The Prophet Daniel Predicts Jesus' Future Kingdom
The prophetic book of Daniel was written in the sixth century B.C. during the reign of the king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (605-562 B.C.).
The prophet Daniel, described as a righteous man living 620-538 B.C. and descendent of King David, has visions of future kingdoms, including the future Kingdom of Jesus.
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim of Judah, Daniel and his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were among the young Jewish nobility carried off to Babylon following the capture of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.
The prophet Ezekiel describes Daniel as righteous (Ezekiel 14) along with Noah and Job. Daniel was also known for his wisdom and intelligence. Daniel was likely a teenager when he was sent to Babylon to serve Nebuchadnezzar. He was successful in interpreting the dreams of king Nebuchadnezzar and his son Belshazzar that no one else could do. Daniel would also serve under two future Persian kings, Darius and Cyrus.
Daniel and his friends refused the food and wine provided by the king in order to not become defiled.
The king Nebuchadnezzar dreams of a giant statue made of four metals with feet of mixed iron and clay, smashed by a stone from heaven.
Only Daniel is able to interpret the dream: the dream is interpreted as including four kingdoms, of which Babylon is the first, but God will destroy these and replace them with his own kingdom.
In Chapter 3, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, three Hebrew men refused to bow to the king's image and were thrown into a fiery furnace. However, the three men are preserved from harm and a fourth figure is seen with the three men, who was described as a son of God.
Nebuchadnezzar's next dream included a great tree at the center of the Earth that reached to heaven and sheltered the world along with a heavenly figure that proclaims that the tree will be destroyed. The tree represented the king Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel predicts that the king will have his mind taken away and will live with the beasts of the field and eat grass as oxen for seven years. The king was punished because he exalted himself and would not recognize the God of the Bible. At the end of the seven years, the king praises God and his kingdom is restored.
Nebuchadnezzar's son Belshazzar takes over as king and when a hand writes a message on the wall, he brings Daniel to interpret the writing. Daniel reminds Belshazzar of his father who was punished for not recognizing God. The message was interpreted to say that Belshazzar's days are numbered and his kingdom will be given to the Persians. That very night, Belshazzar was killed and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom.
The Lion's Den
In chapter 6, Daniel is thrown into a Lion's den after being accused of worshiping his God instead of King Darius. Daniel is thrown into the den but the lion's mouths were shut while Daniel was in there. In the morning, Daniel was released from the den and explained how God had saved him from the lions.
In Chapter 7, Daniel has a vision of four beasts that come out of the sea. All four of these kingdoms would be defeated by the Lord of the Bible and Jesus would sit on the throne.
Daniel Predicts Jesus' Future Kingdom (7:13-14)
13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. Daniel 7:13-14.
Chapter 8
Daniel 8 tells of Daniel's vision of a two-horned ram destroyed by a one-horned goat (interpreted as the Persian fall to the Greek Empire) The "little horn", is interpreted as the Greek king Antiochus Epiphanes, who mistreated the Jewish people by outlawing Jewish customs and built an altar of Zeus in the Temple.
Daniel named two angels, Gabriel and Michael, the only book in the Bible where angels are named.
The four beasts of Daniel 2 and 7 are interpreted by many as Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome, followed by defeat of the fourth beast and the establishment of the future Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
In Chapter 9, Daniel prays to God to deliver the Jewish people and city of Jerusalem. The angel Gabriel gives Daniel a prophetic message of 70 weeks of time until God delivers his people. The interpretation of this has been controversial among scholars.
Chapters 10-12 of Daniel describe his final vision about the "King of the North" and the "King of the South" and their conflicts.
In Chapter 12 Daniel receives a vision that tells of a time of great tribulation for the people of Israel but the people will be delivered.
Daniel asks how long will these events be and is told:
11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.12 Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. Daniel 12:11-12.
The prophetic book of Daniel was written in the sixth century B.C. during the reign of the king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (605-562 B.C.).
The prophet Daniel, described as a righteous man living 620-538 B.C. and descendent of King David, has visions of future kingdoms, including the future Kingdom of Jesus.
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim of Judah, Daniel and his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were among the young Jewish nobility carried off to Babylon following the capture of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.
The prophet Ezekiel describes Daniel as righteous (Ezekiel 14) along with Noah and Job. Daniel was also known for his wisdom and intelligence. Daniel was likely a teenager when he was sent to Babylon to serve Nebuchadnezzar. He was successful in interpreting the dreams of king Nebuchadnezzar and his son Belshazzar that no one else could do. Daniel would also serve under two future Persian kings, Darius and Cyrus.
Daniel and his friends refused the food and wine provided by the king in order to not become defiled.
The king Nebuchadnezzar dreams of a giant statue made of four metals with feet of mixed iron and clay, smashed by a stone from heaven.
Only Daniel is able to interpret the dream: the dream is interpreted as including four kingdoms, of which Babylon is the first, but God will destroy these and replace them with his own kingdom.
In Chapter 3, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, three Hebrew men refused to bow to the king's image and were thrown into a fiery furnace. However, the three men are preserved from harm and a fourth figure is seen with the three men, who was described as a son of God.
Nebuchadnezzar's next dream included a great tree at the center of the Earth that reached to heaven and sheltered the world along with a heavenly figure that proclaims that the tree will be destroyed. The tree represented the king Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel predicts that the king will have his mind taken away and will live with the beasts of the field and eat grass as oxen for seven years. The king was punished because he exalted himself and would not recognize the God of the Bible. At the end of the seven years, the king praises God and his kingdom is restored.
Nebuchadnezzar's son Belshazzar takes over as king and when a hand writes a message on the wall, he brings Daniel to interpret the writing. Daniel reminds Belshazzar of his father who was punished for not recognizing God. The message was interpreted to say that Belshazzar's days are numbered and his kingdom will be given to the Persians. That very night, Belshazzar was killed and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom.
The Lion's Den
In chapter 6, Daniel is thrown into a Lion's den after being accused of worshiping his God instead of King Darius. Daniel is thrown into the den but the lion's mouths were shut while Daniel was in there. In the morning, Daniel was released from the den and explained how God had saved him from the lions.
In Chapter 7, Daniel has a vision of four beasts that come out of the sea. All four of these kingdoms would be defeated by the Lord of the Bible and Jesus would sit on the throne.
Daniel Predicts Jesus' Future Kingdom (7:13-14)
13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. Daniel 7:13-14.
Chapter 8
Daniel 8 tells of Daniel's vision of a two-horned ram destroyed by a one-horned goat (interpreted as the Persian fall to the Greek Empire) The "little horn", is interpreted as the Greek king Antiochus Epiphanes, who mistreated the Jewish people by outlawing Jewish customs and built an altar of Zeus in the Temple.
Daniel named two angels, Gabriel and Michael, the only book in the Bible where angels are named.
The four beasts of Daniel 2 and 7 are interpreted by many as Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome, followed by defeat of the fourth beast and the establishment of the future Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
In Chapter 9, Daniel prays to God to deliver the Jewish people and city of Jerusalem. The angel Gabriel gives Daniel a prophetic message of 70 weeks of time until God delivers his people. The interpretation of this has been controversial among scholars.
Chapters 10-12 of Daniel describe his final vision about the "King of the North" and the "King of the South" and their conflicts.
In Chapter 12 Daniel receives a vision that tells of a time of great tribulation for the people of Israel but the people will be delivered.
Daniel asks how long will these events be and is told:
11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.12 Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. Daniel 12:11-12.
