He was brought
before King Nebuchadnezzar while young, and trained in the Chaldean language and
sciences
Da
1:17,18
CAREER OF,
Resembled that of Joseph;-Promoted to the highest office in the realm
Da
2:48
he maintained
his spiritual life in the midst of a heathen court
Da
6:10
MAIN THEME,
the Sovereignty of God over the affairs of men in all ages. The pagan king's
confessions of this fact constitute the Key Verses of this book.
Da
2:47 4:37 6:26
SECTION I.
Largely a Narrative of Personal Biography and Local History. It contains an
account of thrilling events and divine interpositions unsurpassed in the Old
Testament. It refers to six moral conflicts in which Daniel and his companions
participated.
First
Conflict. Between pagan Self-indulgence, and conscientious
Abstinence, in
promoting health.
Abstinence
wins
Da
1:8-15
Second
Conflict. Between pagan Magic and heavenly Wisdom in the
interpretation
of dreams.
Divine Wisdom
Wins
Da
2:1-47
Third
Conflict. Heathen Idolatry arrayed against Loyalty to God.
Loyalty to God
Wins
Da
3:1-30
Fourth
Conflict. A pagan king's Pride arrayed against Divine Sovereignty.
God wins,-the
king turned out to eat grass
Da
4:4-37
Fifth
Conflict. Impious Sacrilege arrayed against Reverence for Sacred Objects
Reverence
wins,-the Handwriting on the Wall. Belshazzar dethroned
Da
5:1-30
Sixth
Conflict. Between Malicious Plotting and the Providence of God over his Saints
Providence
wins. The lions mouths stopped
Da
6:1-28
SECTION II. Visions
and Prophecies relating to the controlling hand of God moving the scenes in the
Panorama of History, chs. 7-12
Da
7:1 - 12:1
INTERPRETATION.
The Book of Daniel is a companion to the Book of Revelation; both contain much
imagery which is mysterious. The attempt to fit the prophecies of Daniel and
Revelation into the facts and events of human history has produced and endless
conflict of opinions. The true interpretation of the details of the visions is
not always clear. Two Facts are generally acknowledged by candid scholars-
(1) That the
prophecies represent a partly veiled Revelation of Future Events in secular and
sacred history.
2) That the
visions point to the ultimate triumph of God's Kingdom over all Satanic and
World Powers.
In Chapter
Seven many commentators see the Four Beasts as representing the Four great
Empires,-Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome
Da
7:1-7
followed by a
vision of the Coming Messiah.
In Chapter
Eight another period of Medo-Persian and Grecian history appears under the
figure of a beast.
Chapter Nine
contains Daniel's prayer and a veiled prophecy of the time of the Coming of the
Messiah.
Chapters Ten
to Twelve contain additional far-reaching predictions and revelations of future
events.
These three
chapters have been the battle ground of theological controversy with many varied
interpretations.
CHOICE SELECTIONS
(1) The
Purpose of Daniel
Da
1:8
(2) The Stone
out of the Mountain
Da
2:44-45
(3) The Answer
of the Three Hebrew Captives
Da
3:16-18
(4) The Feast
of Belshazzar, ch. 5
Da
5:1
(5) Daniel in
the Lions Den
Da
6:1-24
(6) The Vision
of the Judgment
Da
7:9-14
(7) The
Soul-winner's Promise
Da
12:3
(Outline from Thompson’s Chain Reference
Bible)