Daniel belongs to the latter group, a type of writing that in many respects sharply contrasts prophetic literature. The afterlife and resurrection are much more central themes in the christian books of the biblethe gospels, revelation, the letters of paul and others all take it as a given. Many claim that these had to been written after the fact, and that daniel could not possibly have known so much detail about the future. Daniel was the prophet for the israelites in babylon. The book of daniel, also called the prophecy of daniel, a book of the old testament found in the ketuvim writings, the third section of the jewish canon, but placed among the prophets in the christian canon. Daniels friends shadrach, meshach and abednego served as advisers to king nebuchadnezzar of babylon. Although, the theme that sticks out to me is the theme of war. Wright walks the student through the various mysterious, extraordinary, and amazing journey of daniel and his companions. War can be defined as an sustained effort to deal with or end a particular undesirable situation or condition. As it happens, the book of daniel offers a readymade framework for unpacking its meaning in the workplace. Daniel was the author of this book, and this was confirmed by jesus himself, but there has been considerable criticism about the book of daniel because of the accuracy of the prophecies.
In the first six chapters of danielthe main story partevery chapter demonstrates someone doing something courageous. Book of daniel overview insight for living ministries. Daniels visions too, outline hopes and dreams for the future. Sir isaac newton in his observations upon the prophecies of daniel and the apocalypse of st. Chapters 16 refer to the trials of daniel and his three young companions, hananiah, mishael, and azariah, during the time of the great kings of the east. The book of daniel is a 2ndcentury bc biblical apocalypse combining a prophecy of history with an eschatology a portrayal of end times cosmic in scope and political in focus. Humility is a very important key to a good, sturdy, and strong relationship with the god and the other people involved in our lives daniel 1. Jan 20, 2020 when reading about the key themes in the book of daniel the esv study guide explains the first key theme in this statement, it is possible to live a faithful life in exile, surrounded by pagan influences and propaganda if one sets ones mind to serving the lord wholeheartedly esv, 1582. For example, theme a in daniel consists of a vision in part 1 and a parallel vision in part 2, while theme b has sufferings in part 1 and more sufferings in part 2. The book of daniel is an apocalypse, a literary genre in which a heavenly reality is revealed to a human recipient. But daniel is the first book to say, yo, youre coming back at the end.
In daniel 1, god gives daniel and his three friends knowledge and wisdom to help them stand out from the others in the babylonian court. This study guide consists of approximately 25 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of daniels story. Daniel and his godfearing friends were forced to live in babylon, far from home and far from the land their lord had promised them. The first half of the book chapters 16 contains stories in the third person about the experiences of daniel and his. The book of daniel was likely written between 540 and 530 b. Organizing the content around a few themes assists in reading all genres of the text with unity and harmony, appreciating the interwoven emphases found within this book. Feb 06, 2017 the book of daniel is mostly a prophetic book. The book of daniel differs from the majority of hebrew prophecy. Sufferings, yet rewards, for faithful witnesses to god in the meantime daniel 3 theme c. Woven within the story of how these prophesies were revealed are the stories of men who trusted in god in difficult and dangerous times. The book of daniel offers compelling narratives, hopeful prophecy, and startling eschatology. God is in control, no matter how things look, and his kingdom will one day fill the earth.
A reworking of the biblical book of daniel in the book of daniel part 1 of 2 introduction all history is composed, declares e. Theme verse of daniel it is he who changes the times and the epochs. In the first six chapters of daniel the main story partevery chapter demonstrates someone doing something courageous. In daniel quinns book, ishmael, there are plenty of themes that we could point out. Key verses and themes in daniel bible commentary theology. Key themes of daniel a vacation bible school curriculum by barry mcwilliams an ordained minister in the presbyterian church in america. Jesus himself picks up themes from the book of daniel in what we find in the gospels. Though their experiences we discover the encouraging message that god is involved in human history and in the lives of individuals. The book of daniel is a composite text of dubious historicity from various genres, and daniel himself is a legendary figure. May 07, 2016 in daniel 1, god gives daniel and his three friends knowledge and wisdom to help them stand out from the others in the babylonian court.
Cultic motifs and themes in the book of daniel adventist. The book of daniel originated as a collection of folktales among the jewish community in babylon and mesopotamia in the persian and early hellenistic periods 5th to 3rd centuries bce, before being expanded in the maccabean era mid2nd century by the addition of the visions in chapters 712. The book of daniel study guide contains a biography of e. Daniel 2 niv nebuchadnezzars dream in the bible gateway. Daniel is one of the most controversial books of the bible, yet its message is clear and unmistakable. The student of this paper discusses the theological theme of divine wisdom that the main character of the book of daniel exhibits. The focus of the book can be clearly seen in the structure which daniel employs. Daniel gives details concerning the rise and fall of world powers from the time of ancient babylon right on down till the time when the kingdom of god crushes them out of existence forever. May 02, 2020 daniel served in the royal court of nebuchadnezzar and several rulers who followed nebuchadnezzar. Its message is usually not so fastit belongs to god. Key verses and themes in daniel bible commentary theology of. The god of israel is consistently called the most high god in the book of daniel.
The book of daniel is one of the most significant prophetic books in the bible. Doctorow, author of the sociopolitical novel, the book of daniel, his first best known and most important work. The date of the book of daniel is one of the most hotly contested themes in ot scholarship. The overall theme of the book of daniel is gods sovereignty over history, and the theme of the tales in chapters 16 is that god is. The one main lesson learned from the book of daniel is that god is the only one who deserves worship and honor. The book of daniel exhorts believers to have the same uncompromising faith and obedience that daniel had. In daniel 2, god reveals the future to a pagan king, saves daniel from the threat of death, and provides hope that his kingdom will be setup forever.
This structure is common in many books of the bible. The beast had a head of gold, its breast and arms of. Daniel is a legendary figure, probably chosen for the books hero because of his reputation as a. The overarching theme which weaves itself through each part of this chiasm is gods sovereignty. While bible scholars debate issues like when it was written and whether it is historically accurate, the book of daniel consistently calls gods people of. Daniel is often seen as a book of mysterious prophesies. Doctorow, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Daniel, the hero of the book, was an exile in babylon carried away in the first captivity in 605 b. Every king we encounterfrom nebuchadnezzar to antiochus iv epiphanes the little hornultimately is humbled in some way, whether by realizing god is above all or by being totally destroyed yep, those are the two alternatives pretty much. According to the bible what is the theme of the book of daniel. Any book about the holocaust includes examples and descriptions of mans inhumanity to man, and daniels. It is a book for young christians living in a sophisticated world where god is not honored.
The book implies that daniel was its author in several passages, such as 9. He is the god of heaven, whose kingdom will never be destroyed dan 2. Whatever the trial was, though, it was always the result of sin. Later in the book, daniel prophesied of terrible trials still to come in the promised land daniel 11. In more mundane language, it is an account of the activities and visions of daniel, a noble jew exiled at babylon, its message being that just as the god of israel saved daniel and his friends from their enemies, so. The book of daniel is often read for its contribution to our understanding of endtimes events, but sometimes christians have been so obsessed with this that we have missed its main message. A study of the book of daniel gene taylor1preface the study of any of the old testament prophets is a worthwhile endeavor. Another theme is the importance of separating from the worlds sinful practices.
He was taken captive to babylon when he was 16 and became prime minister because of. This summary of the book of daniel provides information about the title, authors, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of daniel. Daniel is an extremely relevant book for our modern times. Aug 28, 2019 a reworking of the biblical book of daniel in the book of daniel part 1 of 2 introduction all history is composed, declares e. Daniel was written to encourage the exiled jews by revealing gods program for them, both during and after the time of gentile power in the world. Daniel s wise living among the pagan royals proves that this is. The first half of the book chapters 16 contains stories in the third person about the experiences of daniel and his friends under kings nebuchadrezzar ii, belshazzar, darius i, and. The book of which he is the hero divides into two parts, a set of tales in chapters 16 from no earlier than the hellenistic period 32330 bce, and the series of visions in chapters 712 from the maccabean era. While bible scholars debate issues like when it was written and whether it is historically accurate, the book of daniel consistently calls gods people of every generation to faithfulness. The book of daniel is a story of the vindication of god. The book of daniel is apocalyptic in nature and belongs to the 6th century b. These he carried off to the temple of his god in babylonia and put in the. Daniels wise living among the pagan royals proves that this is. The book of daniel identifies the prophet daniel as its author daniel 9.
The book of daniel is about how god shows his everlasting wisdom, power, and faithfulness through one of israels greatest prophets. The main theme of the book of daniel is the sovereign control of god in past and future times. Nov 17, 2014 the student of this paper discusses the theological theme of divine wisdom that the main character of the book of daniel exhibits. Daniel refuses to eat food that doesnt jive with his religious standards, he saves the wise men and himself by telling and interpreting nebuchadnezzars statue dream, he. We find in the life of daniel, and his friends, the definition of faith. Daniel also has vivid, symbolic visions about the future of israel, world kingdoms, and the kingdom of godexposing us to some of gods longterm plan for the world. Its prophecies of worldruling empires are closely related to revelation. The temple theme in the book of daniel 511 daniel is given a historical focus by its placement after esther the chief characters, esther and mordecai live at court, with this book especially daniel 16 amounting to further court tales. He was taken captive to babylon when he was 16 and became prime minister because of his interpretations of nebuchadnezzar dreams. The book of daniel is no exception for it provides a wealth of information to those who would diligently consider it and its teachings.
Daniel 1 new international version niv daniels training in babylon. Indepth literary analysis on the book of daniel by e. Daniel 2 new international version niv nebuchadnezzars dream. Set in the 1960s the novel takes the readers to the height of the us anticommunism. Prominent above every other theme in the book is gods sovereign control over the affairs of all rulers and nations, and their final replacement with the true king. God will overthrow pagan kingdoms and replace them with his own kingdom daniel 2 theme b. The book of daniel introduction to the book of daniel in the bible. Themes in the book of daniel include heroism, remaining true to god in the midst of an adverse and idolatrous culture, and gods protection of his faithful ones through his angels. This structure consists of multiple themes, introduced in the order abc, then revisited in reverse order, forming a structure like this. The book of daniel is a compelling record of gods wisdom and sovereignty, and its a key book to study if youre interested in biblical prophecy. Daniel 1 niv daniels training in babylon bible gateway. According to the bible what is the theme of the book of. When they came in and stood before the king, 3 he said to them, i have had a dream that troubles me and i.
Gods powerful control of all things is displayed in the book of daniel first in the way god humbles nebuchadnezzar and belshazzar in daniel 4 and 5. When reading about the key themes in the book of daniel the esv study guide explains the first key theme in this statement, it is possible to live a faithful life in exile, surrounded by pagan influences and propaganda if one sets ones mind to serving the lord wholeheartedly esv, 1582. They predict the end of the reign of unrighteous kings like antiochus iv epiphanes and the beginning. That framework is a nested parallelism structure in technical terms, a chiasm. Some of the major themes and ideas in the book of daniel are humility, our ability to resist, embracing work beyond our own power, following god, being prepared, and the importance of prayer. Essay on themes and ideas in the book of daniel bible. Daniel, theology of bakers evangelical dictionary of. One of the dreams he interpreted prophesied coming world empires.