according to His plan.

Applications:

 

Daniel 12:1-4… The Consummation of Time and the Resurrection

  1. The breaking of the covenant by the "prince who shall come" (Dan. 9:26-27).
  2. The time of the end will last for 3.5 years (Dan. 7:25; 12:7; Rev. 13:5).
  3. The time of the end is equivalent to "the time of Jacob’s trouble" (Jer. 30:7) and the Great Tribulation (Matt. 24:21).
  4. The remaining details of the end to time are given in Revelation 6-19.

THREE AND A HALF YEARS INTO THE TRIBULATION…

1 "Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued.

2 "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. 3 "And those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. 4 "But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase."

VERSE 1…

VERSE 2…

VERSE 3…

VERSE 4…

 

DANIEL 12:4-13

4 "But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase."

Following an inquiry by an angel to the one dressed in linen as to when the prophesied events would cease, Daniel understands that 3 ½ years would pass along with the shattering of the Jews, then the end will come.

5 Then I, Daniel, looked and behold, two others were standing, one on this bank of the river, and the other on that bank of the river. 6 And one said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, "How long will it be until the end of these wonders?" 7 And I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed.

Wanting to know the outcome of the prophecy Daniel is told to seal it until the time comes following a purging when it makes perfect sense…

8 As for me, I heard but could not understand; so I said, "My lord, what will be the outcome of these events?" 9 And he said, "Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time. 10 "Many will be purged, purified and refined; but the wicked will act wickedly, and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand.

A determined amount of time will follow the day the abomination of desolation is set up while Daniel is encouraged to move on and look forward to his reward at his resurrection…

11 "And from the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. 12 "How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1,335 days! 13 "But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will enter into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age."

1