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Introduction tothe Book of Daniel

20 June 2010

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Daniel

Hebrew Name:

Daniye’l or Dani’el, which means “God is my judge”

Babylonian Name:

Belteshazzar, which means “Bel protect his life”

Location: First 13-23 years in Jerusalem

Rest of his life in Babylon & Persia

Family: Either a descendent of the king of Judah or a noble of Judah

No known wife or children

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Daniel’s Ministry

~628 - 605 B.C. Kings of Judah

605 - 539 B.C. Kings of Babylon

539 ~ 536 B.C. King(s) of Persia-Media

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Book of Daniel OutlineHistory of Daniel

Hebrew 1 God helps Daniel and his friends eat vegetables and avoid compromising their faith

Prophetic Plan for the Gentiles

Aramaic 2 God reveals 5 major kingdoms of prophecy

3 God saves Daniel’s friends from fiery furnace

4 God humbles Nebuchadnezzar & saves his soul

5 God uses a hand writing on a wall to decree doom

6 God saves blameless Daniel from hungry lions

7 God reveals more about the 5 major kingdoms

Prophetic Plan of Israel

Hebrew 8 God reveals more about the kingdom of Greece

9 Daniel prays & God reveals the 70 week prophecy

10 Daniel sees Jesus and receives comfort

11 God reveals more about the kings of Greece

12 God reveals more about the time of the end

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Theme & Purpose

Emphasize the sovereignty and power of God over human affairs (especially during dark days)

Encouragement, comfort and hope for Jewish exiles (and all saints)

Explanation of the time of the gentiles (586 – until Christ’s 2nd coming)

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Key versesDaniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. 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. He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the

darkness, and light dwells with Him. And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom

which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and

consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.”

– Daniel 2:20-22, 44 NKJV

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Jeremiah’s Prophecy

For thus says the LORD: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and

perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to

give you a future and a hope.

– Jer 29:10,11 NKJV, 597 B.C.

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Daniel’s Response

In the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the LORD through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the

desolations of Jerusalem. Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting,

sackcloth, and ashes.

– Daniel 9:2,3 NKJV, 539 B.C.

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Israel, Assyria and Babylonia

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World Superpowers

Assyrians – 750-612 B.C.

Babylonians – 612-539 B.C.

Persians/Medes – 539-333 B.C.

Greeks – 333-27 B.C

Romans – 27 B.C. – Christ’s return

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5 Kingdoms

http://www.sign2god.com/folders/beeld-daniel.jpg

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Deportations

721 Assyrians took Israelis to Assyria (2 Ki. 18:11)

713 Assyrians took Jews to Assyria (2 Ki. 18:13)

605 Babylonians took Jews to Babylon (Dan. 1:1-6)

598 Babylonians took Jews to Babylon (Jer. 52:28)

597 Babylonians took Jews to Babylon (2 Ki. 24:14)

588 Babylonians took Jews to Babylon (Jer. 52:29)

586 Babylonians took Jews to Babylon (2 Ki. 25:11)

582 Babylonians took Jews to Babylon (Jer. 52:30)

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Babylonian Empire

http://www.keyway.ca/gif/babylon.gif

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Persian-Media Empire

http://www.crystalinks.com/persia.html

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Greek Empire

http://www.teachinghearts.org/dr0imapgreece4.gif

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Roman Empire

http://ycdl4.yukoncollege.yk.ca/~agraham//nost202/module3/cphistory/graphics/roman_empire.jpg

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Revived Roman Empire?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Union_for_the_Med.png

Union for the Mediterranean (July 13, 2008- present)

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Application

1. Follow Daniel’s example of not compromising

2. Trust God like Daniel and his friends

3. Understand God’s plan for the last days

4. Study and pray like Daniel

Bibliography

Special thanks goes to the following:

Bruce Wilkinson & Kenneth Boa for their information in Talk Thru the Bible

Walt Henrichsen for his wisdom and insight shared during Bible studies he has led and in books, articles and e-mails he has written

Edward Reese for his chronology and dating in The Reese Chronological Bible