Introduction

Thank God for the book of Daniel! Let the liberals and skeptics be ashamed and hang their heads in disgrace for their attacks upon it. - Homer Hailey

• Daniel 9:23; 10:11, 19 – Daniel was “highly esteemed.”
• Time period covered
  • Daniel 1:1 – 605 BC
  • Daniel 1:21 – 536 BC
  • The book covers about 70 years.
  • The word “year” occurs nine times in twelve chapters. An accident?
    • Historical accuracy of Daniel
    • Insight into the consistent character of Daniel

Why is Daniel so highly esteemed by God?

• The 80+ year life of Daniel tells us.

The chronological order of the book of Daniel

• Daniel 1-4 – Captivity and first interpretations of dreams and visions (605-602 BC)
• 50 years of silence
• Daniel 7 – Vision of the four beasts (553 BC)
• Daniel 8 – Vision of the ram and male goat (551 BC)
• Daniel 5 – Belshazzar’s feast – conquest of Babylon (539 BC)
• Daniel 9 – Vision of the seventy weeks (539/538 BC)
• Daniel 6 – Daniel in the lion’s den (539/538 BC)
• Daniel 10-12 – Daniel’s prayer and visions (536 BC)

The life of Daniel

Daniel 1:1 – third year of Jehoiakim (605 BC) – 18 years old

• Daniel 1:1, 21
• Had convictions and refused to compromise them – Daniel 1:3-13
• Courteous and respectful – Daniel 1:8, 12
• Good reputation with all – Daniel 1:20

Daniel 2:1 – second year of Nebuchadnezzar (602 BC) – 21 years old

• Daniel 2:1
• Interprets dreams: five kingdoms
  • Babylon
  • Medes-Persians
  • Greeks
  • Romans
  • God’s
• Sought wisdom from God – Daniel 2:19-23
• Gave God glory, was humble – Daniel 2:19-23
• Caused king to glorify God – Daniel 2:47-48

• Daniel’s first prophecy of Media-Persia: 605 BC
  • Media-Persia ascended to prominence: 539 BC
  • 605-539 = 66 years prior to fulfillment
• Daniel’s first prophecy of Greece: 605 BC
  • Greece ascended to prominence: 330 BC
  • 605-330 = 275 years prior to fulfillment
• Daniel’s prophecy of Alexander the Great: 547 BC
  • Alexander the Great rose to power: 330 BC
  • 547-330 = 217 years prior to fulfillment
• Daniel’s first prophecy of Rome: 605 BC
  • Rome ascended to prominence: 27 BC
  • 605-27 = 578 years prior to fulfillment

Daniel 3-4 – second year of Nebuchadnezzar (602 BC) – 21 years old

• Friends refuse to bow down to image – Daniel 3
• Order to interpret king’s (Nebuchadnezzar’s) dream – Daniel 4:1-18
• Spoke boldly to king: warning, advice – Daniel 4:19-27
• Nebuchadnezzar turned to animal – Daniel 4:28-33
• Caused king to glorify God – Daniel 4:34-36

50 years of silence

Daniel 7:1 – first year of Belshazzar (549 BC) – 74 years old

Daniel 8:1 – third year of Belshazzar (547 BC) – 76 years old

• Daniel 7:1; 8:1
• Vision of four kingdoms
  • “I desired to know” – Daniel 7:19
• Continued curiosity
  • “I kept looking” – Daniel 7:9
• Visions of oncoming kingdoms
  • “I sought to understand” – Daniel 8:15

Daniel 5 – first year of Darius (539 BC) – 84 years old

• Daniel 9:1-2
• Observing in “the books”
• Speaks plainly to Belshazzar – Daniel 5:22-23
• Foretells end of Babylonian kingdom; sees its fall – Daniel 5:13-31

Daniel 9 and 6 – first year of Darius (539 BC) – 84 years old

• Continues his study of scriptures – Daniel 9:1
• Prays for sins of his people – Daniel 9:2-19
• Held in high esteem by God – Daniel 9:23
• Refused to pray to king, prayed without ceasing to God – Daniel 6:1-15
• Lived life above reproach – Daniel 6:4
• Put God’s will above man’s – Daniel 6:13
• Thrown into lion’s den – Daniel 6:16-28
• Trusted God – Daniel 6:23
• Caused Darius to glorify God – Daniel 6:24-28

Daniel 10-12 – third year of Cyrus (536 BC) – 87 years old

• Daniel 10:1; 11:1
• Held in high esteem by God – Daniel 10:11, 19
• Set his heart to understand, humbled himself – Daniel 10:12

• All of these age groups are represented in the Benchley congregation. Compare our character to Daniel’s at the comparable stage of life.

Thank God for the book of Daniel! Let the liberals and skeptics be ashamed and hang their heads in disgrace for their attacks upon it. - Homer Hailey