Daniel - Introduction

Four books to go. Coincidentally I seem to have saved most of the apocalyptic books till last. I always knew I was going to do Revelation last, but Zechariah, 2 Thessalonians and Daniel have all come near the end of my plan as well. By the way, I already have plans for what comes next after completing this particular project, which started six years ago.

Daniel is a great book, but of course you can say that about all the other sixty five books as well. Daniel is also a mixture of two distinct types. The first part is largely narrative, giving the story of Daniel and his friends in Babylon. Then the latter part is apocalyptic prophecy. As an aside, there are those who when arguing about how to interpret the first few chapters of Genesis say that since most of Genesis is clearly historical narrative, then the first three chapters must also be straightforward historical narrative. This argument is not valid, books in the Bible can have two types of literature in them.

Anyway, this mixing of the narrative and apocalyptic together is quite deliberate on God's part. There is a great danger (particularly among charismatics and,dare I say it, Americans) to treat apocalyptic passages as entertainment, treating it as though it was a film script (and of course films have been made!). We probably won't admit to this, but there is a tendency to do this nevertheless. The early part of Daniel is a clear reminder of what is required of us, of the devotion to God, the wisdom required, how to submit to authorities in godless nations (something we very much need today) which are opposed to the Lord, the willingness to pay a price, and how God's power works in these situations.

Many scholars argue that Daniel must have been written in about the second century BC, they say this because the prophecies have at least a partial fulfilment in events significantly after the Babylonian kingdom. 

However, I take the book as historically reliable and that Daniel received the visions in the time of the Babylonians. God is quite capable of making long term prophecies since He knows the end from beginning, and He is quite capable of making revelation to man.

Linguistic evidence supports an early date for Daniel.