Daniel: Relating Prophecy to Piety

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Introductions, Arguments, Outlines

1. Daring to Believe Daniel

(The Critics Versus Christ)

Introduction

Years ago as college student, I attended the first session of an education class required for a degree in education. The professor began by asking us to write down our expectations for the class and turn them in at the end of the period. Like the rest of the students, I wrote a flowery dissertation about my expectations.

Later, after some reflection, I went to the professor and told him how I really felt. “I’m in this class for one reason,” I confessed to him. “It is a requirement if I want to become a teacher. Quite frankly, I must admit I don’t expect to gain much from this class at all."

Needless to say, this was not what the professor wanted to hear, but it was the truth. Most of the other students shared that same opinion by the time the class was finished. At least I had the satisfaction of telling the truth.

This leads me to ask you: “What do you expect to gain from a study of the Book of Daniel?” There are a number of critical “scholars” who expect to learn no more from the Book of Daniel than I expected to learn from that education class. Due to the criticism leveled against the Book of Daniel, we will begin by surveying some of the criticisms of this book and some responses to these criticisms.

An important goal of this lesson is to identify some values of the study of Daniel. Another is to provide an overview of the book as a whole and point out some of its unique characteristics and contributions. Finally, we will attempt to lay the groundwork for further study by considering the setting and historical background of Daniel in order to understand it in the light of the time it was written.

Daniel comes highly recommended to us. The Scriptures consistently and emphatically testify to the authenticity and authority of the Book of Daniel. Ezekiel, a contemporary of Daniel, speaks of this man in the highest of terms. He is singled out by Ezekiel, along with Noah and Job:

Then the word of the Lord came to me saying, “Son of man, if a country sins against Me by committing unfaithfulness, and I stretch out My hand against it, destroy its supply of bread, send famine against it, and cut off from it both man and beast, even though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job were in its midst, by their own righteousness they could only deliver themselves,” declares the Lord God. “If I were to cause wild beasts to pass through the land, and they depopulated it, and it became desolate so that no one would pass through it because of the beasts, though these three men were in its midst, as I live,” declares the Lord God, “they could not deliver either their sons or their daughters. They alone would be delivered, but the country would be desolate. Or if I should bring a sword on that country and say, ‘Let the sword pass through the country and cut off man and beast from it,’ even though these three men were in its midst, as I live,” declares the Lord God, “they could not deliver either their sons or their daughters, but they alone would be delivered. Or if I should send a plague against that country and pour out My wrath in blood on it, to cut off man and beast from it, even though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in its midst, as I live,” declares the Lord God, “they could not deliver either their son or their daughter. They would deliver only themselves by their righteousness” (Ezekiel 14:12-20).

If Daniel’s righteousness is in view in this text, Ezekiel also refers to his wisdom in this indictment of the “leader of Tyre”:

The word of the Lord came again to me saying, “Son of man, say to the leader of Tyre, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “because your heart is lifted up and you have said, ‘I am a god, I sit in the seat of gods, in the heart of the seas’; yet you are a man and not God, although you make your heart like the heart of God—behold, you are wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that is a match for you” ‘” (Ezekiel 28:1-3).

Just as Daniel spoke of our Lord, the Messiah (see, for example, Daniel 9:24-27), our Lord spoke of Daniel. In His Olivet discourse, He refers to Daniel as “the prophet” (Matthew 24:15) and then lays out the events of the last days as the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecies.

Others in the New Testament, who may not quote directly from Daniel, reflect the profound impact Daniel’s writing had on their thinking. Paul’s doctrine of the Antichrist draws heavily from Daniel 7 and 11. The Book of Revelation draws from Daniel’s prophecies and from the symbols he employs.¹ Virtually every New Testament writer has been influenced by or has drawn from Daniel in some way.²

Since the Scriptures show Daniel in such favorable light, it is indeed remarkable to find Daniel under greater attack from certain “scholars” than any other Old Testament book. The skeptical scholars have a serious problem with the Book of Daniel: its prophecies of future events, particularly those during the Maccabean period, are too precise. For such prophecies to have been made, and then be precisely fulfilled, would require the supernatural, and this is not acceptable to those who reject a sovereign God who is in control of history.

The fundamental issue is that of prophecy,³ the ability of God to foretell the future through His inspired prophets. The assumption that the Book of Daniel does not contain predictive prophecy makes it necessary to explain why the latter chapters of Daniel so accurately depict what has already taken place, especially during the 400 “silent years” between the Old and New Testaments. The anti-supernaturalist explanation is simple: Daniel is not a book of prophecy but of history; Daniel was not written in the 6th century B.C. but in the 2nd century.

Kraeling, who holds this view, represents it in these words:

For the Christian reader Daniel is a prophetic book. This is because he is called a prophet in the New Testament (Matt. 24:15) and because of the profound influence, especially of the visions, on Jesus and early Christianity. In our English Bible the book of Daniel follows Ezekiel. Not so in the Hebrew Bible, where it stands not among the prophets but among “the Writings.” From the standpoint of the book’s own suppositions the author (at any rate of the visions) was a man living in the time of the Chaldean and Persian kings. But this, in the view of all critical scholars, is a masquerade. Since prophecy, as we have seen, was virtually outlawed in the second century B.C., the idea came up to publish predictions under the name of some wise man or prophet of long ago. The pattern was provided by ancient Egyptian tales of wise men or seers who prophesied to a ruler about what would happen in the future—how his dynasty would end in social chaos and be replaced by a new one bringing blessing to the country. Jewish authors took over the pattern but gave it a new importance by providing a finale consisting of judgment over a current empire that had trodden down their people and the coming of the kingdom of God or of the Messiah. Thus was born the apocalyptic literature of which Daniel is the oldest specimen.⁴

J. Sidlow Baxter, a conservative evangelical scholar, summarizes the critical view this way:

To our skeptical critics the book is merely one of the pseudepigrapha, or Jewish writings of the first and second centuries B.C., issued under a spurious name. It was written about 164 B.C., to hearten loyal Jews amid their trials in the time of the Maccabees. This means that it was written three and a half centuries after the time which it pretends. Its miracles are imaginations. Its predictions are simply history pretended to be foretold three hundred and fifty years later.⁵

Critical scholars have cited various lines of evidence to support their conclusion. Further inquiry and more recent data not only provide conservative biblical scholars with the ability to refute the arguments of the critical scholars; it has even caused some liberal scholars to rethink their position.⁶ Listed below are some arguments of those who attack the accuracy and authority of Daniel and the response of conservative scholarship to them.

ARGUMENT 1: Daniel was not listed among the famous Israelites by Ecclesiasticus 44:1ff. Since this document was in existence by 180 B.C., Daniel must have lived at a time later than 180 B.C.

RESPONSE: Among the Qumran discoveries were manuscripts and fragments from the Book of Daniel. “Since the [Qumran] community was itself Maccabean in origin, it testifies to the way in which Daniel was revered and cited as Scripture in the second century B.C.” ⁷ Harrison points out that Ecclesiasticus not only omits any direct reference to Daniel, but also to Job and all the Judges except Samuel, as well as Kings Asa and Jehoshaphat. Mordecai and even Ezra himself are also omitted.⁸ Harrison further points to allusions to Daniel by this same author (Ben Sira) in some of his other writings. He alludes to Daniel in Maccabees (1 Macc. 2:59ff.), Baruch (1:15-3:3), and Sibylline Oracles (III, 397ff.).⁹

ARGUMENT 2: In the Hebrew Text of the Old Testament, the Book of Daniel is not included in the second section (the prophets), but in the third (the writings).¹⁰ This shows that Daniel was not considered one of the earlier prophets. The book must therefore be a later work.

RESPONSE: In the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) Daniel is listed with the prophets, indicating the translators, like Jesus, accepted Daniel as one of the prophets. Daniel was not a typical prophet like Isaiah or Jeremiah. His ministry was more like that of Joseph. Both were interpreters of dreams in a foreign land. Inclusion among the writings does not indicate anything about the date of the book. Job, for example, is included among the writings and is generally regarded to be a very old book.

ARGUMENT 3: The language of the Book of Daniel argues for a late date. Certain Persian and Greek words are used which originated later than the 6th century B.C. The Aramaic used in Daniel is “late” in form.

RESPONSE: Each individual language argument falls apart under scrutiny. The more we learn about the language of Daniel’s day, the more critical arguments collapse.¹¹

ARGUMENT 4: Daniel was incorrect when he wrote (1:1) that Nebuchadnezzar’s conquest of Jerusalem occurred in the “third year of Jehoiakim” because Jeremiah spoke of it as being in the “fourth year” (Jeremiah 25:1, 46:2). Daniel’s error can be explained by the fact that he did not live in those days but wrote at a later time.

RESPONSE: It should first be noted that Daniel did not say Nebuchadnezzar defeated Jerusalem in the third year of Jehoiakim, but only that he took certain people captive to Babylon. Secondly, the Palestinian method of reckoning the number of years of a king’s reign from the time of his accession differed from that of the Babylonian method. The Babylonian method did not count the year of a king’s accession; the Palestinian method did. Thus, Daniel (by the Babylonian method) spoke of the event as being in the third year of Jehoiakim’s reign, and Jeremiah (by the Palestinian method) as being in the fourth.¹²

I differ with the presuppositions and premises of the critical scholars not only because of the basis of their arguments, but because of the implications of their views. I differ not only with “where they are coming from” but also with “where they are going.” Consider some implications of the critical view of Daniel. If their arguments are true, then these implications must be faced:

(1) The critical view of Daniel makes Scripture merely human, denying its divine and supernatural character. By eliminating the supernatural element from prophecy, one removes the divine. The critical view believes God did not speak through Daniel, men did.

(2) The critical view of the Book of Daniel makes “Daniel” a fictional character, not a real person. This means that the piety of Daniel (and his three friends) was fictional and that there is no real link between the practical piety of Daniel and his prophecies.

(3) The critical view of Daniel legitimizes falsehood by employing a fabricated story to teach the truth. One of the purposes of divine prophecy is to reveal the truth while exposing falsehood. The critical view makes the prophecy of Daniel a falsehood. How then can it proclaim God’s truth?

(4) The critical view of Daniel, by inference, demeans all biblical prophecy. If the divine revelation of future events is rejected in Daniel, then we must reject it elsewhere in the Bible as well. The prophecies of the Bible pertaining to the future to which we presently look for hope and comfort, cannot be a supernatural revelation of the future and thus are worthless. To reject Daniel because it is prophecy is to reject all prophecy.

(5) To accept the critical view of Daniel is to demean the rest of the Scriptures, the authors of Scripture, and our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Kraeling said it. We have a high view of Daniel because Jesus did. But if such a view of Daniel is wrong, then all those who have esteemed Daniel highly were wrong, including our Lord. If the Book of Daniel is less than our Lord thought it was, our Lord must be less than we have thought Him to be. Our view of Christ will either determine our estimation of Daniel, or our (critical) estimation of Daniel will diminish our view of Christ.

These criticisms of Daniel all begin with unbelief—unbelief in a sovereign God, who supernaturally foretells future events and then brings them to pass. God’s Word always accomplishes that purpose for which it is intended.

“I declared the former things long ago And they went forth from My mouth, and I proclaimed them. Suddenly I acted, and they came to pass. Because I know that you are obstinate, And your neck is an iron sinew, And your forehead bronze, Therefore I declared them to you long ago, Before they took place I proclaimed them to you, Lest you should say, ‘My idol has done them, And my graven image and my molten image have commanded them.’ You have heard; look at all this. And you, will you not declare it? I proclaim to you new things from this time, Even hidden things which you have not known. They are created now and not long ago; And before today you have not heard them, Lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them’” (Isaiah 48:3-7).

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth, And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11).

Characteristics of the Book of Daniel

Just as every individual has a unique set of fingerprints, every book of the Bible has its own individual characteristics which enable it to make a particular contribution to the reader. Consider the following characteristics of the Book of Daniel:

(1) The Book of Daniel depicts historical events beginning with the first conquest of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar in 605 B.C. and ending in the third year of Cyrus (536 B.C.).

(2) The prophecies of the Book of Daniel encompass time from Daniel’s day to the future establishment of the kingdom of God.

(3) Daniel is written in two languages, not just one. The Book is written in Hebrew and in Aramaic:¹³

Daniel 1:1 - 2:4a-Hebrew language
Daniel 2:4b - 7:28-Aramaic language
Daniel 8:1 - 12:13-Hebrew language

There are a number of theories why two languages were used. One reason may be that the Spirit of God was indicating that the message of this book was for both Jews and Gentiles. Thus, the Hebrew portions would get the attention of the Jews, while the Aramaic portion would have the attention of the Gentiles.

(4) The structure of Daniel is not strictly chronological, making it difficult to neatly categorize.¹⁴ Chapters 1-6 tend to be historical and chronological; chapters 7-12 are prophetic, but not chronological. If there is a chronological sequence in chapters 7-12, it may be in the prophetic scheme of future events laid out in these chapters, rather than in the historical events described in Daniel. The prophecies of Daniel tend to range from events in Daniel’s day onward to eternity.

Consider the following observations comparing the structure in Daniel:

Chapters 1 - 6	Chapters 7 - 12
The days of Daniel	A time future to Daniel
Biographical and historical	Prophetic and apocalyptic
History is chronological	Prophecy is chronological
Written in the third person	Written in the first person
Others have dreams¹⁵	Daniel has dreams
Daniel interprets	Another must interpret

(5) There is a deliberate interweaving of history and prophecy, of present and future, of prophetic revelation and practical piety. Chapter 1 deals with an historical event in the lives of Daniel and his three friends. Chapter 2 is an historical account but deals with the interpretation of a dream Daniel explains as prophetic. Chapter 3 returns to the present time and to the decision of Daniel’s three friends who must face the firey furnace for not bowing down to the king’s golden image. The structure of the book encourages us to recognize that personal piety and prophecy go together.

The Contribution of the Book of Daniel

We know that the Book of Daniel comes highly recommended in the Scriptures, if not by some scholars of a later time. Several contributions offered in a unique or special way will be considered in two categories: (1) the contribution of the Book of Daniel to the Scriptures; and, (2) the contribution of the Book of Daniel to us personally.

Daniel’s Contribution to the Scriptures

(1) The Book of Daniel provides us with valuable insights into conditions in Babylon during the 70 years of Judah’s Babylonian captivity.

(2) The Book of Daniel testifies to the accuracy and reliability of the Word of God. All that God had said would happen to the southern kingdom of Judah did happen, as the Book of Daniel bears witness.

(3) The Book of Daniel links the Old Testament to the New by prophetically revealing the events to take place in the 400 “silent years” between the two testaments. Bible students have often commented concerning that 400 year period in which no book of the Bible was written. While God may have, in one sense, been “silent” during the 400 years, He was not silent about the 400 years. Daniel describes some of the events which will take place during these four centuries with such accuracy, the critics insist it must be history rather than prophecy.

(4) The Book of Daniel is perhaps the most comprehensive layout of God’s prophetic plans in all of the Old Testament. The theology, themes and symbolism of Daniel provide the student of Scriptures with the “key to prophecy” :

Of the three prophetic programs revealed in Scripture, outlining the course of the nations, Israel, and the church, Daniel alone reveals the details of God’s plan for both the nations and Israel. Although other prophets like Jeremiah had much to say to the nations and Israel, Daniel brings together and interrelates these great themes of prophecy as does no other portion of Scripture. For this reason, the book of Daniel is essential to the structure of prophecy and is the key to the entire Old Testament prophetic revelation.¹⁶

Daniel’s Contribution to the Saints

(1) The godly personal life of Daniel is a model for the saints. Daniel was not a priest nor was he a typical prophet like Isaiah or Jeremiah. We are not told that he ever had a “prophetic call” like that Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1-13) or Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:1-10) or Ezekiel (Ezekiel 2:1-7). So far as we are know, Daniel was not given direct revelation to guide him in those daily decisions which proved to be turning points in his life and ministry. In his youth, as in his final days, Daniel remained faithful to God and his fellowmen. Daniel is a man whose personal piety can challenge and inspire us in our walk with God.

(2) The life and ministry of Daniel provide us with some valuable insights on Christian leadership. Daniel was indeed a great leader whose ministry impacted the lives of several of the greatest political leaders of his time. How Daniel got to be a leader, and the way in which he led, are not the way of our culture (Christian or heathen). Daniel is a model leader, and we should learn about leadership from him.

(3) Daniel was a man who served God in the midst of his suffering. Though he suffered because of the sins of his nation and because of his own personal piety, Daniel faithfully served God even in the midst of affliction and has much to say to those who suffer.

(4) Daniel is a book which has much to say about prophecy and about personal piety. In the New Testament, Peter instructs us that prophecy should inspire the Christian to personal piety (see 2 Peter 3:11-13). Daniel demonstrates how this is done.

(5) Daniel is a book which inspires hope and comfort, giving constant witness to the sovereignty of God. God is in control just as he was in the defeat and captivity of Judah. He was in control of the history of the world, so He could foretell the powers who would rule from Daniel’s day onward. He was in control, using the captivity of Judah for their good, and for the blessing of the Gentiles. Daniel bears witness to the comforting truth of God’s power and His control over the affairs of men. The book assures us that nothing happens to His people which is not a part of His plan, designed for our good and His glory.

(6) The Book of Daniel teaches the Christian how to relate to a godless, heathen society, outside of church walls and stained glass windows. The people of Judah were inclined to think that God was with them only when they were in the promised land and in the proximity of the temple. God was still present and active among His people in Babylon, as seen in His intervention on behalf of Daniel and his friends. They are examples of how saints can live in a heathen society so as to bear witness to the majesty, power, and grace of God. This book shows how to live godly lives in a fallen world and how to impact a heathen society, even when a minority as small as “one.”

The Setting for the Book of Daniel

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the house of God and he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his god (Daniel 1:1-2).

From the first two verses of Daniel 1 which inform us of the setting of the book, we can draw some initial conclusions to provide the key to understanding this book and its implications for our lives.

(1) The Book of Daniel contains a great deal of future prophecy but also is the result of fulfilled prophecy.

In these brief words of introduction, Daniel informs us that he and his people are captive in Babylon because God gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzer. How did this come about and why? We see from the Old Testament scriptures that verses 1 and 2 are the precise fulfillment of prophecy.

Before the nation Israel crossed the Jordan to possess the promised land of Canaan, God renewed His covenant with this people, promising to bless them for obedience to His law and to curse them for disobedience. This curse included captivity:

“But it shall come about, if you will not obey the Lord your God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes with which I charge you today, that all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you … Your sons and your daughters shall be given to another people, while your eyes shall look on and yearn for them continually; but there shall be nothing you can do … The Lord will bring you and your king, whom you shall set over you, to a nation which neither you nor your fathers have known, and there you shall serve other gods, wood and stone. And you shall become a horror, a proverb, and a taunt among all the people where the Lord will drive you” (Deuteronomy 28:15, 32,36-37).

“The Lord will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as the eagle swoops down, a nation whose language you shall not understand, a nation of fierce countenance who shall have no respect for the old, nor show favor to the young” (Deuteronomy 28:49-50).

“Moreover, the Lord will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth; and there you shall serve other gods, wood and stone, which you or your fathers have not known.” (Deuteronomy 28:64).

The nation Israel divided into the northern kingdom (referred to as “Israel” or “Ephraim”) and the southern kingdom (most often referred to as “Judah”). Israel consisted of 10 tribes under the leadership of Jeroboam and then 18 subsequent kings, none of whom were of the line of David. The northern kingdom was consistently in one of two conditions: “bad” or “worse,” as seen from a reading of 1 and 2 Kings. The southern kingdom of Judah also had 19 kings, all of whom were of the line of David. Some of these kings were bad, others had a heart for the Lord, and some wavered in between.

God foretold the defeat and destruction of Israel, the northern kingdom, by the Assyrians:

“For the Lord will strike Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water; and He will uproot Israel from this good land which He gave to their fathers, and will scatter them beyond the Euphrates River, because they have made their Asherim, provoking the Lord to anger. And He will give up Israel on account of the sins of Jeroboam, which he committed and with which he made Israel to sin” (1 Kings 14:15-16).

The scriptures record that defeat:

Now it came about in the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria and besieged it. And at the end of three years they captured it; in the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was captured. Then the king of Assyria carried Israel away into exile to Assyria, and put them in Halah and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord their God, but transgressed His covenant, even all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded; they would neither listen, nor do it (2 Kings 18:9-12).

During the reign of Hezekiah, Judah (the southern kingdom) was threatened by Assyria but was divinely delivered from their hand (2 Kings 18-19). Hezekiah later became very ill and was told that he was to die. Because of his appeal to God for mercy, his life was extended 15 years (2 Kings 20:1-11). The king of the (as yet) distant and obscure empire of Babylon, hearing of Hezekiah’s sickness and recovery, sent him a “get well” note which led to a visit to Jerusalem. Foolishly Hezekiah showed his Babylonian visitors all the riches of Jerusalem. For this Isaiah rebuked Hezekiah and gave this prophecy of Judah’s downfall at the hand of Babylon:

Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord. ‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and all that your fathers have laid up in store to this day shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,’ says the Lord. ‘And some of your sons who shall issue from you, whom you shall beget, shall be taken away; and they shall become officials in the palace of the king of Babylon’” (2 Kings 20:16-18).

Reading Daniel 1:1-2 in light of these and other prophecies, I am struck by the fact that God’s promises and prophecies concerning Israel and Judah were literally and precisely fulfilled. If Daniel is the source of future prophecies, his book is also a testimony to fulfilled prophecy. The future prophecies of Daniel are all the more certain in light of the fulfilled prophecies, to which Daniel bears witness.

(2) The Book of Daniel turns our attention and focus to Israel’s God and the certain hope of His people for reconciliation with God, restoration, and eternal blessing.

The promises and prophecies of God fulfilled in the defeat and captivity of Israel and Judah were only part of the picture. God not only promised Israel’s captivity, but also her restoration:

“So it shall be when all of these things have come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind in all nations where the Lord your God has banished you, and you return to the Lord your God and obey Him with all your heart and soul according to all that I command you today, you and your sons, then the Lord your God will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you. If your outcasts are at the ends of the earth, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you back. And the Lord your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers” (Deuteronomy 30:1-5).

As surely as God’s promises of judgment were fulfilled, so will be His promises of salvation and blessing. In many ways, this Book fixes our hope on the restoration of His people, as well as the blessing of the Gentiles.

The certainty of restoration and blessing for God’s people was assured by the doctrine of the sovereignty of God. God’s sovereignty is indicated in the introduction, Daniel 1:1-2. Judah, under Jehoiakim, was defeated by Babylon and taken into captivity. But Daniel makes it clear that this defeat was in fulfillment of God’s purposes and promises. God gave Jehoiakim and Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. Judah’s defeat came from God. The great and mighty nation of Babylon was but an instrument in the hand of God to achieve His purposes.

The sovereignty of God, pointed out in the introduction, is taught and affirmed throughout the rest of the book. The prophecies which God revealed to the kings of Babylon and fulfilled in their times bore witness to God’s sovereignty. The miraculous deliverance of Daniel (from the lions, chapter 6) and his three friends (from the firey furnace, chapter 3) also testifies to the sovereignty of God.

The greatest witness to God’s sovereignty comes from the Babylonian rulers themselves. Note the contrast between Daniel 1 and Daniel 4.

And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his god (Daniel 1:2).

In the ancient world, military battles waged between two nations were battles of the gods of those warring nations. The winning nation was thought to have the greater gods.¹⁷ When a heathen nation defeated another nation, it often placed the gods of its defeated foe in the temple of their own god as a symbol of their god’s victory (see 1 Samuel 5:1-2; Daniel 1:1-2).

When Nebuchadnezzar took the vessels of the house of God and placed them in the house of his god, we are prepared for a “battle of the gods.” Did Nebuchadnezzar think that his “gods” had prevailed over the God of Israel and Judah? Though the book of Daniel begins with Nebuchadnezzar giving his gods credit for being better than the God of Judah, take note of his final words, which speak of the God of Israel:

“But at the end of that period I, Nebuchadnezzar raised my eyes toward heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever; For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom endures from generation to generation. And all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing. But He does according to His will in the host of heaven. And among the inhabitants of earth; And no one can ward off His hand Or say to Him, ‘What has Thou done?’

“At that time my reason returned to me. And my majesty and splendor were restored to me for the glory of my kingdom, and my counselors and my nobles began seeking me out; so I was reestablished in my sovereignty, and surpassing greatness was added to me. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise, exalt, and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just and He is able to humble those who walk in pride” (Daniel 4:34-37).

Nebuchadnezzar, like Israel, had become proud in the position and power God had given. Nebuchadnezzar, like Israel, was humbled for a time, and then restored to give praise and glory to God. There is hope of Israel’s restoration, as Nebuchadnezzar and the Book of Daniel bear witness.

May God enrich our lives as we study and apply the message of this great book to His glory. And may the kingdom for which the saints of all ages have looked soon come to the earth with the Lord Jesus as our Great King.

Questions and Answers
About the Book of Daniel

(1) Who was Daniel?

Daniel was a Hebrew, apparently of noble birth, who was taken captive as a youth by Nebuchadnezzar when he attacked Jerusalem in 605 B.C. Daniel became an official in the court of Nebuchadnezzar, and he continued to serve later rulers, until the first year of Cyrus (536 B.C., see Daniel 1:1-2, 21). Although not called a prophet in the book, Jesus referred to him as such in Matthew 24:15. The Bible has only good things to say about him. He is regarded as one of the great saints of the Old Testament (see Ezekiel 14:12-20; 28:1-3).

(2) What is the Book of Daniel all about?

Daniel is not grouped with the rest of the prophets in the Hebrew Old Testament, but rather among the writings (including Job, Psalms, and Proverbs). The Book of Daniel depicts events which occurred during the 70 years of Judah’s captivity in Babylon. It records a number of very important prophecies concerning future events, some of which were fulfilled in Daniel’s lifetime, others in the years up to and including the first coming of Jesus Christ. Still other prophecies (see chapter 12) are yet to be fulfilled when Christ comes once more, to establish the kingdom of God on the earth.

In general terms, Daniel is about the personal piety of Daniel and his three friends and the prophecies which were revealed to, or through, Daniel during his lifetime.

(3) What are some of the characteristics of the Book of Daniel?

The book of Daniel was written in two languages: Hebrew, the language then spoken by the Jews (1:1-2:4a; 8:1-12:13), and Aramaic, the language of the Babylonians (2:4b-7:28).

The structure of the Book of Daniel is not quickly or easily determined. It seems difficult to neatly divide the book, which may have been by divine design (to prevent liberal scholars from claiming that Daniel had more than one author, as they claim with other books, like the Book of Isaiah).

Chapters 1-6 tend to be more historical, dealing with people and events in Daniel’s day. Writing in the third person, Daniel interprets the dreams of others which they are unable to understand.

Chapters 7-12 tend to be more prophetic, dealing with events from Daniel’s day to eternity. Here, Daniel writes in the first person, describing his own visions for which God provides the interpretation through an angelic interpreter.

The Book of Daniel interweaves history and prophecy indicating to us that prophecy goes hand-in-hand with godly living in the present.

(4) What do some critics of the Book of Daniel say about this book, and how do we answer them?

The critics are opposed to the Book of Daniel because they do not believe in the supernatural. The miracles of the Book of Daniel bring strong reaction from those who have determined that miracles don’t happen. In particular, the critics find Daniel’s prophecies too good to be true. The events of the Maccabbean period too precisely fulfill some of the prophecies of Daniel. The skeptics conclude from this that Daniel must not be prophecy, written before the events which are predicted, but rather history. They believe Daniel was written late, in the first or second century B.C., posing as prophecy and attempting to comfort the Jews at that time with falsified evidences of God’s sovereign preservation and protection of His people. They seek to point out “errors” in Daniel, which they believe help to establish that the book is not really divine prophecy.

Virtually all of the specific examples of “error” in Daniel vaporize under the scrutiny of investigation and in the light of later and more complete information, such as that provided by language study and the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran.

(5) What does the Bible tell us about Daniel, and about the value of this book?

Ezekiel, a contemporary of Daniel, speaks most highly of him (Ezekiel 14:12-20; 28:1-3). Jesus spoke highly of Daniel, calling him a prophet and indicating that His scheme of prophecy is the same as that laid out by Daniel (see Matthew chapter 24, especially verse 15). Every chapter of Daniel is referred to or quoted in the New Testament; every New Testament writer makes use of Daniel’s prophecies. Daniel’s book is the backbone of Old and New Testament prophecy. Daniel provides us with the most complete prophetic picture of any Old Testament book and with the key to understanding New Testament prophecy, especially the Book of Revelation.

(6) What is the unique contribution of Daniel?

Daniel describes some of the historical events which took place during the Jews seventy-year exile in Babylon. In addition, Daniel’s prophecies depict future events from the time of Daniel to the establishment of God’s kingdom in the future. Daniel’s prophecies describe events which took place during the 400 silent years between the Old and New Testaments, thus serving as a bridge between the two testaments. Daniel is not only a book of future prophecy, it is a book which demonstrates the fulfillment of prophecy. The captivity of the Jews and of Daniel, as well as his ministry to Babylonian kings, is the precise fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, from the time of Moses onward.

(7) What can we gain from a study of Daniel?

The person of Daniel provides the Christian with a model of a godly man, from his youth to the end of his life. He demonstrates how a Christian can live a godly life in an ungodly world and have an impact upon the society in which he lives, even when in a minority. He is an example of a man who learned to stand alone for God when it was dangerous to do so. He has much to teach us about faithfulness in times of suffering and adversity, about leadership, and about the sovereignty of God. Daniel is a reminder of God’s faithfulness, even when men are unfaithful. Daniel shows how God can work in our lives, even through those who are unbelievers and who are opposed to God’s people.

1 “Paul’s doctrine of the coming Antichrist obviously reflects Daniel vii. and xi. Still more are the visions of John in the Apocalypse bound up with those of Daniel.” J. Sidlow Baxter, Explore the Book (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1960), vol. 4, p. 70.

2 The New Testament in Greek and English, published by the American Bible Society in 1966, lists in its index of quotations (pp. 897-907), every chapter of Daniel as being quoted in the New Testament. It also shows that most of the books of the New Testament quote the Book of Daniel. While not every New Testament book cites Daniel, virtually every New Testament author does, including all the gospel writers, Paul, Peter, James, Jude, and the writer to the Hebrews. One-hundred-thirty-three New Testament references were listed here, citing 68 references in Daniel.

3 Those who reject the foretelling dimension of prophecy maintain that all a prophet can do is to forthtell, to speak concerning the present, but not concerning the future. Viewed this way, the prophets were those who challenged men to abide by God’s rules, but who were unable to describe the form God’s rule would take in the future.

4 Emil G. Kraeling, The Prophets (Rand McNally and Company, 1969), p. 285.

5 J. Sidlow Baxter, Explore the Book, vol 4., p. 49.

6 For an excellent conservative discussion of these issues, see R. K. Harrison, Introduction to the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1969), pp. 1110-1127.

7 R. K. Harrison, Introduction to the Old Testament, p. 1107.

8 Ibid., 1123.

9 Ibid., 1123-1124.

10 In Luke 24:44, Jesus spoke of the Old Testament in terms of three commonly recognized divisions: the Law of Moses (the first five books of the Old Testament); the Prophets (divided into two categories: “Former” and “Later”); and the Psalms (which is also known as the writings). The “writings” include Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Canticles, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah and Chronicles.

11 See R. K. Harrison, pp. 1124-1126.

12 See R. K. Harrison, p. 1112.

13 After the captivity, the language of the Jews ceased to be Hebrew, which necessitated the translation of the Old Testament Scriptures into Greek (this Greek translation of the Old Testament is known as the Septuagint). Only a select few would retain the ability to study the Hebrew Scriptures. The Jews of our Lord’s day spoke a form of Aramaic. The common language in Babylon at the time of Daniel was Aramaic.

14 I am tempted to think that God deliberately structured Daniel to make it difficult to subdivide. The two-fold division of chapters 1-6 and 7-12 has some appeal, but this arrangement hardly explains the use of both Hebrew and Aramaic, which spans both divisions. The tendency of liberal scholars has been to claim multiple authorship of some of those books which are prophetic. Isaiah, for example, is claimed to have had two, three, or even more authors. Did God see to it that Daniel’s structure resisted division, so that we would be more inclined to admit that Daniel wrote the whole book--history, prophecies, and all?

15 Nebuchadnezzar has two dreams in chapters 1-6. The first is the dream of the great statue, in chapter 2, and the second is the dream of the tree, in chapter 4. I would also include Belshazzar’s revelation from God in the “handwriting on the wall” recorded in chapter 5. While this was not a dream, it was a divine revelation which required Daniel as an interpreter of its meaning.

16 John F. Walvoord, Daniel: The Key to Prophetic Revelation (Chicago: Moody Press, 1971), p. 7.

17 See, for example, 2 Kings 18:28-35.

Biblical Topics:

Passage:

2. Between a Rock and a Hard Place (Daniel 1:3-21)

Introduction

Texans have an expression for being in a difficult situation. They call it “being between a rock and a hard place.” That is an appropriate title for this message because Daniel seems to be caught in the middle between God and Nebuchadnezzar. If Daniel were to follow exactly the plans Nebuchadnezzar had for the Hebrew captives, he would defile himself and displease God. If Daniel simply refused to do what Nebuchadnezzar expected, he would be in trouble with the king who had taken him captive.

This is not the only time in Daniel where we will find tension between pleasing God and pleasing those in authority. In chapter 3 Daniel's three friends must choose between bowing down to the king's image and being thrown into the fiery furnace. In Daniel 6, Daniel’s choice is between forsaking his prayers and facing the lions.

The dilemma Daniel faces in chapter 1 is different from that found in Daniel 3 and 6. In these latter chapters, the issue is: Pleasing God OR Pleasing men.

In chapter 1, Daniel and his friends face the opportunity for: Pleasing God AND Pleasing men.

The task at hand was not an easy one. For Daniel and his friends, it would require commitment and perseverance. Beyond that, it would require divine strength and intervention and certainly supernatural motivation. Daniel and his three friends did not do “what comes naturally” in this chapter. They did “what comes supernaturally,” to the glory of God.

Think for a moment how a person like Daniel could have felt toward God and toward government, because of what had happened to him. From what little we are told of Daniel’s early childhood (see Daniel 1:1-2), we can surmise that he grew up in Judah, perhaps in the city of Jerusalem. He was likely born of parents high in the social rankings of Judah, maybe even of royal blood (Daniel 1:3). Daniel’s life dramatically changed for the worse (or so it seemed), through no fault of his own.

Long before Daniel’s day, the united kingdom of Israel once ruled by Saul, David, and finally Solomon, divided into two nations. The northern kingdom, known as Israel (sometimes called “Ephraim” by the prophets) was consistently wicked, worshipping idols and forsaking the law of God. The southern kingdom, known as Judah, was often wicked, too, but had times of repentance and revival.

The prophets of God warned of future judgment against Israel if she did not repent from her wicked ways. Israel did not listen, and God’s judgment came upon this wayward nation in the form of defeat and dispersion by the Assyrians.

Assyria was eager to extend her empire by adding the southern kingdom of Judah to her conquests, but God intervened, sparing Judah from the hand of the Assyrians. God pointed to the fall of Israel at the hand of the Assyrians as an object lesson for wayward Judah. He warned of a similar fate for Judah at the hand of the nation of Babylon. Judah refused to heed these warnings, so captivity came upon the southern kingdom as well.

Daniel, along with a number of other Hebrew youths, were part of the first wave of captives held hostage in Babylon. Several attacks on Jerusalem would follow, with many Hebrews deported to Babylon to spend 70 years in captivity. As were others, Daniel was torn from his native land, his family, and his friends, so far as we know, never seeing his homeland again. It is even possible, since Daniel is called a eunuch, castration was a part of his humiliation as a Hebrew hostage.¹⁸

How easy it would have been for Daniel to become bitter toward Babylon, toward his own people [after all, Israel’s sin brought on God’s judgment], and even toward God [God gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 1:2)]! We are not told about the attitudes and actions of any of the other Hebrew hostages, but it is probably safe to assume they did not respond the way Daniel and his friends did.

The first chapter is critical to our understanding of the entire Book of Daniel, providing the historical setting for the entire book, and especially revealing the mind set of Daniel and his three friends. It explains, in part, the reasons for Daniel’s rise to a position of great influence in the Babylonian government.

Chapter 1 introduces Nebuchadnezzar, the king under whom Daniel serves in chapters 1-4, as being impressed with Daniel and his friends because of their wisdom. As the book proceeds, the king begins to understand that their wisdom is from God. In Daniel 1, Nebuchadnezzar places the articles he took from the temple in Jerusalem, the “house of God,” into the house of his god supposing that his “god” is greater than the God of the Jews. By chapter 4, Nebuchadnezzar is humbling himself in worship and praise before the God of the Jews, acknowledging Him to be the God of the universe—God alone.

Daniel 1 presents those who live in the “times of the Gentiles,” whether Jew or Gentile, with the ideal, the goal for which every Christian should strive—pleasing God and pleasing men. Daniel and his friends are the “ideal Jews” who did what the Jews as a nation did not do. They refused to defile things the Jews persistently practiced. In our text, Daniel and his friends provide us with a model of biblical submission, primarily a submission to God, but also a submission to those under whose authority God has placed us.

Chapter 1 instructs us in holiness. Daniel and his friends knew where and how to “draw the line” between what was defiling and what was not. We who desire to live godly lives will find much to gain from the example of Daniel and his friends, as revealed in this great text of scripture.

Finally, our text establishes a connection between godliness and wisdom. As a result of their actions, Daniel and his three friends are given wisdom which far surpasses that of all others in Babylon, whether Jew or Gentile. Our text has much to say to us about the source of true wisdom. Let those who would be wise learn from Daniel and his friends and listen well to what the Spirit of God has to teach us, through these men, about godly living in an ungodly world.

Historical Background
(1:1-2)

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the house of God;¹⁹ and he brought them to the land of Shinar,²⁰ to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his god.

The defeat of Jehoiakim and the capture of Jerusalem and Judah should have come as no surprise. For a long time, Judah had been warned of divine judgment at the hand of Babylon.

Therefore thus says the Lord, “Behold, I am about to give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he shall take it. And the Chaldeans who are fighting against this city shall enter and set this city on fire and burn it, with the houses where people have offered incense to Baal on their roofs and poured out libations to other gods to provoke Me to anger. Indeed the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah have been doing only evil in My sight from their youth; for the sons of Israel have been only provoking Me to anger by the work of their hands,” declares the Lord. “Indeed this city has been to Me a provocation of My anger and My wrath from the day that they built it, even to this day, that it should be removed from before My face, because of all the evil of the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah, which they have done to provoke Me to anger—they, their kings, their leaders, their priests, their prophets, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem” (Jeremiah 32:26-32).

Over a century before Nebuchadnezzar marched on Jerusalem and Judah, the circumstances of this divine judgment are announced by Isaiah to King Hezekiah:

Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord of hosts, ‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and all that your fathers have laid up in store to this day shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,’ says the Lord. ‘And some of your sons who shall issue from you, whom you shall beget, shall be taken away; and they shall become officials in the palace of the king of Babylon’” (Isaiah 39:5-7).²¹

Judah’s captivity was a divine judgment for the sins of this nation. Daniel’s prayer, recorded in chapter 9, reveals his grasp of this fact. Daniel was fully convinced that it was God who gave Jehoiakim king of Judah, into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar. It was this knowledge which enabled Daniel to deal with his own circumstances in the godly manner evident throughout the Book of Daniel.

The Setting
(1:3-7)

Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his officials, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, including some of the royal family and of the nobles, youths in whom was no defect, who were good-looking, showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with understanding, and discerning knowledge, and who had ability for serving in the king’s court; and he ordered him to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. And the king appointed for them a daily ration from the king’s choice food and from the wine which he drank, and appointed that they should be educated three years, at the end of which they were to enter the king’s personal service. Now among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. Then the commander of the officials assigned new names to them; and to Daniel he assigned the name Belteshazzar, to Hananiah Shadrach, to Mishael Meshach, and to Azariah Abednego.

Nebuchadnezzar’s empire was rapidly expanding. He needed men of great ability to fill positions of power and responsibility in his administration. He instituted a plan which would identify the most gifted and skillful Hebrew captives available and prepare them for positions of responsibility. Daniel and his Hebrew peers were the “cream of the crop” in Judea. Nebuchadnezzar knew this well. This, in fact, is why these young men were taken captive to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar set about a carefully planned course of education.

Ashpenaz, placed in charge of this training project, was to select the finest and most qualified candidates from among the Hebrew captives. Those selected had to be physically and mentally flawless, as well as highly trained and proficient in a broad range of knowledge and skills. They were to be the most promising candidates for court service that could be found.

These men would require further education, for which the king made provision. I do not understand from our text that the king was attempting to brainwash the Hebrew captives. Those selected were already highly trained and knowledgeable. Their schooling had already been virtually completed before their captivity. What they did need, in order to serve in the court of the king of Babylon, was to speak, to read and to write in Aramaic, the language of that land. They needed language school. As I perceive verse 4, this is precisely of what their education was to consist. No doubt the study of Chaldean literature would involve the religion and culture of Babylon, but the principle purpose of their schooling was not to tempt these youths to forsake their culture or religion as much as it was to equip them to serve in the administration of a Babylonian king.

Those who find brainwashing seem to read too much into the text and do not take the text’s words literally enough. They also fail to understand the mindset of the polytheist, the person who believes in many gods. The polytheist is not troubled or offended that someone may believe in gods other than his own. In fact, the polytheist is often more than willing to consider adding the gods of others to his own gods. The only thing which greatly offends the polytheist is exclusionism, believing their God is the only God. We should not be surprised that the sailors on board that sinking ship with Jonah, urged him to call out to his own gods, even though not their own:

“Get up, call on your god. Perhaps your god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish” (Jonah 1:6).

The Assyrians sought to strip the Israelites of the northern kingdom (and the others whom they captured) of their religion and culture. The Babylonians were content to allow their captives to worship their gods and practice their religion, so long as it did not challenge the religion at Babylon. Later on, the Persian king Cyrus would go so far as to assist the Jews in reestablishing their religion, even to rebuilding the temple.

I believe that Nebuchadnezzar operated his empire on the premise that the broadest possible representation of skills, cultures, and religions strengthened his rule rather than weakened it. Diversity was not a liability to him, but an asset. This may be why there are so many types of wise men (magicians, conjurers, sorcerers, and Chaldeans—see Daniel 2:2) in the service of Nebuchadnezzar.

Nebuchadnezzar also provided those being schooled with food from his own table. I am not convinced that Nebuchadnezzar had any intention of offending any who ate of his food, or of being the cause of their defilement.²² To eat food from the king’s table was an honor and a privilege. It was the finest food available. Joseph, for example, honored his brothers by feeding them from the food at his table (Genesis 43:34). David provided a place at his table for Mephibosheth, the son of his friend Jonathan (2 Samuel 9). This was no cafeteria food like we ate in our college days. The Hebrew captives were given the opportunity to eat gourmet food at every meal.

In addition to the schooling Nebuchadnezzar provided for the Hebrew captives, he provided each of them with a new name. Much has been made of both the Hebrew and Babylonian meanings of their names,²³ which will be discussed later.

Avoiding Defilement Without Offense
(1:8-16)

Any of the following four points in Nebuchadnezzar’s program for the Hebrew captives could have posed a problem for Daniel and his friends:

(1) Exchanging their Hebrew names for Gentile names.

(2) Attending a Babylonian school.

(3) Participating in the government of a Gentile nation which had no fear of God, which worshipped heathen gods, and which had overcome the southern kingdom of Judah.

(4) Eating food which was served at the king’s table.

From our text, we find three of these associations with Babylon posed no problem for Daniel and his friends. Only one of these four areas—that of eating the food served at the king’s table—was considered defiling. Why was eating the king’s food defiling, while the other associations were not? What distinguished this one area from the other three? Let us briefly consider each of these four areas and seek to learn why Daniel and his friends distinguished the one area from the other three.

Receiving a Babylonian Name

No doubt the Hebrew names of Daniel and his friends may have been offensive to the king and other Babylonians. While all their Hebrew names point to the God of Israel, their Babylonian names appear to refer to the heathen gods of Babylon. Why, then, would the giving of a Babylonian name not be considered defiling?

(1) In the first place, the Babylonian names were not a matter of choice for either Daniel or his three friends. We know that the names we are called are not a matter of our choice, or even our preference. The king (not to mention anyone else) could call Daniel whatever he wanted.

(2) Likely Daniel was aware of an Old Testament precedent for a heathen king giving a new (foreign) name to a Hebrew in his service. Pharaoh gave Joseph the name “Zaphenath-paneah” (Genesis 41:45). Joseph did not reject this name, nor is there even so much as a hint that God considered the name defiling to Joseph.

(3) In the Old Testament Scriptures, name-giving was most significant when God gave the name. In some cases, God gave a person’s name before or at the time of birth. This was the case with the Lord Jesus (Luke 1:31). Also God changed the names of some individuals. He changed Abram’s name to Abraham, and that of Sarai, his wife, to Sarah (see Genesis 17:4-5, 15). The change of a person’s name had to do with a change God was bringing about in their destiny. Since only God can change a person’s destiny, it is only His name-giving that is of the greatest significance.

Think about this in the context of the Book of Daniel. To name someone or something, or to change ones name, is to claim authority over the one named. Adam, who was placed in authority over all the creatures in the garden, including his wife, gave each of them names (Genesis 2:20, 23). When the commander who was placed over Daniel and the other Hebrews changed their names, he was expressing his authority (and thus that of Babylon) over them. As later events in the Book of Daniel will reveal, the king himself will fall before Daniel and acknowledge the power of his God. The “claim” implied in the new name is a claim which the Babylonian potentate will later renounce. The renaming of the four Hebrews is therefore shown to be inconsequential, because these men belonged to God and were under His authority and control.

Attending a Babylonian School

We know that the Babylonians were heathens. They did not worship the God of Israel; they worshipped pagan gods. It is unlikely that the Hebrews would attend a Babylonian school for three years without hearing some things contrary to the scriptures and to the faith of these young men. Was attending a pagan school not a defilement for Daniel? According to our text, neither he nor his friends thought so. Why? Let me suggest several possibilities.

In the first place, the purpose of the Babylonian education was not to brainwash the Hebrew captives,²⁴ in my opinion, but to teach them to speak, read and write Aramaic, the language of the land. As polytheists, the Babylonians were not threatened by differing religions or other gods.

Second, education, even a secular education, is not intrinsically evil. Education is not to brainwash but communicate ideas. The student is not compelled to agree, or to believe what he is taught.

Third, these young men were not highly impressionable children who would unquestioningly accept anything they had been taught. These were well-taught men grounded in the Old Testament scriptures. Daniel is certainly familiar with the prophecy of Jeremiah at least, and probably much more (see Daniel 9:1-19). They had the Old Testament scriptures as the standard by which to judge all they were being taught, and they evidenced the courage to stand on their own.

Had these four Hebrew youths been required to attend a Babylonian preschool, it might have been a different matter. In his early years, without training in the scriptures, a very young child would tend to believe what his teachers told him. Daniel and his friends were attending a school that was much more like college than kindergarten.

The clearest guidance comes from a precedent set in the Old Testament scriptures. The Law of Moses provided Daniel and his friends with the example of two Hebrew youths, both of whom were raised in a foreign land and well-educated in the ways of those who did not believe in the God of Israel—Joseph and Moses. Joseph’s schooling was not a formal education, but he surely learned the ways of Egypt. Moses received a more formal education, about which Stephen reminded his Jewish brethren:

“And Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds” (Acts 7:22).

I believe Daniel, gaining from the example of these two godly men, did not consider attending a Babylonian school defiling but rather an act of obedience to the God of Israel.

Becoming Part of the Government of Babylon

By becoming a part of Babylon’s government, Daniel and his friends could have felt unpatriotic, even to the point of being traitors to their nation. The term “collaborator” or perhaps even something worse might have been used of Hebrews who were officials in the Babylonian government. In New Testament times, the Herodians or tax collectors were the object of great disdain by their Jewish peers.

Why did Daniel have no difficulty with becoming a part of the government which defeated his own nation and destroyed the temple? Two reasons are immediately evident. First, the Jews had sinned, the judgment of Judah had been prophesied, and the defeat of Jehoiakim by Nebuchadnezzar was at the hand of God (1:2). The sovereign God who raises up kings and puts them down (see Daniel 2:21) is the one who gave Judah into the hands of the Babylonians.

Second, to seek Babylon’s well-being was to be obedient to God’s instructions, as given by the prophet Jeremiah:

“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, ‘Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens, and eat their produce. Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease. And seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare’” (Jeremiah 29:4-7).

False prophets had been assuring the people of Judah that divine judgment would not come on Jerusalem and its temple.²⁵ Later they would assure the captives in Babylon that their stay in this foreign land would be brief. Jeremiah told his fellow Jews that their stay would be 70 years, so they should settle down in Babylon.

Neither Jeremiah nor the Jews of Judah were to pray for the people of Judah because the time for their judgment had come (Jeremiah 7:16-20). They were, however, to pray for the well-being of the Babylonians. They were also instructed to work for the welfare of that place (Jeremiah 29:7). In seeking the good of Babylon, they were seeking their own welfare. Daniel’s years of service to Babylon greatly benefited the king and his captors. It also benefited the Jews. Daniel was not defiling himself by his involvement with Nebuchadnezzar or his government. Instead he was obeying God’s commands as given through Jeremiah.

Eating Food From the King’s Table

Only one thing is understood as defiling in Daniel 1—the eating of the food from the king’s table. We are not told exactly why Daniel considered this food defiling only that he did consider it defiling, with no doubt in his mind. If a Babylonian job, a Babylonian name, and a Babylonian education were not defiling, a Babylonian beefsteak was.

Two reasons seem most likely for Daniel’s sensitivity to defilement. First, this king would not hesitate to serve foods identified as “unclean” by the Law of Moses (see Leviticus 11). Secondly, the food and wine served at Nebuchadnezzar’s table may have been associated with the worship of heathen gods, similar to the problem described in 1 Corinthians 8-10. In either instance, or perhaps in both, Daniel saw defilement as a danger to be actively avoided.

A less sensitive Hebrew might have acknowledged the defilement of the food from the king’s table but excused its consumption as inevitable. Indeed, he might have cited scripture to prove that defilement was a part of God’s plan. Ezekiel, a contemporary of Daniel, spoke of the defilement which the Jews would experience in Babylon due to eating unclean foods:

“And your food which you eat shall be twenty shekels a day by weight; you shall eat it from time to time … And you shall eat it as a barley cake, having baked it in their sight over human dung.” Then the Lord said, “Thus shall the sons of Israel eat their bread unclean among the nations where I shall banish them.” But I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I have never been defiled; for from my youth until now I have never eaten what died of itself or was torn by beasts, nor has any unclean meat ever entered my mouth.” Then He said to me, “See, I shall give you cow’s dung in place of human dung over which you will prepare your bread” (Ezekiel 4:10, 12-15).

No doubt Daniel understood that eating unclean food was a part of the divine judgment of Judah. Nevertheless, he purposed in his heart that, if at all possible, he would not defile himself by eating such food.

Submissive Separation
(1:8-16)

8 But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself. 9 Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials, 10 and the commander of the officials said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink; for why should he see your faces looking more haggard than the youths who are your own age? Then you would make me forfeit my head to the king.” 11 But Daniel said to the overseer whom the commander of the officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days, and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 “Then let our appearance be observed in your presence, and the appearance of the youths who are eating the king’s choice food; and deal with your servants according to what you see.” 14 So he listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days. 15 And at the end of ten days their appearance seemed better and they were fatter than all the youths who had been eating the king’s choice food. 16 So the overseer continued to withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and kept giving them vegetables.

The challenge for these men was to avoid the defilement of the king’s food while at the same time avoiding a confrontation with the Babylonian authorities. Daniel must strive to please God and men. Later on in the book, Daniel’s three friends (chapter 3) and then Daniel (chapter 6) must disobey the king and face his wrath. But in chapter 1, there is no civil disobedience. Daniel finds a way to be obedient to God without being disobedient to civil authority.

How Daniel accomplishes this is a fascinating story! Daniel’s actions, with reference to God and men, are motivated and governed by the biblical principle of submission. Let us trace the events of these verses with the concept of submission in view and learn about the nature and manifestation of biblical submission.

Daniel purposed to obey God by keeping himself free from defilement. Having determined that eating the king’s food and drinking his wine would be defiling to him, Daniel set out to abstain from them, but in a submissive way. He sought out Ashpenaz, the commander of the king’s officials, asking permission to abstain from the king’s food.

The text tells us that God intervened causing Ashpenaz to look upon Daniel with favor and compassion (verse 9). You might expect this to result in Daniel’s request being granted, but it did not. How easy it would have been for this Babylonian official to demand obedience without explanation. Instead Ashpenaz openly disclosed why permission could not be granted.

Ashpenaz greatly feared the king. From what we read in the following chapters, his fear was well-founded. Nebuchadnezzar was a harsh man whose wrath was to be avoided at all costs. If Ashpenaz granted Daniel’s request and it resulted in Daniel’s appearance being unsatisfactory, the king would have his head. Ashpenaz would not allow Daniel’s request for fear that doing so would adversely affect Daniel and himself.

The information the commander gave Daniel was of great value. Daniel understood that his actions would affect his superiors as well as himself. He needed to act in a way to please God and to protect and prosper his superiors.

Daniel’s wisdom is evident as he acts on his convictions and the information which the commander gave him. The goal of Daniel’s Babylonian superiors was to obtain the optimum physical and mental performance of those in training. No one really cared what Daniel ate as long as he prospered, physically and mentally.

Daniel sought out his immediate superior, referred to as the “overseer” in verse 11, whom Ashpenaz had put in charge. Since he was directly involved with Daniel, Daniel sought him out, not in an effort to circumvent Ashpenaz, but because he was in a position to execute and evaluate Daniel’s proposed plan of action.

The goal was peak performance, physically and mentally. The “control group,” against whom Daniel and his friends could be compared, was the rest of the Hebrew trainees. Daniel proposed that he and his friends be allowed to eat vegetables for ten days and then their condition compared with the rest. If Daniel’s group could match or surpass the others, then the goal of the Babylonian officials was obtained, yet in a way that did not defile the Hebrew youths. Daniel’s proposal is submissive because it seeks the permission of the one directly in charge; it seeks to fulfill the purposes of Daniel’s superiors.

The proposal was accepted. It would seem God divinely intervened not only making the condition of Daniel and his friends markedly superior, but in a very short period of time. Daniel’s proposal not only preserved the purity of these four Jews, but it did so in a way that benefitted their superiors. After all, if Daniel and his friends were so obviously superior to the rest, the king would give some of the credit to those in charge of them.

In Favor With God and Men
(1:17-21)

17 And as for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams. 18 Then at the end of the days which the king had specified for presenting them, the commander of the officials presented them before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the king talked with them, and out of them all not one was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s personal service. 20 And as for every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm. 21 And Daniel continued until the first year of Cyrus the king.

Verses 17-21 are the kind of ending we all enjoy. If this account were a fairy tale, we would now be reading, “And they all lived happily ever after.” It is not a fairy tale, however; it is a divinely inspired historical account. Chapter 1 ends well, but we know from other texts of scripture that faithfulness to God does not always result in immediate blessing. Faithfulness always leads to blessing but very often God’s blessing comes later. Here is one of those instances when faithfulness is immediately rewarded. Let us savor the sweet success of Daniel and his three friends as they find favor with God and with men.

It seems each of the Hebrew captives who completed the king’s three-year course of instruction had some kind of oral examination by the king personally. The personal involvement of Nebuchadnezzar suggests that the tasks he had for those selected included very high level positions in his administration.

The assessment that Daniel and his three friends were “ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm” may have come directly from the lips of Nebuchadnezzar. They do inform us of this fact: Daniel and his friends were clearly and decidedly superior to all the rest. They were not just at the “top of their graduating class,” outranking their fellow-Hebrew classmates; they were vastly superior to those already serving the king as magicians or conjurers. These four were the best there were, the intellectual “top guns” of Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom.

Seeking to preserve their purity not only brought Daniel and his friends the commendation of God; it also resulted in the commendation of a heathen potentate, who at this moment in time had no regard for the God of Israel. Here favor with God led to favor with men.

Conclusion

The first chapter of Daniel is not just a story told to make us feel good or assure us that whenever we are faithful to God, we will be commended by men. It has many important lessons. As we conclude the study of this chapter, let me summarize some of the lessons we can learn and apply in our lives.

(1) Daniel and his friends are examples of godly Jews in contrast to the Jewish nation as a whole. God judged the northern kingdom of Israel, followed by her southern “sister” (see Ezekiel 16), for defiling themselves with the worship and practices of heathen neighbors. Daniel and his friends kept themselves from defilement even in the midst of a heathen land, when death was possible for refusing the king’s provisions.

The southern kingdom of Judah was instructed to submit to defeat and captivity at the hand of the Babylonians because God had given them over as a judgment for sin (see Jeremiah 29, Daniel 1:1-2). In spite of God’s specific instructions to submit to Babylonian rule, Judah’s kings persisted in rebelling against her authority, resulting in additional destruction (see 2 Kings chapters 24 and 25).

Six centuries later when Israel was subjected to Roman rule, the same spirit of rebellion would be evident. The Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day would not acknowledge Israel’s sin or God’s judgment as the reason for their subjection to Roman rule. This stiff-necked spirit is evident even in those who believed in our Lord:

Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” They answered Him, “we are Abraham’s offspring, and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You shall become free’?” (John 8:31-33).

The same rebellious spirit which resulted in several waves of attack and captivity by Babylon resulted in a devastating attack by Rome in 70 A.D. Just as Babylon, six centuries before, destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, Rome under the leadership of Titus destroyed Jerusalem and the temple once again.

In contrast to this autonomous, self-willed spirit of rebellion against God (who gave Jehoiakim and Judah over to Nebuchadnezzar) and against Nebuchadnezzar was the submissive spirit of Daniel and his three friends, who faithfully served the kings of Babylon for the years in captivity. Daniel and his friends were everything Israel should have been but was not.

(2) Daniel 1 puts forward ideals for which every true Christian should strive: physical and mental excellence, employed to please God and men. There will be times when we must choose between pleasing God or pleasing men. In such times we must choose to serve God and not men. Though sometimes tempted to forget and even forsake this goal, let us strive to please God and men, the ideal placed before us not only here, but elsewhere:

Now the boy Samuel was growing in stature and in favor both with the Lord and with men (1 Samuel 2:26).

When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him (Proverbs 16:7).

And the Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him (Luke 2:40).

And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men (Luke 2:52).

(3) Daniel teaches us about our Christian witness and evangelism. Nebuchadnezzar, Ashpenaz, and the overseer were all true heathens, so far as described in Daniel 1. Daniel’s religion and his God were insignificant to them. They did not care about his personal convictions. No doubt, Daniel’s conscience concerning food from the king’s table made no sense. Indeed, it probably seemed stupid. Who would turn down a steak dinner?

These heathens did notice Daniel and his friends, not because of their faithfulness to God, but because of their submissive spirit, strong bodies, and scholarly minds. They were interested in the bottom line—performance. Nebuchadnezzar first took note of Daniel and his friends because they best met the qualifications he sought. He chose them in spite of their religious scruples more than because of them.

It is little wonder that many Christians have a poor testimony with their employers and co-workers today. Many Christians think of their work as secular and unspiritual. They do not excel or even try to do their jobs well. Spiritual ministry is what is important to them, spiritual things like witnessing. They often witness on the job when they should be working. A Christian witness begins in the workplace, on the job, by Christians doing a job well, as unto the Lord. If we excel at what we do, men will take note. They may then be more interested to hear what we have to tell them about God:

Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before obscure men (Proverbs 22:29).

(4) Holiness requires a commitment to be pure, a plan to accomplish this purpose, and persistence in carrying out the plan. If there is a key verse in chapter 1 to fix in our minds, it is this:

But Daniel made up his mind [literally, set upon his heart, see marginal note in NASB] that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank … (Daniel 1:8a).

Holiness does not happen by chance. Sanctification is God’s work brought about in and through men and women who, in dependence on His Spirit, diligently strive to be faithful disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. Some people equate spirituality and spontaneity. Daniel not only purposed to be pure, he planned ahead. He sought a means to avoid the king’s food before he would be defiled by it. He persevered in seeking God’s way of escape when his first effort seemed to fail. Daniel was not passive in living a godly life. He was actively seeking to please God by avoiding defilement.

(5) God was still at work in the lives of His people, even in the days of Judah’s judgment and captivity. God was working in the lives of the disobedient to bring them to repentance. He was at work in the lives of the faithful (like Daniel and his friends) to bless and prosper them, even while in captivity in Babylon. God had not forsaken Daniel and his friends; He was in control. God gave Jehoiakim and Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar (1:2). He granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of Ashpenaz (1:9). He gave Daniel and his friends wisdom and knowledge which surpassed that of all others (1:17).

(6) Wisdom does not come from men, but from God. Daniel and his friends were not wise because they went to a Babylonian school. They were not even wise because they may have been educated in a Jewish school. The other Hebrew captives may have had a similar education in Judah. Daniel and his friends were wise because they trusted and obeyed God.

The wisdom which God granted to Daniel and his friends is the wisdom also available to us. Consider the following characteristics of wisdom, as defined in God’s Word:

True wisdom comes only from God. There is a false wisdom, which Satan promotes and the world believes, but true wisdom comes only from God. That wisdom is often viewed as foolishness to those who do not know God:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body, And refreshment to your bones (Proverbs 3:5-8).

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding (Proverbs 9:10).

For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, Guarding the paths of justice, And He preserves the way of His godly ones. Then you will discern righteousness and justice And equity {and} every good course (Proverbs 2:6-9).

There is no wisdom and no understanding And no counsel against the Lord (Proverbs 21:30).

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth, And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:8-11).

Daniel answered and said, “Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him. And it is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men, And knowledge to men of understanding. It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, And the light dwells with Him” (Daniel 2:20-22).

For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.” Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for signs, and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men (1 Corinthians 1:18-25).

True wisdom comes from the Word of God. Those who know God’s Word and know it well, will be wiser than those scholars who are ignorant of the scriptures:

O how I love Thy law! It is my meditation all the day. Thy commandments make me wiser than my enemies, For they are ever mine. I have more insight than all my teachers, For Thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, Because I have observed Thy precepts (Psalm 119:97-100).

The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding, To receive instruction in wise behavior, Righteousness, justice and equity; To give prudence to the naive, To the youth knowledge and discretion, A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel, To understand a proverb and a figure, The words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction (Proverbs 1:1-7).

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do (Hebrews 4:12-13).

Wisdom comes to those who put God’s Word into practice. It is not just those who are aware of God’s truth who are wise, but those who act in obedience to that truth.

But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil (Hebrews 5:14).

In Romans 1 beginning at verse 18, Paul describes the downward moral and mental decline of those who receive revelation concerning God but reject it. The more men reject God’s revelation, the more God gives them over to moral and mental corruption. The more men respond in obedience to God’s revelation, the more insight and wisdom they gain from God. Daniel 1 describes the reversal of the downward process described in Romans 1. As Daniel and his friends obeyed God and sought to remain pure, God gave to them physical, moral, and mental growth. Wisdom is for those who seek and serve God:

How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Thy word. With all my heart I have sought Thee; Do not let me wander from Thy commandments. Thy Word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against Thee (Psalm 119:9-11).

God’s wisdom comes to all those who seek it diligently and ask for it in faith:

My son, if you will receive my saying, And treasure my commandments within you, Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding; For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding; If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will discern the fear of the LORD, And discover the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding (Proverbs 2:1-6).

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him (James 1:2-5).

(7) God graciously grants not only wisdom, but fellowship to encourage his people to do what is pleasing in His sight. Is it not interesting to find these three friends of Daniel in chapter 1? Appearing out of nowhere, they surely were a great encouragement to each other as they sought to keep free from defilement and to serve God faithfully. I believe it was the response of each of these men to the defilement of the king’s food which caused them to stand out from all the rest of the Hebrew captives and which then brought them together as friends.

How faithful God was to give these four men this fellowship at a time of great temptation and need. It is this kind of friendship and fellowship which the church needs today. These words from the New Testament Book of Hebrews should be our motto:

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near (Hebrews 10:23-25).

There has never been a time when God’s wisdom was needed more than in our own day. May God work in us, as He did in the lives of Daniel and his friends. May we like Daniel purpose in our hearts not to be defiled, though we live in a godless society. And may God give to us the wisdom which he gave to Daniel and his friends.

Chapter 1:
Questions and Answers

(1) What guidance did God give the Jewish captives in Babylon concerning their conduct during captivity?

The Jews had the Old Testament Law with the examples of men like Joseph and Moses. Both lived in Egypt and learned the ways and the language of the Egyptians. Both were named by the Egyptians (see Genesis 41:45; Exodus 2:10).

In addition, the Jews had the benefit and guidance of Israel’s history, as outlined in the historical accounts of the Old Testament. They also had the Word of God as revealed to the prophets. There were specific instructions from the prophets as to Jewish conduct. Specifically Jeremiah 29 instructs those Jews in Babylonian captivity how to conduct themselves.

(2) Why could Daniel and his friends willingly submit to Nebuchadnezzar and his officials?

They understood that God had given Jehoiakim (Daniel 1:1-2) and Judah into the hands of the Babylonians as judgment for the sins of their nation. They knew it was God who raised up kings and put them down (Daniel 2:21). Their belief in God’s sovereign control of history led them to obey Gentile rulers in obedience to God. The relationship of the Jews and their Gentile rulers differs little from our relationship to the government God has placed in authority over us (see Romans 13:1-7).

(3) Why did Daniel and his friends not consider Babylonian names, Babylonian schooling, and working as officials of the Babylonian government defiling?

Babylonian names were given to them by those in authority over them. They did not take the names for themselves. Joseph and Moses before them had names given to them by unbelieving Gentiles. Ultimately, it does not matter what men call us. It is the name we are given by God that matters, for in that name we find our destiny (see Luke 10:20; Acts 4:12; Revelation 3:12).

The Babylonian schooling Nebuchadnezzar planned for the Hebrew captives was not, in my opinion, required so that the Hebrews could be brain-washed, or their religion and culture set aside. According to the text, these captives had already completed most of their schooling. The additional education required had to do with the Aramaic language, which these Hebrews would need to serve effectively as government officials. These men appear to have already gained a grasp of the Old Testament and their faith would not be shaken by the instruction they would receive. If Joseph and Moses could receive their education from Gentile unbelievers and still be faithful to God, so could Daniel and his friends.

Joseph (and Moses to a lesser degree) worked in Egypt as a part of the Egyptian government. By living a godly life, he was a witness to his faith in the way he conducted himself. He also greatly benefitted the nation of Egypt. Daniel and his friends did the same.

I believe that the clearest and most direct guidance came to Daniel and his friends through the prophecy of Jeremiah. In Jeremiah 29, God spoke to the Jewish captives in Babylon, informing them that they would have a lengthy stay, and that they should become a part of Babylonian life (without compromising their faith), praying for these people and seeking their welfare. I believe these four men viewed their employment with the government of Babylon as obedience to God’s instructions to them through Jeremiah.

(4) Why did Daniel and his friends consider eating food from the king’s table defiling?

The food these men ate became a matter of personal choice, thanks to Daniel’s wisdom and perseverance in dealing with his superiors. The text does not tell the exact reason why Daniel was convinced he would be defiled, but we do know that this was his strong conviction. Most likely Daniel’s conviction was based on the Old Testament Law. Food served at the king’s table would hardly be chosen or prepared in accordance with the standards of clean and unclean given in the Law (see Leviticus 11). The blood may not have been properly drained from the animals when they were slaughtered and prepared for eating. The food may also have been associated with some heathen sacrifice or worship ritual.

(5) What was it about Daniel and his friends that impressed Nebuchadnezzar?

We are not told that Nebuchadnezzar was impressed (at first, that is) by Daniel’s God, his religion, or his convictions. Nebuchadnezzar was impressed by the way Daniel surpassed all others in physical condition and in mental skillfulness. The king was impressed because Daniel and his friends did their tasks better than anyone else.

(6) Why would Nebuchadnezzar want Hebrew captives as part of his top level of government?

Scripture does not give the reason for Nebuchadnezzar’s desire to employ Hebrew captives in his government. It is my opinion that he, as one who believed in many gods, may have wanted to include a broad representation of cultures and religions in his government, believing that each culture had its own strengths. He may have wanted all of them on the side of his empire. I do not see this king trying to brainwash or suppress the religions or cultures of his captives, so long as they were willing to cooperate with Babylon.

(7) What distinguished Daniel and his friends from the rest of the Hebrew captives in Babylon? What distinguished Daniel and his three friends from the Jews as a whole?

They seem to have been the only Jewish captives at the time who continued to trust in the God of Israel and live in accordance with His Law. In short, Daniel and his friends wanted to remain distinctly Jewish, as the people of God, even though they were living in a foreign land.

While Israel as a nation had defiled itself by engaging in the worship and religious practices of the heathen nations, Daniel and his friends were committed to avoid such defilement. While Israel as a nation resisted God’s authority and that of nation which God had placed over them (Babylon, at this time, and other governments later on), Daniel and his friends submitted to God by submitting to Babylonian authorities.

(8) What is biblical submission? How does it differ from some incorrect concepts of submission? How does Daniel exhibit true submission in this chapter?

Biblical submission is not a begrudging compliance with the letter of the law set down by those over us. Submission begins with an attitude which desires to obey God-given authority as an act of obedience to God. Biblical submission seeks to view matters from the standpoint of one’s superior. It seeks to understand and, if possible, to accomplish the goals of the one in authority. When the goal of authority conflicts with the clear instructions of the Word of God, we must obey God rather than men. When the means or methods of those in authority conflict with biblical directives, biblical submission seeks to accomplish the goal of the one in authority, but by means which are not contrary to scripture. Daniel and his friends sought to reach their optimum physical and mental potential, not by eating food which would be defiling to them, but by eating vegetables.

(9) What is the relationship between moral purity and wisdom?

Romans 1 (verses 18 and following) teaches what other passages corroborate: moral impurity and mental dullness are directly related to each other. The apostle Paul states that when men reject the revelation God has given them, God gives them over to moral depravity and mental muddle. Their minds become darkened and their thinking distorted. When Daniel and his friends purposed to obey God by avoiding defilement, the result was not only the improvement in their physical condition, but they were granted an extra measure of wisdom. Knowing God’s Word and obeying it keeps one pure (Psalm 119:9-16), and it makes men wise (see Psalm 119:97-100).

(10) Does God always bless those who are faithful to Him, like Daniel?

Yes, God is always faithful to bless those who are faithful, and to punish the wicked. God’s blessing, like His wrath, does not always come immediately. The blessing of Daniel and his friends is unusual in that it comes so quickly. All blessing and punishment are certain, even though they may be delayed. Even God’s delays are for our good and His glory.

(11) What evidences are there in Daniel 1 of God’s sovereignty and of His divine intervention in the affairs of Daniel and his friends?

Even when God had “given Israel over,” He had not given up on His people. The prophecies of Daniel are a testimony to the future which God has for His people (which includes Jews and Gentiles). There are three statements in Daniel 1 alone which indicate not only the sovereignty of God (His control over men and creation), but also His intervention for the sake of His people: “The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his [Nebuchadnezzar’s] hand” (verse 2); “God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials” (verse 9); and, “God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom” (verse 17).

(12) What does our text teach us about holiness and biblical separation?

Throughout its history, the nation Israel (and later on, the church) has had great difficulty with this matter of separation. They were to be separate from sin and defilement in order to be holy, and thus to imitate and demonstrate the character of God (see Leviticus 11:44ff., which is in the context of “clean” and “unclean” foods; 19:2, which is in the context of idols; and 20:7).

Often Israel failed to keep themselves from the defilement which characterized the heathen nations. The people of God imitated the sins of their neighbors rather than remaining distinct, separate, pure and holy. At other times, Israel viewed holiness only in terms of physical separation. They isolated themselves from contact with “sinners” and thus thought themselves to be “holy.” Frequently during the life of our Lord, the self-righteous separatists criticized Jesus for associating with sinners (see Luke 5:27-32; 15:1-2). The biblical reality is that we ourselves are sinners, who live among sinners (see Isaiah 6:5). We are to live in the world, but not to be of the world, sanctified by means of God’s Word (John 17:15-17).

(13) What is the contribution of chapter 1 to the entire Book of Daniel?

Chapter 1 sets the scene. It explains that God has purposed and allowed the captivity of His people. It explains the lifetime of Daniel’s submission and service to foreign kings. It contrasts the cause of Israel’s captivity (rebellion and defilement) with the submission and purity of four faithful Jews, whom God blesses even in their captivity. Very importantly, this chapter reminds us of the ideal: pleasing God and pleasing men. While even Daniel (chapter 6) and his three friends (chapter 3) will be forced to disobey human authorities in order to obey God, obeying God and man is the ideal for which we should strive if at all possible. Daniel’s ministry began with a commitment to serve God faithfully and to avoid defilement (compare 2 Timothy 2:14-26).

(14) What is the contribution of Daniel 1 to us? What lessons can we learn from this chapter?

We, like Daniel, find ourselves living in the times of the Gentiles. We, like Daniel, have been called to live under the authority of a government which does not believe in God or seek to promote true religion. We, like Daniel, are to avoid defilement, and yet submit to human government and serve it well, to the glory of God.

From Daniel, we learn about biblical holiness and separation, about true submission, about the relationship between holiness and wisdom, and about the sovereignty of God.

18 The marginal note in the NASB at Daniel 1:3, indicates that Ashpenaz was the chief of Nebuchadnezzar’s “eunuchs.” It is not clear just how literally the term “eunuch” should be taken. In Isaiah 56:3, the same Hebrew term is rendered “eunuch” and quite obviously refers to one who cannot produce offspring. At best, we can only say that castration was a possibility.

19 Only some of the vessels from the temple were taken to Babylon at the time Daniel was taken captive. Later, all the remaining vessels were taken there (see 2 Chronicles 36:18). These temple vessels play a prominent role in the events of Daniel 5.

20 Shinar was introduced in the Book of Genesis. This is where Nimrod built the first city (10:10), where the Tower of Babel was constructed (11:2), and where wickedness is to be banished (Zechariah 5:5-11).

21 See also 2 Kings 20:16-18.

22 I do think he would have been offended to learn that Daniel and his friends believed food from his table would defile them.

23 See, for example, the renaming of Abram to Abraham in Genesis 17:5, or the naming of Joseph’s sons in Genesis 41:50-52. When a name has a significant meaning to be impressed upon the reader, we will be informed of the meaning of the name and of its significance. Unless God makes a point of a man’s name, I am not inclined to think that we should.

24 This is the view of Lehman Strauss and of Donald K. Campbell: “I take it that they were really being permitted an unlimited indulgence, which was a part of Nebuchadnezzar’s brain-washing device. It was the king’s subtle method of orientation, a clever scheme to denationalize them completely. This same form of denationalization and brain-washing is being carried on by communists in our day.” Lehman Strauss, Daniel (Neptune, New York: Loizeaux Brothers, 1969), p. 37.

“Daniel and his friends had to be reeducated if they were to be of any value to Nebuchadnezzar. They were to be indoctrinated or brainwashed so that they would no longer think or act like Judeans, but like Babylonians.” Donald K. Campbell, Daniel: Decoder of Dreams (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1977), p. 9.

25 See Jeremiah 7:1-15.

Passage:

Taxonomy upgrade extras:

3. The Dream Which Nearly Became a Nightmare (Daniel 2:1-49)

Introduction

This past week, I officiated at the wedding of the daughter of some good friends in our church. Everything seemed to be going well. The groom and his groomsmen and I were waiting in a small room at the front of the auditorium. We knew that the moment the pianist began to play the “Wedding March,” it was time to make our entrance. The “Wedding March” began. As I reached for the door knob, ready to lead into the ceremony, someone rushed in the side door and told us the bride had just discovered a tear in her dress, which they were sewing up. We needed to wait.

My mind rushed to the woman at the piano. She faithfully continued to play the “Wedding March,” no doubt wondering why we were not coming out the door behind her. I slipped out the door. The rest of the men stayed in the room as I made my way to the side of the pianist. I whispered in her ear that there was a small problem with the bride’s dress and that we would need to delay the ceremony a couple of minutes.

I can still remember the look on her face. She turned to me and said, “How can I do that? I’ve already started.” It was easy for me to ask for more time. I was not the pianist, in the middle of playing the “Wedding March.” How do you stop something already set in motion so it won’t be obvious and embarrassing? She did a marvelous job of it. Within several measures, she was no longer playing the “Wedding March.” She slid into one of the great hymns of the faith and bought us those precious few moments.

There are times when it seems we have set something disastrous and irreversible in motion. The second chapter of the Book of Daniel describes one such time. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had a disturbing dream. He wanted to know its meaning, and he summoned a number of his senior staff: magicians, conjurers, sorcerers, and Chaldeans. Their assignment was more difficult than any he had ever given them before. Nebuchadnezzar wanted not only to know the meaning of his dream; he insisted they first tell him his dream!

For any king to ask this would be distressing. For Nebuchadnezzar to demand this of his staff was disastrous. The king’s dream nearly became a nightmare for his advisors. Nebuchadnezzar, known for being brutal, demanding, and tyrannical, had no hesitation in dealing severely with those whom he considered his enemies. We know that he ordered Daniel’s three friends to be cast into a fiery furnace. From Jeremiah 29:22-23, we learn that the king of Babylon roasted Zedekiah and Ahab in the fire. Our text in Daniel 2 tells us he intended to put all the wise men in his land to death because they could not do the impossible.

Nebuchadnezzar’s dream started something which appeared impossible to stop. He demanded that his dream be told, and only after this that it be interpreted. His advisors sought to reason with him, but to no avail. Finally, in frustration, they told him that what he asked was unreasonable. They not only admitted their limitations, they even acknowledged the inability of their gods. The king’s demand was beyond what they or their gods could do. It would take a God of a very different kind, a God whose “dwelling place is not with mortal flesh” (Daniel 2:11).²⁶ Nebuchadnezzar soon heard about the only God who could accomplish the king’s demand. It was the God of Daniel and of his three Hebrew friends, the “God who is in heaven” (Daniel 2:28).

The first four chapters of Daniel are a unit. While Daniel and his three friends are prominent in these chapters, king Nebuchadnezzar is also a central character. In chapter 1, he defeats Jehoiakim, king of Judah, a victory which God brought upon the king and his kingdom (Judah) as a judgment for their sin and rebellion.

Nebuchadnezzar took captives (including Daniel and his friends) to Babylon and made some a part of his administration. He also placed some of the vessels from the temple of God in Jerusalem in the house of his god in Babylon as a sign that his god was better than Israel’s God. He was wrong and will say so in the fourth chapter of Daniel.

In chapter 1, Nebuchadnezzar made Daniel and his three friends part of his administration. He did so, not because he thought so highly of Daniel’s God or because he respected Daniel’s convictions, but simply because Daniel and his friends were “ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm” (Daniel 1:20). At first thought, this evaluation, “ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers,” seems like an exaggeration. We will see from our text it is not an exaggeration at all.

Now in Daniel 2, Nebuchadnezzar comes to have respect not only for Daniel but also for his God:

The king answered Daniel and said, “Surely your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, since you have been able to reveal this mystery” (Daniel 2:47).

Nebuchadnezzar has come a long way, but not yet far enough. He is hardly in the household of faith. In chapter 3, Nebuchadnezzar acts on the basis of the revelation given to him in chapter 2, but in a way that is inconsistent with the message of his dream. If the king learned in Daniel 2 that the God of Israel is the giver of wisdom and revelation, he will learn from chapter 3 that He is also the God who delivers his people. In the last chapter of this unit, Daniel 4, Nebuchadnezzar bows before Him as the only true God (see Daniel 4:3,34-37).

Chapter 2 describes a significant step forward for the king of Babylon and also a step forward for Daniel and his three friends. If the wisdom of these young Hebrews is recognized in a general way in chapter 1, it is even more evident in the crisis of chapter 2. As a result of Daniel revealing the king’s dream and its meaning, he is elevated to a high level position in Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom.

The meaning of his dream, of vital importance to Nebuchadnezzar, is also of great importance to us. What did the dream mean for Nebuchadnezzar and what is its meaning for us?

Guiding Principles for
the Interpretation of Daniel 2

Serious students of Scripture disagree over the interpretation of the king’s vision in chapter 2. Scholars do not agree concerning the nations and periods of time depicted here. How, then, are we to approach this chapter? What are the guiding principles for our interpretation?

First of all, we should remember this is prophecy. Until all of these prophecies are completely fulfilled, we will not understand them. Unfulfilled prophecies always cause us confusion, even as they confused the prophets who revealed them (see 1 Peter 1:10-12).

Second, when Daniel interpreted this dream to the king, he did not supply all the details. He did not identify the kingdoms or the kings (except for the first kingdom and Nebuchadnezzar himself). The interpretation and even the application of this dream did not require a complete understanding of the vision and all of its details. It only required a general, overall grasp of the dream and its meaning.

Third, we should seek to understand the dream and its interpretation in light of the way Daniel and the king understood it. Daniel’s words to the king are critical to the interpretation of the dream. Daniel’s own response to the dream, in verses 20-23, indicates his understanding of the dream. The king’s response to the revelation of the dream and its meaning, recorded in verse 47, tells us what the dream meant to him.

In this lesson, our approach to the king’s dream and its meaning will not focus on what Daniel, the king, or biblical scholars today find perplexing. We will try to grasp the dream and its meaning from that which Daniel and the king did understand. The meaning of the dream for Daniel and the king should be the same for us. Let us seek to walk in their steps, to learn what they learned, and then to apply this to our own lives, by God’s Spirit.

Nebuchadnezzar’s
Dream Becomes a Nightmare
(2:1-13)

1 Now in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar,²⁷ Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was troubled and his sleep left him. 2 Then the king gave orders to call in the magicians, the conjurers, the sorcerers and the Chaldeans, to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. 3 And the king said to them, “I had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to understand the dream.” 4 Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic:²⁸ “O king, live forever! Tell the dream to your servants, and we will declare the interpretation.” 5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “The command from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you will be torn limb from limb, and your houses will be made a rubbish heap. 6 But if you declare the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me gifts and a reward and great honor; therefore declare to me the dream and its interpretation.” 7 They answered a second time and said, “Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will declare the interpretation.” 8 The king answered and said, “I know for certain that you are bargaining for time, inasmuch as you have seen that the command from me is firm, 9 that if you do not make the dream known to me, there is only one decree for you. For you have agreed together to speak lying and corrupt words before me until the situation is changed; therefore tell me the dream, that I may know that you can declare to me its interpretation.” 10 The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who could declare the matter for the king, inasmuch as no great king or ruler has ever asked anything like this of any magician, conjurer or Chaldean. 11 Moreover, the thing which the king demands is difficult, and there is no one else who could declare it to the king except gods, whose dwelling place is not with mortal flesh.” 12 Because of this the king became indignant and very furious, and gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 13 So the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they looked for Daniel and his friends to kill them.

The dreams Nebuchadnezzar experienced in the night were God’s response to his thoughts as he waited for sleep to come:

“As for you, O king, while on your bed your thoughts turned to what would take place in the future; and He who reveals mysteries has made known to you what will take place” (Daniel 2:29).

The king was pondering what the future held. Through his dreams, God revealed the future and its implications.

It is possible, as some have suggested, that the king actually forgot the dreams, and that is why he demanded that his wise men tell the dream and then its interpretation. I think the king remembered his dream, but wanted to be certain of a genuine interpretation, not a fabrication. Anyone can “interpret” a dream; few indeed can tell you what your dream was. The king required both.

King Nebuchadnezzar was in a bad mood when he called his wise men. His dream troubled him so greatly he could not sleep afterward (2:1). Two things caused the king such distress over his dream. First, he believed his dream was very important. In his culture and religion, dreams were a means of revelation from the gods.²⁹ He wanted to know what the gods were trying to tell him. Secondly, like the Pharaoh of Joseph’s day who did not understand his dream, there was an ominous sense that something was wrong. Because he lacked the interpretation of his dream, he did not know what was wrong, or what he should do about it.

A great sense of urgency arose when the king’s senior wise men gathered before him. After briefing them of the situation, he demanded they tell him his dream and its meaning. The assembled wise men, representing the various heathen methods for obtaining “divine guidance,” were unanimous about one thing: the king was being unreasonable in asking them to do the impossible. No king, they protested, had ever asked this of his counselors. They could promise an interpretation if he told them his dream, but he should not demand that they reveal his dream. This was beyond their ability and the ability of their gods.

Their response to the king not only reveals their impotence, but also that of their gods. It testifies to the futility of the heathen religions and introduces the God of Daniel, who can do what they and their gods cannot:

10 The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who could declare the matter for the king, inasmuch as no great king or ruler has ever asked anything like this of any magician, conjurer or Chaldean. 11 Moreover, the thing which the king demands is difficult, and there is no one else who could declare it to the king except gods, whose dwelling place is not with mortal flesh” (Daniel 2:10-11).

The king was now both frustrated and furious. He demanded all the wise men in Babylon be put to death. We are not sure whether the wise men were being killed as they were arrested, or whether they were all being rounded up for some kind of mass execution. It is uncertain whether any wise men actually died before Daniel spoke to the king. We do know, with certainty, that the king fully intended to kill every one of his wise men throughout the land. The process of execution was under way, whether or not any executions had actually occurred before Daniel took action.

At this point, the Jewish reader of the day would not be greatly distressed at the pronouncement of the death penalty for heathen wise men who worshipped and worked in the name of false gods. But in this instance, a strange and providential twist of fate takes place, putting Daniel and his three friends right in the middle of the crisis. Though the Hebrew youths were not among those whom the king summoned, they were nevertheless included among those sentenced to death.

To summarize the story up to this point, the situation looks dismal, if not disastrous, and by divine design. Only when things seem impossible is God’s hand undeniably present. The king’s demands were unreasonable because they were impossible, humanly speaking. Here at the point of impossibility, the powerlessness of the “gods” of the heathen became evident. The wise men who stood before Nebuchadnezzar confessed with their own lips that their gods could not accomplish what the king demanded. They even admitted that any “God” who could fulfill the king’s request would be a “God” of a different (higher) order.

I am reminded of the words of the magicians of Egypt, who were attempting to reproduce the miracles God accomplished by the hand of Moses. For a time, their “miracles” seemed like those of Moses (see Exodus 7:11-12, 22; 8:6-7). But there came a time when these magicians had to throw up their hands and confess that they had come to their limit:

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, that it may become gnats through all the land of Egypt.’” And they did so; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff, and struck the dust of the earth, and there were gnats on man and beast. All the dust of the earth became gnats through all the land of Egypt. And the magicians tried with their secret arts to bring forth gnats, but they could not; so there were gnats on man and beast. The magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, as the Lord had said (Exodus 8:16-19).

The “gods” of Egypt were no match for the God of Israel. Would Pharaoh ask who the God of Israel was, that he should obey His command?³⁰ God would let him know, along with all of Egypt.³¹

God providentially orchestrated the events of Babylon so that the “gods,” along with all those who called on them, were shown to be worthless and powerless. At the same time, God created a situation in which His four servants would be in danger, and for whom He would prove to be their deliverer. Furthermore, in the midst of these circumstances, God would demonstrate that He could do what no other god could do—foretell history. All things are possible for God; there is no impossible situation. In situations which appear insurmountable, the faith of His saints grows strong, and His power and majesty is demonstrated to all. The crisis here is by divine design, as is every crisis involving the people and purposes of God.

The lesson for the kingdom of Judah, now captive, should be apparent. Assyria has captured and dispersed the tribes of Israel. Babylon has defeated Judah and taken the people captive. The temple and Jerusalem has been (or soon will be) destroyed. Chances for Israel’s recovery and restoration seem to have vanished, and Judah’s situation is humanly unalterable. Now God will show Himself able to do the impossible, in a way no one would have ever expected—through a heathen king (Cyrus) and a heathen kingdom (Persia).³²

Daniel’s Discretion
and Nebuchadnezzar’s Delay
(2:14-16)

14 Then Daniel replied with discretion and discernment to Arioch, the captain of the king’s bodyguard, who had gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon; 15 he answered and said to Arioch, the king’s commander, “For what reason is the decree from the king so urgent?” Then Arioch informed Daniel about the matter. 16 So Daniel went in and requested of the king that he would give him time, in order that he might declare the interpretation to the king.

Daniel was indeed a man of great wisdom which came from God, evident especially in times of crisis. Imagine being a highly regarded resident of Babylon, a part of Nebuchadnezzar’s government, and discovering there is a warrant out for your arrest. Worse yet, Daniel was marked for execution for something with which he had nothing to do. Did he know what was happening, or why?

Rather than reacting, Daniel approached Arioch, “with discretion and discernment,” asking the reason behind the haste and urgency of these recent events.³³ Arioch, like Ashpenaz before him (see 1:9-10), showed kindness to Daniel by answering his questions.

Daniel, who did not initiate this crisis, did show initiative in responding to it. If something were not done, he and his three friends would soon die. Had Daniel ever interpreted a dream before? Whether he had or not, this incident displayed his divine gift. Daniel, like Joseph before him, was fully persuaded that what the king demanded, God was able to do, through those who called upon Him for mercy in time of need. On this basis, Daniel requested the king for time to discern the dream and its meaning in order to reveal it. The delay was granted.³⁴

Revelation Requested
and Gratefully Received
(2:17-24)

17 Then Daniel went to his house and informed his friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, about the matter, 18 in order that they might request compassion from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his friends might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven; 20 Daniel answered and said, “Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him. 21 And it is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men, and knowledge to men of understanding. 22 It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him. 23 To Thee, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for Thou hast given me wisdom and power; even now Thou hast made known to me what we requested of Thee, for Thou hast made known to us the king’s matter.” 24 Therefore, Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon; he went and spoke to him as follows: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon! Take me into the king’s presence, and I will declare the interpretation to the king.”

No evidence indicates Daniel wanted to be a hero. Daniel acted as he did because he was put “between a rock and a hard place.” He was forced to act. If he did not act, not only he, but his three Hebrew friends would die, along with all the other wise men of Babylon.

Daniel acted on faith. Once he understood the problem, he knew the solution. What was impossible for the wise men of Babylon was possible for the God of heaven, the God of Israel. God knew the future. More than this, God planned the future, in eternity past. Daniel had every confidence that the king’s dream not only came from God but would be revealed and interpreted to the king by God, if he and his friends but petitioned Him to do so.

Daniel hastened to his house, where he found his three friends. He told them what had happened in order that they might pray with him for God to have mercy on them and deliver them by revealing the dream and its message to Daniel.

As the dream came to Nebuchadnezzar in the night, so the dream and its meaning came to Daniel in a night vision (verse 19). Daniel’s response seems immediate. His prayer of praise reveals Daniel’s gratitude for receiving the answer to their prayers. It reveals more as well. Let us focus briefly on three dimensions of this prayer:

(1) What the king’s dream reveals about the superiority of God to the “gods” of Babylon;

(2) What the king’s dream reveals about God; and

(3) What the revelation of the dream and its meaning reveals about God’s love and care for His people.

First, Daniel’s praise focuses on the superiority of God to the “gods” of Babylon. Neither the wise men nor their gods could satisfy the king’s demands. They were too difficult for them. God revealed the dream and its meaning for the king. The God who answered the prayers of Daniel and his friends was the “God of heaven” (verse 19), the God about whom the wise men spoke but did not know. As opposed to the Babylonian gods, whose purposes and plans were determined by the stars and seasons, the God of heaven changes the times and epochs.³⁵

Second, Daniel’s prayer gives insight into the message which God was giving to Nebuchadnezzar through his dream. As the king pondered the future, God informed him through his dream that the future is in God’s hands and is not determined by kings. Indeed, even the rise and fall of kings is the work of God and not men. Wisdom and power belong to God; and thus the king, who was looking to men, should have been looking to the God of Israel for wisdom.

Third, the dream demonstrated God’s care for His people Israel. The four young Hebrew captives, about to be put to death, prayed for mercy and deliverance. Their request was answered with the revelation of the king’s dream and its interpretation to Daniel. Even in captivity, God continues to care for His own.

Daniel Points Nebuchadnezzar to God
(2:25-30)

25 Then Arioch hurriedly brought Daniel into the king’s presence and spoke to him as follows: “I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who can make the interpretation known to the king!” 26 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen and its interpretation?” 27 Daniel answered before the king and said, “As for the mystery about which the king has inquired, neither wise men, conjurers, magicians, nor diviners are able to declare it to the king. 28 However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will take place in the latter days. This was your dream and the visions in your mind while on your bed. 29 As for you, O king, while on your bed your thoughts turned to what would take place in the future; and He who reveals mysteries has made known to you what will take place. 30 But as for me, this mystery has not been revealed to me for any wisdom residing in me more than in any other living man, but for the purpose of making the interpretation known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind.”

What a contrast between Arioch and Daniel in these verses. Arioch is quick to take the credit for something he did not do. He attempts to claim the credit for finding someone who could interpret the king’s dream. Nothing could be further from the truth.³⁶ He may have attempted to find Daniel to arrest him, but there is no indication that he did find him. Daniel may have sought him out. Arioch’s words to Nebuchadnezzar expose his attempt to use the situation to further himself.

Daniel would have far greater opportunity to claim some of the credit for what he was about to do, and thus to gain from the gift God had given to him. Instead, at the outset of his meeting with Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel clearly stated that it was God who determines and reveals the future, not men. Daniel, simply an instrument of God, faithfully pointed to God as the One who should be the object of the king’s trust praise.

Daniel reiterates what the wise men had already told the king. Neither wise men, conjurers, magicians, nor diviners were able to make this dream known to the king. It was impossible for them. It was also impossible for Daniel. It was only possible for God, who revealed the dream and its meaning to Daniel. The “God in heaven” of whom the wise men spoke (2:11) was Daniel’s God. He would make known to the king the dream and its meaning. God’s use of Daniel was due to grace, not because of any merit of Daniel on his own (Daniel 2:30).

Gone With the Wind:
Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream Revealed
(2:31-35)

31 “You, O king, were looking and behold, there was a single great statue; that statue, which was large and of extraordinary splendor, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was awesome. 32 The head of that statue was made of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 34 You continued looking until a stone was cut out without hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, and crushed them. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were crushed all at the same time, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that not a trace of them was found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.”

The occasion for the king’s dream was very different from the occasion when God gave Daniel its content and as its meaning. Daniel and his friends prayed to the God of heaven, the God of Israel, knowing that He determined the future and that He alone could reveal it to men. The king did not pray at all, and certainly not to the God of the Jews. He simply pondered the future. Surely this king was not thinking hypothetically. He must have been wondering what the future held for him. God knew his thoughts and gave him a dream which answered his inner questions.

How the king must have eagerly awaited this time when his dream might be revealed to him, when he would be assured that the interpretation was genuine! In the king’s dream, what he visualized was a great statue of unusual splendor. It had a head of gold, breast and arms of silver, a bronze belly, and legs of iron, with its feet a mixture of clay and iron.

It was not the statue which distressed the king so much as what happened to it as his dream continued. A stone was mysteriously cut out, fashioned without human hands. Striking the statue on its feet, the entire image fell, disintegrating into dust. The winds blew every trace of the statue away as though it never existed. The stone, on the other hand, became a great mountain which filled the whole earth.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream Interpreted
(2:36-45)

36 “This was the dream; now we shall tell its interpretation before the king. 37 You, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength, and the glory; 38 and wherever the sons of men dwell, or the beasts of the field, or the birds of the sky, He has given them into your hand and has caused you to rule over them all. You are the head of gold. 39 And after you there will arise another kingdom inferior to you, then another third kingdom of bronze, which will rule over all the earth. 40 Then there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; inasmuch as iron crushes and shatters all things, so, like iron that breaks in pieces, it will crush and break all these in pieces. 41 And in that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but it will have in it the toughness of iron, inasmuch as you saw the iron mixed with common clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of pottery, so some of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will be brittle. 43 And in that you saw the iron mixed with common clay, they will combine with one another in the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, even as iron does not combine with pottery. 44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever. 45 Inasmuch as you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will take place in the future; so the dream is true, and its interpretation is trustworthy.”

That was it! That was the dream. Daniel’s description exactly matched the king’s vision. Now it was time for Daniel to tell the king what it all meant. The one statue was a composite, so to speak, of the kingdoms of the Gentiles, beginning with that of Nebuchadnezzar, and continuing through history. Nebuchadnezzar was the head of fine gold, an indication of the superiority of his kingdom to those which followed. Nebuchadnezzar was indeed a great king, but his power, strength, and glory were all from God.³⁷ The extent of his rule (2:38) sounds much like the rule which God gave to Adam and Eve, in the beginning (Genesis 1:26).

After Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom, three others would follow. Almost nothing is said of the second and third kingdoms, except for one thing: they will become progressively inferior to the kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar. A great deal is said of the fourth (and last) kingdom; more attention is given it than all the rest, which is most interesting because it was the farthest removed from the days of Nebuchadnezzar. Why should this kingdom receive such attention in the interpretation?

I think it is because this is the kingdom struck by the stone; it is the kingdom whose fall topples the entire statue, rendering it virtually non-existent in the end. This kingdom, while it receives much attention from Daniel, is not named, nor are all the details pertaining to it explained. The only detail is that the mixture of iron and clay, which weakens the statue, is that of a racial intermingling (Daniel 2:43).

When this final kingdom comes to power, the end is near. The final days will fulfill the details of this prophecy. The end of this kingdom is brought about by the mysterious “stone made without hands” —the stone which brings about a new, eternal kingdom.

Daniel ends the interpretation by informing Nebuchadnezzar that the vision was from God, indicating to him what would take place in the future. The matter was certain,³⁸ and the interpretation reliable.

Before we consider the response of Nebuchadnezzar to Daniel’s words, let us summarize some important observations concerning the statue:

(1) There is a unity, a bond between the four kingdoms, as indicated by the vision. There is one statue, but four distinct kingdoms. Somehow these four kingdoms are related or share something in common. The common element seems to be that these were all Gentile kingdoms, kingdoms which subjugated and dominated the nation Israel.

(2) There is a downward progression, a deterioration of the kingdoms. The head of gold is glorious, the breast of silver of a lesser greatness. The belly of brass deteriorates to legs of iron and feet which are a mixture of iron and clay.³⁹ Things don’t get better, only worse.

(3) There is, in the end, a disintegration of the entire statue. Granted Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom was great, but when the stone strikes the feet of the statue, the entire statue collapses, disintegrates, and blows away. In the end, the greatness of Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom (not to mention all the rest) is blown away. Somehow Nebuchadnezzar is to see the link between his kingdom and the other three, and to see that he shares in the final destiny of the entire statue.

(4) There is an unknown, mysterious “king,” who destroys the entire statue, who nullifies all of these kingdoms, bringing them to nothing while establishing his own kingdom.

(5) The kingdoms of Nebuchadnezzar and those who follow him pass away, and a greater, eternal kingdom does not.

(6) Greater emphasis is on the first and fourth kingdoms than on the rest. The first kingdom is given attention because Nebuchadnezzar is the king. The fourth kingdom receives more emphasis than the other three, I believe, because it is the final kingdom which will be struck down by Messiah at His appearance.

(7) Much in this vision is not interpreted or explained, which neither Daniel nor Nebuchadnezzar seem to have understood. In this vision, none of the kingdoms or kings are identified, except the first kingdom (Babylon) and its king (Nebuchadnezzar). What was not interpreted did not need to be known by Daniel or the king. The meaning and interpretation of these mysterious details will be evident when they are fulfilled.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Response Recorded
(2:46-49)

46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face and did homage to Daniel, and gave orders to present to him an offering and fragrant incense. 47 The king answered Daniel and said, “Surely your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, since you have been able to reveal this mystery.” 48 Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts, and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 And Daniel made request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego over the administration of the province of Babylon, while Daniel was at the king’s court.

The response of Nebuchadnezzar is truly amazing. Imagine Sadam Hussein, falling before a Jewish Christian, acknowledging the God of Israel as the only true God, and falling prostrate before one of His servants. Nebuchadnezzar was a much greater man, in power and in reputation.

In chapter 1, the king thought of the God of Israel as a lesser “god,” as one defeated by his “gods” (see 1:1-2). He seems to have cared little about Daniel’s God, or about Daniel’s convictions. He is impressed only by Daniel’s superior performance (1:18-20). But now, in light of the events of chapter 2, Nebuchadnezzar falls prostrate, acknowledging the superiority of the God of Israel as the “God of gods,” “Lord of kings,” and a “revealer of mysteries.” Nebuchadnezzar has not yet come far enough to be called a saint, but he has come a long way in his understanding of the God of Israel.

Nebuchadnezzar was a man of his word. He gave Daniel many gifts, just as he promised the wise men, if they would but tell him his dream and its meaning (see 2:6). Along with the gifts, Daniel received a promotion. He was made ruler of the entire province of Babylon and placed in charge of all the wise men of Babylon. Here was something for the wise men of Babylon to ponder. Their gods had nearly gotten them killed. Daniel’s God had saved their lives.

While Arioch attempted to use Daniel’s God-given gifts and abilities to further his own position, Daniel used his newly gained standing with Nebuchadnezzar to further his three friends. He spoke to the king on their behalf, and they were appointed with charge of the whole province of Babylon during the time Daniel was at the king’s court.

Conclusion

Before we focus our attention on the central theme and message of the king’s vision, consider three secondary lessons which we can learn from our text.

(1) Our text contributes to our understanding of spiritual leadership. Daniel did not seek prominence. He did not set his sights on spiritual leadership. He sought to be faithful to His God and to his calling. It was only when he was put “between a rock and a hard place” that he stepped forward. It is often in the crisis situations of life that leaders emerge. So it was with Daniel. He was, in a sense, forced to lead. Had he not acted as he did (humanly speaking), he and his three friends would have died. Daniel’s leadership came about when he acted out of necessity and out of faith, in a way that set him apart from the rest. This seems to be the way most of the leaders in the Bible were set apart.

(2) Impossible situations expose the futility of human wisdom and power and of false gods and religions. At the same time, they provide the setting for which the power and wisdom of God to be undeniably demonstrated. God brought about the crisis of Daniel 2. In so doing, He showed the wise men of this world to be unwise, and by testimony of their own lips showed their gods powerless. God’s power was so evident through the faith of Daniel and his friends that the king fell before this man and his God.

(3) Evangelism is the work of God, brought about by the workings of the Spirit of God. I am greatly impressed by what Daniel could have said, but did not. Daniel told the king his dream and its meaning. He did not tell the king what to do about the message God had revealed to him. He did not press the king to “close” the matter of his faith in God. The events of chapter 2 brought Nebuchadnezzar a long way from where he had been, but he was not yet ready to profess his faith in this God. All too often Christians are telling others what to do, when they should be concentrating on the proclamation and interpretation of God’s Word, trusting in the Holy Spirit to prompt men to take action as He guides them.

There are times when God does give clear application. Joseph not only interpreted the Pharaoh’s dreams, but then went on to recommend a specific plan of action. This was in order to preserve men from starvation, and especially to save the nation Israel. But often we make applications where God has not. Let us be careful not to rush beyond biblical revelation. The Holy Spirit knows better how to apply the Word of God than we do.

The major thrust of the king’s dream, as revealed and interpreted in Daniel 2, is so obvious we almost miss it. I fear that we usually miss this “camel” because we are too busy looking at the “gnats.” The lesson for the king can be summed up in these words:

THE KINGDOMS OF MEN FADE AWAY AND ARE FORGOTTEN;
THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS ETERNAL.
THE GLORY OF HUMAN KINGS IS NOTHING COMPARED TO THE
GLORY OF THE KING OF KINGS.

Nebuchadnezzar lay on his bed that eventful night, thinking about what the future held. No doubt his thoughts were focused on his reputation, his role in changing the course of history, and especially on his glory and fame. How humbling was the message of his dream!

His kingdom did have fame and glory. He was the head of gold. But his kingdom would pass, only to be replaced by another, and then another and another. In the end, One was coming who would put an end to all human kingdoms and establish a kingdom that was eternal. “Gone With the Wind” —that was the message of this king’s dream and the way it is with all human glory and power and works.

If the king wanted to be a part of a kingdom filled with glory, which lasted forever, he must “look to the rock” of his vision. It is not the head of gold, nor the breast of silver, nor even the entire statue which is glorious and eternal, but the stone. The stone brings the destruction of the statue and the creation of an everlasting kingdom.

Throughout the New Testament, our Lord taught the people of His day the same lesson God was teaching Nebuchadnezzar through his dream. Jesus warned men that the kingdoms of the world would pass away and that they should set their hearts and minds on the kingdom of God, which He had come to establish. He is the stone “fashioned without hands” (see Luke 1:35). He is the One whose kingdom is eternal and glorious.

Nebuchadnezzar was thinking of his empire. God instructed him in his dreams to submit to a great King and to be a part of an eternal empire, an eternal kingdom. Jesus is that King, and the kingdom of Heaven is the empire. Those who trust in Him have not only obtained immortality, but salvation, eternal life, glory, and peace. May we, like Nebuchadnezzar, turn from our own earthly empires to the heavenly empire of God.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).

Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love him.” For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God (1 Corinthians 2:6-10).

According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But let each man be careful how he builds upon it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is to be revealed with fire; and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built upon it remains, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire (1 Corinthians 3:10-15).

Chapter 2:
Questions and Answers

(1) How do we go about interpreting the prophecies of Daniel 2, knowing there is so much disagreement among Bible scholars in their interpretations?

The words of Deuteronomy 29:29 should serve as our guide: “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law.”

Disagreement between sound, serious Bible scholars is most often found in areas unclear or dogmatic. I believe that there is much about prophecy we are not supposed to understand. This was true even of the prophets themselves (see 1 Peter 1:10-12). Our main responsibility is to focus on what God has made clear to us, to believe it, and to act upon it in faith.

We should approach the prophecies of Daniel 2 in light of what God has told us through Daniel. We should understand what he understood, what he explained to Nebuchadnezzar, and what Nebuchadnezzar therefore came to understand himself. We should pay attention the main points, and not the unexplained details.

(2) What events lead up to Daniel telling the king what his vision was, and its meaning?

King Nebuchadnezzar had gone to bed and was thinking about the future (verse 29). God gave the king dreams that night which informed him about the future and about his attitude toward it. These dreams were distressing to him, especially since he did not know what they meant. He was not able to sleep the rest of the night. When he got up, he summoned some of his leading wise men and demanded from them that they tell him his dream and its meaning. They protested that this was unreasonable, requiring more wisdom and greater gods than Babylon had to offer. The king was furious and ordered all the wise men of Babylon to be put to death. This order included Daniel and his three friends. After learning from Arioch what the problem was, Daniel went before the king and asked for time to learn the dream and its meaning. He and his friends then prayed to the God of Israel for mercy, by giving Daniel the dream and its meaning. God answered their prayers by revealing these things to Daniel. Daniel went to Arioch and then the king, to tell him what God had revealed to him in his dream.

(3) How and why does Daniel end up in a position of power and honor?

Daniel did not seek the prominence, honor, or position which he gained as a result of the events of chapter 2. Daniel and his three friends, through no fault of their own, fell under the death sentence pronounced by the king on all the wise men of the land. This prompted Daniel to seek out the king, and to assure him that he could reveal the dream and its meaning, because his God was the God who controlled and foretold future events. Daniel was careful not to take credit for his God-given ability, but in spite of this Nebuchadnezzar gratefully rewarded him with gifts and a high position for himself, and also a promotion for his three friends (at Daniel’s request).

(4) What was the vision which the king saw in the night?

Nebuchadnezzar saw a great and awesome statue. Its head was made of gold; its chest and arms were silver; its belly was bronze; its legs were iron, and its feet were a mixture of iron and clay. As Nebuchadnezzar looked on with amazement, a stone (shaped without human hands) was fashioned and struck the image on its feet. The image did not merely topple, it disintegrated, and the wind blew its dust away, so that there was nothing left of the statue. The stone, on the other hand, became a great mountain.

(5) What was the interpretation of the vision?

The statue was a representation of the Gentile kingdoms, from Babylon to the time of the coming of Christ. Nebuchadnezzar was the first kingdom, the head of gold. Three other kingdoms would follow. The second and third kingdoms are barely discussed. Each kingdom seems to be of decreasing value (begining with gold and ending with iron and clay). The final kingdom is overthrown by the “stone” (Christ), and establishes an eternal kingdom in its place.

(6) What is the meaning of the vision?

Essentially, God is warning Nebuchadnezzar against pride and preoccupation with his own kingdom, or with earthly kingdoms in general. Gentile kingdoms will, in the end, be done away with and their glory will be forgotten. The “king” who should gain our attention and our worship is the Messiah. He will, at His coming, put down earthly kings and kingdoms, and establish His eternal kingdom. Nebuchadnezzar should set his mind not on earthly things, but on heavenly things.

(7) What is the meaning of this vision for us?

It is exactly the same as it was for Nebuchadnezzar. As our Lord taught, we should not lay up treasures on earth, but rather in heaven. We should not focus on the temporal, but on the eternal. We should not dwell on ourselves, and our glory, but on God and His glory.

(8) What change occurs in Nebuchadnezzar as a result of this vision and its interpretation?

Significant changes occurred in the attitudes and actions of Nebuchadnezzar. From one who worshipped his own Babylonian gods as superior to the God of Israel, this king now acknowledged Him as superior to his gods. He greatly honored Daniel and his friends and promoted them to high level positions. But he was not yet what we would call a true believer. This will not come until chapter 4. The events of chapter 3 reveal to us that he did not yet “get the message” fully.

26 How much greater God is than these wise men could even imagine. He is a God who “dwells in heaven” (2:28), but He would also be the God who dwells in human flesh (Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:21-23; 1 John 1:1-4).

27 Some critics make a great deal that here we are told it was the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, contending this contradicts the reference in Dan. 1 to a three year training period (1:5). Several answers can be given. First, fractions of a year may be counted as an entire year in Hebrew usage. Second, Daniel and his friends may have commenced their training before Nebuchadnezzar formally became king.

I see no real problem in the first place. In Dan. 1, we were told that Daniel had the ability to understand and interpret dreams and visions (1:17). The incident in chapter 2 may have occurred before the training of Daniel and the others was completed. Daniel’s actions, described in chapter 2, may be the occasion when Daniel discovered his God-given ability to interpret dreams. This may also have been the incident which called the king’s attention to the vastly superior wisdom of Daniel and his friends. Too much has been made here of too little, as is the way with the critics, who strain the gnats and swallow the camels of Scripture (see Matt. 23:23-24).

28 At this point, the language changes from Hebrew, the language of the Jews, to Aramaic, the language of the Babylonians. There is no structural explanation for the change in language. The Hebrew language does not end at the close of one division and the Aramaic begin at a new division. You can, at best, find a paragraph break at verse 4, but this is at the beginning of the verse and the language changes to Aramaic in the middle of the verse.

The change in language occurs at a point of great interest in the story of king Nebuchadnezzar’s dream--when king Nebuchadnezzar demands that his wise men tell his dream and explain its meaning or be put to death. Abruptly the language changes so the Jewish reader, who knows only Hebrew, cannot follow to the story’s conclusion. What happened? A Hebrew could find out how the story ends only by learning Aramaic (which would be very humbling for a Jewish captive), or by asking a foreigner who knows Aramaic.

There is a message here for the Jews, in this change from Hebrew to Aramaic. God is reminding the Jews of their captivity, and thus of their sin and divine judgment (see, for example, Isaiah 28:11). He may be encouraging them to learn Aramaic. Although He had always spoken to the Jews in their own (Hebrew) tongue, God is now revealing Himself to the Gentiles through a Gentile tongue. (Remember that the New Testament was written in Greek.) This change in language is but another painful reminder to the nation Israel that the times of the Gentiles has begun.

29 The dreams of Pharaoh, as recorded in Genesis 41, are similar. While Daniel was a “prophet,” he was not a typical prophet, like those who stood before Israel and spoke to men for God. His calling was like that which Joseph had with the Pharaoh in Egypt. Daniel was a prophet especially equipped to speak for God to a Babylonian king. Since this king believed that the “gods” spoke to men through dreams, God spoke to him through dreams, and sent his “prophet” Daniel to interpret these dreams. God revealed the future to this king in the way he was most inclined to recognize as a word from God.

30 Exodus 5:2.

31 Exodus 7:5.

32 Ezra 1:1-4.

33 Daniel asked God to supernaturally reveal what men did not and could not know, but he asked men like Arioch what he did know. God gave Daniel favor with Arioch so that he was willing to tell him what he needed to know.

34 The king reveals unusual confidence in Daniel here. While he would grant no delay to the wise men (2:8-9), he did grant time to Daniel.

35 I think this expression, “times and epochs” is broad enough to include the various “dispensations.” The God of heaven is the One who brings about the “times of the Gentiles.”

36 There is actually no evidence that Arioch ever found Daniel, as he claims. While we might assume Arioch found Daniel to arrest him, this may not have been the case at all. Daniel’s friends were at his home, where he later joined them. Since his friends needed to be filled in on what was happening (2:17), it seems likely that Daniel was not at home, to be found or arrested, but that somehow he learned of the order to arrest all the wise men. I think Daniel sought out Arioch to find out what was happening. This would mean that Arioch did not really “find” Daniel in the first place. We know from verse 24 that Daniel “went in to Arioch.” In Arioch’s behalf, it should be pointed out that he had great faith in Daniel. By taking credit for finding Daniel and claiming he could meet the king’s demands, Arioch might benefit from Daniel’s success, but he also stood to suffer with Daniel if he failed. Arioch linked his fate with Daniel’s. The executioner could have been executed if Daniel was not able to tell the dream and its meaning.

37 Note that wisdom is not included here as a description of Nebuchadnezzar, as it is linked with power in Daniel’s prayer in verse 20.

38 In the beginning (verse 1) of this chapter, we were told that the king had dreams (plural), not just a dream (singular). Nebuchadnezzar, much like the Pharaoh of Joseph’s day, may have had more than one dream. Phaoah’s dreams were similar in nature and identical in meaning (see Genesis 41:1-8). Joseph pointed out to Pharaoh that since there were two dreams, the matter was determined and irreversible (Genesis 41:32). It may have been very much the same with Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams. Daniel’s words suggest this could be the case.

Passage:

Taxonomy upgrade extras:

Suffering, Trials, Persecution

4. Faith and the Furnace (Daniel 3:1-30)

(Nebuchadnezzar Puts the Heat on the Hebrews)

Introduction

The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego is a story we all know well. Who does not know how these three Hebrews were cast into the fiery furnace and came out alive? Familiarity with the story of the fiery furnace is one of two major obstacles which prevents us from benefitting from this passage as we should.

We are told automobile accidents often happen close to home. Because we are so familiar with the area, we pay less attention. In the same way, familiar passages of Scripture may receive less of our attention. Christians, and many others, know the stories of David and Goliath, Samson and Delilah, and Jonah and the “whale.” We may fail to grasp the meaning and message they were intended to convey because of our superficial understanding of the characters and events.

A second barrier is our mentally filing the story of these three Hebrews under the category of “fairy tale” or “myth.” Some commentators candidly admit, even advocate, that this story is merely a myth, and not history. They, at least, are conscious of their perspective on this passage. But many of us have heard this story so often in Sunday School that we may have lumped Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego with Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, and Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

My goal is to challenge your childhood perception of this favorite and familiar story. We must see this event as history, not fairy tale. We must feel the heat of that fire and smell the smoke of that ancient furnace. Our study will consider this text in light of both its context in the Book of Daniel and in the history of Israel. The message of our text is as vital to Christians today as it was to the Israelite of old. Carefully consider the words of Daniel 3 and look to God’s Spirit to enlighten your mind’s understanding and to quicken your heart’s belief and application.

The Stage on
Which the Scene is Played

The same stage upon which today’s events are being played is also the setting of past biblical events. Imagine for a moment that you are an American soldier sent to the Middle East during the Persian Gulf War to liberate Kuwait. As part of a tank battalion, you are scanning the landscape for enemy troops. As you fire rockets, taking out a bridge over the Euphrates River, you recall that here, or nearby, is where it all began. The Garden of Eden may have been near this spot (Genesis 2:10-15). Imagine tank tracks in the Garden of Eden!

Near here, or nearby, Nimrod built the city of Babel, and the kingdom of Babylon had its birth (Genesis 10:8-10). Centuries ago, about the time of Abraham, men concentrated themselves in a city on the plain in Shinar (Genesis 11:1-2). They intended to build not only a city, but a tower of bricks and stone with tar as mortar (Genesis 11:3-4). God frustrated and ended their efforts by confusing their language and scattering them. The place became known as Babel (later Babylon), which meant confusion (Genesis 11:5-9).

In this land, God called Abraham. Abraham was commanded to leave Ur of the Chaldeans, a place within the range perhaps of your tank’s cannon. Abraham left this place, the cradle of civilization, to go to an unknown and, as yet, undesignated place, where God was to bless him and others through him (Genesis 11:27–12:3).

Centuries later, after countless warnings from God through the prophets, Israel was taken captive and dispersed by Assyria. Little more than a hundred years later, the southern kingdom of Judah was taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, just as God had foretold.

You wonder, surveying the plain stretching out before you, if this is where the tower of Babel was built and if it is the same place where Daniel’s three friends were cast into the fiery furnace. Was the furnace really a brick-kiln, as many have suggested? Was this kiln left by the ancients who sought to build the tower of Babel out of bricks and stone? The king’s image may have been constructed upon the same historical stage other earlier scenes had already been acted out.

Our Approach to Chapter 3

We will avoid “straining gnats” in order to pursue the “camels” of our passage (see Matthew 23:24). The text leaves some matters unspecified or unexplained which, from the silence of the passage, I understand to be mysteries by divine intention. We should spend little time seeking to learn what God has omitted.

A good example of intentional silence in Daniel 3 is the king’s “image.” I was tempted to use a play on words and call verses 1-7, “The King’s Self-Image.” But this title does not take the silence of the text seriously enough. We know very little about the image which Nebuchadnezzar set up. Whether this image was a representation of the king, of a known deity, or something totally different, we are not told. We should not seek to learn what God has withheld from us.

“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law” (Deuteronomy 29:29).

Avoiding the “secret things” withheld, we will give our attention to those things mentioned. Chapter 3 has several obvious repetitions we should note and respond to accordingly. The first repetition is the references to the political officials gathered for this occasion (see 3:2-3, 24, 27). Another striking repetition is the listings of the various musical instruments (3:5, 7, 10, 15). Yet another is the frequent reference to the peoples of all the different nations (3:4, 7, 29).

Our lesson will minimize speculation, and concentrate on that which is both clear and emphatic in our text.

The King’s Command
(3:1-7)

1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold,⁴⁰ the height of which was sixty cubits and its width six cubits; he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.⁴¹ 2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent word to assemble the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 3 Then the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces were assembled for the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed: “To you the command is given, O peoples, nations and men of every language, 5 that at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe, and all kinds of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up. 6 But whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.” 7 Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations and men of every language fell down and worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

Few doubt that Daniel intended to indicate a relationship between the statue of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in chapter 2 and the king’s image in chapter 3.⁴² Much is omitted in the chapter 3 account, such as when the events took place in Nebuchadnezzar’s reign. But the precise timing of the events of chapters 1-4 does not contribute to the argument or the message of the Book of Daniel.

Indeed, we may have something to lose by knowing more. For instance we are not told what the image of chapter 3 represents. Is it an image of the king or of some deity? Why are we not informed? A high regard of Scripture assumes this information is withheld because it is not important. Little would be gained by knowing any more about the king’s image. Yet we may lose by knowing more.

Israel was commanded to serve God alone, and thus all idols were forbidden (Deuteronomy 5:7-10; 6:14-15). When the Israelites defeated their enemies and took the images of their gods, they were to destroy them. They were not to keep them even for the value of their metals (Deuteronomy 7:25-26). God specifically forbade the Israelites to avoid satisfying their curiosity about how the idols were used:

“When the Lord your God cuts off before you the nations which you are going in to dispossess, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land, beware that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How do these nations serve their gods, that I also may do likewise?’ You shall not behave thus toward the Lord your God, for every abominable act which the Lord hates they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods” (Deuteronomy 12:29-31).

I believe Daniel avoided giving more information about the king’s image in obedience to this command. To give any more information was to provide what could become a snare to the reader. Think of it. If you knew more about the king’s image, would you not attempt to understand how this idol was to be worshipped? Daniel’s silence concerning the details of this idol was deliberate and instructive.

For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good, and innocent in what is evil (Romans 16:19).

We are told only that king Nebuchadnezzar had an image constructed 90 feet high and 9 feet wide, to which the entire nation was commanded to bow down. This was not merely an act of respect toward the king, but an act of worship.⁴³ Daniel’s three young Hebrew friends found this something they neither could nor would do, even on penalty of death.

What Daniel does describe in detail may puzzle us. He describes the various levels of political and administrative leadership in Babylon, and then repeats them. He does the same for the various musical instruments, which make up the “orchestra” that provides the musical cue for all who will worship the image. There is also reference made with repetition to the peoples and nations of every language. Why does Daniel place the emphasis here?

Allow me to suggest a possible explanation. King Nebuchadnezzar, still an unbeliever, has been given divine revelation through a dream and told its interpretation in chapter 2. He grasps this revelation as an unbeliever and his understanding and response are impaired (see 1 Corinthians chapter 2). Viewing the revelation of Daniel 2 through the eyes of unbelieving king Nebuchadnezzar provides a better understanding of the king’s goals and methods described in chapter 3.

The king knew his dream pertained to the future of not only his kingdom but of kingdoms to follow. He knew the metals of the statue diminished in value. Though his kingdom was that of gold, those which followed were of silver, bronze, iron, and finally iron mixed with clay.

From his perspective, the king did not focus on the “stone cut out without human hands” (2:34) as the cause of the demise of the entire statue. Instead, he concentrated on the weakness of the statue itself. What was this weakness? It was the feet made of iron mixed with clay. They had no strength. When the stone struck the statue at its feet, the entire statue fell, disintegrated, and was blown away by the wind.

If you were a heathen king, intent on extending your rule and creating some kind of political immortality, what would you have done based on the dream of chapter 2? Would you not try to strengthen the feet? Made of a mixture of iron and clay, they had no strength. We know what the iron and clay mixture represented, and so did the king:

40 “Then there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; inasmuch as iron crushes and shatters all things, so, like iron that breaks in pieces, it will crush and break all these in pieces. 41 And in that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but it will have in it the toughness of iron, inasmuch as you saw the iron mixed with common clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of pottery, so some of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will be brittle. 43 And in that you saw the iron mixed with common clay, they will combine with one another in the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, even as iron does not combine with pottery (Daniel 2:40-43, emphasis mine).

The weakness of the final kingdom, which in the king’s mind causes the entire statue to collapse, is the mixture of races and a resulting lack of cohesiveness. This is the “problem” which king Nebuchadnezzar set out to “fix” in Daniel 3.

Nebuchadnezzar, from the very beginning, seems intent on fulfilling a grand objective. He wants not only to establish a great kingdom, but it seems he envisioned a world empire. He hoped, like all ambitious despots and Satan, who stands behind them, to rule the world. Thus, in chapter 1 we find the king assembling a large pool of advisors representing the various schools of wisdom from all over the world. In this sense, he welcomed Daniel and his three Hebrew friends (remember that Solomon was renowned for his wisdom).

When the king learned from his dream that the mix of races weakened the last kingdom, he set his mind to solve this problem rather than deal with the stone of his vision. How could he change the course of history? How could he eliminate the fatal flaws of that final kingdom to prolong the life of the statue and thus his glory?

Daniel 3 suggests that the king determined to solidify his dominion by unifying the many races and nations under his rule with a common religion and object of worship. This posed a serious threat to the Jews. Other nations, who believed in more than one god, simply added this idol to their list of deities to be worshipped. The Jews, however, worshipped God alone. They could not be faithful to their God and worship anyone or anything else. Humanly speaking, if the king’s command stood, it could mean the end of the Jewish faith.

The first time the image is to be worshipped appears to be at its dedication ceremony, described in Daniel 3. This initial ceremony is important in determining how successful the king’s plan for unifying his empire will be. I believe this occasion is carefully designed and orchestrated to lead a unified worship of the image by those of every nation and language.

The dedication ceremony is to lead to a climactic act of worship. There is an “orchestra” which appears to include instruments from around the world. The orchestra itself is symbolic of the unity the king seeks to produce and protect. The orchestra gives the cue for all to fall down in worship in a carefully prescribed way.

The political authorities of the land are the first group of participants. These leaders fall into various groups identified repeatedly by Daniel, representing not only the different levels of government but the various races, languages, and cultures integrated into the government of Babylon. Even the clothing may have been representative of the nations and cultures gathered there to worship one image as one nation.

Had things gone according to the king’s plan, it would have been a very spectacular ceremony. A huge crowd—virtually all who lived in Babylon—would have gathered, the awesome golden image standing high above the crowds. Not far away, the furnace was burning, smoke billowing from its top. Everyone knew they must choose between the two. It was the image or the furnace; bow down or burn.

The political powers, who led in worship, were to be followed by the rest of the peoples of the land.⁴⁴ Daniel’s three Hebrew friends were numbered among the political leaders, thanks to Daniel’s recommendation and the promotion given them by Nebuchadnezzar himself (see Daniel 2:48-49).

The celebration began. The orchestra signalled the political leaders that it was time to bow down. The rest of the masses were to follow the example of the leaders, perhaps in some kind of grouping, bowing down to the golden image. But this never happened. The celebration which began was never completed.

The Chaldean’s Charge
(3:8-12)

8 For this reason at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and brought charges against the Jews. 9 They responded and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king: “O king, live forever! 10 You yourself, O king, have made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, and bagpipe, and all kinds of music, is to fall down and worship the golden image. 11 But whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire. 12 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon, namely Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. These men, O king, have disregarded you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up.”

The counselors of the king, which would include the Chaldeans, may have been the next to bow in worship. The Chaldeans would have noted the failure of the three to fall down rather than the king or the other political leaders. They, after all, were on their faces before the idol. How could they look about for those who did not bow down?⁴⁵

The charge made against the three Hebrews was three-fold:

They showed disregard for the king’s authority.
They did not serve his gods.
They would not bow down to the image.

The Chaldeans were men who owed their lives to Daniel and his friends. Had Daniel not revealed the king’s dream and its meaning to Nebuchadnezzar, all of the wise men of the land would have been put to death. Now, they show their gratitude by pointing out the disobedience of the three Hebrews to the king.

The Chaldeans’ opposition is not difficult to understand, given the goal of Nebuchadnezzar to use foreigners as a part of his administration. The Chaldeans were the “natives” of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar himself was a Chaldean. Daniel and his three friends were outsiders, yet they had higher positions in Nebuchadnezzar’s administration than the Chaldeans. The attack on the three Hebrews was an attack “against the Jews” (3:8).⁴⁶

While the Chaldeans did not devise a scheme to bring about the demise of the three Hebrews (as others would later do with Daniel in chapter 6), they certainly took advantage of the situation. They apparently interrupted the ceremony, reporting to Nebuchadnezzar that these three Jews refused to bow down. When the king stopped the ceremony, everyone must have looked on with great interest to see how the matter would be handled and to see if the three Hebrews would buckle under to the king’s orders.

Deadlock:
The King’s Offer and the Hebrews’ Response
(3:13-18)

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and anger gave orders to bring Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego; then these men were brought before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar responded and said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready, at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, and bagpipe, and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, very well. But if you will not worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?” 16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

The king, who had appointed these men to their high positions, probably valued their service. Realizing his reputation was at stake, he gave them, before all present, a second chance. He would instruct the orchestra to play once more, and if they bowed down, the matter would be forgotten.

What the king said next proves to be the most significant statement to come from his lips: “What god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?” (verse 15).

He was soon to find out. Like Pharaoh of old, he would learn that the God of Israel is to be heard and obeyed; the God of Israel is able to deliver His people.

The response of the three Hebrews may at first seem to be too abrupt and even disrespectful.

“O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up” (Daniel 3:16b-18).

The king had raised the issue —who was able to deliver these three? They responded that they need not give Nebuchadnezzar any answer because he was not their deliverer. They need not make their defense to him. He could not deliver them and this is why they could not bow down to his golden image. God was their Deliverer. He had proven so at the Exodus, and afterward He commanded His people not to bow down to any image.

The God of the Jews was their Deliverer. He was able to deliver them from the fiery furnace. They did not presume that He was going to do so. He could if in His sovereignty, He chose to do so. The statement which follows is significant: “He will deliver us out of your hand.”

The confidence of these three comes not from any personal assurance of deliverance from the furnace, but from God’s promise to the captives of Babylon that He would deliver them from captivity and restore them as a nation:

Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘Like these good figs, so I will regard as good the captives of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans. For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them again to this land; and I will build them up and not overthrow them, and I will plant them and not pluck them up, and I will give them a heart to know Me for I am the Lord; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart (Jeremiah 24:4-7, see also Deuteronomy 30:1-10; Jeremiah 27:22; 29:10-14; 32:36-38).

Whatever happens to them personally, God has promised to deliver and restore His people. Their hope is in God, their Deliverer. One thing is non-negotiable: they will not bow down to this image.

There is a strong note of irony here. The Jewish captives of Babylon are in bondage because of their idolatry (see Isaiah 2; 30:19-22; 31:7; Jeremiah 8:19; Ezekiel 5:1-12; 6:1-10; 14:1-5; 16:15-23; 20:39-40; 22:1-4; 23). Israel was commanded not to make or worship idols, on penalty of death. Until their Babylonian captivity, they persisted in their idolatry. Idolatry was one of the reasons for their being in Babylon.

Now, with the making of this golden image and the dedication ceremony, Daniel’s three friends find themselves commanded to worship this idol, or die. God said, “Worship idols and die,” while Nebuchadnezzar said, “Worship my idol or die.” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were determined to flee from idolatry, even if it meant death; Nebuchadnezzar commanded them to practice idolatry, or they would surely die. In doing what seemed to lead to certain death (refusing to bow down to the golden image), the three Hebrews were delivered from death. These three remained faithful to God and to His law, even when threatened with the fiery furnace. In contrast, Israel persisted in her idolatry, even when warned not to do so. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego are the ideal Israelites, who obey God’s law even when it is life-threatening. They would rather face the wrath of men than the wrath of God.

Taking the Heat
of Nebuchadnezzar’s Wrath
(3:19-23)

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He answered by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he commanded certain valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, in order to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire. 21 Then these men were tied up in their trousers, their coats, their caps and their other clothes, and were cast into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. 22 For this reason, because the king’s command was urgent and the furnace had been made extremely hot, the flame of the fire slew those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. 23 But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up.⁴⁷

We can almost see the redness of Nebuchadnezzar’s face when he hears these men will not obey this command, even if it means the furnace. Thousands of his subjects must have been listening and looking on. The orchestra was set, ready to play once again. All of Babylon’s political leaders were assembled, ready to bow down once again. The masses stood by too, ready to bow as well. Only these three Hebrews would not bow down.

Nebuchadnezzar was so hot, he commanded that the furnace be fired even hotter. This furnace may have been a brick-kiln, perhaps used in making the base for the golden image. The top was like a chimney, where smoke from the fire could escape. It could serve a second purpose as well—offenders could be cast into the fire by being thrown down from above. At the bottom there was a door or hole through which fuel could be added and air for combustion introduced.

The three Hebrews, bound tightly and still in their festive dress, had to be carried to the furnace and then thrown in. The fire was so intensely hot that those charged with the unpleasant task of throwing the men into the fire were consumed by the flames which belched from the furnace. These three men did not stand a “prayer of a chance,” unless their God was able to deliver them. They were cast into the top of the furnace, bound hand and foot.

The King’s Astonishment
(3:24-27)

24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he responded and said to his high officials, “Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “Certainly, O king.” 25 He answered and said, “Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!” 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of blazing fire; he responded and said, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, come out, you servants of the Most High God, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego came out of the midst of the fire. 27 And the satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king’s high officials gathered around and saw in regard to these men that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them.

The king’s vantage point must have afforded him a view of the furnace from below so that he could look into the flames through the bottom door where fuel and air were introduced. With utter amazement, the king looked inside. He was astonished! While the executioners were slain by the flames, the three Hebrews were not. They were walking about inside the furnace. Their bonds had been loosed, but the flames did them no harm.

Something else puzzled Nebuchadnezzar. There were not three men walking about in that furnace, but four. More troubling was that the fourth person in the furnace was not like the other three. The king turned to his high officials, who were looking on. He asked them if there were not three men cast into the fire. They wisely agreed. He called their attention to the fact that four men were now in the fire, and one had a god-like appearance. Whatever that appearance was, he knew it was not human and assumed it to be divine.

Drawing near to the door of the furnace, Nebuchadnezzar called into the flames, telling the men to come out. He referred to these men not only by name, but also as “servants of the Most High God.” This was perhaps motivated by the fourth man in the fire. Fortunately for the king and the rest, the fourth person did not come out with the other three.

The king and his officials now witnessed the full extent of the miracle God had performed in their sight. Neither the clothing nor the bodies of the men had been harmed by the intense heat and the flames. Their hair had not been singed; their clothing was not damaged. There was not even the smell of smoke to be detected. Their deliverance could not have been more complete. The only thing they lost in those flames were the ropes which bound them.

The King’s Announcement
(3:28-30)

28 Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore, I make a decree that any people, nation or tongue that speaks anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego shall be torn limb from limb and their houses reduced to a rubbish heap, inasmuch as there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way.” 30 Then the king caused Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego to prosper in the province of Babylon.

Before we consider the words Nebuchadnezzar spoke at the end of Daniel 3, let us recall what we have read at the beginning of the chapter. Nebuchadnezzar had planned to further his kingdom by assembling a large crowd, all of whom would bow in worship to an image he had made. Men had to choose between bowing down to the idol or being burned in the flames of the furnace. The “god” represented by this idol was to be honored and worshipped. Those who resisted were to be destroyed. Yet Nebuchadnezzar’s final words are praise and adoration for these three “rebels,” who refused to bow down, and for the God whom they served, even to death.

This day’s events had not turned out the way the king had planned. He intended to turn the nation to worship his idol. That failed. He planned to subordinate all worship to this “god.” That failed, too. All of the energy and expense to produce worship of a false god was to no avail, and the king fell to his knees before the God of Israel.

His question, asked only moments before, “What god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?” is now answered by the king who asked it. Nebuchadnezzar blessed the God of these three Hebrews, as the God who had delivered them from death. He praised them for their faithfulness in obeying their God, even unto death. Significantly, the king praised these men for their exclusive (monotheistic) worship of their God. Unlike the rest, they were not willing to serve any other god in addition to the one God they worshipped and served.

The king’s decree goes beyond praise. It declares punishment for any who interfere with the free worship of the Jews. Nebuchadnezzar tried to interfere with the religion of the Jews. Their God had intervened and delivered them from the king’s wrath. Now the king seeks to insure this will not happen again. Anyone, the king declared, who so much as speaks against the worship of these men will be torn limb from limb and their property confiscated. All this because no other God had shown himself able to deliver as their God had done.

Finally, the king promotes Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, causing them to prosper in their administration of the province of Babylon.

Conclusion

Nebuchadnezzar’s decree set a legal precedent of paramount importance in Babylon. It determined the way religion was to be practiced in Babylon for years.

Other decisions have had a similar impact on the history of the people of God. In chapter 18 of Acts, the Jews charged Paul with holding and promoting a religion which was not Jewish. Their hope was to obtain a legal precedent which distinguished Judaism from Christianity. If this could be accomplished, Christianity would, from that time onward, be regarded as illegal by Rome. Rome would no longer protect the preaching of the gospel but would persecute Christians. When Gallio pronounced that Christianity was Jewish, the church and the preaching of the gospel enjoyed the continuing protection of Rome.

Another landmark case is described in Exodus 1-2. The Egyptians sought to exterminate the Jewish race by killing all the Hebrew boy babies, first by having the midwives kill them in the birth process, and later by drowning the babies in the Nile River. Pharaoh ordered the Hebrews and the Egyptians to “throw into the river” the Hebrew boy babies. Then Pharaoh’s daughter took a Hebrew baby out of the Nile. She even named him Moses, which signified that she took him out of the water (see Exodus 2:10). The actions of Pharaoh’s daughter virtually nullified the Pharaoh’s decree, thus reversing the death sentence imposed by the Egyptian king. If Pharaoh’s own daughter would not kill a Hebrew baby, but spare it from death in the Nile, what Egyptian would throw a baby into the Nile?

In the Book of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar has been divinely granted victory over Judah and Jerusalem. The king deported many of the Jews to Babylon. In his effort to unify all of his Babylonian empire by worshipping one god, he has declared it illegal to worship only one God. The religion of the Jews was in the process of being outlawed, right there before the image as the orchestra played and the peoples of every nation began to bow down to it. Had the events of chapter 3 not taken place and the king made the decree of verse 29, the Jews would not have been able to legally practice their worship of God.

In the providence of God, the Chaldeans pressed the link of the three friends of Daniel with the Jews as a group. The end result guaranteed all Jews freedom of worship. The faithfulness of this small remnant of three Jews brought the protection of the worship of all the Jews in Babylon.

In addition to the precedent set by this decree of Nebuchadnezzar, a number of other lessons are to be learned from our text.

(1) Civil Disobedience

In chapter 1, Daniel and his three Hebrew friends were able to serve their God without disobeying the government of their land. In chapters 2 and 6, this is not possible, and so the people of God chose to obey God rather than men.

Submission to authority is a principle which must never be put aside. God is the ultimate authority. He has ordained other authorities under Him, as His instruments. This includes human government. Generally when we submit to such authorities, we do so in submission to God. To oppose these authorities is to oppose God (see Romans 13:1-7; Ephesians 6:1-3). Jesus taught that we sometimes need to distinguish between our obligations to God and men and give each their appropriate dues (see Matthew 22:15-22). There are those unpleasant occasions when, in order to obey God, we must disobey human authority. In such cases, we must obey God, rather than men (Acts 5:29).

Nebuchadnezzar’s command to bow down to the golden image is one of those rare instances when godliness is expressed by civil disobedience. There was no chance, as in Daniel 1, for the three Hebrews to please God and the king at the same time. What the king commanded was clearly condemned by the Old Testament Scriptures. We can learn some valuable lessons from Daniel’s friends about civil disobedience.

Civil disobedience is only permissible when obeying man’s commands would violate God’s commands. When placed in a position where we must either obey God or men, then we must obey God and disobey men. If obedience to one of man’s laws would result in our disobedience to one of God’s laws, we must obey God by disobeying men.

A number of Christians would say a hearty “Amen,” but many go much farther than the Scriptures seem to warrant. Most of the civil disobedience of our time is very different than that of the three Hebrews. For Daniel’s friends, obedience to the king’s command would have required them to commit the sin of idolatry. They could not do what God had forbidden. If the law commands that we have an abortion, following the example of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego would require our refusal to have an abortion. But when the law allows a woman to have an abortion (a terrible thing, I agree), does the Bible encourage us to break those laws of the land which do not require us to sin in order to obey them? The civil disobedience of our time is not primary, but secondary. I do not find a biblical precedent for disobeying legitimate laws because another law is unbiblical.

Even when our obedience to God requires us to disobey a human law, there are proper ways to disobey. Daniel’s three friends disobeyed the command of Nebuchadnezzar, but they did so in a submissive manner. They did not seek to overthrow the king and set up another government. They did not attempt to call attention to their disobedience. Neither did they encourage others to follow their example. They quietly obeyed God by not bowing down; and then, without resistance, they accepted the king’s punishment. They left the rest to God. This kind of godly disobedience is far from inflammatory. It is the only kind of disobedience I find in the Bible.

(2) Suffering

Unlike some today, Daniel’s friends did not believe that faithfulness to God guarantees freedom from suffering and tribulation. We know from the Scriptures that those who would live godly lives should expect suffering and tribulation (see 2 Timothy 3:12; Hebrews 11 and 12; James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 2:18-25; 4:1-19).

In our suffering we gain and we grow. We experience a deeper level of fellowship with Christ (Philippians 3:10). We find Him present with us in the fires of our tribulations in a way we may not have previously known. From our text, we know that God was with Daniel and his three friends at all times. But in the fiery furnace, God was with these three in a very special way. How often we pray God would keep us from suffering, rather than keep us through suffering. Often God reveals Himself in our suffering in a much more personal and glorious way. So it was with these three. God was present with them in the furnace.

While these men bore witness to their faith by what they refused to do, God’s power was most dramatically demonstrated in the fire. When Christians suffer well, the world takes note that the faith of the believer is not a fair-weather faith. Suffering is the opportunity for God to bear witness through us.

Lastly, suffering is a beneficial experience because it purifies. The Bible likens going through tribulation to going through a fire (see 1 Peter 1:7). Fire purifies metals. It burned off the ropes which bound the three Hebrews. What the fire of affliction and suffering takes from us, we would be better off without (see 1 Peter 4:1-6).

(3) Fearing God more than men

Nebuchadnezzar sought to inaugurate the worship of a new god on the basis of fear. The citizens of Babylon, with the golden idol and the fiery furnace before them, had to choose one or the other. The refusal by these three Hebrews to bow down to the image was based upon a principle our Lord reiterated many years later:

“Do not fear those who can kill the body, but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28).

Nebuchadnezzar’s anger was fierce, his countenance frightening, and his furnace intensely hot. Nevertheless, Daniel’s three friends feared the wrath of God more than that of the king. They knew that the fires of hell were more devastating than the fire of Nebuchadnezzar’s furnace. These Hebrews feared God more than men, and thus they obeyed God rather than men.

(4) Beware of oaths and vows

Over the years, I have observed a number of ceremonies in which oaths or vows were taken. I thought little of them, until I started to listen more closely to what was being said in the vows. The vows of a number of seemingly beneficial secular organizations are frightening and unbiblical if the words are taken seriously. We should take them as seriously as Daniel’s friends took bowing down to the golden image. Our loyalty and obedience are to God, first and foremost.

(5) Fallen man’s response to revelation

Why should we be surprised that Nebuchadnezzar failed to understand the revelation from God in chapter 2? Apart from the illumination of the Holy Spirit, the natural man will never grasp what God is saying or doing. Nebuchadnezzar is an example of what Paul taught in 1 Corinthians:

Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; but just as it is written, “THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND WHICH HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.”

For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no man. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that He should instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:6-16).

Apart from the ministry of the Spirit, we will distort and pervert the Scriptures as badly as the pagan Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar.

(6) A taste of the last day

Our text foreshadows the end times, when the Antichrist seeks to unify mankind by false religion and worship. We can see the similarity of Daniel 3 to the events described in the Book of Revelation (see chapters 13-14, 17-18, noting the references to Babylon). Satan, too, seeks to rule over men through false worship. In our text, however, this would-be antichrist is destined to become a saint, as we shall see in chapter 4. God can turn anti-Christ’s into worshippers of Christ.

(7) The necessity of faith

What these three young men did was incredible! They stood up against the most powerful nation and king of their time. Standing virtually alone, they stood up by faith, a faith which qualified them to be listed in the “hall of faith” :

And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight (Hebrews 11:32-34, emphasis mine).

(8) Deliverance

This chapter is really about deliverance. The king expected all of Babylon, including the Jews, to fall down before his idol, because he was the one who could deliver or destroy them. “What god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?” , he asked them. To this he later replied, “there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way” .

The three Hebrews did not make any defense to this king because they knew he was not their deliverer. Their Deliverer was the God who delivered them from bondage in Egypt, who forbade His people to worship idols, and who promised to deliver them from Babylonian captivity. Their Deliverer was God.

Theirs was a complete deliverance, because God accomplished it. They were not merely delivered from the fire; they were delivered through the fire. They were delivered through the fire which brought death to their executioners and in a way that destroyed only their bonds.⁴⁸ They were delivered from sizzling, singeing, and even the scent of smoke. That is complete deliverance.

The deliverance which God has accomplished for us is like that described in Daniel 3. It is, first and foremost, God’s deliverance. It is not a deliverance from all suffering and trials, but one which exists because God Himself experienced the fire. As the fourth person was present with the Hebrews in the furnace, Christ has endured the wrath of God, in our place. We are delivered from God’s eternal wrath because Jesus Christ, the Son of God, suffered for us, in our place. Deliverance, all deliverance, has been accomplished on the cross of Calvary.

I doubt that you and I fully grasp the extent of the deliverance we have in Christ. We say we believe that God has delivered us from Satan, sin, hell and death, but do we really believe it? Why do Christians frantically seek deliverance from drugs, addictions, fear, guilt, and bitterness in sources other than the shed blood of Jesus Christ? We do not fathom or experience the totality of the deliverance which God has for us now, let alone in eternity. God’s deliverance is complete deliverance.

(9) A final perspective

Would Nebuchadnezzar seek to establish his kingdom by initiating a common religion and worship? It would fail. The words written in the last book, the Book of Revelation, put Daniel 3 into perspective. As you read these words at the close of our lesson, remember that one of those among this throng of worshippers from every nation and language will be none other than Nebuchadnezzar, on his face before God, in wonder, adoration, and praise:

And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. And He came, and He took it out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. And when He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, having each one a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints, and they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy art Thou to take the book, and to break its seals; for Thou wast slain, and didst purchase for God with Thy blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. And Thou hast made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.” And I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing. And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.” And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped (Revelation 5:6-14).

Will you be among that throng who worships God for all eternity? You, like Nebuchadnezzar, must acknowledge your sin and trust in the God who delivers, through His Son—the stone of Daniel 2—Jesus Christ.

Chapter 3:
Questions and Answers

(1) Where do you think Nebuchadnezzar got the idea to make an image of gold?

The idea probably came from his dream described and explained in Daniel 2. From that dream, he learned that the entire statue (the Gentile kingdoms) disintegrated because a stone struck the feet which were weak. The weakness, he was told, was due to a racial mixture in the last kingdom. Seeking to “fix the feet” by making an idol of solid gold and creating one religion, Nebuchadnezzar constructed the gold image and required every race and culture to worship it. Nebuchadnezzar may have hoped to change the course of history and prolong the glory of his kingdom.

(2) What should Nebuchadnezzar have learned from his dream and the interpretation of Daniel, as recorded in Daniel 2?

Nebuchadnezzar was still a pagan though he had acknowledged the God of Daniel and his three friends as a God of wisdom and revelation. In chapter 3, he learned that the God of Israel was also the Deliverer of His people. What the king did not take seriously enough was the stone, the real cause of the statue’s destruction and the creator of the new, eternal, kingdom which replaced Gentile rule. Rather than “fix the feet,” he needed to fall at the feet of the “stone,” Jesus Christ.

Nebuchadnezzar did not yet grasp the sovereignty of God over history. Although he was told the dream and its interpretation were trustworthy (2:45), he still believed he could change the course of history.

(3) According to verses 2 and 3, who was specifically commanded to bow down to the image? Why these people?

The political and governmental leaders of the nation are in focus because Daniel and his three friends were in this group. I believe there were thousands present, who were to follow their leaders in the worship of the image. Among this group were the Chaldeans, who revealed to the king that the three Hebrews did not bow down.

(4) How and why were Daniel’s three friends singled out as wrongdoers with regard to the image? What was the real, underlying reason for the case against the three Hebrews? How did God use this for good for His people?

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, seem to have been the only ones at the dedication who did not bow down to the image. The charges made by the Chaldeans against them as Jews, and in a sense this was correct for it was their Jewish faith which forbade them to worship any idol.

The Chaldeans should have been grateful to the three Hebrews and to Daniel because through them the king’s dream was revealed and interpreted which avoided the execution of all the Babylonian wise men.

The Chaldeans had a special animosity toward Daniel and his friends, which was probably racially motivated. The Chaldeans were the natives of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar was a Chaldean, and yet the king promoted these Jews rather than the Chaldeans to the highest positions in the nation. They seem to be acting out of jealousy and racial bigotry.

After God delivered these three Jews, the king’s decree guaranteed religious freedom to all the Jews. The faithfulness of Daniel’s three friends brought freedom of religion for the entire Jewish community in Babylon.

(5) Why is no mention made of Daniel in chapter 3?

Daniel wrote this book; he is the one describing the events of chapter 3. He chose, for some reason, to exclude himself. We can only assume that Daniel was not charged because he had greater authority and prestige than the other three, or more likely, because Daniel was not there.

(6) How is the issue in chapter 3 similar to the problem Daniel and his three friends faced in chapter 1? How and why is their response different in chapter 3 than in chapter 1? How is their outcome different?

Both chapters deal with submission to God and to human government. In chapter 1, the four Jews served God and government, offending neither God nor the government. In chapter 3, they had to choose God or government, being unable to serve both at the same time. Thus, in chapter 3, godly men had to obey God by disobeying government.

In chapter 1, Nebuchadnezzar did not realize the superior wisdom of Daniel and his three friends. In chapter 3, the king clearly understands the issue is over whose god is more powerful, his god or the God of the Hebrews. In both chapters, Daniel and his friends are promoted, but in the latter Nebuchadnezzar recognizes God working miraculously to deliver His servants and acknowledges the superiority of their God over his.

(7) Why did the three Hebrews answer the king as they did?

They knew their destiny was not really in the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, but God. They made no defense to him because he was not their deliverer. Their deliverer was the God who delivered Israel from Egyptian bondage and then forbade His people to worship idols. The issues of deliverance and idolatry were therefore inseparably linked in God’s dealings with Israel. They knew God was able to deliver them from or through the fire. They also knew that God had promised to deliver the nation from Babylonian bondage. Their faith and hope was in God, not man.

(8) What is accomplished by the events of chapter 3?

for Daniel’s three friends?
for the Jews in Babylon?
for Nebuchadnezzar?
for the enemies of the three Hebrews?
for the reader of this account?

Daniel’s three friends are delivered and even promoted because of their faithfulness, and are included in the “hall of faith” in Hebrews 11 (see verses 32-34).

Their deliverance reversed Nebuchadnezzar’s requirement of the Jews to bow down. It also protected Jewish worship by promising punishment for any who would seek to hinder their worship.

Nebuchadnezzar is humbled to some degree and given greater revelation concerning the God of the Jews. Nebuchadnezzar understands in chapter 2 that the God of the Israelites is the source of wisdom and knowledge. He learns in chapter 3 that He also intervenes in human history to deliver His people.

The enemies of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were shown the folly of their own “faith” and the power of the God of the Jews to preserve and deliver them.

The reader of the account is reminded that God is the only Deliverer. Deliverance comes from God, to the people of God. Deliverance is complete. It will keep us through the fire of tribulation and adversity.

(9) What are the issues in this text?

Idolatry
Submission to the state and civil disobedience
Suffering
Divine deliverance
The preservation of the Jews
The Antichrist of the last days
Whom do we fear?
Fallen man’s comprehension and response to divine revelation
The conversion of Nebuchadnezzar

40 The image could have been solid gold, or wood overlain with gold (see Exodus 37:25-26; 39:38; Isaiah 40:19; 41:7; Jeremiah 10:3-9).

41 “The archaeologist Julius Oppert states that he found on one of these mounds a large brick square, forty-five feet on a side and twenty feet high, which he believes was the foundation of this very image.” Leon Wood, A Commentary of Daniel (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1973), p. 80.

42 While there seems to be a connection between the statue of chapter 2 and the image of chapter 3, there are striking contrasts between these two representations. Consider these contrasts:

Images of Chapter 2: (a) divine origin; (b) a vision only; (c) made of different metals; (d) not an object of worship; (e) privately revealed to Nebuchadnezzar; (f) fairly well described; (g) prompted king to bow down.

Images of Chapter 3: (a) human origin; (b) a reality; (c) made only of gold; (d) an object of worship; (e) revealed to all; (f) described only generally; (g) men commanded to bow down.

43 The term worship is employed 11 times in chapter 3 in reference to the king’s image.

44 One can see how disturbing the refusal of three high-level leaders to fall in worship would have been to Nebuchadnezzar. If the leaders were to worship first, followed by the people, what rebellion might that produce in the general population? These men were setting a bad example before all, and at the first ceremony of worship. Such disobedience would not be tolerated by the king.

45 None of the three Hebrews tried to call attention to their civil disobedience in refusing to bow down to the golden image. They were not trying to make an issue of this matter, but only being obedient to their faith and to the Law as quietly and inconspicuously as possible. Had the Chaldeans not made an issue of their failure to fall down, there would have been no confrontation.

46 This linking of the three friends of Daniel with the Jews was to work in favor of the Jews, as we shall soon see.

47 It is at this point in the text that Greek versions include a long addition: a prayer, a prose description of their deliverance and a hymn, commonly known as the Benedicite, supposedly sung from the furnace by the three men, or by Azariah alone (according to Theodotion). Evidence from Qumran has shown conclusively that these additions were not part of the original. Joyce G. Baldwin, Daniel: An Introduction and Commentary (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1978), p. 106.

48 What a picture this is of their future deliverance from Babylonian captivity. They were, in Babylon, delivered from the bondage of idolatry. They were not in any way adversely affected by the fire of tribulation in Babylon.

Biblical Topics:

Faith

Passage:

Taxonomy upgrade extras:

5. Nebuchadnezzar Learns About the Birds and the Beasts (Daniel 4:1-37)

Introduction

Current world events have resulted in the radical reshaping of the USSR. The recent Russian coup was the desperate effort of a dying political regime to regain power over millions of people. The failed attempt gave those nations which were once a part of the Soviet Union an opportunity to declare their independence and throw off the shackles of communism. Never in my lifetime has such a dramatic change happened so quickly and with so little bloodshed.

President Mikhail Gorbechev of the USSR was deposed for several days before it became evident that the coup had failed. For those few days, he was removed from his position and power. Although he was later released and returned to office as President of the Soviet Union, Gorbachev has not been the same man since. Quickly, others, especially Boris Yeltsin, rose to a power and prominence even greater than Gorbechev. Formerly, nations which recognized the authority of the USSR submitted themselves to the rule of President Gorbachev. Not so today. These nations now are declaring themselves free from communist party domination and the USSR. A few days’ loss of power produced a radical transformation in the USSR and the rule of its president.

Centuries ago, another powerful leader was temporarily set aside. Daniel 4 records the events of at least eight years when Nebuchadnezzar was the powerful king of Babylon. During this time, the king was warned in a dream of divine discipline. Choosing to disregard the warning, Nebuchadnezzar became insane for seven years, and his position and power were removed while he lived like an animal.

Following the seven years of divine discipline, Nebuchadnezzar’s sanity was restored. His kingdom was also restored, and his majesty and splendor were given back and even increased. But Nebuchadnezzar was never the same again. On the surface, our text describes the way God dealt personally and individually with Nebuchadnezzar. The lessons learned by this king have a much broader application than just to Gentile kings. That which God taught Nebuchadnezzar, He was also seeking to teach His people, Israel. Beyond this, as we explore our text, we should see that these lesssons are of vital importance to every Christian and every non-Christian.

Our Text in Context

Daniel 4 is the last of four chapters which depicts the way God used Daniel and his three friends to impact Nebuchadnezzar, the king who not only defeated Jerusalem and Judea, but who carried them into Babylonia. As the prophets had long warned, and as Daniel informs us (see Daniel 1:1-2; 9:1-19), this was from the hand of God, who was chastening His people for their persistent sin and rebellion.

Progressively king Nebuchadnezzar came to learn about the God of Israel and to acknowledge His superiority over the gods of Babylon. In chapter 1, we see the faithfulness of Daniel and his friends to God and to His law. The king seems ignorant of Daniel’s God but recognizes the superior wisdom of Daniel and his three friends. He even appoints them to sit among his wise men. In chapter 2, Nebuchadnezzar learns that Daniel’s God is all-wise and able to reveal the future to men. In chapter 3, he learns that Israel’s God is not only all-wise, but all-powerful. Daniel’s God is able to deliver those who trust in Him, even from a powerful king. But in chapter 4, Nebuchadnezzar comes to grips with Israel’s God in a very personal way. Somewhere in the events of this chapter, the king is radically changed. We would say he was saved. The God whom Nebuchadnezzar once knew only intellectually, he now comes to trust and worship in a very personal way. Chapter 4 is the high point of Nebuchadnezzar’s life, a point he reached by being brought to an all-time low.

The Nature of Our Text

Chapter 4 is a continuation of chapters 1-3 in that Nebuchadnezzar is the central character.⁴⁹ Chapters 1-4 may be viewed as a unit, with chapter 4 as the conclusion of this first section in Daniel. This chapter could, and did, stand alone, and its uniqueness should be recognized and appreciated.

Although chapter 4 originally stood by itself as a letter from the king of Babylon, it has been neatly integrated into the Book of Daniel. The letter was written to all the peoples, of every language (4:1). Verses 1-18 are written in the first person (“I”) and verses 19-33 in the second and third person (“you,” “the king”). This is necessary in part because someone of sound mind must describe the king’s insanity. Finally, in verses 34-37, the text returns to a narration in the first person (“I”), where the king once again publicly praises the God of Israel, while humbly acknowledging his own humiliation and restoration.

Some dispute that Nebuchadnezzar became a true believer in these verses. Their reluctance to acknowledge his conversion is understandable, for the text focuses not on Nebuchadnezzar’s salvation but on his removal and restoration from office. I do not know of any unbeliever who could write as Nebuchadnezzar has in these verses. His introductory words and conclusion sound similar to those written centuries later, penned by the apostle Paul, words which do not exalt men, but God.

The Structure of Our Text

The structure of Daniel 4 may be outlined as follows:

(1) Verses 1-3 — Nebuchadnezzar’s Greeting

(2) Verses 4-12 — Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream: Part I

(3) Verses 13-18 — Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream: Part II

(4) Verses 19-27 — Daniel’s Interpretation and Exhortation

(5) Verses 28-33 — Nebuchadnezzar Put Out to Pasture

(6) Verses 34-37 — Nebuchadnezzar’s Praise

Nebuchadnezzar’s Greeting
(4:1-3)

1 Nebuchadnezzar the king to all the peoples, nations, and men of every language that live in all the earth: “May your peace abound! 2 It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done for me. 3 How great are His signs, and how mighty are His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His dominion is from generation to generation.”

Flattering though it may not be, Daniel 4 is more than a biographical sketch of events in the life of king Nebuchadnezzar. It is more than an authorized account of the fall and rise of this Gentile king. This is a personal testimony, directed to all peoples, of every language, not just one nation or race. The focus is not on man, but on the one true God, the God of Israel. One would hardly expect such a testimony in light of these words from the king in the previous chapter:

14 “… Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready, at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, and bagpipe, and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, very well. But if you will not worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?” (Daniel 3:14b-15).

This king, mighty in battle, the instrument through whom the king of Judah was defeated and taken captive, now sends forth a greeting of peace and not war. He who once worshipped his own heathen deities now publicly praises the God of Israel! Introducing his account of what this God has personally done in his life through mighty signs and wonders, this earthly king speaks of God and of His eternal kingdom. If these are not the words of a convert, I do not know what more could be asked as proof of conversion. The verses that follow describe the events which convinced and converted this once heathen king.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream—Part I
(4:4-12)

4 “I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace. 5 I saw a dream and it made me fearful; and these fantasies as I lay on my bed and the visions in my mind kept alarming me. 6 So I gave orders to bring into my presence all the wise men of Babylon, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7 Then the magicians, the conjurers, the Chaldeans, and the diviners came in, and I related the dream to them; but they could not make its interpretation known to me. 8 But finally Daniel came in before me, whose name is Belteshazzar according to the name of my god, and in whom is a spirit of the holy gods; and I related the dream to him, saying, 9 ‘O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, since I know that a spirit of the holy gods is in you and no mystery baffles you, tell me the visions of my dream which I have seen, along with its interpretation. 10 Now these were the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed: I was looking, and behold, there was a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. 11 The tree grew large and became strong, and its height reached to the sky, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. 12 Its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches, and all living creatures fed themselves from it.

Verses 4 and 5 set the scene. The king is about to describe the dream which caused him such distress. But first he informs us that the dream came to him in the ease and luxury of his earthly kingdom when, in his own words, he was “at ease” and “flourishing” (verse 4). There was nothing intrinsically evil about his success, his power, or his wealth. But something was drastically wrong with his attitude toward his prosperity and his use of his position and power. His prosperity played a part in his problem, as Daniel will soon indicate to the king.

Once again, God revealed future events to the king in a night dream (see 2:1-3, 28-29). What he saw greatly troubled the king (verse 5). Calling for his wise men, this time he did not demand that they first declare his dream to him; he knew this was too much to ask. He told them his dream and then asked for their interpretation. As before, none of the king’s heathen wise men could declare the meaning of the dream.

At last, Daniel appears before the king. We are not told that the king summoned Daniel specifically, but he does seem confident that Daniel would be able to interpret his dream. He refers to Daniel by his Babylonian name, Belteshazzar, rather than his Hebrew name. No mention is made of Daniel’s God, but only of the “spirit of the holy gods” (verse 8).

Why did the king not summon Daniel first? Why does he not mention Daniel’s God? Why the more general reference to the “gods” ? It is not difficult to theorize the answers. At the pinnacle of success, pride and arrogance have swollen the king’s ego. How could he retain his pride if he admitted the futility of his own religion? How could he keep his image and honor, and praise the God of one of the nations subject to him?

Doubtless, Nebuchadnezzar believed Daniel could interpret his dream, but he wanted to give his wise men an opportunity first. Today we hear the expression, “Buy American.” If possible, Nebuchadnezzar wanted to “Buy Babylonian.” He wanted one of his heathen wise men to interpret the dream. Likely it would be more flattering than what Daniel would reveal. And he would not be forced to face the superiority of Daniel’s God. Daniel was Nebuchadnezzar’s last chance. Only when all else failed did he call upon this Hebrew to interpret his dream. Even when Daniel stood before the king, the king dealt with him only as a man in touch with the gods like the rest of his wise men. He seems to hope Daniel will deal with him as a heathen rather than as a Hebrew.

The king begins by telling Daniel the first part of his dream in verses 10-12, the “good news” portion, which did not trouble him. But this was the way the dream began; a great and mighty tree reached high into the sky, prominent for all the world to behold. Its boughs and fruit provided both food and shelter for the birds and the beasts of the earth.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream—Part II
(4:13-18)

13 ‘I was looking in the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed, and behold, an angelic watcher, a holy one, descended from heaven. 14 He shouted out and spoke as follows: “Chop down the tree and cut off its branches, strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit; let the beasts flee from under it, and the birds from its branches. 15 Yet leave the stump with its roots in the ground, but with a band of iron and bronze around it in the new grass of the field; and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him share with the beasts in the grass of the earth. 16 Let his mind be changed from that of a man, and let a beast’s mind be given to him, and let seven periods of time pass over him. 17 This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers, and the decision is a command of the holy ones, in order that the living may know that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whom He wishes, and sets over it the lowliest of men.” 18 ‘This is the dream which I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, tell me its interpretation, inasmuch as none of the wise men of my kingdom is able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for a spirit of the holy gods is in you.’

Most distressing to the king was the second act of his dream. An “angelic watcher” enters the scene, calling for the tree to be cut down. Its branches were to be removed and its fruit scattered. A metal band was to be put around the stump, prohibiting its growth. The “tree” was now to become a creature, living in the open field among the beasts and having the mind of a beast.

The king may not have understood the symbolism, but the words spoken by the watcher clearly spelled trouble for Nebuchadnezzar. The words struck terror into the heart of this proud, arrogant ruler:

“This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers, and the decision is a command of the holy ones, in order that the living may know that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whom He wishes, and sets over it the lowliest of men” (Daniel 4:17).

The king implores Daniel to inform him of the dream’s meaning.

Daniel’s Interpretation and Exhortation
(4:19-27)

19 “Then Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, was appalled for a while as his thoughts alarmed him. The king responded and said, ‘Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.’ Belteshazzar answered and said, ‘My lord, if only the dream applied to those who hate you, and its interpretation to your adversaries! 20 The tree that you saw, which became large and grew strong, whose height reached to the sky and was visible to all the earth, 21 and whose foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt and in whose branches the birds of the sky lodged— 22 it is you, O king; for you have become great and grown strong, and your majesty has become great and reached to the sky and your dominion to the end of the earth. 23 and in that the king saw an angelic watcher, a holy one, descending from heaven and saying, “Chop down the tree and destroy it; yet leave the stump with its roots in the ground, but with a band of iron and bronze around it in the new grass of the field, and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him share with the beasts of the field until seven periods of time pass over him” ; 24 ‘this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: 25 that you be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place be with the beasts of the field, and you be given grass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven; and seven periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whomever He wishes. 26 And in that it was commanded to leave the stump with the roots of the tree, your kingdom will be assured to you after you recognize that it is Heaven that rules. 27 Therefore, O king, may my advice be pleasing to you: break away now from your sins by doing righteousness, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, in case there may be a prolonging of your prosperity.’”

Fully grasping the dream and its interpretation must have dramatically changed Daniel’s facial expression. From Daniel’s body language, the king must have read that the revelation he had received from the dream was bad news. Nevertheless, the king was intent on knowing the meaning of the dream. He encouraged Daniel not to be distressed by what the dream meant. In truth, it seems that Daniel was more deeply affected by the dream than the king.

Daniel prefaced his interpretation with a sincere expression of his love and concern for the king. He wished that the dream applied to the king’s enemies and not the king himself. Daniel is truly committed to serve his king and to contribute to his well-being. In Daniel, we see a man who not only understands biblical submission, but one who practices it. He now reveals to Nebuchadnezzar the meaning of his dream, concluding with a course of action which might avert or delay the adversity of which the king is warned.

On the one hand, the tree depicts things as they were. The increasing height and beauty of the tree depicts the rapidly increasing majesty and splendor of Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom. On the other hand, the tree reveals the ideal, or the standard, by which Nebuchadnezzar’s reign is evaluated. It is on the basis of the failure of Nebuchadnezzar to live up to this standard that he is brought low, as indicated in the second portion of his dream.

Nebuchadnezzar judged himself and his kingdom according to the standard of greatness, power, and glory. By this standard, the king had done well. The “tree” was not created primarily for its own greatness or glory. It was to provide shelter and food for the birds of the air and the beasts of the field, providing for and protecting the earthly animals.⁵⁰

The text’s inference is that Nebuchadnezzar failed to grasp the purpose for his kingdom in the divine economy. He looked at his kingdom in terms of how well it promoted and displayed his own power and glory, not in terms of the purpose for which God had ordained it. For example, while God had raised up Nebuchadnezzar to defeat, capture, and preserve the Jews of Jerusalem and Judah, Nebuchadnezzar had set himself on a course of action which would have destroyed the Jews (see chapter 3). Rather than look upon wealth and power as a divinely bestowed stewardship, to be used to benefit the weak and the poor, Nebuchadnezzar seems to have used his power to oppress the powerless. For this reason, Nebuchadnezzar will be brought low, or, in the figure of the tree, he will be cut down and his stump banded for a period of seven years.

Reluctantly, Daniel reveals to king Nebuchadnezzar that a time of divine discipline lies ahead. Instead of being a great tree, from which the earthly creatures may find food and shelter, the tree will be cut down and join the earthly creatures. Rather than remain as a tree, the king is about to become bird-like and beast-like. His hair will become like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws (verse 33). His food will be that of the beasts of the field. He will graze like a beast and live in the field without shelter, so that the dew of heaven will drench him (verse 25). Even his thinking will be beast-like (verse 16).

All that happens to the king will be done not for his ultimate destruction, but for his deliverance and restoration. The time of his humiliation is seven years. The basis for his restoration will be his acknowledgement of the sovereignty of Almighty God, who rules in heaven, and who both raises up kings and puts them down. His restoration to sanity and power will come when he acknowledges that he is God’s unworthy servant, who has been given power to benefit and bless others rather than exalt and glorify himself.

Verse 27 must be recognized as a key verse. Daniel goes beyond the dream and its meaning to urge the king to take preventative measures, forestalling if possible this divine discipline and prolonging his prosperity. Daniel exhorts the king to “break away from his sins” and to “do righteousness,” to cease his “iniquities” and to “show mercy to the poor.”

It is here that the king’s sins are more specifically exposed and the nature and manifestation of true repentance is made known to the king. His pride and arrogance are exposed as the root of his sin. The fruit of his sin seems to be self-promotion and the oppression of the poor.

It is imperative that we see Daniel linking pride and oppression in this text. The king’s pride has resulted in the oppression of the poor. The king’s humiliation is to be the cure, resulting in justice and mercy. What is the connection between pride and oppression?

Pride is a kind of plagiarism. It attempts to grasp for ourselves the glory which belongs to another. Nebuchadnezzar took all the glory for the greatness of his kingdom; he did not give glory to God. In effect, he began to set himself in the seat of God, reminiscent of other glory-seeking creatures, including Satan himself (see Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28). Taking glory which does not belong to us causes us to see ourselves as better than others. Pride ignores and denies the truth that prosperity comes from God, as a gift of His grace, and not the reward for our greatness. Pride also interprets others’ poverty as proof of inferiority and the penalty for inferiority. Sooner or later, pride justifies the use of power as rightly taking advantage of the poor to gain from their weakness.

The Christian’s perception of wealth and poverty is the opposite—the strong are to help the weak. The pagan perception of wealth and poverty assumes the strong have the right to gain at the expense of the weak. Pride then has led to oppression.

Jonah’s life is an example of this. As a Jew, Jonah believed he was better than the Gentiles. He neither wanted nor needed grace; indeed, he despised it. Nor did he want the Ninevites to experience the grace of God. Jonah did all he could to hinder the salvation of these heathens and even desired to watch them perish. The pride of the self-righteous always reject grace and charity.

The Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day were proud and self-righteous. Like Nebuchadnezzar, they regarded their position, power, and prestige as a reward for their superiority. The poverty and affliction of others was regarded as divine punishment for their sins. The pride of those in positions of power led to oppression, and later our Lord accused the scribes and Pharisees of “stealing widow’s houses” (Matthew 23:14).

If Nebuchadnezzar was to be “saved” from divine chastening, he must recognize that his position and power were not a reward for his merits, but a gift of divine grace. He must cease using his power to further his personal “kingdom” and begin using his position and power to benefit the weak and the oppressed. This would be true repentance, and it might prolong his prosperity.

Nebuchadnezzar Put Out to Pasture
(4:28-33)

28 “All this happened to Nebuchadnezzar the king. 29 Twelve months later he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon. 30 The king reflected and said, ‘Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?’ 31 “While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: sovereignty has been removed from you, 32 and you will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whomever He wishes.’ 33 “Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled; and he was driven away from mankind and began eating grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.”

Note the difference here and what is described in Daniel 2. In chapter 2, after Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar his dream and its interpretation, the king honored and promoted Daniel. Here we find no expression of appreciation from the king, nor a promotion or advancement of Daniel. From the silence of the text, the king only politely thanked Daniel at best, choosing not to take his interpretation seriously. The dream itself seems to have had no great impact on the king’s attitude or actions.

An entire year passes in silence. Twelve months later, the warning of this dream seems entirely forgotten. The king, in his palace enjoying the fruits of his power and prosperity, looks about him and sees only the splendor of the works of his own hands. It seems to be only in his own reasonings that the king revelled in the glory of this kingdom as the result of his greatness:

‘Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?’ (verse 30).

The thought had no more than passed through his mind when the announcement of the commencement of his humiliation came to the king. His sovereignty was to be removed. His sanity was to be taken away. He who thought himself better than other men was now to be considered unworthy to dwell among men. Henceforth, he would dwell among the cattle, eating grass like the beast of the field. This would take place for seven years, until that time when the king recognized the sovereignty of God over men and kings and kingdoms, and his sanity returned.

Immediately, the pronouncement was fulfilled. In one brief verse, the king’s humiliation is described, showing that the dream and its interpretation were precisely fulfilled. Daniel summarizes in one verse what our morbid curiosity would have taken chapters to describe. There is never edification in muddling in man’s sin and depravity. How high this king had come in power and glory; how low he fell in humiliation and dishonor.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Praise and Promotion
(4:34-37)

34 “But at the end of that period I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever; for His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation. 35 and all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, but He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, ‘What hast Thou done?’ 36 “At that time my reason returned to me. and my majesty and splendor were restored to me for the glory of my kingdom, and my counselors and my nobles began seeking me out; so I was reestablished in my sovereignty, and surpassing greatness was added to me. 37 Now I Nebuchad-nezzar praise, exalt, and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.”

At the end of the appointed time, the king did the only thing he, in his beastly state, could do. He merely lifted his eyes toward heaven. It was his way of acknowledging that God in Heaven is sovereign, and that He reigns over the affairs of men and of nations. His sanity returned, and then with his whole heart and mind he worshipped the Most High God. Unlike mortal men, God lives forever. His kingdom, unlike the passing kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar, endures from generation to generation. Nebuchadnezzar was acknowledging in every possible way the infinite superiority and supremacy of God. Unlike the king of Babylon, God is able to act according to His will, in heaven and on earth. In His sight, those who inhabit the earth are as nothing. How paltry and pathetic the kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar now appears in contrast to the glorious kingdom of the eternal, all-wise and all-powerful God.

Nebuchadnezzar’s repentance brought about his restoration. Not only did he regain his sanity, he regained his kingdom. He was sought out by his counselors and nobles. His power and greatness increased above that he possessed before his downfall. His final words are those of testimony and worship, addressed to the King of heaven, praising Him for His truth, His ways, His justice and compassion in the lives of mortal men.

Conclusion

This lesson was a very personal and private intervention of God in the life of king Nebuchadnezzar, bringing him to his knees first in humiliation and then in praise. But it is a lesson for all, and thus the king makes his testimony a matter of public record, even though it does not flatter him. What lessons can we learn from this text? Along with your own thoughts, consider these:

(1) Pride is a form of insanity. Nebuchadnezzar’s experience highlights and illustrates an important principle in the relationship between pride and insanity. Pride is actually a form of insanity. Insanity is a condition in which one loses touch with reality, living in an unreal world. Sanity is seeing things as they are and then living appropriately.

I believe our text indicates that Nebuchadnezzar’s pride was insane. His chastening allowed his insanity to ripen and come into full bloom. Holding too high an opinion of oneself and lightly regarding the glory of God is insane. When one fails to live up to his or her capacity and calling as created by God, we are no better than the beasts of the field. The king’s sin made a beast of him. And so does all sin in each of us (see Psalm 73:22; Romans 1:18-32).

(2) Worship is man’s highest calling, setting him apart from the beasts of the field and giving him the basis for sanity. If the king’s self-congratulations were the cause of his humiliation, his worship was the turning point for the return of his sanity and his restoration to power. Worship is man’s highest calling. It sets men apart from the beasts. Worship sees God for who He is and man for who he is, and thus life as it truly is. Worship is the foundation for sanity. When men failed to worship God, they began their fall and became no better and little different from the beasts (Romans 1:18-32). Worship turns men to God in humility, gratitude, and worship, based upon the wonder of His grace. Worship is the way to wisdom, because it humbles us and exalts God.

(3) Our worship is directly related to our witness. Daniel chapter 4 is actually king Nebuchadnezzar’s personal testimony. He endeavors to share with others what God has taught him. Witnessing should be to the praise and glory of God. It should be an act of worship. Whether those who hear our witness turn to faith in God, God has been publicly praised in and by our witness. Too many people share their faith only as a duty and not as a delight. Their witness is not the overflow of a grateful heart, done as to the Lord, but a painful duty. We should learn how to worship and witness from this Babylonian king.

(4) Salvation should not be separated from the sovereignty of God. Recently, growing debate has surfaced over the issue of “lordship salvation.” I do not wish to reopen the debate or to take sides with the major spokesmen. I do believe that salvation is by grace, apart from works. But I also believe that our passage teaches the importance of the lordship (sovereignty) of God to the doctrine of salvation. The doctrine of God’s sovereignty was king Nebuchadnezzar’s principle obstacle. In our fallen state, we are proud, arrogant, and self-sufficient. We neither want nor accept grace. Grace is that which is extended to the helpless and the needy. Pride admits no needs, and oppresses the needy.

When the king praised God for His sovereignty, he was restored to his sanity and power. I believe it was also at this time that he was saved. While the point of the passage is not the conversion of this king, I do not think we can avoid acknowledging the radical change in this man’s life. How can an unsaved man utter the praises which come from the lips of Nebuchadnezzar? How many unbelieving kings would share the testimony of their pride and subsequent downfall as Nebuchadnezzar has done? This man seems to have come to faith in God through the events of chapter 4, and the crucial issue seems to be the sovereignty of God.

How then can we think that the sovereignty of God is not vital to evangelism and the conversion of the lost? Is the sovereignty of God something of such minor import that it can be put off until a later time, after the unbeliever has come to faith? I think not. The fall of man occurred because men failed to acknowledge and abide by the authority of God. The crucial issue which divided Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders was His authority. One cannot knowingly reject the sovereignty of God and come to Him for salvation. To come to Jesus for salvation is to come to Him as Lord. Those who have rejected Him in life will, before the throne, acknowledge Him as Lord. Jesus is Lord! Salvation is based upon this vital truth, for the Lord is the one who died and rose again, for our deliverance. The One who has all power is the One who has the power to save men from their sins.

(5) Authority is not a position of status but a place of service. There has always been an unbiblical, ungodly view of power. Jesus referred to this mindset as typical of the Gentiles. Unfortunately, it also characterized the Jews, and even the disciples of our Lord:

35 And James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, came up to Him, saying to Him, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.” 36 And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 37 And they said to Him, “Grant that we may sit in Your glory, one on Your right, and one on Your left.” 38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking for. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” 39 And they said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. 40 “But to sit on My right or on My left, this is not Mine to give; but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” 41 And hearing this, the ten began to feel indignant toward James and John. 42 And calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. 43 But it is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; 44 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:35-45).

The Gentiles view power and authority as the basis for being served. Men seek to rise to positions of power and authority so that others under them might serve them. So it was with Nebuchadnezzar. But God places men in authority so that they may serve those under them. Leadership is not characterized by status but by service and self-sacrifice. Our Lord exercised authority in this way, and it should be the way of his followers:

1 Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow-elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, 2 shepherd the flock of God among you, not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; 3 nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock, 4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time … (1 Peter 5:1-6)

Power is a gift of grace, not a reward for merit. It is given to make men strong so they may serve the weak. Power is never given to bolster the ego of one who is divinely strengthened or enabled. These truths apply to those in leadership, but also to every Christian. Every Christian is divinely empowered with a spiritual gift or gifts to serve others, ultimately serving our Lord. None should be prideful and glory in his gift because of the abilities God has given. Rather, we should be grateful, humble, and alert for opportunities to use our strengths to minister to those who are weak.

(6) The lesson God had for Nebuchadnezzar also applied to the Jews. God raised up Nebuchadnezzar to power and position. God gave king Jehoiakim and the other captive kings into Nebuchadnezzar’s hands (see Daniel 1:1). Nebuchadnezzar was successful and rose to power by the grace of God, not due to his own merit (see Daniel 4:17). When he became proud and took credit for divine grace, God humbled him—not to destroy him but to deliver him, to make of him a humble and grateful worshipper. Humiliation was ultimately God means of exalting the king. What appeared to be his destruction became the means of his deliverance. To be restored, the king must repent, acknowledge the sovereignty of God, and demonstrate his repentance by showing forth righteousness in being merciful to the poor.

Nebuchadnezzar’s rise and fall almost exactly mirrors the rise, fall, and restoration of the nation Israel. Israel was not chosen because of her greatness or potential. She was chosen in spite of her weakness and insignificance, to serve God and bring glory to Him. When God made this people a great nation in Egypt and was about to bring them into the blessings of Canaan, He warned them of the danger of pride, cautioning them about taking credit for His grace (see Deuteronomy 6-8). He warned them of His chastening if they failed to obey His laws, to worship Him alone, and to care for the poor and the oppressed (see Deuteronomy 28).

Israel failed to heed these warnings and those of later prophets, just as Nebuchadnezzar failed to heed the warning of his dream from Daniel. And so this nation was humbled by defeat and captivity. This nation, which was to exercise authority in the name of God, was removed from authority. They were scattered among the nations, as Nebuchadnezzar was put among the beasts of the field. Just as Nebuchadnezzar was delivered by acknowledging God’s sovereignty and grace, and by worshipping Him, so the Israelites would be delivered and restored.

The story of Nebuchadnezzar’s elevation, humiliation, and restoration should have given hope to the nation Israel, for just as he was put down and later restored, so would they be. The restoration of this Gentile king was recorded to give hope to the humbled, captives of Judah, who would also be restored to their position of leadership in God’s economy.

(7) Sooner or later, all mankind will be humbled before God and acknowledge His sovereignty. Nebuchadnezzar bowed before God after seven years of humiliation. He became a worshipper of the One true God. He will continue to worship and serve God for all eternity. What Nebuchadnezzar did many years ago, every man and woman will do in the future. All mankind will acknowledge that Jesus is Lord. Some Jews and Gentiles will do so by professing faith in Him as Savior and Lord:

34 “For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says: ‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, 35 UNTIL I MAKE THINE ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR THY FEET” ‘ 36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.” (Acts 2:34-36).

8 But what does it say? “THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART” — that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, 9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; 10 for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation, 11 For the Scriptures says, “WHOEVER WILL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.” (Romans 10:8-11).

After death, those who reject Jesus as Savior and Lord will not be given another chance to choose Him as Savior. But they will be required to acknowledge Him as LORD:

5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:5-11).

I must now ask you the most important question you will ever answer: “What have you done with Jesus Christ?” Have you trusted in Him as Savior and Lord? I am not speaking about mere intellectual assent. Years before the events of Daniel chapter 4 Nebuchadnezzar had recognized the wisdom and the power of the God of Israel. But he had not placed his trust in Him. I am not asking if you know about God. I am asking if you have come personally to trust in Him, to love Him, and to worship Him. Your response to the Lord Jesus Christ is the most important issue of your life.

Chapter 4:
Questions and Answers

(1) How does chapter 4 of Daniel fit into the context of the book?

Chapters 1-4 of Daniel all take place during the reign of king Nebuchadnezzar. In chapter 1, Nebuchadnezzar is the king who defeated Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and who took captives back to Babylon, including Daniel and his three friends. While the king did not seem to be aware of the faith of Daniel and his friends, he did recognize the superior wisdom God had given them, and thus he appointed them as his advisors. In chapter 2, through Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar came to understand the superiority of the God of the Jews as the God who knows the future and reveals future events to men. In chapter 3, through Daniel’s three friends, Nebuchadnezzar came to understand that the God of the Jews is able to deliver His people from the hands of those who would seek to destroy them. Now, in chapter 4, Nebuchadnezzar not only learns about God, but he seems to come to know God personally, through his dream and its fulfillment. In chapter 5, we leave king Nebuchadnezzar and move to the times of king Belshazzar. Thus, chapter 4 is the conclusion to the narrative of God’s working in the life of king Nebuchadnezzar.

(2) What is unique about this chapter?

Chapter 4 fits very nicely into the context of chapters 1-4, serving as the conclusion to the account of Nebuchadnezzar. But as one looks more carefully at chapter 4, it becomes evident that this chapter is a separate work included in the Book of Daniel. Chapter 4 is the personal testimony of king Nebuchadnezzar, who writes of his pride, his humiliation, and his restoration. The first and final sections of this chapter are written in the first person (“I”).

(3) Why did Nebuchadnezzar not call for Daniel first, rather than after all the other wise men? Why did Nebuchadnezzar refer to Daniel by his Babylonian name?

It would seem that the king had every confidence that Daniel would be able to interpret his dream (see verses 8 and 9). He may have delayed calling for Daniel because he preferred to give his own counselors first chance. It may also be that Nebuchadnezzar sensed that Daniel’s God would not be so easy on him as his own “gods” would have been. Daniel’s interpretation of the king’s first dream, recorded in Daniel 2, was not altogether flattering, for he told the king the days of his kingdom were numbered, and that the reign of the Gentile kings was to be cut off by the coming Messiah. Nebuchadnezzar’s reference to Daniel by his Babylonian name, and in terms of the “gods” more generally, may have been his conscious or unconscious effort to avoid any comparison between the God of Israel and the gods of the Babylonians. While the king had previously given testimony to the superiority of the God of Israel, he did not really prefer to do this. Far better that Daniel’s God be seen as one among the many (gods), than as the One who is God over all (Lord of lords), or so Nebuchadnezzar seems to have thought.

(4) For what evil was Nebuchadnezzar being chastened?

Nebuchadnezzar was being rebuked and exhorted concerning his attitude of pride and arrogance. He was also informed indirectly of his sin with regard to the poor. In his arrogance, Nebuchadnezzar seems to have been oppressing the poor, rather than protecting and providing for them. As the “tree” was to provide food and lodging for the birds and the beasts, so Nebuchadnezzar was to provide for his people, particularly for the poor.

(5) How was Nebuchadnezzar’s pride related to his oppression of the poor?

Pride takes the credit (glory) for that which we have not accomplished. Nebuchadnezzar took pride in his rise to power, in his mighty kingdom, and in his defeat of the Jews. All this was God-given, apart from any merit on the king’s part. The king thought his prosperity proved him to be better than others. He seems also to have concluded that the poverty of others proved them to be inferior. Thus, the powerful and prosperous begin to reason that they have the right to gain at the expense of the poor. One can use his strength to take from the weak. The Bible teaches the opposite. God makes men strong so that they can minister to the weak (see Romans 15:1-3; Ephesians 4:28). This same tendency of the strong to prey upon the weak is evident among the Jews (see Jeremiah 7:1-7; 22:13-23; Ezekiel 34:1-6; Matthew 23:14).

(6) How is Nebuchadnezzar’s discipline and restoration a lesson to the Jews and to every Christian?

Nebuchadnezzar was raised up to power and prosperity by God. Rather than give God the glory and use his power to serve others, Nebuchadnezzar became proud, arrogant, and an oppressor. God first warned him by means of his dream. Then God humbled Nebuchadnezzar for a time. All this was to bring the king to his senses, so that he would acknowledge, serve, and worship God.

Israel too was elevated to a position of power, preeminence, and prosperity by God. He made this insignificant people into a great nation, a nation through whom He would rule the earth. Israel became proud and arrogant, taking credit for the prominence and prosperity God had given them by grace. God warned His people of coming judgment through the law and the prophets. They, like Nebuchadnezzar, did not heed God’s warnings. Also, like Nebuchadnezzar, Israel would be humbled, stripped of her power, prominence, and prosperity. The Jews would be scattered and humbled, until they once again turned to their God in humility and in grateful worship. Just as the king’s humiliation was God-given, to bring him to faith, so Israel’s humiliation would turn their hearts to God, so that He might forgive and restore them to a place of blessing. Thus, the king’s humiliation, repentance, and restoration was intended to give hope to Israel, that, through their humiliation, they might be brought to repentance and restoration.

(7) What are the evidences that Nebuchadnezzar became a true believer in this chapter?

In Daniel 2 and 3, Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged the greatness of Israel’s God, to reveal and to deliver His people. The king took steps to guarantee the Jews the freedom to worship their God without interference. In chapter 4, Nebuchadnezzar himself becomes a worshipper of God. He moves from a kind of intellectual awareness of God’s character and attributes to a personal response to them, that of worship and of witness. No heathen could say the things which Nebuchadnezzar has said of God.

2 You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the dumb idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you, that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed” ; and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:2-3).

(8) What is the relationship between salvation and the sovereignty of God?

The so-called “lordship salvation” controversy has become a heated and divisive debate. I wish to simply point out here that Nebuchadnezzar appears to have come to a personal faith in God in our text, and that the sovereignty of God seems to be the crucial issue. Up to this point, Nebuchadnezzar had been willing and able to acknowledge that God knows all and that He is all-powerful. Here, he confesses that He is Lord.

In Satan’s fall, Lucifer rebelled against God’s sovereignty. So too Adam and Eve rebelled against the authority of God in the Garden of Eden. When our Lord introduced and presented Himself as Israel’s Messiah, the crucial issue was that of His authority. When the apostles called upon men to be saved, they urged them to acknowledge Him as Lord. I do not see how anyone can turn to a God for salvation who is not Lord. And I do not see how the fall can be reversed apart from submission to the authority of God. Trusting in Jesus Christ for salvation delivers a death blow to pride, because it requires an acknowledgment of our sin and inability to save ourselves, and a confession that Jesus is both Lord and Savior.

Related Passages For Your Consideration

Psalm 1; 145:8-13
Isaiah 6; 10:15-19, 33-34; 11:1-5
Jeremiah 17:7-8
Ezekiel 17; 31

49 There is, of course, a sense in which Daniel and his three friends are the central characters, which I would not dispute. But notice that while Nebuchadnezzar is prominent in every chapter (1-4), Daniel is not referred to in chapter 3, and his three friends are unnamed after chapter 3. Only Nebuchadnezzar is present in all four of the first chapters of Daniel.

50 The accuracy of this imagery is interesting. Today, in the Pacific Northwest, environmentalists are seeking to prevent the cutting down of those trees which provide a habitat for the spotted owl.

Passage:

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6. The Hand of God in History (Daniel 5:1-31)

Introduction

Have you ever seen a tragedy coming and could do nothing to stop it? One evening as my family and I returned from a school outing, a car passed us at incredible speed, losing control as it sped by. Careening out of control, the car bounced along the center median, rupturing the gas tank and spewing a trail of gas down the highway. Sparks flew as the underside of the car scraped the concrete curb.

Instantly, the sparks ignited, and flames followed the car to its final halt. We watched helplessly while the flames caught up with the car, ignited the gas tank, and engulfed the car in flames. A wall of fire between us and the automobile prevented our rendering aid. Thankfully, those on the other side of the flames were able to rescue the passenger.

Reading Daniel 5 gives me that same feeling of helplessness and distress. From our distance in time, our knowledge of history, and the account of Daniel, we know the king, and likely those dining with him at his royal banquet, are destined for destruction. Yet we can do nothing to prevent it. Helplessly, we look on as judgment day comes for king Belshazzar.

Announcement of the king’s coming judgment begins by a mysterious hand writing on the wall of the banquet hall. Crying aloud, the king summons the wise men of Babylon. Their inability to fulfill his instructions only adds to his frustration. When his ability to interpret such matters is made known to the king, Daniel enters the scene.

It was in chapter 2 of the Book of Daniel that king Nebuchadnezzar had a distressing dream, which he demanded that his wise men reveal and interpret; they could not do so. Daniel revealed the dream and its meaning to king Nebuchadnezzar, and in so doing spared the lives of the wise men. In chapter 4, Nebuchadnezzar had yet another dream. Once again, the king first sought the meaning from the other wise men of Babylon. When all others failed to explain the king’s dream, Daniel revealed its meaning and called on the king to repent, so that the threatened outcome might be delayed or prevented.

Another king now sits on the throne in Babylon. His name is Belshazzar, and Nebuchadnezzar was his “father.” For years, the skeptics pointed to this chapter as yet another evidence of the late date and fictitious character of the Book of Daniel. More recent findings have led many Bible scholars, even some of the more liberal ones, to agree with the facts presented in this chapter.

Recent archaeological findings have named Belshazzar and identified him as the son of Nabonidus. Now, conservative scholars generally agree that Belshazzar shared a co-regency with his father, especially in his father’s absence from Babylon. This could explain how Belshazzar offered the man who could interpret the writing on the wall the position of third ruler of the kingdom (Daniel 5:16).⁵¹

Nearly 25 years have passed since the events of chapter 4 and over 70 years since chapter 1. Now advanced in years, Daniel is a senior statesman in Babylon. He has outlasted a number of kings and in his time Belshazzar, the last of the Chaldean kings of Babylon, will be killed and Babylon will pass from Chaldean rule to rule by Darius the Mede.

In chapters 1-4, we have an account of the life of Nebuchadnezzar, the first Babylonian king to rule over the captive Jews. The account looks at several events in the life of this great king, which eventually bring him to his knees in worship and praise of the God of Israel. Daniel then passes over several kings, giving us this brief account of the last day in the reign of Belshazzar, the last of the Chaldean kings.

The death of Belshazzar at the hand of Darius is a partial fulfillment of the prophecy revealed to king Nebuchadnezzar by his dream in chapter 2. There, Daniel informed Nebuchadnezzar that his kingdom was the first of four kingdoms to precede the coming of Messiah. His was the kingdom of gold, to be followed by a lesser kingdom of silver (Daniel 2:39). The kingdom of silver is introduced in Daniel 5, when Darius captures Babylon, and Belshazzar is put to death. The Medo-Persian kingdom is born, fulfilling the first part of the prophecy revealed through Daniel.

Belshazzar’s Blasphemous Banquet
(5:1-4)

1 Belshazzar the king held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in the presence of the thousand. 2 When Belshazzar tasted the wine, he gave orders to bring the gold and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, in order that the king and his nobles, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. 3 Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God which was in Jerusalem; and the king and his nobles, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. 4 They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

Understanding how things went from bad to worse in these verses is not difficult. As a college student, I worked several months for a caterer. One night we catered a banquet for a group of socialites in the city of Seattle. As the night wore on and the alcohol flowed freely, I saw and heard things I never would have expected or believed from people normally very proper and dignified.

Such seems to have been the scene at Belshazzar’s banquet.⁵² One thousand of the king’s nobles were invited, along with their wives or other women. The king was responsible for what happened, and too much wine seems to have contributed to his poor judgment. A false sense of pride and self-sufficiency seems to have dominated the dinner party. The king remembered the expensive vessels which Nebuchadnezzar, his father,⁵³ had taken when he defeated and captured Jerusalem. How much more impressive the evening would be if they drank their wine from the gold and silver vessels from the temple in Jerusalem.⁵⁴

And so the vessels were brought in. The wine continued to flow freely, and toasts began to be offered. That these pagans were engaged in a kind of drinking bout with the sacred temple vessels was bad enough, but the ultimate blasphemy was toasting the gods of gold, silver, brass, iron, wood, and stone.⁵⁵

God has a limit to how far He will allow men to go in their sin. In His longsuffering and mercy, God may allow men to continue in their sin for a time. But there is a time for judgment.⁵⁶ The king and his Babylonian dinner guests crossed the line that fateful night in the banquet hall of Babylon. Judgment day had come, and the writing on the wall announced its arrival.

The Handwriting on the Wall
(5:5-9)

5 Suddenly the fingers of a man’s hand emerged and began writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, and the king saw the back of the hand that did the writing. 6 Then the king’s face grew pale, and his thoughts alarmed him; and his hip joints went slack, and his knees began knocking together. 7 The king called aloud to bring in the conjurers, the Chaldeans and the diviners. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, “Any man who can read this inscription and explain its interpretation to me will be clothed with purple, and have a necklace of gold around his neck, and have authority as third ruler in the kingdom.” 8 Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or make known its interpretation to the king. 9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, his face grew even paler, and his nobles were perplexed.

Knowing the power of the Babylonian kings,⁵⁷ Belshazzar must have seen many men stand in fear and trembling before him. Now it was his turn to tremble. In that torch-lit banquet hall, the revelry had reached its peak, doubtlessly with loud boasting and toasting, laughter and celebration. Likely, the king was the life of the party. Perhaps he was closest to the sudden emerging of the mysterious hand in the light of the nearby lamp.

One might have thought the king was having a heart attack. Barely able to stand, his face was ashen and seized with terror. The raucous laughter turned to deafening silence with all eyes on the king. The king’s eyes were fixed upon the hand as it wrote. As a sense of foreboding and panic fell on the crowd, all eyes turned to the mysterious writing on the wall. The king’s actions alarmed all who were present.

One can only imagine the scene. Already affected by too much wine, the king’s terror robbed his legs of all strength. The lower part of his body seems to have lost control. Crying aloud in fear, his speech probably slurred, the king immediately summoned his wise men to the banquet hall. What did these words on the wall mean? He must know. A tempting reward was offered to anyone who could interpret the meaning of the handwriting on the wall.

Some think the king did not recognize the words, while others believe he only failed to understand their meaning. Since the words seem to be written in Aramaic, and there are only three, it may be that he recognized the words but did not understand their meaning. Unable to decipher their meaning, the wise men come and go. The king’s fear and distress intensifies while the others remain terror stricken.

The Recommendation of Daniel
(5:10-12)

10 The queen entered the banquet hall because of the words of the king and his nobles; the queen spoke and said, “O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts alarm you or your face be pale. 11 “There is a man in your kingdom in whom is a spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father, illumination, insight, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him. And King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, your father the king, appointed him chief of the magicians, conjurers, Chaldeans, and diviners. 12 “This was because an extraordinary spirit, knowledge and insight, interpretation of dreams, explanation of enigmas, and solving of difficult problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Let Daniel now be summoned, and he will declare the interpretation.”

The queen mother⁵⁸ does not seem to have attended the banquet, but eventually the cries of those in the banquet hall reach her ears, and she arrives on the scene. Taking note of Belshazzar’s appearance and demeanor, she tries to calm him. She informs the king that in the past a man named Daniel had successfully dealt for many years with such difficult matters. Daniel could decipher the words and their meaning.

The queen has great confidence in Daniel’s ability based upon his track record in the history of Babylonian affairs. Her summary of Daniel’s accomplishments in verse 12 suggests that Daniel performed other amazing tasks throughout the lifetime of king Nebuchadnezzar. Those recorded in the Book of Daniel are but a sampling of Daniel’s ministry to the king.

Sadly, we must observe that the queen mother’s confidence in Daniel does not seem to have been related to any personal faith in his God. She refers to Daniel and his great wisdom in pagan terms and makes no reference to Daniel’s God as the God of the Jews. She simply refers to his wisdom as having its source in “the gods.” His wisdom was extraordinary, but not the wisdom of a sovereign God. Her knowledge of Daniel and his God is superior to that of Belshazzar, but inferior to that of Nebuchadnezzar’s final assessment (see Daniel 4:2-3, 34-37). Her confidence does seem to produce a calming effect on the king and his guests. The king summons Daniel to appear before the king and his guests that very night.

Daniel is Summoned
(5:13-16)

13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel who is one of the exiles from Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah? 14 “Now I have heard about you that a spirit of the gods is in you, and that illumination, insight, and extraordinary wisdom have been found in you. 15 “Just now the wise men and the conjurers were brought in before me that they might read this inscription and make its interpretation known to me, but they could not declare the interpretation of the message. 16 “But I personally have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Now if you are able to read the inscription and make its interpretation known to me, you will be clothed with purple and wear a necklace of gold around your neck, and you will have authority as the third ruler in the kingdom.”

When Daniel arrived, the king was eager to assure himself that this was the man the queen mother had recommended with the credentials to perform the task at hand. His questions all pertain to Daniel’s ministry during the reign of his “father” Nebuchadnezzar. They will, to some degree, become the basis for Daniel’s indictment of the king’s sin in the verses which follow. The question then will not be whether Daniel demonstrated divine wisdom, but what this king did with the knowledge of such wisdom.

The failure of all the other wise men in the kingdom is reported to Daniel in the words of verse 15. Daniel was being asked to do what no other wise man in Babylon could do, all having failed before Daniel was summoned. If Daniel was able to fulfill the king’s request, there would be a reward. The king promised royal clothing, a gold necklace, and a position of power directly under him. Obviously, the king was eager to know what those words on the wall meant.

Daniel’s Indictment
(5:17-24)

17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Keep your gifts for yourself, or give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the inscription to the king and make the interpretation known to him. 18 “O king, the Most High God granted sovereignty, grandeur, glory, and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father. 19 “And because of the grandeur which He bestowed on him, all the peoples, nations, and men of every language feared and trembled before him; whomever he wished he killed, and whomever he wished he spared alive; and whomever he wished he elevated, and whomever he wished he humbled. 20 “But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit became so proud that he behaved arrogantly, he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken away from him. 21 “He was also driven away from mankind, and his heart was made like that of beasts, and his dwelling place was with the wild donkeys. He was given grass to eat like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he recognized that the Most High God is ruler over the realm of mankind, and that He sets over it whomever He wishes. 22 “Yet you, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this, 23 but you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from them; and you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which do not see, hear or understand. But the God in whose hand are your life-breath and your ways, you have not glorified. 24 “Then the hand was sent from Him, and this inscription was written out.

Daniel begins by turning down Belshazzar’s reward. Let the king keep his gifts or give them to someone else. Why would he decline Belshazzar’s offer? Daniel knows that the king’s gifts are virtually useless. What good would it do Daniel to be given the third highest office in the administration of Belshazzar when his reign would end that very night? Daniel was God’s servant, divinely gifted to interpret dreams. He would not prostitute his gift by using it for his own gain. His was a gift of grace, and he would use it that way. Finally, Daniel was not “for hire.” As God’s prophet, Daniel spoke to men for God. He was not like Balaam, whose ministry could be bought. When the king pressed Daniel to take the gifts, Daniel did so, knowing he had faithfully carried out his task as God’s servant.

Verses 18-24 are fascinating. In these verses Daniel explains the guilt of king Belshazzar. The writing on the wall, explained in verses 25-28, speak of the imminent judgment of God which will fall upon Belshazzar and his kingdom, due to sin. Daniel spends more time on the king’s guilt than on his punishment, as he devotes more time to explaining the reason for the writing than the meaning of the writing.

Verses 18-24 are intriguing also because they focus on Belshazzar’s father, Nebuchadnezzar. Belshazzar’s sin is attributed to his failure to learn from history. The great head of gold was Nebuchadnezzar, the one into whose hand God gave king Jehoiakim, the king of Judah. He was the one who had brought the vessels from the temple in Jerusalem to Babylon (1:1-2; 5:2). Under his reign, Daniel’s divinely bestowed wisdom became evident and was displayed on various occasions. The queen mother’s words in 5:10-12 focus on Daniel’s wisdom during the days of Nebuchadnezzar. Now, when Daniel rebukes this king, he does so because he ignored the lessons he should have learned from the past, through his father’s experiences with Daniel and his God.

The events of Daniel 4 are now repeated, as a lesson which not only Nebuchadnezzar learned but which Belshazzar his son should have learned as well. God sovereignly granted Nebuchadnezzar power, glory, and majesty, and he exercised that power and authority over mankind. But his heart became proud, and he acted arrogantly. God temporarily took away his power and his kingdom, and he became like the beasts of the field, eating grass and living in the elements without shelter. All this happened so that he might recognize God as the ruler over mankind and recognize that all human authority is delegated to men by God, from whom all authority is derived.

Belshazzar knew these things, and yet he had not learned from them. His heart was now proud and haughty like that of his forefather Nebuchadnezzar. He exalted himself against the God of heaven, as evidenced in his profaning the holy vessels taken from the temple. His sin was shared by those who ate and drank toasts with him that night. Rather than glorifying the God of heaven, whom he had heard about in relationship to his forefather, Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar blasphemed the name of God by profaning the temple vessels. This was the reason for the writing on the wall. The blasphemous use of the vessels and the writing on the wall were inseparably related. Judgment day had arrived.

Daniel’s Interpretation
(5:25-28)

25 “Now this is the inscription that was written out: ‘MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.’ 26 “This is the interpretation of the message: ‘MENE’— God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it. 27 “‘TEKEL’— you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient. 28 “‘PERES’— your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.”

Three little words compose the message, one of which was repeated. They seem to be Aramaic words. While these words may have been familiar to the king, the message in writing was so terse he could not understand it. Now, Daniel is about to interpret the meaning of the words on the wall.

Scholars have spent considerable effort to explore the origin and meaning of each of these three terms.⁵⁹ We need not rely on such efforts to determine the meaning of the writing on the wall. The king did not need a dictionary; he needed the interpretation of the meaning of these three words as written, in the context of that moment of history. In effect, it would seem that the message on the wall was a kind of abbreviation, summed up in three words. Imagine a three point message!

Daniel explained that the twice-used term ‘MENE’ informed the king that God had numbered his kingdom and was putting an end to it (verse 26). In effect, God seems to be saying to Belshazzar, “Time’s up.” ‘TEKEL’ meant the king had been weighed on the scales of divine justice and found deficient. The king had given God short measure. ‘PERES’⁶⁰ is the divine notification that the Babylonian kingdom was to be divided and handed over to the Medes and the Persians (verse 28).

Daniel’s Reward
(5:29)

29 Then Belshazzar gave orders, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a necklace of gold around his neck, and issued a proclamation concerning him that he now had authority as the third ruler in the kingdom.

Verse 29 describes the king’s response, which, like his life and administration, was found wanting. Belshazzar’s response to Daniel imply two sad realities. First, the king’s response indicates he believed Daniel had given him the true interpretation of the writing on the wall. He rewarded Daniel as he had promised to anyone who could interpret the writing on the wall. When he rewarded Daniel, he gave testimony to the truth of the interpretation Daniel had given. Surely he would never have rewarded Daniel for an interpretation he believed to be inaccurate.

Second, the king’s response is sadly deficient. While Daniel is not said to have urged the king to repent, as he did with Nebuchadnezzar (4:27), prophecy affords sinners the opportunity to repent.⁶¹ Daniel does not indicate how much time is left for the king. We know from the final verses of the passage that the night would not pass before the king was put to death. For him, there were only minutes—at the most hours—to repent, and he did not do so.

Is this one final act of pride described in verse 29? Did the king take such pride that his word would be carried out that he spent his last moments bestowing the promised reward upon Daniel, a reward Daniel had already turned down? Or did the king think that putting Daniel in a position of power might change things? I believe Daniel turned down the reward before he interpreted the writing on the wall because he wanted the king to know his was a ministry of grace. The king’s insistence on rewarding Daniel, even in the last moments of his own life, was to be understood as a rejection of grace. The king’s promise was fulfilled, but at the same time, his doom was sealed. How tragic to be preoccupied with purple clothing, a gold necklace, and the promotion of men, rather than with eternal destiny.

Belshazzar’s Reward
(5:30-31)

30 That same night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain. 31 So Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two.

While Daniel had not given a time frame for when his kingdom would end, the inference of Daniel’s words was that time had run out for the king. Did the king even have time to sober up enough to understand what Daniel had told him? That very night the writing on the wall was fulfilled. Belshazzar was killed, and Darius the Mede came to power.

Secular history fills in much detail here showing how the Babylonian king felt secure within the walls of that great city and how Darius managed to lower the level of the River Euphrates which flowed through the city so that his army could enter the city unhindered. Daniel omits these details, perhaps because they diminish the impact of the swift and devastating fulfillment of prophecy.

Daniel intends for us to grasp this one thing: the Word of God is sure. God brought about the downfall of Babylon and Belshazzar, its king, just as He said. The history books provide details of this defeat, but Daniel underscores the one thing they will all omit: the death of Belshazzar and the defeat of Babylon was the judgment of God on a city and a people who profaned the name of the God of Israel. God will not be mocked.

Conclusion

We see from our passage that the events of that fateful final night in Belshazzar’s banquet hall did not profit him at all. We may conclude then that Daniel 5 was written more for our edification than for Belshazzar. Let us conclude our study by highlighting some of the lessons we should learn from the writing on the wall.

(1) The deadly nature of the sin of pride. Pride is the evil response of sinful men to the grace of God. It is taking personal credit for what God has given or accomplished. Pride was the root sin necessitating the disciplining of Nebuchadnezzar, as we learn both from Daniel 4 and our text in chapter 5. Pride was also the sin of Belshazzar. It led to his blasphemous acts with the temple vessels and, ultimately, to his death.

The Bible views pride as a dreaded and deadly sin. In our culture today, pride is seen more as a virtue. In our culture, it is not something men have too much of, but something men believe they lack and need more of. Why does the Bible condemn men for thinking too highly of themselves and command them to do otherwise (see Philippians 2:1-11), while our culture tells us the great evil, the source of many social ills, is the lack of self-esteem? If self-esteem is not another name for pride, then what is it, and when is it ever described, defended, or advocated in the Scriptures?

Like his father, Belshazzar did not see God for who He is. He had no adequate grasp of the greatness of God, which always results in humility—a realistic view of ourselves. Only when we esteem God rightly do we see ourselves correctly. Pride swells men’s ego to the point that God is small, and He can be controlled by men. True worship sees God as “high and lifted up,” infinitely wise and all-powerful. True worship causes men to fall before God in humble praise and adoration. To fail to acknowledge the glory of God and pursue and promote one’s own glory is to pursue death. We must not fail to learn this from the death of Belshazzar.

(2) The inadequacy of secular wisdom. Three times in the first five chapters of Daniel, the wisest men in the land were summoned by the king to tell him the truth which had been divinely revealed. Each time, the wise men were forced to acknowledge their inability to do so. Secular wisdom can never provide the answers for the all-important, spiritual and eternal issues of life:

8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8, 9)

33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! 34 FOR WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? 35 OR WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN? 36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen (Romans 11:33-36; see also 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; 2:6-16).

A popular phrase frequently heard in Christian circles today says something like this: “All truth is God’s truth.” On the face of it, this is surely true. The problem is in placing secularly derived truth on the same level as divinely revealed truth. God’s truth, as revealed in His Word, is the only truth we need to be saved and to live godly lives in this world (see 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12-13; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:22-25; 2:1-3; 2 Peter 1:2-4, 16-21; 3:14-18).

Why are Christians turning more and more to the secular wisdom of men (sometimes Christian men) for that which is essential for life and godliness? Are the Scriptures not sufficient? Is the cross of Christ not the solution for sin? What does the world offer that is better than the Bible has to offer? Christians are turning to secular wisdom for truth, guidance, and direction, when the Book of Daniel turns us to divine revelation. It is time to get back to the Book!

(3) Seeing the hand of God in history. The spiritual, divinely inspired account of the fall of Babylon differs greatly from that of secular accounts. I must admit it was tempting for me to “fill in” some details of the fall of Babylon from sources outside the Scriptures. But then it struck me: Daniel’s account includes all that God felt it necessary for us to know. It is not wrong to know more, but all we need to know, God has revealed in the Bible.

Daniel’s account differs greatly from the secular accounts of the historians. How and why Daniel differs is significant and instructive. Secular accounts focus on the political and administrative blunders of Belshazzar and Babylon. Daniel focuses on the moral failures of Belshazzar and the nobility of Babylon. Secular history would look at the death of Belshazzar and his kingdom from a political point of view. The Bible describes the same incidents from a spiritual viewpoint. The moral failure was that of pride. The sin was that of blasphemy and failing to give God the glory which is His. Secular accounts would focus on diverting of the river which passed under or through the walls of Babylon, while the Bible focuses on divine judgment. The city fell because this was God’s judgment on a wicked nation and a wicked king.

Daniel 5 describes the hand of God in the writing on the wall, but it also describes the hand of God in the history of Babylon and of Israel. To Belshazzar the “hand of God” was a bizarre and frightening thing. To the Christian, seeing “the hand of God” in history should be a constant mindset. Allow me illustrate this mindset.

In the past few weeks, we have seen the division of the USSR, the downfall of the Communist party, and the Communist domination of the Soviet Union. As we have watched the news, people have even had opportunity to ask questions of Soviet leaders Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin. In all of the explanations, the simplest, ultimate reason for the fall of Communism has been overlooked: Communism rule in Russia has toppled because God has divinely judged it. Communism was allowed to rule for a time. Communism denies the existence of God and resists the church of Jesus Christ and the proclamation of the gospel. Communism was given its day in the sun to achieve those purposes which God had for it. Now, judgment day has come for Communism. The cause of the events which have taken place in Russia are not found in the political realm but in the spiritual realm. We must see the hand of God in the history of the USSR.

(4) Learning from history. I am impressed that while Belshazzar’s punishment was revealed by the writing on the wall, this king’s sin was the result of his failure to heed the lessons which his father, Nebuchadnezzar, had learned. The basis for Belshazzar’s judgment was his failure to heed history and the lessons of his father. All the king needed to know in order to honor God and be spared from divine judgment, he did know. But he failed to act on what he knew from history. Even when the day of judgment was revealed through the writing on the wall, he still did not repent.

When you and I stand before God, all of the Bible will be the basis for divine judgment. We cannot say we did not know better nor can we plead ignorance. No one, in all of time, has been given so much revelation as we. I must ask: “What have you done with the revelation you have received through the Bible?” As God held Belshazzar responsible for what had happened to Nebuchadnezzar, so he will hold you and I responsible for what has happened to men through history, as revealed in His Holy Word. We must learn to heed the lessons of history.

(5) The judgment of God. Daniel 5 is the inspired account of the judgment of God, falling upon the kingdom of Babylon and upon its king, Belshazzar. How sad to read of a king who parties while his kingdom crumbles, and who fails to repent even when the day of judgment is divinely revealed to him. Refusing to heed the “hand-writing on the wall,” he was judged for it. The final minutes of life were spent in matters pertaining to his earthly kingdom, rather than in seeking entrance into the eternal kingdom.

The judgment of Babylon and of Belshazzar were certain. They were also imminent. Yet the king never seemed to grasp this and act accordingly. His actions are typical of all who are blinded by sin. For this reason, our Lord warned of the dullness of men’s hearts and minds, even as the day of judgment approaches:

32 “Now learn the parable from the fig tree; when its branch has already become tender, and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; 33 even so you, too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. 34 Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away. 36 But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. 38 For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, they were marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that NOAH ENTERED THE ARK, 39 and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then there shall be two men in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left. Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming, 43 But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 44 For this reason you be ready too; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will (Matthew 24:32-44).

Only two letters are different in the names Belshazzar (the king) and Belteshazzar (Daniel). The life of the king was cut short, while the life of the prophet was extended, so that he outlived several Babylonian kings and served in the Medio-Persian court as well as the Babylonian court. But the difference between Belshazzar and Belteshazzar is not in the spelling of their names; the difference is in their relationship to God. Belshazzar resisted and rejected the grace of God and the revelation which he was given through history and the prophet Daniel. Belshazzar reaped the wrath of God. Belteshazzar, Daniel, trusted in God and served Him faithfully. Daniel believed, obeyed, and proclaimed God’s Word, and lived on. Not only did Daniel live long in this world, but he will live forever in the kingdom of God. May you not be like Belshazzar but like Belteshazzar.

1 “Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; Sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans. For you shall no longer be called tender and delicate, 2 Take the millstones and grind meal, Remove your veil, strip off the skirt, Uncover the legs, cross the rivers. 3 Your nakedness will be uncovered, Your shame also will be exposed; I will take vengeance and will not spare a man.” 4 Our Redeemer, the LORD of hosts is His name, The Holy One of israel. 5 “Sit silently, and go into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans; For you will no more be called the queen of the Chaldeans; 6 I was angry with My people, I profaned My heritage, And gave them into your hand. You did not show mercy to them, On the aged you made your yoke very heavy. 7 Yet you said, ‘I shall be a queen forever.’ These things you did not consider, Nor remember the outcome of them. 8 Now, then, hear this, you sensual one, Who dwells securely, Who says in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one besides me. I shall not sit as a widow, Nor shall I know loss of children.’ 9 But these two things shall come on you suddenly in one day; Loss of children and widowhood. They shall come on you in full measure In spite of your many sorceries, In spite of the great power of your spells. 10 And you felt secure in your wickedness and said, ‘No one sees me.’ Your wisdom and your knowledge, they have deluded you; For you have said in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one besides me.’ 11 “But evil will come on you Which you will not know how to charm away; And disaster will fall on you For which you cannot atone, And destruction about which you do not know Will come on you suddenly” (Isaiah 47:1-11).

6 Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth, And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; 11 So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it (Isaiah 55:6-11).

Chapter 5:
Questions and Answers

(1) What do we know about king Belshazzar and the “queen” of Daniel 5?

For some time, no record existed of any king Belshazzar among the archaeological records known to scholars. Liberal scholars used this to prove that Daniel was mistaken in his information, showing that the Book of Daniel was not written in the 6th century B.C. but considerably later. Later findings have proven there was a Belshazzar, who was the son of Nabonidus and who ruled as vice-regent under him. In his father’s absence, he functioned as the king. So it was that Belshazzar offered the man who could interpret the writing on the wall the third place of power in the kingdom, after Nabonidus and himself.

The “queen” referred to in verses 10-12 seems not to have been Belshazzar’s wife, but his mother. This conclusion is based on her words to Belshazzar which sound more “mother-like” than “wife-like” . She speaks with more authority than a wife would in those times. Further, since this was a banquet for the nobles and their wives, it seems unlikely that the wife of Belshazzar would have been absent from the banquet. The “queen” was absent, which would be understandable if this woman were the king’s mother. Finally, the “queen” seems to have a better recollection of Daniel’s ministry to Nebuchadnezzar in the past, which would indicate that she was older than Belshazzar.

(2) Compare king Belshazzar with Nebuchadnezzar.

Nebuchadnezzar was the first king of Babylon; Belshazzar was its last. Nebuchadnezzar’s victories, including the defeat of Jehoiakim of Judah, brought Babylon to world power status. Belshazzar’s defeat spelled the end of the Babylonian empire. Four chapters are devoted to Nebuchadnezzar, during which God used Daniel to bring this man to faith. One chapter is devoted to Belshazzar. Daniel is summoned to the king on the last day of the king’s life, on which he dies, is judged, and removed by the God of Israel because of his sin. Nebuchadnezzar had a long, 43-three year reign; Belshazzar’s reign is much shorter.

(3) How did Belshazzar obtain possession of the temple vessels? What occasion prompted Belshazzar to use the temple vessels? What use did Belshazzar make of the temple vessels? Why was God offended by their use?

Nebuchadnezzar took possession of the temple vessels when he defeated Jerusalem (see Daniel 1:2; 2 Kings 24:13). He took the vessels back to Babylon, where he placed them in the house of his god. Belshazzar knew this and decided to mock Israel and her God by using the temple vessels in a blasphemous way. It almost seems this was an act of protest and rebellion against the favor shown to the God of Israel by Nebuchadnezzar. Had king Nebuchadnezzar issued decrees giving glory to the God of Israel? Had he put aside the pagan religion of Babylon? Then Belshazzar, it seems, would restore the old religion by mocking the God of Israel. It was his final and fatal act. God did not allow this blasphemy to go unchallenged, for that very day He judged Babylon and Belshazzar.

(4) What is the relationship between verses 1-4 and 5-9?

Verses 1-4 are the last straw, the final act of blasphemy which brings upon Belshazzar and the banquet nobles the judgment of God, foretold by the writing on the wall in verses 5-9.

(5) What do we learn about Daniel, the queen, and Belshazzar from verses 10-12?

These verses record the recommendation of Daniel by the queen mother. He was the one, she assured Belshazzar, who could interpret the writing on the wall. These verses indicate that Daniel’s ministry during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar was extensive and well-known. Belshazzar was aware of the experiences of his father. He both could and should have known about Daniel, but he seems to be ignorant of those truths which could have saved him from God’s judgment. The queen mother, while confident of Daniel’s abilities, views him not in terms of his relationship to the one all-powerful, sovereign God of Israel, but as only one among many wise men who served the “gods.” She does not reflect the knowledge of, or faith in, God that we can see in Nebuchadnezzar.

(6) What is different about Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in chapter 4 and the writing on the wall in chapter 5?

Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in chapter 4 was interpreted by Daniel, but his interpretation gave the king hope of avoiding God’s discipline if he repented (4:27). In addition, the discipline of Nebuchadnezzar was for a period of seven years after which he would be restored. Belshazzar was given no such hope or encouragement. His blasphemous act would result in his death. His judgment is declared shortly before it occurred, not so this king could repent as much as that the reader might recognize the fall of Babylon and the death of Belshazzar as the fulfillment of God’s purpose of judging this king and his kingdom.

(7) How does Daniel become involved in the matter of Belshazzar’s dream? Why was it especially appropriate for Daniel to interpret the king’s dream?

Daniel was called upon because no other wise man in Babylon could interpret the writing on the wall and because the queen mother recommended him so highly. Daniel had interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s first dream in chapter 2, which told of the passing of this kingdom of gold to be replaced by the kingdom of silver, that of Medio-Persia. It was likely for Daniel to be summoned, because he was a prophet of the God of Israel, to whom Belshazzar refused to give glory and honor, choosing rather to blaspheme His name. It was also fitting for Daniel to be called because he was so prominent during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, from whose experiences Belshazzar should have learned humility. But he did not.

(8) According to Daniel’s words in our text, what was the sin of Belshazzar for which he was being judged by God?

Belshazzar was judged for his pride and for not learning humility from history. He did not learn the lessons God had given Babylon through the experiences of king Nebuchadnezzar. Specifically, the king evidenced his pride through his blasphemous act of using the temple vessels to toast the gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

(9) Why was the king told of his destruction only hours before his death? How did the king respond? How did his response differ from that of his father, Nebuchadnezzar?

The purpose for revealing king Belshazzar’s judgment does not seem to be to call him to repentance but to demonstrate to the reader that the fall of Babylon and its king was an act of divine judgment, due to sin. Nebuchadnezzar repented when the wisdom and power of the God of Israel was demonstrated. Belshazzar does not repent. Nebuchadnezzar died in faith; Belshazzar died in unbelief. Nebuchadnezzar came to know the salvation of God; Belshazzar came to experience the wrath of God.

(10) What purpose does chapter 5 fulfill in the argument of Daniel?

Among other things, Daniel 5 is a picture of the coming judgment of God upon sinful men and nations. In the Book of Daniel, chapter 5 demonstrates that while God raises up heathen nations and uses them to accomplish His plans and purposes for Israel, He will also judge them for their sins.

(11) What lessons are being taught in Daniel 5?

Daniel 5 reminds us of the awesome reality of the coming day of judgment, when our Lord will judge those men and nations who have rejected His revelation and who have refused to give glory to Him. It is a reminder of the certainty and the swiftness of God’s judgment and of the way in which sinners remain oblivious to their judgment, even within moments of their own destruction.

This chapter testifies that God’s hand is always present in human history, an awareness which Christians should keep uppermost in their minds. History is the outworking of God’s purposes through men and nations, whether they believe in Him or not.

This chapter represents the third occasion in the first five chapters of Daniel in which human wisdom is inadequate and unable to solve the deepest and most urgent matters of life. Only God’s wisdom, as revealed through His servants the prophets, has the words of life by which men may be saved and spared from God’s eternal wrath.

Nebuchadnezzar’s discipline, of which Belshazzar is reminded in this chapter, and the judgment of God brought upon Belshazzar and Babylon, are due to the pride of men. Pride takes credit for what God has done and does not give God the glory He alone deserves. Daniel exposes the damning sin of pride.

51 For further information concerning the identification of Belshazzar in recent archaeological findings see John F. Walvoord, Daniel: The Key to Prophetic Revelation (Chicago: Moody Press, 1971), pp. 113-115, and Edward J. Young, The Prophecy of Daniel (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1949), pp. 115-118.

52 For similar events, recorded in the Bible, see Esther 1 and Mark 6:14-29.

53 It is generally understood and accepted that the term “father” was used more loosely in the Old Testament of one’s forefather, who may have been a grandfather or even a more distant “father.”

54 See Daniel 1:2; 2 Kings 24:13; 25:15; Ezra 1:7, 11.

55 It is interesting that the descending order of these metals is the same as that found in Daniel 2 for the metals which represented the various kingdoms. See Daniel 2:32.

56 See Genesis 15:12-16; 18:16-33.

57 See Daniel 5:19.

58 Various theories attempt to identity the “queen” in this text. The best seems to be that this was not the king’s wife but rather his mother. Her words sound more like that of a mother than a wife, and she seems to have a better knowledge of previous history than Belshazzar. Furthermore, she was not present at the banquet, which would not have been unusual if this were the king’s mother (who wants his mother to see him drunk and disorderly?). It would have been a social blunder if it were his wife; it was, after all, a banquet at which the king, his nobles, wives and concubines were present (see verse 2).

59 It seems to be fairly conclusively proven, for example, that all three terms are units for the measurement of weight. Various theories also show how the letters and words were arranged. There even seem to be puns or word plays here. See Walvoord, pp. 127-129 and Baldwin, pp. 123-125.

60 The “U” of the term ‘UPHARSIN’ is equivalent to “and.” ‘PHARSIN’ is the plural of ‘PERES.’ See Walvoord, p. 128.

61 See Jeremiah 18:5-8; Jonah 3.

Biblical Topics:

Passage:

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7. The Deliverance of Daniel and Darius (Daniel 6:1-28)

Introduction

A friend of mine once remarked, “A lot of crimes are not sins, and a lot of sins are not crimes.” Our text indicates he was absolutely right. In the sixth chapter of Daniel, this righteous man is convicted of a crime which is not a sin. Daniel purposefully committed this crime because he did not wish to commit a sin, which was not a crime.

Daniel’s deliverance from the lion’s den, one of the most popular and well-known Bible stories, is not the first great deliverance in the Book of Daniel, but it is the best loved. Daniel and his three friends are divinely delivered in chapter 1 from a confrontation with the Babylonian government and Nebuchadnezzar its king. While these four godly Hebrews were willing to be called by Babylonian names, attend Babylonian schools, and even work for a Babylonian government, they were not willing to eat the food served at the king’s table.

God granted these men favor in the eyes of their foreign superiors, and they were allowed to eat vegetables, rather than the food set aside for them by their king. Because of their faithfulness, God gave these men an extra measure of wisdom, greatly impressing king Nebuchadnezzar, who gave them positions of influence and responsibility in his kingdom.

In chapter 2, once again God delivered Daniel and his three friends. King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream he could not understand; neither could his counselors and wise men reveal or interpret the dream. In anger, the king commanded the execution of all the wise men of the land, including Daniel and his friends. In the providence of God, Daniel learned of the king’s dilemma and was able to reveal to the king his dream and its meaning, sparing his own life and the lives of the other Babylonian wise men.

In chapter 3, Nebuchadnezzar created a great golden image, before which the people of all nations were to bow in worship. Daniel’s three friends refused to bow down. Again in anger, Nebuchadnezzar threatened them with death if they did not obey his decree. Refusing to obey, they were thrown into a fiery furnace. God was present with them there and preserved them from death, injury, and even the smell of fire. The king was so impressed he issued a decree guaranteeing the Jews freedom to worship their God without hindrance.

Chapter 4 speaks of Nebuchadnezzar’s deliverance. He is delivered from his pride and oppression when, for a period, his sanity and kingdom are removed from him, and he must live like a beast of the field. From his own testimony, it appears he came to genuine repentance and saving faith as a result of God’s working in his life.

Chapter 5 witnesses Belshazzar’s condemnation in contrast to Nebuchadnezzar’s conversion in chapter 4. Because of his rejection of the truth, and his blasphemy against the God of Israel, only one day in the life of Belshazzar is recorded in Scripture, only to announce his condemnation and death.

Now, in chapter 6, Daniel’s life is in danger, and he will experience God’s deliverance. Daniel 1 reveals what set Daniel apart from the rest of his Jewish peers and brought him to a position of prominence and power in king Nebuchadnezzar’s administration. But chapter 6 identifies what sustained Daniel over the many years of his ministry and enabled him to survive the crises of his life.

While Daniel deservedly commands center stage of our text, much can be learned from King Darius and even Daniel’s peers, who seek to arrange his downfall and destruction. Once again in the Book of Daniel, we are reminded that God is able to deliver His people, even in a distant land. The inspired and inspiring words of our text have much to teach us.

Daniel in the Critics Den

Two books which share the same title are entitled Daniel in the Critics Den. Correctly, two Christian authors have compared Daniel’s experience in the lion’s den to the critics’ attack on the Book of Daniel itself. Chapter 6 is one of the portions under heaviest attack. A message as important and encouraging as that found in our text could be expected to come under attack.

The primary issue of chapter 6 is the identity of Darius. Secular history has no record of a king named Darius. We need no outside confirmation of reliability if we believe the Bible to be divinely inspired, accurate, and authoritative. If we reject the Bible’s authority, historical confirmation of its teachings will certainly be insufficient to change minds.

One explanation suggests Darius is simply another name for Cyrus, a view some respected evangelical scholars hold.⁶² Our previous text in chapter 5 indicated that until recent years, nothing was known of Belshazzar. In twenty or forty years, we may know as much about Darius as we now know about Belshazzar. We must not be distracted from the richness and the blessings of this chapter by the clamoring of the skeptics, who would not take this chapter seriously even if Darius were a well-known king. What truly offends the unbelieving mind is the claim of a miraculous divine deliverance, not the lack of historical evidence. God’s miracles and moral standards are both offensive to fallen man.

The Conspiracy
(6:1-9)

1 It seemed good to Darius to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, that they should be in charge of the whole kingdom, 2 and over them three commissioners (of whom Daniel was one), that these satraps might be accountable to them, and that the king might not suffer loss. 3 Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself among the commissioners and satraps because he possessed an extraordinary spirit, and the king planned to appoint him over the entire kingdom. 4 Then the commissioners and satraps began trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to government affairs; but they could find no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him. 5 Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him with regard to the law of his God.” 6 Then these commissioners and satraps came by agreement to the king and spoke to him as follows: “King Darius, live forever! 7 “All the commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall be cast into the lions’ den. 8 “Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document so that it may not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.” 9 Therefore King Darius signed the document, that is, the injunction.⁶³

Daniel 5 informs the reader of Belshazzar’s defeat and the end of the Babylonian kingdom, the “head of gold” of Daniel 2. The kingdom of the “Medes and the Persians” commences at the end of chapter 5, when Darius becomes the first king of this new empire at approximately 62 years of age (Daniel 5:31).

Chapter 6 accounts Daniel’s rapid rise to power, the threat it posed to his peers, and ultimately to his own life. Verses 1-9 depict a sequence of events which give birth to a conspiracy against Daniel, leading to a law which makes Daniel a criminal and sentences him to the death penalty.

Darius may have been new at the task of ruling an empire, but he was far from naive. To establish himself and his rule over the territory formerly ruled by Babylon, he appoints 120 satraps, each responsible for a certain geographical region. The king’s major concern was corruption. He knew that political power afforded the opportunity not only for oppression but for corruption. Darius feared he would not be able to adequately supervise the satraps with such a large kingdom,⁶⁴ and they would enrich themselves at his expense. For this reason, the king appointed three governors over the one-hundred and twenty satraps. He wanted to create a system of accountability which would prevent him from suffering loss.

Darius may have become familiar with Daniel in a number of ways. It certainly appears unusual for this Hebrew, who had been so intimately associated with the Babylonian kingdom Darius had just overthrown, to rise so quickly to a position of power under this Mede. While the text does not say, we would hardly be wrong to conclude that, as before, God gave Daniel favor in the sight of this king.

Daniel’s rise to power under Darius did not rest upon his remarkable accomplishments of the past. We are told Daniel “began distinguishing himself among the commissioners and satraps” because of the “extraordinary spirit” he possessed. I believe Darius recognized not only Daniel’s wisdom but his integrity and faithfulness. Here was a man he could trust in a leadership position who would not cause him to “suffer loss.” Recognizing his unique abilities, Darius planned to promote Daniel, placing him in charge of all the commissioners and the satraps.

The king’s plan to promote Daniel seems to have become public knowledge; at least the commissioners and satraps knew. The thought of Daniel’s promotion created much consternation. This crisis must be taken most seriously. Why? What distressed them so greatly? The common view is that Daniel’s peers were jealous. Perhaps so, but the matter seems more serious to them.

The context supplies the reason for their distress. His ability threatened them, but more so his honesty. The king was delighted to find a man of ability and honesty. To the corrupt leaders of the kingdom, Daniel’s ability and honesty seriously threatened their corruption. They could neither corrupt Daniel nor deceive him. If he were to rise above them, they could not continue.

Daniel’s testimony is awesome, his character and ability unsurpassed. His work is such that not even his enemies can bring a charge against him. His flawless faithfulness to the king and his obedience to the laws of the land forces his enemies to pass a new law aimed directly at him and his destruction. The only fault to be found with Daniel is that he is too godly. What Christian would not want to be regarded as highly as Daniel?

Somewhere a conspiracy is born. First, Daniel’s opponents began to talk about Daniel. Eventually, they conspired to keep Daniel from the promotion the king planned to carry out in the near future. Although Daniel’s enemies were of one heart and purpose, they have a most difficult task ahead of them. Daniel surpassed them in his wisdom, his character, and his standing with the king. Keeping Daniel from rising above them and ruling over them would be no easy task.⁶⁵

Two contemporary political events may help us under- stand the mindset and motivation of these politicians against Daniel.

First is the recent opposition to Supreme Court nominee, Clarence Thomas. The Senate Judiciary Committee members most definitely would not wish to be under the same scrutiny they are giving Judge Thomas. The committee’s concern stems essentially from their desire to be re-elected. Concern over Judge Thomas’ views on abortion has nothing to do with the rights of the unborn, but with the votes they will lose should they fail to convince their constituencies they are pro-abortion, doing all they can to prevent a pro-life nominee from becoming a Supreme Court justice.

The Supreme Court’s task is not only to judge the laws of Congress according to the standard of the constitution but to to maintain a balance of power. The Senate Judiciary Committee understands all too well that a conservative and pro-life justice may not only change the balance of power on the Supreme Court, but it may also lead to the overturning of a number of the laws passed by the Congress as unconstitutional. No wonder they are seeking to turn the tide of congressional opinion against Judge Thomas.

The second contemporary illustration is the recent unsuccessful coup in Russia. Conservative communist political leaders saw, with great apprehension, the tide in the USSR turning away from communism and toward democracy. They saw the transition reaching a critical point of no return and sought to forcibly regain control. They were willing to risk their lives to remove Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin from power. They knew that allowing these men to grow in power and popularity would be the end of communist domination of the USSR.

We may now better understand Daniel’s situation. These politicians, skilled in corruption, saw an end to their positions and profits should Daniel be appointed over them. Yet, as hard as they tried to find some basis for accusing Daniel to the king, they could not do so. To achieve their purpose of doing away with Daniel, they must achieve three goals:

(1) They must discredit Daniel in relationship to his religion and the Law of Moses by which he lived.

(2) They must discredit Daniel by passing a new law, which was purposely designed to lead to Daniel’s death.

(3) They must do away with Daniel against the king’s will. They would have to do away with Daniel in a way that forced the king to eliminate Daniel, a way which he could not escape.

To do this, the conspirators found it necessary to deceive the king. A group seems to have come before the king as a delegation, representing themselves as the spokesmen for the entire number of prefects, satraps, officials, and governors. Their deception led the king to conclude that Daniel too agreed with their proposal.⁶⁶

They urged Darius to pass a law requiring no petition be made in all the land unless it were made to the king. Their proposal seemed to be in the king’s best interest, helping to establish his rule over the former kingdom of Babylon. The proposal is similar in some respects to Nebuchadnezzar’s described in chapter 3. By fashioning a golden image and requiring every citizen to bow down to it, king Nebuchadnezzar thought he would give unity and cohesiveness to his kingdom. By requiring all men to make their petitions to Darius, they would acknowledge him as the source of their every blessing. The difference between Nebuchadnezzar’s plan in chapter 3 and this plan in chapter 6 is that this was not Darius’ idea. This proposal originated with the conspirators.

The law was for a limited time—30 days, a short enough period that the king might not scrutinize the plan carefully. It would be temporary, setting a precedent. The conspirators insisted the decree be a law of the Medes and the Persians so it could not be revoked. This would prevent the king from reversing the law once he realized Daniel was the victim of this proposed legislation.

The king should have known better. No doubt he reminded himself of this many times the night Daniel spent in the den of lions. Nevertheless, he signed the law, little realizing where it would lead, just as the conspirators failed to realize where their deceit would lead. The death planned for Daniel in the lion’s den would be their own. It is a dangerous thing to oppose those who serve the living God.

Daniel Accused and the King Aghast
(6:10-15)

10 Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously. 11 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God. 12 Then they approached and spoke before the king about the king’s injunction, “Did you not sign an injunction that any man who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions’ den?” The king answered and said, “The statement is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.” 13 Then they answered and spoke before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps making his petition three times a day.” 14 Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he was deeply distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to rescue him. 15 Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Recognize, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”

From our text, it may seem this new law affected only Daniel. Had Daniel not disobeyed the law and been divinely delivered, things would have been quite different for the Jews held captive in Babylon. This law aimed directly at Daniel also affected every Jew. If the law had not been nullified, every Jew would have been prevented from praying legally to the God of Israel. Every faithful Jew could have been charged, convicted, and put to death. The potential evil of this law may have gone farther than even its authors ever conceived.⁶⁷

Daniel learned about the legislation the king had foolishly signed and executed. What options did he have? Several must have come to mind, all of which he rejected:

(1) Obey the new law, making his petitions to the king.

(2) Appeal to the king to change or repeal the law.

(3) Cease praying altogether, making no petitions for 30 days.

(4) Limit his prayers to thanksgiving and praise, simply setting aside his petitions for 30 days.

(5) Simply continue to pray, privately.

Daniel chose none of these options. He could not redirect his prayers to the king. It would do him no good to appeal to the king. The king himself wanted to change the law, but as a law of the Medes and the Persians, it could not be revoked. Daniel knew his needs were daily needs⁶⁸ and that he should petition God daily for those needs. Petitions could not be delayed. If Daniel ceased to pray, Daniel would have sinned against his God. He would have broken God’s law in order to obey man’s laws.

The last option seems to be the most tempting, at least to me. Why did Daniel simply not pray out of sight? After all, is not prayer a private matter? Does not our Lord later advocate private prayer and express disdain for public prayer?

1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. 5 … And when you pray, you are not to be as the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners, in order to be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6 But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you” (Matthew 6:1, 5-6).

We know our Lord was not condemning all public prayer, but rather teaching His disciples not to pray in order to appear pious and gain the praise of men. Daniel’s “public prayer” would surely not bring him praise, but it would result in his prosecution as a law-breaker.

Why then does Daniel pray publicly? What compelled him to pray publicly, knowing it would bring him to the lion’s den? There seem to be several reasons.

(1) Unlike chapter 1, Daniel seems to have had no opportunity to protest the law signed by the king and no way to avoid obedience to the law without compromise.

(2) The issue was a matter of law and of public policy and practice; thus its violation must be public.

(3) Private disobedience would have been hypocritical and hindered his testimony. His opponents expected Daniel to disobey the law, publicly.

(4) It was necessary in order for Daniel to persevere in his normal disciplines of godliness. Daniel had a life-long habit of praying toward Jerusalem three times a day. His enemies knew this and were confident he would continue. Daniel would not set aside those regimens that were normal in pursuing godliness (2 Peter 1:3,4).

(5) This particular law implied something utterly inconsistent with and contrary to God’s law. To make that point, he had to publicly violate that law.

The last reason seems to me the primary basis for Daniel’s decision to disobey the laws of the land. Consider the following texts in light of the king’s injunction:

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you; and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:1-3).

Then Jacob departed from Beersheba and went toward Haran. And he came to a certain place and spent the night there, because the sun had set; and he took one of the stones of the place and put it under his head, and lay down in that place. And he had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants. Your descendants shall also be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And behold, I am with you, and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven” (Genesis 28:10-17).

“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain Thee, how much less this house which I have built! Yet have regard to the prayer of Thy servant and to his supplication, O Lord my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Thy servant prays before Thee today; that Thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, toward the place of which Thou hast said, ‘My name shall be there,’ to listen to the prayer which Thy servant shall pray toward this place. And listen to the supplication of Thy servant and of Thy people Israel, when they pray toward this place; hear Thou in heaven Thy dwelling place; hear and forgive … When they sin against Thee (for there is no man who does not sin) and Thou art angry with them and dost deliver them to an enemy, so that they take them away captive to the land of the enemy, far off or near; if they take thought in the land where they have been taken captive, and repent and make supplication to Thee in the land of those who have taken them captive, saying, ‘We have sinned and have committed iniquity, we have acted wickedly’; if they return to Thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive, and pray to Thee toward their land which Thou hast given to their fathers, the city which Thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for Thy name; then hear their prayer and their supplication in heaven Thy dwelling place, and maintain their cause, and forgive Thy people who have sinned against Thee and all their transgressions which they have transgressed against Thee, and make them {objects of} compassion before those who have taken them captive, that they may have compassion on them (for they are Thy people and Thine inheritance which Thou hast brought forth from Egypt, from the midst of the iron furnace), that Thine eyes may be open to the supplication of Thy servant and to the supplication of Thy people Israel, to listen to them whenever they call to Thee. For Thou hast separated them from all the peoples of the earth as Thine inheritance, as Thou didst speak through Moses Thy servant, when Thou didst bring our fathers forth from Egypt, O Lord God” (1 Kings 8:27-30, 46-53; cf. also 2 Chronicles 6:20-40).

There we sat down and wept, When we remembered Zion. Upon the willows in the midst of it We hung our harps. For there our captors demanded of us songs, And our tormentors mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.” How can we sing the LORD’S song In a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, May my right hand forget her skill. May my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, If I do not remember you, If I do not exalt Jerusalem Above my chief joy. Remember, O LORD, against the sons of Edom The day of Jerusalem, Who said, “Raze it, raze it, To its very foundation.” O daughter of Babylon, you devastated one, How blessed will be the one who repays you With the recompense with which you have repaid us, How blessed will be the one who seizes and dashes your little ones against the rock (Psalm 137:1-9).

God made a promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3 known as the Abrahamic covenant. In this covenant, God promised Abraham a land, a seed, and a blessing. Through Abraham, his seed, and his blessing, the nations too would be blessed. When Jacob left the promised land to flee from his brother and to seek a wife among his relatives, he had a vision of a ladder on which angels were ascending and descending. For the first time in his life, he was awe-struck that this land of Canaan was a “holy place.” Even more, somehow it was a place of mediation, a place where heaven and earth met.

The same truth is later affirmed by Solomon at the time of the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem. God’s dwelling place was not the temple, Solomon confessed. Even the heavens were not able to contain God, much less a temple in Jerusalem. But Jerusalem was the place where God chose to meet with men and to bless them. Solomon spoke in his prayer of men praying toward Jerusalem, the place where God would meet with men to bless them. He specifically spoke of God’s people praying toward Jerusalem from the lands where they were captives.

One such prayer recorded for us is Psalm 137. There, from Babylon, the psalmist cries out to the God of Israel. The eyes of the psalmist look toward Jerusalem and long to return there to worship God. Jerusalem is in ruins, but the psalmist is not deterred from looking toward that city. It did motivate him to petition God to judge those who brought about the destruction of this city.

I believe Daniel consistently prayed toward Jerusalem three times a day for the more than seventy years of his sojourn in Babylon. Ironically, we can confidently assume that many of those prayers of petition were for the blessing of the king and kingdom of Babylon (see Jeremiah 7:13-17; 11:1-14; 14:11; 29:4-7). The conspirators passed a law intended to prevent the very prayers which brought God’s blessings on this nation and its people.

The Jewish captives brought the blessings of God on the kingdom of their captors. The city of Jerusalem not only symbolized the hopes of the Jews, but it is the place their God met with them and heard their prayers. God chose to mediate His blessings through His chosen people, the Jews, and through His chosen place (Jerusalem).⁶⁹

While the king may not have thought through the implications of the injunction which he made law, Daniel did. The law passed by the conspirators, in effect, made Darius the mediator between all “gods” and men. I do not believe the king was declaring himself to be a “god.” Neither do I believe he put himself above all “gods.” But his injunction did make him the link between all those in his kingdom and any “god.”

Here the conflict between Daniel’s faith as a Jew and the injunction of Darius became irresolvable. According to the new law, the king was “mediator for 30 days.” According to Daniel’s Law, the Old Testament Scriptures, the God of Israel is God alone, and those who would be blessed will be blessed through His people, Israel. Their petitions must be directed to God, but through the place of His blessing, Jerusalem. There was no way Daniel could redirect his petitions to the king, rather than to God, by facing Jerusalem.

It does not seem possible for Daniel to pray to God, toward Jerusalem, other than by literally looking in that direction. This meant his window would be open and he would be visible when he prayed. He prayed publicly, in defiance of the law of the Medes and the Persians, because he believed there was no other choice.

I can almost see the conspirators deciding how they will catch Daniel breaking their law. His prayer life was so consistent they could literally pick the time to gather outside his window to catch him in prayer.

Although, it was no great accomplishment to catch Daniel in prayer, the conspirators approached the king very carefully with this news. Accusing a man of the king’s favor was dangerous. They began by asking the king about the law which had just gone into effect. He reiterated that he had indeed passed the law forbidding any petition be made except to him. He further acknowledged that the penalty for breaking this law was to be cast into the lion’s den. Only at this point did the conspirators shock the king with the announcement that Daniel has been found violating this very law. Their accusation was meant to impress upon the king that Daniel had not merely broken the law once, he was persisting in violating this law, showing in their minds complete disregard for the king and his authority.

King Darius responds to this report very differently than his predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar. When told of the refusal of the three Hebrews to bow down to his image (see Daniel 3:13-18), Nebuchadnezzar became furious and intent on putting them to death. Darius was greatly distressed and spent the remaining daylight hours trying to find a way to deliver Daniel from the lion’s den.

The conspirators refused to be put off by the king’s resistance. After spending the day seeking to arrange Daniel’s release, they returned and reminded the king the law Daniel had broken was a “law of the Medes and the Persians” and thus irrevocable. Essentially, they told the king he had no choice. He was bound by the law he had signed and subject to the plot of the conspirators who had convinced him to sign it.

Daniel in the
Den, And Darius in Distress
(6:16-18)

16 Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and cast into the lions’ den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.” 17 And a stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing might be changed in regard to Daniel. v18 Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.

Reluctantly, the king gave the order for Daniel to be brought in and thrown into the lion’s den. Unlike Nebuchadnezzar, who defied any god to deliver the three Hebrews from death in the fiery furnace, Darius speaks words of encouragement to Daniel. He assures Daniel that His God would most certainly deliver him. Is it possible that this king, unlike Belshazzar, had read the historical records of Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom and come to believe in the God of the Hebrews? It certainly seems so. The king’s final words to Daniel are a commendation of this man’s faithful and constant obedience to his God. Having spoken words of faith and hope to Daniel, he had Daniel lowered into the lion’s den, the stone cover put in place and sealed. No man dared tamper with the stone to deliver Daniel.

Something very interesting and significant strikes me about this paragraph. Can you see it? Although Daniel is the one wrongly accused and in the process of his own execution, the entire paragraph is about the king. The king orders Daniel lowered into the lion’s den; the king speaks words of encouragement to Daniel; the king abstains from entertainment that night and sleep eludes him.⁷⁰

It appears the king suffered more than Daniel. I believe Daniel had a great night’s sleep. The angel of the Lord was there with him, much as He was present with the three Hebrews in the furnace. The mouths of the lions were stopped, preventing any harm to Daniel. I wonder if Daniel had a lion for a pillow that night. It could easily have been so.

Daniel’s Deliverance
and His Enemies Destruction
(6:19-24)

19 Then the king arose with the dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions’ den. 20 And when he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you constantly serve, been able to deliver you from the lions?” 21 Then Daniel spoke to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 “My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as I was found innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime.” 23 Then the king was very pleased and gave orders for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. 24 The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had maliciously accused Daniel, and they cast them, their children, and their wives into the lions’ den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

The king had not slept well that night, if at all. He had been deceived by his ministers, and his most trusted servant had been set up, falsely accused, and cast into the lion’s den. As powerful as this ruler of the greatest kingdom on earth was, he was powerless to deliver Daniel. Dawn must have welcomed the end of a fitful night. Quickly, he made his way to the lion’s den, calling out to Daniel. I am convinced this king had every hope that Daniel was divinely delivered.

The king shouted very specific words into the lion’s den. Just as he had not wished Daniel “good luck” as he left him the previous evening, his first words to Daniel were pointed: “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you constantly serve, been able to deliver you from the lions?”

What joy must have filled the king’s heart when Daniel responded to his call. Daniel gave glory to God for delivering him through His angel. He also reiterated his innocence of any wrong-doing, linking this to his deliverance.

With much pleasure, the king gave orders to remove Daniel from the lion’s den. With great indignation, the king also gave orders to arrest those who had maliciously accused Daniel, along with their families,⁷¹ and had them cast into the den of lions. Lest some skeptic explains Daniel’s miraculous deliverance by suggesting all the lions had the flu, the account is given of the devouring of Daniel’s enemies and their families. While they could not harm Daniel, they would perform as expected with anyone else. God not only delivers His people from their enemies, He also delivers their enemies to the judgment they deserve for oppressing His people.

The King’s Decree
(6:25-27)

25 Then Darius the king wrote to all the peoples, nations, and men of every language who were living in all the land: “May your peace abound! 26 “I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel; For He is the living God and enduring forever, And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed, And His dominion will be forever. 27 “He delivers and rescues and performs signs and wonders In heaven and on earth, Who has also delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.”

The king’s decree is similar to that of his predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar. It sounds something like the Hallelujah chorus to me. I cannot imagine these words coming from anyone other than a true believer in the God of the Jews. The decree, like that of Nebuchadnezzar, is addressed to all the people of his kingdom, and perhaps anyone else who would hear and heed it.

It acknowledges the God of Daniel as sovereign. Darius declares that Daniel’s God is a far greater king than he, and that God’s kingdom is much greater than his earthly kingdom. He is the one who delivered Daniel. By inference, He is also the One to whom men should rightly address their petitions. Since God had done what the king could not do in delivering Daniel, God is the One whom men should worship and the One to whom their petitions in prayer should be made.

Epilogue
(6:28)

28 So this Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.⁷²

These closing words in chapter 6 inform us that while the careers of Daniel’s enemies came to an abrupt halt, Daniel’s life was preserved. His effective ministry continued, not only throughout the administration of Darius, but also into the reign of Cyrus, through whom God would deliver the captive Jews back to their land to rebuild the temple.

Conclusion

Daniel’s deliverance from the lion’s den is a great story which wears well, even with repetition. What can we learn from this text as we conclude?

(1) This text suggests that Christians who would live holy lives should expect persecution; it also explains why. Daniel was persecuted by his peers because he was godly. Daniel’s godliness posed a serious threat to his peers, who used their positions corruptly to benefit at the expense of both their king and those under their authority. Whenever holy living threatens the sinful lifestyle of others, persecution may be expected. The New Testament confirms the lesson we learn from Daniel.

But you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord delivered me! And indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived (2 Timothy 3:10-13).

Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousals, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. And in all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excess of dissipation, and they malign you; but they shall give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.… Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. By no means let any of you suffer as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name let him glorify God. For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner? Therefore, let those also who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right (1 Peter 4:1-5, 12-19).

The Scriptures instruct us to expect persecution for living in a way that pleases God. Beyond this, the Scriptures also indicate there have been and will be times of official persecution, when human governments and the laws of the land will be used to oppose and oppress the saints. So it was, for a short time, in Daniel’s life. So it will also be as the last days draw near. The Book of Revelation especially speaks of such times of persecution and oppression, but so do the latter chapters of the Book of Daniel. Americans have never known official opposition and persecution to the gospel and to the practice of our faith, but we may very well see the beginnings of it, especially as the end times appear to be coming upon us.

American Christians have always thought of themselves as “law-abiding Christians,” and so we would hope to be. But when official opposition to our faith and service to God come about, we must be prepared, like Daniel, to disobey those laws which directly conflict with God’s law, and we must be willing to suffer the consequences. Saints in other parts of the world know what this is like. In time, we may be able to better identify with Daniel and his three Hebrew friends. May God give us the grace to respond in the way Daniel did, to His glory.

(2) Our text assures us of divine deliverance when we serve God faithfully and are persecuted for doing so. It also assures us that God will judge those who persecute us. In the closing chapters of Deuteronomy (and in the life of Moses), God told the Jews they would be unfaithful to Him, and He would discipline them by giving them over to those nations which would take them into captivity in foreign lands. He also promised to bring them to repentance, to rescue them, and to restore their nation. In addition, God promised to punish their enemies, who so cruelly oppressed them as His chastening rod. The deliverance of Daniel in chapter 6 is an example of divine deliverance and retribution on the enemies of God and His people.

Daniel’s persecution did not come about due to his sin, but rather because of his righteousness. He suffered because he was godly. When Daniel was found guilty under the law of the Medes and the Persians, the king was unable to save him. But God’s hand was not hindered. Darius believed God would deliver Daniel; he assured him of God’s protection as he went to the lion’s den. God sent His angel and shut the lion’s mouths. He also brought about the destruction of Daniel’s enemies.

The account of Daniel’s deliverance was written to assure the saints of every age that God is able to deliver His people, even when men are unable to do so. What the king of the most powerful kingdom on earth could not do, God did. God knows how to deliver his own from judgment and how to deliver His enemies to judgment:

For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly thereafter; and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day with their lawless deeds), then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment (2 Peter 2:4-9).

While we may be confident that God will deliver the righteous and destroy the wicked, we may not be certain how and when He will do so. There are many times when God allows the wicked to prosper in this life, leaving their day of judgment for eternity (see Psalm 73). There are many times when God allows His saints to suffer persecution and death, to deliver them through death, rather than from it. While Paul was assured of his ultimate deliverance, he was ready and willing to be delivered either from death or through it, as we can see in the first chapter of his Epistle to the Philippians (especially verses 12-26).

In the “Old Testament hall of faith,” recorded in the 11th chapter of the Book of Hebrews, some of the heroes of the faith were delivered from death, among whom Daniel seems to have been numbered (see Hebrews 11:32-34). Others, however, were delivered through death (see Hebrews 11:35-40). We dare not presume that God will always keep the righteous from persecution and death. We can always be certain that God will deliver us, whether in life or in death. Since our hope is not for earthly pleasure or success, but rather on that heavenly city and God’s eternal blessings, we can face either life or death with joy and confidence. God will deliver His people, and He will also deliver the wicked to judgment.

The same God who delivered Daniel from the lion’s mouths will also deliver us, in His way, and in His time.

16 At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them. 17 But the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me, in order that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was delivered out of the lion’s mouth (2 Timothy 4:16-17).

(3) This account of Daniel and the lion’s den is a lesson in dealing with the crises of life. You may have read that excellent little pamphlet entitled, “Thy Tyranny of the Urgent.” Its essence is that we fail to concentrate on the important things when confronted by the crises which appear urgent. The “urgent” matters of life keep us from the “important” things. Daniel is an example of a man who knew the difference between the “urgent” and the “important.” When times of “crisis” confronted him, he refused to panic and to change his priorities and practices. He persisted in seeking first God’s kingdom, trusting Him to provide the rest. The king and the conspirators could agree on one thing: Daniel was consistent and persistent.

The way to deal with the crises of life is to establish godly disciplines in the routine times of life, and then to refuse to depart from them in times of crisis.⁷³ We know little of the godly discipline evident in the life of Daniel. It takes as little as a touch of fatigue or a football game on television to set aside our spiritual disciplines. Daniel would not forsake his regimen even when men passed a law against it.

Some believe men do extraordinary things at times of crises. There may be some truth in this perspective, but I suggest times of crisis are those times when great men continue to persist in the good things they have practiced all along, when it was easier to do so.

(4) Daniel’s prayer life should serve as both a rebuke and an encouragement to Christians today. Daniel had a life-long pattern of praying toward Jerusalem three times a day. Anyone who knew anything about Daniel seemed to realize this. How many of us could claim to be as faithful in our prayer life as Daniel was? What a rebuke!

What missing ingredient explains the difference between Daniel’s consistency and our lackadaisical attitude toward prayer? There are probably many answers, but I call your attention to one. According to our text, Daniel’s prayers consisted of thanksgiving and petition (6:10; see also 9:4-19). Daniel was aware that every provision, every circumstance, every event (including those which came from his enemies), came from the hand of His sovereign God, for his good, and for God’s glory. God’s blessings were so full, so frequent, and so gracious Daniel could not possibly cease praying for 30 days. He would get too far behind in his praise and thanksgiving and never catch up.

Daniel also saw himself as continually dependent upon God for his every need. He saw himself as powerless, without the provisions God gave to him daily. He saw himself as unable to please God and his earthly superiors, apart from God’s grace. He prayed because he was aware of how great his needs were, and because he knew that only God could meet them.

This is why our prayer life (mine included) is so weak, so anemic, so sporadic and undisciplined. We don’t fail to go to bed at night, because we know we need to, and our body reminds us by being tired. We don’t fail to eat, because we know we must. But we really do not sense the desperate need to pray. We fail to grasp our daily dependence on God and His provisions. All too often we forget it is only God who can meet our fundamental needs. When we do sense the need for help, we usually begin by going to others first, and God last. Daniel knew he had needs; he knew only God could meet them, and thus he made daily prayer a priority in his life.

(5) The story of Daniel’s deliverance from the lion’s den in our text is an illustration of the gospel. This chapter illustrates what men dislike about God which causes them to oppose Him. What bothered Daniel’s peers and turned them against him was precisely the same thing which bothered the Jewish religious leaders about Jesus. They were petrified at the thought of our Lord’s authority because of His holiness.

For fallen, sinful, men, power and authority is the opportunity to use people for our own selfish gain. The satraps and governors used their position and power for personal gain. They sought to enhance themselves through the abuse of their power at the expense of their king who was in authority over them, and at the expense of those under their authority. This is why the king appointed the three commissioners over the satraps. He knew that they were causing him to suffer loss as they sought to add to their gain.

When word got out that the king planned to promote Daniel over all of them, they were petrified. A godly man in authority is a threat to every ungodly man under his authority (see Proverbs 20:8). This explains why the men about to be placed under Daniel’s authority were willing to take risks to keep Daniel from being promoted. It is also the reason the scribes and Pharisees were terrified at the thought of Jesus being in authority over them. They wished to persist in their sins and to profit from them. They devised a scheme to put Jesus to death, even as Daniel’s enemies formed a conspiracy to bring about his death.

The lordship of our God is not a threat to those who want to be forgiven and delivered from their sins. It is only dreaded by those who wish to remain in their sins. Instead of using His power and authority to profit at man’s expense, Jesus gave Himself sacrificially, dying for our sins, so that we might gain at His expense. Here is the Christian perspective on leadership and authority. Here is the model for Christian leaders, in marriage, in the home, and in the workplace.

Daniel’s enemies sought to use the law to bring about Daniel’s demise. They abused the irreversible law of the Medes and the Persians to bring Daniel under condemnation. No one, they thought, including the king, could rescue Daniel from the law and its condemnation.

What the king could not do, God did, not by keeping Daniel from death or by casting the law aside. Daniel was condemned according to the law, but the mouths of the lions were shut. Daniel paid the penalty of the law, and now he was free to serve God. In New Testament terms, Daniel “died to the law.”

This is what the gospel is all about. God gave us His law. It is a perfect standard of holiness. It too is unchangeable and irreversible. Because we are sinners, we have violated the law, fallen short of God’s standard of holiness, and come under the sentence of death. Jesus took on human flesh and died in the sinner’s place. He died to sin and the law, and then rose from the dead. Those who are in Christ by faith have been set free from the condemnation of the law and are free to serve the living God.

Have you experienced the freedom from the condemnation of the law which God has provided in Jesus Christ? All you need do is admit you are a sinner, condemned by God’s law, and to trust in the Lord Jesus as the One whom God sent to die in your place. He not only died to sin and the law’s condemnation, He also rose from the dead in newness of life. If you have never received God’s gift of salvation in Christ, I urge you to trust in Him today.

Chapter 6:
Questions and Answers

(1) How did the king feel about Daniel and why? How does this explain his rise to power under this Median king, when he had formerly served the Babylonian kings?

The king held Daniel in very high regard. It seems likely that the king learned of Daniel through past dealings with him, or by means of some of the historical records of Babylon. Daniel did not rise to power solely on the basis of his past accomplishments, however. Because of the extraordinary spirit (“Spirit” ?) within him, he continued to distinguish himself above all of his associates. Both in character (honesty, trustworthiness, and loyalty) and in practical skill and wisdom, Daniel overshadowed his peers and thus gained the king’s respect and trust. While this cannot be proven, it would almost seem as though Daniel had become a friend to the king and not just an employee.

Daniel was submissive to the government under whose authority God placed him. Thus, he could as easily be a loyal supporter of Darius as he had been of Nebuchadnezzar.

(2) How did Daniel’s peers feel about him, and why?

Daniel’s peers may have respected him at first. They could also have looked down on him because he was a Jew. But once Daniel rose to power, they quickly began to fear him and regard him as their enemy. This was because Daniel was not only more capable, and about to be put in authority over them, but also because he was a man of honesty and integrity. For this reason, they knew that Daniel would not tolerate the corruption which had become their practice. Their corrupt administration would end soon after Daniel’s promotion, and they knew it.

(3) How were Daniel’s enemies able to get him in trouble?

To their dismay, Daniel’s enemies learned there was no basis for any accusation against Daniel. He was diligent and faithful in the execution of his duties—far more than they! He was also free from corruption. They concluded the only way they could accuse Daniel would be to pass a law which contradicted the Old Testament law Daniel observed faithfully. They knew that if Daniel had to choose between God’s law and the law of the land, Daniel would disobey human law.

They proposed this new law to the king as though all of the officials, including Daniel, had been consulted and approved. They persuaded the king to think the law would serve his best interests, without revealing to him their true motivation. Because it was proposed as a “law of the Medes and the Persians,” it could not be revoked or reversed. Since it was a law in effect for only 30 days, the king may not have considered this legislation very carefully.

(4) How did the king respond to the news that Daniel had broken the new law he had just signed? Why?

The king was surprised and greatly upset. He seems to have known he was deceived and used by his officials, and that he made a foolish decision in signing the proposed law. He appears convinced that Daniel was innocent of any real crime. He probably recognizes by this time that the whole matter was a scheme cooked up by some of his other officials, so that Daniel’s promotion could be aborted. The one man in whom the king had complete confidence was now charged with a crime. Perhaps worst of all was the king’s growing realization that there was nothing he could do to stop Daniel’s execution.

(5) Why was the king unable to help save Daniel?

The king was bound by the law of the Medes and the Persians. It would seem that the Medo-Persian empire, like our own nation, was a government of laws, and not of men. Signing this injunction into law as one of the “laws of the Medes and the Persians” was to make the law irrevocable. The king was powerless to save Daniel, in spite of his strong desire to do so.

(6) What happened to Daniel?

Daniel was cast into the den of lions, just as the law required. But God sent His angel, who not only shut the lions’ mouths but kept them from hurting him in any way. Daniel was kept safe through the night. Having paid the penalty of the law, he was released.

(7) What happened to Daniel’s enemies?

The destruction Daniel’s enemies had planned for him became their destiny. By the king’s orders, those who falsely accused Daniel of wrong-doing were cast into the lions’ den, along with their families. They were immediately destroyed, which only underscores the miracle God performed on Daniel’s behalf.

(8) Why was Daniel spared from death, when many Old Testament saints were not? Does God spare everyone who is godly and has faith from danger or death?

We are not told why God chose to deliver Daniel, while He allows others to suffer persecution and death and their oppressors to apparently prosper. In Hebrews 11 we find two kinds of saints: (1) those who were delivered from danger or death, and (2) those who were delivered through danger or death (see Hebrews 11:32-40). We should remember that our Lord was without sin, and yet God did not spare Him, but delivered Him up to suffer and to die. We can at best say that God purposes for some to suffer and even die to accomplish His purposes, and others He delivers for His purposes. It would seem in Daniel’s case that God delivered him as a reminder to the Jews that as He delivered Daniel, so He would deliver Israel from her captivity. Furthermore, Daniel’s life may also have been prolonged because God still had prophecies to reveal to him and through him (see Daniel 10:1ff.).

(9) What was the king’s response to Daniel’s deliverance?

The king believed that God not only could but would deliver Daniel, and so he encouraged him before unwillingly casting him into the den of lions. When the king came out to the den of lions, he called to Daniel, asking him if his God had delivered him. He most happily ordered Daniel removed from the lion’s den and his enemies thrown inside.

(10) Compare Darius with Nebuchadnezzar.

Both kings, in my opinion, came to a genuine faith in the God of Israel. Nebuchadnezzar seems to have been more stubborn in his resistance, while Darius seems to have believed more quickly. Nebuchadnezzar set up his golden image on his own initiative; Darius passed his law at the initiative of his officials. Nebuchadnezzar was fiercely angered when the three Hebrews refused to bow down to his image, defying any god to deliver them from the death he threatened. Darius was greatly distressed to find Daniel accused of disregarding his new law, taking every possible measure to deliver him from the lions’ den. Unlike Nebuchadnezzar, Darius assured Daniel that his God would deliver him. The decrees which both kings sent throughout their kingdoms after coming to faith are very similar.

(11) What is the meaning and significance of Darius’ decree?

The decree was the king’s public testimony that God had delivered Daniel from the “curse of the law” which he had passed. It was a witness to his personal faith. It was also an implied warning to anyone in his kingdom who would be tempted to resist Daniel, to persecute the Jews, or to try to accuse anyone else of breaking the 30 day injunction he had wrongly signed.

(12) Do you think king Darius was a true believer? What evidence is there for your conclusion?

I believe Darius was a true believer, like Nebuchadnezzar. This is consistent with the prophetic significance of the Book of Daniel and other prophecies that Israel’s disobedience would not only result in the discipline of God’s people but also in the salvation of the Gentiles. Darius not only regretted signing the 30 day law, he sought to reverse it or at least to arrange for Daniel’s release. He encouraged Daniel that his God would deliver him. He fasted and perhaps prayed for Daniel’s release the night Daniel was in the lion’s den. He came to the lion’s den early the next morning, expecting Daniel to have been delivered. He sent a proclamation throughout his kingdom, praising the God of Israel as the sovereign God. Such praise does not come from the lips of an unbeliever.

(13) What can we learn from this chapter?

This chapter helps us understand why Christians will be persecuted for their faith, and how such persecution can even become a part of public policy, forcing saints to break those laws which oppose the law of God. It also teaches us that God is able to deliver His people, even when men are powerless to do so. He may deliver them from death, or through it. It is a reminder of the importance of prayer, and of a disciplined life, making the pursuit of godliness a habit, which will not be broken, especially by danger or panic. It is also an illustration of sin and temptation, as the self-seeking, self-serving officials oppose Daniel and deceive the king into passing an evil law. As well, it is an illustration of the gospel, for it was by being delivered through the curse of the law of the Medes and the Persians that Daniel was saved. He bore the penalty and came out alive, so that he no longer was subject to the law or its penalty.

62 See Joyce C. Baldwin, Daniel: An Introduction and Commentary (Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 1978), pp. 26-28. See also John F. Walvoord, Daniel: The Key to Prophetic Revelation (Chicago: Moody Press, 1971), pp. 132-134.

63 Even though verses 1-9 are one paragraph, a rather clear sequence is indicated. The repeated “then” signals us to this sequence. I have sought to indicate this sequence by the arrangement of these verses.

64 Baldwin points out that the Persian kingdom would become the largest kingdom in history: “The Persian empire, which incorporated that of the Medes, a vast area forming an arc to the north of the Babylonian territories, extended eventually to Asia Minor, Libya and Egypt to the west, and to the Indus river and the Aral Sea to the east. It was the largest empire the world had yet seen, hence the urgent need for an efficient organization from the beginning.” Baldwin, p. 126.

65 In several ways, the concerns of Daniel’s peers, the leaders of this Medo-Persian kingdom, were nearly identical with the concerns of the leaders of Israel regarding Jesus. They feared Jesus’ integrity (holiness) and his authority. They dared not allow Jesus to rule over them.

66 Note the word “all” in verse 7, which was surely meant to include Daniel.

67 It is also possible that the opposition of the conspirators was motivated by ant-Jewish prejudice and hatred. In this case, if they were ever to succeed in doing away with the Jews and their religion, they would first have to do away with Daniel.

68 Compare Matthew 6:8-13.

69 A dramatic change took place at the time of our Lord’s coming to the earth. The ministry of prophet, priest, and king converged in the person and work of Christ, our great Prophet, Priest, and King. The place of blessing changed from Jerusalem to Jesus (compare Genesis 28:10-17 with John 1:43-51 and 4:19-26). In the eternal kingdom, the “New Jerusalem” will come down to earth from heaven, and there will be no temple, for God Himself will be our dwelling place (Revelation 21).

70 The king also fasted that night. Did he fast according to the Old Testament Law? Did he make petition to the Lord for Daniel’s safety? From all the king is reported to have said and done, this would not be surprising.

71 The fate of these families is consistent with the prayer of the psalmist in Psalm 137:7-9.

72 While some render these words in such a way as to identify Darius as Cyrus (“So this Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Darius even in the reign of Cyrus the Persian”), I find this straining a little too much. Darius was called “the Mede” (Daniel 5:31); Cyrus was called “the Persian” (6:28).

73 There may be exceptions to this rule, but let us not lose sight of the rule.

Passage:

8. Daniel’s Disturbing Dream (Daniel 7:1-28)

Introduction

Daniel, a godly prophet and a man of unshakable faith, has been steadfast in his daily walk of fellowship with God throughout the first six chapters of the Book of Daniel. Nothing has caused him to panic or depart from his faith and practice as a godly Jew. Neither peer opposition nor the king's new law (chapter 6) greatly disturbed Daniel. Daniel’s first inner turmoil occurs in chapter 7. A revelation from God in his sleep discloses future events which Daniel finds most troubling. Twice in chapter 7 Daniel speaks of his distress:

“As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed within me, and the visions in my mind kept alarming me” (verse 15).

“At this point the revelation ended. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts were greatly alarming me and my face grew pale, but I kept the matter to myself” (verse 28).

We should note Daniel’s distress in chapter 7 before turning to the other prophecies in Daniel, where we will find that prophecy very often produces distress. Where it has not caused distress, it should have. Nebuchadnezzar became distressed when he received his first night vision (2:1) because he did understand some of his dream. In his vision, the statue collapsed and disappeared, because a mysterious stone struck it at its feet. His vision in chapter 4 should have produced more distress than it did. He was “at ease” when he received the vision, and then he became fearful, and his mind alarmed him (4:4-5). Upon hearing the details of the dream, Daniel too was troubled (4:19). Unfortunately, the king did not heed the dream’s warning, and his kingdom was taken away for a time. In chapter 5, King Belshazzar’s dream should have greatly alarmed him, but apparantly it did not. That night his life and his kingdom came to an end. Subsequent revelations in the Book of Daniel which Daniel received were closely associated with some kind of agony or distress (see 8:17, 27; 9:20-21; 10:2-3, 7-10, 17; 12:8).

A look through the Scriptures shows that Daniel’s response to the prophecies he received was not unique. Many Old Testament prophets shared Daniel’s distress as a result of the prophecies they received and often conveyed to others.⁷⁴ Why does the prophecy of Daniel 7 cause this godly man so much consternation? What so upset Daniel about the future? Should we be troubled as well?

Prophecies are given so that we may look at history, especially events occurring in our own lifetime, from God’s perspective. Prophecy provides men the opportunity to think and act in a way which pleases God, who determines the future and who reveals future events to men.

Chapter 7 reveals in broad terms what the future holds. Our study of this chapter will isolate what troubled Daniel about the future. If taken seriously, we will find the future sobering as well. May the Spirit of God reveal the meaning of this prophecy to us and produce in us that which God desires to His glory and our good.

Structure of the Text

Two major divisions comprise our text: (1) Daniel’s dream—verses 1-14 and (2) the interpretation—verses 15-28. In more detail, the outline would be as follows:

(1) Daniel’s Dream verses 1-14

The Four Beasts — verses 1-8
The Ancient of Days — verses 9-12
The Son of Man — verses 13-14

(2) The Divine Interpretation — verses 15-28

Daniel’s distress — verse 15
A General Interpretation — verses 16-18
A Fuller Interpretation — verses 19-27
Daniel’s Response — verse 28

Interpretive Guidelines

Interpretations of Daniel’s prophecies differ widely. Liberals reject all prophecies, because they require a sovereign God and a miraculous revelation of future events. While conservative, evangelical scholars believe the prophecies in Daniel are true, their interpretations differ greatly. Whether liberal or conservative, our conclusions grow out of the premises and presuppositions governing the process and the product of our interpretation. For this reason, I wish to clearly state the foundational presuppositions and principles on which this exposition of Daniel is based.

(1) The Book of Daniel is a part of the Holy Scriptures, and thus inspired, accurate, and trustworthy.

(2) The prophecies of Daniel must be understood in relationship to and in light of the other prophecies of Daniel.

(3) These prophecies must be understood in light of their historical background as provided in Daniel, in the inspired revelation provided by other portions of Scripture, and the cautious use of supplementary information by reliable historical documents or study. Other biblical prophecies bear on the prophecies of Daniel, particularly preceding or contemporary prophecies.

(4) Prophecies not completely fulfilled cannot be fully understood until after their fulfillment. At least the final portion of chapter 7 has not been fulfilled. Even those portions which we believe have been fulfilled, students of prophecy differ about the way of their fulfillment.

(5) Above all, the prophecy in this chapter means precisely what God says it means in this text, nothing more and nothing less. How easily we turn from what is revealed to speculate about what has been concealed (see Deuteronomy 29:29). We should not spend a disproportionate amount of time and energy trying to fill in the blanks God has left. Our attention should be given to what is clearly and emphatically said. In our passage, Daniel asks for and receives an explanation. What God determined to reveal to Daniel should be enough for us.

Overall Observations

Note these general observations about our passage before we turn to a more detailed study.

(1) Daniel 7 is the last chapter written in Aramaic in the Book of Daniel. Daniel 1:1-2:4a was written in Hebrew. From Daniel 2:4b to the end of chapter 7, the original text was written in Aramaic (the language of Babylon in that day). After this chapter, the book returns to the Hebrew language.

(2) Chapters 7 and 8, while written in different languages, are written during the reign of Belshazzar and somehow linked by the author in Daniel 8:1.

(3) This chapter contains the major segment of Daniel, which is primarily prophetic, although it does not contain the first prophecy in the Book of Daniel.

(4) This is the first prophecy in the book revealed directly to Daniel. The other prophecies were revealed to King Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar and interpreted by Daniel.

(5) While the process involves wicked kings and nations and the suffering of the saints, the culmination is the establishment of God’s eternal kingdom.

(6) None of the kings or the kingdoms are identified.

(7) No identification is made of the saints as “Jews” or “Gentiles.” There seems to be no Jewish nationalistic emphasis here, as there will be later.⁷⁵

(8) The four beasts are all different, with the last standing apart from the first three.

(9) The interpretation of Daniel’s vision comes in two parts, beginning with a general interpretation and then a more specific one based on Daniel’s questions.

(10) Daniel’s preoccupation is with the last beast, rather than the first three.

(11) A distinction is made between God the “Father”—the “Ancient of Days” and God the Son—the “Son of Man”—with both playing a part in the establishment of the kingdom.

(12) No distinction between the first coming of Christ and the second is made in the coming of the eternal kingdom of God.

(13) In some sense, the last kingdom is still on-going. Since the last kingdom and the prophecies associated with it have not yet been fulfilled, we must in some way be a part of that kingdom. The day of judgment is still future and has not yet been fulfilled. Thus, the vision is yet unfulfilled in terms of its major emphasis. No wonder interpreters differ about the details. Quite clear, however, is the identity of the “Ancient of Days” and the “Son of Man.”

Background

Chapter 7 moves from the historical accounts of Daniel and his three friends to the prophetic revelations received by Daniel in the last half of the Book.⁷⁶ The following chart may help us visualize the relationship of Daniel’s prophecies to the historical setting in which they were revealed:


BABYLONIAN EMPIRE		MEDO-PERSIAN EMPIRE
Nebuchadnezzar	Belshazzar	Darius	Cyrus
Daniel 1-4	Daniel 5	Daniel 6
Daniel 12	Daniel 7-8	Daniel 9	Daniel 11-12

The first prophetic revelation is found in Daniel 2. A night vision is given to king Nebuchadnezzar, apparently early in his reign as king of Babylon. Through the vision of a magnificent, awe-inspiring statue, God reveals the future for Gentile kings and their kingdoms. The head of the statue was made of gold, the chest and arms of silver, the belly and thighs of bronze, and the legs and feet of iron and clay.

In his interpretation of the dream, Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar he was the head of gold. The identity of the kingdoms represented by the other body parts and metals was not revealed. The king is told that all of these earthly kingdoms would be destroyed by the “stone not fashioned by human hands,” and that an eternal kingdom would take the place of these temporal kingdoms. The subject of the vision in chapter 2 seems to be taken up again in chapter 7. The inter-relationship between the prophecies of chapters 2 and 7 is demonstrated on the following page:

The Four Kingdoms

C H A P T E R T W O	C H A P T E R S E V E N
Head of gold	The winged lion
Breast & arms of silver	The devouring bear
Belly & thighs of bronze	The winged leopard
Legs & feet of iron & clay	The indescribable beast

Similarities

A four-part statue	Four beasts
Statue represents kingdoms	Beasts represent kingdoms
Deterioration: Gold to iron mixed with clay	Deterioration: Nearly human to blaspheming beast
Statue destroyed	Beasts destroyed
Eternal Kingdom is established	Eternal kingdom is established

Contrasts

Nebuchadnezzar’s Vision	Daniel’s Vision
Daniel’s interpretation	Angel’s interpretation
Glorious statue	Horrible beasts
Human statue in four parts	Four (inhumane) beasts
Destroyed mysteriously by a stone	Destroyed in judgment by God

Daniel’s Dream
(7:1-14)

1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel saw a dream and visions in his mind as he lay on his bed; then he wrote the dream down and related the following summary of it. 2 Daniel said, “I was looking in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. 3 And four great beasts were coming up from the sea, different from one another. 4 The first was like a lion and had the wings of an eagle. I kept looking until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man; a human mind also was given to it. 5 And behold, another beast, a second one, resembling a bear. And it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth; and thus they said to it, ‘Arise, devour much meat!’ 6 After this I kept looking, and behold, another one, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird; the beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it. 7 After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed, and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. 8 “While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth uttering great boasts. 9 I kept looking until thrones were set up, And the Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow, And the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, Its wheels were a burning fire. 10 A river of fire was flowing And coming out from before Him; Thousands upon thousands were attending Him, And myriads upon myriads were standing before Him; The court sat, and the books were opened. 11 “Then I kept looking because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and given to the burning fire. 12 “As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but an extension of life was granted to them for an appointed period of time. 13 “I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him.⁷⁷ 14 And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations, and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.

The first recorded vision comes to Daniel in the form of a night vision, like those of Nebuchadnezzar (2:1; 4:5) during the first year of the reign of Belshazzar. How interesting! The vision comes to Daniel in Belshazzar’s first year.⁷⁸ A subsequent and related vision comes to him in this king’s third year (see 8:1). The revelation of the “writing on the banquet hall wall,” already described in chapter 5, actually happened later, on the last day of Belshazzar’s life. According to verse 1, the written record of the revelation Daniel received in his first night vision is but a summary of the prophecy he received.

Belshazzar’s rise to power and ascent to the throne seems to have inaugurated a new age for Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar was the first ruler of Babylon to have contact with Daniel. Having gained an appreciation for Daniel and his three Hebrew friends, over a period he came to faith in their God. His declaration, which resulted from the deliverance of the three Hebrews, made it unlawful to hinder the worship of the Jews; his decree recorded at the end of chapter 4 went much further. It not only bore witness to the conversion of this king, but encouraged all of the subjects of Babylonian rule to worship the God of Israel.

I believe some in Babylon, like their king, came to a genuine faith in God. Many others may have reluctantly professed or actually adopted the Jewish religion. King Nebuchadnezzar died apparently nine years before Belshazzar came to power. Public sentiment was turning against this “foreign religion,” and the Babylonians, including Belshazzar, wanted a return to their “old time religion” —the pagan worship of the gods of Babylon. With the commencement of Belshazzar’s co-regency may have come not only a rejection of the Jewish faith and worship, but a new wave of persecution directed toward it. The toasting of the gods of the Babylonians with the sacred temple vessels, recorded in chapter 5, may have been Belshazzar’s final act of blasphemy. As we shall show later, the content of the prophecy of Daniel 7 is very closely related to the reign of Belshazzar. The words of verse 1 point to the relationship between the prophecy Daniel received and its historical setting and context.

In his vision, Daniel observed the sea being stirred up into a raging storm by the “four winds of heaven.” This signifies that the events which follow have been ordained by God. God stirred up the sea, and from its foaming, raging waters came forth four horrifying beasts. These beasts, each different from the other, are described in verses 4-7.

The first beast was lion-like, with wings like that of an eagle.⁷⁹ Its wings were plucked from it; if this happened in mid-air, he must have plummeted to the ground. If not, he could never have become airborne again. The beast was lifted up and made to stand like a man. The beast also was given a man’s mind.

Generally, it is agreed that this beast represents the Babylonian empire and king Nebuchadnezzar in particular. This description certainly fits the account of Nebuchadnezzar’s plunge from power and sanity in chapter 4. While God tells neither Daniel nor us that this beast represents Nebuchadnezzar, He does reveal that the “head of gold” in the vision of the great statue was Nebuchadnezzar (2:36-38). Since the head of gold seems to describe the same king and kingdom as the first beast, it may not be too far afield to conclude that Nebuchadnezzar is the king represented by the first beast.

By far, this first beast is the best of a bad bunch. He is more beastly in the beginning and more human in the end, paralleling the character of Nebuchadnezzar. This also underscores that these four kingdoms go from reasonably good to unbelievably bad. The only human things mentioned of the fourth beast are his eyes and his mouth. His mouth is used to speak boastfully.

The second and third beasts are briefly described in verses 5 and 6. The second is bear-like. The precise meaning of the symbols of the raised side and the three ribs is illusive. Encouraged to do so, it savagely devours. The third beast is leopard-like, with four wings and four heads, and it is given dominion.

The fourth beast receives greater attention and is of the most interest to Daniel. Different from the first three, this beast seems uglier, more powerful, and much more hostile toward God and His saints. Daniel finds nothing to compare to it. With iron-like teeth, horns (some with eyes), and feet, it is utterly destructive. What it does not destroy or consume with its teeth, it crushes under foot, much like a bull in a china shop.

This fourth beast has the distinction of ten horns. As Daniel continues to watch, another horn emerges, as three of the other horns are plucked out by the roots to make room for it. Looking about with its numerous eyes, no one can escape his look or hide from him.⁸⁰ With its mouth, the beast continues to speak boastfully.

The scene of the four beasts arising from the sea, which Daniel saw in his night vision, is strikingly similar to the account found in the 13th chapter of Revelation:

1 And he stood on the sand of the seashore, and I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names. 2 And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast; 4 and they worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?” 5 And there was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies; and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven. 7 And it was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them; and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. 8 And all who dwell on the earth will worship him, every one whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. 9 If any one has an ear, let him hear. 10 If any one is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if any one kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints (Revelation 13:1-10).

As the beast continues to boast, a second scene commences in Daniel’s vision, and for a period of time both scenes run simultaneously. The second scene portrays the establishment of the thrones on which the Ancient of Days and those holding court are to be seated to pronounce judgment.

In the first scene, heavenly winds are employed to whip up the sea from which the four beasts emerges. In the second scene, heaven calmly prepares for court, which will determine that the time for judgment has come. The beasts are a horrifying and frightening sight; the heavenly court scene is one of regal splendor and beauty. The beasts emerge out of chaos and confusion; the heavenly court is calm and dignified. This scene in Daniel is also similar to a prophecy recorded in the Book of Revelation:

4 and they worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?”

11 And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon. 12 and he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. 13 And he performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. 14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life. 15 And there was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast might even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed (Revelation 13:4, 11-15).

Note that the description of the beasts is written in prose, while the description of the heavenly court in verses 9-10 and of the Son of Man in verses 13-14 is written in poetry form. The beasts are hardly worthy of prose, but the court of heaven deserves a description of the finest words.

The “horn” continues to sound off while the court is being set up for judgment. Suddenly, the boasting beast is silenced by death, and his body is cast into the burning fire. Even the fate of this fourth beast is different than his three predecessors, as his life and his kingdom seem to end at the same moment. The other three are removed from power but allowed to live for some time after their removal (verse 12).

As Daniel continues to watch, someone descends with the clouds of heaven, one like a “Son of Man.” He is presented to the Ancient of Days, and to Him is given dominion, glory, and the eternal kingdom. He will rule over all nations forever.

The expression, “son of man,” is not new to Daniel nor to the Jews of his day. Up to this time, it was simply a synonym for being human, a son of man. In the first use of this expression, being a “son of man” was contrasted with being God:

“God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? (Numbers 23:19)

The expression is used in the Psalms in a more pregnant way, in reference to the coming Messiah.

Let Thy hand be upon the man of Thy right hand, Upon the son of man whom Thou didst make strong for Thyself (Psalm 80:17).

Daniel uses the expression “Son of man” twice. The first time in Daniel 7:13, he is referring to Messiah, who will sit on the eternal throne of His father, David. The second time, the expression is used in reference to Daniel himself, as it will be used very frequently in Ezekiel to refer to this great prophet:

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” (Daniel 8:17).

Then He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet that I may speak with you!” (Ezekiel 2:1).

Old Testament Jews would likely regard the reference to the “Son of Man” in Daniel 7 as a reference to the Messiah, although they would probably not understand Him to be both divine and human. Before the coming of Christ, who would? When Jesus came, He embraced this expression as a designation for Himself, giving the term meaning vastly beyond that previously held by any Jew.

A Divine Interpretation
(7:15-28)

15 “As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed within me, and the visions in my mind kept alarming me. 16 “I approached one of those who were standing by and began asking him the exact meaning of all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things: 17 ‘These great beasts, which are four in number, are four kings who will arise from the earth. 18 ‘But the saints of the Highest One will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, for all ages to come.’ 19 “Then I desired to know the exact meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its claws of bronze, and which devoured, crushed, and trampled down the remainder with its feet, 20 and the meaning of the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, and before which three of them fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth uttering great boasts, and which was larger in appearance than its associates. 21 “I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and overpowering them 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom. 23 “Thus he said: ‘The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms, and it will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. 24 ‘As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them,⁸¹ and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings. 25 ‘And he will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. 26 ‘But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever. 27 ‘Then the sovereignty, the dominion, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him.’ 28 “At this point the revelation ended. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts were greatly alarming me and my face grew pale, but I kept the matter to myself.”

Daniel’s response to the vision was far from assuring or calming. Some of his alarm arose from his not yet having been given the interpretation of his vision. Yet, his emotional response was valid and changed little after the vision was explained more fully.

This vision was an “interactive vision,” as Daniel was not only present in the vision but was able to approach one standing by to ask the meaning of what he saw. It seems safe to assume the interpreter was an angelic being; at least this is the case in chapter 8 (8:15-26). The interpretation of the events Daniel witnessed in his vision is given in its most concise form in verses 17 and 18: The four beasts were four kings, who will arise from the earth. In spite of these kings, the saints of the Highest One will possess the eternal kingdom forever and ever. In spite of all these beasts do and say, in spite of their power and even their success, neither they nor their kingdoms will last. The kingdom of God will be established and the saints will possess it forever.

The emphasis of this brief interpretation falls not on the enemies of God, their power, their brutality, nor their boasting, but on the kingdom of God, its certainty and its permanence for all the saints forever. The emphasis is positive. If Daniel had been shaken by the dark side of his vision, he is reminded in the interpretation of the outcome of these events—the establish- ment of God’s eternal kingdom.

The vision’s explanation was not thorough enough to satisfy Daniel. Desiring a more detailed explanation, he apparently asked for one and received it. Passing over the first three beasts, his questions focus on the last beast. He wants to know more about this dreadful beast, different from the rest, especially in the destruction he wrought. The ten horns are of interest to him, but most of all that final horn which arose, surpassing and replacing three others and speaking boastfully.

The vision plays on before Daniel, almost as though in answer to his desire to know more. The boastful beast becomes even more aggressive, waging war with the saints and even overpowering them. No wonder this vision causes Daniel such distress. This takes place until the Ancient of Days comes and judgment is given to the saints, at the time the eternal kingdom becomes their possession.

These are the things Daniel sees in the vision. Now, in verse 23, the angelic interpreter explains the relationship of the boastful beast and the coming of the eternal kingdom of God. The fourth beast is a fourth king, different than the others. He distinguishes himself by his ability to overcome the whole earth, crushing it under foot.

The ten horns, Daniel is told, represent ten kings who will emerge out of the fourth kingdom. An eleventh king then rises to power, different from the others, replacing three of the previous kings. This king’s boasting turns to blasphemy. He not only speaks against the Most High, he oppresses the saints. He intends to make changes in time and in law. Just what this means is unclear, but it suggests this arrogant king not only speaks against God, but, like Satan, he aspires to change the order God has established. He surpasses those before him by speaking boastfully, then blaspheming, and finally seeking to overthrow God’s order.

The final words of verse 25 are carefully chosen to let the reader know that while this king appears to be successfully opposing God, all he does is a part of the divine plan for the last days. The eleventh horn may hope to change the time, but in God’s plan this king is granted “a time, times, and half a time” —three and a half years to oppose and oppress the saints. God grants this king success and his saints suffering, but only for an appointed time.

When the court sits for judgment, his dominion is taken from him and he is destroyed forever. At this time the kingdom of God is established. The saints of the Highest One are given all the kingdoms of the earth for an everlasting kingdom. They will serve and obey Him forever.

Daniel’s vision ends here, but its impact on him does not end. His thoughts alarm him, and his face pales. Nevertheless, Daniel tells no one, keeping the matter to himself and suffering a quiet agony over the future events God has revealed to him.

Conclusion

The message of this prophecy is really quite simple and may be summed up this way. Before the kingdom of God is established on the earth, four earthly kingdoms will rise and fall. These kingdoms go from bad to worse. Arrogant, boastful, and even blasphemous kings will reign over the nations, opposing God and oppressing His saints. All of this is by divine design. During times of oppression, it may appear the saints are being defeated and that God’s kingdom is but wishful thinking. When the sin and oppression of evil men reaches a predetermined point, God will remove them and establish His promised eternal kingdom. Then the saints will receive the kingdom which will never end.

A number of lessons from our text have broad application to our thinking and conduct as Christians. Consider these lessons as we conclude.

(1) Prophecy is necessary because God has chosen to settle His accounts with men slowly. God is eternal, and so is His plan for all creation. God is in no hurry to fulfill His promises, whether His promise of the eternal kingdom for all the saints or the promise of eternal destruction and judgment for sinners. Prophecy is necessary then so that men are reassured of divine deliverance and blessing, as well as divine judgment (see 2 Peter 2:4-9). Through the ages, the saints have learned that they must wait for the promises of God to be fulfilled and that this may not happen in their lifetime (see Hebrews 11:13-16, 39-40). God may choose to delay judgment on the wicked until their sin reaches full bloom; the possession of the land of Canaan would not happen in Abraham’s lifetime, but more than 400 years later after the suffering of the people of God (see Genesis 15:12-17). God also allows the wicked to persist and even to prosper, so that those whom He has chosen might be saved (Romans 9:22-24). God’s plan and program are carried out on His schedule, not ours (see 2 Peter 2:8-10). Prophecy becomes necessary from time to time to remind men of those things God has planned for the future which He will surely fulfill.

(2) While the timing of the fulfillment of divine prophecy may seem remote to the recipient, it still has relevance for him. According to our text, the prophecies of Daniel 7 will not be fulfilled for a considerable period of time. Four kings will establish four kingdoms, and some of these kingdoms have a number of kings. The last kingdom has at least eleven kings. Centuries must therefore pass before the prophecies of Daniel are fulfilled.

The distance in time of the fulfillment of Daniel 7 said something very important to the captive Jews of Daniel’s day. It would be but a very few years until Cyrus would come to power and assist the Jews to return to Jerusalem and the land of Israel. In the euphoria of this grand event, someone might well conclude the kingdom of God was to be established within the lifetime of those returning to Israel. Our text challenges such a conclusion, and later prophecies in Daniel further document that the coming of the King and of the kingdom will be some time further in the future. In those days, as in our own, there are always those are too quick to conclude that the kingdom of God has come (see Matthew 24:4, 6, 8, 24-28; 2 Thessalonians 2:1ff.).

The kingdom of God would not be established in Daniel’s lifetime, nor in the life of those who returned to the land of Israel from their captivity. The prophecy of Daniel 7 nevertheless had great relevance and application to those in Daniel’s day. Nebuchadnezzar may have started badly, but by the time we read of him in Daniel 4 he seems to be a true believer in God, urging the citizens of his kingdom to worship and serve Him. For the remainder of Nebuchadnezzar’s life, it seems that religion in the kingdom of Babylon was at least favorable to the worship of the God of the Jews. While most of those in this kingdom may not have had a true conversion, at least they tolerated the Jewish faith as the religion of the state.

With the death of Nebuchadnezzar comes a change in the people’s attitudes, especially their leaders toward Judaism. Belshazzar came to power several years after the death of Nebuchadnezzar and seems to have turned completely away from the God of Israel. Consequently, it is little wonder that in the events recorded in Daniel 5, Belshazzar was ignorant of Daniel and the abilities God had given him. He only called on him in a moment of sheer panic when no one else could help, and only then because of the recommendation of the queen mother.

The reign of Belshazzar was, in some measure, a foretaste of what was yet to come in full measure during the reign of the fourth beast, especially of the eleventh horn. Would this horn Daniel’s vision revealed oppose the people of God and even blaspheme God Himself? God would strike him down in the moment of His choosing to silence him once and for all and put an end to his kingdom. Would Belshazzar toast the gods of gold, silver, wood and stone with the sacred temple vessels? God would strike him down suddenly too and bring his kingdom to a swift end. The prophecies of Daniel 7 speak of a future day of reckoning, foreshadowed by the actions of Belshazzar and the judgment of God on him and his kingdom.

As I read through the statements men have made about the God of Israel in the first six chapters of Daniel, I find that what men came to know and to acknowledge through history, God declares through prophecy. I encourage you to compare the statements of Daniel 2:21-22, 44, 47; 4:3, 34-35, 37; 6:26 with the content and declarations of Daniel 7. What God declares in prophecy, He reveals as well in history. We are in harmony with God when our declarations conform to his. Those of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar, and Darius all agree with the prophecy of Daniel 7. God is able to raise up kings and put them down. God will establish His kingdom, and that kingdom, unlike the kingdoms of men, is eternal.

(3) The finest commentary on the prophecy of Daniel 7 comes from our Lord Himself. In the Old Testament, the expression “son of man” was used most frequently in reference to men, who were merely (as opposed to God) human. In the Psalms and also in Daniel 7, the expression “Son of Man” begins to take on a more technical meaning, referring to the Messiah, who will sit on the throne of His father, David, to rule over men forever.

When the Lord Jesus Christ came to earth, having added perfect humanity to His undiminished deity, He spoke of Himself very often as “the Son of Man.” In the Gospels, Jesus began not only to identify Himself as the Messiah, the promised “Son of Man,” but also to explain all that this involved. The Son of Man had the power to forgive sins, as well as to heal a paralytic (Matthew 9:6). The Son of Man was also “Lord of the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:8). He would rise from the dead (12:40). He will also send forth His angels to gather those who do not belong in His kingdom (12:41). He questioned His disciples so that they could confess that He, the Son of Man, was the Messiah (16:13f.). He would, after His death, burial, and resurrection come in His glory, rewarding men according to their deeds (16:27). His disciples were promised that they would share in His reign as King (19:20). The transfiguration of our Lord was but a foretaste of His coming glorious kingdom (16:28). When He came with His kingdom, they would be sure to recognize Him (24:27). However, the Son of Man must first suffer at the hands of men (17:22; 20:18).

Those who rejected the Lord Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of Man, would mourn when they saw Him returning in the clouds:

And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory (Matthew 24:30).

As the destruction of the last beast and the blaspheming horn came as a complete shock to them, so the Lord’s coming will catch unbelievers unprepared as well (24:27-39). His followers too must be alert and ready for His return (24:44).

In my opinion, the most dramatic reference of our Lord to His identity as the Son of Man comes as the Lord Jesus stands on trial before the Sanhedrin and the high priest:

59 Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, in order that they might put Him to death; 60 and they did not find it, even though many false witnesses came forward. But later on two came forward, 61 and said, “This man stated, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.’” 62 And the high priest stood up and said to Him, “Do You make no answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?” 63 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, “I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.” 64 Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you shall see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, AND COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN” (Matthew 26:59-64).

In His response to the demand of the high priest, Jesus directly claimed to be the promised Messiah. That was bad enough, from the religious leaders’ perspective, but the way in which He answered them was the last straw. Jesus quoted the words of Daniel 7:13. They surely knew this text to be messianic, but they had always applied it to the Gentiles. They believed that the Messiah would come to establish the kingdom, to bless the Jews and to condemn the Gentiles. Jesus applied this text to them, not as those who would enter into His kingdom, but as those who would be judged at His return. No wonder His words stung and prompted them to act as they did. For the time, it was these Jewish leaders who were beastly, arrogant, and blasphemous, and because of this they would suffer divine judgment. The words of Daniel which applied to the beasts now found application to them.

(4) Suffering is to be expected by the saints, before they enter into the glorious kingdom of God. Daniel 7 indicates in the clearest way that prior to the coming of the kingdom of God the saints will suffer at the hand of the final “horn” and even be overpowered by him. Wherever I see the Scriptures speak of the coming kingdom of God, I find suffering closely associated with it. Before the Israelites were delivered out of Egypt and brought into the land of Canaan, they suffered at the hands of the Egyptians. Our deliverance from the power of sin and the penalty of death has been accomplished by our Lord, who suffered in our place. Those who will reign with Christ are those who have suffered (see Romans 8:17; Philippians 3:10-11; 2 Timothy 2:12). Suffering is an inseparable part of the process which leads to glory. So it was for our Lord (1 Peter 1:10-12), and so it will be for us.

(5) Prophecy is not written as hype but revealed to produce the hope of glory and endurance in present tribulation. Prophecy is not a pep rally, which generates a great burst of short-term enthusiasm but does little to inspire faith and endurance in the midst of suffering. Neither is prophecy written to make us happy or to feel good. Daniel’s response is testimony to this reality.

(6) Prophecy is written to sober the saints. Prophecy speaks not only of the joys and glories of God’s kingdom to come but of the suffering and tribulation preceding the eternal blessings of the kingdom of God. In the context of the coming of His kingdom and the suffering and trials which precede it, soberness is a vitally important quality which prophecy promotes:

1 Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. 2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. 3 While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; 5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor o darkness; 6 so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. 7 For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. 8 But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation (1 Thessalonians 5:1-8).

Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:13).

The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer (1 Peter 4:7).

(7) Prophecy is revealed, not to give us the particulars of things to come, but to change our perspective. Prophecy is necessary because God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways. We could never predict the goals God has determined, nor the means He has ordained for history to reach them. Prophecy reveals that which we would not and could not expect apart from divine revelation.

In God’s economy, things are not what they appear to be. We do not walk by sight, but by faith. We do not act on what we see so much as on what God has said. Abraham and Sarah were elderly and childless. Humanly speaking, it was impossible for them to have a child. And yet God said they would. And they did! Abraham had to believe and behave on the basis of God’s promises, rather than on the basis of his perception.

As the boasting horn of Daniel 7 seems to be getting away with his blasphemies and his oppression of the saints, it seems to him he can do whatever he wishes, including the changing of times and law. As the wicked prosper in their sin, it seems as though they can continue in sin without any fear of divine judgment (see Psalm 73:1-11; 2 Peter 2:3-4). Their perception is wrong, for suddenly and without warning their day of destruction will come upon them. When that day comes for them, it is too late to repent.

As the saints suffer at the hands of the wicked, it may appear all hope is lost. It may seem to them that their defeat is certain and that their hopes of entering into the eternal kingdom are lost. Things are not as they appear to be! When we expect it least, the Lord will return, the wicked will be punished, and the kingdom of God established forevermore.

I have heard a number of attempts to explain the “gaps” in Old Testament prophecy. One of those gaps is found in Daniel 7. The coming of the Son of Man is represented as one coming, and not two. We know that Jesus came the first time to die and that He will come again to subdue His enemies and establish His kingdom. We are told the Old Testament prophet could not see the distance between the first and the second coming of our Lord, just as one cannot see the distance between two mountains, when viewed from afar.

Considering this text has changed my opinion about the “gap” in the prophecies of the Old Testament. The gap is not the prophet’s problem; it is ours. The Old Testament prophet did not see the gap because he viewed the coming of Christ as God does. From an eternal perspective, the coming of Christ and His kingdom is but one coming. Our Lord’s first coming happened over a period of more than 30 years, and yet we view this as one coming. If, in God’s eyes, a day is as 1,000 years and 1,000 years as a day (2 Peter 3:8), then the coming of our Lord has only been a few days from beginning to end.

We see a gap—an almost insurmountable gap—between suffering and glory; God does not. Suffering and glory are a part of one work. Just so, Christ’s suffering and glory is but a part of one coming. Prophecy greatly benefits the Christian because it enables him to see things from the bigger and broader perspective—from God’s perspective—so that when he suffers, he knows it is but a part of the process of getting to glory.

Consider the birth of a child, remembering that God’s deliverance and salvation is likened to birth. The process of having a baby involves the pains of childbirth. They are far from pleasant but an unavoidable part of the process. The woman endures in the view of the final outcome of the process. When the child is born, the pains of suffering are quickly lost in the joys of seeing a new life. Child-bearing is a process which involves suffering and glory. Salvation is likewise a process involving suffering—and then glory.

Prophecy is revealed to men to change their perspective, to urge them to see things as God sees them rather than as they appear to the human eye. We are not to base our thinking and actions on circumstances, but upon the Scriptures. What God says, He will do. History has shown this to be true in the past, and prophecy assures us that it will be true in the future. Let us listen then, and be sober, enduring the sufferings and trials sent our way, looking expectantly and certainly for His kingdom to come.

Chapter 7:
Questions and Answers

(1) Why does Daniel indicate the historical setting of the vision he receives in chapter 7?

In verse 1 Daniel indicates his vision came to him in the first year of the reign of Belshazzar. The vision recorded in chapter 8 took place in the third year of Belshazzar. The account of the writing on the wall and the death of Belshazzar (obviously the last year of his reign) is found in Daniel 5.

Prophecy is not revealed in a historical vacuum. While most prophecies in the Bible reveal events which will take place after the death of the recipient of the prophecy, the prophecy is revealed for impact upon those to whom it was revealed. Prophecy is always practical and relevant to the person(s) receiving it.

At the outset of the account of his vision, Daniel wants his reader to know the historical context in which this prophecy was given and to consider its interpretation and application in the light of that context. Specifically, the account of “The Bad News at Belshazzar’s Banquet” (not a bad title for that lesson) in chapter 5 was given to us so that we could better understand the prophecies of chapters 7 and 8. We will deal with the meaning and application of Daniel’s vision later on in our questions and answers.

(2) Why do you think Daniel summarized his dream when he wrote it rather than tell it in full (see verse 1)?

Editing is often evident in the Bible (see John 20:30-31; 31:25). Editing allows an author to set aside details which are not significant and focus on the essence of the message he is trying to communicate. Daniel boiled down his vision to its essence, so we would not fail to understand the message he meant to convey to us.

(3) What principles should guide and govern our attempt to interpret the prophecy of this chapter?

First, the prophecies of Daniel are divinely inspired and revealed, and thus they are true and reliable. Second, the prophecies of Daniel are to be understood in the light of the entire Book of Daniel, of the Old Testament, and of the Bible as a whole. Thirdly (and most importantly), the prophecies of Daniel mean exactly what God says they mean, nothing more and nothing less. The prophecy of this chapter is divinely interpreted. God has revealed in this interpretation what He wants us to know and has kept back that which we need not know. We dare not ignore that which is revealed nor do we dare go too far afield in speculating about what is concealed (see Deuteronomy 29:29; 1 Timothy 1:4; 2 Timothy 2:23).

(4) What is the structure of Daniel 7?

The chapter falls into two major parts. Verses 1-14 contain the vision which God gave to Daniel. Verses 15-28 contain the divine interpretation of this vision.

(5) What do the four beasts represent? How was the fourth beast different from the first three?

Each of the four beasts represent a king and thus a resulting kingdom. Each beast has its own unique characteristics. The fourth beast appears to differ from the other three in that he is more beastly, more powerful, more destructive, and more arrogant. This beast is also unique among the four in that he grows 11 horns. These horns are also kings, from whom kingdoms arise (verse 24). This fourth beast seems to regenerate in the form of subsequent kings and kingdoms. His final offspring, so to speak, is the little horn which becomes the great blasphemer, whose life and kingdom is suddenly cut off by the Ancient of Days and the Son of Man.

(6) How important is it for us to identity the kings and the kingdoms mentioned in our text? Are we supposed to discover their identity?

Daniel was told that the beasts are kings, but he was not told the identity of any of the kings. There is fairly strong inferential evidence that Nebuchadnezzar was represented by the first beast, the winged lion. The point of this prophecy is not to tell us who future kings will be, but rather what they will be like. Until God’s eternal kingdom is established, kingdoms will progress from bad to worse. These kings will rise to power and dominate the earth. In the latter days, an unusually powerful and evil king will arise, who will blaspheme God and oppress the people of God. When his appointed time is over, God will destroy this king and his kingdom and establish His eternal kingdom on the earth. This is what we need to know from Daniel’s vision, rather than the identity of the beasts.

(7) Who is the Ancient of Days? Who is the Son of Man? What role do they play in relation to the four beasts?

The Ancient of Days is a designation for God, not found elsewhere in the Bible. This designation refers to God the Father in a way that stresses His eternality, dignity, and power. It is virtually the opposite of the term “beast.” The expression, “Son of man,” is not new to Daniel. In Ezekiel, and even in Daniel (8:17), it is used in reference to a prophet. Usually it refers to a person as a human being. But here in chapter 7, as in Psalm 80:17, the “son of man” is more than just a man, He is the Messiah. When the Lord Jesus came to the earth, He often referred to Himself as the Son of Man, gradually making it clear that He was the Messiah who was God incarnate.

When the iniquity of the blasphemous horn reaches full bloom and his appointed time to rule is fulfilled, God will destroy him, casting his body into the fire. It is at this time that all human kingdoms will become subject to God and to the saints in the eternal kingdom, which the Son of Man will establish when He comes to the earth to judge and to rule.

(8) Is there any relationship between Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in chapter 2 and Daniel’s dream in chapter 7?

There seems to be a close connection between the vision of Nebuchadnezzar, which is revealed and interpreted in chapter 2, and the vision of Daniel in chapter 7. The statue has four parts; there are four beasts. Both the statue parts (made of different metals) and the beasts represent kings and kingdoms. Both series of four kingdoms begin well and end badly. Both sets of kingdoms are brought to a sudden end and are replaced by an eternal kingdom. It therefore seems that the two prophecies speak of the same four kingdoms by means of different imagery. The latter prophecy of Daniel 7 adds many more details than were revealed in chapter 2.

(9) What is the relationship between Daniel’s vision in chapter 7 and the events described in Daniel 5?

The blasphemous horn of Daniel 7, which goes so far as to oppose the people of God, is suddenly taken by death, and his kingdom is removed. In a similar way, Belshazzar becomes blasphemous and is suddenly removed by God for his wickedness. The death of this king brings about the end of his kingdom. Daniel 5 is an illustration and a prototype of what will happen in the end times, as described in the prophecy of Daniel 7. The fulfillment of the prophecy of Belshazzar’s demise underscores the certainty of the fulfillment of Daniel’s vision in the last days.

(10) What effect did the vision have on Daniel, and why?

Daniel is greatly distressed by the vision which he sees in chapter 7. We are not told precisely what it is that troubles Daniel. From the context, it would seem that Daniel’s distress is the result of the wickedness and oppression of the world kingdoms which are represented by the beasts, and by the knowledge that the saints will be oppressed and even overcome for a period of time. The fact that wicked men will prosper and prevail and that the righteous will suffer is hardly pleasant news.

(11) What is the point of the vision? What is its message to Daniel, to the Jews, and to us?

In the latter days, before the kingdom of God is established on the earth, kings and kingdoms will become worse and worse. The wicked will prosper and appear to get away with their opposition toward God and His saints. The righteous will suffer. But in the end, God will judge the wicked and establish His kingdom for His saints.

The saints should expect to suffer because of their faith, especially as the last days for the kingdoms of men draw near. The saints should also expect the wicked to prosper, for a season. The saints should neither believe nor behave on the basis of how things appear to be (the wicked prospering and prevailing over the righteous). The saints must believe and behave according to what God has promised about the future —the righteous will possess the kingdom of God forever.

74 “The personal cost of receiving divine revelation is never underestimated in the Old Testament (cf. Je. 4:19; Ezk. 3:15; Zc. 9:1; 12:1, AV, RV), and the book of Daniel insists here and in subsequent chapters (8:27; 10:1, 10, 11, 15, 18) on the anxiety and psychological turmoil involved in receiving, even at God’s hand, understanding of the future course of history.” Joyce C. Baldwin, Daniel: An Introduction and Commentary (Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 1978), p. 143.

75 “Everything in chapter 7 is on a world-wide scale, the empires of the beasts, the judgment, and the nations that worship and serve the one like mortal man. All distinctions of race and colour and nationality are stripped away and one apparently human figure represents the whole human race.” Joyce C. Baldwin, Daniel: An Introduction and Commentary (Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 1978), p. 150.

76 It is not altogether accurate to refer to chapters 1-6 as historical and 7-12 as prophetic. Chapter 2 contains a very significant prophecy, revealed by God to king Nebuchadnezzar. Chapter 9, on the other hand, has a historical account of Daniel’s study of Jeremiah and of his prayers of repentance and petition for Israel’s restoration and return to the land of promise.

77 According to Baldwin, “This verse [13] has been the subject of more scholarly papers than any other in the book, so indicating its centrality, not only for Daniel but for the New Testament also.” Baldwin, p. 142.

78 Walvoord thinks this is the year 553 B.C., some 14 years before the fall of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar died in 562 B.C., some 9 years before Belshazzar’s reign began. See John F. Walvoord, Daniel: The Key to Prophetic Revelation (Chicago: Moody Press, 1971), p. 149.

79 Compare Jeremiah 49:14-22, 28, where Nebuchadnezzar is compared to a lion and an eagle.

80 During my school teaching days, I tried to make my students think I had “eyes in the back of my head” so that no matter what they did--even if my back was turned--they could not escape my all-seeing eyes or my discipline.

81 See Ezekiel 29:21 for a similar use of the imagery of making a horn grow to describe a king’s promotion to power.

Passage:

Taxonomy upgrade extras:

9. The Ram, the Goat, and the Horn (Daniel 8:1-27)

Introduction

Daniel chapter 8 is a preacher’s nightmare. Even noted scholars hesitate to be dogmatic in their interpretation of this chapter. Daniel himself has not the foggiest notion of the vision’s meaning, even after the angel Gabriel has interpreted the vision for him. This is spite of the fact that Daniel had a reputation for being able to understand and interpret all kinds of visions and dreams (1:17; 5:11-12). He had already demonstrated his God-given skill in interpreting the two visions of Nebuchadnezzar. Yet, the vision he receives in chapter 8 leaves him exhausted and physically ill. He simply cannot grasp its meaning:

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 (Daniel 8:27).

When a divinely gifted interpreter of dreams and visions cannot understand it, even with Gabriel the angel explaining this prophecy to him, what am I as a preacher to do with this text? How can I write, or stand before a congregation, and say I simply do not understand the text on which I am speaking?

Struggling with this text has been interesting. While I cannot say my agony over this passage has led to complete understanding, I may say confidently I have learned much, and you can as well. May the Spirit of God enlighten our hearts and minds to our passage, as we come recalling the words of the apostle Paul:

16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

The Structure of the Text

Verses 1 and 2 are the introduction to the vision Daniel received; verses 3-8 describe Daniel’s vision of the ram and the goat. The rising up and reign of the “little horn” are recorded in verses 9-14. Verses 15-19 introduce the angel, Gabriel, who is instructed to convey the meaning of the vision to Daniel. Verses 20 and 21 are the interpretation of the vision of verses 3-8, and verses 22-26 are the interpretation of verses 9-14. An account of Daniel’s response to the vision in verse 27 concludes the chapter. The chapter may be outlined as follows:

(1) Revelation of Daniel’s Vision Verses 1-14

Introduction Verses 1-2
The Ram and the Goat Verses 3-8
The “Little Horn” Verses 9-14

(2) Interpretation of Daniel’s Vision Verses 15-27

Introducing Gabriel Verses 15-19
Meaning of the Ram and Goat Verses 20-21
Meaning of the “Little Horn” Verses 22-26
Daniel’s Response Verse 27

The Setting
(8:1-2)

1 In the third year of the reign of Belshazzar the king⁸² 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.

Daniel had a purpose for including this information in his introduction. He wants his readers to know that the prophecy of chapter 8 must be understood in the context of the reign of Belshazzar, and particularly in light of the events described in chapter 5. Further, the prophecy of chapter 8 should be understood in relationship to the prophecy of chapter 7. Even though the prophecy of chapter 7 is written in Aramaic and chapter 8 in Hebrew, these two prophecies cannot be understood in isolation; they must be understood in relationship to each other.

Verse 1 tells us when Daniel received the vision and explains the relationship of the second vision to the first, recorded in chapter 7. Verse 2 is more geographical, telling us not where Daniel was when he received the vision, but where he was in the vision. His vision transported him both in time and space,⁸³ as he found himself in Susa,⁸⁴ about 150 miles north of the head of the Persian Gulf. Susa, the ancient capital of Elam, was destined in a few years to become a leading city in the Persian empire and the location of the king’s palace (see Nehemiah 1:1; Esther 1:2, 5: 2:3, 5). The canal (or river, see marginal note in NASB) mentioned by Daniel may have been the very one down which Alexander would later sail his fleet.⁸⁵

How dramatically “things to come” are communicated to the prophet Daniel. He is actually transported to the future capital of the Persian empire. There, in Susa, beside the Ulai Canal, he learns that the two kingdoms which will follow the Babylonian empire will be Medo-Persia and Greece (see verses 20-21). We might liken it to an English prophet in the sixteenth century being transported to Washington D.C. in the twenty-first century. It will be some 12 years until the death of Belshazzar and the end of the Babylonian domination of the world, but Daniel’s vision takes him to the very capital of Persia where Nehemiah and Esther will later dwell.

A Ram on the Rampage
(8:3-4)

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.

The ram, later identified as representing the kings of Medo-Persia (verse 20), has two horns. The first horn would be Media and the second Persia, coming later than the first and being more powerful. The directions in which these kings extend their dominion is revealed in verse 4 and confirmed by history.

Verse 4 describes the power given to the ram, enabling him to dominate the nations. No beasts could withstand the ram, and no one was able to rescue peoples from him. He could do as he pleased. In the process, the kings became arrogant, magnifying themselves. These same characteristics apply both to the goat and to the horn. From the first five chapters of Daniel, we see some of the same characteristics in Nebuchadnezzar and in Belshazzar.

The Goat that Wasn’t Kidding
(8:5-8)

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.

The ram had its day in the sun. There was a time when it could do as it wished, when no one could be rescued from his power. When the Medo-Persian kingdom had served its purpose, it was overcome by Greece, represented in Daniel’s vision by the male goat (see verse 21). This goat had only one horn rather than two. It is generally agreed that this horn represented Alexander the Great. Coming from the west with a vengeance, he attacked the ram (Medo-Persia), striking a death-blow to this kingdom which had been instrumental in the return of the Jews to their land and in the rebuilding of the temple.

The goat is now the dominant world power from whose grasp none can be delivered. Like the ram before him, he magnified himself exceedingly, and with power came pride and oppression. Coming to an early demise at the pinnacle of his power, his “horn was broken” (verse 8).⁸⁶ Although it took a number of years, eventually four kings rose to take control of his empire.⁸⁷

The Little Horn
(8:8-14)

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.⁸⁸ 10 And it grew up to the host of heaven⁸⁹ 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 sacrifice⁹⁰ 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.⁹¹ 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.”

We should begin by noting that the focus of chapter 8 is the “little horn,” just as the “little horn” is the central focus of chapter 7.⁹² Six verses are devoted to the description of the ram and the goat. The origins of the “little horn” give little indication of the power and prominence to which this king eventually attains. After the one “large horn” of the goat is broken off (apparently the death of Alexander the Great), four lesser horns arise. The “little horn” emerges from one of these four horns. While rather small at first, it grows to be exceedingly great.

The conflict between the “little horn” and God at this point becomes almost bigger than life. At verse 10, the little horn achieves things which are more than human. He “grows up to the host of heaven,” causing “some of the host and some of the stars to fall to earth,” where “he tramples them” (verse 10). Like the ram and the goat before him, he “magnified himself” (verse 11). While the others magnified themselves above men, this horn magnifies himself “to be equal with the Commander of the host.” He “removes the regular sacrifice from Him” and throws down “the place of His sanctuary” (verse 11). This king thinks himself equal with God, going as far as directly opposing God.

The “little horn” seems to change before our eyes, from a mortal man to an incarnation of Satan himself. The focus seems to shift from the Israelites, Israel, Jerusalem, and the temple, to the “host of heaven” and the “stars of heaven.” Are these angels as they seem to be (see Revelation 12:4)? This prophecy suggests that much more exists here than meets the eye. Little wonder then that Bible students differ greatly about the meaning of these verses.⁹³

Verse 12 puts the success of the horn just described in verses 10 and 11 in perspective. One may gain the impression from verses 10 and 11 that the horn takes on God and wins. The reality, expressed in verse 12, is that the “host of heaven” is “given over to the horn,” not because of the horn’s greatness, but “on account of transgression.” Truth is cast to the ground, and everything this horn attempts seems to succeed—even his rebellion against God, His people, and His holy place.

This is almost too much to fathom, much less accept. Apparently an angel, identified as a “holy one,” speaks up, and Daniel overhears the conversation. The first angel asks how long this transgression and defilement of the holy place and the oppression of the host will go on. Verse 14 answers this question: it will last for 2,300 evenings and mornings,⁹⁴ and then the holy place will be restored properly.

Getting Together With Gabriel
(8:15-18)

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.

Daniel, the man so gifted in understanding and interpreting visions and dreams, is completely baffled and seeks to understand the meaning of the vision he has seen. An angel who looked like a man was standing by Daniel in his vision. A voice from between the banks of the Ulai called out to the one standing by Daniel. He called the angel by name—Gabriel. This is the first time in the Old Testament an angel is identified by name.⁹⁵ The voice instructs Gabriel to explain the meaning of the vision to Daniel.

As Gabriel draws near to Daniel, the prophet is overcome by fear and falls on his face. Gabriel draws near, informing him that the time-frame of the events revealed by his vision is the distant future. When Daniel begins to fall into a deep sleep, Gabriel makes him stand up. This is not the time to sleep in class. He wants Daniel’s full attention as he reveals the meaning of the vision.

Three times in this chapter it is stated that the vision pertains to the end times (verses 17, 19, 26). This raises a question, because the “little horn” in chapter 8 emerges from one of the four horns taking the place of Alexander the Great. The “end” ⁹⁶ referred to here seems of necessity not to be the final end, still future for us, but the end times preceding the first coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Baldwin understands “the end” in our text not to be the final end:

“‘The vision is for the time of the end’ needs to be interpreted in connection with prophetic use of ‘the end’, for it does not necessarily mean the end of all things, but may refer to the question asked in verse 13; verse 19 supports this interpretation. Ezekiel, quoting Amos 8:1, had used the word ‘end’ in 7:2, 3. For the Northern Kingdom at the time of Amos the end was brought about by Assyrian invasion and captivity; for Judah the end was the sack of Jerusalem by the Babylonian armies (cf. Ezk. 21:25, 29; 35:5). In each case the end meant the end of rebellion against God, because He intervened in judgment. The same sense applies in Daniel 8 (cf. 9:26).” ⁹⁷

It seems best to understand that a king will arise at the latter part of the kingdom of Greece who will openly rebel against God, oppose and oppress the saints, and succeed for a limited period of time. This time of tribulation marks the end of an age and precedes the first coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The fulfillment of the prophecies pertaining to the “little horn” of chapter 8 seems to take place under Antiochus Epiphanes. But this end time and this king also serves as a prototype of another “horn” in the last days, who brings about tribulation such as the world has never seen and will never see again. This seems to be the way our Lord interpreted the prophecy of Daniel:

9 Then they will deliver you up to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations on account of My name. 10 And at that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise, and will mislead many. 12 And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end, it is he who shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. 15 Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains; 17 let him who is on the housetop not go down to get the things out that are in his house; 18 and let him who is in the field not turn back to get his cloak. 19 But woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse babes in those days! 20 But pray that your flight may not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath; 21 for then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall (Matthew 24:9-21 - emphasis mine).

The Vision Interpreted
(8:19-26)

19 And he said, “Behold, I am going to let you know what will occur at the final period of the indignation,⁹⁸ 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.”

Gabriel informs Daniel about the subject matter of the vision he has received: the events of the “final period of the indignation” (verse 19). Though not synonymous with the “appointed time of the end,” it does pertain to it. The “final period of the indignation” precedes the “appointed time of the end.” One might say the period of indignation precipitates the time of the end.

During part of his reign, this wicked “horn” appears to prevail against God; reality is otherwise. The “horn” is granted a period of time to rebel against God and to succeed, not because he is stronger than God, but because his rebellion is a part of the purpose of God. His reign is divinely purposed and permitted so that God’s indignation may be poured out on a sinful people. Because of sin, God’s indignation is poured out on mankind through this “horn:”

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 (Daniel 8:12).

The vision pertaining to the ram and the goat, recorded in verses 5-8, is interpreted in but two verses (20 and 21), one verse for each empire. The ram represented Medo-Persia; the goat, Greece. Nothing is mysterious or debatable about this part of the vision. The difficulty comes with the interpretation of the “little horn” in verses 22-26, which receive the greatest emphasis and attention in Gabriel’s interpretation of the vision.

The four horns, arising after the breaking off of the goat’s one horn, are four kings, whose resulting kingdoms never approach the power and dominion of the first. Later in the reign of these kings, the little horn does emerge from one of the four kingdoms. From a merely human perspective, he arises because of his own power and greatness. From the divine point of view, he is raised up and given power because the “transgressors have run their course” (verse 23). As the iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full and the Israelites would have to wait over 400 years to possess the land of Canaan (Genesis 15:16), so the “little horn” was not allowed to rise to power until sin had run its full course, and the time for God’s indignation to be poured out through this king had come.

The sins of the Jews are in view here, for it is against the Jews and against Jerusalem that this king pours out his wrath. Through this king, God gives His people what they deserve, in full measure.

While verses 23-26 describe the actions of this king, their primary focus is his character. Arrogant, cunning, and deceptive, he is powerful, but “not by his own power.” He is so wicked and evil that it becomes apparent someone is behind him, someone greater than he, granting him power and expanding his pride. The source of this power can be no other than Satan himself. Here, as in Isaiah 14, a wicked king is described with the characteristics and attributes of Satan:

11 Again the word of the LORD came to me saying, 12 “Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “You had the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering; The ruby, the topaz, and the diamond; The beryl, the onyx, and the jasper; The lapis lazuli, the turquoise, and the emerald; And the gold, the workmanship of your settings and sockets, was in you. On the day that you were created That you were prepared. 14 You were the anointed cherub who covers, And I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked in the midst of the stones of fire. 15 You were blameless in your ways From the day you were created, Until unrighteousness was found in you. 16 By the abundance of your trade You were internally filled with violence, And you sinned; Therefore I have cast you as profane From the mountain of God. And I have destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the stones of fire. 17 Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I put you before kings, That they may see you. 18 By the multitude of your iniquities, In the unrighteousness of your trade, You profaned your sanctuaries. Therefore I have brought fire from the midst of you; It has consumed you, And I have turned you to ashes on the earth In the eyes of all who see you. 19 All who know you among the peoples Are appalled at you; You have become terrified. And you will be no more” ‘“ (Ezekiel 28:11-19; see also, Isaiah 14:5-6, 12-15).

This king will evidence the same pride which characterizes Satan. He will deceive and destroy “to an extraordinary degree.” He will be a master of destruction. His destruction will be all the greater because in some way he will put men at ease, bringing about their destruction when they do not expect it. His destruction will come upon him as unexpectedly as that which he brought on others, but not by any human agency. If the ram was subdued by the goat, this “horn” will be destroyed by God.

Gabriel’s final words provide instructions for Daniel concerning his vision: the vision is true and reliable and the events are certain to take place. But they are events in the distant future, long after Daniel’s death. Daniel must not make these visions known to anyone else, almost as though this vision is recorded in Daniel’s diary to be published after his death.

Daniel’s Response
(Daniel 8:27)

27 Then I, Daniel, was exhausted and sick for days. Then I got up again and carried on the king’s business;⁹⁹ but I was astounded at the vision, and there was none to explain it.

Daniel paid a high price for receiving this vision. He received a revelation he could not understand, a vision he must keep to himself. If this were not enough, the experience so drained his strength that he lay sick and exhausted for days.

Conclusion

Does it puzzle you that God revealed this vision to Daniel? Why reveal a vision to a prophet he cannot understand, even with the help of an angel? Why reveal a vision which caused such physical and emotional distress—and then instruct him not to tell anyone?

Why indeed! If the message of chapter 8 were announced as the subject of next week’s sermon, and it was preached true to the text, most Christians would not show up to hear it. Many indeed would refuse to hear it.

While struggling in my study of this text, it occurred to me that Christians today do not want this kind of revelation. They do not want to hear a word from God if it is like Daniel chapter 8. Contemporary American Christians want the truths of God’s Word made clear and comprehendible, and most of all, relevant. We want a word from God which is affirming, that reassures that there are only good things ahead. We want clear, amusing illustrations with immediate, practical applications which make us more successful and cause us to feel more fulfilled.

Do you wonder why the prophets of old were consistently persecuted, even killed, and their message resisted and rejected? Do you wonder why the prophets did not find a willing, listening audience? Because true prophets have always told men what they needed to hear, while false prophets tell men what they want to hear.

In wrestling with the message of chapter 8, I find myself faced with some very serious problems raised by this text. In the first verse of the chapter, Daniel informs us that the second vision of Daniel, recorded in chapter 8, should be understood in relationship to the first vision in chapter 7. In both chapters, we find a “little horn,” having a number of things in common. A problem arises because they are so much alike, and yet there are some seemingly irreconcilable differences.¹⁰⁰

One difference is that the little horn of chapter 7 emerges out of the fourth kingdom, while the horn of chapter 8 emerges out of the third kingdom. The little horn of chapter 7 is the eleventh horn, while the horn of chapter 8 grows out of one of four horns. The period of oppression by the horn of chapter 7 is 3 1/2 years; the period of oppression by the horn of chapter 8 is 2,300 days.

I frankly am unable to explain the difference between these two horns to my own satisfaction. Why should this surprise me? The Old Testament prophets—not just Daniel—did not understand their own prophecies, especially when it came to the suffering and glory of the Messiah (see 1 Peter 1:10-12).

One could say we have a problem with prophecy because it is still future. There is much truth in this. The suffering and the glory of the Messiah now makes sense to the Christian, knowing He came first to suffer and that He will return in glory.

The apostle Paul reminds us that even when we look back on fulfilled prophecy, it is still, to one degree or another, unfathomable. In Romans 9-11, the apostle Paul explains how the salvation of both Jews and Gentiles was a part of God’s eternal plan, and even a part of Old Testament prophetic revelation. God did choose to bless the Gentiles through the seed of Abraham, but this “seed” was Christ, not faithful Israel. God’s blessings did come through the Jews, but in a backhanded manner. The Gentiles received the gospel because the Jews rejected it. At the end of his explanation of the outworking of the eternal plan and purpose of God, Paul looks back on the wisdom of God and finds it beyond comprehension:

30 For just as you once were disobedient to God but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so these also now have been disobedient, in order that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. 32 For God has shut up all in disobedience that He might show mercy to all. 33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God (Romans 11:30-36).

If God’s wisdom is such that we cannot fully grasp His infinite wisdom in retrospect, how could we ever expect to understand God’s plan and purpose in advance? Daniel did not understand the prophecy contained in his vision, even after Gabriel’s explanation. Peter tells us the prophets did not understand their own writings (1 Peter 1:10-12). Why does this surprise us?

I must admit I do not understand chapter 8 either. I understand pieces of it, but not the package. I can look back and see that the ram was Medo-Persia and that the goat symbolized Greece. But I cannot understand all that is said of the “little horn,” in either chapter 7 or chapter 8. Why should I? Why should I expect to understand the infinitely wise God?

God’s purpose in revealing the vision to Daniel was not to enable him to understand the future before it happened nor is it His purpose for revealing this vision to us. Prophecy has never been fully understood in advance, nor will it ever be so.

God revealed this prophecy not so that we might understand completely His plan or be able to recognize every event as it is fulfilled, but to reveal to us some of what lies ahead, and to assure us that His purposes and promises will be fulfilled.

Daniel 8 tells us that before the coming of the end there will be a time when an evil king will arise who will resist God, persecute His saints, and even appear to succeed. There will be tough times ahead. This, I believe, is what caused Daniel such distress—knowing that God Himself, along with His people, would suffer at the hands of wicked men. Our text tells us clearly that the success of this evil horn is by divine permission in order to fulfill God’s purposes. In the end, God will destroy this wicked one and reward the righteous.

We need know no more than this: God is in control of the future. While we may not understand exactly what is going to happen, or when, we do know that God is in control, and that He is causing all things to work together for His glory and for the good of His saints.

Many of you may be suffering this very moment, each in a different way. I ask, do you understand exactly what the future holds for you? Who among you knows precisely what God is doing, or why? Like Job, we are called to suffer without God’s explanation. We do not need to know what will happen tomorrow. We do not need to know the reasons for what God is doing in our lives at the moment. All we need to know is that He is our God, and that He is in control. This is the essence of chapter 8: we know our future is in God’s hands and that suffering must precede glory. Knowing this is enough. If we know Him, we know all we need to know.

I find myself reluctantly admitting, at the end of my efforts to understand what this prophecy means, that I do not really understand it at all. Why does this admission come so slowly and reluctantly? Prophecy is given to teach me and to remind me that I do not understand God’s ways. Let us not reluctantly confess our ignorance and God’s wisdom but gladly acknowledge it.

Prophecy is given not so we will understand all that the infinitely wise God is doing. Prophecy is given to remind us that God is in control. When His promises are fulfilled, we will look back in wonder, confessing that we would never have planned it that way, and we would not have believed God would achieve His ends that way, even if we had been told in advance. Prophecy exposes our lack of wisdom and our need for divine enablement. Prophecy assures us of God’s infinite holiness, power, and goodness, and turns us to Him for the wisdom and grace we need in our weakness:

28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. 29 He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power. 30 Though youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly, 31 Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary. (Isaiah 40:28-31; 55:6-11).

Chapter 8:
Questions and Answers

(1) What is the structure of Daniel 8?

In general, verses 1-14 contain the account of Daniel’s vision, and verses 15-27 give us the interpretation of that vision. Verses 1 and 2 serve to introduce the vision. In verses 2-14, we have a description of the ram (3-4), the goat (5-8), and the “little horn” (9-14). In verses 15-18, Gabriel the angelic interpreter, is introduced. Verses 19-26 then explain the meaning of the ram (20), the goat (21), and the little horn (22-25). Verse 27 describes Daniel’s response to the vision.

(2) Describe some of the major features or characteristics of Daniel 8.

Like Daniel 1:1—2:4a, Daniel 8:1 to the end of the book is written in Hebrew rather than Aramaic as in 2:4b-7:28. Thus, Daniel 8 begins a new division of the Book of Daniel.
While the first chapters of Daniel have a more Gentile orientation and flavor, chapter 8 turns to a more Jewish emphasis. The references to the “beautiful land,” the “holy people,” the temple and its sacrifices, and the angel Gabriel all point to the Jews, Jerusalem, and the temple.
The entire vision now pertains to the end time. Three times this is stated in verses 17, 19, and 26.

(3) What relationship exists between the vision of chapter 8 and previous visions?

Daniel draws out the connection between his vision in chapter 8 and that recorded in chapter 7 in 8:1. It is assumed that all the visions will be understood in relationship to one another. Nebuchadnezzar’s vision in chapter 2 focuses on five kingdoms (the four earthly kingdoms represented in the statue and the fifth eternal kingdom brought about by the stone). Daniel’s vision in chapter 7 also refers to four human kingdoms (represented by the four beasts) and an eternal kingdom, established by God. Daniel’s vision in chapter 8 focuses on but two kingdoms, identified as the kingdoms of Medo-Persia and Greece. The first three kingdoms are identified as Babylon (2:37-39), Medo-Persia (8:20), and Greece (8:21). The fourth kingdom is not specifically identified.

Daniel 2 focuses on the first, fourth, and eternal kingdom with little attention given to the second and third kingdoms. Daniel 7 focuses on the fourth and the eternal kingdoms, giving little attention to the first three. Daniel 8 emphasizes the second and third kingdoms. When chapters 2, 7, and 8 are taken together, the five kingdoms are described and explained.

(4) What does Daniel tell us about the timing of this vision? What difference does the timing make? Why do you think both visions are given to Daniel during the reign of Belshazzar?

In verse 1 of chapter 8, Daniel informs us that the vision he describes here was given to him in the third year of Belshazzar. His first vision, described in chapter 7, was given to him in the first year of Belshazzar. It would seem that some 12 years pass between the time of the second vision and the events described in Daniel 5, which declare the end of king Belshazzar and his kingdom.

In the introduction to his second vision, (8:1-2), Daniel is indicating that his vision in chapter 7 and that described in chapter 8 are related and must be interpreted in relationship to each other.

I believe the emphasis of both chapters 7 and 8 falls on the mysterious “little horns” of these chapters, and that Belshazzar, as described in chapter 5, has some of the same characteristics as these horns. Belshazzar and his divine removal thus serve as both an illustration and a prototype for the prophecy in Daniel 7 and 8.

(5) Why does Daniel tell us where he was when he received this second vision?

Daniel’s vision in chapter 8 pertains to the second and third kingdoms of Daniel: Medo-Persia and Greece. In his vision, Daniel is transported to Susa, the capital of Persia, later referred to in the Books of Nehemiah and Esther. His presence in this capital city simply underscores the future certainty of the fulfillment of God’s prophetic promises. It is one thing to be told in a dream that there will be certain kingdoms in the future; it is another to actually be present in a vision.

(6) What is unique about the second dream which sets it apart from the first?

Daniel 7 and 8 both have a “little horn” which receives a great deal of attention in the vision. In chapter 7, the little horn arises out of the fourth kingdom; in chapter 8, the little horn arises out of the third kingdom. In chapter 7, there is a great deal of emphasis on the heavenly court, the condemnation of the horn, and the establishment of the kingdom of God. In chapter 8, the focus falls more on the little horn, his character, his apparent success in opposing God, His chosen city, and His saints. Also, the vision of chapter 8 is interpreted by Gabriel, but even after his explanation, Daniel does not understand it. Chapter 8 places more emphasis on the fact that the rebellion of the little horn is because of Israel’s sins, in order to bring about divine indignation.

(7) What are the problems associated with Daniel 8, which make this vision so difficult to understand? What are some possible solutions?

The biggest problem is with the “little horns” of chapters 7 and 8. They are very much alike, so much so that one would think they are one and the same person. But they can hardly be the same. The horn of chapter 7 arises out of the fourth empire; the horn of chapter 8 arises from the third empire. The horn of chapter 7 is the eleventh horn; the horn of chapter 8 emerges from one of four horns.

It may be possible, in some way, that our struggle with the identity of the “little horn” is like that which the Old Testament prophets had with the Messiah. It appeared to them that there were two Messiah’s, one who suffered, and one who triumphed (see 1 Peter 1:10-12). The solution was found in the two comings of the Christ, but that was only seen after His first coming. We should remember that Satan likes to mimic God, and that Revelation speaks of a beast who is healed of a fatal wound (Revelation 13:3, 12, 14).

As I read the description of the “little horn” in chapters 7 and 8, I find the same characteristics are evident in kings like Nebuchadnezzar (before his fall and restoration), Belshazzar, and also the ram and the goat. Satan always seems to have a “horn” in the wings, so to speak. Why would we expect to see only one horn in history? It seems there will be many, with the last horn simply given the ability to go farther than any of his predecessors.

The other major problem with chapter 8 is that it is supposed to deal with “the time of the end” (verses 17, 19, 26); yet it describes only the second and third empires and does not appear to go as far as the fourth empire. How can chapter 8 deal with the times of the end without describing the fourth empire?

The term “end” is often used, but it does not necessarily refer to the final end, but rather to the end of something. In our text, the reference may not be to the final end of God’s plans and purposes, that is with the establishment of His kingdom. It is possible as well that there will be an earlier “end” which may be like the final end, foreshadowing it. The rise to power of Antiochus Epiphanes, and his desecration of the temple, may be a kind of “end” preceding the first coming of Christ and foreshadowing the final end, which precedes the second coming of our Lord.

(8) Why would God reveal a vision to Daniel he does not understand, which he cannot tell anyone, and which causes him to be physically ill for a period of time?

Prophecy is not given to men so they can understand all that God is doing and why. It is not given so that we may recognize the fulfillment of God’s plans and purposes as it happens. Prophecy is given so we will know that the future is in God’s hands, He is in control, and His purposes and promises will prevail. It is given to inform us that there will be suffering and even the appearance of defeat. This is what seemed to happen at the first coming of our Lord, when He was rejected by the Jews and crucified. It will also seem to happen when the little horn opposes God and His people and appears to succeed for a season. Prophecy is not given to help us understand all that is happening at the time, but so we will know God is the One in control of what is happening at any and all times. Prophecy is given so that when we do not understand we will turn to Him who is all-knowing and all-powerful.

(9) What would Daniel 8 have to say to an Old Testament Israelite who lived shortly after Daniel?

The Jews were shortly to be released from their captivity and encouraged to return to the promised land, and particularly to Jerusalem where they would rebuild the temple. In the euphoria of that time, they might wrongly conclude that the promised kingdom had come. While they were not able to understand all of Daniel 8, they would know that this could not be the fulfillment of God’s promises concerning His eternal kingdom. They were to be released during the second (Medo-Persian) empire, only to be greatly opposed and even defeated in the third. The kingdom was not coming to the Jews in those next few years. While there was much cause for rejoicing at the release and return of the Jewish captives, let them see it in the broader perspective of God’s purposes and promises.

82 Walvoord demonstrates that recent archaeological findings tell us Daniel’s vision in chapter 8 was received some 12 years before the fatal feast of Belshazzar. John F. Walvoord, Daniel: The Key to Prophetic Revelation (Chicago: Moody Press, 1971), p. 179.

83 Compare Ezekiel 8:3; 40:1-2.

84 “Beginning in 1884, the site of ancient Susa, then a large mound, has been explored and has divulged many archeological treasures. The code of Hammurabi was found there in 1901. The famous palace referred to by Daniel, Esther and Nehemiah was begun by Darius I and enlarged by later kings. Remains of its magnificence can still be seen near the modern village of Shush.” Walvoord, p. 181.

85 See Joyce C. Baldwin, Daniel: An Introduction and Commentary (Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 1978), pp. 155-156.

86 “All of this, of course, was fulfilled dramatically in history. The forces of Alexander first met and defeated the Persians at the Granicus River in Asia Minor in May 334 B.C., which was the beginning of the complete conquest of the entire Persian Empire. A year and a half later a battle occurred at Issus (November 333 B.C.) near the northeastern tip of the Mediterranean Sea. The power of Persia was finally broken at Gaugamela near Nineveh in October 331 B.C.” Walvoord, p. 183.

“Alexander, who had conquered more of the world than any previous ruler, was not abl61e61 to conquer himself. Partly due to a strenuous exertion, his dissipated life, and a raging fever, Alexander died in a drunken debauch at Babylon, not yet thirty-three years of age. His death left a great conquest without an effective single leader, and it took about twenty years for the empire to be successfully divided.” Walvoord, p. 184.

87 “Practically all commentators, however, recognize the four horns as symbolic of the four kingdoms of the Diadochi which emerged as follows: (1) Cassander assumed rule over Macedonia and Greece; (2) Lysimacus took control of Thrace, Bithynia, and most of Asia Minor; (3) Seleucus took Syria and the lands to the east including Babylonia; (4) Ptolemy established rule over Egypt and possibly Palestine and Arabia Petraea. A fifth contender for political power, Antigonus, was soon defeated.” Walvoord, p. 184.

88 See also Daniel 11:16, 41, 45; Jeremiah 3:19; Ezekiel 20:6, 15; Malachi 3:12.

“These conquests, of course, are confirmed in the history of Syria, especially under Antiochus Epiphanes, the eighth king in the Syrian dynasty who reigned 175-164 .C. (I Macc 1:10; 6:16). In his lifetime, he conducted military expeditions in relation to all of these areas . . . . The land of Israel indeed became the battle ground between Syria and Egypt, and the setting of some of Antiochus Epiphanes’ most significant blasphemous acts against God. According to 1 Maccabees 1:20, Revised Standard Version, Antiochus first invaded Egypt and then Jerusalem: ‘after subduing Egypt, Antiochus returned in the one hundred and forty-third year. He went up against Israel and came to Jerusalem with a strong force.’” Walvoord, p. 185.

89 See Deuteronomy 17:3; Isaiah 24:21; 40:26; Jeremiah 8:2; Zephaniah 1:5.

90 See Exodus 29:38-42.

91 “The obscurity of the first part of this verse is noted in the margin of the RSV and has puzzled translators from early times. The grammar is difficult and the sense hard to establish.” Joyce C. Baldwin, Daniel: An Introduction and Commentary (Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 1978), p. 157.

92 In chapter 7, only three verses are devoted to the first three beasts, one verse per beast. Nine verses are devoted to the fourth beast and the “little horn,” three verses to the fourth beast and six verses to the horn. In chapter 8, three verses are devoted to a description of the ram (who appears to be the second beast of chapter 7), six verses to the goat (who seems to be the third beast of chapter 7), and ten verses to the “little horn.” In both chapters, the “little horn” is the center of attention.

93 “Up to Daniel 8:11, it is not difficult to find fulfillment of the vision in the history of the Medo-Persian, Alexandrian, and post-Alexandrian periods. Beginning with verse 11, however, expositors have differed widely as to whether the main import of the passage refers to Antiochus Epiphanes, with complete fulfillment in his lifetime, or whether the passage either primarily or secondarily refers also to the end of the age, that is, the period of great tribulation preceding the second coming of Jesus Christ . . . As Montgomery states, verses 11 and 12 ‘constitute . . . the most difficult short passage of the book.’” Walvoord, p. 186.

94 “The Seventh Day Adventists understood that the two thousand and three hundred days referred to years which, on the basis of their interpretation, were to culminate in the year 1844 with the second coming of Christ.” Walvoord, p. 188.

95 The Book of Daniel is unique in that this is the only Old Testament book to name any angels. Gabriel is referred to twice by name in Daniel (8:16; 9:21) and Michael three times (10:13, 21; 12:1).

96 In Daniel, “the end” is found in 9:26; 11:6, 27, 35, 40, 45; 12:4, 6, 9, 13.

97 Baldwin, p. 159.

98 See also Daniel 11:36; Isaiah 10:5-11, 25; Jeremiah 10:10.

99 The “king” would have been Belshazzar. Daniel was employed by the king, and yet we learn from chapter 5 that this king seems to have known nothing about Daniel, especially of his unusual wisdom and skill in the interpretation of visions and dreams.

100 Both Baldwin and Walvoord see the differences as greater than the similarities of these two horns:

“Such an understanding of the last two periods demands that the little horn of 8:9, which grew out of one of the four horns of the he-goat, be distinguished from the little horn of 7:8, which came up among the ten horns of the indescribable beast. Though they have a superficial similarity, there are many differences between them and they do not belong to the same era. This fact is an indication that we are being introduced to a recurring historical phenomenon: the clever but ruthless world dictator, who stops at nothing in order to achieve his ambitions.” Baldwin, p. 162.

“While there are obvious similarities between the two little horns of chapter 7 and chapter 8, the differences are important. If the fourth kingdom represented by Daniel 7 is Rome, then obviously the third kingdom represented by the goat in chapter 8 is not Rome. Their characteristics are much different as they arise from different beasts, their horns differ in number, and the end result is different. The Messianic kingdom according to Daniel 7 was going to be erected after the final world empire. This is not true of the period following the he-goat in chapter 8.” Walvoord, p. 194.

Biblical Topics:

Passage:

Taxonomy upgrade extras:

10. Daniel’s Prayer and Gabriel’s Proclamation (Daniel 9:1-27)

Introduction

A friend and neighbor called recently to say she had suffered a stroke in one eye. When I went to see her, she asked me to have a cup of coffee. As she poured from the coffee pot, we both noticed the coffee was missing the cup. The stroke had taken my friend’s vision from one eye, seriously affecting her perception.

God gave us the sight of two eyes so that we might have depth perception. When one eye is lost, depth perception is greatly diminished. In photography, this is called “depth of field.” When under certain conditions, an object is photographed with the background out of focus and fuzzy, we say it has no “depth of field.” Under different conditions, a picture may be taken with a clear, sharp background and with good “depth of field.”

Men who live independently of God, go about their lives one-eyed, able to only see what is immediately before them. They have no “depth of field.” It is easy to understand the “now generation;” they cannot see beyond the present. Prophecy puts present-day living in the context of future certainties. Prophecy is God’s way of giving the Christian “depth of field.”

In the ninth chapter of Daniel, Daniel concludes that the 70-year period of Israel’s captivity is virtually over, and that return of Jews to their own land is imminent. With this hope, Daniel begins to pray for himself and his people. His prayer of confession and petition is answered, but certainly not in a way Daniel would have expected. God sent Gabriel, His angel, to give Daniel understanding and insight into the vision he had received, enabling him to see the near future in perspective. God wanted Daniel to understand the relationship between Israel’s soon return to the land and the rebuilding of the temple—in the light of God’s promise to restore His people and establish His kingdom on the earth. God wanted Daniel to know that Israel’s imminent return to the land was not the coming of the kingdom of God.

Chapter 9 is a truly rich portion of Scripture. Daniel’s prayer is a model worthy of our study, our meditation, and our imitation. Gabriel’s appearance and announcement provides Daniel and his reader with an increasing level of understanding of the vision God had previously revealed. Verses 24-27 begin to spell out future events in detail rather than with vague, mysterious symbols. While all may not agree on the meaning of these verses, all Christians would agree they provide very specific information concerning the last times. For the first time in Daniel’s prophecy, the suffering and death of Messiah is introduced.

These inspired words of prophecy speak of the days to come. They also speak of the coming Messiah, through whom God will provide the forgiveness of sins and bring to earth the kingdom of God. They speak of the hope which lies ahead for every believer. They speak of those future certainties which put present events in perspective.

The Structure of the Text

Three major divisions comprise this ninth chapter of Daniel: the introduction in verses 1-3; Daniel’s prayer in verses 4-19; and the appearance and announcement of Gabriel in verses 20-27. The chapter may be outlined as follows:

(1) The setting Verses 1-3

(2) Daniel’s prayer Verses 4-19

Daniel’s prayer of confession Verses 4-15
Daniel’s prayer of petition Verses 16-19

(3) Gabriel’s arrival and announcement Verses 20-27

Gabriel’s arrival Verses 20-23
Gabriel’s announcement Verses 24-27

The Setting
(9:1-3)

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.

Daniel tells us the events of this chapter occur during the “first year of Darius.” This is a significant time indicator. It means that Belshazzar has already died, the Babylonian empire has ended, and the Medo-Persian empire has now taken its place (see chapter 5). Daniel’s words inform us that the events of Daniel 9 must have taken place at least 12 years after he received his second vision in chapter 8. It also means the events of this chapter occur at a time very near that described in Daniel 6, as Daniel was rising to power and prominence and as his peers were arranging to bring about Daniel’s evening in the den of lions.

Could it be that the intrigue of Daniel’s peers in chapter 6, which abused the law to prohibit the practice of Daniel’s faith and led to his persecution, was but a foretaste of the things revealed to Daniel concerning the last days in chapter 9? Could it also be that Daniel’s prayers toward Jerusalem three times a day in chapter 6, which he would not cease to pray, were like his prayer in chapter 9?

Daniel was very conscious of the time because of the prophetic implications. When God created the nation Israel and brought them out of Egypt, He gave them His law and made a covenant with them. He promised to bless His people if they kept His covenant and curse them if they rejected and disobeyed. A part of the curse was the threat of captivity in a foreign land. A part of His promise was Israel’s restoration, if they repented and once again kept His covenant:

27 ‘Yet if in spite of this, you do not obey Me, but act with hostility against Me, 28 then I will act with wrathful hostility against you; and I, even I, will punish you seven times for your sins.… 32 ‘And I will make the land desolate so that your enemies who settle in it shall be appalled over it. 33 ‘You, however, I will scatter among the nations and will draw out a sword after you, as your land becomes desolate and your cities become waste. 34 ‘Then the land will enjoy its sabbaths all the days of the desolation, while you are in your enemies’ land; then the land will rest and enjoy its sabbaths. 35 ‘All the days of {its} desolation it will observe the rest which it did not observe on your sabbaths, while you were living on it … 38 ‘But you will perish among the nations, and your enemies’ land will consume you. 39 ‘So those of you who may be left will rot away because of their iniquity in the lands of your enemies; and also because of the iniquities of their forefathers they will rot away with them. 40 ‘If they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their forefathers, in their unfaithfulness which they committed against Me, and also in their acting with hostility against Me— 41 I also was acting with hostility against them, to bring them into the land of their enemies— or if their uncircumcised heart becomes humbled so that they then make amends for their iniquity, 42 then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and I will remember also My covenant with Isaac, and My covenant with Abraham as well, and I will remember the land. 43 ‘For the land shall be abandoned by them, and shall make up for its sabbaths while it is made desolate without them. They, meanwhile, shall be making amends for their iniquity, because they rejected My ordinances and their soul abhorred My statutes. 44 ‘Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, nor will I so abhor them as to destroy them, breaking My covenant with them; for I am the Lord their God. 45 ‘But I will remember for them the covenant with their ancestors, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God. I am the Lord’” (Leviticus 26:27-28, 32-35, 38-45; cf. also Deuteronomy 28:63-66; 30:1-10; 31:16-18).

Understanding the covenant God made with Israel, and God’s warning that the Israelites would disobey and be taken captive by foreign nations, Solomon anticipated a time when the Jewish captives would turn toward Jerusalem in prayer, expressing the very same kind of prayer recorded in Daniel 9:

46 “When they sin against Thee (for there is no man who does not sin) and Thou art angry with them and dost deliver them to an enemy, so that they take them away captive to the land of the enemy, far off or near; 47 if they take thought in the land where they have been taken captive, and repent and make supplication to Thee in the land of those who have taken them captive, saying, ‘We have sinned and have committed iniquity, we have acted wickedly’; 48 if they return to Thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive, and pray to Thee toward their land which Thou hast given to their fathers, the city which Thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for Thy name; 49 then hear their prayer and their supplication in heaven Thy dwelling place, and maintain their cause, 50 and forgive Thy people who have sinned against Thee and all their transgressions which they have transgressed against Thee, and make them objects of compassion before those who have taken them captive, that they may have compassion on them 51 (for they are Thy people and Thine inheritance which Thou hast brought forth from Egypt, from the midst of the iron furnace), 52 that Thine eyes may be open to the supplication of Thy servant and to the supplication of Thy people Israel, to listen to them whenever they call to Thee. 53 “For Thou hast separated them from all the peoples of the earth as Thine inheritance, as Thou didst speak through Moses Thy servant, when Thou didst bring our fathers forth from Egypt, O Lord God” (1 Kings 8:46-53).

The inspired historical account of 2 Chronicles describes the very events God had prophetically foretold:

15 And the Lord, the God of their fathers, sent {word} to them again and again by His messengers, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place; 16 but they {continually} mocked the messengers of God, despised His words and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, until there was no remedy. 17 Therefore He brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, old man or infirm; He gave {them} all into his hand. 18 And all the articles of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king and of his officers, he brought {them} all to Babylon. 19 Then they burned the house of God, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem and burned all its fortified buildings with fire, and destroyed all its valuable articles. 20 And those who had escaped from the sword he carried away to Babylon; and they were servants to him and to his sons until the rule of the kingdom of Persia, 21 to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its sabbaths. All the days of its desolation it kept sabbath until seventy years were complete. 22 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia— in order to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah— the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout his kingdom, and also {put it} in writing, saying, 23 “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all His people, may the Lord his God be with him, and let him go up!’” (2 Chronicles 36:15-23).

Specifically, we are informed in the first verses of chapter 9 that Daniel’s prayer in our text was the result of an observation Daniel had made concerning one of Jeremiah’s prophecies. Jeremiah had warned the Jews for years that God’s judgment was coming in the form of the Babylonian captivity. When it came, the false prophets tried to assure the people it would not be for long. Jeremiah warned that the length of Judah’s captivity would be 70 years. After the 70 years of captivity ended, two things would happen: first, the Babylonians would be punished for their severity toward the Jews, and second, the Jews would return to Israel where they would rebuild the temple.

1 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah (that was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), 2 which Jeremiah the prophet spoke to all the people of Judah and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, 3 “From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, even to this day, these twenty-three years the word of the Lord has come to me, and I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened. 4 “And the Lord has sent to you all His servants the prophets again and again, but you have not listened nor inclined your ear to hear, 5 saying, ‘Turn now everyone from his evil way and from the evil of your deeds, and dwell on the land which the Lord has given to you and your forefathers forever and ever; 6 and do not go after other gods to serve them and to worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the work of your hands, and I will do you no harm.’ 7 “Yet you have not listened to Me,” declares the Lord, “in order that you might provoke Me to anger with the work of your hands to your own harm. 8 “Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Because you have not obeyed My words, 9 behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will send to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land, and against its inhabitants, and against all these nations round about; and I will utterly destroy them, and make them a horror, and a hissing, and an everlasting desolation. 10 ‘Moreover, I will take from them the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp. 11 ‘And this whole land shall be a desolation and a horror, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. 12 ‘Then it will be when seventy years are completed I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation,’ declares the Lord, ‘for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans; and I will make it an everlasting desolation. 13 ‘And I will bring upon that land all My words which I have pronounced against it, all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah has prophesied against all the nations. 14 ‘(For many nations and great kings shall make slaves of them, even them; and I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the work of their hands)’” (Jeremiah 25:1-14; see also 29:1-14; Zechariah 1:12-17).

Until now, Daniel could not pray the prayer of chapter 9, for God had commanded the Jews not to pray for Israel (see Jeremiah 7:16; 11:14; 14:11). God had warned the Jews judgment was coming, a warning they ignored. Now, Babylonian captivity was inevitable, irreversible, and non-negotiable. Thus, the Jews were not to pray for Israel but for their captors (Jeremiah 29:7).

But here in chapter 9 in the first year of Darius, the period of divine judgment had ended. Babylon had been judged, and the time for the return of the Jews was drawing near. Now Daniel could pray for his people. He commits himself to pray faithfully, devoting himself to the task.

Is this not amazing? At the very time Daniel devotes himself to this high spiritual calling of prayer, supplication, and fasting on behalf of his people, he also makes significant advancement in his secular ministry of civil service:

Imagine! Daniel did not set aside his devotion to his job, even though he devoted himself to prayer for his people. Intense prayer for the return and restoration of his people did not require a lack of faithfulness to his job and to the king. With the hope of Israel’s return to their land so bright, we might have expected Daniel to resign his job or at least lag in diligence. He did neither, but remained faithful to his employer and faithful to his God. By remaining faithful to his employer, Daniel remained faithful to His God.

Verses 1-3 have set the scene. With the death of Belshazzar came the end of the Babylonian empire. The rise of Darius to power commenced the Medo-Persian empire. Daniel realizes that the time of Israel’s chastening has ended, and the time for the Jews’ return to the land of Israel is imminent. So he begins to pray for the restoration of the nation Israel. His prayer, recorded in verses 4-19, may be typical of the prayers he faithfully offered up three times a day.

Daniel’s Prayer of Confession
(9:4-15)

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. 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 hast 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 hast brought Thy people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and hast made a name for Thyself, as it is this day—we have sinned, we have been wicked (emphasis mine).

While a fuller exposition of the riches of this text is not possible here, we shall seek to highlight the main features of this portion of Daniel’s prayer.

(1) These verses are the expression of Daniel’s repentance and confession of sin, for himself and for his fellow-Jews. Daniel minimizes neither his sin nor the sin of his fellow-Jews. He uses a wide variety of expressions to describe sin in its various manifestations. In verse 5, Daniel says they have “sinned,” “committed iniquity,” “acted wickedly,” “rebelled,” and “turned aside from God’s commandments and ordinances.” In verse 6, he adds that “we have not listened … to the prophets.” In verse 7, Daniel refers to Israel’s “unfaithful deeds.” Israel’s bondage in Babylon is the consequence of her sin. Daniel’s confession mirrors the words of 2 Chronicles 36:15-16 (see above).

(2) The Word of God, as spoken by the prophets and recorded in the Holy Scriptures, is the standard by which Daniel’s sins, and those of his fellow-Israelites, are identified. Just as many terms were employed to describe Israel’s sins, many different terms are used in reference to divine revelation. God gave Israel His “commandments” (verse 4), His “commandments and ordinances” (verse 5), He spoke through the “prophets” (verse 6), “His teachings” (verse 10), His “Law” (verse 11), and the “Law of Moses” (verses 11, 13). God’s revelation was His “truth” (verse 13).

(3) Daniel understands Israel’s Babylonian captivity as the curse which has come upon the Jews because they broke God’s covenant made with them at Mount Sinai (verse 11).

(4) Israel’s sins are seen in contrast to the character of God. Daniel’s consciousness of his own sins, and those of his fellow-Israelites, was the result of his deep sense of the majesty of God as seen by His divine attributes. Consider his prayer: God is “great and awesome,” who “keeps His covenant and lovingkindness” (verse 4). God is not just “righteous in all He has done” (verse 14); “righteousness,” “compassion,” and “forgiveness” “belong to Him” (verses 7, 9). It is one thing to be righteous, forgiving, and compassionate; it is quite another to own these qualities. Owning them means they can only be obtained from God. These qualities are under His control.

(5) Daniel’s confession of sin is precisely what is required of Israel in order to be forgiven and restored.

40 “‘If they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their forefathers, in their unfaithfulness which they committed against Me, and also in their acting with hostility against Me— 41 I also was acting with hostility against them, to bring them into the land of their enemies— or if their uncircumcised heart becomes humbled so that they then make amends for their iniquity, 42 then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and I will remember also My covenant with Isaac, and My covenant with Abraham as well, and I will remember the land’” (Leviticus 26:40-42; see also 1 Kings 8:46-48).

Daniel’s Prayer of Petition
(9:16-19)

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.”

Beginning at verse 16, a change is evident in Daniel’s prayer. Consider the following observations which summarize this change and its implications.

(1) Daniel’s prayer in verses 16-19 moves from the confession of verses 4-15 to petition. In the earlier verses of Daniel’s prayer, Daniel asked for nothing. He acknowledged his sins and those of his people. He was agreeing with God’s Word and the righteousness of the judgment He had brought upon the Jews through the instrument of the nation of Babylon.

(2) Daniel’s request is according to God’s promises in Scripture. Daniel understood that the 70 years of captivity prophesied by Jeremiah had been fulfilled and that now Israel could be restored. Just as Daniel’s confession fulfilled the Old Testament requirements for restoration, so did Daniel’s petition. He asked for that which God had promised through the Law and the Prophets.¹⁰¹

(3) Daniel’s petition is God-centered. At least 19 times, reference is made to God, while man is referenced approximately 11 times. Somehow, whether in confession or in petition, we always seem to find a way to make our prayers man-centered. In confession, we focus on our sins, while Daniel focuses on God’s righteousness. In petition, we focus on our needs, while Daniel focuses on God’s purposes and His glory.

(4) Daniel’s petitions are made in accordance with God’s character. Daniel has already acknowledged that God acted consistently with His character when He disciplined Israel by giving them over to the Babylonians. Now, Daniel appeals to God to act in accordance with His mercy and compassion, and His love for His people and His chosen place.

(5) Daniel’s request is for God to act in His own best interest and glory. An alarming tendency exists in Christian circles (often in contemporary Christian music) of thinking of God as being “there for me.” The fact is we are “here for Him.” He is using all creation, all mankind, for His glory. This includes both the salvation of His elect and the condemnation of the rest. Daniel’s petition is not for God to act in the way that best “meets man’s needs” (as perceived by man), but rather for God to act in His own best interest. When we act in our own best interest, it is almost always at the expense of others. But when God acts in His own best interest, it is always for the good of His own (see Romans 8:28). Daniel therefore petitions God to act for His sake (verses 17, 19). I wonder how radical would be the change in our prayer life if we petitioned God as Daniel has done.

(6) Daniel’s request is for grace, mercy, and compassion. Daniel realizes that Israel’s return, restoration, and future blessings are contingent upon God’s forgiveness. In this prayer, as it must have been in all of Daniel’s prayers and should be in all our prayers, sinful men cannot ask for anything but grace and mercy. Daniel’s petition is not on the basis of any merit of their own that he beseeches God to answer (verse 18). Some today would think this particular situation surely justifies a “name it and claim it” approach to God’s promises. Daniel did not think so. He did not claim anything. He pleaded for mercy, as any sinner should and must do.

(7) Daniel’s request is for more than what God is going to accomplish in the Jewish Babylonian captives’ return to their land. In the Old Testament Law and in the prophets, God promised to establish His eternal kingdom, a kingdom in which men would be perfectly restored, and in which righteousness would dwell. The promise of Israel’s return to the land of Canaan and the assurance that the temple would be rebuilt must have raised Daniel’s hopes that the end of this 70 year period of divine judgment meant the soon coming of the kingdom of God to the earth. This was not to be the case, and the appearance and announcement of Gabriel was meant to make this clear.

The Appearance of Gabriel
(9:20-23)

20 Now while I was speaking and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God in behalf of the holy mountain of my God, 21 while I was still speaking in prayer, then the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision previously, came to me in my extreme weariness about the time of the evening offering. 22 And he gave me instruction and talked with me, and said, “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you insight with understanding. 23 “At the beginning of your supplications the command was issued, and I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed; so give heed to the message and gain understanding of the vision.”

Gabriel’s appearance interrupted Daniel who was still praying. With this fact and in the angel’s own words, Gabriel’s appearance and announcement was in answer to Daniel’s prayers. There is a clear link between Daniel’s prayer and Gabriel’s prophetic announcement.

More than this, I believe there is a very clear connection between the arrival and announcement of Gabriel in chapter 9 and the vision Daniel received in chapter 8, even though it happened 12 or more years earlier. Gabriel appears by name in both chapters (8 and 9) and here only.¹⁰² The focus of both chapters 8 and 9 is on Israel, the last days, the opposition of the “little horn,” and the “suffering of the saints.”

When Daniel received his vision of the “ram” and the “goat” in chapter 8, he could not understand it. Gabriel was instructed to explain the vision to Daniel, but even after he had done so, the vision was still a mystery to him. The closing words of chapter 8 underscore this:

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 (Daniel 8:27).

When Gabriel appears in chapter 9, it is a number of years later. Gabriel’s first appearance came rather early in the reign of Belshazzar. Gabriel’s second appearance to Daniel came after the death of Belshazzar (see chapter 5) and in the first year of the reign of Darius. Gabriel’s first appearance to Daniel came in the actual vision with Gabriel standing near to Daniel. During his second appearance, Gabriel did not come as a part of any vision. He informed Daniel that he had been instructed to come to give him “insight with understanding” (9:22), so that he could “gain understanding of the vision” (9:23).

What vision? What vision was Gabriel’s appearance and announcement going to help Daniel to understand? No new vision is given to Daniel in chapter 9. Therefore, the vision Gabriel came to further explain and clarify was the vision of chapter 8. Daniel told us he did not understand it after Gabriel’s first explanation (8:27). Now we are told that Gabriel has come to give Daniel insight to understand it. It is therefore now necessary for Daniel to understand the vision which eluded him for 12 years; Gabriel appears a second time to give a more complete explanation of its meaning.

The Announcement of Gabriel
(9:24-27)

24 “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy place. 25 “So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. 26 “Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. 27 “And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”

Years earlier, when Daniel experienced the vision of the ram and the goat (chapter 8), the meaning of this prophecy remained a mystery, even though Gabriel had given Daniel an explanation. Now, in light of the end of the 70 years of captivity, the overthrow of the Babylonian empire, and the soon return of the Jews to Israel, the meaning of this vision became more important. We are told three times in chapter 8, that the vision pertains to the end times (8:17, 19, 26). The return of the captive Jews to their own land was not a part of the events of the end times. The return and restoration of Israel was not the commencement of the kingdom of God. And so Gabriel’s announcement to Daniel focuses on the vision of chapter 8 to show that the events in the near future were not to be viewed as the beginning of the end.

Daniel’s attention was fixed on the period of 70 years which came to an end with the overthrow of the Babylonian empire. Gabriel speaks not of these 70 years but of 70 weeks.¹⁰³ Would Daniel and others think it was but a 70 year wait for the promised kingdom? It was 70 times 7. If 490 years must pass before some of the promises pertaining to the kingdom were fulfilled, then no one should confuse Israel’s soon return to their land to be the commencement of the kingdom.

The timing of the kingdom needed clarification, but also the nature of the kingdom, especially the prerequisites for it, needed further explanation. The kingdom of God would indeed commence, but not with the return to the land of Israel, nor with the building of the temple. It would not even begin with the repentance of the nation Israel. Before the kingdom of God could come to the earth, there must be a solution to the great human dilemma of sin.

In verse 24, Gabriel informed Daniel that 70 weeks had been decreed “to finish the transgression,” “to make an end of sin,” “to make atonement for iniquity,” and “to bring in everlasting righteousness.” In his prayer, recorded in verses 4-19, Daniel confessed his sins and those of his people. But confession did not remove these sins nor produce the righteousness required for men to live in the presence of a holy God. Gabriel let Daniel know that after the passing of 490 years, the spiritual foundation for the kingdom of God would be laid. This foundation was the removal of sin and the provision of everlasting righteousness.

Verses 25-27 introduce the two main players and the major events which bring about the end of sin, of human kingdoms, and bring in everlasting righteousness and the kingdom of God. The imminent issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem would be a milestone in Jewish history. It would not commence the kingdom of God, but it would begin the count down for the commencement of that kingdom. After 483 years (62 weeks plus 7 weeks), the city of Jerusalem and the temple would be rebuilt, not with ease but in times of distress. At this time, the promised Messiah will be “cut off” and apparently left with nothing. All hope of His becoming the King appears to be shattered with His being “cut off.”

Another prince will arise, the counterpart of the Messiah. While the Messiah-Prince is “cut off” and His ascent to the throne of the kingdom seems thwarted, the other “prince” appears to prevail and to possess the earth and its peoples. The holy city and the sanctuary (the temple) will be destroyed by followers of this “prince.” The holy place seems to come to an end much like that of the Messiah. Like a flood, the destruction and desolation of the city and the temple come upon it. There is a time of war, and desolation is inevitable.

The “prince” then makes a firm covenant with the masses for “a week” (or 7 years). This covenant seems to put men at ease and give them a false sense of confidence and security. In the middle of this time period, however, the “prince” breaks his covenant, putting a stop to the regular sacrifices and offerings. This prince comes “on the wing of abominations” and makes everything he comes into contact with desolate. He will bring about destruction. This destruction comes about by divine permission because it is a part of the divine plan.

In the fewest words possible, Daniel speaks of the sudden destruction of this evil prince. It is a destruction that has been divinely decreed. It is a complete destruction. The “one who makes desolate” is suddenly destroyed.

Conclusion

What Gabriel has to say in these few verses is not really new. It is but a further explanation of the vision Daniel received in chapter 8. Both Daniel 8 and Daniel 9:24-27 speak of the same events related to the last days, the end.

Gabriel is the interpreter in chapters 8 and 9. In both chapters, events concerning the end time are described—the same events. The little horn of chapter 8 is the “prince” of chapter 9, who concentrates his attention on the “beautiful land” of Israel (8:9) and who opposes and destroys some of the “host of heaven” (8:10) and the “holy people” (8:24; 9:24). He is the one who opposes even the Messiah, the Prince of princes, and by means of whom the Messiah is “cut off” (8:25; 9:25-26). He is also the one who “removes the regular sacrifice” (8:12), who puts a stop to “sacrifice and grain offering” (9:27). In the end, he is “broken without human agency” (8:25), as this one who makes desolate is suddenly and completely destroyed (9:27).¹⁰⁴

The end times and the coming of God’s eternal kingdom were not imminent for Daniel or his fellow-Israelites. Certain necessary events had to precede the coming of the kingdom, and these things were not to take place for many years. Sin had to be atoned for and put away. Righteousness had to be provided for those who would enter into God’s kingdom. This was to happen many years in the future through the substitutionary death of the Messiah, who would bear our sins on the cross of Calvary. In order for the Messiah to die, He would have to be opposed and even appear to have lost the struggle. Only after this preparatory work could God’s kingdom come to the earth for His people.

In addition to this, God’s purpose of bringing the good news of salvation to the Gentiles would have to be fulfilled. During the past 2,000 years, the gospel has been proclaimed, and many Gentiles have come to faith in Jesus as the Savior. Soon, when those Gentiles whom God has chosen have been saved, the times of the Gentiles will end, and the events of the last days will commence, leading up to the defeat of God’s foes and the establishment of His eternal kingdom.

Are you ready for the King to come to the earth? Will you stand in the day of judgment? If you have trusted in Jesus Christ as your Savior, your Messiah, then you will not fear His coming; you will welcome Him as King. Because Jesus has already paid the penalty for sin and provided the righteousness God requires, all who are in Him by faith do not dread but look forward to His return.

Daniel’s prayer provides a marvelous model for all who would repent and turn to God for salvation. His prayer begins with a recognition of the perfections and holiness of God and a recognition of our own sinfulness. It recognizes God is just in punishing us for our sins. It comes to God not on the basis of our own deeds or righteousness, but on the basis of His character and His covenant. He is merciful and compassionate, so we may come to Him for mercy and grace. He is also the One who has instituted a new covenant through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. All who come to Him for mercy, grace, and salvation through Christ He will not turn away or cast out. There is no other way to come to God and enter into His kingdom. Even the godly man Daniel knew this to be the way.

Just as our Lord suffered in order to enter into His glory, we are called to suffer for His sake before we enter into the glory of His kingdom. There will be persecution and opposition and difficult days ahead. We should not only expect these times, but we should stand firm and endure them. One of the reasons the last days are recorded in Scripture is to let the saints know what to expect so that we might look to Him for the ability to endure. May God give us the grace we need to be faithful in the difficult days ahead.

Chapter 9:
Questions and Answers

(1) What is the structure of Daniel 9? Where does the emphasis of the chapter fall?

Verses 1-3 give us the setting for the events of the chapter; verses 4-19 record the prayer of Daniel; verses 20-27 are an account of Gabriel’s arrival and his announcement of things to come.

The emphasis of this chapter falls on Daniel’s prayer (16 verses), while a lesser emphasis is on the prophecy Daniel received (4 verses).

We should recognize that while more attention is given to Daniel’s prayer, the prophecy of verses 24-27 is one of the key Old Testament messianic prophecies. In these four verses, very specific details are given covering the period from Daniel’s day until the day of the Lord.

(2) What is the setting for Daniel 9?

The events of Daniel 9 take place in the “first year of Darius” (verse 1). From chapter 5, we know that the end of the Babylonian kingdom has come to an end with the death of Belshazzar, and that Darius is the first king of the Medo-Persian empire. From chapter 6, we know that Daniel was looked on with favor by Darius and that he was on his way to the top of the administration with this king. We would also assume that Daniel’s prayer in chapter 9 is typical of the kind of prayer he would not cease making toward Jerusalem, which resulted in his being cast into the den of lions.

(3) What is the basis for Daniel’s prayer in chapter 9?

Daniel’s prayer is occasioned by two major factors: (1) the prophecy of Jeremiah that the Jews would be held captive in Babylon for 70 years, and (2) Daniel’s awareness that this time of judgment had come to a close. While God had forbidden prayer for Israel’s blessing during the time of her judgment (see Jeremiah 7:16; 11:14; 14:11), now that her time of judgment was over, Daniel could pray for the return, restoration, and blessing of his people.

The Old Testament Scriptures also provided Daniel with instruction concerning the content of his prayer. The Law of Moses foretold Israel’s disobedience and her foreign bondage. God also promised to restore His people if they repented of their sins and returned to Him in faith and obedience (See Leviticus 26:27-28, 32-35, 38-45; Deuteronomy 28:63-66; 30:1-10; 31:16-18). Solomon’s prayer of dedication for the temple also spoke of Israel’s future repentance and prayer from the place of their captivity, as they prayed toward Jerusalem and the temple (1 Kings 8:46-53). Jeremiah indicated that when the 70 years of divine judgment was completed, He would punish Babylon and restore His people (Jeremiah 25:1-14). It was on the basis of this and other Old Testament revelation that Daniel prayed.

(4) What are the major elements of Daniel’s prayer in chapter 9?

Daniel’s prayer falls into two major categories: confession (verses 4-15) and petition (verses 16-19). The prayer of confession focused on the character of God, contrasting it with the sinfulness of Daniel and the nation Israel. The prayer of petition is again rooted in the character of God—His grace, mercy, compassion, and faithfulness to His covenant—and in spite of the sinfulness of the Israelites. Daniel made it clear that his petition was not based upon any merit on the part of the Jews. He beseeches God to act in His own best interest.

(5) What relationship is there between the prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27 and previous visions and prophecies in Daniel?

I understand the prophecies in Daniel (and the rest of the Scriptures) to be revealed progressively. This means that as one proceeds through the prophecies of Daniel, each adds to what had been revealed by the previous prophecies. Nebuchadnezzar’s vision in Daniel 2 broadly describes the four major Gentile kingdoms up to the coming of Messiah (the stone), who destroys earthly kingdoms and establishes the eternal kingdom of God. Daniel’s vision of the four beasts in chapter 7 is a revelation concerning the same four kingdoms as symbolized by the four portions of the statue in chapter 2. The emphasis in this chapter falls more on the final Gentile kingdom and the eternal kingdom which follows. The vision in chapter 8 dwells on the second and third kingdoms of the previous visions. The “horns” of chapters 7 and 8 begin an emphasis on a king with great power with satanic characteristics, who opposes God, the Messiah, the people of God, and the holy place. He will apparently succeed for a time, but will suddenly be destroyed before the coming of Christ and the establishment of the eternal kingdom.

I understand the revelation of Daniel 9:24-27 to be a further explanation and clarification of the vision in chapter 8. Even after Gabriel explained the vision to Daniel, he did not understand its meaning (8:27). A number of years later, Gabriel returned in response to Daniel’s prayer to make the meaning of this vision clear to him. Since Gabriel told Daniel he had been sent to help him gain understanding of “the vision” (9:23) and there is no vision described in chapter 9, I understand the “vision” to be that of chapter 8. Daniel 9:24-27 therefore gives further insight into the “little horn” of chapter 8, who opposes (and even appears to defeat) the Messiah. These verses also give some very specific prophecies concerning the time and circumstances of the Messiah’s first coming.

(6) In the context of Daniel’s life and the history of the Jews, what message did this prophecy have for the Jews of Daniel’s day?

The appearance and announcement of Gabriel, recorded in chapter 9, came in the “first year of Darius” (verse 1). The end of the Chaldean or Babylonian empire has come, and the time for the return of the Jews to Jerusalem is imminent. To prevent any misconceptions that this return is the commencement of God’s eternal kingdom, God gives this revelation to Daniel through Gabriel, indicating that the “new” Jerusalem will not be the final “New Jerusalem” and that the temple to be rebuilt will also be destroyed. The message, in short, is that the Jews should not see the promised kingdom as imminent, and that not only much time but much suffering will precede it.

(7) How does prophecy help to change our perspective?

We are to live in the present in the light of God’s promises for the future (see Hebrews 11). Present circumstances often appear to contradict the promises of God concerning the future. While the release of the Jews from their captivity was a joyous occasion, it was not the commencement of the kingdom of God. And while the 70 years of suffering in Babylon was coming to an end, there was still much suffering ahead for the people of God. Present prosperity and ease is not a promise there will be no more suffering, just as present suffering does not negate the future promised blessings of God. Prophecy helps us to view the present in light of the future, which God has planned and promised and which will surely come to pass. Our understanding of the future helps us to see the present, passing things of life in the light of that which is eternal, that which we see now in the light of what God says about the future.

(Footnote 4) Overlapping of Chapters 8 and 9:

Daniel 8	Daniel 9
The “little horn” (8:12-14, 22- 25)	The “prince who is to come” (v. 26)
Gabriel is the interpreter (v. 16)	Gabriel explains the vision (v. 21)
Concerns events of the end time(vv. 7,19,26)	Events bring matters to conclusion (v. 24)
Opposes the “Prince of princes”	Messiah the Prince will be cut off (vv. 25-26)
Removes regular sacrifice (v. 12)	Stops sacrifice and grain offering (v. 27) “People of prince” destroy Jerusalem and the sanctuary (v. 26)
Destroys many (vv. 24, 25)	Destruction, abominations, desolation (v. 27)
Horn broken without human agency (v. 25)	Complete destruction poured out on him (v. 27)

101 See, for example, Deuteronomy 30:1-10 and 1 Kings 8:46-53.

102 Daniel makes a point of telling us in chapter 9 that this Gabriel who appeared to Daniel in chapter 9 was the very same person who appeared to him in chapter 8 (see 9:21).

103 Literally, the expression is “seventy sevens.” Bible students differ as to the exact meaning of this expression, but many understand it to refer to 70 periods of 7 years, or 490 years, which some have shown exactly corresponds to the time when our Lord presented Himself as Messiah to the nation Israel in His triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

104 The overlapping of chapters 8 and 9 is summarized in a chart at the end of this lesson.

Biblical Topics:

Passage:

Taxonomy upgrade extras:

11. Lifting the Veil (Daniel 10:1-21)

Introduction

Among preachers, the story is told of an unforgettable baptism. Construction on a new church building was nearly complete, with the baptistery functional even though changing rooms were not yet available. When the need arose to use the baptismal, sheets were hung temporarily where those being baptized could change.

The last person to be baptized made her way down into the water. Terrified of going under, she had been assured there was no reason for concern. But she panicked in those final seconds before being lowered into the water, clawing the air for anything to keep from going down. Within her grasp was the curtain hung behind the baptistery which formed the front barrier of the men’s changing room.

Having just stepped from the baptistery, there stood a man completely naked. Realizing something dreadful was wrong, he turned around, only to see the entire congregation gaping at him in embarrassed astonishment. Assessing the situation quickly, he did the only sensible thing—he dived into the baptistery—with the preacher and the panic-stricken woman!

On rare occasions in the Bible, the curtain is lifted to unveil things normally kept from view. Chapter 2 of 2 Kings exemplifies one such passage. Elijah’s death is viewed from heaven’s perspective, as the prophet is carried away into heaven by horses and a chariot of fire (2:11). A similar scene is described by our Lord in the story of the rich man and Lazarus. Lazarus was “carried away by angels to Abraham’s bosom” (Luke 16:22).

Later in the sixth chapter of 2 Kings, we see yet another lifting of the veil with Israel at war with Aram, a neighboring nation. Every time the king of Aram planned an attack, the prophet Elisha informed the king of Israel what to expect. The Israelites were therefore always prepared, and the king of Aram was never able to win a victory. Word finally reached the king of Aram that Elisha the Israelite prophet was the source of the “leak” in his security, and an army was sent to capture Elisha.

Elisha’s servant had risen early in the morning and gone outside. In the light of the rising sun, he saw the enemy’s army surrounding them and with great alarm informed his master. Unruffled, Elisha told his servant, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (2 Kings 6:16). Elisha then prayed for the eyes of his servant to be opened, so that he could see the unseen realities of the spiritual realm. The servant saw the heavenly forces, the horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha. When Elisha prayed again, the eyes of the enemy forces were blinded, and the prophet was able to lead this enemy army into the city of Samaria.

At times, the veil is lifted in the Bible allowing the Christian to see the unseen. At the birth and baptism of our Lord, the veil concealing the glory of our Lord was lifted, and the heavens opened revealing the angelic hosts. At our Lord’s transfiguration, once again the veil is lifted, allowing three of His disciples to see a preview of the kingdom of God.

Chapter 10 in the Book of Daniel provides another rare passage in which the veil is lifted for the reader to see the unseen. Some things are similar to what is seen elsewhere. But our text also reveals some things which should challenge our preconceived ideas, which fail to conform to our preferences. These are realities we need to see and accept, allowing them to shape our perspective and our practice.

As the veil is lifted in this tenth chapter, may we, by God’s grace, see, believe, and behave in a way consistent with the revealed truth. May God grant us the ability to see the unseen here and then to live in the light of these realities.

An Overview of the Text

Chapter 10 does not stand alone. Chapters 10-12 record Daniel’s final vision recorded in this book. Chapter 10 is the introduction to the vision, with chapter 11 spelling out the detailed events which will occur from Daniel’s day to the end of time. Chapter 12 then provides a final broad overview of the prophecies of this book, restating the big picture, and closing with comforting words spoken to Daniel.

Chapter 10 and the first verse of chapter 11 introduce the vision described in detail in chapter 11. Verses 1-3 provide a brief description of the events leading up to the vision. Verses 4-6 describe the One whom Daniel sees in his vision. The impact which this vision had on Daniel and those with him at the time is revealed in verses 7-9. Verses 10-14 disclose the words of the angel who spoke to Daniel, explaining the purpose of his visitation and the reason for his delay. In verses 15-17, an account is given of the debilitating impact this visitation had on Daniel. Verse 18 of chapter 10 through verse 1 of chapter 11 provides a record of the encouragement and strengthening of the angel, along with his account of the part he plays in matters in heaven and on earth.

Our text, Daniel 10:1–11:1, can thus be outlined as seen on the following page:

(1) The setting of the vision verses 1-3

(2) Daniel’s vision of the Lord verses 4-6

(3) Responses to the vision verses 7-9

(4) The angel’s words to Daniel verses 10-14

(5) Daniel’s weakness verses 15-17

(6) The angel’s ministry verses 18–11:1

The Setting of Daniel’s Vision
(10:1-3)

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.

Daniel’s last recorded vision is in the “third year of Cyrus king of Persia.” This does not contradict the statement found in Daniel 1: “And Daniel continued until the first year of Cyrus the king” (Daniel 1:21).

From the statement given in the first chapter of Daniel, we learn that his career lasted until the first year of Cyrus. This means the vision recorded in Daniel 10-12 is one received in Daniel’s retirement years when he may have been in his mid-eighties. From what he was told in chapter 12, I infer that Daniel’s death was not too far in the future (see 12:13). The date must be 537 B.C. The first wave of Jewish captives would thus have already made their way back to Jerusalem.

From what we are told in verse 1, we know that unlike the vision of chapter 8 (see verse 27), Daniel did understand this vision received in chapter 10. The essence of the vision con- densed into one word would be “conflict.”

Daniel’s vision was preceded by three weeks of mourning during which time he did not enjoy the fine foods were available to him.¹⁰⁵ Over what was Daniel mourning? We are not given the answer. Perhaps he was mourning over Israel’s sin or over the difficulties the Jews who had returned to Jerusalem were having. It could have been the new temple would not have the same glory as the old (see Ezra 3) or the enemies of the Jews were hindering the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple (Ezra 4). In the final analysis, we only know that Daniel was mourning and that he had set his heart to gain understanding. Daniel’s vision was a belated answer to his prayer (see Daniel 10:12).

Daniel’s Vision
(10:4-6)

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.

Along with several others (see verse 7), Daniel was standing beside the Tigris river¹⁰⁶ when he received his vision. He was not transported to this place in his vision, as in chapter 8 (verses 1-2), but was already there when the vision appeared to him. It was now the twenty-fourth day of the first month after three full weeks of mourning. The reason for the delay will be given shortly, but first Daniel gives us an account of what he saw in the vision.

Looking up, Daniel saw a person with human characteristics but with qualities which seemed to far surpass those of any mere man. Clothed in linen, his waist was girded with a belt of the finest pure gold. Somehow the splendor of this creature’s body could not be concealed by the linen garment, for Daniel tells us his body was like beryl. Beryl was one of the stones set into the breastpiece of judgment (Exodus 28:20). The mysterious “wheels” of Ezekiel 1 were, in appearance, like beryl (verse 16). Part of Satan’s adornment in the garden of God was of beryl (Ezekiel 28:13). Some of the foundation stones of the heavenly city were beryl (Revelation 21:20). To have a beryl-like body was to have great beauty.

The face of this marvelous creature was also striking. His face had the appearance of lightening. It would seem that his face radiated the brightness and brilliance of lightening. While lightening is a phenomenon which lasts but for a few seconds, the brilliance of this being’s face was constant. His eyes were like flaming torches.

The arms and feet were like the gleam of bronze. What a reflection the arms and feet must have given off, due to the radiance of his face and eyes! When he spoke, it was not the sound of one magnificent voice, but more like the combined voices of a large multitude.

Whether this “man” was an angel or a theophany (a manifestation of the pre-incarnate Christ) provokes considerable discussion. I have concluded the answer is found by answering this question: “What was the vision Daniel received in chapter 10?” The more I read and reflect on the text, the more I am forced to answer: “The vision Daniel received in this chapter was the appearance of this marvelous being, described in verses 5 and 6, and indicated as such in verse 7.”

If Daniel’s vision is the appearance of the spectacular being in verses 5 and 6, then I am convinced this being is none other than our Lord Himself. Compare this vision in our text with these two other visions, recorded in Ezekiel 1 and Revela- tion 1:

26 Now above the expanse that was over their heads there was something resembling a throne, like lapis lazuli in appearance; and on that which resembled a throne, high up, was a figure with the appearance of a man. 27 Then I noticed from the appearance of His loins and upward something like glowing metal that looked like fire all around within it, and from the appearance of His loins and downward I saw something like fire; and there was a radiance around Him. 28 As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking (Ezekiel 1:26-28).

12 And I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands; 13 and in the middle of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His breast with a golden girdle. 14 And His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire; 15 and His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been caused to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. 16 And in His right hand He held seven stars; and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength. 17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as a dead man. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last. 18 and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades (Revelation 1:12-18).

It makes good sense that the final vision of the Book of Daniel would be that of none other than our Lord Himself. God has decreed that all things be summed up in Christ:

18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come. 22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fulness of Him who fills all in all (Ephesians 1:18-23).

15 And He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation. 16 For in Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything. 19 For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fulness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. 21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds 22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—23 if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister (Colossians 1:15-20).

In the first prophecy of Daniel in chapter 2, our Lord was symbolically introduced by the “stone made without hands” (2:34-35, 44-45). In chapter 7, He is presented as the “One like a Son of Man,” who is “given dominion, glory and a kingdom” (7:13-14). In chapter 8, He is the “prince of princes” whom the little horn opposes (8:25). In chapter 9, our Lord is the Messiah “who will be cut off and have nothing” (9:26). Now, in chapter 10, we see our Lord in His splendor and glory, as He will appear at His Second Coming.

The Response to Daniel’s Vision
(10:7-9)

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.

Daniel was accompanied by others beside the Tigris river as the vision of the Lord was revealed to him. The others did not see the vision. There may well have been some unusual manifestations these men witnessed, like those who were with Paul on the road to Damascus:

3 And it came about that as he journeyed, he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; 4 and he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who art Thou, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 6 but rise, and enter the city, and it shall be told you what you must do.” 7 And the men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice, but seeing no one (Acts 9:3-7).

The one thing the men with Daniel certainly observed was his response to the vision. Daniel’s face lost all its color, and he fell to the ground without strength. He feel into a deep sleep, which may have made him appear to be unconscious or in a coma. Those with him felt a deep sense of dread. Wanting no part of this, they ran, leaving Daniel alone to see the vision.

An Angelic Explanation
(10:10-14)

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.”

Being in the presence of the glorified Lord had the same effect on Daniel as on others who saw Him in His glory. Involuntarily, Daniel fell prostrate to the ground, weakened by the sight of our Lord’s splendor. An angelic hand reached out and touched Daniel, lifting him from the ground so that he was now on his hands and knees. He spoke to Daniel, referring to him as a “man of high esteem” (see also 9:23; 10:19). Daniel was highly regarded on earth and in heaven as well. He is granted the ability to understand the words which will be spoken to him. When commanded to do so, Daniel stood, wobbling on his feet it would seem, like a new-born calf.

The angel now seeks to encourage Daniel, telling him not to be afraid. From Daniel’s first request for understanding, his prayer was heard, and the angel was commissioned to visit him in answer to that prayer. The delay in the angel’s visit was a part of the sovereign plan and purpose of God. Nevertheless, there was a delay from the time the angel was commissioned to the time he arrived. The angel explains his delayed visitation in response to Daniel’s prayer.

The moment Daniel’s prayer reached heaven, the angel was dispatched to earth to visit Daniel in answer to his prayer. The “prince of the kingdom of Persia” opposed the angel, resulting in his three-week delay. With the help of Michael, this angel was finally able to complete his mission and visit Daniel. Michael is the second angel to be named in the Bible. He is referred to as “one of the chief princes” (verse 13) and later as “your prince (verse 21). The inference suggests that this angel would never have made it apart from help from such a powerful ally.

Who are these “princes,” and what role do they play in the events which take place on earth? It seems safe to say that the “princes” referred to in chapter 10 are not human rulers but angelic powers. Michael, who is Israel’s “prince,” is a faithful servant of God. It would appear that the princes of Persia (verse 13) and Greece (verse 20) are fallen angels, whose dominion is restricted to a particular geographical and political nation.

In Isaiah 14 (verses 3-20), we find the “king of Babylon” spoken of first as a human king and second as Satan himself. In Ezekiel 28 (verses 11-19), we find the “prince of Tyre” spoken of in a similar manner. He is on the one hand a human ruler and on the other a personification of Satan. I believe that as these human kings rose to power and prominence, they, like Satan, became puffed up with pride and became more and more influenced and finally dominated by Satan himself, so that the character traits of these kings became those of Satan. Their personalities became so merged, it was difficult to distinguish one from the other, much as the demonized Legion was dominated by the demons.

The parallel accounts of Jesus’ encounter with Legion in the Gospels of Mark and Luke teach us a very important fact about fallen angels (or demons). We read this request of the demons in Mark’s Gospel:

9 And He was asking him, “What is your name?” And he said to Him, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” 10 And he began to entreat Him earnestly not to send them out of the country (Mark 5:9-10).

And yet, in Luke’s account, we read,

30 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion” ; for many demons had entered him. 31 And they were entreating Him not to command them to depart in the abyss (Luke 8:30-31).

In Mark’s account, the demons beg not to be sent “out of the country,” and in Luke they beseech Jesus not to cast them “into the abyss.” Why the difference? I believe both requests were made, and they were very much related. The demons are given a certain geographical or political sphere of activity and influence. To be banned from their “territory” requires that they be taken out of circulation, confined to the abyss. They would no longer have the opportunity to carry out their rebellion against God and opposition to men.

The princes of Persia and of Greece seem to be fallen angels who “lobby” for Satan’s plans and interests. Not only do fallen angels have political and geographical spheres of activity, but the holy angels likewise appear to have their own boundaries. Michael’s political and geographical area of activity was Israel. The angel who speaks with Daniel has been given Darius as his ministry:

1 “And in the first year of Darius the Mede, I arose to be an encouragement and a protection for him. (Daniel 11:1).

Just as Christians can expect opposition from those who are the enemies of Christ (see John 15:18-21; 1 Peter 4:1-5, 12-14), so we would expect conflict between fallen and holy angels. Thus we find the angel of chapter 10 opposed by these princes, just as he was assisted by Israel’s “prince,” Michael. After all, did Daniel not indicate to us, his readers, that the essence of the vision he saw was “great conflict” (verse 1)?

In verse 14, the angel explains to Daniel his purpose in coming to him. While he was delayed for several weeks, the angel came to give him an understanding of what was to happen in the “latter days.” The vision of the glorified Lord, the angel explains, pertains not only to Daniel’s people, the Jews, but to “days yet future.” Christ will not appear in His glory until the time for judgment and the establishment of the kingdom of God has come. Christ’s coming in His glory is that which comes at the end of the prophetic program for Israel.

Daniel’s Weakness
(10:15-17)

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.”

The presence of the angel, and his words spoken to Daniel, render Daniel so awe-struck he is speechless. Mortal man, marred by sin, is terror-stricken in the face of holiness. The angel reaches out, touching Daniel’s lips (compare Isaiah 6:1-7). Daniel could now speak, and he did. He explained that the vision had left him in anguish and exhausted, feeling utterly unworthy to speak. His strength vanished, and he seems to have gasped for breath. This kind of experience you and I can never truly fathom without having the same experience.

This text certainly provides a commentary on reverence. You and I find ourselves all too comfortable with God, probably because of the way He is spoken of and perceived by Christians today. God is the one (I deliberately did not capitalize the word) who is “there for us.” He is the “one who would have died for me, even if no one else ever believed in Him.” Daniel saw our Lord as He was, and he fell prostrate in His presence. He was even immobilized and speechless in the presence of one of His holy angels. Our irreverence, I fear, is a direct result of our inadequate and inaccurate perception of God.

The Angel’s Ministry
(10:16–11:1)

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.

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

You and I know the feeling of suddenly coming upon a radar trap, or a policeman, sitting out of sight in his patrol car, especially if we are exceeding the speed limit. Imagine the feelings you would have, as a sinner, in the presence of a holy angel. These were Daniel’s feelings. The angel’s words and deeds helped put Daniel at ease.

The angel dealing with Daniel, like all angels which appear to men in the Bible, had the appearance of a man. Through his touch, he imparted strength to Daniel. His words likewise comforted and encouraged Daniel. Once again, he spoke to Daniel as one held in high esteem, telling him not to be afraid and giving him a greeting of peace.

Strengthened and encouraged, Daniel informed the angel he was not ready and able to hear what he had come to reveal to him. The angel seems almost puzzled that Daniel would understand why he had come to him. Before giving Daniel the message he has been sent to deliver, he tells the prophet what awaits him upon his departure—he will return to do battle with the “prince of Persia.” He further informs Daniel that the “prince of Greece” is about to come.

Why does the angel bother to inform Daniel of these things? What difference should they make to Daniel? What will he learn from it? We may safely assume the “princes” of Persia and Greece are both angels. From the fact that the angel is going to “fight against” the prince of Persia, we may conclude this celestial being is a fallen angel. Why would this angel be fighting against the prince of Persia?

The princes of Persia and Greece are the heavenly counterparts of the earthly kings of Persia and Greece. The prophecies of chapters 8 and 9 have concentrated on these two kingdoms: Persia and Greece (see 8:20-21). The defeat of the prince of Persia is preliminary to the defeat of Persia and to the rise of Greece, whose “prince” was soon coming. It is as though the struggle is waged and won first by the angelic forces in heaven and then carried out on earth by the struggle of human kings. What formerly appeared to be merely an earthly matter in chapter 8 now is shown to have a heavenly (or at least angelic) counterpart. The rise and fall of kings is according to the sovereign plan and purpose of God (see Daniel 4:26, 32), which involves both men and angels.

Here in our text the curtain is lifted so that events on earth, which seemed only to have human causes and instrumentality, now appear in relationship to angelic activity. How foolish of mortal men to think their successes are the result only of their own power and mental genius. This is the folly of which Nebuchadnezzar was cured (Daniel 4), one which characterizes all ungodly earthly kings.

The angel informs Daniel of the angelic dimension of political upheaval and turnover. He also informs Daniel his mission is to reveal to him the truth which has already been written. This refers to the decree of God, which is already settled and determined and will not change.

The last half of verse 21 is by far the most troubling: 21 “Yet there is no one who stands firmly with me against these forces except Michael your prince.”

Up until now, I have always thought of the angels of God as being the vast majority, with but a handful of rebel angels allied with Satan in opposing God. But this statement makes it seem as though the angel speaking and Michael are taking on angelic powers who seemingly outnumber and outrank them. The angel does not seem to cast any doubt as to the outcome of his struggle, but he in no way minimizes the strength of the opposition.

May I ask you a troubling question? Are Christians the majority or the minority in this world? Did God choose those to be saints who are the smartest, strongest, and most likely to succeed? If there is doubt in your mind, I will answer for you. He did not. Instead, we are reminded:

26 For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 28 and the base things of the world and the despised, God has chosen, the things that are not, that He might nullify the things that are, 29 that no man should boast before God (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).

If this is so for humans, why should we assume it is different in heaven? Note I am not dogmatically saying it is no different in heaven. I am simply pointing out that we assume unfallen angels outrank, outnumber, and overpower those who are fallen. Our text gives us pause for thought on this matter. In the final analysis, it will not be the angels who are praised for the destruction of Satan and his fallen angels, or for the defeat and judgment of those men and women who oppose God. The credit will all go to God, from whom, through whom, and to whom are all things.

The previous verses have turned our attention to the way in which fallen angels influence unbelieving earthly kings and kingdoms. Verse 1 of chapter 11 points out one way in which some of the holy angels may impact good and godly kings. “And in the first year of Darius the Mede, I arose to be an encouragement and a protection for him.”

The angel visiting Daniel, who is speaking with him, now relates the ministry he has had in the life of king Darius. According to his words, his ministry was that of encouragement and protection. I understand this angel to be saying he encouraged Darius to show favor toward Daniel and the Jews, and that he protected this king from both human and angelic attacks which might result in his injury, death, or political downfall. Any king who set out to honor God and His people would surely be a target for satanic opposition.

Now here is a real eye-opener for Daniel and for the readers of the Book of Daniel. In reading Daniel 6, we marvelled at Daniel’s sudden rise to power under Darius, especially when in chapter 5 Daniel seems to be unknown to the Babylonian king, Belshazzar. From chapter 6, we find Darius very attached to Daniel and eager to spare his life. He seems to expect God to rescue His servant from the mouths of the lions. What brought this about? The words of the angel in chapter 11 indicate his ministry to Darius had a significant impact on the events of chapter 6. If those kings which opposed God had satanic qualities, other God-fearing kings like Darius and Nebuchadnezzar likely reflected the influence of angels, such as the one speaking to Daniel in chapters 10-12.

Conclusion

This chapter points us to several important truths for our consideration.

First, our text reminds us that Christ is the centerpiece of prophecy and the goal of history. Daniel’s vision is the concluding vision of the Book, the climax of the prophetic revelation of Daniel. Daniel’s vision is of Christ. This should come as no surprise, especially for New Testament saints:

Therefore let no one act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day—things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ (Colossians 2:16-17; see also Ephesians 1; Colossians 1).

In the study of prophecy, let us be careful to never lose our focus:

(1) The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to defeat the enemies of God, to judge the world, and to establish the kingdom of God, is the climax and culmination of prophecy. The hope and the joy of the Christian is not just heaven; it is to live in the Lord’s presence, eternally praising and adoring Him.

(2) This text reminds us that in our present condition we are inadequately equipped to dwell in the presence of God. Here in Daniel 10 we find Daniel utterly disarmed and disabled in the presence of God, and even in the presence of one of His holy angels. This is the norm, for we find that other men experience similar reactions when in the presence of holy heavenly beings. Indeed, there is even a sense of respect for the fallen angelic beings (see Jude 9). Only the unbelieving fallen beings show disregard for the angelic powers (2 Peter 2:10; Jude 1:8-10).

As we observe Daniel and other godly men shrinking back in fear when they find themselves in the presence of God, or of one of the holy angels, we can understand why it is necessary for us to put off this earthly, mortal, body and be clothed with a new, heavenly body. This enables us to enter into the heavens and to enjoy the blessedness of being in the presence of a holy God:

40 There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So also it is written, “The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. 47 The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 50 Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality (1 Corinthians 15:40-53; 2 Corinthians 5:1-4).

(3) Our text provides us with an even broader perspective. In our study of chapter 9, I suggested that prophecy provides us with a different perspective. Prophecy enables the Christian to view present events in the light of the future, which God has determined and revealed to us in prophecy. Chapter 10 provides us with yet another perspective, enabling us to see that earthly events correspond to angelic activity, normally unseen by mortal men. Just as the “veil is lifted” in 2 Kings allowing us to view human events in the light of heavenly activity, so does chapter 10. The favorable attitude of Darius toward Daniel is now seen to be related to angelic activity (11:1). The fall of Medo-Persia and the rise of Greece is also the result of angelic activity. These are not things we normally perceive, but our text “lifts the veil,” opening our eyes to the broader realm of spiritual warfare.

We have recently seen nations and world leaders rise and fall. This has not happened by chance. All of these things are a part of the plan of God. Our text assures us that behind much that has happened in the political realms, angelic activity has played a significant part, even though unseen by the human eye. We believe this to be true because the Bible tells us this is so.

This does not mean the Christian is unrelated to the angelic world or the spiritual struggle presently going on out of human sight in high places. We not only are told that the spiritual warfare is raging, but we are encouraged to take part, just as Daniel did, in prayer:

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:4, 5).

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, 15 and having shod your FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, 19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak (Ephesians 6:10-20).

(4) Our text teaches us that even when godly angels are engaged in spiritual ministry on our behalf, they may not quickly and easily prevail. Why is it that we are willing to acknowledge that God is saving only a remnant of mankind, and yet we assume that in the angelic realm there are but a small number of disobedient angels who are easily handled by the godly angels? If the victory is not quick and easy for the angels, why would we expect it to be otherwise for us? As I understand Daniel’s teaching on angels, a number will choose to follow Satan, and thus oppose Christ, His people, and His holy city. For a time, it will even appear they are prevailing. Only when God’s time of judgment comes will disobedient men and angels be quickly and totally destroyed, and this by our Lord at His return.

(5) In prophecy, the watchword for the Christian is not immediate success, but struggle. The Christian life is not what many say it is. Many seek to market the gospel (and all too often line their own pockets) by promising converts that God cannot wait to flood them with physical and material blessings. Our Lord never promised immediate material blessings to His disciples. Instead, He called upon those who would follow Him to give up materialism and to follow Him, expecting to suffer for His name’s sake. Prophecy indicates our future holds conflict, suffering, and even apparent defeat, but in the end, our Lord will subdue His enemies, establish His kingdom, and give men their due rewards. For the time being, we do well to heed prophecy and prepare for difficult days ahead, looking to Him for the grace to endure and remain faithful to Him.

Each of us has a choice to make in this life. We may choose to suffer now, in the light of the glory to come, or, we may pursue the pleasures of this world and face the dreaded reality of God’s eternal wrath. Which is your choice? If you have chosen to follow Christ, you will find great joy, even in the midst of the sorrow and tribulation which following Him brings:

1 Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ through whom we have now received the reconciliation. 12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned (Romans 5:1-12).

Chapter 10:
Questions and Answers

(1) How does chapter 10 fit into the context of the Book of Daniel?

Chapter 10 is a part of a three chapter segment (chapters 10-12), which constitutes the final segment of the Book of Daniel. Chapters 10-12 serve as the culmination, the climax, of the entire book and its prophecies. Chapter 10 serves as the introduction to this final segment.

(2) According to Daniel 10:1-3, what is the setting for the prophecy Daniel receives in chapters 10-12?

The vision Daniel receives in chapter 10 comes to him in the “third year of Cyrus” (10:1). We know that Daniel served in the government until the “first year of Cyrus” (1:21), and so he must now be retired, perhaps well into his eighties and not far from the time of his death (see 12:13). The first wave of Jews would already have made their way back to the promised land to begin rebuilding and restoring Jerusalem and the temple (see Ezra chapter 1).

From verses 2 and 3, we learn that Daniel had been mourning and concentrating on fasting and prayer. We are not told the reason for Daniel’s distress or the precise content of his prayers. We do know for certain that the vision and the revelation given by the angel was a direct answer to his prayers (10:12).

(3) Compare the vision Daniel receives in chapter 10 with those received earlier in chapters 2, 7 and 8.

It is my understanding that the prophecies revealed in the Book of Daniel are progressively revealed, each new prophecy building on the prophecies preceding it.

Previous revelations have revealed that there will be several kingdoms which will rise and fall, dominating the world, oppressing men, and even opposing God, His people, and His holy place. There have been several references to the coming of the Messiah, who will bring human government to an end, and who will establish His eternal kingdom. In chapter 10, the vision Daniel sees is that of our glorified Lord, as we shall see Him when He returns to establish His throne on the earth. Christ is the sum and substance, the last word and the ultimate fulfillment of all prophecy. All prophecy ultimately points to Him, and that is what Daniel sees in the vision—Christ.

(4) What is the relationship between the person Daniel sees in his vision and the angel who speaks with him in chapters 10-12? Is this the same person or two different persons?

There is disagreement among Bible students as to whether the one Daniel saw in verses 5 and 6 is the same person as the one to whom he spoke in later verses. If these are two different persons, then the one Daniel saw in his vision must almost certainly be the Lord Jesus, which theologians refer to as a “theophany.” The second person would then be an angel. If the two persons are the same being, then it must be an angel, for our Lord could not speak of the princes of Greece and Persia as though they were stronger than He.

The more I considered this text, the more convinced I became that the One whom Daniel saw in his vision was the Lord Himself, and that the one who spoke with Daniel was “merely” an angel. The One whom Daniel saw in his vision is all too similar to the visions Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1:26-28) and John (Revelation 1:12-19) had, which were of the Lord. This vision of our Lord is the final, climaxing prophetic revelation of Daniel, for it is our Lord who will come and defeat His enemies and establish His eternal kingdom. The one who speaks with Daniel is an angel, who gives the prophet Daniel a final explanation of the end times.

(5) Compare Daniel 10:7 with Acts 9:7 and 22:9. From Daniel 8:18; 10:8-10, 15-17 describe Daniel’s response as he experienced the vision. How do you explain the physical reaction that Daniel describes?

Those who with Daniel when he began to receive his vision did not see all he saw, but they were overcome with a sense of awe and dread, and so they fled, leaving Daniel alone. They seem to have had an experience similar to those who were with Saul when he was met by the Lord on the road to Damascus.

Daniel saw much more than those with him, and it produced a strong physical reaction in him. He lost his strength and fell into a deep sleep. He found it hard to breath and nearly impossible to speak. His reaction may have been stronger when he saw the vision of the Lord, but even being in the presence of the angel affected Daniel greatly. All of this suggests that the privilege of being in the presence of God does not give the warm, fuzzy feelings some seem to suggest. Being in God’s presence is not necessarily something one would want to undergo every day in this life. It shows that we are presently ill-suited for such contact with God and that we will need to undergo a dramatic change to be equipped for heaven. This is why we must leave our mortal bodies behind and be clothed with new bodies (see 1 Corinthians 15; 2 Corinthians 4:16–5:10).

(6) Who are the “princes” named or referred to in chapter 10? Compare these with the “prince of Tyre” in Ezekiel 28 and the king of Babylon in Isaiah 14. What does this suggest or teach us about the world in which we live?

The “princes” of our text must almost certainly be angels. They may either be unfallen, godly angels like Michael (10:21) or fallen angels, as would seem to be the case with the princes of Greece and Persia (10:20). These angels seem to be very closely associated with the kings of Greece and Persia, even as Satan is identified with the “king of Tyre” (Ezekiel 28:2, 12) and with the “king of Babylon” (Isaiah 14:4, 12ff.).

In the New Testament, we know that demons seem to be restricted to a certain geographical or political territory and that if they are sent from this territory, they are confined to the abyss (compare Mark 5:10 with Luke 8:31). Demons seem to be very much involved in the politics of nations, just as holy angels are likewise involved (see Daniel 11:1). What this teaches us is that political events are not just the result of human decisions and activity but of angelic involvement as well. There truly is a spiritual warfare going on, beyond what can be seen by the human eye (see 2 Kings 6; Ephesians 6:10-20).

(7) From these introductory events and words recorded in chapter 10, what do we learn about the prophecy about to be revealed in the next two chapters?

We learn that the events predicted in the prophecies which follow concern the “latter days” (verse 14), and that the predicted events will be, in part, the result of angelic activity. Further, by inference, these events in the future can involve saints in every age who pray for God’s kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

(8) What do we learn about prayer in this chapter?

This chapter informs us that prayer is one of the ways in which the saints can engage in the unseen spiritual warfare going on all about us, unseen by the human eye. It was in answer to Daniel’s prayer that the vision was given and the angel appeared.

105 The inference of the words of verse 2 is that Daniel normally ate “tasty foods,” including meat and wine. This may appear to be in conflict with Daniel 1, where Daniel is said to have refused such foods. Daniel would have refused to eat meat and wine not because it was evil in and of itself, but because of its probable defilement due to idolatrous ceremonies or because it was ceremonially unclean. Once Daniel rose to power and prominence, I am certain that fine “kosher” foods would have been acquired for Daniel, and that these he would not have refused, except in times of fasting and prayer.

106 Literally, the river was the Hiddeqel river, mentioned by this name only elsewhere in Genesis 2:14.

Passage:

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12. From Here to Eternity (Daniel 11:2-45)

Introduction

In studying this eleventh chapter of Daniel, I compared the translation of the New Berkeley Version with that of the New American Standard Bible. My wife and I had purchased the Berkeley Version years ago while I was a seminary student and our girls were much younger. As I paged through the Old Testament and then through Daniel, there were a number of notes I had written in the margin of the text. When I reached chapter 11, I found another kind of writing; one of my daughters had scribbled all over the pages of chapter 11.

I found this rather humorous, wondering if when our Lord has returned and all of the prophecies of this chapter have been fulfilled, will not some of the comments I and others have made on this chapter be about as insightful as those scribblings on the pages of my Bible?

Please do not misunderstand. I am not implying that efforts to explain chapter 11 are futile and senseless. All Scripture is God-breathed, inspired, and therefore profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). I am saying that we do not have to understand all the particulars of chapter 11 for this prophecy to be profitable to us.

Consider Daniel as an old man, having retired from public office (compare 10:1 with 1:21) and nearing the time of his death (see 10:1; 12:13). The prophecy of chapters 10-12 was not to be publicized but rather sealed up and preserved for saints who would live in later times:

8 “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.” 9 And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time” (Daniel 12:4, 9).

Daniel had fervently and faithfully prayed for the restoration of his people—for the coming of the kingdom of God (see Daniel 6:10; 9:1-19). That for which Daniel prayed was not to come in his lifetime. The vision of the glorified Christ (10:5-6), and the words spoken to him by the angel in chapters 10-12, were revealed to Daniel to encourage him as he faced death, knowing that his hope, along with that of believing Israelites, was sure (compare Hebrews 11:13-16).

Daniel greatly profited from the revelation he received in chapters 10-12. While he understood the vision of 10:5-6 to be a revelation of his Lord (10:1), he did not comprehend a great deal of the remaining revelation (see 12:8). Daniel did not know the names of all the kingdoms involved in the events leading to the end—he simply knew them to be nations north and south of Israel. Neither did he know the names of all the kings involved. Nevertheless, this prophecy was given to encourage and strengthen Daniel, and so it did.

Even though many years have passed and a number of this chapter’s prophecies have been fulfilled, Bible students differ strongly about which prophecies have and have not been fulfilled. Godly men and women disagree concerning when, by whom, or even how these prophecies have been fulfilled. I propose we approach this passage as Daniel did. We need not understand all the details to be instructed and encouraged. We do need to focus on the “big picture” in this passage to grasp the message God communicates by means of this text.

Our approach avoids attempting to explain the details of chapter 11, as we will try with few exceptions to understand and apply this revelation as though we were standing in Daniel’s sandals. We will consider the broad sweep of described events and the message God intended for Daniel and for us to gain from it.

Characteristics of This Chapter

Daniel 11 is unique, as a number of commentators have also noted. Its uniqueness causes some less conservative scholars to reject it as prophecy, insisting it is history written as though it were prophecy.¹⁰⁷ To begin our study, we should consider some of those characteristics which will enhance our understanding of the chapter as a whole.

(1) The prophecy of chapter 11 is the longest, most detailed prophecy in all of the Book of Daniel, perhaps in all of the Old Testament.¹⁰⁸ While chapter 2 is four verses longer than Daniel 11, a great deal of historical narrative is interwoven into these verses, making the prophecy of chapter 11 far more extensive than the general prophecy revealed in chapter 2. Chapter 11 contains not only more prophecy than any other chapter, but more detailed prophecy, much not revealed before.

(2) The symbolism of statues, winged-lions, rams, goats and horns is replaced by straightforward literal references to kings and kingdoms. None of the kings and only some of the kingdoms are named, but the mysterious symbolism has been dropped, and these final chapters of Daniel are written in straightforward terms, like the last chapters of Revelation in the New Testament.

(3) The prophecy of Daniel 11 is a part of the final recorded revelation given to Daniel in chapters 10-12. Chapter 10 serves as the introduction, chapter 11 supplies the major content of the revelation, and chapter 12 sums up and concludes the prophecy. Chapter 10 focuses on our Lord, as revealed to Daniel in his vision (verses 5-6). Chapter 11 focuses on the “kings of the North and the South.” Chapter 12 focuses on Daniel and the faithful, who die without receiving the promise, with the assurance of attaining it after their resurrection.

(4) While chapter 10 focused on the spiritual warfare in the heavenlies, chapter 11 dwells on the earthly, human struggles occurring between men, especially between the kings of the north and the kings of the south. Chapter 10 has opened our eyes to the unseen struggle taking place between fallen and unfallen angels. Somehow, this conflict and its outcome has a direct relationship to the events which take place on the earth. Chapter 11 is much more earthy, much more human. It has the appearance and even the smell of earthly politics. Kings come to the conference table making promises and commitments, lying all the while (verse 27). The daughter of the king of the South is given to the king of the North as his wife, hoping an alliance can be made (verse 6).

(5) While human motivation, self-seeking, and even rebellion are prominent in chapter 11, the underlying theme is man in his rebellion achieving the will of God, determined long before time began. In this chapter, as elsewhere, kings assert themselves, seek their own interests, and even oppose God and His people, while in the midst of it all, they accomplish what God has purposed (verses 27, 29, 36).

(6) The kings of the North and of the South, in pursuit of their own interests and expressing their own sinfulness, continually have contact with the nation Israel, posing a constant threat to this small nation caught between two super-powers. “North” and “South” are reckoned with respect to the nation Israel. When the “king of the North” engages the “king of the South,” he passes by Israel on his way there and back. The same can be said for the “king of the South.” If the king is successful, he may seek to gain more territory and control at Israel’s expense. If he is defeated, he may take out his wrath on Israel in retaliation for his defeat. Israel finds herself caught in the middle of this struggle between the powers of the North and those of the South. This may appear to be mere coincidence, but our text strongly suggests this is by divine design. Israel is not only impacted by the results of the spiritual warfare in which angels are engaged, she is also affected by the struggle of earthly kings, because God has providentially God placed His people between the major world powers.

(7) A very clear connection exists between the evil king of verses 21-45 and the “little horn” of chapter 8. It is my understanding that one “king of the North” is spoken of in verses 21-45,¹⁰⁹ and that this king is none other than the “little horn” of chapter 8. Consider the following similarities between these two villains, the “little horn” of chapter 8 and the “king of the North” of chapter 11:

Characteristics of the Two Villains

Initially insignificant	8:9	11:21,23
Wicked and evil	8:23	11:21
Very powerful	8:12,24	11:22-23, 36
Proud, glorifying themselves	8:11	11:36

Methods of the Two Villains

Use trickery and deception	8:12,23,25	11:21,23-27, 32
Take advantage of peace	8:25	11:21,24

Deeds of the Two Villains

Enjoy success	8:10,12	11:33,36
Oppose God and His people	8:10, 25	11:22,28,30,32,36
Threaten the “Beautiful land”	8:9	11:41,45
Exalt and glorify themselves	8:11	11:36-37
Destroy	8:24-25	11:44
Defile, bringing on the abomination of desolation	8:11; 9:27	11:30-31
Accomplish divine objectives	8:19	11:35,36
Supernaturally defeated	8:25	11:45

(8) A literary unity and continuity is evident in chapter 11, distinct from that of previous chapters. The prophecies of Daniel 2 and 7 focus on four kingdoms, symbolized by the four metals of the statue (chapter 2) and the four beasts (chapter 7). The unifying factor in chapter 11 is the on-going struggle between the North and the South. This struggle seems to commence shortly after the death of Alexander the Great (11:3-4) and continues until the very end of human government (11:45). The emphasis does not fall so much on the kingdoms previously named. The fall of the Medo-Persian empire and the rise of the Greek empire is described, but not pointed out as such (11:2-4). Because the text does not emphasize distinct phases of prophecy but a continuity of struggle between the North and the South, I have made no effort to identify specific kings or events in terms of time.

From Daniel’s Day
to the Fall of Alexander the Great
(11:2-4)

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. 3 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.

At the time of Belshazzar’s death (see chapter 5), the Babylonian empire had fallen, and Cyrus was presently the king of Medo-Persia. The text indicates the events of chapters 10-12 took place in the “third year of Cyrus, king of Persia” (10:1). The angel now informs Daniel that three more kings will arise in Persia, followed by a fourth (11:2).

Critics quickly point out that Persia had more kings than Daniel mentions. I see several possibilities. It may be the angel is speaking only of those kings who are considered major figures in history. The explanation which best satisfies me is that which the text itself seems to suggest: the angel had no intention of indicating the total number of kings who would rule over Persia. The angel indicated only that the Persian king who arouses the animosity of Greece is the fourth king of Persia. There could well have been other kings after him, and during their reign Greece waited for the time when they could avenge themselves by defeating Persia. However, the actions of this fourth Persian king is that which offended the Greeks and led ultimately to the overthrow of the Medo-Persian empire by Greece.

The “mighty king” who was to arise seems to be Alexander the Great, whose power was indeed great but who came to an early end to be replaced in time by four men. These four were not his sons nor did they exercise the authority which Alexander once demonstrated. Verse 4 strongly suggests the normal course of events did not happen because God sovereignly intervened, taking the throne away from Alexander the Great and his descendants. In all that took place, God was in control, and His purposes were achieved. Despite the great plans Alexander the Great may have had, God’s plans prevailed.

The First Kings
of the North and the South
(11:5-20)

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. 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. 7 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. 9 Then the latter will enter the realm of the king of the South, but will return to his own land. 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. 11 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. 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. 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. 15 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.

Beginning with verse 5, the kings of the North and the South are introduced in Daniel. The ensuing struggle goes on for a long period of time, continuing it seems to the day of God’s wrath (see 11:45; 12:1). There are a number of kings, both in the North and in the South, but the struggle between these two superpowers is represented as continuing throughout the course of history. It seems somewhat similar to the conflict between the “East” and the “West,” until recently in our own times—the struggle between Russia and the United States, or between communism and the free world.¹¹⁰

“North” and “South,” as I understand it, is reckoned from the standpoint of Israel. The “kings of the North” are those kings who rule over the kingdom north of Israel, and the “kings of the South” are those kings who rule over the southern kingdom. Whether this is always the same precise piece of geography or the same political entity I do not know.

Over time, the relationship between the kings of the North and the kings of the South changes. Early on, the “king of the South” grows very powerful; after a number of years, he attempts to form an alliance with the “king of the North” by giving this northern king his daughter as a wife, although this does not produce the desired effect over a long period of time (11:6). Eventually, these two powers end up at war (11:7-13).

Taking advantage of the uprising of many (including some Jews, see verse 14) against the “king of the South,” the “king of the North” seeks to make political and military gains. Even the best troops of the “king of the South” cannot stand up to him and are defeated. This enables the northern king to occupy Israel, where he brings much destruction (verse 16). His intention is to muster all his forces and consolidate his gains. He even has a peace proposal which he puts into effect with the aid of a woman, but this does not last. Turning his efforts to the coastal regions, he is turned back by an unnamed commander. Afterwards, he stumbles and is removed. Another takes his place and wages an attack on the “Jewel of his kingdom” —perhaps Jerusalem—but he is shattered in some unexpected way (verse 20). These “kings of the North and South” set the stage for the final scene—the emergence of the final “king of the North” —the “little horn” of chapter 8.

The Final King of
the North: The Little Horn
(11:21-45)

21 “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. 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. 24 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. 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. 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. 29 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. 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. 32 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.”

When the “king of the North” falls, he is replaced by another. The replacement “king of the North” has no legal claim to the throne. He is not placed in power but “seizes the kingdom,” but not by brute force for he has little military might or political support (verse 23). This evil king rises to power by means of his political skill and his devious schemes. The extent of his cunning and intrigue is evident in that he far surpasses any of his predecessors in his accomplishments. He achieves this in a “time of peace” and seemingly without the use of great military force himself (verse 24).

His confidence bolstered by his accomplishments, this new “king of the North” decides to take on the mighty “king of the South.” By this time, the “king of the North” has mustered a large armed force. The “king of the South” also has a very sizeable force but is defeated, not by military might but by schemes which appear to be the handiwork of the “king of the North” (verses 25 and 26).

Both kings apparently agree to sit down at the conference table to negotiate peace terms. Both kings give the appearance of good will and sincerity, but both lie to each other so that the effort is unsuccessful. The reason, we are told, is because this must all end in God’s way and in His time (verse 27). The “king of the North” returns to his country, greatly enriched by his venture. His heart is also set against Israel and especially against the “holy covenant.” His heart and mind are bent on using his might to destroy and defile the people and the place of God (verse 28).

In God’s appointed time, the “king of the North” turns southward once again, but things will not go so well this time as they had before (verse 29). Ships from Kittim will oppose and resist him, so that he will return to his land, not in the pride of victory, but in the shame of defeat. On his way, he will pass Israel, determining to take his vengeance on this place, which he already hates in his heart (verse 30).

This king returns to the land of Israel and shows favor to the Jews who forsake the covenant. With his forces, he will desecrate the sanctuary fortress, doing away with the regular sacrifice, and bringing about the previously prophesied “abomination of desolation” (Daniel 9:27; cf. also 8:11; 12:11).

This king will employ his power of deception and persuasion on the people of Israel. Many will fall for his line. These will be the godless, who want to hear what he has to say, and whose senses are deadened toward the truth. The righteous will not be taken in, however. They will recognize him for what he is, and they will “take action” (verse 32). This “action” will not be military resistance, as I understand it, but rather the faithful practice and proclamation of the truth. The righteous will “give understanding to many.” The faithfulness of the godly will have its price, for many will be put to death. This will occur for a number of days (verse 33). They will receive a token gesture of help, and they will also have followers who join them hypocritically. Even “some of those who have insight will fall, in order to refine, purge, and make them pure, until the end time … ” (verse 35).

While this time of desolation, persecution, and proclamation of the truth is yet future, we have already seen a sample of it in the early days of the church. In those early days, there was opposition and persecution but also the faithful proclamation of the gospel, the salvation of some, and the hypocritical following of others.

While this time of adversity will bring about the death of some of the saints, it is a part of the plan and purpose of God for purging and purifying His people in preparation for the coming of His kingdom (verse 35).

At this point in time, this “king of the North” will be granted the power to “do as he pleases” (verse 36). As his apparent power rises, the ego of this king becomes greatly inflated, so that he, like Satan, his mentor and master, begins to exalt and magnify himself above all gods. He speaks blasphemously against God Himself (verse 36; see also Isaiah 14:13-14; Ezekiel 28:17). As this king surpassed his predecessors in his accomplishments, so he also surpasses them in his madness. Forsaking the gods of his fathers, he also disdains the “desire of women.” ¹¹¹

This king will turn from any previous gods to a new one, a “god of fortresses” (verse 38). This seems to be a new god who operates in the realm of military strength.¹¹² Through the power of this foreign military “god,” the “king of the North” will wage war with great success. In return for the support of men, this king parcels out the spoils of victory (verses 38-39).

At the end time, yet another major confrontation will take place between the “king of the North” and the “king of the South.” The “king of the North” wins a decisive victory, then turns his attention once again toward Israel. While the people of Edom, Moab, and Ammon are rescued from his grasp, Egypt and the nation Israel are not. Rumors from the East and North enrage the “king of the North,” causing him to strike out mercilessly, destroying and annihilating many (verse 44). He seems then to encamp his army in Israel beside the “beautiful Holy Mountain” (verse 45).

I understand the last half of verse 45 to be parenthetical. This “king of the North,” this “little horn,” will be defeated and destroyed, accomplished by means other than human instrumentality (8:25), and there will then be no one who can come to his aid (11:45). But his end is not yet. That will take place, in my understanding, in the events described in the early part of chapter 12. For now, we are to see this evil and very powerful king stationed in Israel, intent on devastating this place but knowing that his end is near.

Conclusion

The early events of chapter 11 can quite easily be seen as fulfilled in the rise and fall of Alexander the Great. After this, history, as presently understood, does not neatly fit into the scheme of events spelled out in the prophecy of this chapter. In the future, we may see how this has occurred, but for now we must see that at least the last verses of the chapter are yet to be fulfilled in the end times. While we cannot understand all the details of the program outlined in chapter 11, we certainly can see the “big picture” and find comfort and encouragement, just as Daniel could and did. What are some of the lessons this chapter offers for our edification?

(1) The details in this chapter provide the saints of the last days with a description of the “little horn,” which will expose the deception and cunning of this coming king. The ungodly will not discern the wickedness of this king, or if they do, they will actually be attracted by it. They will follow him to their own destruction. The godly will have “insight,” through the Word of God and the Spirit of God, and discern who he is and resist him. Some of the “insight” by which they will discern his identity and the events of the last days will come from Daniel chapter 11.

Christians have been inclined to think of this evil king in a way quite different from the description given in our text. The origin of this “king of the North” is very different from his final outcome. He has no legitimate claim to his throne, and yet he seizes it (verse 20). He arises in a time of tranquility, not in a time of war. He comes to power not by military might but by cunning and intrigue (verse 21). His power is given to him by men, because he offers and provides them with what they want. Like the false prophets of all ages, he appeals to the flesh and wins a broad hearing and support (see 1 Peter 2; Jude 1). Let us be very careful to think of this “little horn” as the Scriptures describe him, and beware of the appeal of his cunning and schemes.

(2) Our text describes the willful acts of godless kings and those who follow them, but all the while it reminds us that while these sinners are rebelling against God and seeking their own interests, God’s plans and purposes are being achieved. Let us draw our attention to those verses which underscore the sovereign control of God over all human history and especially over the events which come about at the end time (see verses 2, 4, 14, 20, 24, 27, 29, 35, 36, 45). God is in control of human history, including the events which occur due to the reign of wicked men. The degree of detail depicted about future events in our chapter reflects the degree to which God’s sovereign control of history extends.

(3) The prophecy of Daniel 11 tells us of the certain suffering of the saints, especially those living in the days of this evil king yet to come. This king has a special animosity toward God, toward Israel, toward the covenant, and toward all who worship and serve God. Repeatedly, he comes in contact with Israel and consistently seeks to devour, destroy, or defile it. When wicked men rule, the saints should expect to suffer. This is the consistent teaching of the Word of God for the saints (see John 15:17-21; Acts 14:22; 2 Timothy 3:12; James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 1:6-9; 2:18-25; 4:1-6, 16-19).

(4) Our text warns the godly of the certainty of suffering, but it assures them of their security in the midst of suffering. Verse 32 tells us some who disdain the holy covenant will follow the wicked “king of the North.” While this will happen, the godly are assured that God has given them the means not only to endure, but to be enriched in the troublesome times of the evil king. Not only will the godly have “insight” to recognize this king for who he is, they will “take action” by proclaiming the truth, as the Lord brings some to genuine repentance and salvation (verses 32-33). For their faithfulness, the godly will be persecuted and some will be put to death. This will in no way hinder their blessings, but enhance them. In the process of suffering, they will be purged and purified. God allows the wicked to triumph over the righteous for a time, but it is always for His glory and our good (see Romans 8:28).

In a way, we can see the final events described in chapter 11 as the ultimate illustration of the truths taught in Psalm 73. There, Asaph confesses his frustration and sinful response to the prosperity of the wicked. How could the God who promised blessing to the righteous allow the wicked to prosper and even to persecute the righteous? As Asaph gains an eternal perspective, he understands that the success of the wicked led them to arrogance and rebellion against God, but suffering caused him to cling more closely to God. So we read in Psalm 73 and hear the witness of saints through the ages: God turns suffering to blessing as the “nearness of God” is our good.

Daniel 11 is the ultimate outworking of the truths of Psalm 73. This arrogant, wicked king who is yet to come will prosper for a season. When he does, he will persecute and afflict the people of God. God will nevertheless bless His people in their suffering and bring them through it to enjoy His presence forever. The wicked will prosper for a time but will then come to sudden destruction. God’s purposes and presence are realized in suffering by those who know and trust Him.

May God use the revelation of this chapter, when evil men seem to triumph over the righteous, to give us insight and encouragement to face the trials of this age, to His glory and for our good.

Chapter 11:
Questions and Answers

(1) What is the structure of Daniel 10-12, and how does chapter 11 fit into it?

Chapters 10-12 of Daniel are a unit, a final revelation given to Daniel in the third year of Cyrus (10:1). Chapter 10 serves as the introduction; chapter 11 provides the content of the revelation; and chapter 12 is the conclusion. Chapter 10 focuses on Christ, the object of the vision of verses 5 and 6 and the center and culmination of all prophecy. Chapter 11 focuses on the political struggles of fallen men, leading up to the coming of Christ, with particular emphasis on the final “king of the North” who persecutes the people of God, desecrates the holy place, and pre- cipitates (humanly speaking) the coming of Christ. Chapter 12 focuses on Daniel, nearing the time of his death, and the hope he shares with all true believers of entering into the kingdom of God after his resurrection from the dead.

(2) How does chapter 11 fit into the argument of Daniel?

Daniel 11 is a part of the last final segment of the Book of Daniel, comprised of chapters 10-12. This is the last recorded revelation in Daniel, received late in his life shortly before his death (12:13). In this final revelation, details of the on-going conflict between the “kings of the North” and the “kings of the South” are disclosed. The revelation covers the period from Daniel’s day to the day of the Lord, when He comes to destroy His enemies and to establish His kingdom on earth. The prophecy of this final segment is given to Daniel to encourage him as the day of his death draws near and to give insight to those who will thereby be able to recognize the coming of this evil king, and “take action” in faithfulness to God and His Word.

(3) What is the nature and structure of chapter 11?

Chapter 11 contains very specific prophecy concerning those events which were still future when Daniel received this revelation. Though some critics try to avoid the specific nature of this prophecy by claiming it is history written in a way that appears to be prophecy, it claims to be and is indeed prophecy. The prophecy we find in chapter 11 is not couched in vague, mysterious, or perplexing symbols (statues, beasts, horns, etc.) as the case earlier in Daniel, but rather in plain language.

There are various ways of understanding the structure of Daniel 11. In particular, Bible students differ as to where in the chapter one distinguishes between those prophecies already fulfilled and the beginning of those prophecies yet unfulfilled. As I understand the text, this “line” for which we look is deliberately blurred. The text seems to stress the “unity” of prophecy, because throughout the chapter (and the course of history from Daniel’s day to the end) there is an on-going conflict between the “king of the North” and the “king of the South.” I understand verses 5-20 to speak of several “kings” of the North and South, but verses 21-45 appear to be speaking of the final “king of the North,” whose rise to power precedes and precipitates the coming of the King described in His glory in Daniel 10:5-6.

(4) What is the relationship between the prophecy of Daniel 11 and the previous prophecies of Daniel?

In one sense, the prophecies of Daniel 10-12 are the capstone of all the previous prophecies of Daniel. I understand the prophecies of Daniel to be progressive, in that each additional prophecy adds to or further clarifies those prophecies previously given. Daniel 10-12 covers the period of time from shortly after Daniel’s death to the second coming of our Lord, yet future. Daniel 11 seems to provide details concerning the Greek empire which were not previously disclosed. More than anything, Daniel 11 gives us a further explanation and clarification of the character and conduct of the “little horn” described in chapter 8.

(5) How does chapter 11 help to shape the perspective of the Christian who takes this text seriously?

Chapter 10 greatly enhances our perspective by taking us beyond earthly events and conflicts to those heavenly conflicts in which fallen and unfallen angels are engaged. It helps us to see the “unseen” spiritual warfare going on, which has a direct bearing on earthly events and on the implementation of God’s plan for creation. Chapter 11 broadens our perspective by focusing on the conflicts which take place between human, earthly powers, which seem merely to be the expression of sinful men seeking to fulfill their selfish ambitions. The constant emphasis of chapter 11 is that while sinful men are engaged in earthly struggles to fulfill their ungodly ambitions, God is employing them to achieve His purposes and to fulfill His plan for creation. All of this takes place exactly when and how God has purposed it. God’s plan, as seen in chapter 11, is very detailed and precisely on schedule.

Daniel 11 has much to teach the saints about suffering. The suffering of the saints appears, in this chapter, to be the result of human ambition, pride, and conflict. The rise of the “little horn” or the final “king of the North” results in the suffering of the saints. While this wicked one prospers, the righteous suffer. This is but the ultimate illustration of the lesson of Psalm 73. But in the prosperity of the wicked and the consequent suffering of the saints, God’s plans and purposes are being fulfilled. These things must happen before the return of our Lord, and when they do take place, the saints are not only purged and purified in preparation for the kingdom, they are given the opportunity to shine forth, demonstrating the grace of God in their perseverance and proclaiming the grace of God in the gospel, so that even in these dark days some will be saved (see verses 32-35).

107 “If this chapter were indeed the utterance of a prophet in the Babylonian Exile, nearly four hundred years before the events--events of which many are of small comparative importance in the world’s history--which are here so enigmatically and yet so minutely depicted, the revelation would be the most unique and perplexing in the whole Scriptures. It would represent a sudden and total departure from every method of God’s providence and of God’s manifestations of His will to the mind of the prophets. It would stand absolutely and abnormally alone as an abandonment of the limitations of all else which has ever been foretold.” F. W. Farrar, The Book of Daniel, p. 299, as cited by John F. Walvoord, Daniel: The Key to Prophetic Revelation (Chicago: Moody Press, 1971), p. 253.

108 The longest chapter in Daniel is chapter 2 with 49 verses. The shortest is chapter 12 with a mere 13 verses. The average length per chapter would be 30 verses. With 45 verses, chapter 11 is the second longest chapter, being fifty percent longer than the average.

109 If this is true, there is not a decisive break between verses 35 and 36, as maintained by noted scholars such as Dr. John Walvoord or as suggested in the translation of the New International Version. They would hold that while verses 1-35 refer to prophecies which have already been fulfilled, verses 36-45 are prophecies pertaining to the future, as yet unfulfilled. I do not know where the break comes in Daniel 11 between those prophecies which have been fulfilled and those which yet remain to be fulfilled. I understand the early verses of the chapter refer to events close to Daniel’s time which have been fulfilled. I also recognize that the final verses of the chapter and in chapter 12 refer to events pertaining to the end time. But I cannot see a clear dividing line in the text which tells me exactly where the transition takes place. I am inclined to think the dividing line was deliberately obscured.

110 I cannot help but wonder if the demise of the USSR has not put an end to the East-West struggle, making way for a revival of the North-South struggle of Daniel 11.

111 There are various explanations for this statement in verse 37. It may be that this king is homosexual. It may also be that this man is so caught up in himself that he has no normal sexual appetite. The loss of sexual appetite can be seen in some measure today, by those who are so caught up in themselves (often in their work) that they seem to have lost their sexual desire.

112 This kind of “worship” should not seem all that strange to those of us who have watched the world put their trust in American military strategy and technology, and who gain a sense of peace and well-being due to weapons like the United States’ Patriot Missile System. We may not call military might our god, but it may well be so.

Biblical Topics:

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13. The Hope of Heaven (Daniel 12:1-13)

Introduction

A retired pastor, relating humorous incidents during his years of ministry, tells the story of a problem-plagued funeral service he conducted. Just as he was beginning the service, a woman called out for help. Someone in the congregation had collapsed from a heart attack and was lying on the floor. Managing to keep the victim alive until the medics came, the man was rushed to the hospital.

After a significant delay, the pastor resumed the funeral service, or so he thought. The graveside service was miserably cold and wet, with rain continuing to fall. Everyone tried to crowd under the tent where a small heater attempted to offset the bitter cold. As the pastor began to read the encouraging words of Romans 8, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, … ” he was interrupted by flames bursting from the heater, causing everyone to flee the tent. To remedy the problem, the funeral director leaped over the casket toward the heater to disconnect it, sending floral arrangements flying in all directions.

Once more, the group gathered under the shelter, and the pastor again began to read from Romans 8, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels…” From the corner of his eye, he could see the funeral director studying the tent roof where rain water had collected producing a sizeable overhead pool. Now the tent visibly began to bulge. Hoping to drain the water by pushing upward on the tent with his umbrella, the director slipped. His umbrella pierced the canvas, ripping a gaping hole in the roof of the tent as a river of ice cold water cascaded over the pall-bearers. Involuntarily, they yelped from the shock of the cold water, and once again rushed from the shelter.

The pastor questioned the wisdom of continuing, but he decided to once again read the precious words from the text of Romans 8: “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels,…” Gratefully, he completed the service.

I have conducted many funerals, but never have I had an experience approaching this one. Nevertheless, every funeral service which I conduct presents me with a great challenge. Funerals must deal with the ugly reality of death and the reminder that each of us must come to terms with it.

Those without hope of eternal life try to avoid the reality of death. They are, in fact, enslaved by the fear of death (see Hebrews 2:15). Great amounts of money and effort are spent to conceal the ugly face of death. The gospel of Jesus Christ faces death head-on, with the proclamation that while death is the consequence of sin, Christ is the cure for sin and death.

Death prompts each of us to get to the “bottom line” of what life is all about and what comes after death. The final chapter of the Book of Daniel is occasioned in large measure by Daniel’s coming death. The last words of this chapter, and of the entire book, speak of death and of the believer’s hope beyond the grave.

Death poses more than a personal problem for Daniel. Death is the great dilemma of biblical prophecy. The prophets struggled with their own writings which spoke of the suffering and death of Messiah (see 1 Peter 1:10-12). How can the promised blessing of biblical prophecy bring hope to the believer who will die before they are fulfilled? There is only one way—resurrection. The promises of God which are not fulfilled in this life are fulfilled in the next. Resurrection is the means by which men pass from time to eternity.

Daniel 12 is the crowning chapter of this prophecy, as well as its conclusion. It takes the believer to the high-water mark of Christian hope—the assurance of the resurrection of the dead. Let us listen and learn, and gain hope and comfort.

The Setting

In the Book of Daniel, chapters 10, 11, and 12 are a part of one revelation. Chapter 10 serves as the introduction; chapter 11 provides a number of the details of God’s prophetic program, and chapter 12 serves as the conclusion. Before we turn our attention to the conclusion of this section and the entire book, let us refresh our memory concerning the setting for this final prophetic revelation given to Daniel shortly before his death.

Verse 1 provides the timing of the vision and the revelation Daniel received—the third year of Cyrus. Verse 4 tells us where Daniel was when the vision appeared to him—by the bank of the great Tigris River. Verses 2 and 3 inform us of Daniel’s mental and spiritual state at the time of his 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 (Daniel 10:2-3).

Daniel was in mourning, although we are not told why he mourned, apparently for some period of time. We know the vision he received was in response to his request to understand that which the angel was sent to explain:

Up until this time, the revelations Daniel had received of the times of the end were a mystery to him, even though they were divinely revealed and explained:

15 “As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed within me, and the visions in my mind kept alarming me. 16 I approached one of those who were standing by and began asking him the exact meaning of all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things.

28 At this point the revelation ended. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts were greatly alarming me and my face grew pale, but I kept the matter to myself” (Daniel 7:15-16, 28).

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 (Daniel 8:27).

Partly because of the troubling subject matter of his visions, compounded by his inability to understand what the visions meant, Daniel was greatly distressed and sought to understand their meaning. His distress and desire to understand more fully is spoken of at the beginning of chapter 10, providing the setting for the entire revelation, including chapter 12. The final revelation of Daniel 10-12 gave Daniel more details and a greater, though far from complete, grasp of what it all meant. Daniel, distressed, mourning, and praying for insight finds the answer to all of his petitions in this final revelation.

The final words spoken to Daniel are words of comfort, words intended to turn the sorrow of verses 2 and 3 of chapter 10 into joy. They are words which also bring joy to the heart of the believer of any age and terror into the hearts of the wicked.

The Structure of The Text

As many commentators agree, the chapter division at this point is less than satisfactory, with no real break between the last verse of chapter 11 and the first verse of chapter 12. Daniel 11:40–12:4 is one paragraph. Daniel 12:1-4 describes the final events of human history paving the way for the second coming of Christ, the defeat of His enemies, and the establishment of His kingdom. They sum up for Daniel the destiny of Israel as a nation, the saints, and the wicked. Verse 4 contains Daniel’s instructions to conceal what has been revealed to him.

Verses 5-7, a final vision of two angels and of the glorified Lord, raises and answers the question, “How long will these wonders be?” Verses 8-13, the final paragraph, explore the outcome of the events. The text can be outlined:

(1) Israel and the Last Days 11:40–12:13

(2) Israel and the “little horn” 11:40-45

(3) Israel’s distress and deliverance 12:1-4

(4) The length of Israel’s distress 12:5-7

(5) The outcome Israel’s distress 12:8-13

Israel’s Distress and Deliverance
(12:1-4)

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.”

The events of history from Daniel’s day down to the “day of the Lord” are described in chapter 11 in terms of the on-going struggle of two world powers: “the king of the North” and the “king of the South.” The final “king of the North” is introduced in Daniel 11:21 and is the central figure in the remainder of chapter 11. He comes into frequent contact with the nation Israel because of its location in relationship to the “king of the South.” At least three times in our text, the “king of the North” wages war with the “king of the South.” ¹¹³ The first and last attacks are successful, while the second ends in retreat. On each of these occasions, the king passes through Israel and gains a growing hatred and animosity toward the God of Israel, His people, and the holy place. At the end of chapter 11, the “king of the North” is encamped between the sea and the “beautiful Holy Mountain” ready to attack and to destroy.

Verses 1-4 of chapter 12 are generally considered part of the paragraph beginning at Daniel 11:40. In defense of the chapter division as we have it in our Bibles, a significant change is evident in Daniel 12:1, one which explains (if it does not also justify) the ending of chapter 11 at verse 45. Never again is the “king of the North” (or the “king of the South”) mentioned in the remaining verses of Daniel. If chapter 11 describes the approach of the last days from a human standpoint, chapter 12 describes the end in terms which are divine.

The first verse of chapter 12 reveals two facts pertaining to the end times we would not have expected apart from divine revelation. First, the angel Michael¹¹⁴ is the instrument through whom the period of the Great Tribulation is initiated. There is a definite link between the “king of the North” and the Great Tribulation to be sure. But the text leaves this evil king behind in chapter 11, linking the beginning of the tribulation to Michael, who will arise and bring about a “time of great distress,” a time particularly directed toward the Jews.

It is easy to see that the first half of verse 1 pertains to Michael and the last half to the period of the Great Tribulation, but it is difficult to accept the connection between the two. When Michael arises, the time of Israel’s trouble begins. At first this does not seem possible. Michael is “Israel’s prince” (10:21), the “great prince who stands guard” over the sons of Daniel’s people, Israel (12:1). How could the “protector of Israel” precipitate this time of such great suffering?

The answer is found in the second surprising fact revealed in verse 1: The deliverance of God’s people is that which occurs in the time of her greatest trouble—the Great Tribulation.¹¹⁵ If we are surprised to see Michael associated with the suffering of Israel, we should also be surprised to see Israel’s deliverance associated with the time of her greatest suffering. Those whose names are found written in the book of life¹¹⁶ will be rescued.

God has chosen to bring about the salvation of his chosen ones by means of suffering. God does save men and women from suffering, but He also saves through suffering. Consider for a moment the deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage. God was well aware of their suffering and heard the cries of His people. He sent Moses to deliver His people from their suffering. But the deliverance of the Israelites came through suffering. When Moses appeared before Pharaoh and demanded that he let God’s people go, Pharaoh only made things more difficult for the Jews. The Jews protested that Moses had only made matters worse. In a sense, they were right. Things were going to get worse before they got better. It looked as though the entire nation would be wiped out by the Egyptian army as they found themselves trapped between the Red Sea and the approaching Egyptian forces. But God opened the sea, bringing about the salvation of His people and the destruction of their enemies.

The salvation of sinners has been accomplished by our Lord Jesus Christ. He delivers us from sin, from suffering, and from death, but He did so by means of His own suffering and death. So too the nation Israel will be delivered from its sins and suffering, but this will happen by means of the suffering of the nation in the time of the Great Tribulation. Then the people of God will be rescued.

For this reason, Michael, the guardian prince of the nation Israel, is revealed as the one who will arise, bringing about the Great Tribulation. Israel’s time of great suffering is God’s appointed means for her deliverance; thus, the angel appointed to protect her precipitates by his actions the time of her suffering. When Michael arises and the tribulation begins, it is like the doctor who “breaks the water” of a woman as she nears the time to give birth to her child. A time of pain will come upon her, but it is through this pain that the joy of new life will come to pass.

The righteous do not receive their full reward in this life. When the wicked rule, the righteous may suffer persecution and even death because of their faith in God and their obedience to Him:

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. 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 11:33-35).

In order for justice to be meted out at the coming of the Messiah and of His kingdom, the dead must be raised so that all men receive their just reward. This resurrection of the righteous and the wicked is very plainly prophesied in verse 2 of our text. The righteous will be raised and rewarded with everlasting life, while the wicked will be raised and given the recompense of everlasting contempt.

In verse 3, the reward of the righteous in eternity is directly linked to their faithfulness to the task they were given in time. Those who “let their light shine” in the dark days of persecution and opposition, and thus led many to righteousness, will shine brightly forever in eternity.

In verse 4, the angel turns from the fate of the saints of the latter days to the fate of Daniel whose life and ministry is drawing to a close. Daniel need not worry about these future days of distress; he has seen difficult times in his life, and remained faithful. Daniel was instructed to conceal the words revealed to him and to “seal up the book until the end time.” I understand the angel to mean that this final vision has completed the revelation of the Book of Daniel; now that the book is complete, it is to be sealed.

Why should the book be sealed? If the saints of the end times were faithful to proclaim their faith and to lead many to righteousness, why should the revelation of the Book of Daniel be kept concealed until the later days? The reason is given in the last half of verse 4: “many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase.”

The prophecy of Daniel is not the revelation of God’s plan of salvation; it is the revelation of God’s plan for the future. It reveals how God’s salvation will be fulfilled, not how it is made possible. Daniel focuses on the manifestation of God’s salvation in history, not its means through the coming, death, burial, and resurrection of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

In the sixteenth chapter of the Gospel of Luke, the parable of the rich man and Lazarus is recorded as told by our Lord. When the rich man died, he went to hell, while Lazarus went to Abraham’s bosom. In his place of torment, the rich man begged that someone be sent to warn his five brothers of the wrath to come. Abraham’s response to this request was: “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them” (Luke 16:29). The brothers of the rich man did not need new revelation nor did they need to hear a word of warning in a unique and dramatic way. What this man’s brothers needed was to obey the revelation they had already received from the Old Testament Scriptures.

The same was true for those in Daniel’s day as well as for those in the last days. They needed no new revelation. They needed to believe God’s promise of salvation which was revealed to them in the Old Testament Scriptures, just as every Old Testament saint was saved by faith (see Hebrews 11). While the last days would be characterized by a rapid increase in knowledge, this will not turn men toward God. Instead, men in the last days will vacillate, manifesting no consistency. They will go here and there seeking new knowledge (see Acts 17:16-21). The prophecy of the Book of Daniel proves to be of great value to those living in the last times, for it gives insight into the events taking place around them.

The Length of
Israel’s Time of Trouble
(12:5-7)

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.

Daniel did not ask the question. Instead, one of the angels standing on the shore of the Tigris river asked for him. The answer was given by the One whom Daniel saw in the vision of 10:5-6—our Lord Himself. He raised both hands and swore by the eternal Father¹¹⁷ who “lives forever” that the end of these wonders would come after a time, times, and half a time. This is generally understood to mean a period of three and one-half years.

While Daniel would surely be concerned with the length of time his people would suffer in the Great Tribulation, the emphasis of this paragraph does not seem to fall on the length of Israel’s suffering but on its purpose. The suffering will end when its purpose has been fulfilled: “as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed” (verse 7).

Israel’s deliverance does not come about because God will make them strong, but rather because God will use wicked men to shatter the power of His holy people. Here again we come to a biblical principle which defies human logic but consistently underlies the way God deals with men.

The principle is this: God’s power and our deliverance come not through our strength but through our weakness.

We see this principle at work all through the Bible. God provided the means for Abram’s blessing through a son, whom Abram and his wife were powerless to produce (Genesis 12:1ff.). God delivered the Israelites from Egypt, not by their power but in their weakness, through His power. They were powerless to resist the Egyptian army or to cross the Red Sea. God opened the Red Sea, making a path for Israel’s escape and the means for the destruction of the Egyptian army (Exodus 3-15). God provided man’s salvation when we were too weak to save ourselves:

6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:6-8).

Jesus said that He came not to minister to those who were healthy but to those who were sick (Luke 5:31-32). He pronounced blessings on those whom the world would consider weak and unworthy and cursings on those who were strong (see Matthew 5:1-12; Luke 6:20-26). Paul reminded his Corinthian readers that God saved the weak, not the strong, for His own glory (1 Corinthians 1:18-31). He further spoke of the way God allowed Satan to afflict him, so that he would be weakened and depend upon God’s strength rather than his own:

5 For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side: conflicts without, fears within. 6 But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus; 7 and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced even more. 8 For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it—for I see that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while—9 I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, in order that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. 10 For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but the sorrow of the world produces death (2 Corinthians 7:5-10).

Like all sinners, unbelieving Israel’s self-righteousness and self-sufficiency turns this people from God, trusting in themselves for righteousness, strength, and eternal life. In His grace, God brings the nation Israel into the most terrible time of their national existence to press them beyond the limits of their power, wisdom, and strength and to turn them to Himself for salvation.

Before we can be saved, we must be broken. We must cease to trust in ourselves and cast ourselves upon God. We must recognize our deeds of righteousness as filthy rags and receive the righteousness of God, which God provided in the person of His son, Jesus Christ (see Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:19-26; Titus 3:5-7). Before we can be used of God, we must cease to trust in our own strength and wisdom, and turn to Him in our weakness for the strength He provides (Romans 12:1-8; 2 Corinthians 3:1-8; 4:7-15).

The breaking of Israel’s power takes place through a very painful process, as does the bringing about of new life in the pains of labor. The goodness and grace of God is seen in both. God graciously stops this self-righteous, self-sufficient people in their tracks, breaks all their power, and then turns them to Himself for salvation. Such is the way God has always worked with men. Such is the way He has worked and does work in us. And so it will be with Israel in the day of her deliverance.

Three-and-a-half years is the measure of Israel’s stubborn unbelief. God takes this long to break this people, shatter their power, and turn them to faith in the Messiah whom they have rejected. Three-and-a-half years is not the measure of God’s severity, but the measure of Israel’s sin and of God’s patience.

The Outcome of Israel’s Distress
(12:8-13)

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. 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.”

In chapter 10, we were told that Daniel “understood the message and had an understanding of the vision” (verse 1). I do not think this meant he understood everything concerning the future, but he did have a general grasp of the prophetic program of God and of its meaning and message for him (unlike previous revelations he received). As a result of the vision and revelation of chapters 10-12, Daniel understood all he needed to know about the future. As I understand the words of Daniel 10:1, they refer to Daniel’s understanding after the vision was given and the message was conveyed and explained. Daniel’s understanding came not at the beginning but at the end of the process.

From Daniel’s question in verse 8, it is clear he did not yet understand where the prophetic program of God was going, and so he asked, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these events?” The answer Daniel is given in verse 9 seems to be a gentle refusal to supply the information he requested. It is as though he were told, “That’s really none of your concern, Daniel, for these things will take place in the distant future, long after your death. What you have asked needs only to be revealed to those who live in those last days.”

What Daniel needs to know is that the time of Israel’s suffering will have a two-fold effect. Those who are righteous will be purged and purified by their suffering, prepared for the coming of the King and His kingdom (compare 1 Peter 1:6-7). Those who are wicked will not understand what God is doing, and they will persist in their sin, awaiting the day of their judgment (compare 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12; Revelation 22:11). While the wicked will blindly pursue the same course of sin, those who have insight will understand and see the hand of God divinely guiding the course of human history in such a way as to fulfill His purposes and promises.

Verse 11 reveals one more detail: the period between the time the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up will be 1,290 days. Those will be truly blessed¹¹⁸ who persevere throughout these 1,290 difficult days, from the time the regular sacrifice is stopped until the abomination of desolation, and then the 45 additional days (1,290 + 45 = 1,335) until the evil “horn” is destroyed and the kingdom of God comes).

While the specifics of God’s plan for the future will remain a mystery to Daniel and to us, God does not leave Daniel in doubt as to the implications of prophecy for this Old Testament saint. The final verse of the chapter and of the Book of Daniel spell out the hope of Daniel and every Old and New Testament saint:

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.”

The first words spoken to Daniel in verse 13 should set the standard for every Christian. Daniel’s death was surely not very far away in time. The day of his departure was near, yet he was encouraged to “go his way;” he was to keep on just as he had been. I wonder how many of us could be told the same thing. As the day of our death or the day of our Lord’s return draws near, is there anything we would wish to change? I know many changes are needed in my life. But from the first chapter of Daniel through all those many years of his bondage and service in captivity, Daniel remained faithful. He did not need to change as death drew near, for he had lived all of his life in the light of eternity and of his glorious hope in the God of Israel.

His death would be the “entrance into his rest.” His hope was that he would rise from the grave to receive the blessings which God had promised. The prophecies of God’s Word, in which Daniel found courage and comfort, were certain because he would rise from the dead to receive his “allotted portion at the end of the age.”

Conclusion

Daniel 12 brings us to the crowning revelation of the Book of Daniel, the doctrine on which the Christian hope rests: the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. Early in the Book of Daniel the subject of the promised kingdom of God is introduced. In Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, recorded in chapter 2, the mysterious stone “fashioned without human hands” strikes the statue, putting an end to temporal kingdoms and commencing the eternal kingdom. The “stone” is none other than the promised Messiah, whose coming will terminate earthly kingdoms and inaugurate the kingdom of God.

In Daniel’s vision of chapter 7, the same four Gentile kingdoms seem to be in view as described in chapter 2. The four metals of chapter 2 are replaced by the four beasts of chapter 7. In chapter 7, a new element of prophecy is introduced in Daniel—the “little horn” who boasts (verses 8 and 20), speaks against the Most High (verse 25), and successfully opposes God and His saints (verses 21, 25). Now the success of the “little horn” and the suffering of the saints is shown to precede the coming of the kingdom of God, when the “little horn” is destroyed and the promised kingdom is granted to the saints (verses 9-12, 22, 26-27).

In Daniel’s vision of chapter 8, the “little horn” of this vision extends his kingdom toward the “Beautiful Land” (verse 9), overcomes some of the host of heaven (verse 10), and exalts himself as though he were equal with the “commander of the host” (verse 11). He also removes the regular sacrifice (verse 12) and tramples the holy place (verse 13). It will be 2,300 evenings and mornings until the holy place is properly restored. Once again, the coming of the kingdom of God will take place only after the rise and success of a wicked but powerful king who opposes God and His saints and defiles the holy place.

In Daniel 9:24-27, the nation Israel and her Messiah are in view when the time of the first coming of Messiah is predicted, the timing being reckoned from the time the decree to return to Israel and to restore the temple is issued. After the Messiah is “cut off,” a time of great tribulation is foretold along with a prophecy concerning the timing of the abomination of desolation.

In chapter 11, another reference is made to the coming of the antichrist, the termination of the regular sacrifice, and the abomination of desolation (verses 29-35). As a result of the reign of this evil king, many of the saints will be persecuted and some will die:

“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 (Daniel 11:33).

Any hope for Israel and for the saints must be a hope which extends beyond the grave. The hope of the Old Testament saint required the resurrection of the dead. The faith of the Old Testament saints included the assurance of resurrection:

25 “And as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth. 26 Even after my skin is flayed, yet without my flesh I shall see God (Job 19:25-26).

19 Your dead will live; their corpses will rise, you will lie in the dust, awake and shout for joy, for your dew is as the dew of the dawn, and the earth will give birth to the departed spirits (Isaiah 26:19)

14 I will ransom them from the power of Sheol; I will redeem them from death. O Death, where are your thorns? O Sheol, where is your sting? Compassion will be hidden from My sight (Hosea 13:14).

16 For this reason it is by faith, that it might be in accordance with grace, in order that the promise may be certain to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17 (as it is written, “A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS HAVE I MADE YOU”) in the sight of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist. 18 In hope against hope he believed, in order that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, “SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE.” 19 And without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; 20 yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waiver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully assured that what He had promised, He was able also to perform. 22 Therefore also IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. 23 Now not for his sake only was it written, that “IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM,” 24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be reckoned, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 He who was delivered up because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification (Romans 4:16-25).

13 All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. 15 And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them; 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac; and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; 18 it was he to whom it was said, “IN ISAAC YOUR SEED SHALL BE CALLED.” 19 He considered that God is able to raise men even from the dead; from which he also received him back as a type. 20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones (Hebrews 11:13-22).

While the Old Testament saint trusted in God to raise them from the dead, so that they could receive the promised blessings, they did not grasp as fully that their resurrection from the dead would be the result of the death and resurrection of Messiah. This was promised in the Old Testament and declared to be fulfilled in the New:

7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the living, For the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was due? 9 His grave was assigned to be with wicked men, Yet with a rich man in His death; Although He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth. 10 But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. 11 As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors (Isaiah 53:7-12).

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely. 10 For Thou wilt not abandon my soul to Sheol; Neither wilt Thou allow Thy Holy One to see the pit (Psalm 16:9-10).

5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of his death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection (Romans 6:5).

14 Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil; and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives (Hebrews 2:14-15).

The prophet Daniel was indeed a godly man. From the first time we are introduced to him as a young lad in chapter 1 to the time of his approaching death in chapter 12, Daniel was a man who was faithful to his God. He faced death on several occasions, but he did not deny his faith or convictions. He prayed for his people, and for their restoration, only to learn that the day of Israel’s restoration was a distant one, one that would come long after his death.

In God’s final revelation to this great prophet, He spelled out the way in which the triumph of evil men, and the suffering of the saints and the holy people, contributed to the fulfillment of God’s plans and promises. Beyond this, He assured Daniel that he, along with all mankind, would be raised from the dead to receive either eternal life or eternal contempt. The resurrection of the dead was a logical necessity, in order for divine prophecy to be fulfilled. The resurrection of the dead is the truth which God withheld in Daniel until the final chapter.

The certain hope of the resurrection of the dead is the basis for godly living, even in times when godliness brings persecution. The saints are encouraged to live godly lives because they know that even if they are killed for their faith, God will raise them from the dead to give them their allotted portion at the end of the age. They are also encouraged when they see wicked men persecuting the righteous and seemingly getting away with it, for these men will be raised from the dead as well to stand before the Sovereign God of the universe and to give account.

What better truth to end the prophecy of Daniel than that of the resurrection from the dead! For the saint, the doctrine of the resurrection is the basis for our hope. For the sinner, the doctrine of the resurrection is the basis for fear and for repentance.

When you face the reality of death, my friend, will it be with hope or with fear? The answer to this question has much to suggest concerning your relationship with Jesus Christ. May you trust in Him for eternal life, before and beyond the grave.

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26).

8 But what does it say? “THE WORLD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART” —that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, 9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; 10 for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation (Romans 10:8-10).

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? 33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written, “FOR THY SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.” 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:31-39).

Chapter 12:
Questions and Answers

(1) How does the time period in which Michael arises (12:1) relate to the preceding context? What is the relationship between Michael and the time of distress referred to in verse 1?

According to Daniel 12:1, it is “at that time” that Michael arises. From chapter 11 we know that that “time” is the period of the end time (11:40) when the “king of the North” engages the “king of the South” militarily, and when the “king of the North” is very successful. Rumors from the East and the North reach him, and he becomes very hostile and aggressive, destroying and annihilating many (11:44). At this time, the “king of the North” will encamp his troops between the seas and the “beautiful Holy Mountain” (11:45), and then Michael will arise.

In the first half of verse 1, we are told that Michael arises. In the second half of this same verse, we are told that the time of Israel’s great tribulation begins. It is almost unavoidable to conclude that Michael’s rising is the reason for the commencement of the Great Tribulation. Just as the angel’s “rising” (so to speak) in response to Daniel’s prayer precipitated angelic conflict (10:12-13), so Michael’s “rising” precipitates the heavenly and earthly conflict of the Tribulation. In a similar way, our Lord’s coming to earth also precipitated demonic opposition and conflict.

(2) According to verse 1, who will be rescued, and from what will they be rescued? Is there any clue in the text as to how will they be rescued?

In verse 1, Daniel is specifically assured that “his people” (literally “your people”) would be rescued. This statement is then given the additional clarification, “everyone who is found written in the book.” There are some who take this to mean that the tribula- tion affects only the Jews and that only believing Jews will be rescued. While this is possible, other biblical texts may inform us that it is only the believer, Jew or Gentile, who is a true Israelite (see Romans 4:16; Galatians 3:29).

The “rescue” of verse 1 seems to be described largely in terms of the resurrection in verses 2 and 3. It would seem that many will be put to death because of their faith in Messiah, and that the rescue of these can only be by means of resurrection. There is another aspect of divine rescue in that the Messiah will come and will defeat and destroy the “king of the North” and His opponents, but this does not seem to be the focus of this chapter.

(3) Compare Daniel 12:2 with Hebrews 11:13-16, 39-40. What was the hope of the Old Testament saint? Does the hope of the Old Testament saint differ substantially from that of the New Testament believer?

In Hebrews 11, the faith of the Old Testament saint is spoken of as a resurrection faith. Every Old Testament saint died without having received the promise, and thus they came to understand by faith that the greatest blessings promised by God were not earthly, but heavenly, not temporal, but eternal, and that they would receive these promised blessings after their death at the resurrection. The resurrection faith of the Old Testament saint can be seen in Genesis 22:1-20 (especially verse 5); Job 19:25-26; Psalm 16:9-10; Isaiah 26:19; Hosea 13:14.

(4) What is the hope described in Daniel 12:3?

This verse describes the believer’s hope of heavenly rewards. Those who have insight, and by it are encouraged to “let their lights shine” in the midst of opposition and persecution, will shine even more brightly in heaven. Heavenly rewards are here, as elsewhere, linked to earthly faithfulness and service.

(5) In verse 4, what was Daniel commanded to do, and why?

Verse 4 is puzzling. In the first half of the verse, Daniel is told to seal up the book of revelation he has received and to conceal the words he has been told. These words have been given for the benefit of those who live in the end time. The last half of the verse describes the end times as having a great increase in knowledge but lacking stability or direction. The increase of knowledge in the last days will not produce righteousness nor will it serve as a guiding light. The revelation Daniel has been given will do so for those who have insight. The Book of Daniel will be a guiding light for those with insight in the last days.

(6) What is the difference between the “insight” of verses 3 and 10 and the “knowledge” of verse 4?

The answer to this question comes more from inference than from direct statements in this text. A number of other biblical texts speak to this matter. As I understand it, “insight” comes only to believers, who have and heed the Word of God, and who also benefit from the ministry of the Holy Spirit. “Knowledge” is that information available to all, which most often does not originate from Scripture or from the Spirit.

“Insight” is that God-given understanding of what is happening, and how this is being used of God to achieve His overall plan and purpose. Knowledge is the assimilation of facts and information, but without the ability to see beyond that which is material, physical, and temporal to that which is spiritual and eternal. A brilliant scientist may have great knowledge, while a manual laborer with little education may have great God-given insight. Knowledge has given us the atomic bomb and a vast arsenal of lethal weapons, but it has not given us world peace.

(7) What is the message of verses 5-7? Why the emphasis of these three verses? What was to happen during the time specified, and why?

The question raised relates to the length of time God’s people will suffer in the tribulation period. It is not raised by Daniel but by one of the angels. It is answered, as I understand it, by our glorified Lord who is described in Daniel 10:5-6. The Lord swears by “Him who lives forever.” Our hope of resurrection rests with the God who lives forever. The emphasis is not so much on the length of this time of suffering but on its purpose. Its purpose is to “shatter the power of the holy people,” so that they will cease to trust in themselves and will turn to God.

(8) In verses 8-13, what is Daniel’s question, why is it asked, and how is it answered?

The question Daniel asked inquired as to the outcome of all these amazing and perplexing events (which he calls “wonders”). The outcome of this suffering (as with all suffering and adversity) is two-fold. Some will be purged and purified, prepared for the glory of God’s coming kingdom. Some will be undaunted by it, continuing on in their sin until the time of their judgment. This is consistent with the teaching of 2 Thessalonians 2:11-13 and Revelation 22:11.

(9) What is the relationship between the doctrine of the resurrection and prophecy?

Prophecy is the declaration of God’s purposes and promises. Some prophecies have already been fulfilled, giving us hope and confidence that the remainder of His promises will also be fulfilled. Some prophecy may be fulfilled in our own lifetime. But most of the prophecies which remain unfulfilled will likely be fulfilled after our death.

The doctrine of the resurrection of the dead is fundamental to the Christian’s hope and to the literal fulfillment of the prophecies of God. The resurrection of our Lord is the “first-fruits” of the full and final resurrection of all men, who will receive rewards or recompense from the Righteous Judge. Without the resurrection, there is no prophetic hope. It is little wonder that the Book of Daniel concludes with this comforting doctrine and that God assures Daniel of the truth of this doctrine shortly before his death.

113 The first attack of the “king of the North” against the “king of the South” is recorded in verses 25-28. It is a successful military campaign. The second attack is his return, recorded in verses 29-39. This campaign is successfully resisted, and the “king of the North” must retreat in humiliation, taking out his vengeance on Israel as he draws back. His final conflict with the “king of the South” is recorded in verses 40-42 along with other victories. This last campaign leaves the “king of the North” encamped between the sea and the “beautiful Holy Mountain” (verse 45).

114 See also Jude 9; Revelation 12:7.

115 For the Old Testament teaching on the time of the Great Tribulation, see Deuteronomy 4:30; Jeremiah 30:4-8; Daniel 9:27; 11:40-45; Zechariah 13:7-9. See also Matthew 24:15, 21-22.

116 For references to “the book” see Daniel 7:10; 10:21; Exodus 32:32-33; Psalm 69:28; Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:15; 21:27.

117 “Whereas it was usual to lift one’s hand (singular) in taking an oath (Gn. 14:22; Ex. 6:8; [Deut. 32:40]; Ezk. 20:5), here the heavenly messenger raised both his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, ‘as the more complete guarantee of the truth of what is about to be affirmed.’” Cambridge Bible: The Book of Daniel, by S. R. Driver, p. 204, as cited by Joyce Baldwin, Daniel: An Introduction and Commentary (Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 1978), p. 207.

118 There are several specific, but different, time indicators in the Book of Daniel. In Daniel 7:25 we are told that “they” (apparently the Jewish saints) will be given into the hand of the antichrist for “a time, times, and half a time.” In Daniel 8:14 we learn that there will be “2,300 evenings and mornings” from the time the regular sacrifice is stopped until the time when the holy place is restored. In Daniel 12:7 we are again told that it will be “a time, times, and half a time” until the “end of these wonders.” In Daniel 12:11, we read that there will be 1,290 days from the time the regular sacrifice is stopped until the abomination of desolation, and in Daniel 12:12 it is 1335 days (45 additional days) until the time of blessing for the saints who endure. I do not believe that we can expect to explain the differences between these time indicators until all of the events have taken place.

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