Presentation byArockia Selvakumar

Introduction

The book of Daniel is of a uniquely mixed character:bi-generic (narrative and apocalyptic),bi-lingual (Aramaic and Hebrew),bi-temporal (6th century and 2nd century BC).

The book has two distinct parts: a series of six narratives (Chs.1-6) four apocalyptic visions (Chs.7-12).

The narratives takes the form of court stories which focus ontests of religious fidelity involving Daniel and his friends (Chs.1,3 & 6), and Daniel’s interpretation of royal dreams and visions(Chs.2, 4 & 5). In the second part of the book, Daniel recountshis reception of dreams, visions and angelic interpretations.

DATE

Traditionalist - 6th century BCScholars - 2nd century BC

Probable Date – 164 BC

Traditionalist - Prophet DanielScholars - Unknown (one or many)

Title is named not after its author, but after its protagonist.The book is pseudepigraph (a work ascribed to an author other than the real one).

Prophecies of the Book

Predictions of the book refer to events that had already occurred (ex eventu).This is not a deceptive ploy or “pious fraud”.Author/redactor was employing a then common literary genre, which is described as “quasi prophecy”.

Identity of Daniel?

A mythical personage in Ezekiel.A popular hero in Canaanite literature from Ugarit.A priest in the book of Nehemiah.A Jewish Oracle-monger in Babylon.

The name Daniel means “my judge is God” or “God is my judge”.

Language

Daniel 1: 1 – 2:4a & 8 – 12 - HebrewDaniel 2:4b – 7 - Aramaic

One of the most frequent speculations is that theentire book (excepting 9:4-20) was originallywritten in Aramaic, with portions translated intoHebrew, possibly to increase acceptance amongthe readers.

Historical Background

Critical scholars have asserted that the prophecies in theBook of Daniel reflect the persecutions of the Jews by theGreek Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes who ruled theSeleucid empire from 175–164 BC. He desecrated and lootedthe Jerusalem Temple around 167 BC, outlawed the Jewishreligion, massacred observant Jews and precipitated anational crisis. The Book of Daniel (in its final form) iswritten, according to the mainstream view, in response tothat crisis. In particular, the vision in Chapter 11, whichfocuses on a series of wars between the "King of the North"and the "King of the South", is generally interpreted as arecord of Levantine history from the time of Alexander theGreat down to the era of Antiochus IV.

The details of the stories in the early chapters of Daniel are similar to theprevailing conditions in the era of Antiochus."Belshazzar for example, falls from power because he defiled the sacredobjects taken from the Temple in Jerusalem - Antiochus repeatedly robbed theTemple in Jerusalem.The worship of the great statue set up by Nebuchadnezzar – Antiochus settingup an image of Zeus in the Temple at Jerusalem.Story of Nebuchadnezzar's madness - reminiscent of the commonly held beliefthat Antiochus was mad (“epimanes").Apostate Jews who collaborated with the unbelieving seleucids - plottedagainst Daniel and ensured that he was shut up in the den of lions.The issue of food in Dan. 1:3-16, was one of the whole crucial points in thewhole argument about Helllenism.Even the name Nebuchadnezzar contains a veiled reference to AntiochusEpiphanes to those acquainted with Hebrew numerology. It is unlikely to be acoincidence that when the numbers represented by "Nebuwkadne'tstsar" areadded up, they come exactly the same figure (423) as the numbers of the name"Antiochus Epiphanes"

Message of the Author

The work was written primarily for the purpose of encouragingthe Jews to remain faithful to their ancestral religion at a timewhen they not only felt the allurement of the higher worldlyculture of Hellenism, but also were suffering a bloodypersecution to make them abandon the Law of Moses and acceptthe religion of Antiochus IV Epiphanes.

Beasts Kingdoms Daniel 7:17, 23(Political Powers)

Horns/Heads Subdivisions of Daniel 7:24, 8:22Political Powers

Wings Speed/Swiftness Rev 12:14, Jer 48:9

Winds War/Strife Jer 49:35-37

Sea Multitudes of Rev 17:1, 15People

Outline of the Book

I. Exploits of Daniel and His Companions at the Babylonian Court (1:1-6:29)A. The Food Test (1:1-21)B. Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream of the Composite Statue (2:1-49)C. Daniel’s Companions in the Fiery Furnace (3:1-97)D. Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream of the Great Tree (4:1-34)E. The Writing on the Wall at Belshazzar’s Feast (5:1-6:1)F. Daniel in the Lion’s Den (6:2-29)

II. Daniel’s Apocalyptic Vision (7:1-12:13)A. The Four Beasts (7:1-28)B. The Ram and the He-Goat (8:1-27)C. The Interpretation of the 70 Weeks (9:1-27)D. The Revelation of the Hellenistic Wars (10:1-12:13)

III. Other Exploits of Daniel (13:1-14:42)A. Daniel’s Rescue of the Chaste Susanna (13:1-64)B. Daniel and the Priests of Bel (14:1-22)C. Daniel’s Destruction of the Dragon (14:23-42)

The Food Test (Ch.1)

Daniel -BelteshazzarHananiah -Shadrach Mishael -Meshach Azariah -Abednego.

After being taken captive to Babylon,members of the Israelite nobility are takeninto the king's service.

At the end of the time that the king had set for them to be brought in,the palace master brought them into the presence of Nebuchadnezzar,and the king spoke with them. And among them all, no one was foundto compare with Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; thereforethey were stationed in the king's court. In every matter of wisdom andunderstanding concerning which the king inquired of them, he foundthem ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in hiswhole kingdom. (1:18 – 20)

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream of the Composite Statue (Ch.2)

"You were looking, O king, and lo! there was agreat statue. This statue was huge, its brillianceextraordinary; it was standing before you, andits appearance was frightening. The head of thatstatue was of fine gold, its chest and arms ofsilver, its middle and thighs of bronze, its legs ofiron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. Asyou looked on, a stone was cut out, not byhuman hands, and it struck the statue on its feetof iron and clay and broke them in pieces. Thenthe iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and thegold, were all broken in pieces and became likethe chaff of the summer threshing floors; andthe wind carried them away, so that not a traceof them could be found. But the stone thatstruck the statue became a great mountain andfilled the whole earth. (2:31-35)

Babylon

Media

Persia

Macedonia/Greece

Syria & Egypt

The Rock…

God’s Eternal

Kingdom

Daniel’s Companions in the Fiery Furnace (Ch.3)

Ananias, Azariah, and Mishael refuse tobow to the emperor's golden statue andare thrown into a furnace. As seen byNebuchadnezzar, a fourth figure appears inthe furnace with the three and God iscredited for preserving them from theflames.

Prayer of Azariah in the Furnace & The Song of the Three Jews are not part ofthe original story, but rather an addition made by an inspired author who tookexisting liturgical prayers, adapted them slightly, and inserted them here, witha few sentences of his own to make a smoother nexus.

“… and delivered us from the midst of fiery furnace; from the midst of the fire he hasdelivered us.” – here meant to be understood literally, although originally such expressionswere mere figures of speech for deliverance from any mortal danger.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream of the Great Tree (Ch.4)

The story is written in the form encyclical letter or proclamation published byNebuchadnezzar in the 1st person, in which he tells of a strange vision that hehad and of his subsequent madness.

He recounts a dream of a huge tree which issuddenly cut down at the command of aheavenly messenger. Daniel is summonedand interprets the dream as referring toNebuchadnezzar, who for seven years willlose his power and mind and become like awild animal. All of this comes to pass until, atthe end of the seven years, Nebuchadnezzaracknowledges that "heaven rules" and hiskingdom and sanity are restored.

There is no historical evidence that this famous king was ever afflicted with any form ofinsanity. However it seems probable that there were folktales about the last kingNabonidus being crazy.

Zoanthropy – a form of insanity whereby a person imagines himself changed into an animal

The Writing on the Wall at Belshazzar’s Feast (Ch.5)

Belshazzar and his nobles blasphemouslydrink from sacred Jewish temple vessels,offering praise to inanimate gods, until a handmysteriously appears to the king and writesupon the wall of the palace. The horrified kingeventually summons Daniel who is able toread the writing and offer the followinginterpretation

MENE - God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end;TEKEL - you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting;PERES - your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.

“That very night Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was killed. And Darius the Mede receivedthe kingdom, being about sixty-two years old. (5:30 – 31) – Not a historical character. Hisname is borrowed from the Persian king, Darius I the Great.

Daniel in the Lion’s Den (Ch.6)

Daniel is elevated to a preeminent position under Darius which elicits thejealousy of other officials. Knowing of Daniel's devotion to his God, theseofficials trick the king into issuing an edict forbidding worship of any othergod or man for a 30 day period. Because Daniel continues to pray three timesa day to God towards Jerusalem, he is accused and king Darius, forced by hisown decree, throws Daniel into the lions' den. God shuts up the mouths ofthe lions and the next morning king Darius finds Daniel unharmed and castshis accusers and their families into the lions' pit where they are instantlydevoured.

The king said to Daniel, "May your God, whom you faithfully serve, deliveryou!“ (6:16)

Then King Darius wrote to all peoples and nations of every languagethroughout the whole world: "May you have abundant prosperity! I make adecree, that in all my royal dominion people should tremble and fear beforethe God of Daniel: For he is the living God, enduring forever. His kingdom shallnever be destroyed, and his dominion has no end. He delivers and rescues, heworks signs and wonders in heaven and on earth; for he has saved Daniel fromthe power of the lions.“ (6:25 – 28)

Apocalyptic visions of Daniel (Chs.7-12)

The four visions of chs.7-12 are an early example of apocalyptic literature and,in contrast to the earlier chapters, are introduced in the first person. Onefeature of this section is Daniel's reliance on heavenly figures to interpret andexplain his visions. Ch.7 is written in Aramaic while chs. 8-12 are in Hebrew.The "apocalyptic" sections of Daniel consist of three visions and onelengthened prophetic communication focusing on the destiny of Israel.

Vision of the great beasts (Ch.7)

The vision in the first year of Belshazzar the king of Babylonconcerning four great beasts representing four future kings orkingdoms, the fourth of which devours the whole earth,treading it down and crushing it; this fourth kingdom isrepresented by a beast with ten horns representing ten kings,followed by a further wicked king who subdues three of theten, speaks against the Most High and the saints of the MostHigh, and intends to change the times and the law; after 'atime and times and half a time', this person is judged and hisdominion is taken away; finally, the kingdom and thedominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the wholeheaven are given to the people of the saints of the Most High.

[Dan 7:4] The first was like a lion andhad eagles' wings. Then, as I watched,its wings were plucked off, and it waslifted up from the ground and made tostand on two feet like a human being;and a human mind was given to it.

Babylonian Empire

3 tusks - 3 Babylonian Kings known from the Bible (Nebuchadnezzar, Evil-merodach{2Kgs 25:27} and Belshazzar).Its wings were plucked and it was taken from the earth when “Darius the Mede” captured Babylon.

[Dan 7:5] Another beastappeared, a second one, thatlooked like a bear. It was raisedup on one side, had three tusksin its mouth among its teethand was told, "Arise, devourmany bodies!"

Kingdom of Medes

Lifts up one side to symbolize the only king of the Medes known from the Bible“Darius the Mede”Its human heart points to its human character in benefiting the Jews by destroyingthe hated Babylonian empire.

[Dan 7:6] After this, as I watched, another appeared, like a leopard. The beast had fourwings of a bird on its back and four heads; and dominion was given to it.

Persian Empire

Four wings – 4 kings (Cyrus, Ahasuerus, Artaxerxes and Darius the Persian

[Dan 7:7] After this I saw in thevisions by night a fourth beast,terrifying and dreadful andexceedingly strong. It had great ironteeth and was devouring, breaking inpieces, and stamping what was leftwith its feet. It was different from allthe beasts that preceded it, and it hadten horns.

Greek Empire

10 Horns – 10 Kings of various countries contemporaneous with Antiochus IV Epiphanes

[Dan 7:8] I was consideringthe horns, when anotherhorn appeared, a little onecoming up among them; tomake room for it, three ofthe earlier horns wereplucked up by the roots.There were eyes likehuman eyes in this horn,and a mouth speakingarrogantly.

Little Horn – Antiochus IV EpiphanesThree of the previous horn….. – three predecessors died violent deaths so that he could succeed to the throne.Human eyes – human is used in a derogatory sense to contrast with God. The whole sentence is based on Isa 37:23 “Whom have you mocked and reviled? Against whom have you raised your voice and haughtily lifted your eyes? Against the Holy One of Israel!”

[Dan 7:9 - 14] As I watched,thrones were set in place, andan Ancient One took his throne,his clothing was white as snow,and the hair of his head likepure wool; his throne was fieryflames, and its wheels wereburning fire. A stream of fireissued and flowed out from hispresence. A thousand thousandsserved him, and ten thousandtimes ten thousand stoodattending him. The court sat injudgment, and the books wereopened….

One like a human being – not a real individual but a symbol. Later it was referred to Jesus.7:19 – 27 refers to Antiochus IV Epiphanes

*v7:25+ “… and they shall be given into his power for a time, two times, and half a time” –three and one-half years, i.e., half the perfect number, seven, and thus symbolising a period of evil.

Vision of sanctuary elements - Ram and

the He Goat (Ch.8)

Represent Media, Persia (the ram's twohorns), and Greece (the goat).The goat with a mighty horn becomes verypowerful until the horn breaks off to bereplaced by four "lesser' horns – Gk kingdomsinto which Alexander’s empire was dividedafter his death (Macedonia, Thrace & AsiaMinor, Syria , Mesopatomia & Persia, andEgypt).

V9 – 14 & 23 - 26 speaks about Antiochus

Probably this chapter was written by adifferent author from the one who wrote ch.7

"For two thousand three hundred eveningsand mornings…” (v14) – 1,150 days = 3 andhalf years – period of evil.

The prophecy of seventy weeks (Ch.9)

This chapter consists not of a symbolic vision, as in chs. 7-8, but of arevelation made directly by an angel. In answer to Daniel’s prayer for asolution to the problem of why Jeremiah’s prophecy of a restoration of Israelafter 70 years has not been fulfilled, the angel Gabriel explains to him thatthe prophecy means 70 weeks of years – i.e., 7 time 70 years. Moreover,Gabriel divides these 490 years into three very unequal periods of 49, 434,and 7 years, respectively. Because the writer’s calculations are onlyapproximate and his historical references not always clear, there is still somedifference of opinion in interpreting certain details in Gabriel’s explanation.But practically all exegetes now agree that the 490 years terminate in the endof Antiochus’ persecutions; the one common opinion that saw in vv 26 – 27 areference to the death of Jesus Christ is now abandoned by almost allexegetes.

The vision of the kings (10-12)

A lengthy vision in the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, regardingconflicts between the "King of the North" and the "King of the South" (=Egypt, 11:8). Starting with references to Persia and Greece it, again,culminates in the description of an arrogant king who desecrates thetemple, sets up a "desolating abomination", removes the daily sacrifice,and persecutes those who remain true to the "holy covenant". Yet thesaints receive God's kingdom.

Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. (12:2)

The Resurrection of the Dead (Ch. 12)

Sleep – euphemism for deadShall awake – shall come back to lifeBelief in the resurrection of the dead.

Additions to Daniel (Ch.13 – 14)

Susanna and the elders (Ch.13)

Bel and the Dragon(Ch.14)

Two wicked judges of Israel fall for the beauty of Susanna. They express their passion forher, and threaten her of death if not give into their lust. Susanna feels trapped but sheemphatically refuses to sin in the sight of the Lord. Slandered, she is condemned andentrusts her fate to God. Her prayer is heard and Daniel confounds the elder with hiswisdom.

Bel and the Dragon contains three interconnected court tales set in the reign of an unidentified "King of Babylon". In the first Daniel uncovers a trick by the Priests of Bel designed to promote a belief that the cult idol magically consumes food and drink offerings set before it each night. Daniel secretly scatters ashes on the floor of the god's locked chamber before it is sealed by the king and, in the morning, the incriminating footprints of the priests result in their slaughter and the destruction of the idol. In a second, Daniel feeds cakes made of pitch, fat and hair to a sacred serpent revered as a god which causes it to explode. Finally, the anger of the Babylonians at the destruction of their gods is directed towards Daniel with the result that he is thrown into a den of lions. During this time he is fed by the prophet Habakkuk who has been miraculously transported to Babylon for that very purpose. Finally the king rescues Daniel and has him replaced by his accusers who, as in the similar story of chapter six, are killed instantly.