Living as God’s People

Studies in the book of Daniel

Outline of the Studies

Study	Passage
Introduction
Daniel Stands Firm in Babylon	Daniel 1
Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream	Daniel 2
When the Heat is on	Daniel 3
The Sovereign Lord Rules	Daniel 4
Belshazzar’s Feast	Daniel 5
The Den of Lions	Daniel 6
Daniel’s Visions	Daniel 7-12

Introduction

Daniel is a small book with a significant message about world history. God is in control of the present and He is working to a future goal which He discloses to His faithful servant Daniel.

Daniel was a statesman rather than a typical Old Testament prophet. He and some of his countrymen had been taken as hostages to Babylon in 605 BC after Judah is overrun (see

2 Chronicles 26:5ff for the reasons.) He and his companions were about nineteen or twenty. The full horror of this time is reflected in Habakkuk 1 - the land which had been part of God’s promise to His people was distant. It must have seemed as if God had completely abandoned His people by allowing this to happen and hard to see the hand of God in their present circumstances.

Psalm 137 expresses how some of them felt - probably ones who resisted all attempts to assimilate them into Babylonian society. When Daniel was put into the lion’s den he must have been somewhere between eighty and ninety. He had therefore seen the people of God oppressed and down-trodden for many years.

This is one of the few Old Testament books which is universal in outlook, not being addressed directly to Israel. It firstly encourages faithful believers in difficult times - God will triumph. Secondly it challenges them to be loyal to God and keep the faith while living in a pagan and oppressive society. The date of writing has been disputed but for our studies it will be assumed that it was written soon after the events it describes i.e. towards the end of the sixth century in Babylon. Most of the book is written in Hebrew but a section (2:4- 7:28) is in Aramaic, the language of international diplomacy. This part is of most interest to non-Jews and may have been circulated separately beyond Jewish boundaries.

The book can be separated into two parts. The first part incorporates chapters 1-6 and relates to historical events in Babylon over a period of 70 years. It describes in narrative style the events in the lives of Daniel and his friends that vindicate God’s power in the palace court. They did this by refusing to compromise their religious faith and practice. This is seen in the matter of certain foods, (1:8-16), in the area of idolatry (3:16-18), and in Daniel’s commitment to regular prayer (6:10). In this sense their lives were examples to Jews in succeeding centuries who faced pressure to compromise and the threat of persecution as well as examples to us. As God’s people we will always find that we are swimming against the tide. But what are the parallels in our situation - can we recognise the issues over which we need to resist compromising our faith?

The actions of Daniel and his friends led to the demonstration of God’s power to heathen rulers who were forced to acknowledge it (3:28, 4:34-37, 6:25-28). The purpose of these chapters is not so much to relate historical events for their own sake but to provide the message that God is sovereign and supreme over all other kings and gods. He is the one who in fact rules human kingdoms. He is the one who sets up kings, evaluates their rule and removes them when they fail.

The same message is the main focus in the second half of the book, chapters 7-12. The account is now told in the first person. These chapters were written in apocalyptic style with dreams and visions which focus particularly on the sequence of world powers and bring a message of assurance to the righteous.

Daniel’s interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in chapter 2 introduces a view of how history is going to unfold and this understanding is elaborated in chapters 7-12. four empires were to succeed each other to be followed by a fifth which would be the unshakeable, eternal kingdom of God (2:36-45). This should not be regarded as a detailed account of things of the last days with events being ticked off as they happen. Rather it is a summary of the events from the beginning of the exile to the end of the age and it conveys God’s Sovereignty and the certainty of His intervention in power. The `Ancient of Days’ will destroy the evil kingdoms and give their dominion to the `saints of the Most High’ (7:9-28).

Daniel was a believer, used by God in a foreign country, by a hostile government to give Him glory. The important thing to remember is that when his life depended of him compromising his faith, he went against the tide and put his life on the line. There is no guarantee for the people of God that they will live oppression-free lives. There is however the knowledge that because of God keeping His promises in the past and because of the prophecies that have been fulfilled, in the end God will bring victory.