The book of daniel is the apocalyptic book of the hebrew bible. But the visions preserved in the latter chapters of daniels record share messages the lord intended for the jews and for us. Daniel belongs to the latter group, a type of writing that in many respects sharply contrasts prophetic literature. This period is called the great tribulation by jesus in matthew 24. In fact, the character of daniel provides many different calculations and depictions of the end. It also describes the apocalyptic visions given by god, and reveals the events. I was amazed to learn that it is not included in the section of the bible known as the prophets, and that the talmud does not even consider daniel to have been a prophet. Bce the book of daniel contains many features and themes of apocalyptic literature, including an eschatology according to which god dramatically intervenes in human history, destroying the wicked understood as other nations and saving the righteous understood as israel. And in fact the book of revelation is largely a christian interpretation of the book of daniel. The first six chapters contain accounts of faith that inspire both young and old b. Daniels more of a visionary than a really prophetic prophet like, a real prophets prophet, anyway. The book, however, was written in a later time of national crisiswhen the jews were suffering severe persecution under antiochus iv epiphanes. As with all of scripture, the book of daniel is profitable for our study 2 ti 3. The book of daniel is divided into two sections on the basis of its content.
Sermons from daniel 3 the book of daniel introduction introduction 1. Daniel the character comes to us from the babylonian exile. Bce the book of daniel contains many features and themes of apocalyptic literature, including an eschatology according to which god dramatically. So, the book is named after daniel, but unlike with isaiah and ezekiel it isnt just a compendium of his prophecies and visions. Bc, and a series of apocalyptic visions arising from the time of the maccabean emergency 167164 bc, which clearly presuppose the history of palestine in the hellenistic era after alexander the great d. In many ways, daniel is a book of paradox, offering very straightforward narratives revealing gods greatness and power while also revealing startling visions and opaque prophetic imagery. Daniel also has vivid, symbolic visions about the future of israel, world kingdoms, and the kingdom of godexposing us to some of gods longterm plan for the world. From daniel and his three friends, we will learn the power of faith and commitment b. The final chapters of daniel record visions of the future that daniel. However, adding to the confusion is that chapters 27 are preserved in aramaic, while chapters 1 and 812 are in hebrew. Dec 03, 2012 features of apocalyptic literature 29.
It covers the major kingdoms in the world from babylons day to the latter days. The book of daniel, also called the prophecy of daniel, a book of the old testament found in the ketuvim writings, the third section of the jewish canon, but placed among the prophets in the christian canon. Prophecy in the book of daniel 2233 words 123 help me. Nov 15, 2018 but the visions preserved in the latter chapters of daniels record share messages the lord intended for the jews and for us. The book of daniel is a 2ndcentury bc biblical apocalypse combining a prophecy of history. List of books and articles about book of daniel online. Introduction to the old testament hebrew bible rlst 145 with christine hayes the book of ruth, in which a foreign woman enters the. The book of daniel serves as the major apocalyptic book of the old testament, as chapters 712 foretell the end times. Chapters 1 to 6 describe daniels interpretation of king nebuchadnezzars dream. The earliest manuscripts of the book of daniel consist of a series of six thirdperson narratives followed by four apocalyptic. The genre of the book of daniel is narrative history, prophetic oracle, and it includes apocalyptic material.
The rest of the book involves an intense, apocalyptic vision of daniel. Daniel, extolled for his upright character, is presented as a model for the persecuted community. Daniel and the three friends at the babylonian court. Not only that, but what daniel means by the end seems to change from one chapter to another. The book of daniel is a composite text of dubious historicity from various genres, and daniel himself is a legendary figure. So the book of daniel was written in the 2nd century bce by someone claiming to be daniel living in the 6th century bce. Nebuchadnezzar had seen an enormous statue with a head of gold, breast and arms of silver. It seems improbable that a second century writer would fabricate such a story or allow it to pass without comment in a situation where the preservation of the purity of the jewish faith was considered. It isnt just stuff daniel said, its also tales of things that happened to him and the people associated with him. The fact is, it is in these visions especially in daniel, in ezekiel, and in revelation that for long ages believers have typically found their arguments with one another, in large part because they have not based their interpretations on an understanding of daniels visions as species of apocalyptic literature. Daniels visions talk about the end a great deal, but neither the book of daniel nor the character of daniel ever gives one precise timeline for the end.
The second half of the book daniel 712 contains apocalyptic visions. In the first two apocalyptic visions of the second part of the book of daniel, in daniel 7 and 8, the history of the time before antiochus iv epiphanes arrival on the. Daniel article about daniel by the free dictionary. The climax of his sovereign rule is described in revelation. Although apocalyptic has its roots in ot prophecy in general, the real prototype of the nonbiblical ap. Daniels prayer, and the vision of the seventy weeks 9. It also describes the apocalyptic visions given by god. The fully apocalyptic visions in daniel 712, as well as those in the new testaments revelation, can trace their roots to the preexilic latter biblical prophets. This traditional view is also supported by classical historians such as. The book of daniel has sometimes been classified with the prophetic books of the old testament, a mistake owing largely to a failure to distinguish between the predominant characteristics of prophetic and apocalyptic writings.
The most striking is the resemblance they all bear to the book of daniel. In considering the books beauty and complexity, several important areas of background study assist in clarifying the overall direction of this book. One feature of this section is daniels reliance on. The book of which he is the hero divides into two parts, a set of tales in chapters 16 from no earlier than the hellenistic period 32330 bce, and the series of visions in chapters 712 from the maccabean era. With chapter 7 we enter the second half of the book of daniel and leave. And in fact the book of revelation is largely a christian interpretation of the.
The apocalypse section of this book is not a prophecy, i. Book of daniel oxford research encyclopedia of religion. Apocalyptic literature encyclopedia of the bible bible. One feature of this section is daniels reliance on heavenly figures to interpret and explain his visions. The five visions of daniel daniel 2, 7, 8, 9, 1012. First i will give you an overview of the next 6 chapters then we will go into detail about the visions and their historical fulfillment. The book of daniel chapters 1 to 6 describe daniel s interpretation of king nebuchadnezzars dream. The book of daniel presents a collection of popular stories about daniel, a loyal jew, and the record of visions granted to him, with the babylonian exile of the 6th century bce as their background. Although the jewish scriptures evaluated the book of daniel differently from the christian old testament, by placing it in the writings instead of with the major prophets, it remains a book of apocalyptic visions. But just as the distinctive themes of apocalyptic appear throughout the scriptures, so we find that its literary forms have walkon parts in many other books eze.
Apocalyptic definition and meaning bible dictionary. Nov 17, 2014 a final connection between the book of daniel and the new testament is daniel s apocalyptic visions that also are reflected in the book of revelation daniel 10. Many old testament prophets were given visions by god of what society would be like. The book of daniel originated as a collection of folktales among the jewish community in babylon and mesopotamia in the persian and early hellenistic periods 5th to 3rd centuries bce, before being expanded in the maccabean era mid2nd century by the addition of the visions in chapters 712. Strictly speaking, the book does not belong to the prophetic writings but rather to a distinctive type of literature known as apocalyptic, of which it is an early specimen. The visions he has now will give more details concerning the events he foresaw in nebuchadnezzars original dream.
A final connection between the book of daniel and the new testament is daniels apocalyptic visions that also are reflected in the book of revelation daniel. The unknown author may have drawn inspiration from ugaritic and phoenician sources that speak of a legendary figure notable for his righteousness and wisdom. Written during a period of persecution in the 2 nd c. Together with the bookending chapter of its first part. The narrative of daniel 7, though full of complex details, is simply. The vision focuses on a wicked king who arises to challenge the army of the lord by removing the daily temple sacrifice and desecrating the sanctuary for a. The prophecy of daniel is a series of five visions occurring over a period of about 70 years. On the simplest level the book of daniel might be divided by language, or by genre. The informed description of historical events in chapters 1 to 6 and the use of the first person in the apocalyptic visions of chapters 7 to 12 suggest that daniel likely originated the book during his lifetime. In summary, the use of apocalyptic writing in the bible was inspired by god, and this style serves as an excellent literary medium for conveying future prophetic events. One feature of this section is daniel s reliance on heavenly figures to interpret and explain his visions. For their part, chapters 712 contain four apocalyptic vision narratives written in the first person.
Written during a period of persecution in the 2nd c. Daniel s more of a visionary than a really prophetic prophet like, a real prophets prophet, anyway. This book takes its name not from the author, who is actually unknown, but from its hero, who was allegedly among the first jews deported to babylon, where he lived at least until 538 b. The strategic structural position of chapter 7 provides a key not. This apocalyptic object of the book of daniel is admitted by most scholars of the present day, and is in harmony with the place assigned to that sacred writing in the hebrew bible, where it appears not among the prophets, or second great division of the original text. The book of daniel in the ot and the revelation in the nt are possible exceptions. These are purportedly daniels own visions of things to come. They are designed to reassure gods people that, in spite of their present persecution and suffering, god is in control and will ultimately be victorious. The book of daniel is an apocalypse, a literary genre in which a heavenly reality is revealed to a human recipient. So the visions of daniel are really one of our first important pieces of apocalyptic literature, responding to a period of crisis and oppression and using apocalypse. I was reading the book of daniel, which is filled with extraordinary and apocalyptic visions.
The book of daniel is about how god shows his everlasting wisdom, power, and faithfulness through one of israels greatest prophets. Those who conspired against daniel are fed to the lions, and daniels position is restored. They point to several key events in the future history of the jews. Extrabiblical apocalyptic works like 1 enoch first. At the onset of the reign of belshazzar, nabonidus son, 5 daniel. The book of ruth, in which a foreign woman enters the community of israel and becomes greatgrandmother to none other than king david, expresses a view of gentiles entirely opposed to that of ezra and nehemiah. The most high god is sovereign over the kingdoms of men. The time of composition has become a matter of interest. Those who conspired against daniel are fed to the lions, and daniel s position is restored. Bills series on apocalypse begins his analysis of the apocalyptic writing of the old testament known as the book of the prophet daniel. The five visions of daniel daniel 2, 7, 8, 9, 1012 the. It combines court tales, perhaps originating from the 6th cent. The balance of daniel s book contains four visions concerning world powers, but also other visions of future events and an appearance of gods angel. Chapter 7 is both a historical and apocalyptic vision.
The book of daniel i have been arguing that to understand the radically new view of the afterlife that emerged in ancient judea in the horrible years leading up to the maccabean revolt, it is important to know something about a new genre or literature that began to be produced at the time, the apocalypse. The first half of the book chapters 16 contains stories in the third person about the experiences of daniel and his friends under kings nebuchadrezzar ii, belshazzar, darius i, and. The four visions of chapters seven to twelve are an early example of apocalyptic literature and, in contrast to the earlier chapters, are introduced in the first person. The theological theme of the book is summarized in 4. The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our lord and of his christ i. The book of daniel is a part of the christian old testament that tells of how daniel, a judean exile at the court of nebuchadnezzar ii, the ruler of babylon, becomes a government official and has many different visions. Dear rabbi, i was reading the book of daniel, which is filled with extraordinary and apocalyptic visions. One of the more fascinating books of the bible is the book of daniel. The balance of daniels book contains four visions concerning world powers, but also other visions of future events and an appearance of gods angel. Book of daniel, book of the prophet daniel example of. Similar to the book of daniel, many of them describe visions their authors purportedly saw.
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