DANIEL 1-2

As a captive in Babylonia, the brave Daniel refuses to eat the king's food-and prospers. He also is able, with God's help, to interpret the king's disturbing dream.

THE KING'S DIET REFUSED BY DANIEL (1:1-21)

Daniel the selected (1:1-7)

The conquest (1:1-2):

The Babylonian monarch Nebuchadnezzar attacks and conquers Jerusalem.

The command (1:3-5):

Nebuchadnezzar orders Ashpenaz (the head palace official) to begin training some of the most promising Jewish captives for public service.

The candidates (1:6-7):

Daniel (Belteshazzar), Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach), and Azariah (Abednego) are among those chosen.

Daniel the steadfast (1:8-20)

The request (1:8-9):

Determining not to defile himself by eating the king's food and wine, Daniel seeks permission to eat other, more wholesome food.

The reluctance (1:10):

His superintendent fears he will be executed if the Jewish captives do not fare well with this menu.

The recommendation (1:11-14):

Daniel suggests a 10-day test.

The results (1:15-16):

Daniel and his three friends are healthier than the rest!

The reward (1:17-20):

Three years later Nebuchadnezzar declares that the four young men are 10 times smarter than all the magicians and enchanters in his kingdom.

Daniel the statesman (1:21):

Daniel now begins his service in Babylonian politics.

THE KING'S DREAM REVEALED BY DANIEL (2:1-49)

The king and his pagan advisors (2:1-13)

The fear (2:1):

The king has a disturbing dream.

The frustration (2:2-13):

The king is unable to remember his dream.

His demand (2:2-4):

The king calls for his wise men and commands them to tell him what he has dreamed and what it means.

His decree (2:5-13):

Because the wise men are unable to do this, they are sentenced to death.

The king and God's prophet (2:14-49)

God reveals the dream to Daniel (2:14-23).

The request (2:14-16):

Daniel learns that he and his three friends are among those to be executed and asks the king for a little more time.

The revelation (2:17-19):

After Daniel and his friends pray, God tells Daniel the dream and its meaning.

The rejoicing (2:20-23):

Daniel praises God for his omnipotence and omniscience.

Daniel reveals the dream to Nebuchadnezzar (2:24-49).

The information (2:24-35)

The statue (2:24-33):

The king saw a huge statue with a gold head, silver chest and arms, bronze belly and thighs, iron legs, and feet that are a combination of iron and clay.

The stone (2:34-35):

A massive rock was cut out from a mountain by supernatural means. It struck the feet of iron and clay, smashing them to bits so that the whole statue collapsed.

The interpretation (2:36-45)

Of the statue (2:36-43):

It represents four successive Gentile powers-Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome.

Of the stone (2:44-45):

It represents God's kingdom, which will someday destroy pagan power.

The elevation (2:46-49):

An amazed Nebuchadnezzar worships Daniel and appoints him to be ruler over the entire province of Babylon as well as chief over all his wise men!

DANIEL 3-4

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refuse to worship Nebuchadnezzar's gold statue and are thrown into a blazing furnace but survive. Nebuchadnezzar has a second dream, which Daniel also interprets. When the king refuses to repent, he has to live like an animal for seven years. His kingdom and sanity are restored when he acknowledges God.

THREE MEN AND A TEST (3:1-30)

The flamboyant Babylonian monarch (3:1-7)

The project (3:1):

Nebuchadnezzar builds a gold statue that is 90 feet tall and 9 feet wide.

The politicians (3:2-3):

The king summons all his political leaders to attend the statue's dedication.

The proclamation (3:4-5):

When the band plays, all those present are to bow down and worship the gold statue.

The penalty (3:6-7):

All those who refuse to bow down will be cast into a blazing furnace.

The faithful men (3:8-23)

The threat (3:8-15)

The astrologers' report (3:8-12):

The king learns that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego have refused to bow.

The king's reasoning (3:13-15):

He offers the three men a second chance.

The testimony (3:16-23)

The three men's answer (3:16-18):

"We will burn, if need be, before we will serve anything other than God."

The king's anger (3:19-23):

He orders the young men thrown into the furnace, which has been heated seven times hotter than usual.

The fourth man (3:24-30)

The discovery (3:24-25): Looking into the fire, an amazed Nebuchadnezzar sees two incredible things:

The three men are still alive (3:24-25a).

Another man has joined them, and he looks like a divine being (3:25b).

The deliverance (3:26-28):

At the king's urging, the three men walk out of the fire, not even smelling of smoke.

The decree (3:29-30):

Nebuchadnezzar imposes the death sentence upon anyone who speaks against God, and the three men are promoted to higher positions.

TWO MEN AND A TREE (4:1-37):

This chapter records the second of Nebuchadnezzar's three dreams. Daniel interprets this dream also.

The prologue (4:1-3)

The proclamation (4:1):

Nebuchadnezzar issues a special announcement throughout his kingdom.

The praise (4:2-3):

The king testifies of God's awesome power.

The particulars (4:4-37)

The king is corrupted through vanity (4:4-27).

Nebuchadnezzar's dream (4:4-18)

He sees a large tree spreading out (4:4-12).

He sees the tree struck down (4:13-18):

A messenger, a holy one, cuts down this tree and says it represents a man who will lose his mind and will live like a wild animal for seven years.

Daniel's interpretation (4:19-27)

His explanation (4:19-26):

Daniel identifies the tree as Nebuchadnezzar, who will suffer from a divinely caused insanity due to his pride. However, in seven years, after he acknowledges God's power, his kingdom will be restored.

His exhortation (4:27):

Daniel urges the king to repent and thus avoid this terrible judgment.

The king is corrected through insanity (4:28-37).

The pride (4:28-30):

Refusing to repent, the king remains arrogant, boasting to all about his building of Babylon.

The punishment (4:31-33):

As predicted, the king is given an animal's mind for seven years.

The postscript (4:34-37):

Upon receiving his right mind and being restored to the kingdom, Nebuchadnezzar worships, praises, honors, and glorifies Daniel's God.

DANIEL 5-6

Belshazzar sees a hand writing on the wall and calls Daniel for an interpretation. He dies that very night when Darius the Mede captures the city. Daniel's enemies plot against him, and he is thrown into the lions' den.

GOD'S HAND AT DINNER (5:1-31)

A. The ball (5:1): Babylonian king Belshazzar invites a thousand of his officers to a great feast.

The gall (5:2-4)

The order (5:2):

Belshazzar asks that the vessels Nebuchadnezzar took from the Jerusalem Temple be brought to his feast.

The outrage (5:3-4):

Both king and guests drink wine from these vessels and praise the Babylonian gods.

The wall (5:5-6)

The hand (5:5):

Belshazzar sees a human hand (with no arm) writing a message on the wall.

The horror (5:6):

He's filled with fear.

The call (5:7-29)

To the magicians (5:7-9):

Belshazzar promises great rewards to any who can interpret the mysterious writing. But no one is able to do so.

To the prophet (5:10-29)

The recommendation (5:10-12):

The queen mother advises Belshazzar to call for Daniel.

The reward (5:13-16):

The king offers to promote Daniel to the third highest position in the kingdom if he can interpret the writing.

The refusal (5:17):

Daniel spurns the bribe but offers to interpret the message without cost.

The rebuke (5:18-23):

Daniel contrasts the reigns of Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar.

Lessons Nebuchadnezzar learned (5:18-21):

He testified to God's sovereignty after being humbled by insanity.

Lessons Belshazzar spurns (5:22-23):

Although he knows history, he still chooses to defy and insult God!

####### The revelation (5:24-28):

Daniel tells the king that his kingdom will be given to the Medes and Persians-and that he will soon die.

####### The robing (5:29):

In a futile attempt to escape God's judgment, the king clothes Daniel in purple and proclaims him third ruler in the kingdom.

The fall (5:30-31): That very night Darius the Mede enters Babylon, kills Belshazzar, and rules over the city.

GOD'S HAND IN A DREAM (6:1-28)

A hostile plan (6:1-9)

The organization (6:1-3): Darius appoints Daniel as one of the kingdom's three top administrators.

The orchestration (6:4-9)

The sinister search (6:4):

Daniel's envious enemies unsuccessfully attempt to find something in his life that can be used against him.

The solution (6:5):

They finally conclude that he can only be trapped by his religious life.

The subtlety (6:6-9):

Darius is tricked into signing a decree that imposes the death penalty upon anyone who prays to any god except the king for 30 days.

A holy man (6:10-15)

The fearless prophet (6:10):

Even though he knows about the decree, Daniel continues his usual three-times-a-day prayers to God.

The heartless plotters (6:11-13):

Daniel's devilish foes gleefully report this to the king.

The tireless potentate (6:14-15):

Realizing he has been tricked, Darius spends the rest of the day trying-unsuccessfully-to find a legal loophole whereby Daniel can be saved.

A heavenly ban (6:16-28)

The king's concern (6:16-18):

With great sorrow, Darius gives orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the lions' den. He returns home to spend a sleepless night.

The king's cry (6:19-22):

Early the next morning, hoping against hope, Darius cries out to Daniel in the lions' den.

The question (6:19-20):

Was God able to save you?

The answer (6:21-22):

God shut the lions' mouths!

The king's command (6:23-28)

About Daniel (6:23):

Overjoyed, Darius orders Daniel (who doesn't even have a scratch) removed from the lions' den.

About his foes (6:24):

They are thrown into the same lions' den and are instantly torn apart.

About his God (6:25-28):

Darius sends a message: All people in the kingdom are to fear and reverence Daniel's God.

DANIEL 7-8

During the first and third years of Belshazzar's reign in Babylon, Daniel has two visions of future Gentile world powers.

THE FIRST VISION (7:1-28):

During the first year of Belshazzar's reign

The information (7:1-14): Daniel sees:

A lionlike beast (7:1-4):

"As I watched, its wings were pulled off, and it was left standing with its two hind feet on the ground, like a human being. And a human mind was given to it."

A bearlike beast (7:5):

It holds three ribs between its teeth.

A leopardlike beast (7:6):

It has four birds' wings on its back and four heads and is given great authority.

A 10-horned beast (7:7-8):

It is by far the most dreadful and terrifying creature yet. An 11th horn grows, yanking out 3 of the 10 horns.

The Ancient One (7:9-12)

Who it is (7:9):

God himself is seated in all his heavenly glory, preparing to judge the world.

What happens (7:10-12)

####### A river of fire flows from God's presence (7:10a).

####### Millions of angels minister to him (7:10b).

####### Tens of millions of people await judgment (7:l0c).

####### The fourth beast is thrown into hell (7:11-12).

The man (7:13-14)

Who it is (7:13):

Some believe the "man" who approaches the Ancient One is a reference to God's Son, Jesus Christ.

What happens (7:14):

The Son is given a mighty, glorious, and eternal kingdom.

The interpretation (7:15-28)

Of the four beasts in general (7:15-18)

Their rise (7:15-17):

They represent the four ancient kingdoms of Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome.

Their replacement (7:18):

They will give way to God's glorious kingdom.

Of the fourth beast in particular (7:19-28)

The confusion (7:19-22):

Daniel desires more information on the cruelty and conquests of this vicious beast.

The clarification (7:23-27):

He is given three facts concerning the fourth beast. It will:

Devour the earth (7:23-24)

Defy the Most High (7:25)

Be destroyed by the Most High (7:26-27)

The consternation (7:28):

The prophet is terrified by this vision.

THE SECOND VISION (8:1-27):

During the third year of Belshazzar's reign

The animals (8:1-12)

A two-horned ram (8:1-4):

It is able to defeat and utterly crush all its enemies.

A one-horned male goat (8:5-8)

Its destructiveness (8:5-7):

The goat attacks and utterly destroys the ram.

Its death (8:8):

At the height of its power, the goat's horn is broken and replaced by four smaller horns.

Another creature that comes from the goat (8:9-12)

The conquests (8:9-10):

He invades and occupies much of the Holy Land.

The contempt (8:11-12):

He even challenges God!

The answers (8:13-27)

From a regular angel (8:13-14)

The question (8:13):

How long will it take for Daniel's vision to be fulfilled? How long until the defiled Jewish Temple will be purified, thus allowing the daily sacrifices to once again take place?

The answer (8:14):

A period of 2,300 days!

From a ruling angel (8:15-27)

His identity (8:15-19):

He is none other than Gabriel himself.

His information (8:20-27)

About the two-horned ram (8:20):

It represents the Medo-Persian Empire.

About the one-horned goat (8:21-22):

It represents Greece, which will break into four sections following the death of Alexander the Great.

About the third creature (8:23-27):

This probably refers to a brutal Syrian king, Antiochus Epiphanes IV, who defiled the Temple in December of 167 B.C. Later, it would be cleansed by Judas Maccabeus.

DANIEL 9-10

After being visited by the angel Gabriel, Daniel goes on an extended fast in order to pray for Israel's repentance-and future restoration.

THE CHRONOLOGY (9:1-27):

This chapter records two time periods-one historical, the other prophetic. Both periods involve the number 70.

The historical 70 (9:1-19):

Daniel and God

The Scriptures as pondered by Daniel (9:1-2):

He understands that Israel's 70-year Babylonian captivity, prophesied by Jeremiah, is almost over.

The supplication as prayed by Daniel (9:3-19)

The review (9:3-14)

Israel's sin (9:3-11)

Israel's suffering (9:12-14)

The request (9:15-19):

Daniel asks God to forgive his people and to restore them to their land.

The prophetic 70 (9:20-27): Daniel and Gabriel's visit

The nature of Gabriel's mission (9:20-23):

He has been sent to help Daniel understand God's future plan for Israel.

The nature of Gabriel's message (9:24-27):

God will successfully accomplish his total plan for Israel during a specified number of years.

The number (9:24):

It will involve "seventy sets of seven," for a total of 490 years, beginning with the command to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

The nature (9:25-27):

These years will fall into three categories:

First period, 49 years, during which Jerusalem will be rebuilt (9:25)

Second period, 434 years, at which time the Messiah will be crucified (9:26)

Third period, 7 years, a reference to the coming Great Tribulation (9:27)

THE CONFLICT (10:1-21)

Daniel's vexation (10:1-4):

He undergoes an extended fast as a result of the fearful visions.

The duration of his fast (10:1-3):

Three weeks

The location of his fast (10:4):

On the bank of the Tigris River

Daniel's visitation (10:5-21):

An angel from heaven appears!

The radiance (10:5-6):

Clothed in linen and a gold belt, the angel's body looks "like a dazzling gem." He sounds like an entire multitude as he speaks.

The reaction (10:7-8):

Daniel feels faint and weak with fear. Although his companions see nothing, all of a sudden they become terrified and flee.

The reassurance (10:9-12):

A trembling Daniel is gently lifted and comforted by the angel.

The revelation (10:14):

He has come to instruct Daniel concerning the future of Israel.

The resistance against this angel (10:13, 15-21):

The heavenly messenger tells Daniel why it has taken him a full three weeks to arrive.

The hostility (10:13a, 15-20)

He was hindered by the demonic leader of Persia en route (10:13a).

He will be hindered by the demonic leader of Greece upon his return (10:15-20).

The helper (10:13b, 21):

Michael the archangel helped Gabriel as he came and will help him again as he leaves.

DANIEL 11-12

God's angel describes for Daniel the future reigns of various Persian, Greek, Egyptian, and Syrian kings. The angel concludes by predicting the eventual rule of the Antichrist himself!

A CHRONOLOGY OF CHRISTLESS CONQUERORS (11:1-45)

Four Persian kings (11:1-2):

Daniel learns that three Persian kings will succeed Darius the Mede, followed by a powerful fourth ruler who will use his great wealth to wage total war against Greece.

A mighty king of Greece (11:3-4):

Here is a reference to Alexander the Great, who will suddenly die soon after building his vast empire, resulting in the empire being fragmented into four divisions.

The kings of Syria and Egypt (11:5-20)

The alliance between Syria and Egypt (11:5-6):

The daughter of the king of Egypt will be given in marriage to the king of Syria to secure an alliance.

The defeat of Syria by Egypt (11:7-12):

The king of Egypt will carry Syria's treasures back to his land.

The defeat of Egypt by Syria (11:13-16):

Even though Egypt is fortified, it will be destroyed.

The stalemate between Syria and Egypt (11:17-20):

The king of Syria will give his daughter to the king of Egypt in marriage to overthrow the kingdom from within.

An evil Syrian king (11:21-35):

This is a reference to Antiochus Epiphanes IV, who will come to power around 175 B.C.

His craftiness (11:21-23):

He will secure his kingdom by flattery and intrigue.

His conquests (11:24):

He will besiege and capture powerful strongholds.

His confrontations (11:25-30)

With Egypt (11:25-27):

The king of Syria will defeat him.

With Israel (11:28-30):

He will set himself against the people of the covenant, doing great damage.

His cruelty (11:31-35):

Antiochus Epiphanes IV will possess a hellish hatred for Israel.

He will desecrate the Temple and cause the daily sacrifices to cease (11:31-32):

He will flatter those who violate the covenant.

He will murder many Jews (11:33-35):

Many who are wise will die, but those who survive will be made pure till the time of the end.

The satanic, self-willed king (11:36-45):

These verses describe the frightful reign of the coming Antichrist.

The wickedness of the Antichrist (11:36-39)

His impudence (11:36-37):

He will blaspheme God in unthinkable and unheard-of ways!

His idolatry (11:38-39):

He will worship the god of fortresses.

The warfare of the Antichrist (11:40-45)

The ones he will defeat (11:40-44a):

He will sweep through many countries like a flood, including Israel, Egypt, and Libya.

The one who will defeat him (11:45):

The context here suggests that God himself will utterly crush the Antichrist near the city of Jerusalem!

The wrath of the Antichrist (11:44b):

Hearing some alarming news from the east and the north, he will return in great anger, destroying as he goes.

A CHRONOLOGY OF CLOSING CONDITIONS (12:1-13)

The description of the end times (12:1-4)

The suffering (12:1)

The pain (12:1b):

During the Great Tribulation, Israel will suffer as never before.

The prince (12:1a):

Israel will be helped at that time by Michael the archangel.

The perseverance (12:1c):

All those whose names are written in God's book will be delivered.

The separation (12:2):

In the last day, all will be resurrected, some to everlasting life, others to everlasting punishment.

The shining (12:3):

The righteous will shine like stars!

The sealing (12:4):

Daniel's prophecies are sealed until the end times.

The duration of the end times (12:5-13):

Three separate time periods are specified.

A period of 1,260 days (12:5-10):

This probably refers to the last three and one-half years of the Great Tribulation.

A period of 1,290 days (12:11):

The previous 1,260 days plus 30 additional days.

A period of 1,335 days (12:12-13):

The previous 1,290 days plus 45 additional days.