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Bryan Hudgens

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620BC - Daniel born612BC - Fall of Assyrian empire605BC - Babylonians now dominant power 602BC? - Nebuchadnezzar’s dreamUNKNOWN - Nebuchadnezzar’s statue586BC - Temple destroyed in 3d Babylonian seige605-562BC = zenith of Babylonian power under Nebuchadnezzar - largest city in world at time539BC - Babylon falls to Persia

The background (quick recap)

Daniel & friends taken captive in 605BCProbably about 15 years old, based on Hebrew word describing them Noble descent, so likely a pretty solid guyBabylonian university-level education to prepare for government service (3 years, per Persian literature)Like Joseph, God gifted him with dream interpretation

Daniel had previously interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream

A giant statue: Head = Babylon, Chest/arms = Medo-Persia, stomach = Greece, legs = Rome, feet = future revived RomeContinuous dominating empires from 605BC to almost 1500AD (1453 in East, 1476 in West)Head = Babylon = goldNebuchadnezzar honors God

Nebuchadnezzer orders all officials to bow to a giant golden statue

Why? Records of a revolt in 10th year of Nebu’s reign - loyalty test?Who? Apparently lots of people, much/all of his leadership (v 2-3)NOT Daniel - several explanations - Away on a mission? Sufficiently senior not to need to show loyalty? Too powerful to threaten? “Ruler over entire province” - someone had to run the show while Nebuchadnezzar was out of townWhat? Giant golden statue - likely all gold to signal, contrary to dream, Babylonian rule will never endWas it Nebuchadnezzar? Probably not - Babylonian kings not divine, so not worshipped; also would be strangely stylized as 90 x 9 foot humanProbably doesn’t matter - it still required actions no true follower of God could takeWas it anti-semitic? Possibly - Most non-Jews were polytheistic, so this loyalty test could be OKASIDE: In the recent history of Ghana the President allowed a slightly more than life-size statue of himself to be erected in front of Parliament House, Accra. He ‘could tolerate no disunity in Ghana, which he shaped into a monolithic republic under the complete control of his party and dominated by his own personality as President (1960)’ (J. D. Fage, A Short History of Africa, Penguin Africa Library, 1962, pp. 251f.). An inscription on the side bore the words, ‘Seek ye first the political kingdom and all other things shall be added unto you.’ The statue was religiously controversial from the beginning and was destroyed after the bloodless coup of 1966. Cf. Africa Survey, No. 50, October 1975, p. 46. I am indebted to Dr Myrtle S. Langley for drawing my attention to these details.Baldwin, J. G. (1978). Daniel: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 23, p. 110). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

The punishment - incineration in a fire

Daniel’s 3 friends refuseAccused by others Offered 2d chance - still refuse, saying God can but not must rescue themDocumented Babylonian punishment, per code of HammurabiJeremiah records this happening to two Judean false prophets - Zedekiah & Ahab

Who wrote Daniel?

Contested since Porphyry, 3d century AD philosopher - argued for 2d century BC based on background, historical circumstances related to Antiochus EpiphanesOther late-date arguments: alleged historical errors, loaned words from Greek & Persian, and punch line: denial of predictive prophecyBoth Jewish and Christian (cf. ) tradition have held that the author of this book is Daniel, a Jew who lived during the sixth-century b.c. Babylonian exile.Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1581). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

Contested since Porphyry, 3d century AD philosopher - argued for 2d century BC based on background, historical circumstances related to Antiochus EpiphanesOther late-date arguments: alleged historical errors, loaned words from Greek & Persian, and punch line: denial of predictive prophecyBoth Jewish and Christian (cf. Matt. 24:15) tradition have held that the author of this book is Daniel, a Jew who lived during the sixth-century b.c. Babylonian exile.Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1581). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

Was Daniel a prophet?

Jesus says yes…()Hebrew Bible has Daniel with the “Writings”, not the “Prophets”Some suggest prophecy only operates in IsraelBut...Ezekiel only prophesied in exile

Jesus says yes…(Matt 24:15)Hebrew Bible has Daniel with the “Writings”, not the “Prophets”Some suggest prophecy only operates in IsraelBut...Ezekiel only prophesied in exile

When was Daniel written?

Early date: 6th century BC by Daniel

Late date: 2d century BC

Contested since Porphyry, 3d century AD philosopher - argued for 2d century BC based on background, historical circumstances related to Antiochus Epiphanes

Other late-date arguments:

Not part of “prophets”, too apocalyptic (popular in 2d century BC), alleged historical errors, loaned words from Greek & Persian, and punch line: denial of predictive prophecyThe story is fantastic - the size of the statue, the gold plating, the heat of the furnace, the miraculous preservationColossus of Rhodes was documented as 10 cubits taller than Nebuchadnezzar’s statueGold plating shown to be common Early date points:Daniel says he wrote it in 6th century BCDaniel was senior gov’t official, not formally a prophetVery detailed history hard to preserve for 400 yearsQumran scrolls found before suggested late date (165BC), and support early date textDaniel IS accepted by Jews, so must have come before intertestamental periodApocolyptic literature dates to 6th century (Ezekiel)Actually very few Greek loan words, which suggests earlier date

Why Daniel is important

Most commentators view this story as metaphor, not history (I don’t, for what that’s worth)Establishes predictive prophecyTeaches God retains dominion even when world empires are evil (Remember, we “will have trouble”)We can be faithful in exile, surrounded by the World’s influencesGod can, but not must, vindicate us against the World’s powers

Supporting text

Daniel and his friends were taken into exile in 605 B.C. They served mighty Nebuchadnezzar, who ruled the Babylonian empire until 562. Nebuchadnezzar’s successors were Evil-Merodach, Neriglissar, Labashi-Marduk, and Nabonidus. Nabonidus spent much of his reign in Tema worshiping the moon god. His son Belshazzar served as his vice-regent. Though the Book of Daniel calls Belshazzar “king,” it hints that he was really second in command in the kingdom (5:7, 16). Cyrus the Persian conquered Babylon in 539 and made Gubaru governor over the city. Daniel retained a high civil office under the Persians.Dockery, D. S., Butler, T. C., Church, C. L., Scott, L. L., Ellis Smith, M. A., White, J. E., & Holman Bible Publishers (Nashville, T. . (1992). Holman Bible Handbook (p. 448). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.Daniel, whose name means “God is judge,” was carried into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon in the third year of Jehoiakim (1:1), which, according to the Babylonian system of reckoning, was 605 b.c. Apparently, he was of noble descent, and was selected to become the king’s courtier in a foreign land. He received special training in Babylon, but was distinguished from his peers by a God-given ability to interpret dreams. Like Joseph in Egypt, God raised up Daniel to be his spokesperson in Babylon. VanGemeren, W. A. (1995). Daniel. In Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Vol. 3, p. 589). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.2:1–49 Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream of a Great Statue. Daniel’s God shows himself superior by revealing to Daniel both the content and the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1587). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.Daniel interpreted the parts of the colossal statue to represent four empires in historical succession. The head represented the kingdom of Babylon (605–539 BC). The chest and arms symbolized the Medo-Persian Empire (539–331 BC). The stomach and thighs stood for the Greek Empire (331–146 BC). The legs referred to the Roman Empire (146 BC–AD 1476 in the West and AD 1453 in the East). The feet were mixed of iron and clay and represented a future continuation or revival of Rome. Rydelnik, M. (2017). Daniel. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1327). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.Babylonian records indicate that there was a revolt against Nebuchadnezzar during the tenth year of his reign, so this may have led to the king’s desire for the loyalty test described here. Rydelnik, M. (2017). Daniel. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1329). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.3:8–12. No indication is given of the size of the multitude that assembled on this occasion. But because it included all the kingdom’s officials (vv. 2–3) it must have been huge.Pentecost, J. D. (1985). Daniel. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1338). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.Nebuchadnezzar probably decked the entire thing in gold to negate the message conveyed by the statue of his dream, wherein only the head was gold and signaled that the Babylonian Empire would only be temporaryRydelnik, M. (2017). Daniel. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1329). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.3:1 The image of gold reflects the enormous statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, except it is made entirely of gold, as if Nebuchadnezzar were asserting that there would be no other kingdoms after his. Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1591). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.Although some conjecture that the gold statue was of Nebuchadnezzar himself, this is unlikely because the Babylonians did not believe their king was divine. More likely, the image was of a Babylonian god, perhaps Nebuchadnezzar’s patron Nabu or the chief Babylonian god Marduk. Nebuchadnezzar made this demand as some form of loyalty oath to him personally.Rydelnik, M. (2017). Daniel. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1329). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.1:4 The Hebrew word for young men here literally means “children” or “boys” and probably refers to teenagers, a good estimate being around age fifteen. Chaldean language and literature refers to an ancient university-style education in Sumerian, Akkadian, and Aramaic.Rydelnik, M. (2017). Daniel. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1324). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.1:5 Persian literature shows that three years was the customary time allotted for such training.Rydelnik, M. (2017). Daniel. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1324). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.Under Ashurbanipal, Assyrians capture and destroy Babylon. 649Birth of Jeremiah 640?Jeremiah’s call to be a prophet; warns of invasion from the north 626Birth of Ezekiel 623Birth of Daniel 620Under Nabopolassar (626–605) Asshur and Nineveh fall, marking the end of the Assyrian Empire. 612Babylonians and Medes take Harran from what remained of Assyrian forces. 610Jeremiah’s temple sermon 609Josiah killed by the Egyptians at Megiddo 609Babylonians defeat Pharaoh Neco of Egypt at Carchemish. The Babylonians hold the balance of power in the region. 605Rydelnik, M. (2017). Daniel. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1322). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.The Babylonians besiege Jerusalem; some of the royal family and nobles, including Daniel, are taken to Babylon. 605Daniel and his Hebrew companions are trained to serve Nebuchadnezzar. 604–603Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the colossal statue and Daniel’s interpretation 602Jerusalem falls to the third Babylonian siege and the temple is destroyed. 586Nebuchadnezzar’s seven years of insanity 573–566Evil-merodach, Nebuchadnezzar’s son, succeeds him as king of Babylon. 562Rydelnik, M. (2017). Daniel. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1323). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.3:12 Daniel himself is curiously absent; perhaps he is away on a mission, or perhaps above the administrative rulers mentioned in 3:3 and thus immune from such displays of Nebuchadnezzar’s pride, or perhaps the Chaldeans did not feel safe accusing Daniel.Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1591). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.Incineration in a furnace of blazing fire—a punishment that Nebuchadnezzar had also used on two Judean false prophets, Zedekiah and Ahab ()—was a normal Babylonian penalty as seen in the Code of Hammurabi, Sections 25, 110, and 157.Rydelnik, M. (2017). Daniel. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1330). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.3:17–18 The king offered Daniel’s friends a second chance to worship the idol, but they persistently refused. The Aramaic imperfect verb yeseziv (“he can rescue”) in this context indicates possibility and not certainty. They were saying that God might deliver them or he might choose not to do soRydelnik, M. (2017). Daniel. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1330). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.As with the first two chapters, is set during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. This is the first chapter, however, that does not give a more precise chronological marker. We do not know how much time has elapsed since the previous episode, but we must imagine a gap of not a few years to account for Nebuchadnezzar’s shift from honoring the God of Daniel as he did at the end of chapter 2 to throwing that God’s devotees into a burning furnace.11 The lxx felt the tension and filled in the gap by saying that this episode took place in the king’s eighteenth year. This is likely an attempt to associate the ceremony with a celebration of his taking of Jerusalem (cf. ) and is improbable.Longman, T., III. (1999). Daniel (p. 96). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.The fantastic details of the court story (e.g., the size of the golden image, the intense heat of the furnace) and the element of the miraculous (i.e., the preservation of the three Hebrews in the midst of roaring flames of the furnace) have prompted a majority of biblical interpreters to view the story metaphorically rather than historically (e.g., Anderson, 27–29; Gowan, 62–63; Towner, 48). YetHill, A. E. (2008). Daniel. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Daniel–Malachi (Revised Edition) (Vol. 8, p. 73). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.Yet Baldwin, 100, points out that the Colossus of Rhodes stood seventy cubits high (ten cubits taller than Nebuchadnezzar’s statue or stele) and that both the OT (e.g., ; ) and the Greek historian Herodotus refer to the practice of overlaying images with gold plating. Hill, A. E. (2008). Daniel. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Daniel–Malachi (Revised Edition) (Vol. 8, p. 73). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.The author of Daniel does not inform us whether the image was a god or the king himself? In one sense, this distinction does not matter. Whether deity or the divinized king, the command was to worship and bow down to this statue, to treat it or what it represented as the most important power in the universe. Such a command was impossible for a faithful follower of the true God to obey, and that is the point of the text.Longman, T., III. (1999). Daniel (p. 97). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.The gold of this statue links the story with Nebuchadnezzar’s recently described dream in which he was the head of gold. Perhaps this is a clue that the statue was indeed of the king, though rarely did Mesopotamian kings present themselves as gods, and we have no other evidence that Nebuchadnezzar broke this tradition.Longman, T., III. (1999). Daniel (p. 98). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.The majority of commentators regard this chapter as a kind of allegory rather than as a historical event. Every aspect of the story has in turn been called in question, but evidence has been produced to establish the realism of its features, strange as they are to the modern western reader. If an obelisk ninety feet in height be regarded as improbable, the colossus of Rhodes was higher (70 cubits as opposed to 60). As for the overlaying of images with gold, not only have some examples of this gold-plating been found, but the practice is referred to in Isaiah (40:19; 41:7) and Jeremiah (10:4), and in the writings of Herodotus.4141 Herodotus 1:183, and quoted by Montgomery (ICC, p. 193). Herodotus is referring, however, to the Babylon of his day, under the Persians.Baldwin, J. G. (1978). Daniel: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 23, p. 111). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.Death by burning at the hands of Nebuchadrezzar is recorded in , and a directive of the ruler Rim Sin (1750 bc) of Larsa, ‘Because they threw a young slave into an oven, throw ye a slave into a furnace,’42 proves that the idea did not originate with Nebuchadrezzar. Thus there is nothing improbable about the story until it comes to the miraculous intervention by which the lives of the three men were saved and a fourth accompanied them in the furnace. 42 John B. Alexander, ‘New Light on the Fiery Furnace’, JBL, 69, 1950, pp. 375f.; Emil G. Kraeling, Rand McNally Bible Atlas (Collins, 1956), p. 323. Alexander concludes: ‘Now while the parallel is not exact, in the decree of Rim-Sin as in that of Nebuchadrezzar, a human being is thrown into a furnace apparently as a form of punishment. It may be mere coincidence that the author of has described a method of punishment actually used by a Babylonian king some 1200 years earlier, but it may be that this practice persisted to much later times and is correctly reflected in the book of Daniel.’Baldwin, J. G. (1978). Daniel: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 23, pp. 111–112). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.6. No other nation but the Jews would feel this edict oppressive; for it did not prevent them worshipping their own gods besides. It was evidently aimed at the Jews by those jealous of their high position in the king’s court, who therefore induced the king to pass an edict as to all recusants, representing such refusal of homage as an act of treason to Nebuchadnezzar as civil and religious “head” of the empire. So the edict under Darius () was aimed against the Jews by those jealous of Daniel’s influence.Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 1, p. 626). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.The size of the image and its shape are both remarkable. In height it vied with the date-palms that still grow in the plains of Iraq to approximately the height of this image (90 feet), and it was almost as slender, at nine feet in width. It must have been more like an obelisk than a statue, and stylized if it resembled a human being at all. The writer, however, is not interested in such details, but rather in the ideology it stands for and to which he cannot subscribe. The incident represents the conflict between worship of the true God and the humanistic use of religion to boost the power of the rulers of this world.40 It is characteristic of idolatry that the idol is at the worshipper’s disposal to achieve his ends40 Daniel’s position in the English Bible is different from that in the Hebrew Bible. In the Hebrew Bible it is placed in the third group—the Writings—after Esther and before Ezra-Nehemiah. The reason is not entirely clear. Critics have argued that the book was not written until after the prophetic era, after the second section (the Prophets) was already closed, and therefore that it could only be included in the last section of the Hebrew Bible.VanGemeren, W. A. (1995). Daniel. In Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Vol. 3, p. 590). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.Others, contending that the spirit of prophecy does not operate outside Israel, have argued that Daniel was not a prophet at all. Against this view, however, it must be noted that Ezekiel’s ministry took place wholly in exile, by the Kebar River. Yet, it must be admitted that Daniel is a different kind of prophet. He does not quite fit the traditional definition.VanGemeren, W. A. (1995). Daniel. In Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Vol. 3, p. 590). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.Yet Jesus called Daniel a prophet ()Pentecost, J. D. (1985). Daniel. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1323). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.Authorship of the book has been contested since the time of Porphyry, a third-century (a.d.) philosopher. Porphyry argued that the book reflects a second-century b.c. background, recounting the actual historical circumstances of Antiochus Epiphanes. He denied the predictive element of prophecy and explained the book as a pious hoax. Unfortunately, this line of argument has had advocates throughout the history of interpretation, based on alleged historical errors, the denial of predictive prophecy, and the presence of Greek and Persian loanwords.VanGemeren, W. A. (1995). Daniel. In Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Vol. 3, p. 589). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.3:12 Critics who question the authenticity of the book of Daniel point to the omission of his name here as evidence that the story of the three Judean youths was a legend that had circulated independently of the other narratives in the book. They assert that the author conflated older tales into one story to inspire faithfulness during the persecutions of Antiochus IV. Such a conjecture has no objective support. Daniel’s responsibilities as “ruler over the entire province of Babylon and chief governor over all the wise men of Babylon” likely required his presence at the palace (2:48).Cabal, T., Brand, C. O., Clendenen, E. R., Copan, P., Moreland, J. P., & Powell, D. (2007). The Apologetics Study Bible: Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith (p. 1274). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.The critical view of the book of Daniel suggests it was written by a second-century BC Jewish author, not the historical Daniel. This view is largely based on a naturalistic perspective that denies the possibility of the authentic foretelling found in Daniel. On the other hand, the traditional view maintains that Daniel the prophet did indeed write this book sometime shortly after the end of the Babylonian captivity (sixth century BC)BC before ChristBC before ChristRydelnik, M. (2017). Daniel. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1322). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.Those arguing for a late date for Daniel allege that if his book were written in the sixth century, it would have been included in the second division (the Prophets) rather than relegated to the third (the Writings). However, as previously noted, the prophets were set apart by God as His messengers with a special ministry to the nation Israel. Since Daniel was counted by his contemporaries as a governmental leader rather than a prophet, his writings were included in the third division rather than in the second.Pentecost, J. D. (1985). Daniel. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1325). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.The minute details included in the book could hardly have been retained accurately by oral tradition for some 400 years, as suggested by those who postulate a late date for the book. The fact that manuscript fragments from the Book of Daniel were found in Qumran, written perhaps in the second century b.c., preclude the notion that Daniel was written in 165 b.c., as many critics suggest. Not enough time would have been available for the book to have reached the Essene community in Qumran and for it to have been copied there. Also the fact that the Book of Daniel was accepted by the Jews into the canon of Scripture bears witness to its authenticity.Pentecost, J. D. (1985). Daniel. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1324). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.A further objection is based on the apocalyptic literature found in the book. Such literature appeared prolifically in Israel in the later time of the Maccabees (literature that is not part of the biblical canon); therefore many scholars infer that the book must have been written in that period (168–134 b.c.). However, as already noted (see “Literary Form”), apocalyptic literature is found in the Book of Ezekiel and he, like Daniel, was a sixth-century prophet.Pentecost, J. D. (1985). Daniel. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1325). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.The city of Babylon reached its zenith under Nebuchadrezzar II (Nebuchadnezzar of Scripture, who reigned 605–562 b.c.). He restored and enlarged it, making it the largest city seen in the world up to that time.Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1583). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.The city was captured by Cyrus the Persian in 539 b.c.Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1583). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.Internal testimony supports this claim. In the text itself, Daniel claimed to have written down visions given by God (8:2; 9:2, 20; 12:5). Passages which contain third-person references to Daniel do not disprove his authorship. After all, authors commonly refer to themselves in the third person, as for instance Moses does in the Pentateuch. Moreover, God speaks of himself in the third person (, ). Finally, Jesus Christ attributed the book of Daniel to Daniel himself (; ).Rydelnik, M. (2017). Daniel. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1322). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.When was the book written? While the critical view maintains a date of 165 BC in the Maccabean period primarily because of the precise prophecies related to that time, the traditional view asserts that it was written just after the end of the Babylonian captivity in the late sixth century BC. BC before ChristBC before ChristRydelnik, M. (2017). Daniel. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1322). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.Manuscript evidence supports the early date. Fragments from Daniel were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, a collection that included other books of the Bible that were written well before the second century. Linguistic evidence demonstrates that the use of Aramaic in Daniel fits a fifth- to sixth-century BC date because it parallels the Aramaic of Ezra as well as the Elephantine Papyrii and other secular works of that period. Historical evidence also supports the early date. For example, Daniel accurately described Belshazzar as co-regent with another king (Nabonidus), a fact that was not known elsewhere until modern times. In summary, the late-date view is driven by a presuppositional rejection of supernatural prophecy and not objective evidence.BC before ChristRydelnik, M. (2017). Daniel. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1322). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.Both Jewish and Christian (cf. ) tradition have held that the author of this book is Daniel, a Jew who lived during the sixth-century b.c. Babylonian exile.Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1581). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.But because of its detailed prophecies of events in the middle of the second century b.c. (see ch. 11) and alleged historical inconsistencies with what scholars know of sixth-century history (see note on 5:30–31), some scholars have argued that the book must be a second-century document, from the time when Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175–164 b.c.) was oppressing God’s people. In that case, it would contain “prophecies after the fact,” put into the mouth of a famous historical character rather than being written by Daniel himself. Thus, the visions that “Daniel” saw would attempt to interpret rather than predict history. It has also been argued that the book must be dated later than the sixth century due to its language, especially the presence of Persian and Greek loanwords.Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1581). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.Fourth, the book of Daniel was accepted as canonical by the community of Qumran (who produced the Dead Sea Scrolls). This is telling because this group emerged as a separate party in Judaism between 171 and 167 b.c., before the proposed late date. They would not have accepted the book if it had appeared after the split.Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (pp. 1581–1582). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.Daniel’s book establishes the validity of predictive prophecy and lays the foundation for understanding end-times prophecy, especially the book of Revelation in the NT. But most importantly, it emphasizes that the Lord has dominion over all the kingdoms of the earth, even in evil days when wicked empires reign.NT New TestamentRydelnik, M. (2017). Daniel. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1322). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.The central theme of the book of Daniel is God’s sovereignty over history and empires, setting up and removing kings as he pleases (2:21; 4:34–37). All of the kingdoms of this world will come to an end and will be replaced by the Lord’s kingdom, which will never pass away (2:44; 7:27). Though trials and difficulties will continue for the saints up until the end, those who are faithful will be raised to glory, honor, and everlasting life in this final kingdom (12:1–3).Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1582). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.Daniel describes how he and his three friends were taken into exile (vv. 1–7), remained undefiled (vv. 8–16), and were promoted and preserved (vv. 17–21).Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1586). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.3:2 Some commentators claim that Persian loan words (including some titles for officials listed in chap. 3) indicate a late date for the book. But Daniel completed his book after the Persian conquest of Babylon and even served in the new administration, so the presence of Persian loan words is not surprising. The Persian expressions are, in fact, strong evidence for a date of composition not long after the Babylonian exile, since they are old Persian words that ceased to be used by about 300 b.c.Cabal, T., Brand, C. O., Clendenen, E. R., Copan, P., Moreland, J. P., & Powell, D. (2007). The Apologetics Study Bible: Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith (p. 1273). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.Conversely, the meager number of Greek terms in the book of Daniel is one of the more convincing arguments that the prophecy was not composed in the second century during the height of the influence of Greek culture.Cabal, T., Brand, C. O., Clendenen, E. R., Copan, P., Moreland, J. P., & Powell, D. (2007). The Apologetics Study Bible: Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith (p. 1274). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.Key Themes1. It is possible to live a faithful life in exile, surrounded by pagan influences and propaganda, if one sets one’s mind to serving the Lord wholeheartedly (ch. 1).2. God can vindicate his faithful servants in front of pagan rulers by giving them unusual wisdom and insight into divine mysteries and by miraculously protecting them against the enmity of their pagan neighbors (chs. 2; 3; 6). Nevertheless, divine rescue from martyrdom cannot be assumed (3:16–18).Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1582). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.3:29 Nebuchadnezzar’s decree shows that he, unlike modern skeptics, accepted the truth that God can miraculously deliver His people. In this he was in agreement with the biblical view that God can override what is seemingly a closed system of cause and effect in the physical world. The angel Gabriel told Mary, “For nothing will be impossible with God” (); Jesus Himself affirmed, “With God all things are possible” ().Cabal, T., Brand, C. O., Clendenen, E. R., Copan, P., Moreland, J. P., & Powell, D. (2007). The Apologetics Study Bible: Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith (p. 1275). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

Daniel and his friends were taken into exile in 605 B.C. They served mighty Nebuchadnezzar, who ruled the Babylonian empire until 562. Nebuchadnezzar’s successors were Evil-Merodach, Neriglissar, Labashi-Marduk, and Nabonidus. Nabonidus spent much of his reign in Tema worshiping the moon god. His son Belshazzar served as his vice-regent. Though the Book of Daniel calls Belshazzar “king,” it hints that he was really second in command in the kingdom (5:7, 16). Cyrus the Persian conquered Babylon in 539 and made Gubaru governor over the city. Daniel retained a high civil office under the Persians.Dockery, D. S., Butler, T. C., Church, C. L., Scott, L. L., Ellis Smith, M. A., White, J. E., & Holman Bible Publishers (Nashville, T. . (1992). Holman Bible Handbook (p. 448). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.Daniel, whose name means “God is judge,” was carried into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon in the third year of Jehoiakim (1:1), which, according to the Babylonian system of reckoning, was 605 b.c. Apparently, he was of noble descent, and was selected to become the king’s courtier in a foreign land. He received special training in Babylon, but was distinguished from his peers by a God-given ability to interpret dreams. Like Joseph in Egypt, God raised up Daniel to be his spokesperson in Babylon. VanGemeren, W. A. (1995). Daniel. In Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Vol. 3, p. 589). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.2:1–49 Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream of a Great Statue. Daniel’s God shows himself superior by revealing to Daniel both the content and the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1587). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.Daniel interpreted the parts of the colossal statue to represent four empires in historical succession. The head represented the kingdom of Babylon (605–539 BC). The chest and arms symbolized the Medo-Persian Empire (539–331 BC). The stomach and thighs stood for the Greek Empire (331–146 BC). The legs referred to the Roman Empire (146 BC–AD 1476 in the West and AD 1453 in the East). The feet were mixed of iron and clay and represented a future continuation or revival of Rome. Rydelnik, M. (2017). Daniel. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1327). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.Babylonian records indicate that there was a revolt against Nebuchadnezzar during the tenth year of his reign, so this may have led to the king’s desire for the loyalty test described here. Rydelnik, M. (2017). Daniel. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1329). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.3:8–12. No indication is given of the size of the multitude that assembled on this occasion. But because it included all the kingdom’s officials (vv. 2–3) it must have been huge.Pentecost, J. D. (1985). Daniel. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1338). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.Nebuchadnezzar probably decked the entire thing in gold to negate the message conveyed by the statue of his dream, wherein only the head was gold and signaled that the Babylonian Empire would only be temporaryRydelnik, M. (2017). Daniel. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1329). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.3:1 The image of gold reflects the enormous statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, except it is made entirely of gold, as if Nebuchadnezzar were asserting that there would be no other kingdoms after his. Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1591). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.Although some conjecture that the gold statue was of Nebuchadnezzar himself, this is unlikely because the Babylonians did not believe their king was divine. More likely, the image was of a Babylonian god, perhaps Nebuchadnezzar’s patron Nabu or the chief Babylonian god Marduk. Nebuchadnezzar made this demand as some form of loyalty oath to him personally.Rydelnik, M. (2017). Daniel. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1329). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.1:4 The Hebrew word for young men here literally means “children” or “boys” and probably refers to teenagers, a good estimate being around age fifteen. Chaldean language and literature refers to an ancient university-style education in Sumerian, Akkadian, and Aramaic.Rydelnik, M. (2017). Daniel. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1324). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.1:5 Persian literature shows that three years was the customary time allotted for such training.Rydelnik, M. (2017). Daniel. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1324). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.Under Ashurbanipal, Assyrians capture and destroy Babylon. 649Birth of Jeremiah 640?Jeremiah’s call to be a prophet; warns of invasion from the north 626Birth of Ezekiel 623Birth of Daniel 620Under Nabopolassar (626–605) Asshur and Nineveh fall, marking the end of the Assyrian Empire. 612Babylonians and Medes take Harran from what remained of Assyrian forces. 610Jeremiah’s temple sermon 609Josiah killed by the Egyptians at Megiddo 609Babylonians defeat Pharaoh Neco of Egypt at Carchemish. The Babylonians hold the balance of power in the region. 605Rydelnik, M. (2017). Daniel. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1322). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.The Babylonians besiege Jerusalem; some of the royal family and nobles, including Daniel, are taken to Babylon. 605Daniel and his Hebrew companions are trained to serve Nebuchadnezzar. 604–603Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the colossal statue and Daniel’s interpretation 602Jerusalem falls to the third Babylonian siege and the temple is destroyed. 586Nebuchadnezzar’s seven years of insanity 573–566Evil-merodach, Nebuchadnezzar’s son, succeeds him as king of Babylon. 562Rydelnik, M. (2017). Daniel. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1323). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.3:12 Daniel himself is curiously absent; perhaps he is away on a mission, or perhaps above the administrative rulers mentioned in 3:3 and thus immune from such displays of Nebuchadnezzar’s pride, or perhaps the Chaldeans did not feel safe accusing Daniel.Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1591). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.Incineration in a furnace of blazing fire—a punishment that Nebuchadnezzar had also used on two Judean false prophets, Zedekiah and Ahab (Jr 29:22)—was a normal Babylonian penalty as seen in the Code of Hammurabi, Sections 25, 110, and 157.Rydelnik, M. (2017). Daniel. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1330). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.3:17–18 The king offered Daniel’s friends a second chance to worship the idol, but they persistently refused. The Aramaic imperfect verb yeseziv (“he can rescue”) in this context indicates possibility and not certainty. They were saying that God might deliver them or he might choose not to do soRydelnik, M. (2017). Daniel. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1330). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.As with the first two chapters, Daniel 3 is set during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. This is the first chapter, however, that does not give a more precise chronological marker. We do not know how much time has elapsed since the previous episode, but we must imagine a gap of not a few years to account for Nebuchadnezzar’s shift from honoring the God of Daniel as he did at the end of chapter 2 to throwing that God’s devotees into a burning furnace.11 The lxx felt the tension and filled in the gap by saying that this episode took place in the king’s eighteenth year. This is likely an attempt to associate the ceremony with a celebration of his taking of Jerusalem (cf. Jer. 52:29) and is improbable.Longman, T., III. (1999). Daniel (p. 96). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.The fantastic details of the court story (e.g., the size of the golden image, the intense heat of the furnace) and the element of the miraculous (i.e., the preservation of the three Hebrews in the midst of roaring flames of the furnace) have prompted a majority of biblical interpreters to view the story metaphorically rather than historically (e.g., Anderson, 27–29; Gowan, 62–63; Towner, 48). YetHill, A. E. (2008). Daniel. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Daniel–Malachi (Revised Edition) (Vol. 8, p. 73). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.Yet Baldwin, 100, points out that the Colossus of Rhodes stood seventy cubits high (ten cubits taller than Nebuchadnezzar’s statue or stele) and that both the OT (e.g., Isa 40:19; 41:7) and the Greek historian Herodotus refer to the practice of overlaying images with gold plating. Hill, A. E. (2008). Daniel. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Daniel–Malachi (Revised Edition) (Vol. 8, p. 73). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.The author of Daniel does not inform us whether the image was a god or the king himself? In one sense, this distinction does not matter. Whether deity or the divinized king, the command was to worship and bow down to this statue, to treat it or what it represented as the most important power in the universe. Such a command was impossible for a faithful follower of the true God to obey, and that is the point of the text.Longman, T., III. (1999). Daniel (p. 97). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.The gold of this statue links the story with Nebuchadnezzar’s recently described dream in which he was the head of gold. Perhaps this is a clue that the statue was indeed of the king, though rarely did Mesopotamian kings present themselves as gods, and we have no other evidence that Nebuchadnezzar broke this tradition.Longman, T., III. (1999). Daniel (p. 98). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.The majority of commentators regard this chapter as a kind of allegory rather than as a historical event. Every aspect of the story has in turn been called in question, but evidence has been produced to establish the realism of its features, strange as they are to the modern western reader. If an obelisk ninety feet in height be regarded as improbable, the colossus of Rhodes was higher (70 cubits as opposed to 60). As for the overlaying of images with gold, not only have some examples of this gold-plating been found, but the practice is referred to in Isaiah (40:19; 41:7) and Jeremiah (10:4), and in the writings of Herodotus.4141 Herodotus 1:183, and quoted by Montgomery (ICC, p. 193). Herodotus is referring, however, to the Babylon of his day, under the Persians.Baldwin, J. G. (1978). Daniel: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 23, p. 111). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.Death by burning at the hands of Nebuchadrezzar is recorded in Jeremiah 29:22, and a directive of the ruler Rim Sin (1750 bc) of Larsa, ‘Because they threw a young slave into an oven, throw ye a slave into a furnace,’42 proves that the idea did not originate with Nebuchadrezzar. Thus there is nothing improbable about the story until it comes to the miraculous intervention by which the lives of the three men were saved and a fourth accompanied them in the furnace. 42 John B. Alexander, ‘New Light on the Fiery Furnace’, JBL, 69, 1950, pp. 375f.; Emil G. Kraeling, Rand McNally Bible Atlas (Collins, 1956), p. 323. Alexander concludes: ‘Now while the parallel is not exact, in the decree of Rim-Sin as in that of Nebuchadrezzar, a human being is thrown into a furnace apparently as a form of punishment. It may be mere coincidence that the author of Daniel 3 has described a method of punishment actually used by a Babylonian king some 1200 years earlier, but it may be that this practice persisted to much later times and is correctly reflected in the book of Daniel.’Baldwin, J. G. (1978). Daniel: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 23, pp. 111–112). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.6. No other nation but the Jews would feel this edict oppressive; for it did not prevent them worshipping their own gods besides. It was evidently aimed at the Jews by those jealous of their high position in the king’s court, who therefore induced the king to pass an edict as to all recusants, representing such refusal of homage as an act of treason to Nebuchadnezzar as civil and religious “head” of the empire. So the edict under Darius (Da 6:7–9) was aimed against the Jews by those jealous of Daniel’s influence.Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 1, p. 626). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.The size of the image and its shape are both remarkable. In height it vied with the date-palms that still grow in the plains of Iraq to approximately the height of this image (90 feet), and it was almost as slender, at nine feet in width. It must have been more like an obelisk than a statue, and stylized if it resembled a human being at all. The writer, however, is not interested in such details, but rather in the ideology it stands for and to which he cannot subscribe. The incident represents the conflict between worship of the true God and the humanistic use of religion to boost the power of the rulers of this world.40 It is characteristic of idolatry that the idol is at the worshipper’s disposal to achieve his ends40 Daniel’s position in the English Bible is different from that in the Hebrew Bible. In the Hebrew Bible it is placed in the third group—the Writings—after Esther and before Ezra-Nehemiah. The reason is not entirely clear. Critics have argued that the book was not written until after the prophetic era, after the second section (the Prophets) was already closed, and therefore that it could only be included in the last section of the Hebrew Bible.VanGemeren, W. A. (1995). Daniel. In Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Vol. 3, p. 590). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.Others, contending that the spirit of prophecy does not operate outside Israel, have argued that Daniel was not a prophet at all. Against this view, however, it must be noted that Ezekiel’s ministry took place wholly in exile, by the Kebar River. Yet, it must be admitted that Daniel is a different kind of prophet. He does not quite fit the traditional definition.VanGemeren, W. A. (1995). Daniel. In Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Vol. 3, p. 590). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.Yet Jesus called Daniel a prophet (Matt. 24:15)Pentecost, J. D. (1985). Daniel. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1323). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.Authorship of the book has been contested since the time of Porphyry, a third-century (a.d.) philosopher. Porphyry argued that the book reflects a second-century b.c. background, recounting the actual historical circumstances of Antiochus Epiphanes. He denied the predictive element of prophecy and explained the book as a pious hoax. Unfortunately, this line of argument has had advocates throughout the history of interpretation, based on alleged historical errors, the denial of predictive prophecy, and the presence of Greek and Persian loanwords.VanGemeren, W. A. (1995). Daniel. In Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Vol. 3, p. 589). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.3:12 Critics who question the authenticity of the book of Daniel point to the omission of his name here as evidence that the story of the three Judean youths was a legend that had circulated independently of the other narratives in the book. They assert that the author conflated older tales into one story to inspire faithfulness during the persecutions of Antiochus IV. Such a conjecture has no objective support. Daniel’s responsibilities as “ruler over the entire province of Babylon and chief governor over all the wise men of Babylon” likely required his presence at the palace (2:48).Cabal, T., Brand, C. O., Clendenen, E. R., Copan, P., Moreland, J. P., & Powell, D. (2007). The Apologetics Study Bible: Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith (p. 1274). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.The critical view of the book of Daniel suggests it was written by a second-century BC Jewish author, not the historical Daniel. This view is largely based on a naturalistic perspective that denies the possibility of the authentic foretelling found in Daniel. On the other hand, the traditional view maintains that Daniel the prophet did indeed write this book sometime shortly after the end of the Babylonian captivity (sixth century BC)BC before ChristBC before ChristRydelnik, M. (2017). Daniel. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1322). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.Those arguing for a late date for Daniel allege that if his book were written in the sixth century, it would have been included in the second division (the Prophets) rather than relegated to the third (the Writings). However, as previously noted, the prophets were set apart by God as His messengers with a special ministry to the nation Israel. Since Daniel was counted by his contemporaries as a governmental leader rather than a prophet, his writings were included in the third division rather than in the second.Pentecost, J. D. (1985). Daniel. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1325). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.The minute details included in the book could hardly have been retained accurately by oral tradition for some 400 years, as suggested by those who postulate a late date for the book. The fact that manuscript fragments from the Book of Daniel were found in Qumran, written perhaps in the second century b.c., preclude the notion that Daniel was written in 165 b.c., as many critics suggest. Not enough time would have been available for the book to have reached the Essene community in Qumran and for it to have been copied there. Also the fact that the Book of Daniel was accepted by the Jews into the canon of Scripture bears witness to its authenticity.Pentecost, J. D. (1985). Daniel. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1324). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.A further objection is based on the apocalyptic literature found in the book. Such literature appeared prolifically in Israel in the later time of the Maccabees (literature that is not part of the biblical canon); therefore many scholars infer that the book must have been written in that period (168–134 b.c.). However, as already noted (see “Literary Form”), apocalyptic literature is found in the Book of Ezekiel and he, like Daniel, was a sixth-century prophet.Pentecost, J. D. (1985). Daniel. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1325). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.The city of Babylon reached its zenith under Nebuchadrezzar II (Nebuchadnezzar of Scripture, who reigned 605–562 b.c.). He restored and enlarged it, making it the largest city seen in the world up to that time.Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1583). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.The city was captured by Cyrus the Persian in 539 b.c.Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1583). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.Internal testimony supports this claim. In the text itself, Daniel claimed to have written down visions given by God (8:2; 9:2, 20; 12:5). Passages which contain third-person references to Daniel do not disprove his authorship. After all, authors commonly refer to themselves in the third person, as for instance Moses does in the Pentateuch. Moreover, God speaks of himself in the third person (Ex 20:2, 7). Finally, Jesus Christ attributed the book of Daniel to Daniel himself (Mt 24:15; Mk 13:14).Rydelnik, M. (2017). Daniel. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1322). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.When was the book written? While the critical view maintains a date of 165 BC in the Maccabean period primarily because of the precise prophecies related to that time, the traditional view asserts that it was written just after the end of the Babylonian captivity in the late sixth century BC. BC before ChristBC before ChristRydelnik, M. (2017). Daniel. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1322). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.Manuscript evidence supports the early date. Fragments from Daniel were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, a collection that included other books of the Bible that were written well before the second century. Linguistic evidence demonstrates that the use of Aramaic in Daniel fits a fifth- to sixth-century BC date because it parallels the Aramaic of Ezra as well as the Elephantine Papyrii and other secular works of that period. Historical evidence also supports the early date. For example, Daniel accurately described Belshazzar as co-regent with another king (Nabonidus), a fact that was not known elsewhere until modern times. In summary, the late-date view is driven by a presuppositional rejection of supernatural prophecy and not objective evidence.BC before ChristRydelnik, M. (2017). Daniel. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1322). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.Both Jewish and Christian (cf. Matt. 24:15) tradition have held that the author of this book is Daniel, a Jew who lived during the sixth-century b.c. Babylonian exile.Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1581). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.But because of its detailed prophecies of events in the middle of the second century b.c. (see ch. 11) and alleged historical inconsistencies with what scholars know of sixth-century history (see note on 5:30–31), some scholars have argued that the book must be a second-century document, from the time when Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175–164 b.c.) was oppressing God’s people. In that case, it would contain “prophecies after the fact,” put into the mouth of a famous historical character rather than being written by Daniel himself. Thus, the visions that “Daniel” saw would attempt to interpret rather than predict history. It has also been argued that the book must be dated later than the sixth century due to its language, especially the presence of Persian and Greek loanwords.Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1581). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.Fourth, the book of Daniel was accepted as canonical by the community of Qumran (who produced the Dead Sea Scrolls). This is telling because this group emerged as a separate party in Judaism between 171 and 167 b.c., before the proposed late date. They would not have accepted the book if it had appeared after the split.Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (pp. 1581–1582). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.Daniel’s book establishes the validity of predictive prophecy and lays the foundation for understanding end-times prophecy, especially the book of Revelation in the NT. But most importantly, it emphasizes that the Lord has dominion over all the kingdoms of the earth, even in evil days when wicked empires reign.NT New TestamentRydelnik, M. (2017). Daniel. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1322). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.The central theme of the book of Daniel is God’s sovereignty over history and empires, setting up and removing kings as he pleases (2:21; 4:34–37). All of the kingdoms of this world will come to an end and will be replaced by the Lord’s kingdom, which will never pass away (2:44; 7:27). Though trials and difficulties will continue for the saints up until the end, those who are faithful will be raised to glory, honor, and everlasting life in this final kingdom (12:1–3).Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1582). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.Daniel describes how he and his three friends were taken into exile (vv. 1–7), remained undefiled (vv. 8–16), and were promoted and preserved (vv. 17–21).Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1586). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.3:2 Some commentators claim that Persian loan words (including some titles for officials listed in chap. 3) indicate a late date for the book. But Daniel completed his book after the Persian conquest of Babylon and even served in the new administration, so the presence of Persian loan words is not surprising. The Persian expressions are, in fact, strong evidence for a date of composition not long after the Babylonian exile, since they are old Persian words that ceased to be used by about 300 b.c.Cabal, T., Brand, C. O., Clendenen, E. R., Copan, P., Moreland, J. P., & Powell, D. (2007). The Apologetics Study Bible: Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith (p. 1273). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.Conversely, the meager number of Greek terms in the book of Daniel is one of the more convincing arguments that the prophecy was not composed in the second century during the height of the influence of Greek culture.Cabal, T., Brand, C. O., Clendenen, E. R., Copan, P., Moreland, J. P., & Powell, D. (2007). The Apologetics Study Bible: Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith (p. 1274). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.Key Themes1. It is possible to live a faithful life in exile, surrounded by pagan influences and propaganda, if one sets one’s mind to serving the Lord wholeheartedly (ch. 1).2. God can vindicate his faithful servants in front of pagan rulers by giving them unusual wisdom and insight into divine mysteries and by miraculously protecting them against the enmity of their pagan neighbors (chs. 2; 3; 6). Nevertheless, divine rescue from martyrdom cannot be assumed (3:16–18).Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1582). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.3:29 Nebuchadnezzar’s decree shows that he, unlike modern skeptics, accepted the truth that God can miraculously deliver His people. In this he was in agreement with the biblical view that God can override what is seemingly a closed system of cause and effect in the physical world. The angel Gabriel told Mary, “For nothing will be impossible with God” (Lk 1:37); Jesus Himself affirmed, “With God all things are possible” (Mt 19:26).Cabal, T., Brand, C. O., Clendenen, E. R., Copan, P., Moreland, J. P., & Powell, D. (2007). The Apologetics Study Bible: Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith (p. 1275). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

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The background (quick recap)

The background (quick recap)

Daniel had previously interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream

Daniel had previously interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream

Nebuchadnezzer orders all officials to bow to a giant golden statue

Nebuchadnezzer orders all officials to bow to a giant golden statue

The punishment - incineration in a fire

The punishment - incineration in a fire

Who wrote Daniel?

Who wrote Daniel?

Was Daniel a prophet?

Was Daniel a prophet?

When was Daniel written?

When was Daniel written?

Early date: 6th century BC by Daniel

Early date: 6th century BC by Daniel

Late date: 2d century BC

Late date: 2d century BC

Other late-date arguments:

Other late-date arguments:

Why Daniel is important

Why Daniel is important

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Supporting text