Notes on Daniel

The Political Prophet
Key Verses: Daniel 2:21, 2:44; 4:17
Key Idea: God rules over all the nations of men.

Background & Introduction

1. Born about 620 B.C., Daniel was taken to Babylon as prisoner-of-war when Nebuchadnezzar invaded Jerusalem about 605 B.C. He spent the rest of his life in Babylon, dying when he was about 90 years of age.

2. Because Daniel was of “the royal seed” (1:3-6), he would been of the tribe of Judah.

3. His name means “God is my Judge.” The Babylonians changed his name to Belteshazzar, which means “Protect his life” and may have reference to the protection of the god Bel.

4. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego were with other promising Jewish youths and enrolled in a re-education school in Babylon. Ashpenaz, master of the king’s eunuchs, was placed over them. Upon graduation, these would serve as government officials to help control the people Babylon defeated.

5. These men were handsome, without any physical defects and were extremely intelligent.

6. Part of their training would have included the Chaldean language (cuneiform), culture, civics, and religion. Every day, Daniel had to contend with a pagan name, pagan religion, and pagan foods.

7. Daniel graduated “top in his class.” He was found to be ten times better than the others, 1:20.

8. Daniel was elevated to the highest political office in three governments because of his political skills and integrity, 2:48; 5:29; 6:2 [Babylon, Media, & Persia]. Even Daniel’s political enemies knew he was honest.

9. Character-wise, he was an example of religious consistency and firmness even as a teenager.

a. Though he was always willing to respectfully obey his superiors, he was careful to preserve a conscience void of offense. He spoke the truth with boldness and confidence.

b. His enemies found no flaw in him except his integrity in keeping the law of his God, 6:5. He was an example of honesty, humility, piety, and courage. He was willing to die for his faith.

c. Ezekiel praised him as a righteous man of the same caliber as Noah & Job, Ezekiel 14:14.

10. Daniel lived when Babylon invaded Jerusalem three times: 605 B.C., 598 B.C., & 587 B.C. Each invasion caused Jews to be deported to Babylon. The temple was destroyed in the last invasion.

11. Daniel saw the might and beauty of the Babylonian kingdom at the height of it power. He also saw it fall to the Medes & Persians.

12. Daniel lived long enough for a remnant of the Jews to return to their homeland after a 70-year captivity. During the exile, idolatry was purged and faith rekindled.

13. While Daniel was working in the courts of Babylon, Ezekiel was with the exiles in a work camp by the Chebar Canal in Babylon, and Jeremiah was with the survivors in Judah.

14. Kings under which Daniel lived:

a. Nabopolassar-------------- 625-604 B.C.

b. Nebuchadnezzar---------- 604-562 B.C.

c. Evil-Merodach------------ 562-559 B.C.

d. Neriglissar----------------- 559-556 B.C.

e. Labash-Marduk----------- 556

f. Nabonidus/Belshazzar--- 556-536, co-regents

g. Darius the Mede---------- 536 (interim), Persian kings

h. Cyrus the Great----------- 536-529 B.C.

15. Babylon was the greatest city of the ancient world, a pet project of Nebuchadnezzar.

a. The outer walls had a perimeter of 60 miles and were over 300 feet high, 80 feet thick, and 35 feet underground. It had 250 towers guarding the walls and 100 brass gates to enter the city.

b. The Euphrates River flowed through the city’s center. A drawbridge and tunnel joined both halves of the city. An artificial lake 25 miles north of the city fed a moat that protected the walls. The royal navy patrolled the moat protecting it.

c. The temple of Marduk (Bel) was in Babylon. In it was Marduk’s golden image weighing 50,000 lbs. Other gods/goddesses were also worshiped in Babylon with 53 temples and 180 altars.

d. One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient world was there, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. It was an artificial mountain covered with plants and watered by an endless conveyor of buckets from the river.

e. Like Isaiah & Jeremiah, Daniel predicted the fall of Babylon. Nations that do not respect human rights eventually are destroyed in God’s providence. Daniel prophesied the Persians would overcome Babylon. “Lenormant states that Chaldeans had a tradition that Nebuchadnezzar ascended the roof of his palace, and cried, ‘O Babylonians, there shall come a Persian to impose servitude upon you. A Mede shall be his associate’” (Henry H. Halley, Halley’s Bible Handbook 344).

f. Babylon today is nothing more than ruins and rubble though some streets still remain. Saddam Hussein restored the Ishtar Gate. Modern Arabs have a superstitious fear of the ruins and avoid it. Nitrites from brick mortar in the walls leech into the soil poisoning it. See Jer. 51:37-43 & Isa. 13:17-22.

Daniel’s Message

16. The God of Israel is superior to the gods of pagan nations. Prior to Israel’s captivity, she worshiped many gods. They proved to be powerless in protecting the Jews.

17. Idol worship destroyed the good character of men and the nations. It robs God of His glory and degrades the soul of mankind. See Psalm 115:4-8.

18. Jehovah has solved every problem while every idol failed. Daniel shows the humiliation of idols and the exaltation of God.

19. God’s kingdom is a central theme in Daniel. He assured the Jews that God was faithful to His covenant and promises. In His own timing, He would fulfill His plan and establish His eternal kingdom.

20. God’s sovereign will uses both righteous and wicked men to accomplish God’s will. Because this is clearly set forth in the book, it offends those who have a secular, atheistic, & humanistic worldview. We should not be surprised that these unbelievers have attacked the inspiration and historicity of this book.

21. Like its New Testament counterpart, the book of Revelation, Daniel was a great comfort to people who suffered for the sake of conscience. To those who face persecution and hardships, Daniel teaches the importance of endurance and faithfulness.

22. The book shows the need for those in leadership to have integrity of character. Small, petty minded men of selfish and low character covet power so men will judge them to be great. Godly, mature men of Christ-like character see leadership as a means of serving God and others.

23. Nine of the twelve chapters revolve around dreams of divine origin where God reveals His will using trees, animals, & images. The book teaches God’s justice, omniscience, omnipotence, mercy, holiness, and grace to Jews and Gentiles.

Is the book of Daniel Genuine?

24. Most denominational “scholars” today believe the book of Daniel handed down to us was written during the time of the Maccabees, c. 168 B.C. These men do not believe the book is what it claims to be, and judge it a work of fiction forged under the name of Daniel. The main reason for their rejection of Daniel is the book has descriptions of several miracles and predictive prophecies. Their naturalistic presuppositions will not allow them to accept prophecies & miracles so they have to interpret the book as having been written “after the fact” where a number of embellishments are made.

25. When one reads the book of Daniel, he must either accept that it is what it claims to be or he must reject it as a work of religious fiction. The book Daniel does not allow fence straddlers.

26. The first known attack on the book was by the 3rd century pagan, Porphyry, who was a neo-Platonistic philosopher. Uriel Acosta (1590-1647), a Jewish rationalist also rejected it as a work of fiction.

27. Henry H. Halley said, “We suspect that the real crux of the attempt to discredit the book of Daniel is the unwillingness of intellectual pride to accept the marvelous miracles and amazing prophecies recorded in the book” (Halley’s Bible Handbook 342).

28. It seems strange to see Christian “theologians” embrace the same theories set forth by unbelievers. If Daniel is merely fiction, then Jesus was misinformed when he quoted from it and attributed it to “Daniel the prophet” (Matt. 24:15; Mark 13:14).

29. Daniel 2:4-7:28 was written in the Chaldean (Aramaic) language, the language of commerce & government at the time. The book also possesses a number of Persian terms (Gleason Archer, A Survey of Old Testament Introduction 379).

Outline of Daniel

30. Prophetic History (chapters 1-6)

a. The man Daniel-1

b. Nebuchadnezzar’s dream-2

c. Fiery furnace-3

d. Nebuchadnezzar’s pride, insanity, & recovery-4

e. Belshazzar’s feast-5

f. Lion’s den-6

31. Predictive Prophecy (chapters 7-12)

a. Four beasts-7

b. Ram & He-goat-8

c. Seventy Weeks-9

d. Angels of the nations-10

e. Kings of the North & South-11

f. Until the end of time-12

Persian Kings (553-424 B.C.)

32. Cyrus the Great (553-529 B.C.). A son of Cambyses, an early Persian ruler. Cyrus united all of Persia & gave permission for the Jews to return & rebuild Jerusalem-2 Chron.36:23; Ezra 1:2; 3:7; 5:13; 6:3; Isa. 44:28; 45:1; Dan. 1:21; 6:28; 10:1-When Cyrus defeated Babylon in 536 B.C., Jewish priests wearing white robes met Persian officials & showed them Isaiah’s prophecy of Cyrus.

33. Darius the Mede (538-520 B.C.). While Cyrus the Great was ruling the Persians, Darius the Mede was ruling over the Medes. He is not the same who is called Darius the Great, a Persian ruler. Darius the Mede is never called by that term in secular history. Most evidences point to Darius as the governor, called Gubaru, ruler over the region know as Gutium. After Babylon fell into the Medes-Persians, Cyrus the Great appointed Gubaru as ruler over Babylon. Scripture calls him Darius the Mede, king of Babylon at the age of 62 (Dan. 5:31). He seems to have perished during the revolts of Pseudo-Smerdis & Darius the Great. By March 21, 520 B.C., the new ruler of Babylon is Ushtani-Dan. 6:1,6,9,25,28; 9:1; 11:1.

34. Cambyses (537-522 B.C.). Son of Cyrus, who was named after his grandfather. He was co-ruler of Persia for 8 years with his father. Herodotus the Greek historian says that Cambyses died in war with Egypt from an accidental, self-inflicted wound when trying to mount a horse. He suffered from epilepsy & may have been insane in his latter days. Not mentioned in Scripture.

35. Artaxerxes Gomates (7 months in 522 B.C.). He was a magus who falsely claimed to be Cyrus’ son. Usurped the throne of Cambyses by abolishing taxes for 3 years & reforming the Persian religion-Ezra 4:7,11,23.

36. Darius the Great, son of Hystapes (522-486 B.C.) was prince from a royal line of blood. Conspired with 7 other Persian nobles to overthrow Gomates. He outwitted the nobles by getting them agree that the new king would be the one whose horse first neighed after sunrise. The contest was rigged because his horse was trained to neigh on command. Some scholars believe that his personal assistant was the actual one who neighed. He cemented his throne by marrying Atossa, daughter of Cyrus the Great. Darius was a cruel man who assassinated Gomates & mutilated rebels publicly. Darius put down nineteen different rebellions & commemorated his victories on the Behistun Rock inscription. This inscription is above a spring-fed pool of water more than 500 feet above the ground on a 3,800-foot high mountain in Iran. He attempted to conquer Greece but was defeated at the battle of Marathon (490 B.C.). He did encourage the Jews to return home & rebuild-Ezra 4:5,24;5:5-7; 6:1, 12-15; Haggai 1:1,15; 2:10; Zechariah 1:1, 7; 7:1.

37. Xerxes, also called Ahasuerus (486-465 B.C.). Son of Darius the Great, grandson of Cyrus the Great through his mother, Atossa, Cyrus’ daughter. Though he became king when 35 years old, he was cruel, petty, & childish. He loved display and accepted flattery. When Babylon challenged his authority, he destroyed the city. He is mentioned 28 times by name in the book of Esther.

38. Artaxerxes Longimanus (465-424 B.C.), son of Xerxes & stepson of Queen Esther the Jewess. He received his surname because of a birth deformity where his right hand was longer than his left. He was a personal friend of the biblical Nehemiah-Ezra 7:1,7,11,12,21; 8:1; Nehemiah 2:1; 5:14; 13:6.

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