Daniel-Introduction-Purposes, Theology and Outline of the Book of Daniel
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Tuesday November 15, 2011
Daniel: Introduction to the Book of Daniel-Purposes, Theology and Outline of the Book of Daniel
Lesson # 4
Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 1:1.
Pentecost presents the purposes of the book of Daniel, he writes, “The purposes of the book can be deduced from its contents:
1. Daniel’s personal dedication to God (Dan. 1) would have been an example to the deportees on how they should live in a heathen society.
Daniel served as an outstanding example of godliness to the exiles.
2. The book emphasizes God’s sovereign authority over Gentile nations, how He establishes and deposes kings and empires to serve His purpose.
It was this great truth that Nebuchadnezzar came to understand (4:35).
3. The book gives an example of God’s faithfulness to His covenant people in protecting and preserving them even though they were under divine discipline for their disobedience.
God does not cast off His covenant people; He deals patiently with them to bring them to blessing.
4. The book was also written to outline graphically the prophetic period known as ‘the times of the Gentiles’ (Luke 21:24).
The book of Daniel marks the course of Gentile history through that extended period in which Israel was and is being disciplined by Gentiles.
Also the consummation of God’s program for the Gentiles will come to its conclusion in the coming Tribulation period.
The book carefully and in detail shows the effect the Gentile nations will have on Israel while she is waiting for God’s covenants to her to be fulfilled under the Messiah’s reign.
5. Daniel’s book also reveals Israel’s future deliverance and the blessings she will enjoy in the coming Millennial Age.
As God covenanted with Abraham, his descendants will occupy the land God promised them.
Even though the nation must be disciplined because of her disobedience, she will be brought to repentance, confession, and restoration. God remains faithful.
He preserves His covenant people and guarantees them ultimate blessing in their covenanted kingdom on this earth.”
The book of Daniel bears witness to the sovereignty of God.
It also reveals that He is omnipotent, omniscient, righteous, merciful and a God of love who is faithful to His covenant promises to Israel.
The book also makes clear that the God of Israel is the God of the Gentiles.
It predicts not only of the First Advent of Christ but also His Second Advent.
The book speaks of His death and by way of implication His resurrection.
It looks forward to Christ’s millennial reign.
Daniel also predicts the resurrection of regenerate Israel and the final judgment of all non-believers.
The book of Daniel gives revelation as to the angels, both elect and non-elect and speaks of the angelic conflict or in other words, it gives insight into the invisible war between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan.
In the story of Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel describes God’s confrontation with Nebuchadnezzar which reveals that God is the one who judges but also is a God of mercy and grace as evidenced by the conversion of Nebuchadnezzar.
The total depravity of man is illustrated by Nebuchadnezzar’s arrogance.
The importance of prayer is emphasized also throughout the book of Daniel.
It demonstrates the power of prayer.
A proper interpretation of the book of Daniel is also important with regards to eschatology.
Understanding this book is the key to understanding the book of Revelation as well as the key to understanding prophecy as a whole.
The book of Daniel makes clear that God has a future for the nation of Israel.
It also makes clear that Israel is not the church, which is the foundation of dispensational theology.
In general, there are two approaches to outlining the book of Daniel.
There is the traditional or content approach and the linguistic approach.
The former divides the book into two sections according to content.
The first contains chapters 1-6, which is viewed as historical and the second contains chapters 7-12, which is viewed as prophetic.
The linguistic approach divides the book into three sections and outlines the book according to the languages Daniel uses.
The first contains the introduction, which appears in 1-2:4a and is in Hebrew.
This section addresses the nation of Israel.
The second section is 2:4b-7, which is in Aramaic.
This section is directed towards the Gentile nations because this language was the lingua franca of Daniel’s day.
The third section in 8-12 is in Hebrew.
This is directed also to the nation of Israel.
The linguistic approach makes the most sense for the simple reason that when the author like Daniel shifts his language from Hebrew to Aramaic and back to Hebrew again, he is trying to communicate something to the reader.
We know that Aramaic was the lingua franca of the prophet’s day and that Hebrew was the language of the Israelites in the sixty century B.C.
Therefore, it is easy to see that the Holy Spirit through the prophet Daniel has a message for the Gentile nations and the nation of Israel.
The sections in Aramaic are directed toward the Gentiles and the Hebrew is obviously directed at the Jews.
1:1-2:3a Introduction: This section functions, in part, as a sort of de ja vu reminder of Joseph, designed to establish Daniel as trustworthy before his people even though he is a high-ranking government official.
2:4-7:28 Prophecies related to Gentiles (Aramaic)
2:4b-49 A Prophecy of four world empires
3:1-30 B God's power to deliver his servants (from fiery furnace)
4:1-37 C God's judgment on a proud ruler (Nebuchadnezzar)
5:1-31 C' God's judgment on a proud ruler (Belshazzar)
6:1-28 B' God's power to deliver his servant (lion's den)
7:1-28 A' Prophecy of four world empires
8:1-12:13 Prophecies related to Jews/or, Israel in relation to the Gentile kingdoms (Hebrew)
8:1-27 A (Antiochus) Antichrist and prophecies about Gentiles
9:1-27 B The end times and the Jews
10:1-11:45 A Antiochus-Antichrist and prophecies about Gentiles
12:1-13 B The end times and the Jews