lesson number two & three introduction to the book

Lesson Number Two & Three

Introduction To The Book

7/10/2017 The Book Of Daniel

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• 931/30 B.C. - Division of the kingdom following the death of Solomon. • 723/22 B.C. - Northern kingdom of Israel taken captive by the Assyrians. • 605 B.C. - First deportation of the southern kingdom of Judah into

Babylonian captivity including Daniel and other nobles. • 597 B.C. - Second deportation of Judah to Babylon with 10,000 captives

including the king and Ezekiel. • 586 B.C. - Third deportation of Judah with the remnant taken captive to

Babylon, the temple destroyed, the walls of Jerusalem razed, and the city burned.

• 539 B.C. - Fall of Babylon to Cyrus II The Great of Persia. • 538 B.C. - Decree of Cyrus restoring the Jews to their homeland with the

first return from Babylonian captivity subsequently led by Zerubbabel. • 515 B.C. - Second temple dedicated in 6th year of Darius I the Great of

Persia. • 458 B.C. - Second return of captives to Jerusalem led by Ezra, the scribe. • 445 B.C. - Third return of exiles to Jerusalem led by Nehemiah.


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• Author: Daniel (9:2, 10:2, Mt. 24:15) – Daniel means ‘God is my judge’

• Date: completed 537 BC

• Themes – Kingdoms of World vs. Kingdom of God

– To encourage us to be faithful to the end and overcome the temptations of this world

• Key Verse: 2:44 “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set

up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms

and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.”


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THE AUTHORSHIP and DATING OF THE BOOK

• Many of Daniel’s prophecies are historically precise (e.g., Chap. 9, 11).

– Unbelievers do not believe in the supernatural; MUST find arguments against inspiration.

– Make many easily dismissed arguments for a date of writing about B.C. 160, after MANY of the events had occurred.

– Make many easily dismissed arguments for a number of “historical inaccuracies”.


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“Daniel is one of the best known yet

most complex books of the Old Testament. It contains the story of a

young Israelite taken forcefully from his homeland to be trained for diplomatic service in the great city of Babylon. He

rose quickly through the ranks, becoming one of the most respected

officials in the Babylonian government.”

-Hill & Walton, A Survey of the Old Testament, p. 452


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“The book is not intended to give an account of the life of Daniel. …Its

purpose is to show how by his provincial guidance, his miraculous interventions,

his foreknowledge and mighty power, the God of heaven controls and directs the

forces of nature and the history of nations, the lives of Hebrew captives and

of the mightiest kings of the earth, for the accomplishment of his divine and beneficent plans for his servants and

people.”

– Harrison, R.K., ISBE, p. 861


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• Daniel (and friends) taken captive from Jerusalem to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar’s army in 605 BC.

• From the third year of Jehoiakim, 605 (1:1) to third year of King Cyrus, 537 (10:1)

• Babylon replaced Assyria as the dominant world power

• God had responded to the unfaithfulness of the southern kingdom of Judah, leading to the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem (586) and giving rise to an approximately 70-year period of exile (Jews exiled from homeland—605 to 539)

• It was a period of national and theological crisis for the Jewish people


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• 605 - 587BC --- Jeremiah remained in Jerusalem.

• 605 BC --- Daniel taken captive to Babylon In 1st Deportation.

• 597 BC --- Ezekiel taken Captive to Babylon In 2nd Deportation.


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Jerusalem

Carchemish

Babylon

Pharaoh

Neco

Nebuchadnezzar


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13


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• Date of The Book

– Daniel is a contemporary of the biblical prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel

• Ezekiel —refers to “Daniel” as a hero figure for God’s people (Ezek. 14:14).

• Jeremiah — Daniel prays in response to the letter sent from the prophet Jeremiah informing Jewish captives in Babylon to settle down and build homes and be prepared for a 70 year captivity (Daniel 9:2).


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• Assyria --- 750 - 612 BC.

• Babylonian --- 612 - 539 BC.

• Persian --- 539 - 332 BC.

• Greeks --- 332 - 63 BC.

• Romans --- 63 - N.T. Era


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• Nebuchadnezzar --- 605 - 562 BC --- Reigned for 43 of the 73 year rule of the empire.

• Evil - Merodach --- 562 - 560 BC --- Released Joihachim.

• Neriglissar --- 560 -556 BC

• Labshi-Marduk --- 556 BC only reigned a few months.

• Nabonidus & Belshazzar --- 555 - 539 BC --- Babylon falls to Cyrus.


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• 539 BC --- Persian Empire destroys Babylon.

• 515 BC --- Temple is Rebuilt.

• 458 BC --- Ezra Returns to the city of Jerusalem.

• 444 BC --- Nehemiah rebuilds the walls.

• 400 BC --- End of the O.T. Record


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• 332 BC --- Conquests of Alexander the Great.

• 323 BC --- Alexander the Great dies.

• Diadochi rule --- four Generals struggle for 20 years to rule.

• Lysimachus Cassander Seleucus I Ptolemy I

Nicator Soter --- General of Alexander the Great

• Thrace ; Macedonia ; Bittyria ; Babylon ; Eqypt ; Syria


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• 300 - 200 BC --- Ptolemies ruled Palestine : Sept. translation produced.

• 200 BC --- Seleucids push down and take control of Israel.

• 200 - 167 BC --- Palestine under Seleucids

– Antiochus III (The Great)

– Seleucis II

• 175 BC --- Antiochus IV

• 167 - 164 BC --- Antiochus IV tries to stamp out Judiasm.

– Led to the Maccabean Revolt led by Judas Maccabaeus.

• 164 - 63 BC --- Jews have a sense of freedom and Independence. {Hasmonean period}

• Until 63 BC --- Arrival of Pompey and the Roman Empire.


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Dan 2:21-22 21 And He changes the times and the seasons;

He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise

And knowledge to those who have understanding.

22 He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness,

And light dwells with Him. NKJV

God Rules in the Kingdoms of the Earth


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Dan 4:17 17'This decision is by the decree of the

watchers, And the sentence by the word of the holy

ones, In order that the living may know

That the Most High rules in the kingdom of men,

Gives it to whomever He will, And sets over it the lowest of men.' NKJV


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Dan 4:25 25 They shall drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass

like oxen. They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules

in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.

NKJV


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Dan 4:32-33 32 And they shall drive you from men, and your

dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times

shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever

He chooses." 33 That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of

heaven till his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws. ---- NKJV


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Dan 4:32-33 32 And they shall drive you from men, and your

dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times

shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever

He chooses." 33 That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of

heaven till his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws. ---- NKJV


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Dan 4:34-35 And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted

my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and

honored Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom is from

generation to generation. 35 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as

nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth.

No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, "What have You done?" NKJV


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Dan 5:20-21 21 Then he was driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts,

and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like

oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till he knew that the Most High

God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses.

NKJV


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• When Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego came out of the furnace, Nebuchadnezzar realized that God had answered his challenge. – So, recognizing this God of Israel as ‘The Most High God,’ he ordered

Shadrach and his companions to come out of the furnace. Nebuchadnezzar’s understanding of the God of Israel had moved from recognizing him as ‘your God’ (2:47) to ‘the Most High God’ (3:26).

• He ordered that the name of Jehovah be respected in all his kingdom, and realized that God had answered his question: ". . . because there is no other God who can deliver like this" (Daniel 3:29).

• Sin tries to take hold in our lives and challenges us as Nebuchadnezzar challenged the servants of God. Who can set us free? There is only one correct response (Acts 4:12).


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IN CHAPTER FOUR – THE KINGS DREAM • He saw a tree growing in the midst of the earth.

– It was strong and grew to a great height. – It was lush and filled with fruit. – Gave shelter and provided food for the fowls and beasts. – It was visible to the ends of the earth and all flesh resorted to it – “and all

flesh was fed of it.” (KJV) • Then a watcher {guardian} from heaven came down and commanded that

the tree be cut down. – Stripped of its branches and leaves. – Fruit scattered. – Birds and beast driven away.

• Only mercy to the tree was that the stump was banded and left low to the ground. – vrs 15.


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IN CHAPTER FIVE – THE FEAST BEFORE DESTRUCTION • The Handwriting on the Wall:

– “fingers as of a man’s hand.” • Wrote: “MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN” – vrs 25

– The hand disappears with the writing left for all present to contemplate. – The King saw all of this – 5:5

• This was not attributed to drunkenness. • This seems to have a sobering effect on him – 5:6

– The King is terrified by what he has seen and desperate to know what it means – 5:7-9 • See Ezek. 21:21.

– It is the queen – probably Nebuchadnezzar’s daughter – the King’s mother that remembers Daniel and reminds Belshazzar of his abilities – 5:10-12


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IN CHAPTER SIX - DANIEL IS TARGETED... • The king is approached by Daniel's enemies - Dan

6:6 – They propose a royal statute, a firm decree - Dan 6:7

• That no petition can be made of any god or man for thirty days, except the king

• Under punishment of being cast into the den of lions – The king is encouraged to establish the decree - Dan 6:8-9

• Which according to the law of the Medes and Persians, cannot be altered

• King Darius signs the decree [Daniel's faith in God brought him success up to this point. But now the exercise of his faith could cause him to lose it all!

• What would we have done in his place? • As we continue to read, we see what Daniel did...]


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CHAPTER SEVEN MARKS THE BEGINNING OF PERSONAL VISIONS OF DANIEL

• The Four Beasts represent the Four Kingdoms in Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream – Dan 2 – The Lion with wings that stood like a man and was given a man’s

heart – 7:4 is Babylon. – The humiliation of the first beast is revealed by the plucking of the

wings • The giving of a man’s heart. • And being made to stand on two legs – 7:4

– Nebuchadnezzar was himself humiliated by being made to go on all fours and to graze like an animal – Dan. 4:16,25, 28-33, 37. • The humiliation that is pictured here in the vision is that which was made

know to Belshazzar in Dan. 5:1-ff.


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• The Bear raised on one side with three ribs in his mouth – is Medo-Persia – Dan. 2:39; 5:18-28; 8:20

• The Leopard with four heads and four wings is Greece – Dan. 2:39; 8:21.

• The diverse beast with iron teeth and brass nails is the 4th kingdom, the Roman Empire – Dan. 2:40-45; 7:23.


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IN CHAPTER EIGHT – THE RAM AND THE HE GOAT


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IN CHAPTER NINE – THE SEVENTY WEEKS


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IN CHAPTER TEN - TWELVE – THE TIME OF THE END “Not The End Times”


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lesson number two & three introduction to the book

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