Daniel Prophecy – Introduction

How does the information in the book of Daniel fit into the  information found in  Revelation?


I. Video Data.   John Ankerberg Show. Dr. John Ankerberg (M. Div., D. Min.), Dr. Jimmy DeYoung (M. Div., Ph. D., 1940-2021).


II. Introduction.  I apologize that I have had to republish this article. Please read the final parting thought on the Obadiah Prophecy, as it relates to God’s overall prophecies of Major and Minor Prophets.


A. Dr. C.I. Scofield (D. D.; 1843-1921) Scofield Study Bible (1909, 1917, 1937, 1945, 1984, 1998, 2002, 2006, Editor, C.I. Scofield, Editorial Revision 1967 Committee Members: Charles L. Feinberg, Th. B., Th. M., Th. D., Ph. D., John F. Walvoord, Th. B., Th. M., Th. D.)

1. Daniel, like Ezekiel, was a Jewish captive in Babylon. He was of royal or princely descent (Daniel 1:3). For his rank and comeliness he was trained for palace service. In the polluted atmosphere of an oriental court he lived a life of singular piety and usefulness. His long life extended from Nebuchadnezzar to Cyrus. He was a contemporary of Jeremiah, Ezekiel (Daniel 14:20), Joshua, the high priest of the restoration, Ezra, and Zerubbabel.

2. Daniel is the indispensable introduction to New Testament prophecy, the themes of which are, the apostasy of the Church, the manifestation of the man of sin, the great tribulation, the return of the Lord, the resurrections and the judgments. These, except the first, are Daniel’s themes also.

3. But Daniel is distinctively the prophet of the “times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24). His vision sweeps the whole course of Gentile world-rule to its end in catastrophe, and to the setting up of the Messianic kingdom.

4. Daniel is in four broad divisions: Introduction. The personal history of Daniel from the conquest of Jerusalem to the second year of Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 1:1-27; 1:21). The visions of Nebuchadnezzar and their results (Daniel 2:1-27; 4:37). The personal history of Daniel under Belshazzar and Darius (Daniel 5:1-27; 6:28). The visions of Daniel (Daniel 7:1-27; 12:13).

5. The events recorded in Daniel cover a period of 73 years (Ussher).

B. Dr. Charles C. Ryrie (Th. M., Th. D., Ph. D., Litt. D., 1925-2016). Ryrie Study Bible.

The Prophet. Daniel, whose name means “God is my judge,” was a statesman in the court of heathen monarchs. Taken captive as a youth to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar in 605 B.C., he spent the rest of his long life there as a governmental official and as a prophet to the true God. He claimed to have written this book (12:4), and Jesus Christ identified him as a prophet (Matt 24:15; Mark 13:14). Since he did not occupy the prophetic office, the book is found in the third division of the Hebrew Bible, the “Writings,” rather than in the second, the Prophets. Throughout his life, he was uncompromising and faithful to his God.

C. Dr. John F. Walvoord. (Th. B., Th. M., Th. D., 1910-2002). Daniel Commentary. 

The book of Daniel, according to its own testimony, is the record of the life and prophetic revelations given to Daniel, a captive Jew carried off to Babylon after the first conquest of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar in 605 b.c. The record of events extends to the third year of Cyrus, 536 B.C., and, accordingly, covers a span of about seventy years. Daniel himself may well have lived on to about 530 b.c, and the book of Daniel was probably completed in the last decade of his life. Although Daniel does not speak of himself in the first person until chapter 7, there is little question that the book presents Daniel as its author. This is assumed in the latter portion of the book and mentioned especially in 12:4. The use of the first person with the name Daniel is found repeatedly in the last half of the book (7:2, 15, 28; 8:1,15, 27; 9:2, 22; 10:2, 7, 11, 12; 12:5). As most expositors, whether liberal or conservative, consider the book a unit, the claim of Daniel to have written this book is recognized even by those who reject it.

D. Dr. J. Dwight Pentecost.  (Th. B., Th., D., 1915-2014)Things To Come.

1. Page 314. The Gentiles In The Tribulation. There is a divine program for the Gentile nations that is to come to fulfillment in the tribulation period. A great body of prophecy is devoted to this subject, which must be developed in order to have a clear picture of the events of the tribulation.

2. Page 314. “The tribulation and the times of the Gentiles.” The time period that is called by the Lord “the Times of the Gentiles” in Luke 21:24, where He says: “Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled,” is one of the important time periods in prophetic Scriptures. The relation to Israel to the tribulation has been studied. Consideration is now given  to the events related to the Gentiles as attention is directed to the “times of the Gentiles.”

3. Page 315. “The duration of the times of the Gentiles.” “The times of the Gentiles” has been defined by the Lord as that period of time in which Jerusalem was under the dominion of Gentile authority (Luke 21:24). This period began with the Babylonian captivity when Jerusalem fell into the hands of Gentiles. It has continued unto the present time and will continue through the tribulation period, in which era the Gentile powers will be judged. The dominion of the Gentiles ends at the second advent of Messiah to the earth. 

4. Page 316. “The course of the times of the Gentiles.” The fullest description of the period is given to us in the prophet Daniel. What we have in Daniel is …. the course and character of Gentile powers, from the destruction of Jerusalem onto the appearing of Christ, together with the position of the remnant, and the sufferings of the Jewish people, while the Gentiles possess the dominion, until at last God, in His faithfulness in pursuance or His purposes, interposes, and for His own glory, works for the rescue and blessing of His elect earthly people. 

E. Dr Michael Rydelnik. (Th. M., D. Miss.) The Moody Bible Commentary. 

The book of Daniel is set during the Babylonian captivity. The book opens after King Nebuhadnezzar’s first siege of Judah (605 B.C.), when he brought Daniel and his friends to Babylon along with other captives of the Judean nobility. Nebuchadnezzar assaulted Judah again in 597 B.C. and brought 10,000 captives back to Babylon. In 586 B.C. he once again besieged Jerusalem, but this time destroyed the city and the holy temple, and exiled the people of Judah to Babylon.  Daniel’s ministry began with the arrival of the first Jewish captives in Babylon (605 B.C.), extended throughout the Babylonian captivity (539 B.C.), and concluded some time after the third year of the Medo-Persian king, Cyrus the Great (537/536 B.C.).

F. Dr. Ron Rhodes (Th.M., Th. D.) 40 Days Through Daniel. 

Page 8. Daniel was born into a royal family (1:3, 6 ) and was apparently physically attractive (1:4). He became one of the major prophets of the Old Testament; his name means “God is my judge.” He was uncompromising in his faithfulness to God. His contemporaries  acknowledged both his righteousness and his wisdom (See Ezekiel 14:14, 20: 28:3). There were actually three deportations involved in Babylon’s victory over Juday. The first took place in 605 B.C., and included Daniel and his friends. The second took place in 597 B.C., and included Ezekiel. The third took place in 586 B.C., when the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and the temple. 

G. Dr. Grant R. Jeffrey (Th. M., Ph. D., 1948-2012). Countdown To The Apocalypse. 

Pages 6-8. While serving in Babylon’s royal courts, Daniel saw remarkable visions and interpreted inspired dreams. Many of his visions foretold the upheaval in the world that came to pass more than two thousand years ago. In fact, the fulfillment of those prophecies verify that Daniel was truly God’s prophet. His predictions came true exactly as they were given. However, many of Daniel’s most intriguing prophecies describe events that are still to come. Daniel’s ancient Babylonian prophecies give us a precise time line that reveals the sequence of events and the amount of time that will separate the major developments of the last days. 

H. Dr. David Hocking. Daniel Commentary. (B. A. in Bible, Greek and Ancient History; M. Div. in Biblical Studies & Systematic Theology; Ph. D. in Biblical Studies and Languages; D. Min. in Pastoral Studies)

Introduction. Daniel predicts in detail all of the nations of the world from Babylon forward, to Antiochus Epiphanes. Daniel told of Medo-Persia before it existed. He talked about Greece before it came into being. He explained the break-up of the empire of Alexander the Great, and the four generals who followed him, as well as the coming Roman Empire. He described the battles of Prolemies and Seleucids over Israel in the break-up of Alexander’s Grecian Empire. He gives it blow by blow, and king by king. The historical accuracy of Daniel, Chapter 11, is unquestioned. Therefore, some people say there is no way he could have written this book before it happened. From the third century A.D., there have been people writing against this book. There isn’t a book in the Bible that is so clearly predictive in its prophecy, and so accurate! It has been substantiated by history outside of the Bible.

I. Dr. James A. Borland, (M Div., Th. M., Th. D. Th. D.) Liberty Commentary Bible.

The book of Daniel is most commonly divided into two parts, nearly equal in length – the historical and the prophetical.The historical portion begins with young Daniel’s capture by Nebuchadnezzar and his subsequent deportation to Babylon, and it ends with Daniel being freed after spending a night in a den of lions, some seventy years later. The prophetical portion covers visions and prophecies received by Daniel during the years of his historical sojourn in Babylon and Persia.

J. Dr. Stephen R. Miller (Th. D.; Ph. D.) The New American Commentary, Daniel Prophecy. 

Introduction. As the book opens, the reader is introduced to a young Daniel, being taken captive to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar in 605 B.C. Since Daniel, the author, also recorded the downfall of Babylon (539 B.C.) and subsequent events, he must have resided in Babylon from 605 B.C. until about 535 B.C. According to the testimony of the book, therefore, Daniel lived throughout the entire Neo-Babylonian period, and even into the time of Persian dominance. He lived a long, eventful life and a mystery that spanned about  seventy years. If Daniel was taken into captivity at about fifteen years of age, he would have lived to the age of about eighty-five years. Tradition has assigned two locations to Daniel’s tomb: in the royal vault in Babylon, a little west of the acropolis, and in one of the Synagogues of Susa. 

III. Parting Thought.

 A. We are now embarking on a very interesting and important part of Scripture. The Book of Daniel, as well as the other Old Testament Jewish books of prophecy were addressed to the nation of Israel. God gave prophecy to Jewish prophets who, In turn, gave those same words of God to Jews. Context is key to understanding Scripture; we will keep that key at the door of every prophecy that we unlock. As these prophecies become fulfilled in the Tribulation, and Kingdom Age of the Millennium, we will see how Gentiles enter the arena of judgment or blessing. In the Tribulation, unsaved Gentiles will come under the same judgments that God will be pouring out on the earth on all, Jews or Gentiles, who will have been left behind from the Rapture.  In the Kingdom Age, Gentile believers will be grafted into the blessings of Israel that will be fulfilled in accordance with the fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant. We, who are saved Gentiles, are heirs of the Abrahamic Covenant, but will have to wait until the Kingdom Age when “heirs will  receive their blessings” upon the will of the Abrahamic Covenant “being probated.” Opening videos will continue to be a part of each article, but there may be difficulty in matching each article with a corresponding Daniel video. Needless to say, a great wealth of information can be obtained from each, and all, of the videos that will be posted.

B. You will notice a change in the title of one of the websites that is listed below in my bucket list. That which had been named “Equipping The Saints,” has been renamed as “Commentary Preparation.” The reason for the name change is that I will be creating articles that are more suited for a Bible commentary. I will be changing the content and format of articles that you may have already read. I will make each article much easier to read and understand. In time, books of articles will be completed and made available for publishing and distribution via bookstores and on-line purchases. However, anyone who follows my Commentary Preparation site, will have access to the finished commentaries as soon as each one has been published on my site. 

C. As you read through the Bible, it is important to understand that words are important to be understood by their proper meaning and in their proper context. Here are three words that have especially important meanings: Israel means Israel; church means church; Babylon means Babylon. It is also important to understand that prophecies of the Bible will be fulfilled.

D. Obadiah Prophecy. Dr. Walter L. Baker (B.A., Th. M., D.D.) Bible Knowledge Commentary. The Book of Obadiah contains a prophecy that is different from other Old Testament Words of God. In a sense, Obadiah is a miniature profile of the message of all the writing prophets. In his thumbnail sketch, the Prophet Obadiah spoke of God’s judgment on unbelieving Gentiles who oppressed the nation Israel. He also wrote of God’s grace to believing Israel. This double thread is woven throughout the Major and Minor prophets.

IV. My Bucket List shows the references, of people and documents, that I use when I write my articles.


https://equippingblog.wordpress.com/bucket-list/embed/


V. My Websites To Follow.


https://equippingblog.wordpress.com/ Eternity

https://untotheleastofthese.home.blog/ Commentary Preparation

https://thechurchoftheopendoor.wordpress.com/ Israel Website

https://success2693.wordpress.com/ Israel, History And Prophecy

 

Author: Eternity

The Church is the Church, and Israel is Israel. The Church did not replace Israel, and is not spiritual Israel. In the New Testament, “church” and “Israel” are mentioned as being separate entities. In the New Testament “church” is mentioned 112 times; Israel is mentioned 79 times; both are mentioned as being separate entities The Kingdom “has not yet come,” and will not come until the Jewish bloodline of Israel accepts God’s chosen king (Deuteronomy 17:15), which will take place at the end of the Tribulation when the nation of Israel faces decimation and calls on Messiah, Christ, in faith, to save them (Zechariah 12:10). Individual salvation is of the Jews (John 4:22), and comes through Christ (John 14:6). Things are discussed in this website that relate to God’s creation, from “eternity to eternity,” and all that is addressed within those parameters. Consider Isaiah 43:13, “Even from eternity I am He, And there is no one who can rescue from My hand; I act, and who can reverse it?” The Moody Study Bible adds a comment: “God is the ruler of all, and there is nothing that can stand against Him. His will is irresistible. The Bible Knowledge Commentary adds this thought: “No one can reverse what God puts into action or thwart His plans.” The articles that are found in this site may relate to anything that is found in the Bible, from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21. I would like to add a word of caution concerning blog writing and personal security. Many of my followers reside in foreign lands, of which many are hostile to the Word of God. Therefore, I will not provide my name, place of residence, or anything else that could lead a person to know anything about me. I recommend that all writers adopt the same method of personal security.

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