How Do I Read the Book of Daniel?

Daniel is another great book but a confusing one. Most of us know Daniel for the lion’s den story and the three friends who wind up in a furnace. Great stories! As a child I loved them. Have you read the entire book? There are many visions and symbols in this book as well. It is confusing and it is a book that ‘rapture’ thinkers have used to defend their view. So let’s talk about Daniel and wind up this end of the world discussion before Holy Week begins!

The Book of Daniel is a book both Jews and Christians read (it’s in the “Old” Testament for us Christians). The book is set during the Babylonian captivity. The Hebrews were defeated and hauled into exile. While in exile the stories in this book happened. The main character is Daniel and he is a Hebrew who became an adviser to the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar.

As I said in my intro there are some great stories. There are a series of narratives (chapters 1-6) and then four visions similar to the stuff you find in Revelation (chapter 7-12).

The stories are great and you’d love them. Go read them! I’m not going to comment too much on them other than to say they are wonderful and inspiring.

But what about those visions in the later chapters?

First some background needs to be mentioned. The book is called “Daniel” and centers around Daniel and traditionally is viewed to have been written by Daniel back when this is all happening (6th century BC). The visions of Daniel would then be future oriented about things not yet happened. Many modern scholars say that this is not necessarily the case. They hold that the book was written in the 2nd century BC reflecting back on those times and talking about the experiences that have now already happened.

So what does this mean? Either Daniel writes about the future and writes the book. Or he didn’t write the book but it is about him and is still about his future telling. Or somewhere in between one finds the truth.

That debate will continue and never convince all sides to anything. Interesting note is that this book will help Jews suffering in later years during Greek occupation as it talks about their old Babylonian exile/occupation. And Revelation will do the same for Christians dealing with Rome. So both books are inspiring books that deal with facing impossible opposition and surviving.

But what about those visions? What are they about?

Vision 1: He sees four beasts (winged lion, bear, four-headed leopard, and a terrifying beast with ten horns). Among the last one with ten horns a little horn cuts off some of the other horns and Daniel sees God (“the Ancient of Days”) on his throne in heaven. Ushered before God is “one like a son of man” who will have an everlasting kingdom- yet to come.

What’s this about? An angel tells Daniel that the four beasts symbolize kingdoms to come (or already came depending on your view). Many scholars say the lion is Babylon, the bear is Median-Persian, and the leopard Alexander the Great and his four generals. The final beast is the Greek rulers of Mesopotamia called the Seleucids (named after Alexander’s general Selecus). Some will say no it is the coming Rome (NT). Regardless most think the little horn is the Seleucid king Antichous Epiphanes IV who waged war with the Jews and was terrible to them. He’s the guy that had a pig slaughtered in the Holy of Holies and the Jews led a revolt against. Who is the “son of Man” coming? This to many Jews is the hope of a Messiah who will come and make things right and Christians will see that happened in Jesus.

So if you see Daniel as the writer and this as a much older book he had a vision of Hebrew history some which he had witness to and others that he would not live to see and this is prophecy. Or if it is written later than it has all happened (except the Son of Man coming). Regardless this book is an inspirational one for the Hebrews who suffer under so many enemies.

Vision 2– He has a vision of a ram and a male goat (see chapter eight) which we are told represent Medo-Persia and Greece. A wicked king challenges God’s army and descrated the sanctuary. Remember the Temple was descreated!

Vision 3– This is the one rapture folks love and involves the 70 weeks (chapter 9). Seventy sevens are mentioned for the history of the Hebrews. Jeremiah had predicted that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. Daniel is praying for the temple to be restored. Talk of destruction by a future leader/ruler.

Vision 4– A long vision (10:1 – 12:13) that talks about an arrogant king who desecrates the temple, sets up a “desolating abomination”, removes the daily sacrifice, and persecutes those who remain true to the “holy covenant”. This too happened when the pig was slaughtered in the Holy of Holies.

What does this have to do with the end of the world?
I believe nothing! I believe Daniel is telling the Hebrew story and the struggles. Debates about when/where/what/who/details will continue but it is not about the end of the world. The Son of Man is an exciting comment that points to Jesus for Christians. But it is not about a future end in our lives.

So why is it used by end time folks?

The 70 weeks passage is a big one used by dispensational premillenialists. The seven represent seven years and amillennialists believe this all has happened. But the rapture folks (Dispensationalists) believe that there is a pause between 69 and 70 and we are living in it! The believe this passage is pointing to a future event and not a king who descreated the Temple in the ancient world! So the time doesn’t work and so there must be a ‘pause’ and that is the church age. The rapture will kick off the final seven years (final week) and the 70th dispensation will happen and then Jesus returns and the 1000 year reign happens.

This is an incredible leap and reading into the text. Read Daniel. Read it and you will not find this kind of teaching. The rapture stuff tends to read much into the Bible. Many scholars see that the seven is seven years or time periods but was fulfilled with Antichous Epiphanes came and did his thing. Whenever you think Daniel was written this still holds true. And if it was written during the Greek occupation time it like Revelation was a resistance book. If it was written before it was still a resistance book and one that held the future (which is the past for us today but would be future for Daniel). Some Jews believe the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD is the final event and would be the ultimate descreation of the Temple.

So what do I think? In closing I believe Daniel is beautiful, inspired, and holy. I believe that whenever you think it was written (and I have no problem with either view- early or late) it helped the Jews under Greek rule. It also covers history that while once future is now past. To create a ‘pause’ and work the rapture in is just doesn’t work for me. The very name dispensational theology comes from this patchwork theology. I think it is wrong and misguided.

I do believe Jesus will return. I love the hint of Jesus in Daniel. I believe Daniel is a great book and one we need. It’s God’s word.

So that’s that! I’ve written too much about the end of the world! Next week is Holy Week so let’s move in that direction. Please let me know if I left any issues out you want me to write about in this topic and I’ll come back to it later. But after Holy Week I’m going to move on to other topics.

Again if you disagree with any of these blogs I’m OK with that! Feel free to e-mail and let’s chat about it.

Blessings,
Derik