Daniel in Depth
Daniel must have set an outstanding example. Darius characterized Daniel as ‘serving’ his God ‘continually.’ He had noticed Daniel’s lifestyle. In order for believers to impress the world, they must live a consistent Christian life.
Daniel was one of the three heads designated to supervise the other officials. Regardless of the manner in which Daniel rose to power in the new administration, Darius was extremely impressed with him and planned to set him over all the other officials in the kingdom.
Two PDF’s are available for study guides for the Daniel In Depth Series: 2016 – PM Series – The Book of Daniel Student Notes 2016 – PM Series – The Book of Daniel Teacher Notes
In Daniel 5, we are introduced to a new king. Nebuchadnezzar has died and now a new king is ruling over the Babylonian Empire. “King Nebuchadnezzar died on October 7, 562 BC. After three other men had rulled and passed from the scene, Nabonidus became king of Babylon in 556 BC. Nabonidus…
In Daniel 4, we find Nebuchadnezzar’s second dream and his third encounter with Jehovah God. The timeframe for this event is not written explicitly in the text, but the events described here in chapter four describe a time toward the end of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign. Stephen Miller notes…
I asked you to make a commitment to stand for God… to spend time in His Word every day… to live a life of excellence in every way! And the key to this challenge is that I have to make up my mind to live by God’s standards before I find myself in a difficult situation. If I am not resolved in my heart, I will not honor God with my decisions. So let’s get real for just a minute… what does this look like in your life?
Daniel explained the dream as a panorama of four great Gentile empires. Virtually all scholars agree that the different parts of the statue represent empires or kingdoms, although there is disagreement concerning their identification.
Who were all these pagan interpreters? What are the characteristics of each? What happens here with the original text that is important?
15 Miller, 79-80. 16 Ibid., 48.
The language switches in the middle of verse 4. Remember, the Book of Daniel is written in two different languages—Hebrew and Aramaic.
The first event described here relays the story of how Daniel and many others find themselves living in a strange, new land with strange, new cultures and religious beliefs. Daniel’s character is tested as his home culture clashes with his new, host culture.
In recent years, there has been much debate as to the date and authorship of the Book of Daniel. This debate is a divisive factor in the overall understanding of the book. As you study this book, it is imperative to clarify your understanding on this issue because of the impact it will have upon your interpretation.