Its prophecies of worldruling empires are closely related to revelation. They must pay honor to nebuchadnezzar, before they went on with their real purpose for coming. The story of daniel motivates faithfulness despite exile in babylon. 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. Daniel prophesied after he was taken to babylon with the first captives. After an introductory chapter in hebrew, daniel switches to aramaic in chapter 27. The book of daniel has been called the apocalypse of the old testament. As a boy he was among the first exiles taken to babylon, and served god during the seventyyear captivity. The book of daniel is a 2ndcentury bc biblical apocalypse combining a prophecy of history with an eschatology a portrayal of end times cosmic in scope and political in focus.
As with all of scripture, the book of daniel is profitable for our study 2 ti 3. Why did daniel get all of the historical facts wrong in. The book of daniel says these young men were handsome, intelligent and quick to learn. Doctorow, loosely based on the lives, trial and execution of julius and ethel rosenberg.
The purpose of the book of daniel in the book of daniel the scriptures foretell how the lord will deal with the people of daniel the jews and the gentile nations. The book of daniel identifies the prophet daniel as its author daniel 9. The book of daniel is the only book in the old testament which prophesied in details about kings and kingdoms, which he had declared by name like persia and greece. Daniel may be compared to joseph, for both men had the gift of interpreting dreams. He can barely remember leading a normal life before the nazis came to power in 1933. The unusual feature of this book is that daniel wrote the central portion 2. The boys received new babylonian names daniels name was changed to belteshazzar, and they excelled in health and learning, despite existing on a diet of vegetables. The book 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. Further evidence of the books date is in the fact that daniel is excluded from the hebrew bibles canon of the prophets, which was closed around.
It is now recognized, however, that the writers knowledge of the exilic times was. He carried these off to the land of shinar, a to the house of his god, where he put them. Facts about the book of daniel 1,651 less than a minute the book of daniel is one of the books in the old testament. There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. The book, however, was written in a later time of national crisiswhen the jews were suffering severe persecution under antiochus iv. Furthermore he makes no mention of the fact that it was the edict of cyrus of 538. Daniel a nobleman like ezekiel, had been taken as a young man captive to babylon by nebuchadnezzar. Interesting facts about daniel barnes bible charts n daniel means god is my judge. Gabriel shows up later to tell daniel that god has plans to make an end to israels sins 9. The book of daniel portrays him as the babylonian king in the first year of. Daniel meets gabriel during one of daniels troubling visions it involves a ram, a goat, and a crazy talking horn.
He was a fearless prophet who also served as a fulltime statesman and parttime prophet. The book of daniel is a 2ndcentury bc biblical apocalypse combining a prophecy of history. 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. Daniel was a jewish young man, probably of royal descent. Doctorow tells the story of paul and rochelle isaacson corollaries to the rosenbergs through the persons of their older son, daniel, and his sister, susan, who are college students deeply involved in 1960s politics. The book of daniel was written by the prophet daniel. There are some striking similarities between the life of daniel and that of jacobs son joseph. The book of daniel 1971 is a semihistorical novel by e. All biographical details about daniel in the book are taken at face value.
Book of daniel is written in exile in babylon during the 6th century b. Watch our overview video on the book of daniel, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. We can read about the life of daniel in his own writings in the book of daniel and also in ezekiel 14. In the first daniel exposes the deceptions of the heathen priests, who have been pretending that their idols eat and drink in fact it is the priests. What you need to know about the book of daniel liberty university. He is the prophet who determined the times for the events. The book of daniel was likely written between 540 and 530 b.
Nebuchadnezzar is arguably the most complicated character in the book of daniel. This is a statement very similar to long live the king. Daniel lived at the same time as another influential guy. Jesus agreed when he spoke about the abomination that causes desolation, spoken of through the prophet daniel. In babylonia, daniel was like joseph had been in egypt. Daniel may have been famous for doing this for other people. 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. For hundreds of years, a descendant of david had been on the throne in jerusalemwell, besides one. Daniels superior way of life earns him great respect in the babylonian government. What is the famous story in the book of daniel answers. Daniel maintained a vibrant faith in god despite living. The book of daniel is one of the books in the old testament.
The book of daniel is placed in the time of the babylonian exile and concerns a person called daniel, who was portrayed as growing up in the babylonian. Interesting facts about daniel biblical facts and comments. Daniel is renowned for his wisdom and intelligence. After three years of formal education in the language and literature of babylon, he. He interpreted the kings dreams and was promoted to the highest rank. A prophet in babylon at the time of the overthrow of judah by the babylonians chaldeans. The book of daniel is about how god shows his everlasting wisdom, power, and faithfulness through one of israels greatest prophets.
The book says that daniel is its writer in several places, such as 9. He was chosen out to learn the language, and to work in the kings palace. Daniel is a notsonormal guy in a notparticularlynormal situation. At a minimum, daniel would be at least 82 years old when that occurred. Daniels prayer, and the vision of the seventy weeks 9. The traditional jewish and christian identification of the author of the book of daniel is, of course, daniel himself. He was taken on the first of three steps to overthrow jerusalem which happened in 605 b. Summary of the book of daniel the story of the bible. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. Daniel 8 continues the trend in chapters 2 and 7, this time. In the book of proverbs, you find this to be addressed numerous times when scripture is speaking of flattery. Jesus mentions daniel as the author as well matthew 24.
The book of daniel, originally written in hebrew and aramaic, is a book in both the hebrew bible tanakh and the christian old testament. 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. Daniels friends shadrach, meshach and abednego served as advisers to king nebuchadnezzar of babylon. Even though daniel goes down in jewish and christian history books as one. Daniel 7 parallels and expands upon chapter 2, revealing both the papal phase of the roman empire an. The assyrian periodwill be briefly examinedin order toreveal babylons rise topower,for it was inthe p ower struggle betweenassyria andbabylon that judahandhence daniel became involved. Daniels parents chose a hebrew name for their son meaning god is my judge, testifying of their faith in. The book of daniel, originally written in hebrew and aramaic, is a book in both the hebrew bible and the christian old testament writer. Facts about the book of daniel page 2 of 11 only one hope. Daniel the book of daniel is another book of the old testament that documents the various trials that members of the jewish faith are forced to endure at the hands of nonbelievers, this time focusing on the titular individual.
The ancient of days god doesnt get any lines in the book of daniel, but hes the hidden master, pulling. Daniel chapter 2 outlines human history from the mid6th century bc until the return of jesus christ. He is the prophet of dreams and visions, who enjoyed a divine gift, a heavenly wisdom and a surpassing understanding. This is puzzling to me because people claim the book of daniel was not written in daniels time but much later at around 165 b. The book of daniel is one of the most significant prophetic books in the bible. As a late teen he was among those deported from jerusalem by the conquering babylonians in about 605 bc. 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. In more mundane language, it is an account of the activities and visions of daniel, a noble jew exiled at babylon, its message being that just as the god of israel saved daniel and his friends from. All over germany, jews are facing the dangers of antisemitism, as they are no longer able to practice their religion, vote, own property, or even work. Deuteronomy deuteronomy is the fifth book of the jewish torah and the christian bible. The book of daniel introduction to the book of daniel in the bible. Jewish tradition asserts that the young men were made eunuchs in the royal court.