The Great Prophetic Books of Daniel and Revelation: A Bible Study Journal

A Study
L. S. Baker, Jr.

Recommended:
First - Read the biblical text aloud (if more than one participant, alternate reading duties - verse by verse)
Second - Follow the study
Third - Record what stood out to you (if more than one participant, allow each to share)

Daniel
Day 1 Read 1:1–7
NOTE 1:1–6:28 - underline “…the Lord rules the world and delivers His people.” The
book of Daniel has 12 chapters. The first 6 chapters are stories and the last 6 chapters are
prophecies. The story chapters of Daniel help provide a spiritual background to the prophecy
chapters. In these story chapters, Daniel and his friends interact with three kings: Nebuchadnezzar
(chapters 1–4), Belshazzar (chapter 5), and Darius (chapter 6). Each of these interactions is
recorded to show that the Lord rules and delivers His people. In fact, when this is stated each time,
it will be a sign of conversion. In this book, we will see Daniel’s own conversion statement (not
that he wasn’t already converted, but that he demonstrates that he was converted by what he says).
NOTE 1:1 Read Jer. 25:1; 46:2 and compare with Daniel 1:1; underline “third year” in
the Bible text Babylon and Judah counted their years differently because they had different New
Year’s dates (spring for Babylon and fall for Judah). This accounts for the 3rd year/4th year
difference (both in 605 B.C. depending on the New Year). For more on the chronology, read pp.
98–99, 103–104 in the Andrews Bible Commentary. The year 605 B.C. was when Nebuchadnezzar
attacked the forces of Egypt under the 2nd Necho at Carchemish (see front endsheet map or Map 7
in the Andrews Study Bible). Rather than prepare the nation by confessing sins, reformation, and good
works (cf. 4:27), Jehoiakim was expanding his palace (Jeremiah 22:14).
1:1 underline “Babylon” in the Bible text The word “Babylon” does not appear anywhere in
the Hebrew of the Old Testament. “Babylon” is the Greek version of the word “Babel.” So, Daniel
1:1 in Hebrew reads, “Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel came to Jerusalem…” It is clear to those
reading Hebrew, that the city of Nebuchadnezzar was in fact, built on the same site as the Tower of
Babel from Genesis 11.
NOTE 1:2 - underline “586 B.C.” in this note, underline “605 B.C.” in previous note,
and write “597 B.C.” in the margin (link) Nebuchadnezzar attacked Jerusalem three times.
So, when the text says that he took “some of the articles” (in the first attack in 605 B.C.) it doesn’t
mean that he took everything. He took the remainder when he destroyed Solomon’s temple with
Jerusalem in 586 B.C. (for more on the fall of Jerusalem, read pp. 104–105 in the Andrews Bible
Commentary). It was the practice of the Babylonians to take the gods (statues) back to their temples
so the conquered gods could be their gods too. However, the Hebrews didn’t have any statues of
God, so Nebuchadnezzar took some of the articles instead. He took more in 597 B.C. (2 Kings
24:13) and the remaining valuables in 586 B.C. (2 Kings 25:8–15) fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy
(Isaiah 39:6) to Hezekiah.
1:2 underline “Lord gave” The first of two places in the first chapter that God specifically
“gave” something (the other is v. 17). Here He gave the king of Judah into the hand of the king of
Babylon. By writing it this way, Daniel was making it clear that this was God’s doing.
1:3 underline “eunuchs” Daniel and his friends were given into the care of the master of the
eunuchs, which has led some to suspect that Daniel and his friends were made eunuchs (explaining
why they didn’t have children or families).
underline “king’s descendants and some of the nobles,” Daniel and his friends were at
least nobility if not royalty (although Ellen White does say that Daniel was of royal blood). This
means that when Jeremiah spoke to the princes in Jerusalem (Jeremiah 26:1–16), warning them to
submit to the power of Babylon, Daniel and his friends likely would have heard that warning
firsthand.
1:4 underline “no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing
knowledge and quick to understand” The Babylonians valued perfection and considered
those who were physically without defect as they believed that the way one looked on the outside,
reflected their value. They had to have been at least 17 years old or they wouldn’t have been
allowed to study to serve in the palace. However, Daniel explains that not only were these young
men (including himself and his friends) without outward defect, they also were beautiful on the
inside due to a gift (more on that below, v. 17). The three qualities that they had reflect the three
qualities that Solomon wrote about in Proverbs that come from a relationship with God that
recognizes that He is Lord (called “fear of the LORD”). These three qualities allowed them to serve
and learn.
write a note: Knowledge is the acquisition of facts; Understanding is the perception of the
relationship of facts to each other; and Wisdom is applying knowledge and understanding to life in a
way approved by God (note that “Folly” of “Foolishness” is applying knowledge and understanding
in a way that is not approved by God).
1:5 underline “appointed” Only used in the Old Testament by God (except for here) and only
in the creation context (Jonah 1:17; 4:6–8). This is an indication by Daniel that Nebuchadnezzar
was not simply being generous but that there were religious undertones to what was expected.
1:7 underline “t” in Belteshazzar, “ach” in Shadrach and Meshach; and “g” in Abed-
Nego; write a note: The name Daniel means “God is my Judge” while Belteshazzar means “may
Belt preserve life;” the name Hananiah means “grace of God” while Shadrach means
“order/command of Ak;” the name Mishael means “who is like God” (a question or a statement and
is the same as Michael) while Meshach means “who is like Ak;” and Azariah means “YHWH has
helped” while Abed-Nego means “servant of Nego.” None of these Babylonian names are spelled
correctly.
There was not a god named “Belt,” rather it was supposed to be “Bel” so that Daniel’s name was the
same as the later king by the same name (chapter 5) raising the question of Daniel’s fame by the
time of that prince’s birth and if he was named after Daniel. The god “Ak” doesn’t exist either.
Rather the name of the god was “Aku.” And there was no god named “Nego” in ancient Babylon,
but rather the gods name was “Nebo.” Daniel was really Belshazzar, Hananiah was really Shada Aku,
Mishael was really Mushalllim-Marduk, and Azariah was really Ardi-Nebo. By misspelling the
names of the gods of ancient Babylon, Daniel demonstrated subtly that he would not be associated
with those gods, even in his own name or those of his friends.
Page summary The first seven verses of Daniel demonstrate that there is a spiritual battle behind
the physical war and its results. Babylon fought against Jerusalem (city names that would be chosen
to reflect this spiritual battle in Revelation to symbolically show John what was happening in the
cosmic conflict). Although the king was not faithful to God, Daniel and his friends were and had
received the gifts from God that allowed them to be useful in very important places. And Daniel
was aware of the spiritual battle in what the king was doing so that Daniel was faithful even in the
matter of spelling.