Names of the Book
English: | Daniel |
Hebrew: | דאניאל |
Transliterated: | Dani'el |
Other names: |
Who
Wrote the book: | Daniel |
Are the key people: | Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Belshazzar, Darius |
Is it written to: | The people of Israel in captivity in Babylon |
What
Daniel's life, the story of the fiery furnance, and the lion's den (Daniel 1-6) |
Daniel's visions of the statue, the beasts, and kingdoms to come (Daniel 7-12) |
When
Was it written: | c 535 BCE |
Did the events occur: | c 605-535 BCE |
Was it canonized: | c 499-100 BCE |
(see the Timeline of the Tanakh) |
Where
Was it written: | Babylon |
Did the events occur: | Nebuchadnezzar's palace, the fiery furnace, Belsazzar's banquet, the lion's den |
Why
Daniel was written to inform us that: |
G-d is in control. |
G-d is the purpose of life. |
G-d enables us to persevere in the midst of trials. |
G-d is faithful to His promises. |
Introduction
Like Isaiah, and Ezekiel, the book of Daniel provides historical narrative, prophecy, and apocalyptic vision. Daniel writes about the challenges of being a faithful Jew in the midst of the Babylonian court of Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel interprets the dreams of the king (much like his ancestor, Joseph), relates the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace, and shares his own trial in the lions' den. Throughout all of these stories, we find G-d's sovereign hand in the lives of His people. The latter portions of the book deliver Daniel's visions of future kingdoms, judgment, and Messiah.
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