INTRODUCTION TO DANIEL

Overview of prophetic study

Amos 3:7 7 Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his
servants the prophets.

A. G. Daniells - The gift of prophecy, “ranks next to the supreme gift of His only
begotten Son and of the Holy Spirit to a world estranged and separated by sin.” The
Abiding Gift of Prophecy, p. 15.

“In the highest sense the prophet was one who spoke by direct inspiration,
communicating to the people the messages he had received from God.” Ed, p.46

At the fall of Adam, face-to-face communication between heaven and earth was cut off.
Adam, Enoch, Abraham, Isaac, Job, Jacob, Joseph, and others received word from God
and passed the message to their children.

Lift up Jesus, you that teach the people, lift Him up in sermon, in song, in prayer. Let all
your powers be directed to pointing souls, confused, bewildered, lost, to "the Lamb of
God." Lift Him up, the risen Saviour, and say to all who hear, come to Him who "hath
loved us, and hath given Himself for us." [Ephesians 5:2.] Let the science of salvation be
the burden of every sermon, the theme of every song. Let it be poured forth in every
supplication. Bring nothing into your preaching to supplement Christ, the wisdom and
power of God. Hold forth the word of life, presenting Jesus as the hope of the penitent
and the stronghold of every believer. Reveal the way of peace to the troubled and the
despondent, and show forth the grace and completeness of the Saviour. {GW 160.1}

SETTING: William Shea, Daniel 7-12, The Abundant Life Bible Amplifier (Boise, ID: Pacific Press
Publishing Association, 1996), 56-60.
The book of Daniel is located in the middle of the Bible, between Genesis and
Revelation. It is also located in the middle of history, between Creation and the New
Earth. In the prophecies of Daniel we see that the history of the nations is a history of
opposition to the worship of the true God.

Overview of the Book of Daniel

The Book of Daniel was written over a period of more than fifty years from around 600
BC to around 535 BC. The author, Daniel, was a Jew taken hostage by Nebuchadnezzar,
King of Babylon when he invaded and conquered Judah, the last remaining portion of the
twelve tribes of Israel (Dan 1:1-7). From the perspective of those taken to Babylon all
was lost. The land was in ruins, their kings were taken captive or killed, the temple was
desecrated and destroyed, and the people were scattered throughout the empire. All their
hopes and dreams were shattered.

God's purpose in the book was to bring hope in desperate times. God was still in control.
He would one day depose the world empires and restore the land to His people (Dan 2).
They still had a king, the Messiah to come (Dan 7:13-14, 27). They still had a sanctuary,
the true sanctuary in heaven (Dan 8 and 9). And God would one day gather all His

1
scattered people together, even those who had died (Dan 11 and 12, particularly 12:1-3).

The Book of Daniel falls into two main parts. There are a series of narratives (particularly
chapters 1-6, but also 9 and 10) describing experiences of Daniel and his friends in
Babylon.

The rest of the book (chapters 2, 7-9, and 11-12) contains dreams and interpretation that
predict the course of history from Daniel's time to the end of the world. There are four
parallel lines of prophecy (beginning in chapters 2, 7, 8 and 11). Each covers the same
basic ground from the time of Daniel along the course of history down to the end of the
world. Each is more difficult than the one that precedes it.

The Book of Daniel makes it clear that at the time he was captured by the Babylonians,
there were many things that Daniel did not know.
1) He didn't yet know about the amazing ways that God would intervene in his life and
the lives of his friends (note all the narratives of Daniel, especially chapters 1, 2, 3, and
6).
2) He as yet had little grasp of the larger purposes of God in which suffering is
sometimes allowed to occur along the path toward a higher good.
3) He didn't know about God's plan for the future of his people.
4) And he didn't know that God had chosen him to be the recipient of visions, which
would clarify that future, and the purposes of God in the course of history. In many ways,
today's teen-agers face the same kinds of questions that Daniel did then. Where are the
circumstances of my life taking me?

The Purpose of Prophecy

When people think of the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation, they have visions of the
future chiefly in mind. But the purpose of prophecy is not primarily to satisfy our
curiosity about the future. There are three larger purposes:
1) To Demonstrate that the Bible is from God. Since no one can know the future except
God (Isa 46:9- 10), fulfilled Bible prophecy proves that. (Deut 18:21-22; John 13:18-19).
Miracles, on the other hand, are not a safe sign that God is speaking because false
prophets can often perform miracles (Matt 24:24).

2) To Encourage God's People letting them know that ultimate victory belongs to God;
(Dan 12:1-3; Rev 17:14).

3) To Provide Instruction for Hard Times. God's people come to understand what is
happening to them and how to respond to it (Rev 1:3).

Prophecy is more than prediction; it teaches us that the same God who rules over the
nations also wants to rule in the heart of every person on earth. The God who "changes
times and seasons", who "sets up kings and deposes them," will give "wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the discerning" (Dan 2:21).

Why Should We Study Daniel?

1) It builds our faith in the Bible, encourages us in the ultimate victory of God, and help

2
to prepare us for the last days.
2) It is written particularly for the End, the time in which we are now living (Dan 12:4,9).

3) Jesus Himself encourages us to study Daniel (Matt 24:15). The end of the world is
based to a large degree on the book of Daniel.

4) It opens the glimpse of the Heavenly home.

"When the books of Daniel and Revelation are better understood, believers will
have an entirely different religious experience. They will be given such glimpses
of the open gates of heaven that heart and mind will be impressed with the
character that all must develop in order to realize the blessedness which is to be
the reward of the pure in heart." Testimonies to Ministers, p. 114.

5) Daniel illustrates the struggles that all people face when trying to serve God in a
hostile environment. The history of the human race began with conflict over worship
(Gen 4:2-8) and it will end with conflict over worship (Rev 14:9-10).

6) Daniel uplifts Jesus. "Let Daniel speak, let the Revelation speak, and tell what is truth.
But whatever phase of the subject is presented, uplift Jesus as the center of all hope. TM
118.

7) By studying Daniel we ourselves are fulfilling prophecy- (Dan 12:4)!

Abram was actually a Babylonian by birth, (Genesis 11). The exile to Babylon, in a
sense, returned God's people to their roots. Since they had not listened to God during the
good times in their homeland, He hoped to get their attention through hard times in exile
(cf. Deut 28:47-48). In the process people like Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Darius,
Cyrus and others became familiar with the God of Israel.

THE NARRATIVES OF DANIEL

SETTING

Daniel was probably 17 or 18 years of age when he arrived in Babylon and

Nebuchadnezzar was no more than five years older. His father, Nabopolassar, became
gravely ill, so when the Egyptians once more threatened the border areas of the country at
Carchemish, Nebuchadnezzar was appointed commander-in-chief to deal with the
situation. In a surprising move, Nebuchadnezzar ignored his father's tactics, abandoned
his supply lines by crossing the Euphrates River, and attacked the Egyptian garrison at
Carchemish from behind. The result was a smashing victory Jer. 46:3-12).
Nabopolassar died just after the capture of Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar was 800 miles
from home by the main road, burdened down with a huge army and many captives, while
back home his country was in political disarray that had the potential for costing him his
life as well as his throne. He covered the 580 miles straight back to Babylon and
succeeded in securing his throne. Nebuchadnezzar was a truly remarkable man. Not only
was he a brilliant military man and a brilliant politician, he was also intellectually
brilliant, so much so that he was able to give comprehensive oral examinations for the

3
University of Babylon without being embarrassed (Dan 1:18-20). But what he didn't
know, riding furiously across the desert to Babylon, was that his developing greatness
was a gift from God and not the result of his own brilliance (Jer. 46:10).

So when Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar met as young men they were both can't-miss
prospects for human greatness. A bond rapidly formed between them.

Dan 1: A Dietary Test

The name change would normally be considered an honor. They were no longer
foreigners, they would become like family. How did Daniel react to this treatment? Dan.
1:8.
The issue for Daniel was more than just health. Eating at the king's table he would be
dishonoring God. Daniel's reaction to the king's generosity appears extremely ungrateful
and totally out of step, even among the Jews taken to Babylon. The rest, apparently, did
not protest the arrangement. Actually the young Hebrews faced three serious challenges
to their faith in this story: Babylonian education, Babylonian culture (name change), and
Babylonian food. Of the three, the food challenge was considered the most serious. The
education and culture would be necessary to play the role God had in mind for them, but
their minds would be unable to handle the educational and cultural challenges without
strict temperance in diet and drink.

No doubt all the young men were rather worn and malnourished by the time of their
arrival in Babylon after 800-mile hike under military prison conditions. Under the
blessing of God and the proper diet Daniel and his friends recovered from the journey
with surprising speed.

Dan 2: Superior in Wisdom

The narrative of Dan 2 serves to underscore the assertions in 1:17-20:
1) Daniel's wisdom comes from God, 2) his wisdom included understanding visions and
dreams, and 3) Daniel and his friends were ten times wiser than the rest of the king's wise
men.
The wise men of Babylon admit two very important things; 1) human wisdom is
inadequate to answer the king's request, and 2) they don't have access to the divine
wisdom either. Thanks to the wise men, Nebuchadnezzar is prepared to give honor to
God as well as to Daniel when he describes and interprets the dream about the image
(Dan 2:46-48).

In chapter 1 God builds wisdom behind the scenes and Daniel and his friends get the
praise. But in chapter 2 God's wisdom is acknowledged for the first time in a public way
in the courts of Babylon.

Dan 3: Faithful in Big Things

In his dream Nebuchadnezzar saw an image with a head of gold that represented him.
That image showed that his greatness was only temporary and that it was given to him by
God. While he was willing to acknowledge God as the revealer of mysteries, he was not
yet ready to give God control of his life. Building the image seems an act of direct
defiance against God and the future ordained for Nebuchadnezzar by God.

4
No doubt other Jews were in the audience and bowed down to the image. Daniel's three
friends decided ahead of time that they would be faithful. They didn't wait until the event
itself to see how things might turn out.

Since the gold of the image represented Nebuchadnezzar himself, bowing down to the
image was an act of worship to him as God. He here became the first example of a
principle the New Testament calls Antichrist, a person or a system that tries to take the
place of God in the affections of the human race. At the close of this scene the king
acknowledges that God took control of events and frustrated his purpose (Dan 3:28). His
heightened respect for the true God is seen in his severity toward anyone who might
show disrespect toward the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego (Dan 3:29).

Dan 4: The Most High is in Charge

In both chapters the basic message is that God is in control of all history and of all human
affairs. As such He is well able to deliver His people when events seem out of control
against them (Dan 3). But He is also able to frustrate the plans of the abusive, the proud,
and the self-sufficient (both chapters). The true God is no longer the God of Daniel (Dan
2:47) or the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego (3:28-29); He is the Most High
God (4:2,34). Nebuchadnezzar has, for the first time, acknowledged the true God as his
own. We may feel that life and the universe are totally out of control and that nothing we
do matters. God is in control, even when things seem out of control. You can find peace
and meaning for your life in relationship with a God who is bigger than any problem you
could have.

Don't even think about trying to gain control of your life or the people around you by
means of selfish ambition or oppression. He is more than able to frustrate anything and
anyone who tries to carve out a sense of control at the expense of other people.

Dan 5: Experience is the best

Perhaps 40 years have passed since the incidents recounted in chapter four of Daniel.
Babylon's fortunes have been waning, its armies have been defeated in the field, and now
Babylon is under siege. In Dan 5:1-4 Belshazzar shows the same bravado in defeat that
his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar showed at his peak.

In this chapter King Belshazzar weighs in at the opposite extreme of the wisdom of
Daniel. Even as things fall apart around him he maintains the illusion that he is in control.
But once again God intervenes to
demonstrate otherwise (Dan. 5:22,30).

Dan 6: Blameless Except in Religion

The events recounted in Dan 6 happen immediately after the fall of Babylon in Dan 5.
The stories of Dan 1 to 6 revolve around three characters; Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar, and
God Nebuchadnezzar, his life also illustrates that no
Human being, no matter how troubled, arrogant or abusive, is exempt from God's care
and active concern. While God's loving care may at times be expressed in actions that

5
result in difficulty and suffering, the life of Nebuchadnezzar demonstrates that no matter
what we have done or where we have been, God is ready and willing to receive us and
help us find the joy that can come only in commitment to Him.

The true hero of these narratives, then, is not Daniel or even Nebuchadnezzar. It is God.
He is the one who is in control of all history and human experience. He is the one who
foils the oppressor and takes care of His own. He is the one who has answers to our
questions, provides strength for our weaknesses, forgiveness for our shortcomings, and
acceptance in our doubts, fears, and struggles. He is everything we need.

Daniel confesses his own God in a foreign land (remarkable enough!) but
Nebuchadnezzar, like Naaman, acknowledges a foreign God in his own land! This for
me is the finishing touch that suggests that, within the
context of his own time and place, Nebuchadnezzar’s conversion was genuine and
complete.

The God of the Bible is a God who meets people where they are and works through
human history and human philosophy as needed to accomplish His
aims. The worldwide movement toward a universal religion that is heralded in the book
of Daniel was part of God's plan to prepare the world for the coming of Jesus (Desire of
Ages, pp. 31-38).

Since gold is the heaviest material and clay is the weakest, the statue of Dan 2 represents
the natural instability of the political and economic order of the world today. The steady
decline in value from gold to clay is a reflection of God's viewpoint on human history.
How do we know that the traditional outline of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome
is exactly what God intended for the prophecy? Dan 5:28 makes it clear that the Medes
and the Persians were the kingdom that succeeded Babylon.

Dan 8:20-21 makes it clear that Greece would be the kingdom that replaces Persia.
While Rome is not named in Daniel, history tells us that the kingdom, which took over
from the Greek Empire, was the Roman Empire.

Dan. 7 - The beasts: God's image of history

Bible Prophecy Symbols

Many of the apocalyptic prophecies were given while the prophets were in a hostile
foreign land. One reason God cloaked the prophecies in symbols was to protect the
messages.

Beasts Kingdom/ Political Power Daniel 7:17,23

Horn King /Kingdom Daniel 7:24; 8:5, 21-22; Rev. 17:12.
Waters Inhabited area/people/nations Revelation 17:15
Wind Strife /commotion Jer. 4:11-13; 25:31-33; 49:36-37;
Wings Speed /Protection Deut. 28:49; Matthew 23:37
Ram Medo- Persia Daniel 8:20
Goat Greece Daniel 8:21

6
Babylon Apostasy/Confusion/Rebellion Gen. 11:6-9;
Time Days Dan. 4:16, 25, 32, 34; 7:25;
Day Literal year Ezekiel 4:6; Numbers 14:34
Heads Major rulers/power Revelation 17:3, 9-10.
Mountains Political or religio-political powers Isaiah 2:2-3; Jer. 17:3; 31:23; Ezek. 17:22-23

In Dan 7 we find the second major prophecy of kingdoms and world events leading up to
the end of earth's history. Whereas the first prophecy (Dan 2) was given to a pagan king,
this vision is given and explained directly to the Hebrew prophet Daniel. In this lesson
we will discover that the vision of Dan 7 offers a powerful answer to the dilemma of
God's captive people in
Babylon.

In this life bad things often happen to good people, and evil people often prosper. Life is
not always fair.

For Daniel at the time of chapter 7 it must have seemed that God had lost control of
events and of the future. The vision of Dan 7 occurred in the first year of King
Belshazzar, the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, who was to lose his life on the night
described in Dan 5. Nebuchadnezzar is dead and the events of Dan 1-4 are in the past,
while Belshazzar's feast and the fall of
Babylon are still in the future.

The language of Daniel makes it clear that the dream of Nebuchadnezzar in Dan 2 was of
the same significance and quality as Daniel's vision in chapter 7 (Dan 2:28 cf. 7:1-2).

There were a number of reasons at that time for the Jews to suspect that God had
abandoned them and that they were no longer His people. Nebuchadnezzar had replaced
their king Zedekiah on the throne. The Jews no longer lived in the homeland that God
had promised to Abraham forever (Gen 15:1-8). Pagan temples surrounded them while
the temple of the Lord lay in ruins. God had even favored the pagan king with
revelations like those He had formerly given to the prophets of Israel and Judah. Now
with the irreverent Belshazzar on the throne, things could only get worse. Life just didn't
seem fair.

While it was true that the people of Judah had often rebelled against God, the
Babylonians were much worse! How could God favor them and their king in place of the
descendants of Abraham and Jacob?

With the vision of Dan 7 two things became clear.

1) Daniel was now favored by God as a visionary prophet.
2) God was sending a message of great comfort and assurance to his oppressed and
confused people. Though things seemed to be unfair, to have slipped out of control, God
was neither helpless nor perverse. God's kingdom would replace all other kingdoms.

Easily overlooked in all the sights and sounds of this chapter is the fact that the vision of

7
Dan 7:1-14 contains a replay of the creation account in Gen 1:2,20-28. Both accounts
begin with the wind (Spirit) hovering over or churning up the sea (Gen 1:2; Dan 7:2),
then the beasts appear in their order (Gen 1:20-25; Dan 7:3-8), then comes the image of
God or the son of man who receives rulership over all the animals of the earth (Gen 1:26-
28; Dan 7:13-14).

Just as the original Adam was in control over the animals in the Garden (1:26-28;
2:15,19-20) so the second Adam is in control over the nations of the earth. The stirring
message of this vision is that in a world that seems totally out of our control, we have the
assurance that God is still in control.

Power is used to hurt, oppress, abuse and destroy. The little horn of Dan 7 brings us face
to face with such an entity. The striking parallel between "like the eyes of a man" (in
Dan 7:8) and "like a son of man,” (in Dan 7:13) indicates conflict and counter play
between Jesus, who represents God to the
human race, and the little horn, who is the earthly representative of Satan. The
explanation of the vision, in verses 15-27, will expand on this conflict. What we know so
far is that the judgment will ultimately resolve matters in favor of the son of man.

The Interpretation of the Vision (Dan 7:15-28)

The prophecies of Daniel and Revelation are full of symbols and hidden meaning.
Interpretive principles well versed in the Bible must be employed to open the gems. Use
of the year-day principle results in a more balanced interpretation than if the time
prophesies are treated as literal time. The Year-Day Principle in Scripture

1) But apocalyptic prophecies like those of Daniel and Revelation are clearly intended to
cover the broad sweep of history from the prophet’s time to the End.

2) In the sweep of Dan 7 the Little Horn stands out as the chief opponent of God and his
people.

3) The Time of the End (in 11:40 and 12:4,9) was to be a period of time and the three and
a half years(along with the 2300 days) was to lead up to that time. Only the year/day
principle provides enough time for these developments.

4) Apocalyptic prophecies tend to be symbolic rather than literal. The numbers should
generally beconsidered symbolic rather than literal as well. The use of unusual time units
like "2300 evenings and mornings" and "time, times, and half a time" support the
understanding of a symbolic intention.

5) The term "days" is often used in Daniel when much longer periods are intended
(1:5,18; 2:28; 4:34; 5:11; 7:9,13; 8:26; 12:13).

6) The seventy weeks of Dan 9 run from the Persian period to the time of the Messiah,
about 500 years.

7) In the Hebrew OT days often are used interchangeably with years (Gen 6:3; 47:9; Deut
32:7; Job 10:5).

8
8) In Lev 25:1-7, periods of seven years, which climax with a sabbatical year are
modeled on the week and the weekly Sabbath. This principle is also modeled in the
Jubilee cycle (Lev 25:8).

9) In two passages (Num. 14:34; Ezek. 4:6) human actions in days correspond to God's
actions and concerns over the same number of years.

10) The seventy weeks of Daniel 9 corresponding to the seventy years of captivity
mentioned at the beginning of the chapter.

11) The Jews who lived at Qumran understood Dan 9 on the basis of the year/day
principle in the time of Jesus.

12) The events of Dan 11:1-39 seem to elaborate on the events that are to take place in
the course of the 2300-day period. These events clearly cover many centuries.

13) The exact fulfillment of the 70 weeks in relation to the experience and death of Jesus
argue for reading the passage on the basis of the year/day principle.

14) Many Jewish commentators over the centuries considered the year/day principle
appropriate to Hebrew thinking.

BEASTS AND GOD’s END TIME MESSAGE

SETTING

In the first year of King Belshazzar, Daniel has a vision of wild beasts -Dan 7. These
beasts represent world kingdoms that would rule from Daniel's day down to the final
judgment. Two years later he had a vision of domestic, sacrificial animals (a ram and a
male goat), which he described and began to interpret in Dan 8. This lesson focuses on
the symbolism of this second vision and its relationship to Dan 7.

The first half of the chapter (8:1-14) contains a symbolic vision (3-12) and an audition
regarding 2,300 evenings and mornings (13-14). The second half (8:15-27) offers an
explanation of the vision by the angel Gabriel (19-26) and a description of Daniel's
reactions to the vision (15-18,27).

In the third year of King Belshazzar, two years after the previous vision, Daniel had
another vision. A ram stood by the Ulai Canal in Susa and had two long horns. One grew
up after the other and the second to grow up became longer than the first (Dan 8:3). The
ram charged toward the West, the North and the South. It became in a sense the king of
animals, ruling over all others for a time (Dan 8:4). Dan 8:20 makes clear that the ram
represents empire of Media and Persia.

A goat with a prominent horn between its eyes came from the West, moving so rapidly
that its feet did not touch the ground (Dan 8:5). It charged the ram, which was standing

9
by the canal; shattered its two horns, knocked it down, and trampled on it (Dan 8:6-7).
Dan 8:21 indicate that the goat represents Greece, and the prominent horn, the first king
of the Greek Empire (Alexander the Great).

The two animals (the ram and the goat) played a significant role in the ancient Hebrew
Sanctuary service Lev 5:14-19; 6:1-7; 2 Chr. 29:20-24.
At the height of the goat's power the prominent horn was broken off and replaced by four
prominent horns, which grew up toward the four winds of heaven (Dan 8:8). Dan 8:22
interpret that to mean that the empire would divide into four kingdoms, none of them as
great as the original.

Another horn came out of "one of them" (probably one of the four winds of heaven, the
one to the west). It started small but grew in power toward the south, toward the east, and
toward the "Beautiful Land" (Dan 8:9). This represents the political and military
advances of the pagan Roman Empire, which gradually replaced the pieces of the old
Greek Empire.

While the description of the "Little Horn" in verse 9 is understandable in political and
military terms, in verses 10-12 the horn has been transformed into a religious power. It
attacks the hosts of heaven (Dan 8:10), it sets itself up to be as great as the "Prince of the
host," its takes away the "daily sacrifice" from him, it "brings low" the place of his
sanctuary (Dan 8:11), it persecutes the saints and cast the truth to the ground (Dan 8:12).

The Little Horn ends up as a religious power. It persecutes the people of God. It attacks
the person and ministry of Christ. It points away from the heavenly sanctuary to earthly
substitutes (Dan 8:10-12, 23-25). In light of the parallels with the Little Horn of Dan 7
these activities would seem once again to point to the work of the Papacy.

But there is a bright side hidden in this picture of conflict. Just as the Son of Man in Dan
7 is the opponent and counterpart of the Little Horn, so in Dan 8 the Prince of the host is
the opponent and counterpart of the Little Horn (Dan 8:11,25). Both the son of man and
the Prince of the host are descriptions of Jesus.

In every vision of the book of Daniel there is a glimpse of Jesus. He is the rock that
smites the image of Dan 2, he is the son of man who receives dominion in behalf of the
saints in Dan 7, he is the prince of the covenant in Dan 11, and in Dan 8 he is the Prince
of the host who sees attacks on His people as attacks on Himself.

Dan 8 - The Restoration of the Sanctuary

In Dan 8:10-12 there is an increasing focus on the sanctuary of God. The ram and the
goat, which were at the center of attention when the vision began, were both sacrificial
animals in the Hebrew sanctuary. Now the "daily sacrifice" has been taken away from
the Prince of the host and the "place of His sanctuary" (presumably in heaven) has been
brought low. The truth has been cast to the ground. It should come as no surprise, then,
that verses 13-14 zero in on the restoration of God's sanctuary.

In Dan 8 the vision of the 2300 days clearly concerns the sanctuary and focuses in on the

10
"daily" part of the ritual. At the conclusion of that time period, however, there is a great
work of "reconsecration" that needs to be done. The word translated "reconsecration" in
Dan 8:14 contains a rich variety of possible meanings, including cleansing, restoration,
setting right, and vindicating. All these words are appropriate to the perilous situation
that the sanctuary has been in on account of the Little Horn's work during the latter part
of the 2300 days.

Since the 2300-year (prophetic day) period begins in the Persian period (around 500 BC),
the time of reconsecration would be close to our time in history, it would be a restoration
of the sanctuary in the NT sense. It would be a restoration of the heavenly sanctuary, the
church, and the personal life of the Christian.

In the Mass and the confessional, the penitent person depends on the ministry of a human
priest as the basis of his or her daily experience with God. An earthly sanctuary has taken
the place of the heavenly and an earthly priest has taken the place of Christ, who is the
only mediator between God and the human race (1 Tim 2:5). Thus the true ministry of
Christ is obscured from the people. Thus people are prevented from relating directly to
the only One who can truly save (Acts 4:12). While there is no place in Christian life for
"Catholic-bashing", it is important that the Biblical warnings against substitutes for the
work of Christ be clearly heard.

What in the heavenly sanctuary needs to be cleansed or restored?

(1) Longstanding questions regarding the character of God and the plan of salvation
need to be cleared up.
(2) The truth about the heavenly sanctuary and what goes on there must be made
clear, both in heaven and on earth.
(3) The record of the sins of the righteous needs to be cared for in a full and final
way.

THE CLIMAX OF DANIEL'S PROPHESIES

Chapters 8-12 of the Book of Daniel are actually a single unit in the original language.
There is the basic vision of Dan 8:3-14. The rest of Dan 8-12 offers explanations of that
basic vision. In this lesson we will focus mainly on the explanation of the 2300-day time
prophecy that is found in Dan 9:24-27. This explanation will show that the entire
prophetic picture of Dan 8 and 9 centers around the work of Jesus Christ in our behalf.

We see a similar process at work in the life of Daniel. At the close of the vision in Dan 8,
Daniel is so exhausted and sick over the meaning of the vision that his angel interpreter
cannot continue the explanation. Eight to ten years go by before the angel can return, and
even then he explains only a part, the rest comes years later (Dan 10:1, cf. 9:1).

Why is the explanation spread over many years? Apparently is because God revealed
only as much and as fast as Daniel could handle the information (see 8:27 and 10:2,12).
In a similar vein Jesus later told His disciples, "I have much more to say to you, more
than you can now bear," John 16:12.

11
Prophets were real human beings. God met them where they were, giving as much
information as they could handle. No single inspired writer, therefore, is able to deliver
the whole truth of God. That is one reason the Bible is so special. It is the product of
some forty different inspired writers. It is only with such a variety of witnesses that the
full counsel of God can come to us.

The Seventy Weeks of Years - The portion of the original experience in Dan 8 that
remained unexplained was the audition part (Dan 8:13-14). In Dan 9 the angel Gabriel
returns to clarify the time period of the 2300 evenings and mornings.

Gabriel's explanation begins with a summary of God's whole purpose for the time period
(9:24). He then gives details that fill in and support that conclusion (9:25-27). The six
items of verse 24 are a fitting expression of the context and results of the mighty work of
Christ, which He performed in his life, death, resurrection, and ascension. When in
history do the seventy weeks begin? Dan 9:25-27. This decree took place in the Fall of
457 BC

The time period of Dan 9 comes as an explanation of the time portion of the previous
prophecy (Dan 8:13-14). It is clear in Dan 8 that the time period was to begin during the
Persian period (539-331 BC), but the exact point of beginning was left unclear (Dan
8:26-27). In Dan 9 a specific beginning point is given for the seventy weeks. Since this
is in explanation of the previous time period, the two must have the same beginning
point, even though they are of different lengths.

Dan 9:24 says that "seventy sevens (weeks) are 'decreed' for your people and your holy
city." The Hebrew word translated "decreed" has the basic meaning of "cut off." The
seventy weeks (490 literal years) are "cut off" from the longer time period (of 2300
years). The two periods have the same beginning point, but the period prophesied by the
seventy weeks is much shorter. If the beginning point of the 2300 days is the Fall of 457
BC, the end point is the Fall of 1844.

Add 456 and a quarter years (in Fall one quarter of the year is left) to 1843 and three-
quarters (in Fall three- quarters of the year are past) and you have 2300 years total. The
Fall of 1844 is 1843 and 3/4 years into the Christian era.

Dan. 9:25-27. The seventy weeks are divided into a period of seven weeks (49 years),
during which Jerusalem's streets are rebuilt, sixty-two weeks (434 years), leading up to
the coming of the Anointed One (the Messiah-- Jesus), and one week, in the middle of
which the Anointed One puts an end to sacrifice and offering.

Adventists understand the coming of the Messiah to be fulfilled in the baptism of Jesus
(AD 27, exactly 483 years after the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem). This action
began the final week of the seventy. In the middle of that last week of years (spring of
AD 31), Jesus died on the cross ("cut off", "put an end to sacrifice"). After the close of
the 490 years (AD 34-- usually associated with the stoning of Stephen), events were set in
motion that led once again to the destruction of Jerusalem.

12
 The beauty in all this is that prophecy is never dry. The entire time prophecy of Dan 8-9
revolves around the work of Jesus Christ in our behalf. In Daniel's day, he begins to
deliver His people from Babylon. At the close of the seventy weeks, He lives, dies and
ascends to heaven for our salvation. At the close of the 2300 days, he acts to reverse the
evil actions of the Little Horn, and restore the sanctuary and the people of God. The
prophecy is Christ-centered from beginning to end. Jesus' work is not only adequate for
us, it comes on time, just when it is needed most!

The prophecies of Daniel conclude in the twelfth chapter. According to Dan 12:1, at the
very close of earth's history Michael (another name for Jesus Christ) "arises," which
means that he takes over rulership (see Dan 11:7) of the earth as the replacement for the
series of rulers who have opposed God's people. Dan 12:1 is the equivalent of the stone
striking the image in Dan 2 or the son of man taking the kingdom in Dan 7. There will be
a great final battle when this takes place, a battle called "Armageddon" in the Book of
Revelation (see Lesson 14). The result of that battle will be full and final victory for Jesus
Christ and for those in relationship with Him.

Journal of the Adventist Theological Society, 7/1 (Spring 1996): 141-

158. Article copyright © 1996 by Gerhard Pfandl.

Daniel’s “Time of the End”

Introduction

After the portrayal of the ram, the goat, and the activities of the little horn power
in the vision of Daniel 8, the angel Gabriel says to Daniel, “Understand, O Son of
man, that the vision extends to the time of the end” (vs. 17).

This is the first of five occurrences of the phrase “time of the end” ({eœt◊ qeœs√),
in the book of Daniel, the other four being 11:35, 40; 12:4, 9. Research has shown
that there is no cognate equivalent to {eœt◊ qeœs√ in any of the other Semitic
languages. It is not found in any of the other OT books nor in any extrabiblical
1
Hebrew source. Thus, we have to conclude that the expression, “the time of the
end,” is a purely Danielic phrase and as such must be evaluated within the con-
text of the prophetic chapters of Daniel.

Scholarly Opinions

Scholarly opinion in regard to the meaning of “the time of the end” in Daniel is
divided. One view among scholars considers it to be an eschatological term to be
applied to the time of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (2nd century B.C.). According to
this position, the author of Daniel 8 expected the Messianic age to appear

13
 2
immediately after the demise of Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Thus, “the time of the
e a
end” ({eœt◊ qeœs)√ is equated with “the latter days” (b }ah√ rˆît◊ hayyaœmˆîm)
a
“the latter indignation (}ah rˆît◊ hazza{am), and “the appointed time of the end”
c 3
(mô ed qes).

A variation of this interpretation is E. J. Young's view who equates “the time of

a
the end” ({eœt◊ qeœs√) with “the latter indignation” (}ah rˆît◊ hazza{am) and
applies both to “the end of time when afflictions of in- dignation are to be
permitted upon Israel. It is the end of the Old Testament period and the ushering in
4
of the New.”

A second view takes Daniel 8 as having a dual fulfillment, which means, “that a
prophecy fulfilled in part in the past is a foreshadowing of a future event which
5
will completely fulfill the passage.” Some take the entire chapter 8 as having a
6
dual fulfillment; John F. Walvoord, for example, sees the whole chapter
historically fulfilled in Antiochus, but foreshadowing typically the future world
7
ruler. Others take the vision proper (vss. 1-14) as historically fulfilled but see in
8
the interpretation of the vision a dual fulfillment. Expositors of this view generally
apply “the time of the end” ({eœt◊ qeœs)√ to the time before Christ's second
9
advent.

A similar view is taken by Joyce Baldwin who, in accordance with the idealistic
method of interpretation, sees Daniel 8 portraying “a recurring historical
phenomenon: the clever but ruthless world dictator, who stops at nothing in or- der
10
to achieve his ambitions.”

A third view rejects the Antiochus IV Epiphanes interpretation and applies the
11 12
Little Horn in Daniel 8 either to the Roman Empire, its successor—papal Rome,
13 14
the Mohammedans, or a future Antichrist. All expositors of this view see “the
time of the end” as the time preceding and culminating in the second advent of
15
Christ, that is, the end of world history.

Finding a Starting PointDaniel 11:35. A specific historical event in any of the

five passages where the expression, “the time of the end” occurs would provide a
starting point in the search for its meaning. I believe such an historical event is
found in the passage of Daniel 11:35-12:4 where the phrase is used three times
(11:35,40; 12:4).

Daniel 11 is part of the second “commentary vision” which begins in Daniel 10:1
and ends in Daniel 12:4. As in Daniel 9, there are no striking symbols in this
vision, only explanations. The symbolic visions of Daniel end in 8:14, what

14
follows are explanations and enlargements of the symbolic visions.

The angelic commentary in Daniel 11 begins with the kings of Medo-Persia (vss.
1-2), followed by the Alexandrian empire and its break up into four parts (vss. 3-
4). The next 40 verses are taken up with the struggle between two opposing forces,
designated as kings of the North and the South (5-45).

In Daniel 11:35 the phrase, “time of the end” ({eœt◊ qeœs)√ makes its second
appearance in the book. Daniel 11:35 is part of a series of verses describing the
activities of “those who are wise,” the masíkˆîlˆîm (vss. 32-35), in the face of the
invasion of the King of the North. These wise persons “shall fall to refine and to
purge them, and to make them white, until the time of the end, for it is yet for the
appointed time” (vs. 35). Who is to be purged through the fall of the “wise”? They
themselves, the people of verse 33, or the “many” in verse 34? The text
unfortunately is ambiguous. However, whichever group is referred to, the thought
is clear that this falling will go on until the time of the end which will come at the
appointed time.

The passage following Daniel 11:35 describes the activities of the willful king in
verses 36-39, and in verse 40 “the time of the end” ({eœt◊ qeœs√) is mentioned
again. In verse 40 “the time of the end,” which was seen as future in verse 35, has
now arrived. In the concluding part of the vision a resurrection of the dead takes
place (12:2). It is this event, which, I believe, holds the key to the proper
understanding of the expression, “the time of the end ({eœt◊ qeœs√).

Daniel 12:1, 2. And at that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who has charge
of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble; such as never was since there was a
nation until that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is
found written in the book.

And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life,
and some to shame and everlasting con- tempt.
16
“At that time” refers us back to “the time of the end” in 11:40. During this “time
of the end” Michael will stand up, because there will be such a “time of trouble”
within “the time of the end” the like of it the world has never experienced. Yet “at
that time,” still referring to the “time of the end,” God's people will be delivered.

As we have seen above, the phrase “at that time” (u®b⋲aœ{eœt◊ hahˆî}) which
appears at the beginning and the end of Daniel 12:1 refers back to Daniel 11:40-
45. The subject in Daniel 12:1c is “your people” qualified by the appositional
phrase “everyone who is found written in the book.” Thus the “people” not only
belong to God, but they are also recorded in God's book. Many books are
17
mentioned in the OT, but this one seems to be the “book of life” (Ps 69:28), also

15
 18
called “God's book” (Exod 32:33). Only those whose names are written in this
book will be delivered.

In Daniel 12:1 there are three different themes (Michael stands up, a time of
trouble, and the deliverance of God's people). These themes are welded together
by the temporal phrase, “that time.” The immediate context in Daniel 12:2 deals
with the resurrection of the dead which I believe holds the key to the meaning of
“the time of the end” ({eœt◊ qeœs√).
19
There is a sizeable body of literature on the topic of the resurrection in the OT.
According to the scholarly consensus, the physical resurrection of the dead is part
20
of the OT apocalyptic matrix. The two passages which most clearly enunciate it
are Isaiah 26:19 and Daniel 12:1-4. Although Hans Wild- berger and other
scholars see the resurrection in Isaiah 26 as only a metaphor for the restoration of
21
Israel, the majority of scholars hold that Isaiah 26:19 ex- presses the notion of a
22
physical resurrection.

In regard to Daniel 12:2, some see the resurrection mentioned there simply as a
23
figure of the moral and national revival of Israel in “the time of the end,” but
again the majority of interpreters agree that a physical resurrection is in view here
24
as well.

Many scholars see Daniel 12:1-4 as part of the prophecy in Daniel 11:40- 45,
which the writer envisaged but which never came to pass. According to their
understanding, the resurrection was to come after Antiochus IV Epiphanes had
25
died.

In Daniel 12:2a we read: “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth
shall awake.” The word “many” (rabbîm) indicates that this is not the general
resurrection at the end of time, but a resurrection which is limited to “many of
them that sleep.” The preposition min being used in the partitive sense. Gerhard
26
Hasel points out that in Esther 8:17, the only other OT passage where we find
27
exactly the same sentence construction, min has the partitive sense.
“Furthermore, the partitive usage is the more common one for rabbîm followed by
min. One would have to have “compelling reasons,” says Hasel, “for departing
from normal usage before one could be reasonably sure that a meaning other than
28
the common one should be chosen.” There does not seem to be any compelling
reason in this text.

“Sleeping” (yaœsûeœn) is used here of death as in Job 3:13; Psalm 13:3 and
Jeremiah 51:39 of death. This is parallel to John 11:11 where Jesus says, “Lazarus
is sleeping” and three verses further on he explains that Lazarus is in fact dead.

16
“Dusty earth” or “land of dust” (}admat◊ {aphaœr) occurring only here, refers
back to Genesis 3:19 “In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you re-
a
turn to the ground (' damah), for out of it you were taken; For dust ({aphaœr) you
are, and to dust you shall return.” Dust is frequently used as a symbol for the grave
(cf. Job 7:21; Ps 22:29). The reference here is to those who are dead and buried.

“Shall awake” (yaœqˆîs√u®). This verb appears 22 times in the OT and can refer
to waking up from sleep (1 Sam 26:12; Ps 3:5) or from inactivity (Ps 35:23; 59:5).
It is used for the resurrection in 2 Kings 4:31; Job 14:12; Psalms 17:15; Isaiah
26:19; Jeremiah 51:39,57 and here in Daniel 12:2. Nowhere does it refer to a
moral or national awakening.

Thus, using normal Hebrew grammar and syntax for a reading of Daniel 12:2, I
find that what is spoken of here is a partial resurrection when some will receive
eternal life and others everlasting contempt.

Since in the time of Jesus the great tribulation and the resurrection were still future
(Matt 24:21; John 5:28, 29), Daniel 11:35-12:4 cannot refer to the time of
Antiochus IV Epiphanes in the second century B.C. Daniel's time of trouble and
the partial resurrection must come in “the time of the end” as this aeon comes to a
close prior to the establishment of the kingdom of God.
34
The “prince” or “anointed one” is Christ in all three passages. He is Lord of the
covenant (Deut 4:23), and He is also the “Prince of the covenant” (Dan 11:22).
35
The abomination that makes desolate (Dan 9:27; 11:31) was cited by Christ (Matt
36
24:15) as still lying in the future. Fulfillment in the second century B.C.,
therefore, does not seem possible. The visions of Daniel 8 and 11 both reach to
“the time of the end,” at which, according to Daniel 12:2, a resurrection takes
place.The “indignation” (za{am) in Daniel 8:19 and 11:36 refers to the judgment
of God (Isa 10:25; 26:20-21). The context of both texts is “the time of the end”
(Dan 8:17; 11:35). Historical-critical scholars have correctly seen that Daniel 8
and 11 parallel each other, but for them the historical events center on Antiochus
IV Epiphanes. They see the “time of indignation” as the time in which God used
37
Antiochus as the “rod of wrath” (Isa 5:24-30) for the Jews.
38
The Input of Daniel 12:4, 9Daniel 12:4. But you Daniel shut up these words
39 40
and seal the book until the time of the end. Many shall (then) go back and forth
and knowledge shall increase.

At the end of the section of Daniel 11:2-12:4 there is again the direct ad- dress of
the angel as we found at the beginning (Dan 11:2), thus the angel's direct words
serve as markers for the introduction and conclusion of this segment of the vision.

17
The expression “time of the end” ({eœt◊ qeœs√) in Daniel 12:4 again refers back
to “the time of the end” in Daniel 11:35, 40. We have seen that in view of the
larger context “the time of the end” in these texts refers to the time preceding the
resurrection of the dead in Daniel 12:2 which will happen at the end of all
41
things. This seems also to be the meaning here in Daniel 12:4. Just prior to the
end of history, people will study and search out the Danielic visions just as Daniel
himself searched out the seventy-year prophecy of Jeremiah (Dan 9:2).

Conclusion

In conclusion we can say that interpreters by and large consider “the time of the
end” ({eœt◊ qeœs√) to be an eschatological term, some applying it to the time of
Antiochus IV Epiphanes, others to the time immediately prior to the second ad-
vent.

The linguistic and thematic parallels in chapters 2, 7, 8, and 10-12 support the
second view. They indicate that all these visions reach to the time of the sec- ond
advent. I agree therefore with J. R. Wilch who, in his study on “time” ({eœt◊√),
pointed out that the five instances of “the time of the end” ({eœt◊ qeœs√) in
44
Daniel 8- 12 all refer to the “absolute eschatological end.” Yet this end is not a
point in time, but the final period of history. Wilch calls it the “final `act': the
45
`situation of the end'.” The vision in Daniel 8, therefore, cannot terminate in the
time of Antiochus IV Epiphanes. It too must reach to the absolute end of the
course of history. For contextual reasons the expression “the time of the end”
({eœt◊ qeœs√) in the book of Daniel seems to be a technical term standing for the
final period of human history leading up to the eschaton, Christ's return, when the
old aeon will give way to the new one and God's kingdom will be established
“without human hands” (Dan 2:34).

Endnotes
1 Gerhard Pfandl, The Time of the End in the Book of Daniel, Adventist Theological Society
Dissertation Series, vol. 1 (Berrien Springs, MI: Adventist Theological Society Publications,
1992), p. 256.

18