Daniel was a believer in the Old Testament known for his great faithfulness, prayer, wisdom, and courage. Daniel lived in a difficult time and a difficult environment for a believer. He was taken away from his home, in Judea, his parents, and most importantly, the geographical center of his faith; i.e. Jerusalem. The first chapter of the book of Daniel describes how some of the youth of the Jewish nobility were taken and brought to Babylon. There they were granted a privileged Chaldean education in order to make them useful servants for the king of Babylon. Their home was changed, their names were changed, their food was changed, and likely they were made eunuchs (they were under the care of "the prince of the eunuchs"), meaning their bodies were changed. This would’ve been a devastating chain of events in the life of young Daniel. And yet we can see from his very earliest years in Babylon, how faith in the one true God rises above even the most difficult circumstances. Daniel received extensive prophetic revelations concerning the future of the Gentile powers, in what is called “the times of the Gentiles”, and of their end at the coming of the Son of man to establish His everlasting kingdom. The dreams he interpreted and the visions he himself received form a foundation of prophetic understanding. Almost all the key players in prophecy are introduced, the important battles are outlined, and we have a timeline given as to how God will accomplish His purpose on earth through prophecy. Through it all, Daniel maintained a remarkable humility, and continued in steadfast prayer and communion with God.
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THE PROPHET
DANIEL
O U T L I N E
Daniel the Prophet.
Overview of the Book. The book of Daniel deals with the entire period of time during which the Gentiles have the dominion of the earth. Prior to the captivity of Israel, God’s government centered in Jerusalem, within the nation of Israel which He owned as His people. In rejecting Jehovah’s authority over them, He in turn rejected Israel as His people (“Lo-ammi”). The instrument that God used to execute judgment on Judah was Nebuchadnezzar, the first of a series of monarchs to whom power was transferred. Ezekiel mentions Nebuchadnezzar as a servant used by Jehovah to accomplish this work (Ezek. 29:20; 30:24). The whole period of time during which God’s government is removed from Israel in given to the Gentiles (who abuse that authority), from Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar to the destruction of the final form of the Roman empire, is known as “the times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24). The book of Daniel opens with the Jewish people under this sentence of judgment, and yet the focus is drawn to a small group of faithful Jews who seek to honor and obey Jehovah though captive in a foreign land. Daniel and his three friends are a type of what is generally referred to as the faithful Jewish remnant. The concept of a faithful remnant is vital to understanding prophecy. Though the nation is under governmental judgment, God still has His eye on them for blessing, and He will accomplish His purpose for the nation but He will do it through the faithful remnant.
The Original Languages. From Daniel 1:1-2:3 the language employed is Hebrew. But then the prophet switches to Chaldee (or Aramaic) from Daniel 2:4 – ch.7. Then, from Daniel 8 – 12 he resumes with Hebrew. it is no coincidence that the Hebrew portions have to do with the Jewish remnant, and the Aramaic portions have primarily to do with gentile dominion.
Dreams and Visions. The first half of the book (ch.1-6) have to do with dreams and visions given to the Gentile monarchs, and the meaning of them. From ch. 7-12 we have dreams and visions that were given directly to Daniel.