Introduction to Daniel

The stories of Daniel show that God will look after His people. The first half of the book records events—set in Babylon, when God’s people were facing laws that opposed their faith—that demonstrate God’s care for and response to His people as they face hardships. The second half includes visions that communicate a broader view of God’s plan and His sovereignty over all nations. The book of Daniel gives comfort to those who are oppressed and dealing with tragedies.

Background

The book of Daniel is set during the Babylonian exile (Dan 1:1–3). When King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon defeated the Egyptians at the battle of Carchemish (605 bc), Judah came under his authority. He then entered Jerusalem and took many prominent citizens to Babylon, including Daniel and three of his friends. Several years later, Nebuchadnezzar again deported people from Judah to Babylon (597 bc; see 2 Kgs 24:11–16). These captives included the prophet Ezekiel. A decade after that, a final rebellion by King Zedekiah brought the full weight of Nebuchadnezzar’s wrath against Judah. Jerusalem and its temple were destroyed, and the remaining population was taken to Babylon (586 bc; see 2 Kgs 24:18–25:21). Daniel spent his entire adult life in Babylon—even after the Babylonians were conquered by the Persians in 539 bc (Dan 1:21; 10:1).

The date of the book of Daniel’s composition is debated, with some arguing for a sixth-century bc date and others arguing for a date as late as the second century bc. It could be that Daniel recorded at least the visions in the latter half of the book (which are narrated in the first person) in the sixth century bc and the complete book did not reach its current form until much later. Reasons often given for the later date include the book’s language and its detailed account of events that occurred in the second century.

Structure

The book of Daniel can be divided into two sections. The first contains a series of tales from the Babylonian court in which Daniel and his friends navigate life as exiles in a foreign land (Dan 1–6). This includes the famous stories of Daniel’s friends in the fiery furnace (Dan 3) and Daniel in the lions’ den (Dan 6). Amid pressure to compromise, Daniel and his friends stay true to worshiping only the King of kings, Yahweh—not Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar of Babylon, or Darius the Mede. This section shows how Yahweh protects His people, despite what earthly kings may do. Interestingly, part of the book is recorded in Aramaic, and part in Hebrew. However, this language division does not correspond to the genre division between chs. 1–6 and 7–12. The Aramaic portion of the book is Dan 2:4–7:28.

The second section (Dan 7–12) is set later in Daniel’s career. Unlike the first section, Daniel himself narrates most of the content, describing a series of symbolic visions and their interpretations. Each vision is intended to inspire God’s people during difficult times.

Outline

• Daniel’s experiences in Babylon (Dan 1:1–6:28)

• Daniel’s visions of future events (Dan 7:1–12:13)

Themes

Living in a culture hostile to Yahweh, Daniel shows that courageous faith in Yahweh—along with personal integrity and persistent prayer—is the way to live. The stories of Dan 1–6 demonstrate how the people of God can live righteously, even in a culture that opposes their faith. Daniel and his three friends ask Yahweh to deliver them from life-threatening danger and impossible dilemmas, and He is faithful to answer.

The visions of Dan 7–12 provide hope by teaching that Yahweh is ultimately in charge of everything. They step back from the confusion of contemporary events to focus on God’s greater plan. Daniel’s visions show the need to persist in faith through the messiness of everyday circumstances. Daniel also proclaims resurrection, indicating that some people who have died will wake up to eternal life; others will face everlasting contempt (Dan 12:2).

Overall, Daniel teaches us to persevere. It teaches us to refuse to let the world’s stories distract us from the story that God is telling. We are to resist the empire that wants us to think that actions like praying and showing integrity are insignificant; when in reality these actions provide opportunities for God’s power to break through.

Further Reading

Apocalyptic Literature

Daniel, Book of CLBD

Daniel the Prophet CLBD