© Aug. 30, 2008
Revised:
Feb1, 2009
THE PROPHECIES
OF
Daniel
James L. Merrills, M. Div.
Why study the book of Daniel? First, Daniel sweeps the course of
history. God’s fulfilled word leads us to trust in Him. Second, Jesus told us
to read it with understanding (Matt. 24:15). Every Christian will desire to
follow Jesus’ commandments. Third, Daniel’s prophecies are concerned with the
time-of-the-end. According to the New Testament and Revelation, we are now
living at the end of time.
Like many Old Testament books, the entire book of Daniel is structured
on an “X” pattern (called a “chiasm,” for the Greek letter chi-X). The central theme is found at the middle—judgment. (Daniel’s name means “My judge
is God.”) This mirror-like structure pairs the book’s stories and visions.
·
Ch 2/7 – 4 earthly kingdoms
·
Ch 3/6 – The Hebrew’s trials
·
Ch 4/5 – Proud kings are judged
·
Ch 7 – The “heart” of Daniel: JUDGMENT of earthly
powers
·
Ch 7/12 – Judgment: books opened, Christ’s
2nd Coming
·
Ch 8/11 – War: East & West, the
sanctuary
·
Ch 9/10 – Prayer, vision
In fact, almost every chapter is
written in a chi formation (or A / B
/ A’ pattern).
As the language reveals, Daniel’s prophecies were written for both the
Israelites and the Babylonians. Chapters 1, 8-12 are written in Hebrew, and
contain important messages specifically for God’s people. Chapters 2-7 are
written in Aramaic, the language of
But Daniel is more than just a book about history. Daniel uses the word
“end” over 30 times, and two-thirds of the book is devoted to the time of the
end!
Join me now as we examine this amazing book together!
James L. Merrills, M. Div.
________________________
Daniel
DANIEL 1
Chapter one is the history of
Chapter one begins with God handing over
After marching across the desert to the land of the Chaldeans*
(605 B.C.), Daniel—a mere teenager—and his three friends are among the chosen
Hebrews selected to work in the service of the Babylonian king. The opening
story contains religious overtones (i.e., “no blemish,” “not defile”), which is
consistent with the book’s emphasis on the sanctuary.
At the outset of their captivity, the remnant of
This is only the first chapter in Daniel’s Babylonian career. God will
reward him with further “understanding in all visions and dreams,” preserving
his life until the end of the 70-year captivity, as prophesied (Jer. 29:10). But the book of Daniel reveals that while God
is in control of history, it is purposely moving us toward the end. The mention
of Cyrus’ name points us to the end, when the Israelites will return to
-------------------------
* The name “Chaldean” (kaldu) is
associated with magician or astrologer. The word “magician” (cheret) literally
means “to cut” or “engrave.” The magicians were closely associated with the
“astrologers,” who drew (or “cut”) lines and circles for horoscopes. They also
cut animals open to “read” the innards and divine the future.
** Daniel’s menu is a “literal quotation from the text
[Gen. 1:29] of Creation” (Doukhan). The Hebrew eye
recognizes many allusions in Daniel to Creation. Of course, Creation is found
at the heart of the law, which is at the heart of the Creator’s sanctuary. (An
end-time appeal to worship the Creator is also found at the heart of
Revelation; 14:7.)
*** The numbers 6 and 10 have early association with
--The city of
--Daniel had “understanding” (bin; v.4),
which was also gifted him by God (v.17). This gift (bin) is highlighted in chapters 8
through 12.
DANIEL 2
God lays out the coming world powers, culminating with the establishment of
His eternal kingdom.
Chapters 2 through 7, which are written in Aramaic, the language of
Previously, the Hebrews were tested and
prevailed. Now,
Strangely, Daniel wasn’t called in; and yet His life is now on the line!
So, he asks the king for time (not the dream), and then the four Hebrews turn
to prayer. Upon receiving an answer
to his prayer by vision, Daniel spends perhaps more time praising God as the
source of all wisdom! He is indeed thankful and humble. We should not miss the
fact that Daniels’ first task is to preserve the lives of his Babylonian
counterparts.
After explaining to the king that only the God of heaven could know the
king’s dream, Daniel confidently states that the dream regarded an “image” or
statue, made of metals that ranged from gold, at the head, to iron and clay, at
the feet. Then a stone, broken off from a distant mountain, smashes the statue,
and becomes a mountain-kingdom itself fills the entire earth.
Convinced that Daniel’s God is all-knowing, the king listens to the
interpretation. The “head”* of gold represents
The word tselem
(“image”) means “to shade.” To the Hebrew eye, the king is likened here to Adam
(verse 38), who was given dominion over the beasts, fowls and descendents.
Unsatisfied, the king seeks to be like the Creator. Again in chapter 4 the king
is depicted as a tree (4:12, 20-22), which provides shade and food for the
birds, beasts and inhabitants of his kingdom (4:12, 20-22). Though Daniel
informs him that God has granted him this kingdom (2:37), His pride and
ultimate rejection of God’s supreme power comes through his statement “[Look
what] I have built” (4:30). More specifically, the king desires to usurp
Christ, the Creator (compare Eph. 3:9 and Rev 5:12-14). Like Christ, the “King
of kings” (Rev. 19:16), the king is addressed as “king of kings” (2:37). Like
Christ, the “head” (Col. 1:18), the king is seen here as the “head” of the
image. And finally, the king’s dominion-shalat rivals that of the Son of Man (Dan 7:13, 14).
As the story ends, the king acknowledges the power of Daniel’s God, and
then falls prostrate in worship before him, before promoting him, and his three
companions, to the highest position in the kingdom. How is this behavior
possible? In the king’s eyes, Daniels’s God is Marduk,
the god of
-------------------------
* “Head” (reesh) means “first” or “beginning.” This, combined with the
king’s God-given “dominion” (v. 38) over beast and fowl, point back to Adam and
Creation. Both represent the beginning of history.
Astrologers—the gods are detached from man; Daniel—God is
connected to man, via prayer, dreams, visions
Descending metals; clay foundation reflects weakness of
image; clay is not metal, used to form man
How could only four world-powers—no more, no less—have
been predicted, regardless of when scholars date Daniel?
Stone occupies most of the dream = Christ’s kingdom (Ps
118:22; Isa. 28:16)
The clay is unlike the other 4 elements that represent
political kingdoms. A non-metal, it has a different nature. The “potter’s clay”
in Scriptures alludes to a Creator; the clay has a religious nature, not
political. Jewish commentators have interpreted the clay as Christianity, the
state religion adopted by the (iron)
Image/stone; temporary vs
eternal
We are living in the time of the end.
DANIEL 3
King Nebuchadnezzar attempts to defy God’s prophetic word by building an
image, but encounters the Son of God!
Never content, Nebuchadnezzar sets out to show that his kingdom will
last forever! So he builds an image, based on the one in his dream (Dan. 2).
But now it’s all gold! The image is
built in units of “6” (“sixty cubits high and six cubits wide,” NIV), the number
associated with man (created on the sixth day), and
After assembling “all the rulers” from every level of his kingdom,
Nebuchadnezzar commands everyone—under the threat of death—to worship his
image, when the band begins to play the music. This religion is intolerant and
mechanical. His decree reflects his desperation to out-prove God’s prophetic
word. Naturally, all bow down; all but three Hebrew men. Seizing the
opportunity, the king’s servants accuse the “Jews” of violating the king’s
decree by showing no regard for the king or his gods. (Though Daniel is absent
on this occasion, he is faced with similar conditions in chapter 6.)
Expecting that the Hebrews will reconsider their situation, the King
asks “Who is that God who will deliver you from death”? Indeed, the Hebrews,
nor their God, have been put to this test! But to the king’s surprise, they
show no fear, even stating confidently “Be it known that our God could save us,
but if not, we still will not bow to the image!” In reaction, the furnace is
heated 7 times—to its fullest!—hotter (an act that is intended to usurp the
Hebrew God). Then the Hebrews, still fully clothed,
are cast-remah
(Daniel is later cast-remah
into the lion’s den) into a fiery furnace, which had probably been used to
smelt the gold (or fire bricks). The fire is so hot that it immediately
consumes the life of the furnace guards.
Then, to the shock of all, four
beings can be seen walking in the furnace! The fourth Daniel tells us was the
Son-bar of God. (In chapter 7, Daniel
sees the Son-bar standing in the
heavenly judgment.) Then the king calls forth the three Hebrews Boys (not the
divine being!), who are unhurt by the fire.
This miracle undoubtedly lies in the fact that they “trusted” (rechats; “to be
washed”) in God, and surrendered their “bodies” (geshem; “doused with water”) up
to Him. (Compare Rom. 12:1) Out of a death-experience comes life and triumph!
This is the key for all who do die in the Lord—we will rise again (Dan.
12:1-3), triumphant over death!
-------------------------
--The chapter also list six (6) groups of leaders—or
“all” of them; six music instruments—or “all” of them; and, six actions on the
part of the king (made, gave, commanded, went near, made, promoted).
--The Revelation of John is built on Daniel’s visions.
For example, the “beast” in Revelation 13 is a composite of the creatures in
Daniel 7 (in reverse order). Significantly, there are numerous similarities
between our story and the beast’s activity in Revelation 13: an emphasis on “worship,” the
welding of civil power with religion, the setting of an image, the number 6,
forced worship or compliance, and violence.
-- Qerats
(“accuse”) literally means to bite/eat. Today, we call someone a “back
biter.” (Balaam, Rev. ???)
DANIEL 4
When a dream of a great tree is fulfilled, King Nebuchadnezzar comes to
acknowledge the God of heaven.
The opening verses show that through the events in this story King Nebuchadnezzar
has to come to know the true God.
After having a terrible dream, the king called in all the wise men to
interpret it for him. But they couldn’t. At last, he called for Daniel, who he
now realizes serves a god that is different from, and above, all others.
In his dream the king saw a great tree that provided for the earth. But
two heavenly beings appear and declare that the tree, with a human-like
personality, must be cut down to the stump, and wrapped with bronze and iron
bands! (The metals have no real value, and, based on the image-dream, show that
the tree has come to its end!) After the
trees’ heart is changed from a man’s to a beast’s, it lives like a wild
creature for “seven times [iddan]” or years.* All of this is to show that the “most
High ruleth” over the kingdoms of men. The king’s
image was built on “6”, the decree is based on “7”—the God of heaven has
spoken.
Daniel is greatly disturbed by the dream, and unable to hide it from the
king. As for the tree, “It is thou, O king.” How different this is from his
earlier dream, where he was the “head of gold”! The great king, who, because of
pride, sought to elevate himself to the status of the “creator,” will soon be
debased, living with less than the poorest inhabitants of his kingdom. And yet,
the kingdom will not be lost; the stump and roots remain. His kingdom will
remain “sure,” until the day he fully recognizes the God of heaven. In closing,
Daniel appeals to the king renounce his sins and wickedness, hoping that this
might somehow altar God’s word.
A year later, the dream long behind him, the king looks out over his
majestic kingdom and declares “Is this not the great
At the end of the time prophesied, the king states “I praised the Most
High; I honored and glorified him” (NIV). A complete reversal from his earlier statements, the
king has repented (which means, “to turn around”), and praises the true “King
of heaven!” His sanity suddenly returns, and he is restored to his throne, the
seat of authority.
All of this took place to address the king’s sinful “pride.”
-------------------------
* Iddan
means “appointed” or “determined” and is not the typical word for “year.” That
a year is meant is further confirmed by the decree was fulfilled exactly one
year later, and the use of iddan in 7:25 to represent actual years.
** Ancient cuneiform tablets confirm the event (A.K. Grayson, 1975, British Museum)
--Intro: self-centered pagan king; his experience; a
converted, God-centered king. The
mirror-like A-B-A’, the way Hebrews think (western thought is A-B-C). The
central point or theme is found located at the center.
--Nebuchadnezzare, son of the
god Marduk
--stories often in 2 stages: 1) world affairs (Ch. 2,
metals;
--asar
(“band”, KJV) idea of “bound” (NIV),
idea of shackled prisoner
--“it may be” reflects opportunity for repentance, and
may explain why it’s a whole year before the dream is fulfilled—forgetting the
vision, momentarily, his pride re-erupts.
--parallels with the
DANIEL 5
Babylon’s youngest ruler is defiant to the end, until a divine hand-writing
brings
Young king Belshazzer, grandson of
Nebuchadnezzar, brings
Upon hearing of the matter, the queen (actually, the wife of
Nebuchadnezzar) attempts to comfort the young king, informing him about
Daniel’s past involvement in the kingdom’s affair, and is certain that “he will
shew the interpretation” even now. Daniel is brought
before the king and promised a third of the kingdom if he can interpret the
mysterious writing.
Daniel’s first response is to turn down the king’s offer. Perhaps he
wanted nothing to do with this rebellious king. Most likely he turned the offer
down because he knew, at 83 years of age, that Israel’s 70 years of captivity (Jer. 29:10) was about to end—Babylon is finished!
Regardless, Daniel agreed to assist the pompous young king, but not before
giving him a short history lesson, about his grandfather, King Nebuchadnezzar,
whose pride culminated in seven years of insanity before his eventual
conversion. Daniel brings it all up to make the point that Belshazzer
knew all of this history, yet he persisted in acting defiantly toward his Creator—“in whose hand thy breath
is.” For this reason the “hand” was sent.
First, Daniel reads the four words: “MENE,
MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.” Then he interprets
their meaning, each followed by a four-word explanantion:*
“MENE [“to count”]; God hath numbered thy
kingdom, and finished it.”
“TEKEL [“to weigh”]; Thou art weighed in the
balances, and art found wanting.”
“PERES [“to break/tear”]; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes
and Persians.”
Upon hearing the interpretation, the king declared that Daniel was now
the “third ruler” of the kingdom. Imagine! Told the kingdom is finished, yet
promotes Daniel to his side! Belshazzar’s actions are
defiant, like his grandfather’s, who built the image of pure gold (chapter 3). Belshazzar was slain that very night (539 B.C.), when
Darius the Mede** diverted the city’s river and made a surprise entrance under
the city’s water-gates.
Below is the chiastic (“X”) structure of chapter 5, which highlights the
mirrored parallels:
A The king’s pride (vs
1-4)
B
The mysterious writing (vs 5-9)
C The queen’s sermon (vs
10-12)
D Belshazzar consults Belteshazzar
(vs 13-16)
C’ The prophet’s
sermon (vs 17-24)
B’ The mysterious writing deciphered (vs 25-28)
A’ The king’s fall (vs 29-31)
-------------------------
*The number “4” symbolizes totality and, by extension,
the end—there’s no more (Ch. 2 – 4 metal kingdoms; Rev 7:1 – 4 corners of the
earth).
** The name Darius is the title of Cyrus’ general, Gobryas. He only reigned for a year (see 9:1).
--(v. 5) same metals, in same order,
wood and stone added — Belshazzar will worship
anything.
--Nabonidus is Belshazzar’s father; Belshazzar
was his regent, exercising authority during the sovereign’s absence.
--v23 “set yourself up” (NIV);
Dan 4:37 Nebuch “set up” Yahweh at his conversion, as
explained here (5:19, 20).
--“measures of weight”: mina, 600 g.; shekel, 10 g.; ½ mina, 300 g.
DANIEL 6
With Darius now on the throne (539 B.C.), Daniel’s peers saw an opportunity
to finally do away with this Jew who was “preferred” over them. But Daniel
possessed an “excellent spirit,” and they couldn’t find any fault in him. At
last, they decided to use Daniel’s finest strength against him—his faithfulness
to the “law [dat]
of his God.” And so they plotted to destroy him by pitting him against the “law
[dat] of
the Medes and Persians, which altereth not” As you’ll
recall, chapter 3 (the chiastic parallel to chapter 6)* only included Daniel’s
three friends; now, Daniel faces a similar battle over worship, but alone.
The “presidents and princes” approached the king with what appeared to
be an excellent idea. They could test the loyalty of everyone in his new
kingdom. Knowing that a royal decree is unchangeable, even by the king himself,
and that Daniel would never compromise, the Hebrew would walk straight into
their snare! As anticipated, their plan moved along perfectly. After the decree
went forth, Daniel was observed kneeling at his window as usual. Three times a
day, in conjunction with the
Running back to the king with the news of Daniel’s defiance, the princes
began by confirming the law’s unchangeable nature. With that critical detail
settled, they proceeded to tell the king what the exile from
Returning to his palace, they king cleared his rooms of all
entertainment (“musicians”) and “spent the night fasting,” which is associated
with prayer.** As might be expected, he couldn’t
sleep.
Not waiting for sun up, the king “arose very early” the next morning,
and hastened down to the den. Charging his guards to remove the stone closure,
the king cries out, “Has your God delivered you from the deadly beasts?” He’s
heard about the prophet’s days in
Removing Daniel from the pit, “no manner of hurt” is found upon him
anywhere. Some may have concluded that Daniel was lucky, that the lions were
not hungry. But that is not true. Out of righteous anger the king had Daniel’s
accusers, along with their wives and children, cast into the den. This time,
with no divine protection, the people are immediately destroyed!
When all was said and done, the king made a decree, “That in every
dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is
the living God, and steadfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be
destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.” As for Daniel, he
continued to prosper under Darius, and Cyrus.
-------------------------
* The comparisons between chapters 3 and 6 include: jealousy as the motivation behind the Chaldean’s actions; an attempt to usurp God’s law with the
“law”’ of the state; the Hebrew’s faith is the focus of attack; Babylon’s
mechanical religion—a decree, then worship, and if not, death; the Hebrews are
“cast into” an earthly tomb (furnace/den); the king personally engages with and
speaks to “the dead” Hebrews; a heavenly being intervenes, standing beside the
faithful; and, both end with a blessing, a new decree, and the Hebrews
prospering.
** “The act of prayer has its roots in the event of
Creation. It is the faith that God has the power to transform misery into joy,
death into life, nothing into something.” “Pagans pray to what they have made.
Bible believers pray to Him who made them.” (Doukhan)
DANIEL 7
Daniel’s vision of the four world kingdoms, the “little horn” power, the
heavenly judgment, and the Son of
The first half of Daniel was written mostly in Aramaic and contained
stories about the Babylonian kings, and their encounters with
Chapter 7 is divided into three scenes, each beginning with “I [Daniel]
saw in the night visions” (vs., 2, 7, 13).
* Section 1: FOUR CREATURES crawl out of the stirring sea
* Section 2: FOURTH BEAST / LITTLE HORN (includes the
“judgment” and heaven’s “books” opened)
* Section 3: SON OF MAN
* The
INTERPRETATION of the vision
Also, using alternating lines of poetry
and prose, the author switches back and forth between heaven and earth,
revealing a close relationship between God (heaven) and His people (earth).
SECTION 1
(verse 2).
To begin, Daniel saw in his “vision by night” a wind-swept sea, which represents
the masses of the populace around the Mediterranean (middle-East and
SECTION 2
(verse 7).
Next Daniel “saw in the night visions” a fourth beast, different from
the first three. With “iron teeth” (the fourth metal in the image; 2:31-33), it
violently destroys. It represents the
Then the vision suddenly shifts to heaven, where the “books are opened”
and God sits in judgment. As a result, the little horn is silenced and the
beast destroyed.
SECTION 3
(verse 13).
At last, Daniel sees the “Son of Man” approaching the “Ancient of days”
on the “clouds of heaven.” Christ’s kingdom here is the counterpart to the
“stone” that crushed the image in Daniel 2 (verses 44, 45). Jesus applied both
titles—“Son of Man” and “stone”—to Himself (Luke 20:18; Matt. 24:27). We should
note that the Son is approaching the Father’s throne, to receive His dominion
and kingdom. This scene will become the background for Christ’s Second Coming to the earth in the New Testament (Mt.
26:64; Rev. 1:7).
The Hebrew eye detects three phases in this scene, divided by Daniel’s
choice of verbs (action).
Present
tense — The Son of Man was coming.
Past
tense — The Son had come to the
Father, had been brought before Him,
and had been given dominion.
Future
tense — They will
worship the Son, whose dominion will
last and will not be destroyed.
Thus, the Son of Man’s coming is
rooted in His previous participation in the judgment (see Rev. 22:12).
INTERPRETATION
(verse 15).
Having interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s
vision of the image (chapter 2), Daniel already knew about the future kingdoms.
So why is he “grieved”? No doubt it’s because of the “little horn” power, and
the “war” it will wage against God’s people! Daniel’s 70-years of exile in
Like the metals in the image, the four beasts represent “four kings” or
kingdoms. But there are ten horns on the fourth beast, which represent ten more
kingdoms (“kings”). Historians (including Joseph Mede and Sir Isaac Newton) had
long believed that these represented the European powers that sacked
* It began small
(7:8)
* Originating among
the ten, it is another, yet different, kingdom (7:24)
* It manifests
itself after the ten, uprooting three of them (7:8)
* It operates on
the spiritual level, even usurping God’s truth with its own speech (7:20, 25)
* Acting outside of
God’s laws, it becomes a persecuting power (7:21, 25)
* After
* It continues
until the judgment and Christ’s coming! (7:8-10, 24-26)
Only one application can be found, and it’s an uncomfortable one for
Christians. The “little horn” represents the waywardness of Christ’s Church. As Paul’s New
Testament letters and the warnings to the “seven churches” in Revelation
demonstrate, the Church had serious problems already in the first century.
After the siege of
The vision ends with good news, however! In light of the “judgment,” the
last earthly powers are destroyed, and Christ’s “everlasting kingdom” is given
to “the saints of the most high.” God’s people have overcome and been
“vindicated” (TLB) by the “court” of heaven (compare
12:1).
-------------------------
* A popular theory holds that there is a “gap” of time
(2000 years, actually!) between the fourth beast and its ten horns. It teaches
that ten nations will rise up in
* The symbolic “time [1] and times [2] and the dividing
of time [1/2]” is 3 ½ years. The same period of time describes the
plight of the Church (Rev. 12:14). The same time period (“forty-two months”) is
related to the beast in Rev. 13:5, a time that was still future to John, who
lived in the days of the fourth kingdom,
--Position on the little horn is not new, but had been
the understanding of Bible students for centuries.
--“Actually the Roman Catholic Church was virtually the Christian church in Western Europe
for about a thousand years…both Protestants and Catholics may regard it as the
embodiment our ‘our’ Christian heritage…” Maxwell, p. 121.
DANIEL 8
Daniel’s has a vision of a battling ram and he-goat, then more details
about the little horn and its attack on the sanctuary.
With the “first” vision still on his mind (with the four hybrid beast
and little horn), Daniel receives another. As this vision opens, he sees a ram
with two horns, one higher than the other, come from the east. Like the
lop-sided bear, it represents the dual-kingdom of “Media and
LITTLE HORN
(verse 9).
Now enter the “little horn” (from chapter 7*), but with a unique
twist. The four horns also grew vertically to “the four winds of heaven,” and
the movement is intentional. Daniel explains that out of “one of them”—the four
winds, not the four horns—came the little horn. Hebrew words have genders (as
does German and Spanish), and the word “horn” is feminine. Thus when Daniel
says “out of one of them [masculine] came the little horn,” he means, from one
of the four winds.* Coming on the scene in this way, the little horn power is
seen to be uniquely distinct from the other world powers, operating on a
different plane, just as the little horn did in chapter 7 (it did not grow out
of third kingdom or another horn there either.) The little horn comes out of
the north* (Ps.48:2), which is
associated with the place of God; in the previous vision it sought to usurp
God, and in the next vision (Dan. 11) it is called the “king of the north.”
So why does this vision proceed directly to the end-time “little horn”
power, leaving out
In chapter 7, the little horn symbolized the rise of the Christian
Church, which “grew great” out of the Holy Roman Empire and continued beyond
it. But the Church, as history demonstrates, also fell, as it strayed further
and further from the pure gospel. In its desire for growth and power, the
Church began to compromise with paganism, “Christianizing” unbiblical practices.
Further, it began to establish teachings and traditions contrary to Scripture.
For example, it instituted an earthly-priesthood, created the confessional, and
developed an elaborate system of religious “works.” By these acts of
“transgression,” the Church actually diverted man’s attention away from the
efficacy of Christ’s (“the Prince of the host”) priestly ministry (Heb. 8:1, 2), thus His “daily [tamid] sacrifice,”* or continuous ministry, in the heavenly “sanctuary was cast down.”
So also was His “truth” (emeth)—which is synonymous with His law (Ps. 43:3;
119:43, 44), the Ten Commandments.
In addition to venerating idols (Ex. 20:4), the Church adopted as its sign of
authority* the pagan “Day of the Sun” as a symbol of worship, an act that was
heightened under the Emperor Constantine (circa, 321 A.D.). And so, with the
assistance of the state’s strength, the little horn—the Roman Catholic
[“universal”] Church—“practiced, and prospered,” welding power at will. Those
who did not submit to its dogma and power it persecuted,
“cast down…and stamped upon them. This was the beginning of a dark spiritual
period, now known as the “Dark Ages.”
THE SANCTUARY (verse 13).
The terrifying scene ends suddenly when Daniel hears one “holy one” say to another:
“‘How long will it take for the vision [chazown] to
be fulfilled—the vision concerning the daily sacrifice,
the rebellion [transgression] that causes desolation
[devastation],
and the surrender of the sanctuary [qodesh] and of the host that will
be trampled underfoot?’” (NIV).
The answer comes back:
“It will take 2,300 evenings
and mornings;
then the sanctuary [qodesh] will be reconsecrated [sedaq; “cleansed”
(KJV),
“restored to its rightful state” (RSV)]”
(NIV).
Given that the little horn power rose up last and continued beyond the
fall of Rome, this must be the heavenly
“sanctuary” (the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed in A.D. 70.), where Christ
is ministering as our High Priest. So the question is, how long is 2,300
“evenings and mornings”?
This phrase is borrowed from Genesis 1 (Creation), and refers to a day. Daniel understood, then, that the
spiritual rebellion would last 2300 days. But are these literal or symbolic (a
day representing a year) days? If literal, it is about six years; rather minor
in comparison to Daniel’s 70 years of captivity. Contemporary scholars argue
that the number should be divided (1150 days), and assigned to the brief reign
of Antiochus Epiphanes (168-167 B.C.). But
his reign, nor his wicked actions, fit those of the little horn. And he
certainly didn’t last till the “time of the end.” Because of the vision’s is
symbolic, the days should be understood as prophetic years (see Ezek. 4:6). The
vision spans 2300 years—although this though would have been incomprehensible
to Daniel, we can see its fulfillment from where we stand.
Now the angel Gabriel appears to explain “the vision [chazown] [that]
concerns the time of the end” (NIV), or “the appointed time of the end” (RSV). Building on the little horn’s
human/spiritual features from the previous vision, Gabriel explains, “a stern-faced king, a master of intrigue, will arise. He
will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding
devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the mighty
men and the holy people. He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider
himself superior...[he will] take his stand against
the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power” (NIV).
Clearly, the prophecy is speaking about a power far greater than Antiochus!
History now confirms the prophecy. Not only did the Church grow in civil
strength, but spiritual also. The Church, or its leadership—the
Papacy—eventually set its self up as God, claiming to be God’s representative
and voice. And with the creation of a new priesthood on earth, and confession
to men, it equaled itself to the priestly ministry of the ascended Christ. Like
the previous visions revealed (Ch. 2—the stone
from heaven; Ch. 7—the judgment in
heaven), this power will come to a supernatural end when Christ sets up His
kingdom.
At the close Gabriel tells Daniel once again that the “The vision (mareh)…is true,
but seal up the vision (chazown),
for it concerns the distant future.” (NIV) (EXPLAIN)
DANIEL’S REACTION
(verse 27)
The vision and encounter left Daniel exhausted and ill. Daniel was
overwhelmed by the intensity of the little horn’s activity upon the Prince, His
sanctuary and His people. “I was appalled by the vision,” he wrote, “It was
beyond understanding [bin]” (NIV). Imagine
learning today that the rebellion on earth will grow far worse and last 2,300
years more! Who could endure such a thought?
But there remains yet another question: what is the starting point of the vision? Already Daniel knows that two more
kingdoms must rise up (
-------------------------
* The little horn. is “undoubtedly” the same as
Chap. 7: Daniel would have used another symbol for a new power; the fact that
this power alone is the same points to the necessity to recognize it; the same
“arrogance and intelligence” (v 23, 25); “attempts to usurp God”; “persecutes
the saints”; “succeeds the reign of the beasts and remains to the end”.
--V. 8 “the four winds [fem.] of heaven [masc.]; v.9 “out
of one [fem.] of them [masc.]
* North.: Also, God’s servant Cyrus, the messiah
to
*The word “daily”
(tamid)
means continual. Thus, the use of
words like “sacrifice” or “burnt offering” in some translations is assumed,
since there were many features in the sanctuary that were continual (i.e.,
burning candlestick, bread, incense).
* Catholicism’s claims. “…practice and tradition
had consecrated the Sunday to the public worship of God by the hearing of Mass
and resting from work.” (Catholic
Encyclopedia, “Sunday,” Vol. 14, p. 335.) “By the very act of
changing the Sabbath into Sunday, which Protestants allow of…Because by
[Protestants] keeping Sunday, they acknowledge the Church’s power…” (An Abridgement of the
Christian Doctrines, Rev. Henry Tuberville,
Excelsior Catholic Publ. House).
--In light of all the heavy sanctuary imagery (including
the sanctuary, atonement animals, sin, and the high priest [sar; v. 11,
25; Ezra 8:24]), the “daily” is probably the sacrifice that burned perpetually
on the altar, “symbolizing God’s faithful presence.” “…we derive our authority
for [Sunday observance]…from a living teacher, and that teacher is the
[Catholic] Church…” (Clifton Tracts, Vol. 3, p. 8; Tracts on Christian Doctrine, “Why don’t
you keep holy the Sabbath-day?).
--The daily
could be a reference to either “the long continuance of Satan’s opposition to
the work of Christ through the medium of paganism” or “the continual priestly
ministry of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary.” Either way,
Notes: judgment (ch
7) / cleansing
(ch 8);
Notes: Day of Atonement: totality of
“Daniel sees a heavenly kippur.”
**the hope of re-creation can only be found in the
Creator; judgment
& creation combined in Rev 14:7
DANIEL 9
Daniel’s prayer; a Messianic prophecy.
DANIEL’S PRAYER
Daniel 9 is set in the first year of Darius the Mede (538 B.C.), a year after
Daniel’s prayer—the seventh, last and longest in the book—is a prayer of
confession, wherein he selflessly identifies himself completely with
Daniel’s prayer closes with an earnest appeal for God’s sanctuary, city,
and people: “Hear the prayer of thy servant…Cause thy face to shine upon thy
sanctuary [miqdash;
8:11] that is desolate…O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do;
defer [delay] not, for thine own sake, O my God: for
thy city…and thy people…[who are] “called by thy
name.”
GABRIEL RETURNS
(verse 20)
“While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my
people Israel and making my request to the Lord my God for his holy hill
[Jerusalem/temple]—while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in
the earlier vision [see 8:16], came to me in swift flight about the time of the
evening sacrifice [minchah;
v.27]. "Daniel, I have now come to give you
insight and understanding [bin]. As
soon as you began to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you,
for you are highly esteemed [“greatly beloved,” KJV]. Therefore, consider [bin] the message [dabar; see 8:13-14] and
understand [bin] the vision [mareh; 8:26]” (NIV).
Gabriel (8:16) has returned to give Daniel understanding-bin regarding the earlier vision-mareh of the 2300
days. Thus, the 70-week prophecy below is a follow-up to the 2300-day prophecy.
70 WEEKS & THE
MESSIAH (verse 24)
24) “Seventy weeks are determined [“Seventy
'sevens' are decreed” NIV] upon thy people and
upon thy holy city,
to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins,
and to make reconciliation [“atone” NIV] for iniquity,
and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up
the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.”
Until recently, the Church held that this prophecy pointed to Jesus
Christ, God’s anointed Messiah. But contemporary scholars now argue that the
subject is the Antichrist! We’ll patiently study this passage for
ourselves.
70 Weeks. Daniel prayed
for
Thus, Christ’s
ministry in the heavenly sanctuary is of far greater concern than the establishment
of the earthly temple.
Weeks.
The “weeks”
are prophetic in nature: a day represents a year. The
“seventy weeks,” or 490 days, represent 490 prophetic years. The first
phrase “seventy years” (v. 2, 3) is written normal, but second “weeks seventy”
(v. 24) is intentionally backwards. Aware of this,* both Jewish and Christians
traditions have interpreted the latter as “weeks
of years.” The day-year principle is
used elsewhere in Scripture (Num. 14:34: Ezek. 4:5).
Messiah’s
mission. xxxxxx
25a) “Know therefore and understand, that from the
going forth of the commandment [“issuing of the decree” NIV]
to restore and to build
26b) shall be seven
[7] weeks, and threescore and two [62] weeks:
the street shall be built again, and the wall [“trench” NIV], even in
troublous times.”
Commandment.
As predicted, Artaxerxes’ decree in 457 B.C. (Ezra
6:14; 7:12-26) gave the returning exiles full
rights to rebuild their city and temple, and administer their own nation. The
starting point for the 70-week prophecy (490 years) would be 457 B.C.
Divisions.
The vision’s time-frame is divided into three parts. After 7 and 62 weeks—69 weeks (483 years)—would extend to the “Messiah the Prince.” One week, or 7
years, still remained.
Messiah.
The Hebrew word mashiyach
(messiah) means “anointed,” which is translated “Christ” in Greek (Matt. 16:16; Luke 3:15). Moving forward 483 years
from 457 B.C. takes us to A.D. 27, the very year when Christ was anointed
(baptism) for His 3 ½ years of ministry!
Messiah /
City. The Hebrew reader notices a poetic rhythm in verses 25-27,
which has been maintained in our modern division of the verses. Guided by the
Hebrew language, verses 25a, 26a and 27a all begin with a focus on the Messiah-mashiyach; the last half of each verse (‘b’) focuses
on the city-hrs,
26a) “And after threescore and two [62] weeks
shall Messiah [“the Anointed One” NIV] be cut off,
but not for himself [lit., “no one for him”]:
26b) and the people
of the prince [“ruler” NIV]
that shall come
shall destroy the city and the sanctuary;
and the end thereof shall be with a flood,
and unto the end of the war desolations are determined
[“War will continue
until the end, and desolations have been decreed.” NIV]”
Christ’s ministry would be “cut off” by His sacrificial death.
27a) “And he shall confirm the covenant with many
[rab] for one
week [“one ‘seven’” NIV]:
and in the midst [“middle” NIV] of the week [“’seven’” NIV] he shall
cause
the sacrifice and the oblation [“offering” NIV] to cease,
27b) and for the
overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation,
and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate [“And
on a wing [[of the temple]] he will set up an abomination
that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is
poured out on him.” NIV].”
-------------------------
- bin – used with 70 years and 70 weeks
* The prayer is chiastically structured:
A - “we have been wicked” (v. 5,6); B – “all
-
The name Yahweh, the God of the
covenant, never before used, is mentioned seven times.
* Cyrus (538; Ezra 2:65)—return of the first
exiles; Darius Hystaspes (519; Ezra
6:3-12)—confirmed the first; Artaxerxes-Longimanus
(fall of 457 B.C.; Ezra 7:13-26)—the
last, described in the singular, most thorough—temple and political (v.25), and
mentions God’s intervention (“praise be to the Lord…has put it into the king’s
heart…”).
* Compare 10:2, properly written (literally) “three weeks
of days.”
Isa 47:1
“virgin daughter”-who?; v.6-7 Who-“I
will continue forever”; Isa 13:17 “I will
stir up the Medes against them”; v. 19 “
captive 605 B.C.;
Cyrus is now ruler. He was God’s “annointed”
(Messiah) one for
Messiah
'anointed' Jn 1:41, Acts 10:38
James L. Merrills, M. Div.
Comments and questions can be directed to:
e-mail: magic@mr-jim.com
Here’s a brief summary :
·
E.
·
S.
First seal.
Ch 7 thrones cast-remah
– God’s respsonse to king cast (ch
3, 6)
“law” – civil/state laws already seen in Ch. 3,
6
Gun-Wielding Woman
The Deeper, Personal
Message of Daniel 7&8
G. Pfandl writes, “The primary purpose of the
investigative judgment is…the vindication of God’s people”; that is,
“judgment was given to the saints” (7:22). But I ask, what are the saints
“vindicated” of, and what exactly is the “judgment” that vindicates them? Let’s
take a closer look at what is at stake in Daniel 7 and 8.
We have seen how the “daily
[sacrifice of Christ’s priestly ministry in heaven was] taken away” (8:11) by
the little horn power through the creation of an earthly-priesthood, a new
system of salvation-by-works, an earthly confessional for man, and more. And
yet, it would appear that Satan’s attack (through the little horn) on the
saints and the heavenly sanctuary is about something greater and far more
personal than just skewing man’s understanding of Christ’s priestly ministry in
heaven.
Fast-forward to Revelation 12:10. Were told that “the accuser [that is,
the “Devil”—the driving force behind the earthly beast (13:1, 2)] of our
brethren…keeps bringing before our God charges against them” (AMP). The
word “accuser” (kategoros)
means “against one in the assembly, like a complainant at law.” Satan’s
accusations against God’s people are on a judicial level. We have transgressed
God’s Law. However, the sins of the repentant—as illustrated through the O.T. sanctuary—are symbolically transferred to Christ the
Lamb in the heavenly sanctuary, where God’s law resides in the heavenly ark
(Rev. 11:19).
Return to Daniel 7. Now then, our “accuser” has a legal case us against
us. Like him, we have rebelled against God’s government and transgressed His
holy law. Since we have sinned, we are deserving of eternal death, like him!
Thus, Satan challenges God’s willingness to forgive us, before the entire
universe! God’s character is on the line!
The “books” (v.10)—the records of the saint’s past actions—are opened
before God, the righteous Judge. Then, Christ, our High Priest—who is “always
living to make petition to God and intercede with Him
and intervene for [the saints]” (Heb. 7:25, AMP)—is brought “before Him,” as our advocate or lawyer. “My blood,
Father!” the Lamb (Rev. 5:6) pleads, “My blood was shed to cover the sinner’s
repented sin! Through my sacrifice I have paid the penalty for their sin in
full, to redeem them from the bondage of sin, and the grip of eternal death!”
Accepting man’s Substitute, the heavenly court pronounces “judgment in favor of the saints” (7:22;
NIV).
Pardon is now written opposite their name in the books. The judgment process
complete, the verdict “for the
saints” (RSV) is also a sentence
against their accuser. All sin is (symbolically) transferred from the sanctuary
to him. The sanctuary is now tsadaq: “cleansed” (KJV) and “restored to its rightful state” (RSV; “declared right,” YLT). The Kingdom
of heaven is handed over to the redeemed.
|
|
|
…
M
|
|
|
|
J
Y!
S
Or, email:
Last updated: Jan. 2, 2009
Copyright 1996.2008 by mr-jim.com