Daniel - Dedicated, Diligent, Devout

An Overview Study of the Book of Daniel

Friends and Fellowship (and Food)

McLean Bible Church

Fall 2016

Study Outline

Session Study Description Primary Bible Chapters

Part II: Worldly Kingdoms & the End of Ages

Of Dreams, Visions, & Prophecies

6 Message of 70 Sevens Daniel 9:20-27

7 Message of 70 Sevens (Continued) Daniel 9:25-27

8 Dream of the Great Image Four Great Beasts and the Ancient of Days

Daniel 2 Daniel 7

9 The Great Worldly Kingdom Daniel 8

10 From Persia to the End-of-Times Daniel 11 & 12 Revelation 20

11 From Persia to the End-of Times

12 Messengers of God and the End Times Daniel 10

Of Visions, Dreams, & Prophecies

Session 8 Section 1

Daniel 2: Dream of the Great Image

God Reinforces His Prophecies

God gives two people the same vision First He gives the vision to an unbeliever

Then God follows up by giving the same dream plus the

interpretation to His prophet.

Nebuchadnezzar has a disturbing dream (nightmare) Daniel 2:1-13

How does Nebuchadnezzar react?

Summons all his advisors

Tells them he had a disturbing dream

Uses his dream to test how wise his wise men are.

Wise men must tell Nebuchadnezzar his dream

Then interpret the dream

When they can’t, how does Nebuchadnezzar react?

What does this tell you about Nebuchadnezzar?

The Wisdom of Daniel How would you react if you were sentenced to die

without knowing why? Daniel 2:14-23

Daniel is respected by the King’s Guards

Daniel’s interaction with Commander Arioch, reveals the

level of respect for Daniel

Daniel asks why the king has ordered their deaths.

Arioch explains, instead of executing his command

Arioch allows Daniel to go to the king (implied)

Daniel goes to the king to beg permission for time.

Important: Daniel then goes to Hananiah, Mishael, and

Azariah, and they all pray together!

That night God blesses Daniel with the dream, the

interpretation, and the memory of both.

Daniel worships and honors the LORD GOD.

Daniel and the King The wisdom of Daniel

Daniel 2:24-25

Note the interesting dynamics

Day before: Daniel King

This time: Daniel Arioch King

Why?

Note how Arioch announces Daniel

So What? Gal. 5:19-23

The flesh: contentions, selfish ambitions

The fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering,

kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-

control

We can be like Daniel and share the honor & glory.

The Great Image

Daniel 2:26-45 Daniel makes clear the dream AND interpretation

comes from the true and living GOD.

The interpretation God gave Daniel.

Gold = Babylon (Daniel states outright)

Silver = Less powerful kingdom to follow

Bronze = A third kingdom

Iron & Iron mixed with miry (potter’s) clay = the

fourth kingdom

The Kingdom of God

Stone cut from mountain without hands

Kingdom of God

Can never be destroyed

Separate from the kingdoms of men

Smashes all the other kingdoms

Recap of What God Told Daniel

We’ll follow along with Daniel God only told Daniel the following in 604 BC

Golden head = King Nebuchadnezzar

Silver breast & arms = 2nd weaker kingdom replacing

Babylon

Bronze belly & thighs = 3rd kingdom

Iron + Iron & clay = 4th kingdom partly weak/partly strong

Stone cut from mountain = God’s eternal kingdom.

Stone will destroy the other kingdoms and grow to fill the

earth.

Biblical commentators and scholars:

Are generally in consensus as to the first 3 kingdoms.

Disagree as to 4th kingdom

We will stop and go to Daniel 7 to understand the coming

kingdoms.

Of Visions, Dreams, & Prophecies

Session 8 Section 2

Daniel 7: Four Great Beasts and the Ancient of

Days

Daniel’s Vision of the 4 Beasts Daniel 7:1-8

1st year of King Belshazzar ≈ 545 BC-544 BC

Visualize Daniel’s Description

Frothy, wind-tossed sea

First Beast – lion with eagle’s wings

Along processional way to Ishtar Gate, the

entrance to city of Babylon

Associated with goddess of fertility, Ishtar

The lion & lion with eagle’s wings would be

known to Daniel to mean Babylon

Statues and motifs appear in Babylon &

Assyria

Second Beast – Bear

Third Beast – Panther

4 heads & 4 wings

Daniel 7:1-8 (Continued) Fourth beast – Not a recognizable creature

Dreadful and terrible and strong

Great iron teeth

10 horns

Different from all the other creatures

Fourth Beast changed as Daniel observed it

Small horn grew out

Had eyes like a man

Had a mouth that spoke great things

“great” - rabrab (Chaldean) [rab-rab’]

Also domineering (in character)

Uprooted 3 of the other horns

Daniel’s Vision of the 4 Beasts

Vision of Heaven

Daniel 7:9-14 Key points from the vision

Ancient of days robed in white

Throne like the fiery flames

Fiery stream issued from before the throne

Thousands upon thousands ministering

“Ten thousand times ten thousand” can also be

translated as “an indefinitely large number”

Books were opened

Sounds familiar?

Book of Revelation

Rev. 4:2-6 The Throne of God

Rev. 5:11 Vast multitude around the throne

Rev. 20:11-15 The books opened for Judgment

Visions of Daniel and John

Vision Daniel Apostle John

GOD Ancient of Days, robed in white with hair like pure wool (Dan 7:9) Son of Man (Dan. 7:13-14)

One like jasper and sardius stone (Rev. 4:3)

Lamb of God with 7 horns & 7 eyes (Rev. 5:6)

Son of Man (Rev 1:12-16)

Throne Throne like flames of fire, wheels like burning fire. (Dan 7:9)

Rainbow round about the throne Throne like emerald (Rev. 4:3)

Jasper

Stone Sardius

Stone

Emerald

Crystal

Vision Daniel Apostle John

Stream from throne

Fiery Stream (Dan. 7:10)

Lake of fire (Rev. 19:20; 20:10, 14, 15; 21:8) Pure River of Life (Rev. 22:1)

Multitude before Throne

1000 x 1000 ministering 10000 x 10000 worshiping Implied: innumerable worshipers of God (Dan. 7:10)

24 elders (Rev. 4:4) Myriad x myriad 1000 x 1000 (Rev. 5:11) Innumerable angels, people, seraphim

Books Books were opened (Dan. 7:10)

Judged from the books (Rev. 20:12 -13) Book of Life (Rev. 20:15) Book with 7 seals (Rev. 5:1)

Kingdom of God

Everlasting dominion, kingdom that shall not pass away

All kingdoms shall belong to the Lord and Christ (Rev. 11:15)

Visions of Daniel and John

Daniel’s Distress

Daniel 7:15-28 In his vision Daniel talks to one of the worshipers

Explanation of the vision in the vision

4 great beasts = 4 great kingdoms

Saints will receive the kingdom of God forever

Daniel asks about the 4th beast

Doesn’t ask what the first 3 were

4th beast more terrifying than the others

Asks of the meaning of the 10 horns and the small horn

Beasts from Revelation

Rev. 12:3-9 The red dragon = Devil, Satan

Rev. 13:1-8 Beast receiving power from the dragon

Rev. 13:11-18 Beast with 2 horns

Of Visions, Dreams, & Prophecies

Session 8 Section 3

Combining Daniel 2 and Daniel 7

Kingdom of God Daniel 2:34-35 Daniel 2:44-45

Daniel 7:9-14 Daniel 7:26-27

Comment

Stone Cut without hands Ancient of Days sitting on His throne

God sets up His kingdom

Stone strikes the feet Thrones cast down God destroys all the other kingdoms

Statue smashed to small pieces

Beast (4th) slain

Carried away by the wind

Took away the dominion of the other beasts

Stone grows into a mountain, filling the earth

Son of Man given dominion and glory.

Given everlasting dominion that shall not pass away

Given a kingdom that shall not be destroyed

Kingdom of God will grow and spread throughout the earth.

Kingdom of God can never be destroyed

The Son of Man (Jesus) will rule forever

To Be Continued

Daniel 8 Clarifying two more kingdoms

Combining Daniel 2, 7, and 8 Daniel’s Prayer of Praise – Daniel 2:20-23

Prophecies of the 4 Kingdoms

Interpretations of the 4th Kingdom

The ten toes and ten horns

The small horn