Bible Studies

THE LANGUAGE AND STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK OF DANIEL

by Jeff Van Hatten
05/25/26
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While some of Daniel's message is written in Hebrew, Chapter 2:4 to 7:28 is written in Aramaic!

Daniel is also not written in chronological order. The chart below shows the order:
Daniel 1 Nebuchadnezzar Takes Daniel
Daniel 2 & 3 Second year of Nebuchadnezzar (Dream of Image, Fiery Furnace)
Daniel 4 Judgment upon Nebuchadnezzar

Daniel 7 First Year of Belshazzar (Lion, Bear, Leopard With 4 Wings, Dreadful Beast)
Daniel 8 Third Year of Belshazzar (Ram, Goat, 4 Horns, Notable Horn
Daniel 5 Last Year of Belshazzar (Handwriting On The Wall)

Daniel 6 First Year of Darius (Lions Den)
Daniel 9 First Year of Darius (70 Year Judgment, Vision Of 70 Weeks)
Daniel 11 & 12 First Year of Darius (Continuation Of 70 Weeks Vision)
Daniel 10 Third Year of Cyrus (Vision Of Great Warfare Against Persia)

Times and Seasons
1 Thessalonians 5:1 – “You have no need to have anything written to you, brothers, about the times and seasons when this will happen.”
The word times, used by both Yeshua and Paul, is the Greek word kairos [G2540 καιρός] which means a set time or occasion. Some translations use the word “dates” in place of the word times, which is gives a more accurate sense of the terms being used.

Daniel 2:21 – “Yahweh changes the times and seasons . . .”
Daniel tells us that Yahweh is he who changes the times and seasons. Times in this verse is the Hebrew word iddan [H5732 עִדָּן] which means a set time. Seasons is the Hebrew word zman [H2166 זְמָן] which means an appointed occasion.

Daniel 7:25 – “The antichrist will attempt to alter the seasons and the law; and [the holy ones] will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.”
The antichrist is the one who attempts to change the seasons and times. In this verse, the word seasons is zman and the word times is iddan. Iddan and zman can be used interchangeably, as both indicate a set time or occasion.

The First Coming of Yeshua
Daniel 9:26 – “Then, after the sixty-two weeks, Mashiach will be cut off and have nothing.”
Gabriel gave Daniel a mathematical prophecy detailing the number of days between a decree to rebuild the walls and the declaration Messiah as Prince. The number of days declared was 173,880.

According to Nehemiah 2:1, it was “in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king” that the authorization to rebuild Jerusalem was issued. Thus we have the key date from which this incredible prophecy was to be calculated: Nisan 1, 445 B.C, or March 14, 445 B.C.

At the end of 69 of these weeks Messiah the Prince would be made known to Israel and then be cut off, but not for himself (Daniel 9:25-26). Counting 483 years (7 x 69 = 483) of 360 days each gives us a total of 173,880 days and brings us to Sunday, April 6, A.D. 32, or Nisan 10 on the Hebrew calendar.

On that very day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a young donkey, on the colt of a donkey, and was hailed as Messiah the Prince (Zechariah 9:9). Thanks to Dr. Chuck Missler for these calculations and insights [Hidden Treasures in the Biblical Text, ©2000, pgs.41-47].

The Recapture of Jerusalem
In Daniel Chapter 5, we read the account of the writing on the wall. The inscription read: Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin. The direct prophecy was that Belshazzer was to be immediately deposed, and he was that very evening. Now that is not random timing – Yahweh doesn’t do random!

But wait, there’s more! The Hebrew verbs, weighed, numbered, and divided, can also be translated as nouns, which then become units of measurement or money [A mene is 1000 garahs, a tekel is 20 garahs, and a peres, or upharsin, is 500 garahs].

When this is done, mene mene then translates two-thousand garahs. Tekel translates as twenty garahs, and upharsin translates as five-hundred garahs. These words have been interpreted to mean: there will be 2520 Biblical years between the decree of Darius (Zechariah 1:7-16, and Ezra chapters 5 & 6) granting the Jews control of the Temple Mount and a future control of the Mount.

The decree is believed to have been made in August of 518 B.C. Adding 2520 Biblical years brings us to June of 1967 A.D., the month and year that Jerusalem was recaptured! Again, that is not random timing – Yahweh doesn’t do random!

Shadows
Daniel 1:3-5 – Daniel and his three friends were given “a daily ration from the king's choice food and from the wine which he drank, and appointed that they should be educated three years.”
Now, let’s look at Daniel 2:41, “You saw that the statue’s feet and toes were partly baked clay and partly iron. That means the fourth kingdom will be a divided kingdom. It will have some of the strength of iron in it, just as you saw iron was mixed with clay.”
Daniel describes the final kingdom as one that is mingled – iron mixed with clay. The word that is translated mingled, or mixed, is the Hebrew word m’arav (עֲרַב H6151), which comes from the root word, ereb, (עֲרַב H6154a) as we would say in English, Arab! This word can also be translated: west, westward, nomad, desert, people of the desert, or from Arabia! It generally denotes a movement away from God’s laws and precepts, and is derogatory in nature. Modern DNA research has shown that those of Arab descent have a “mixed” DNA from several other races – in other words, they are not of one single race.

Daniel 9:11 – “Indeed all Israel has transgressed Your law and turned aside, not obeying Your voice; so the curse has been poured out on us . . .”
The word translated curse, is the Hebrew word, alah (אָלָה H423). In other words, Alah is going to be poured out upon all Israel!

Daniel 12:9 – “The message is closed up and sealed until the time of the end.”
That Islam is currently putting forth extreme efforts to become the one-world religion, political ruler, and moral code (Sharia Law), should not be surprising. God, who declares the end from the beginning, has given us all of the hints we need to understand our current season! And, because we live today, all of those “hidden” scriptures of Genesis, Isaiah, and Daniel are now becoming understandable, as was prophesied by God in Daniel 12:9.

The Visions are wonderfully graphic descriptions of the then current affairs at court and in the hallowed halls of the monarch. Whether written in code, or symbol, I can just see Daniel writing about the twentieth century: "As I lay resting, I saw in the North-East a Great Combine, an International Combine, perhaps, red in color. And the Great Combine was harvesting the fields, getting bigger and bigger as it sucked in the produce. But, all in a flash, the Great Combine fell apart, and out of it came many Little Green Combines, John Deere's they looked to be. And the many Little Green Combines fought and strove, each one, to establish itself as the head of the other Green Combines. And in the West, I saw a slim , young Elephant push aside an old, well-fed, Gray Jackass -- oops, sorry, it's a Donkey!-- and the Elephant immediately started to undo the buttons on the Donkey's vest . . ." Yes, I hear Daniel, now.

Daniel's Dream
Daniel 7:2-3 – “Daniel said, ‘I was looking in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. And four great beasts were coming up from the sea, different from one another’.”

For many decades scholars have put forth that the four beasts Daniel saw in his vision are:
• The Babylonian Empire
• The Medo-Persian Empire
• The Grecian Empire
• The Roman Empire

But what if the beasts he saw in his vision are not empires of the past, but empires in modern history, or empires of the last days? If these beasts are, indeed, modern empires, then which empires, or nations, would the four beasts describe?

The Four Beasts Described

The Lion With Eagle’s Wings
Daniel 7:4 – “The first was like a lion and had the wings of an eagle. I kept looking until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man; a human mind also was given to it.”
What modern nation, whose symbol is a lion, has had dealings with the modern nation of Israel? England, or Great Britain, of course. And the wings of an eagle belong to the United States.

The United States of America began as a colonial territory of Great Britain. But when the American colonies wrote and signed The Declaration of Independence in 1776 and broke away from King George III and Great Britain, one could say it was plucked up.

Up until 1948 Great Britain was the largest empire in the world. It was said about it that “the sun never sets on the British Empire”. However, in 1920 Great Britain was issued a mandate granting control over Palestine with the stipulation that it facilitate the establishment of a Jewish national home.

Britain, rather than granting the entire area of the land to the Jews, portioned it out, giving the largest amount of land to the Arabs. Since that time, Britain has lost its position as the premier empire in partial fulfillment of Joel 3:2 – any nation dividing the land of Israel comes under Yahweh’s judgment.

The United States is heading down that same road, making attempts to divide the land of Israel, and is also losing its position as the premier empire of today’s geopolitical system.

The Bear Raised Up On One Side With Three Ribs In Its Mouth
Daniel 7:5 – “And behold, another beast, a second one, resembling a bear. And it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth; and thus they said to it, ‘Arise, devour much meat’!”
What modern nation, whose symbol is a bear, has had dealings with the modern nation of Israel? The bear, like the lion, is easy to identify – it is modern day Russia.

The Russian Bear has displayed some of the worst anti-Semitic hatred in modern history that has only been surpassed by that of the Nazis. Purges, persecutions, and pogroms of native Russian Jews were rampant until 1980’s when Russian Jews began to emigrate to Israel in droves.

In the first ten months of 1990 alone, over 120,000 Russian Jews arrived in Israel. Prior to that, however, Joseph Stalin engaged in a holocaust of over fifty million people, thus fulfilling the scripture “arise and devour much meat!” of Daniel 7:5.

The three ribs may be either Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan which were an early acquisition, or perhaps the three Baltic states that were annexed later by Russia. Russia. also known as the Soviet Socialist Republics or Soviet Union, annexed many other nation-states at the end of World War II and continues to do so today, thus again fulfilling the scripture “arise and devour much meat!” of Daniel 7:5.

By the end of World War 2 the nations that the Soviets had recently annexed in the war included: eastern Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Albania and East Germany, again fulfilling the scripture “arise and devour much meat!” of Daniel 7:5.

Russia is also responsible for bringing socialism/communism into the world. Both socialism and communism are very left leaning, as opposed to fascism which is right leaning and democracy which is more centrist leaning. Could this left leaning be fulfillment of the scripture “raised up on one side” of Daniel 7:5?

Not only did communism devour most of Eastern Europe, it also effectively devoured the world, when it created the United Nations – a socialist entity, again fulfilling the scripture “arise and devour much meat!” of Daniel 7:5.

The Four-headed Leopard with the Wings of a Fowl
Daniel 7:6 – “After this I kept looking, and behold, another one, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird; the beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.”

What modern nation, whose symbol is a leopard, has had dealings with the modern nation of Israel?

Again, the leopard, like the lion and bear, is easy to identify – it is Germany. Another word for leopard is panther, or in the German, panzer. Germany had Panzer Tanks, Panzer Troops, and Panzer Flying Divisions.

The four wings most likely refer to France whose symbol is the rooster. Both France and Germany were highly under the influence of Catholicism and it’s manipulations from Rome as part of the Holy Roman Empire.

However, the four wings may not refer to France at all, but may imply two sets of wings, or perhaps two nations that aid the leopard. In this scenario, then the four wings would be identified as Italy and Japan, both of whose air power resources backed Hitler in World War II.

The four heads could alternately be four successive reichs of Europe. They would then be:
• The Holy Roman Empire – 800 to 1806 – most of its emperors were crowned by a pope!
• The German Empire – 870 to 1919 – Unified after the Franco-Prussian War until the end of World War I. Its iron chancellor, Otto Von Bismarck even tried to remove the Catholic political control of Germany, but failed.
• The Third Reich of Hitler – 1933 to 1945 – When Germany was defeated at the end of World War II, journalists of that era called it a “deadly wound,” referring to the division of Germany into East Germany and West Germany. This “deadly wound” can be said to have been healed when the Berlin Wall was torn down – perhaps a precursor to the final fulfillment of Revelation 13:3 which states: “I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed .”
• The European Union – 1951 to present – Once again, it was France and Germany that are intimately involved in this union becoming reality. It was actually spearheaded by the proposed integration of the French and German coal and steel industries, who invited other nation’s industries to participate.

The Fourth Beast – The Dreadful Beast
Daniel 7:7-8 – “After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth uttering great boasts.”
This passage prophesies the final world government and its ruler – in other words, the antichrist system. Revelation 13:5 puts it this way “It was given a mouth speaking arrogant blasphemies; and it was given authority to act for forty-two months.”

Daniel 7:9 – “I kept looking Until thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days took His seat . . .”
Daniel 7:13-14 – “I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven one like a Son of Man was coming, and Yeshua came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Yahweh. To Yeshua was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations and men of every language might serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and his kingdom is one which will not be destroyed.”
Daniel 7:17-18 – “These four huge animals are four kingdoms that will arise on earth. But the holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, yes, forever and ever.’

For decades this insight has been hidden because Daniel was told to “seal up” the vision until the end of days at which time they will be revealed (Daniel 9:24 and 12:4).

That Daniel’s visions belong to the era just prior to Yeshua’s coming in power is verified by verses 9, 13, 14, 17, &18. The vision of the beasts takes place at the same time as the judgment of the nations at the end of Armageddon (Revelation Chapters 16 to 19, Joel Chapters 2 and 3, Haggai 2). All of these nations are in place when Yeshua returns to set up his millennial reign.

Today, however, we are in the end of days and can, therefore, now identify the four modern empires that would have had (or will have) dealings with the modern nation of Israel. This is a VERY IMPORTANT FACT! Daniel’s visions are about future events, not past events.

Daniel 7:7-8 – “After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns .”

The Fourth Beast will also be one that has dealings with the modern nation of Israel.

Today, the United Nations is at the forefront of the efforts to institute the One World Government. Already the United Nations determines how nations educate their children, intervenes in international and national military conflicts, oversees the world’s financial systems, and makes final determinations in legal matters involving disputes among nations.

And, just as the One World Religion will draw from many beliefs to form a “unity”, so too will the Dreadful Beast, the One World Government. The Vatican is in full agreement with the United Nations in these efforts.

Already the United Nations determines how nations educate their children, intervenes in international and national military conflicts, oversees the world’s financial systems, and makes final determinations in legal matters involving disputes among nations. In so doing, it will devour, crush, and trample down any nation that stands in the way of its efforts to be the supreme ruling authority, the One World Government.

It will have the authority to override any sovereign nation whose laws and ways it perceives to be in need of being changed. This governing body will have the authority to prevent and/or settle what once were “internal conflicts”. In so doing, it will devour, crush, and trample down any nation that stands in the way of its efforts to be the supreme ruling authority, the One World Government.

At this time, I do not believe that this beast is fully empowered. The Fourth Beast will bring in the “Mark of the Beast ” which will be dreadful and terrible, will be exceedingly strong, will have great iron teeth (socialism/communism), will devour and break in pieces, and will stamp the residue with its feet.

But not to worry – you will live in a 15 minute city,
you will own nothing, and you will be very happy!!

How Long Will the Reign of the Fourth Dreadful Beast Last?
Daniel 7:25 – “He will attempt to alter the seasons and the law; and the holy ones of the Most High will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.”
Daniel 12:11 – “From the time the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.”

Time, times, and half a time = 1260 days or 42 months.
This is the period of time that the Two Witnesses are allowed to minister [Revelation 11:3].
It is also the same amount of time that Yeshua calls the Great Tribulation [Matthew 24:21; Revelation 7:14].

It takes another thirty days until Yeshua fully decimates the One World Satanically controlled Government, the Antichrist and False Prophet are thrown into the eternally burning Lake of Fire [Daniel 7:11; Revelation 19:20].

At the end of Yeshua's Millennial Reign (1000 Years), the Adversary (the Devil/Satan) is also thrown into the Lake of Fire [Daniel 7:11;Revelation 20:10].

Conclusions
Daniel appears to have seen modern empires, not historical empires, in his vision, as the vision takes place just prior to the setting up of Yeshua's Millennial reign at the end of the Tribulation Period..

The first three empires appear to be the English Empire, the Russian Empire, and the German/European Empire consisting of the four European heads.

The fourth empire may be an extension of the United Nations which will morph into the One World Government under the control of the Antichrist, or Satan.

Final Thought for 2026
• The season of the birth pains is here – keep maintaining an attitude of gratitude.
• The prophetic signs continue to unfold in an escalating pattern as foretold by the Hebrew prophets.
• History is moving extremely quickly towards the one world government, financial system, and religion.
• Time is incredibly short – Yeshua Ha’Mashiach is coming soon – so be of great cheer and keep looking up.
• Be sure you are believing The Truth, not The Lie – get busy reaching the lost.
• Be sure Yeshua is your Redeemer, King, and High Priest, and your sins are forgiven.