AUTHOR, like Ezekiel, a captive in Babylon

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