Daniel

1. Daniel How to Survey/Study a Biblical Book: Daniel

2. Daniel - Traditional Epilogue Prologue Historic Material Prophetic Material 12:1-13 Chap 1 2:1 6:28 7:1

3. Daniel - Traditional Introduction Chapter 1 Prologue The Stories The Visions Chap 1 2:1 6:28 7:1 12:13

4. Daniel - Traditional Prologue Activity: Daniel Interprets Others’ Dreams Activity: Angel Interprets Daniel’s Dreams Causation 12:13 Chap 1 2:1 6:28 7:1

6. Daniel Big Picture (Structural) Question: Precisely, how does 2-6 relate to 7-12? Prologue History: Theology of History Visions: Theology of Eschaton God has acted graciously to the faithful and punished the proud We can wait faithfully, for God holds the future Chap 1 2:1 6:28 7:1 12:13

7. Daniel Big Picture (Structural) Question: Precisely, how does 2-6 relate to 7-12? Prologue History: Theology of History Visions: Theology of Eschaton Chap 7 Transitional between Chapters 1-6 & 7-12 Language conclusion of 1-6 Chap 1 2:1 6:28 7:1 12:13

8. Daniel Big Picture (Structural) Question: Precisely, how does 2-6 relate to 7-12? Theology of History Theology of Eschaton Prologue Literary Connection of Chap 2-7 (chaism) 2 Neb’s Dream/Vision of 4 Kingdoms & their end 3 Neb sees God’s servants rescued 4 Judgment on proud Ned 5 Judgment on proud Belshazzar 6 Darius the Mede sees Daniel rescued 7 Daniel’s Dream/Vision of 4 Kingdoms & their end Chap 1 2:1 6:28 12:13 7:1

9. Daniel Big Picture (Structural) Question: Precisely, how does 2-6 relate to 7-12? Answer: Daniel continually points to chapter 7 Prologue History: Theology of History Visions: Theology of Eschaton Chap 7 Transitional between Chapters 1-6 & 7-12 Serves as General claim (Destruction of beast). The rest of 8-12 are details. Chapter 7 may even be climax of book! Chap 1 2:1 6:28 7:1 12:13

10. Daniel • How to study Daniel 7? • Begin with the basic material. • a. Read and re-read the material until you know what is there. Read in several different translations and make as many observations as you can. • b. Then, try to describe the material in Daniel 7:1-14. You may do it in words, outline, or chart form. But the main thing at this point to see what is there in the text AND to make note of it. Make explicit what you may feel or sense implicitly.

11. Daniel 7 Four Great Beasts Intro Ancient of Days Destruction of Beast And Everlasting Kingdom of the Son of Man Leopard Fourth Beast w/ 10 horns Intro Bear Lion Little horn 7:1 7:4 7:5 7:6 7:7-8 7:9 7:10 7:11 7:14 7:2-3

12. Daniel • How to study Daniel 7? • 2. Explain how the parts of the material are related to one another. How does it fit together? What logical/literary concepts hold it in a unit? • Introduction? • Contrast/Comparison? • Climax? • Causation? • Keep in mind that all communication (written or spoken) is logically put together. Our task here is to discover Daniel’s structure.

13. Daniel 7 Introduction 7:1 Introduces not only 7:1-14 but also all of 7:2-28 Four Great Beasts Intro Ancient of Days Destruction of Beast And Everlasting Kingdom Leopard Fourth Beast w/ 10 horns Intro Bear Lion Little horn 7:1 7:4 7:5 7:6 7:7-8 7:9 7:10 7:11 7:14 7:2-3

14. Daniel 7 Four Great Beasts Intro Ancient of Days Destruction of Beast And Everlasting Kingdom of Son of Man Leopard Fourth Beast w/ 10 horns Intro Bear Lion Little horn 7:1 7:4 7:5 7:6 7:7-8 7:9 7:10 7:11 7:14 7:2-3 Night Vision Night Vision Night Vision

15. Daniel 7 Contrast: Form & Content Four Great Beasts Intro Ancient of Days Destruction of Beast And Everlasting Kingdom of Son of Man Leopard Fourth Beast w/ 10 horns Intro Bear Lion Little horn 7:1 7:4 7:5 7:6 7:7-8 7:9 7:10 7:11 7:14 7:2-3 Prose/Narrative Poetry Prose

16. Daniel 7 Problem-Solution: Problem 7:1-8Solution 7:9-14 Four Great Beasts Intro Ancient of Days Destruction of Beast And Everlasting Kingdom of the Son of Man Leopard Fourth Beast w/ 10 horns Intro Bear Lion Little horn 7:1 7:4 7:5 7:6 7:7-8 7:9 7:10 7:11 7:14 7:2-3

17. Daniel 7 Four Great Beasts Intro Ancient of Days Destruction of Beast And Everlasting Kingdom of the Son of Man Leopard Fourth Beast w/ 10 horns Climax: Destruction of beast (without battle) Intro Bear Lion Little horn 7:1 7:4 7:5 7:6 7:7-8 7:9 7:10 7:11 7:14 7:2-3

18. Daniel • How to Study Daniel 7? • 3. Ask a question based upon the logic of the text. This is what I mean by a “text-driven” question. • For example: • a. What is the meaning of the introduction in 7:1? How does it prepare for what follows? • b. What is the meaning of the contrast between the vision of the four beasts and the vision of the Ancient of Days? • c. What is the meaning of the problem described in 7:1-8 and the solution depicted in 7:9-14? • d. What is the meaning of the climax in 7:11-14 and how does the 7:1-10 build to this climax?

19. Daniel • Daniel Overview/Insights • Most OT Prophets consider the future from the perspective of Israel and God’s Covenant promises while Daniel considers secular world empires in light of God’s ultimate purpose (see Amos 1-2; Isaiah 13-23; Ezekiel 25-32). • The Book of Daniel is not a call to repent (as most OT prophets) but a model of faithfulness in the midst of a hostile world • Note how chapters 1-6 are written in third person while 7-12 are in first person. Thus, this seems to point to a major break in structure of book.

20. Daniel • Daniel Overview/Insights • 4.Each chapter of the historical section (1-6) opens with a problem that finds resolution. (recurrence of problemsolution) • 1,3,6 Problem: Religious faith is threatened: Conform to culture/practice of the secular world • Solution: Loyalty to God and faithfulness to his character • 2,4,5 Problem: Babylonian Kings receive divine messages • Solution: God grants Daniel an interpretation

21. Daniel • Daniel Overview/Insights • 5. New Testament use of Daniel • Except for Heb 11:33-34, the history section of Daniel is not quoted or alluded to. • Themes, concepts, images of 7-12 • Son of Man • Kingdom of God • 60+ references to Daniel in Revelation

22. Daniel • Daniel Overview/Insights • 6. Jewish Lit and Apocalyptic Lit use of Daniel • 1 Macc 2:60 referred to fiery furnace and den of lions. Same allusions are found in 3 Macc 6:7. • Josephus (Jewish historian) retold stories in chap 1-6 but used only one vision (Dan 8). • Yet (and not surprisingly) • Many Apocalyptic works made use of Daniel (2nd Esdras 12:11 reinterprets 4th kingdom as Rome, 2 Baruch 36-40 uses four empire imagery).

23. Daniel • Daniel Overview/Insights • 7. Daniel’s differences from other Apocalyptic Lit • Speculation about heaven and hell are missing • No description of what the future ideal kingdom will look like (also in contrast with Isaiah 65; Ezekiel 36; Zech 7-8). Daniel says nothing more than “Their kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom (7:14, 27).

24. Daniel • Daniel Overview/Insights • 8. Daniel as Theology • Theology of History: Nearness of the consummation of history, readers of Daniel stand in the next-to-the-last period. Making us standing in the last. • Additionally, no human being knows the future. We can plan for it, we can speculate about it, we can hope and fear, but it remains beyond our control. Thus, the very definition of “human history” involves a hidden future. • Visions of Daniel break the rest of history into four periods. This is seen in rest of OT only in Dan 2 (and in Apocalyptic material, e.g., Assumption of Moses 2-10; 1 Enoch 83-90; Testament of Abraham; Apocalypse of Abraham 23-31; 2 Baruch 53-74).

25. Daniel • Daniel Overview/Insights • 8. Daniel as Theology (continued) • b. Story as a whole questions whether Jews (or now Christians) under pressure should abandon or compromise their religious practices. Thus, it’s a call to faithfulness in spite of pessimism. Hope and faith is not based upon human potential for correcting the situation but upon a divine intervention (Dan 2:45; 8:25) • c. Daniel is unusual for he and his friends are role models. Elsewhere in OT, God is only model. They have committed no sins we are aware of. • d. Individualism of Daniel. With reference to Jews, we know only of Daniel and his friends, nothing of their families, let alone their faith community. Covenant community is missing.