Introduction to the Book of Daniel

Why Daniel?

1. One of my favorites: impact on my early years.
   Discovery: Message System; tightly engineered in theme, structure, details; interdependence. Thus, 66 books, written by 40 authors over thousands of years, yet evidences integrity of design and demonstrates an origin from outside the domain of time. (See our related Briefing Packages, The E.T. Scenario, Beyond Time and Space, et al.)
   
   
2. One of the few books that describes Gentile history, in advance. It is as timely as tomorrow's newspaper.
   
   
3. It contains the most amazing passages in the entire Bible.
   
   

When Written?

Doesn't really matter. It's in the Septuagint translation of the Old Testament (LXX): 285-270 b.c. (Latin: septuaginta, “70.”) 72 elders of Israel, 6 from each tribe, during the reign of Ptolemy II, Philadelphus (285-244 b.c.) in Alexandria (Letter of Aristeas). Many NT quotes from LXX; including in the Letter to Hebrews. Thus, in widespread use three centuries before Christ was born. The mathematical precision yields undeniable proof of His Deity.

Acts 17:11: Don't believe anything Chuck Missler tells you. Check it out for yourself!

Daniel in the Critics Den

No other book is as vindicated by history. Too specific to yield to attempts to discredit it.

Josephus: During Alexander's conquest of Jerusalem, 332 b.c., Priest Jaddua showed him references to himself in Daniel; city spared.

R. Kodewey, 1899-1917: excavations of Nebuchadnezzar's palace, etc. Banquet hall found, 173' x 56'. (Rebuilt by Saddam Hussein.) Daniel had to be an eyewitness. See Chapter 5.

Ultimate authentication: Jesus quotes Daniel 3X; “Daniel the Prophet.”

Other Observations: Quoted 3X in Ezekiel (Ezek 14:14, 20; 28:3); classed with Noah, Job, etc. Nothing evil spoken of him. (Only two: Joseph and Daniel: both executives); vs. David, et al.

Foreign words: 15 Persian words; 3 Greek words. Expected from Daniel's position. As a teenager, deported; served at court; survived into Persian Empire.

Raised under King Josiah's revival; good environment; an example.

Sabbath Year concept: Lev 25, Lev 26; 490 years: failed; “owed” God 70: 2 Chr 36:21-22. 70 x 7: Four such periods in Israel's history.

The “Seventy Sevens” of Israel

1st Siege of Nebuchadnezzar:

Battle of Carchemesh: 606 b.c.; Nebuchadnezzar vs Pharaoh Necco W bank of Euphrates; Jer 46:1-6. Jehoikim fettered (2 Chr 36:5-8). Jehoikim released as a vassal; Temple plundered (for museum); hostages (Daniel et al.) taken. (Daniel of Royal line? Dan 1:4). Begins “Servitude of the Nation”; 70 years to the day.

2nd Seige of Nebuchadnezzar

Jehoikim ignores Jeremiah's counsel, rebels. 5 year battle; Jehoikim dies; Jer 22:17-19. Jehiachin (“Jeconiah”) son reigns until siege over. Jer 22:24-30. (Blood curse avoided by Christ's virgin birth. See Footprints of the Messiah.) His son captured; 10,000 captives; 1000 skilled artisans; etc. 2 Kgs 24:1-4. His uncle, Zedekiah, installed as vassal. Jeremiah and Ezekiel prophesy; but false prophets again prevail. Ego trip leads to:

3rd Siege of Nebuchadnezzar

“Desolations of Jerusalem” 587 b.c.; (also 70 years; but not coterminous with “Servitude.”) Contradictory prophecies: Jer 32:5, 39:7; Ezek 12:13; 2 Kgs 25:6-7.  God does not deal in approximations. City and Temple destroyed 2 Kgs 24:17-20; 25:1-21.

A Provocative Conjecture

Ezekiel 4:1-8: 430 years of judgment predicted. 430 - 70 years captivity = 360 unaccounted for? Leviticus 26:18, 21, 24, 28: Multiply by seven? 360 x 7 = 2520 years. 360 day years: Genesis 7:24, 8:3-4, etc.; 42 months; 3 1/2 years; 1260 days; being equivalent in Revelation, etc.

2520 years₃₆₀ = 907,200 days. 2483 years₃₆₅ = 906,295 days, + ?

What about leap years?

The Julian year is 11 minutes 10.46 seconds longer than the mean solar year. Therefore the Julian calendar contains 3 leap years too many every 4 centuries. An error of 11 days occurred as of 1752 a.d. and was corrected by the Gregorian reform, which declared September 3 to be September 14, 1752,and reckoning 1700,1800,and 1900 as common years and 2000 as a leap year. Dividing 2483 by 4 = 621, with 18 too many (3 excess every 4 centuries); 11 have already been corrected for by the Gregorian reform: 18 - 11 = 7; 621 - 7 = 614.

Don't confuse the “Servitude of the Nation” with the “Desolations of Jerusalem.” The “Desolations of Jerusalem” was punishment for not yielding to the “servitude”: Jeremiah 27:6, 8, 11; 38:17-21. Cf. Jeremiah 29:10; Daniel 9:2.

Both the “Servitude of the Nation” and the “Desolations of Jerusalem” were predicted to last 70 years, but these were also 360-day years: 70 years₃₆₀ = 25,200 days = 69 years₃₆₅ less 2 days.

Servitude of the Nation

which is May 14, 1948. It was on this date that David Ben Gurion declared on international radio, and using Ezekiel as his authority, the re-establishment of Israel as the new Jewish homeland.

Desolations of Jerusalem

which is June 7,1967,when, as a result of the “Six Day War,” Israel regained control of the Old City of Jerusalem for the first time since the time of Christ.

Nebuchadnezzar began the period known as the “times of the Gentiles.” Cf. Luke 21:24. Jer 25:9; Nebuchadnezzar is “my servant”! Dan 2:21. No king from the line of David has ruled over Israel since the Babylonian captivity.