Daniel 7

Today we move from the pure narrative stories of the first half of the Book of Daniel into the Apocalyptic visions of the second half of the Book of Daniel.

Apocalyptic literature

Bible study - lens of the author and his intended audience

Chapter 7 is the last chapter of Daniel that is written in Aramaic. You may remember in Chapter 2 verse 4 the writing changed from Hebrew to Aramaic and has continued in this language through Chapter 7

Chapter 7 is the last chapter of Daniel that is written in Aramaic. You may remember in Chapter 2 verse 4 the writing changed from Hebrew to Aramaic and has continued in this language through Chapter 7

Chapters 2–7 are in Aramaic, and they include stories that pertain to Jews in the court of Gentile kings. Then, in chapters 8–12, we move back into Hebrew for a prophetic and apocalyptic material that is for and about the Jews after the exile.

If we look at the content of the Aramaic section, we’ll see some interesting connections. In chapter 2 Nebuchadnezzar has a dream about four world kingdoms being replaced by a fifth. In chapter 3, three friends face death in the furnace. In chapter 4 we have a proud Gentile king being judged—Nebuchadnezzar. [In] chapter 5 we have another proud Gentile king being judged—that’s Belshazzar. [In] chapter 6 Daniel faces death in the lions’ den. Now, in chapter 7, Daniel has a vision about four world kingdoms being replaced by a fifth.

If we look at the content of the Aramaic section, we’ll see some interesting connections. In chapter 2 Nebuchadnezzar has a dream about four world kingdoms being replaced by a fifth. In chapter 3, three friends face death in the furnace. In chapter 4 we have a proud Gentile king being judged—Nebuchadnezzar. [In] chapter 5 we have another proud Gentile king being judged—that’s Belshazzar. [In] chapter 6 Daniel faces death in the lions’ den. Then, in chapter 7, Daniel has a vision about four world kingdoms being replaced by a fifth.

You may notice a symmetrical pattern in these 6 chapters. A chiasm.

Jeremiah 49:36 NIV

36 I will bring against Elam the four winds from the four quarters of heaven; I will scatter them to the four winds, and there will not be a nation where Elam’s exiles do not go.

Jeremiah 49:36

Daniel 7:9–10 NIV

9 “As I looked, “thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. 10 A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.

Daniel 7:9 NIV

9 “As I looked, “thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.

Daniel 7

OT366 Book Study: Daniel and Its Literary and Historical Contexts The Literary Structure of Daniel 2–7

You should be able to see a symmetrical pattern here. This is called a chiasm. It is a literary device where the main point or message is placed at the center of a section and framed on either side by repetition.The structure in Daniel is ABCCBA. “Chiasm” relates to the Greek letter chi, which looks like an X. Chiastic structures are often analyzed using this shape, where the top and bottom lines are the farthest out and the center section is indented with all the in-between sections cascading between the points.

If you look at the chart of the Aramaic chiasm in Daniel, you will see the A sections, first in chapter 2 where Nebuchadnezzar has a dream about four world kingdoms being replaced by a fifth, and at the bottom of the structure (A’) Daniel has a vision about four world kingdoms being replaced by a fifth. Then, in the B section or the B chapters, we have faithful Jews who face death on account of their devotion to God. In chapter 3 it’s Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. In chapter 6 it’s Daniel.

Then, at the center of the structure, in the C chapters—chapters 4 and 5—we have proud human kings being judged by God. While the God of Israel may not have looked like much on the world scene at this time—after all, His people are captive, His temple’s destroyed, [and] His land was part of another empire—the message of those two chapters at the center of the chiasm is that God controls the fates of human kings—specifically, in that case, Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar. God gives them their power, and He takes it away. He holds them accountable for what they do with it. So God’s people can take great comfort in this fact, and this message underlies the entire book.

Then, in chapters 3–6, we focus on individuals living in faithful ways, no matter what Gentile king is over them. God is able to rescue them, though He may not. And in chapters 2 and 7, the extremities of the chiasm, we have a broad view of history. The march of human grand and powerful empires—all are temporary and inferior to the internal indestructible kingdom of God that fills the entire earth.