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Chapter 2: Daniel’s Four Prophecies
In Daniel 2, we see the panoramic prophecy of World Empires as lifeless metals as part of a great image or idol.
“To you, O king, as you lay in bed came thoughts of what would be after this, and he who reveals mysteries made known to you what is to be.” (Daniel 2:29)
Daniel 2 focuses on identifying each kingdom with a few generalities about the kingdom occurring within their reign. We also noticed that the Divided Kingdoms are underscored more than the others, including this mixing of explicitly stated marriages and church-state represented symbolically by the clay and iron. God’s eternal kingdom is the overall emphasis of this prophecy represented by the stone. Furthermore, we see Jesus as the stone.
Daniel’s four main prophesies have a pattern or sequence: date, background narrative, prophetic dream or vision, an explanation, and a conclusion. We can see this in Daniel 2.
Outline Verse(s) Summary
Date 1 603 BC
Background 1-30 King wants all wise men killed
Dream 31-35 Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar about the image in the king's dream
Explanation 3-45 The image was crushed by God – interpreted by Daniel
Conclusion 46-49 Daniel was promoted
In the previous chapter, we looked in detail at Daniel 2 and will not repeat it here. Instead, we will survey the three remaining main prophecies, add a few insights about each, and get familiar with the terminology used.
Daniel 7 – World Empires as Wild Beasts
The prophecy in Daniel 7 parallels that of Daniel 2 involving the political powers of the world.
Key Points of Daniel 7
- Daniel 7:17&18, ‘These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth. But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.’
- Like Daniel 2, the focus is on the beginning and end of each kingdom. Additional characteristics and generalities about the empire. However, the fourth beast and the judgment scene are highlighted.
- Chronological Kingdoms
- Lion Babylon
- Bear Medo-Persia
- Leopard Greece
- 4th Beast Rome
- 10 Horns and a Little Horn Medieval Kingdoms
- Time of Judgment End-Time Kingdoms
- Dominion to the Saints God’s Kingdom
- Time Prophecy: time, times, and half a time for the little horn
- We see Jesus receiving His dominion.
Outline Verse(s) Summary
- Date 1 553 BC
- Background 1-2a Daniel has a vision and writes it down
- Dream 2b-14 Four great beasts came up out of the sea
- Explanation 15-27 God’s kingdom is eternal, and all will serve Him - interpreted by an angel
- Conclusion 28 Daniel is alarmed
Date: Verse 1
In the first year of Belshazzar (553 BC) king of Babylon,
Background: Verses 1-2a
Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head as he lay in his bed. Then he wrote down the dream and told the sum of the matter. Daniel declared, “I saw in my vision by night,
Dream: Verses 2b-14
and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. And four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another. The first was like a lion and had eagles' wings. Then as I looked its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and the mind of a man was given to it. And behold, another beast, a second one, like a bear. It was raised up on one side. It had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth; and it was told, ‘Arise, devour much flesh.’ After this I looked, and behold, another, like a leopard, with four wings of a bird on its back. And the beast had four heads, and dominion was given to it. After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.
“As I looked,
thrones were placed,
and the Ancient of Days took his seat;
his clothing was white as snow,
and the hair of his head like pure wool;
his throne was fiery flames;
its wheels were burning fire.
A stream of fire issued
and came out from before him;
a thousand thousands served him,
and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him;
the court sat in judgment,
and the books were opened.
“I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
“I saw in the night visions,
and behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed.
Explanation: Verses 15-27
“As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me was anxious, and the visions of my head alarmed me. I approached one of those who stood there and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of the things. ‘These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth. But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.’
“Then I desired to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet, and about the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn that came up and before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed greater than its companions. As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.
“Thus he said: ‘As for the fourth beast,
there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth,
which shall be different from all the kingdoms,
and it shall devour the whole earth,
and trample it down, and break it to pieces.
As for the ten horns,
out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise,
and another shall arise after them;
he shall be different from the former ones,
and shall put down three kings.
He shall speak words against the Most High,
and shall wear out the saints of the Most High,
and shall think to change the times and the law;
and they shall be given into his hand
for a time, times, and half a time.
But the court shall sit in judgment,
and his dominion shall be taken away,
to be consumed and destroyed to the end.
And the kingdom and the dominion
and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven
shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High;
his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom,
and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’
Conclusion: Verse 28
“Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly alarmed me, and my color changed, but I kept the matter in my heart.”
Daniel would have understood the imagery of Babylon as a “lion and had eagles' wings” and Nebuchadnezzar’s swift and decisive conquests. Yet after Nebuchadnezzar's death, the lion soon fell from being the kingly beast of prey to having its wings “plucked,” and became feeble of a mere man about to be pounced on by a bear. Daniel had already seen this fall in the reigns of the Evil-Marduk, Neriglissar, Labashi-Marduk, Nabonidus, and Belshazzar. He knew the next beast was ready to enter the scene. Even so, it was that fourth beast kingdom that shook him to his core and troubled him so! Yet, the angel told him that God would judge all nations – especially this eleventh different little horn, but God’s kingdom would eventually reign over all nations, including their worthless gods.
Daniel 8&9 – God’s Judgment and His Kingdom
Daniel went about his palace duties for two years, no doubt praying about the matters in the previous vision and this judgment to take place. Daniel 8 and the 9 are uniquely intertwined. Daniel sees a vision in Daniel 8, but it only gets halfway interpreted before Daniel’s humanity overwhelms him, and he passes out. He did not receive the interpretation of the last part of the vision for another 13 years.
Key Points of Daniel 8
- Daniel 8:19, “He said, “Behold, I will make known to you what shall be at the latter end of the indignation, for it refers to the appointed time of the end.”
- Daniel 8 focuses on God’s people, the temple, and the sanctuary service. The vision's opening scene with the ram and a goat were well known to Daniel as sacrificial animals used during the Day of Atonement.
- Time Prophecy: 2300 days until the sanctuary is cleansed or restored
- Chronological Kingdoms
- Babylon not mentioned
- Medo-Persia Ram
- Greece He Goat
- Rome Horizontal Horn
- Medieval Kingdoms Vertical Horn
- End-Time Kingdoms Sanctuary Cleansing
- God’s Kingdom Horn broken
- We see Jesus as Prince of Princes.
Outline Verse(s) Summary
- Date 1 551 BC
- Background 1-2 Daniel has a vision
- Vision A 3-12 Daniel saw a ram, a goat, and a horn.
- Vison B 13-14 Daniel heard about the sanctuary
- Interlude 15-18 Jesus tells Gabriel is told to make Daniel understand
- Explanation A 19-25 Medo-Persia, Greece, and an unnamed power - interpreted by Gabriel
- Explanation B 26 Long time to be fulfilled - interpreted by Gabriel
- Conclusion 27 Daniel faints, and the vision ends
Date: Verse 1
In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar (551 BC)
Background: Verses 1-2
a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after that which appeared to me at the first. And I saw in the vision; and when I saw, I was in Susa the citadel, which is in the province of Elam.
Vision A (Seen): Verses 3-12
And I saw in the vision, and I was at the Ulai canal. I raised my eyes and saw, and behold, a ram standing on the bank of the canal. It had two horns, and both horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last. I saw the ram charging westward and northward and southward. No beast could stand before him, and there was no one who could rescue from his power. He did as he pleased and became great.
As I was considering, behold, a male goat came from the west across the face of the whole earth, without touching the ground. And the goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes. He came to the ram with the two horns, which I had seen standing on the bank of the canal, and he ran at him in his powerful wrath. I saw him come close to the ram, and he was enraged against him and struck the ram and broke his two horns. And the ram had no power to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled on him. And there was no one who could rescue the ram from his power. Then the goat became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and instead of it there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.
Out of one of them came a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land. It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them. It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host. And the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown. And a host will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering because of transgression, and it will throw truth to the ground, and it will act and prosper.
Vision B (Heard): Verses 13-14
Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, “For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?” And he said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.”
Interlude
When I, Daniel, had seen the vision (ḥāzôn), I sought to understand it. And behold, there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. And I heard a man's voice between the banks of the Ulai, and it called, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” So he came near where I stood. And when he came, I was frightened and fell on my face. But he said to me, “Understand, O son of man, that the vision is for the time of the end.”
And when he had spoken to me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face to the ground. But he touched me and made me stand up.
Explanation A: Verses 15-25
He said, “Behold, I will make known to you what shall be at the latter end of the indignation, for it refers to the appointed time of the end. As for the ram that you saw with the two horns, these are the kings of Media and Persia. And the goat is the king of Greece. And the great horn between his eyes is the first king. As for the horn that was broken, in place of which four others arose, four kingdoms shall arise from his nation, but not with his power. And at the latter end of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their limit, a king of bold face, one who understands riddles, shall arise. His power shall be great—but not by his own power; and he shall cause fearful destruction and shall succeed in what he does, and destroy mighty men and the people who are the saints. By his cunning he shall make deceit prosper under his hand, and in his own mind he shall become great. Without warning he shall destroy many. And he shall even rise up against the Prince of princes, and he shall be broken—but by no human hand.
Explanation B: Verse 26
The vision (mar'ê). of the evenings and the mornings that has been told is true, but seal up the vision, for it refers to many days from now.”
Conclusion: Verse 27
And I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for some days. Then I rose and went about the king's business, but I was appalled by the vision and did not understand it.
Key Points of Daniel 9
- Daniel 9:24, “Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place.”
- Time Prophecy: 70 weeks for the Jews
- Chronological Kingdoms
- Babylon not mentioned
- Medo-Persia 7 weeks - restoring of Jerusalem
- Greece Jewish probationary period continues
- Rome 70th week- anointed one shall be cut off
- Medieval Kingdoms not mentioned
- End-Time Kingdoms not mentioned
- God’s Kingdom not mentioned
- We see Jesus as the Prince of the Covenant.
Outline Verse(s) Summary
- Date 1-2a 538 BC
- Background 2b-21 Daniel prays for the Jews to return
- Vision - Refers to Daniel 8:13-14
- Explanation 23-27 The fate of the Jewish nation – interpreted by Gabriel
- Conclusion none
Date: Verse 1-2a (538 BC)
In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, by descent a Mede, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans— in the first year of his reign,
Background: Verses 2b-21
I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.
Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying, “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery that they have committed against you. To us, O Lord, belongs open shame, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you. To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by walking in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice. And the curse and oath that are written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out upon us, because we have sinned against him. He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us and against our rulers who ruled us,[a] by bringing upon us a great calamity. For under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what has been done against Jerusalem. As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us; yet we have not entreated the favor of the Lord our God, turning from our iniquities and gaining insight by your truth. Therefore the Lord has kept ready the calamity and has brought it upon us, for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works that he has done, and we have not obeyed his voice. And now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and have made a name for yourself, as at this day, we have sinned, we have done wickedly.
“O Lord, according to all your righteous acts, let your anger and your wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy hill, because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people have become a byword among all who are around us. Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord,[b] make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate. O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.”
While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my plea before the Lord my God for the holy hill of my God, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision (ḥāzôn) at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice. He made me understand, speaking with me and saying, “O Daniel, I have now come out to give you insight and understanding. At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the word and understand the vision (mar'ê).
Vision: refers to Daniel 8:13-14,26
(Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, “For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?” And he said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.”…
The vision (mar'ê) of the evenings and the mornings that has been told is true, but seal up the vision, for it refers to many days from now.”)
Explanation B: Verses 24-27
“Seventy weeks are decreed (ḥāṯaḵ - to divide, to cut off) about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed. And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”
Conclusion: none
The interpretation verses of verses 24-27 are challenging to decipher and translate. Here will use the Expanded Bible (EXB) to help us.
In verse 24, there is a summary of what will happen during the 70-weeks period of probation for the Jewish nation.
24 “·God has ordered four hundred ninety years [L Seventy sevens/weeks are given] for your people and your holy city [C for the following reasons]: to ·stop [finish] ·people from turning against God [transgression]; to put an end to sin; to ·take away [atone for] ·evil [iniquity]; to bring in ·goodness that continues forever [everlasting righteousness]; to ·bring about [seal] the vision and prophecy; and to ·appoint [anoint] a most holy place.
The following three verses indicate 70 weeks are broken into three sections: the first 7-weeks, then 62-weeks, and finally 1-week.
25b The time from this command until the ·appointed leader [anointed prince] comes will be ·forty-nine years [L seven sevens/weeks] and ·four hundred thirty-four years [L sixty-two sevens/weeks].
This text indicates there will be 69 weeks or 483 years, and then the “appointed prince” will come.
First 7 weeks = 49 years
25a “Learn and understand these things. A command will come to ·rebuild [L restore and build] Jerusalem.
25c Jerusalem will be ·rebuilt [L restored and built] with ·streets [or public squares] and a ·trench filled with water around it [moat; or conduits], but it will be built in times of ·trouble [oppression].
While the first 7-weeks and the last week have several elements occurring, nothing new happens during the 62-week interval. During these 434 years, Rebuilt Jerusalem has relative autonomy, and the sanctuary services ensue with only a few years of interruptions.
Final week – 7 years
26a After the ·four hundred thirty-four years [L sixty-two sevens/weeks] the ·appointed leader [L anointed one] will be ·killed [L cut off]; he will have nothing.
27a ·That leader [L He] will make firm an ·agreement [covenant; treaty] with many people for ·seven years [L one seven/week].
27b He will ·stop [make cease] the offerings and sacrifices after ·three and one-half years [L a half a seven/week]. ·
26b The ·people [or troops] of the ·leader [prince] who is to come will destroy the city and the holy place.
26c The end of ·the city [L it/or him] will come like a flood, and war will continue until the end. ·God has ordered that place to be completely destroyed [L Desolation/Destruction is decreed].
27 c A destroyer will do blasphemous things until the ordered end comes to the destroyed city [L …and upon a wing will be the horrible abominations until the decreed end overwhelms the desolator].”
During this final week, the appointed one makes a covenant with the people, but he is killed after 3 and ½ years. This causes the temple offerings and sacrifices to cease. God has decreed the city and the temple to be destroyed.
Daniel 10, 11, 12 – Great Conflicts of Nations
Now Daniel is well over 90 years old, and he had seen his people released after 70 years of captivity. While he remained in the Persian province of Babylon, he had no doubt heard of the problems in Jerusalem over rebuilding the temple. Instinctively, he goes into passionate prayer and fasting over this issue.
Key Points of Daniel 10-12
- Daniel 10:1, “And the word was true, and it was a great conflict.”
- Daniel 10-12 focuses on the overall shifts in the balance of power (not necessarily the end of the kingdom) and how kings and kingdoms affect Palestine and the sanctuary ministry. The literal and spiritual King of the North is emphasized.
- Time Prophecy: time, times, and half a time, 1290 days, and 1335 days
- Chronological Kingdoms
- Babylon n/a (Cyrus has already delivered Gods people)
- Medo-Persia 4 Kings
- Greece KON and KOS
- Rome 2 Kings
- Medieval Kingdoms KON and KOS
- End-Time Kingdoms Mighty King
- God’s Kingdom Michael delivers God’s people
- Jesus as Deliver.
Outline Verse(s) Summary
- Date 10:1a 534 BC
- Background 10:1b-4 Daniel mourning and fasting
- Vision 10:5-11:1 Daniel sees Jesus and learns why his prayer was delayed from the angel
- Explanation 11:2-12:3 Great conflicts of kings told by the angel
- Conclusion 12:4-13 Time prophecies are given, and Daniel is told of his destiny
Date: Verse 10:1a (534 BC)
In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia
Background: Verses 1b-4
a word was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. And the word was true, and it was a great conflict. And he understood the word and had understanding of the vision.
In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks. I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks. On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river (that is, the Tigris)
Introduction Vision: 10:5-11:1
I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude. And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision, but a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves. So I was left alone and saw this great vision, and no strength was left in me. My radiant appearance was fearfully changed, and I retained no strength. Then I heard the sound of his words, and as I heard the sound of his words, I fell on my face in deep sleep with my face to the ground.
And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.”
When he had spoken to me according to these words, I turned my face toward the ground and was mute. And behold, one in the likeness of the children of man touched my lips. Then I opened my mouth and spoke. I said to him who stood before me, “O my lord, by reason of the vision pains have come upon me, and I retain no strength. How can my lord's servant talk with my lord? For now no strength remains in me, and no breath is left in me.”
Again one having the appearance of a man touched me and strengthened me. And he said, “O man greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.” And as he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.” Then he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? But now I will return to fight against the prince of Persia; and when I go out, behold, the prince of Greece will come. But I will tell you what is inscribed in the book of truth: there is none who contends by my side against these except Michael, your prince.
“And as for me, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to confirm and strengthen him.
Great Conflicts Vision/Explanation: 11:2-12:3
“And now I will show you the truth.
Persia
Behold, three more kings shall arise in Persia, and a fourth shall be far richer than all of them. And when he has become strong through his riches, he shall stir up all against the kingdom of Greece.
Greece
Then a mighty king shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion and do as he wills. And as soon as he has arisen, his kingdom shall be broken and divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not to his posterity, nor according to the authority with which he ruled, for his kingdom shall be plucked up and go to others besides these.
“Then the king of the south shall be strong, but one of his princes shall be stronger than he and shall rule, and his authority shall be a great authority. After some years they shall make an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement. But she shall not retain the strength of her arm, and he and his arm shall not endure, but she shall be given up, and her attendants, he who fathered her, and he who supported[a] her in those times.
“And from a branch from her roots one shall arise in his place. He shall come against the army and enter the fortress of the king of the north, and he shall deal with them and shall prevail. He shall also carry off to Egypt their gods with their metal images and their precious vessels of silver and gold, and for some years he shall refrain from attacking the king of the north. Then the latter shall come into the realm of the king of the south but shall return to his own land.
“His sons shall wage war and assemble a multitude of great forces, which shall keep coming and overflow and pass through, and again shall carry the war as far as his fortress. Then the king of the south, moved with rage, shall come out and fight against the king of the north. And he shall raise a great multitude, but it shall be given into his hand. And when the multitude is taken away, his heart shall be exalted, and he shall cast down tens of thousands, but he shall not prevail. For the king of the north shall again raise a multitude, greater than the first. And after some years[b] he shall come on with a great army and abundant supplies.
“In those times many shall rise against the king of the south, and the violent among your own people shall lift themselves up in order to fulfill the vision, but they shall fail. Then the king of the north shall come and throw up siegeworks and take a well-fortified city. And the forces of the south shall not stand, or even his best troops, for there shall be no strength to stand. But he who comes against him shall do as he wills, and none shall stand before him. And he shall stand in the glorious land, with destruction in his hand. He shall set his face to come with the strength of his whole kingdom, and he shall bring terms of an agreement and perform them. He shall give him the daughter of women to destroy the kingdom, but it shall not stand or be to his advantage. Afterward he shall turn his face to the coastlands and shall capture many of them, but a commander shall put an end to his insolence. Indeed, he shall turn his insolence back upon him. Then he shall turn his face back toward the fortresses of his own land, but he shall stumble and fall, and shall not be found.
Rome
“Then shall arise in his place one who shall send an exactor of tribute for the glory of the kingdom. But within a few days he shall be broken, neither in anger nor in battle. In his place shall arise a contemptible person to whom royal majesty has not been given. He shall come in without warning and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. Armies shall be utterly swept away before him and broken, even the prince of the covenant.
Medieval Kingdoms
And from the time that an alliance is made with him he shall act deceitfully, and he shall become strong with a small people. Without warning he shall come into the richest parts of the province, and he shall do what neither his fathers nor his fathers' fathers have done, scattering among them plunder, spoil, and goods. He shall devise plans against strongholds, but only for a time. And he shall stir up his power and his heart against the king of the south with a great army. And the king of the south shall wage war with an exceedingly great and mighty army, but he shall not stand, for plots shall be devised against him. Even those who eat his food shall break him. His army shall be swept away, and many shall fall down slain. And as for the two kings, their hearts shall be bent on doing evil. They shall speak lies at the same table, but to no avail, for the end is yet to be at the time appointed. And he shall return to his land with great wealth, but his heart shall be set against the holy covenant. And he shall work his will and return to his own land.
“At the time appointed he shall return and come into the south, but it shall not be this time as it was before. For ships of Kittim shall come against him, and he shall be afraid and withdraw, and shall turn back and be enraged and take action against the holy covenant. He shall turn back and pay attention to those who forsake the holy covenant. Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate. He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder. When they stumble, they shall receive a little help. And many shall join themselves to them with flattery, and some of the wise shall stumble, so that they may be refined, purified, and made white, until the time of the end, for it still awaits the appointed time.
“And the king shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. He shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done. He shall pay no attention to the gods of his fathers, or to the one beloved by women. He shall not pay attention to any other god, for he shall magnify himself above all. He shall honor the god of fortresses instead of these. A god whom his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. He shall deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. Those who acknowledge him he shall load with honor. He shall make them rulers over many and shall divide the land for a price.
End-Time Kingdoms
“At the time of the end, the king of the south shall attack (or thrust at) him, but the king of the north shall rush upon him like a whirlwind, with chariots and horsemen, and with many ships. And he shall come into countries and shall overflow and pass through. He shall come into the glorious land. And tens of thousands shall fall, but these shall be delivered out of his hand: Edom and Moab and the main part of the Ammonites. He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. He shall become ruler of the treasures of gold and of silver, and all the precious things of Egypt, and the Libyans and the Cushites shall follow in his train. But news from the east and the north shall alarm him, and he shall go out with great fury to destroy and devote many to destruction. And he shall pitch his palatial tents between the sea and the glorious holy mountain. Yet he shall come to his end, with none to help him.
“At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
Conclusion Vision: 12:4-13
But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”
Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on this bank of the stream and one on that bank of the stream. And someone said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, “How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?” And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished. I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand. And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days. Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days. But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.”
Much will be said about Daniel 11 and 12 later, but we can see here that an abundant amount of time is spent on the Hellenistic Greek kingdoms and the Medieval kingdoms. The introduction in Daniel 10 states this vision is about great conflicts, and the angel tells him later that this is what will happen to his people in the “latter days” (Daniel 10:14). The question then needed to be asked, why would the Hellenistic Greek kingdoms be emphasized with the later divided kingdoms? The answer probably lies in the fact the Hellenistic kings of the north and kings of the south can tell us something about the “later days.”
Prophecy Divisions by Empire
In the remaining chapters of this book, we will examine the prophecies of each kingdom. The chart below shows the verse breakdown for each kingdom.
Empire Chapter 2 Chapter 7 Chapters 8-9 Chapters 10-12
Babylon 32,37-38 4,12,17 n/a n/a
Persia 32,39 5,12,17 8:3,4,14,20,26; 9:23-25 2
Greece 32,39 6,12,17 8:6-8,21-22 3-19
Rome 33,40 7,12,17,19 8:9,10a,23*; 9:26,27a 20-22
Medieval Kingdoms 33b,41-43 8,20-21 8:26,27; 9:25 23-39
End-Time Kingdoms 43,42,44 9-11,22, 23 8:10-14,23-26; 9:27c 11:40-45
God’s Eternal Kingdom 34,35,44,45 14,21,27 8:25 12:1-3
*Rome and the Divided Kingdoms are blended in these verses.
Day for a Year Principle
Before we move on to our next chapter, we should discuss a little more regarding these time prophecies identified in Daniel 7, 8, 9, and 12.
We will be using what scholars refer to as the “Day for a Year Principle.” When looking at apocalyptic prophecies such as those found in the books of Daniel and Revelation, prophetic time periods use symbolic and not literal time elements where one prophetic day will equal one literal year.
In the narrative of Daniel 4, Nebuchadnezzar has a second dream, this time of a great tree, and the minor prophecy found here gives us great detail on the day for year principle found in the prophetic portions of Daniel 7-12. The Aramaic word ʿidān (H5742) means a duration of time or year. We find idān used four times in verses 16, 23, 25, and 32 with the phrase “let seven periods of times pass over you.” Young’s Literal Translation (YLT) more accurately states, “till that seven times (ʿidān) pass over him.”
We read in verse 32 that Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar, “seven periods of time shall pass over you” and then in verse 34, we hear Nebuchadnezzar proclaim, “At the end of the days….” So, seven periods of time or simply seven times would equal seven prophetic days. Hence, when determining prophetic time, a day equals a year.
We find examples of this principle in other narratives, including Numbers, Ezekiel, and Genesis.
40 days = 40 years: According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, a year for each day, you shall bear your iniquity forty years, and you shall know my displeasure. Numbers 14:34
390 days = 390 years; 40 days = 40 years: For I assign to you a number of days, 390 days, equal to the number of the years of their punishment. So long shall you bear the punishment of the house of Israel. And when you have completed these, you shall lie down a second time, but on your right side, and bear the punishment of the house of Judah. Forty days I assign you, a day for each year. Ezekiel 4:5-6
7 days = 7 years: Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years. Genesis 29:27
Now that we have our prophetic time interpretation rule of one prophetic day equals one literal year, we can establish the prophetic time periods found in Daniel 7,8,9, and 12.
Daniel 7 “time, times, and half a time” and repeated in Daniel 12
…and they shall be given into his hand until a time (ʿidān) and times (ʿidān) and the dividing of time (ʿidān). Daniel 7:25
The same word used in Daniel 4 for time ʿidān , which scholars universally accept as meaning a year, is used in Daniel 7:25. So, we have 1 year, plus 2 years, plus a ½ year, or 3.5 years. Now, remember Nebuchadnezzar said in Dan 4:34, “At the end of the days…”? Prophetically speaking, the king after grass like an animal for 7 days. Now, if we take our 3.5 years found in Daniel 7:25, we find that 3.5 years in days is 1260 prophetic days or 1260 literal years.
Daniel 8 “2300 evenings and mornings”
For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state. Daniel 8:14
The expression “evenings and mornings” comes from the Hebrew Aramaic word 6153 ereḇ for days or evenings and then the Hebrew word 1242 bōqer meaning morning. Here as in Genesis 1:5 “And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening (ereḇ) and the morning (bōqer) were the first day.” The author of Genesis simply meant a 24-hour day, but Daniel had a specific reason to use this phrase. Daniel 8 centers on the Hebrew sanctuary with its “daily” sacrifices occurring in the evening and then morning. We think of a day like morning and then evening, but in the Bible, a day was an evening at sunset and then morning until the next sunset.
Consequently, in Daniel 8:14, we have 2300 prophetic days connected with the temple service or 2300 literal years.
Daniel 9 “70 weeks”
Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. Daniel 9:24
In Daniel 9, we are dealing with what will happen to Daniel’s people, the Jews, and Jerusalem. Seventy weeks equals 490 prophetic days or 490 literal years. Jesus gave us insight about this period when speaking of how many times to forgive your brother.
Then Peter having come near to him, said, `Sir, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him -- till seven times?' Jesus saith to him, `I do not say to thee till seven times, but till seventy times seven. Matthew 18:21-22 (YLT)
Jesus told Peter to forgive his brother 490 times. Is this an arbitrary number? Jesus' point to Peter was that you would never reach that number, but the more significant point is that God gave the Jews 490 years of forgiveness.
Daniel 12 and “1290”
And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days. Daniel 12:11
Here we just have a period of 1290 prophetic days to equal 1290 literal years. Our context has to do with something in the sanctuary ministry being taken away.
Daniel 12 and “1335”
Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days. Daniel 12:12
Here again, we have just a prophetic time period of 1335 prophetic days to equal 1335 literal years. Our context is regarding those who wait and are blessed.
We will return and thoroughly examine these time prophecies during the period in which they begin, including the 2300 days and 70 weeks beginning during the Persian period and the time, times and half a time, 1290, and 1335 beginning in the Medieval Kingdoms period.
For more on the day for a year principle, see the article by Clifford Goldstein, “The day-year principle: The amazing day-year key can still unlock the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation,” in Ministry Magazine, 2018, https://www.ministrymagazine.org/archive/2018/04/The-day-year-principle.
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