DANIEL - download

Grace School of the Bible DANIEL DISPENSATIONAL BIBLE STUDY Richard Jordan Grace School of the Bible P.O. Box 97 Bloomingdale, IL 60108 www.GraceImpact.org

DANIEL 101-L1 (Lesson 1) Introduction to the Book of Daniel The name Daniel means “God My Judge”. We put the verb “is” in to read, “God is my Judge”. There are twelve chapters, 357 verses and 11,606 words. It is interesting that there are 11,606 words because 606 is the date of the Babylonian captivity of which Daniel is a part. You want to remember some things about Daniel. Daniel is a contemporary of two prophets that are very significant, the prophet Jeremiah and the prophet Ezekiel. Jeremiah prophesied in Jerusalem, to Judah prior to the Babylonian captivity.

Jeremiah warned Judah of the coming captivity. He was there when Nebuchadnezzar’s army took over the land and carried them (Judah) away. Jeremiah was left in the land because Nebuchadnezzar had given him an honored position. After Jerusalem was sacked, Jeremiah wrote the doleful book of Lamentations. Jeremiah prophesied prior to the captivity of Jerusalem (Jeremiah) and then for a short time after the captivity (Lamentations) and then he is gone. Then Ezekiel prophesies and he, too, is carried away into Babylon. Ezekiel is carried into Babylon several years after Daniel was carried away into Babylon. Ezekiel is an older man, around 30 years old, when he is taken to Babylon. Daniel was just a teenager when he was taken into captivity. Jeremiah and Ezekiel’s prophecies speak and relate directly to and about Israel. On the other hand, Daniel prophesied especially in relationship to the gentiles.

And Daniel’s view and the view of the book of Daniel, is not so much just at Israel, but he looks out over the landscape and sees the gentile world powers and their dominion over Israel. He is a type of Israel, held captive by the gentiles. Daniel lifts up with a prophetic eye, and looks out across at the times of the gentiles and his prophecy covers the span of what the New Testament calls the “times of the gentiles”. Because of the different looks and views, when Ezekiel and Jeremiah look at Nebuchadnezzar’s captivity of the Jews, do you remember how they described Nebuchadnezzar?

Go to Jeremiah, Chapter 25, and verse 1. “The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon;”. That is the date in Daniel, Chapter 1, verse 2, given for Daniel’s captivity. The year that Daniel is carried away into captivity, the word of the Lord comes to Jeremiah, in the land, and Jeremiah has a prophesy about Nebuchadnezzar. Jeremiah, Chapter 25, and verse 2, says “The which Jeremiah the prophet spake unto all the people of Judah, and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying,” (Jeremiah is preaching to the people of Israel) (continue in verse 8) “Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Because ye have not Grace School of the Bible