Daniel

Purpose
The book of Daniel emphasizes the sovereign plan of Godeven during the darkest period of Israels history. The nation had been broken and Davids line was no longer on the throne, but Daniel emphasized that God was still in control and that His purposes would still be accomplished.

Authorship & Genre

Many who are critical of the Bible have questioned the authorship of Daniel due to the very precise nature of his prophecies, which predicted the rise and fall of four great world empires long before they actually occurred. However, this poses no problem for those who accept the Holy Spirits role in inspiring Scripture. Daniel uses the first person in the prophecies of chapters 7-12, suggesting that he wrote the book himself. Chapters 1-6 consist of narrative and are relayed in the third person.

Key Verse

Daniel 4:3: How great are His signs, and how mighty are His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His dominion is from generation to generation. (NASB)

Structure
1 Daniel in Captivity 2 Nebuchadnezzar Dreams of Four Future Kingdoms 3 Rescue from a Fiery Furnace 4 Humiliation of Nebuchadnezzar 5 Humiliation of Belshazzar 6 Rescue from the Lions Den 7 Daniel Dreams of Four Future Kingdoms 8 Vision of the Ram and the Goat 9 Vision of the Seventy Weeks 10-12 Vision of the Last Days

A B C C B Gods Sovereignty over the World Aramaic Language

Gods Sovereignty over Israel Hebrew Language

Theological Themes
Human Pride: Over and again, the pride of Babylons kings is contrasted against the absolute power and sovereignty of God. Gods Sovereignty: The book as a whole is a treatise on the sovereignty of God, who is able to preserve His people even while exiled in a foreign land. Kingdom of God: Daniel focuses on the absolute power of Gods coming kingdom. No human government, past or present, can rival the perfect reign that God intends to establish on earth one day. Through this kingdom, Gods created order will be restored once and for all.