A dictionary style article on the biblical book of daniel. The sovereignty of god the selfdestructive pride of humankind the ultimate victory of gods kingdom. Daniel 1 niv daniels training in babylon in the bible. Daniel has several major theological themes which might be. You can then compare our appearance with the appearance of the young men who eat the royal rations, and deal with your servants according to what you observe. The book of daniel chronological diagram posted on april 23, 20 february 24, 2020 by cglamboy this file has been moved to my blog page with. Daniel gives details concerning the rise and fall of world powers from the time of ancient babylon right on down till the time when the kingdom of god crushes them out of existence forever. It is a book about the nature of left politics in this countryits sacrificial rites, its peculiar cruelties, its humility, its bitterness. Great examples of courage, faith, faithfulness, humility, patience, devotion, etc. Daniel, the hero of the book, was an exile in babylon carried away in the first captivity in 605 b. Chronological order of the book of daniel chapters 1 thru 4 captivity and interpretation of dreams and visions. In the course of the books opening stories, the kings keep realizing that daniels god is, in fact, everybodys god, or the only godand then they immediately do something entirely disrespectful and ridiculous like drinking. The chief problem with this viewpoint is it has the effect of undercutting the theology of the book itself.
God will bring about what the prophet has been given to foresee because of gods sovereign rule over the. Archaeological evidence for the bibles book of daniel. The ability of the prophet to foresee future events speaks to the key theological theme. Analysis of book of daniel themes by phd students from stanford, harvard, berkeley. Nine of the 12 chapters relate revelation through dreams and visions. The book of daniel contributes to the bibles unfolding redemptivehistorical storyline. This message grows out of the book s primary theme. Daniel s aramaic is closer to eastern aramaic rather than western aramaic much like that which is found in the elephantine papyri fifthcentury b.
That framework is a nested parallelism structure in technical terms, a chiasm. According to the bible what is the theme of the book of daniel. Jan 02, 2020 daniel served in the royal court of nebuchadnezzar and several rulers who followed nebuchadnezzar. They contained fragments of all the books of the old testament except the book of esther. Indepth literary analysis on the book of daniel by e. The book of daniel in biblical theology andy naselli. One of the dreams he interpreted prophesied coming world empires. The first half of the book chapters 16 contains stories in the third person about the experiences of daniel and his. If anyone knows any themes in the book of daniel in teh bible please list, if possible the main theme. I have been studying daniel for several years and have a website which goes through it chapter by chapter. Daniel who through the book received revelations from god. In addition, the captivating prophecy, imagery, and symbolism make the book of daniel one of the most read of hebrew scripture, our old testament of the bible. Book of daniel the eschatology of the book of daniel. The book of daniel is a composite text of dubious historicity from various genres.
Daniels superior way of life earns him great respect in the babylonian government. Of the book of daniel the primary theme the primary theme of the book of daniel is the revelation of israels future in relation to the gentile kingdoms now that the nation has gone into exile in babylon, and gods exaltation of daniel as a channel of revealing his will. By studying this book, we can better understand our lords references to it cf. In daniel 1, god gives daniel and his three friends knowledge and wisdom to help them stand out from the others in the babylonian court. As it happens, the book of daniel offers a readymade framework for unpacking its meaning in the workplace. Let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. Daniels friends shadrach, meshach and abednego served as advisers to king nebuchadnezzar of babylon.
There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. What is the main theme in the book of daniel in the holy bible. Like a plug in an outlet, the book joins itself to the bibles broader narrative, and, as the currents course through, the light of revelation shines on the way things will go until god brings about the promised consummation see chapter 2. Daniels prayer, and the vision of the seventy weeks 9. This is because it is unfulfilled, detailed, and pertains to the future of israel in the world, and the setting up of the messianic kingdom. In more mundane language, it is an account of the activities and visions of daniel, a noble jew exiled at babylon, its message being that just as the god of israel saved daniel and his friends from their enemies, so. The book of daniel in preterist perspective and in the days of these kings shall the god of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed. He ends up taking back the cream of the crop, the most elite and noble israelites, to serve at his court in babylon.
The book of daniel is apocalyptic in nature and belongs to the 6th century b. Daniel, theology of bakers evangelical dictionary of. Many will roam to and fro, and knowledge will increase. Taken into slavery after the fall of jerusalem in 605 b. It is easy to get bogged down in the details of apocalyptic literature when reading daniel and miss the important theology of the book. The big picture of the book of daniel bible commentary. It is a book about some of the beautiful and terrible feelings of childhood. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the book of daniel. The book of daniel records the actions, prophecies, and visions of the prophet daniel. According to some, the scholarly consensus on the dating of daniel is that the book of daniel was written in the 2nd century b. Its prophecies of worldruling empires are closely related to revelation. Archer, the principle theological emphasis in daniel, is the absolute sovereignty of yahweh, the god of israel. The book of daniel study guide contains a biography of e.
Daniel also has vivid, symbolic visions about the future of israel, world kingdoms, and the kingdom of godexposing us to some of gods longterm plan for the world. Pdf the student of this paper discusses the theological theme of divine wisdom that the main character of the book of daniel exhibits. Some of the major themes and ideas in the book of daniel are humility, our ability to resist, embracing work beyond our own power, following god, being prepared, and the importance of prayer. Discuss some of the major theological themes in the book of danial.
Foretells future world events to come that affects israel. The book implies that daniel was its author in several passages, such as 9. Key verses and themes in daniel bible commentary theology. While bible scholars debate issues like when it was written and whether it is historically accurate, the book of daniel consistently calls gods people of. Cultic motifs and themes in the book of daniel adventist. The book of daniel has sometimes been classified with the prophetic books of the old testament, a mistake owing largely to a failure to distinguish between the predominant characteristics of prophetic and apocalyptic writings. The book of daniel continues to spawn numerous studies, and the present article aims to contribute to scholarly efforts at a theological integration of its contents. The book of daniel begins with king nebuchadnezzar, the ruler of babylon, ransacking jerusalem. The book of daniel differs from the majority of hebrew prophecy.
This can be troublesome when trying to understand the events that take place in the book because there are many prophecies and symbols that appear and actually overlap one another. Essay on themes and ideas in the book of daniel 1851. Feb 06, 2017 the book of daniel is mostly a prophetic book. Daniel is one of the most controversial books of the bible, yet its message is clear and unmistakable. The narratives of chapters 16 have in common a single theme. Answer there are many secondary theological themes in the book of daniel that from bibl 105 co3 at liberty university. By the time you finish reading daniel, youll probably be wondering how all these babylonian and persian kings could be so incredibly thick. The book of daniel is followed by the prophet hosea, the first of the prophets in the book of the twelve. Daniel belongs to the latter group, a type of writing that in many respects sharply contrasts prophetic literature. Daniel 1 tells how daniel and his three companions were among captives taken by. Daniel is an extremely relevant book for our modern times. Key themes of daniel a vacation bible school curriculum by barry mcwilliams an ordained minister in the presbyterian church in america.
The book of daniel is a 2ndcentury bc biblical apocalypse combining a prophecy of history with an eschatology a portrayal of end times cosmic in scope and political in focus. Daniel a nobleman like ezekiel, had been taken as a young man captive to babylon by nebuchadnezzar. Another amazing fact about the book of daniel is that in 1947 the first of the dead sea scrolls were discovered. Book of daniel overview insight for living ministries. The validity of daniels authorship and prophecies is at stake. The book of daniel is a 2ndcentury bc biblical apocalypse combining a prophecy of history. Book of daniel is written in exile in babylon during the 6th century b. Pdf the theology theme of the book of daniel researchgate. The book of daniel 1971 is a semihistorical novel by e. The book, however, was written in a later time of national crisiswhen the jews were suffering severe persecution under antiochus iv epiphanes. The book of daniel stands as a unique mix in the old testament, for while it begins with history, it makes a strong transition at chapter 7, where it contains visions of future events significant to the jews. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The book of daniel is often read for its contribution to our understanding of endtimes events, but sometimes christians have been so obsessed with this that we have missed its main message.
What is the main theme in the book of daniel in the holy. Every king we encounterfrom nebuchadnezzar to antiochus iv epiphanes the little hornultimately is humbled in some way, whether by realizing god is above all or by being totally destroyed yep, those are the two alternatives pretty much. Key verses and themes in daniel bible commentary theology of. This chart shows you the precise chronological order, and then you will see. Doctorow tells the story of paul and rochelle isaacson corollaries to the rosenbergs through the persons of their older son, daniel, and his sister, susan, who are college students deeply. In todays excerpt from the most recent edition in the story of god bible commentary series, author wendy l. It is about the nature of guilt and innocence, and about the relations of people to nations. I love the book of daniel, it is probably my second favorite book in the bible.
L download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The beast had a head of gold, its breast and arms of. The focus of the book can be clearly seen in the structure which daniel employs. Daniel, theology of bakers evangelical dictionary of biblical. Hi debra, you asked 3 months ago about the word eunuchs. The book of daniel is no exception for it provides a wealth of information to those who would diligently consider it and its teachings. The big picture of the book of daniel theology of work. He was taken captive to babylon when he was 16 and became prime minister because of his interpretations of nebuchadnezzar dreams. The book of daniel opens with the backstory of his capture by the babylonians. Its message is usually not so fastit belongs to god. See more ideas about book of daniel, bible and bible knowledge.
The genre of daniel is narrative history, prophetic oracles, and it also contains some apocalyptic material. Daniel was gods mouthpiece to the gentile and jewish world, declaring gods current and future plans. Answer there are many secondary theological themes in the. The theme running through the whole book is that the fortunes of kings and the affairs of men are subject to gods decrees, and that, he is able to accomplish his will despite the most determined opposition of the mightiest. In a nutshell the main theme of daniel is to show how the worst that can happen like the jews being dragged as slaves to pagan babylon can be turned into a personal victory by those who stand for the right through any adversity. Daniel was the prophet for the israelites in babylon.
As with all of scripture, the book of daniel is profitable for our study 2 ti 3. A study of the book of daniel gene taylor1preface the study of any of the old testament prophets is a worthwhile endeavor. The book of daniel is not in chronological order as can be seen in the timeline below. This summary of the book of daniel provides information about the title, authors, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of daniel. Daniel 1 new international version niv daniels training in babylon. Doctorows 1971 novel the book of daniel is both a fictionalization of the then controversial execution of julius and ethel rosenberg as atom bomb spies for the soviet union in the cold war and anticommunist hysteria in the usa of the early 1950s and the mccarthy era, as well as an intriguing piece of fiction in its own right, a novel about a young man and his struggle to come to. The fascinating book of daniel teacher s notes page 2 4.
The book of daniel is about how god shows his everlasting wisdom, power, and faithfulness through one of israels greatest prophets. It is also observed that there are many intertwining theological, prophetic, and eschatologicalapocalyptic themes4 in the book of daniel. Daniel bridges the entire 70 years of the babylonian captivity from 605 to 536 b. The assyrian periodwill be briefly examinedin order toreveal babylons rise topower,for it was inthe p ower struggle betweenassyria andbabylon that judahandhence daniel became involved. Daniel with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. While bible scholars debate issues like when it was written and whether it is historically accurate, the book of daniel consistently calls gods people of every generation to faithfulness.
A study of the book of daniel church of christ in zion. Daniels own dream the four beasts the ancient of days and the son of man the explanation of this dream the fourth beast being the roman empire, and the ten horns the roman senate the kingdom given to the son of man fulfilled, according to calvin, at the first advent of christ and the early propagation of the gospel, about. The book of daniel presents a collection of popular stories about daniel, a loyal jew, and the record of visions granted to him, with the babylonian exile of the 6th century bce as their background. Book in the bibles old testament and the jewish tanakh the book of daniel stands between the books of ezra and esther in the portion of the hebrew old testament known as the. Nov 17, 2014 the theology theme of the book of daniel. In the days of these kings book perfectbound paperback 740 pages. Doctorow, author of the sociopolitical novel, the book of daniel, his first best known and most important work. From daniel and his three friends, we will learn the power of faith and commitment b. In either case, the theological point being made is that the jewish youths are remaining. Doctorow, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. The book of daniel is the apocalyptic book of the hebrew bible.
And in fact the book of revelation is largely a christian interpretation of the. A historicalchronological look at the book of daniel. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. A reworking of the biblical book of daniel in the book of daniel part 1 of 2 introduction all history is composed, declares e. The book of daniel is often read for its contribution to our understanding of endtimes events, but sometimes christians have been so obsessed with. Well the simplest way i can explain it, is as what our animals shelters do to the animals to stop reproducing by neutering. The widely held view that the book of daniel is largely fictional rests mainly on the modern philosophical assumption that longrange predictive prophecy is impossible. In this series, im going through chapter by chapter to see what daniels history got right and if he got anything wrong.
God is in control, no matter how things look, and his kingdom will one day fill the earth. According to the bible what is the theme of the book of. History a prophetical history of gentile world power from the reign of nebuchadnezzar to the coming of christ. Daniel emphasized gods sovereignty in relation to the gentile world empires and revealed him as the one controlling and overruling in their affairs, until the time of their destruction at the coming of his son. The date of the book of daniel is one of the most hotly contested themes in ot scholarship. The book of daniel, a book of the old testament found in the ketuvim writings, the third section of the jewish canon, but placed among the prophets in the christian canon. The overall theme of daniel is gods sovereignty over history.
Daniel and his 3 friends successfully bear witness to their faith before a hostile world. In any case, daniel, like revelation the other booklength apocalypse in the bible provides much valuable material relevant to work. Doctorow, loosely based on the lives, trial and execution of julius and ethel rosenberg. Background to the book of daniel sermon by johnny a. The book of daniel is one of the most significant prophetic books in the bible. The student of this paper discusses the theological theme of divine wisdom that the main character of the book of daniel exhibits. Daniel, as many other authors of the antiquity and the bible, writes of himself in the third person throughout the first part of the book. Daniel has several major theological themes which might be overlooked if we focus only on the difficult interpretive problems. Dictionary for theological interpretation of the bible.