An overview of Daniel's prophecy

1. A brief overview
of Daniel
Laindon Bible Class – 30th May 2013

2. Perhaps the most graphic…
Daniel
2

3. Daniel
3

4. Daniel
4

5. Our study
• The background to Daniel‟s writings
• The structure of the Book of Daniel
• An outline of the main dreams/visions
/prophecies and their context
• How we may use his writings
Daniel
5

6. Daniel timing & contemporaries
Daniel
6

7. Background
• Daniel (God is my judge) was born
around 620BC in the reign of Josiah
• Was carried away captive to Babylon
around 606/605BC during the reign of
Jehoiakim
• He had a prophetic ministry of about
70 years
• He lived until the reign of Cyrus
(Daniel 10:1), at least into his 90‟s
Daniel
7

8. Key events in Daniel‟s life
Taken captive
to Babylon
Vision of a certain man
and time of the end
Separates from
King‟s table
Prayer and vision
of 70 weeks
Interprets King
Nebuchadnezzar's dream
Vision of ram
and goat
Vision of four
beasts
The fiery
furnace
Interprets the King‟s
second dream
In the lions‟
den
The writing on the
wall
Daniel
8

9. External references to Daniel
• The righteousness of Daniel (Ezekiel
14:14 & 20)
• The wisdom of Daniel (Ezekiel 28:3)
• Jesus refers explicitly to Daniel‟s
prophetic words (Matthew 24:15 &
Mark 13:14) and also without naming
him (eg Luke 21:24 & John 5:28-29)
• “…and of the prophets: who through
faith…” (Hebrews 11:32-38)
Daniel
9

10. Structure of Daniel (1)
CHAPTERS
LANGUAGE/PERSON SUBJECT
1
Hebrew 3rd person
Introduction
2-6
Aramaic 3rd person
Destiny of the nations of
the world
7
Aramaic 1st & 3rd
person
Daniel‟s vision of 4 beasts
& Kingdom of God
8-12
Hebrew 1st person
Visions concerning the
destiny of God‟s people
Daniel
10

11. Structure of Daniel (2)
DREAMS & VISIONS
Chapter(s)
Given to whom?
Subject
2
Nebuchadnezzar
Image of the Kingdom of men
4
Nebuchadnezzar
The tree chopped down
5
Belshazzar
The writing on the wall
7
Daniel
The four beasts & God‟s Kingdom
8
Daniel
The ram & the goat
9
Daniel
His prayer & the 70 weeks
10-12
Daniel
The future of God‟s people & the time
of the end
Daniel
11

12. Nebuchadnezzar‟s 1st dream
• Gold – Babylonians
• Silver – Medes &
Persian
• Brass – Greeks
• Iron – Romans
• Iron & clay – mixed
nations in latter days
• Stone – coming of
Jesus Christ
• Filling the earth –
God‟s Kingdom
Daniel
12

13. Nebuchadnezzar‟s 2nd dream
• The great tree –
Nebuchadnezzar & his
kingdom
• Cut down – removed
from his throne
• Stump – roots of the
tree protected
• Nebuchadnezzar to
become like a beast of
the field for „seven
times‟
• Band of iron & brass
points forward to the
Catholic church
Daniel
13

14. The writing on the wall
• Belshazzar –
blaspheming &
defiling the things
of God
• God‟s judgement
certain Belshazzar‟s
kingdom finished
• He was weighed in
the balance & found
wanting
• His kingdom to be
divided and given to
the Medes &
Persians
Daniel
14

15. The four beasts
• Again symbolising the four great empires: Babylon,
Medo-Persia, Greece & Rome down to today
• The Son of Man (Jesus) received by God and given
everlasting dominion over the earth destroying the
beast
Daniel
15

16. The ram and the goat
• The dominance of the Medo-Persian Empire (ram)
• Attacked and defeated by the Greeks (goat – great
horn = Alexander the great)
• The emergence of Rome‟s power (the little horn)
Daniel
16

17. The 70 weeks
THE MESSIAH
CUT OFF
JOHN THE
BAPTIST
26
33
• Period of 70 weeks = 490 days = 490 years
• Divided into 7 (49yrs), 62 (434yrs) and 1 week (7yrs)
• Precise dates a little uncertain but clearly pointed to
the advent of the Messiah – Jesus Christ and his
crucifixion
Daniel
17

18. A certain man & time of the end
• Certain man a manifestation
of the multitudinous Christ
• Reveals the work of the
angels bringing about
God‟s purpose
• God‟s judgements on the
enemies of Israel
• The history of Jewish revolt
and the rise of Rome
• The re-emergence of the
kings of the North & South
• The time of the end and the
coming of Christ
Daniel
18

19. Daniel‟s message for us
A keynote verse:
“This matter is by the decree of the
watchers, and the demand by the word
of the holy ones: to the intent that the
living may know that the most High
ruleth in the kingdom of men, and
giveth it to whomsoever he will, and
setteth up over it the basest of men.”
(4:17)
Daniel
19

20. How we can use Daniel
• The example of a great man of faith
for us to follow
• A compelling proof that the Bible is
God‟s word
• The apocalypse of the Old Testament
• A precious source of understanding
of God‟s purpose and the events in
the last days
Daniel
20