God’s Management
A Bible Study in Daniel 7-12 : Waterloo Hall
To attempt a single study that embraces the difficult chapters of Daniel is an impossible task – well, impossible if you are going to satisfy most people’s desire for an explanation of the visions.
I want to look at the hard part of Daniel very briefly; to gain an overview of its main thrust and purpose, and to whet your appetite for a more detailed study of the themes suggested.
In our first study we looked at the book as a source of Assessment strategies for believers, here I believe we have an insight into the ways that God manages history. I want to come away from my study feeling that these chapters are not a disincentive to study prophecy, but an encouragement to see God at work in the whole of human history.
Daniel stood on the threshold of a new stage in human history. The exile represented the great watershed in the experience of God’s people. After it things would never be the same again, and the emphasis of Jewish religion would shift towards a scripture centred understanding of God. That is not to say that they had no scripture before hand, but that the writings acquired a new significance. This in itself was a preparation for the next great phase in the history of God’s people.
Daniel’s personal situation meant that he was strategically placed to be given these remarkable insights into God’s timetable. “A well instructed Jew who had lived the major part of his life as royal adviser in the court of the Babylonian world empire. … He lived through the fall of both the Assyrian and Babylonian empires, and in his old age would have been made ready to receive the visionary revelations …” [1]They were to provide him with a source of great encouragement that would not only serve his own day but all succeeding generations. That they also provided some challenging apocalyptic visions to challenge the imaginations of succeeding generations of bible students is almost a side issue!
I have prepared for you an outline of the chapters:
CHAPTER 7
Provoked by his study of Jeremiah, Daniel sees a vision of Four Kingdoms and of God’s Kingdom
The Most High Reigns
CHAPTER 8
Second and Third Kingdoms identified by Gabriel
Medo-Persian Empire
Greek Empire (under Alexander the Great Vv23,24 – Antiochus)
The visions of this
part of Daniel have a relationship with Chapter 2, and this is nicely set out
in a table by Joyce Baldwin:[2]
|
Chap 2 |
Chap 7 |
Chap 8 |
Interpretation |
|
Gold |
Lion |
|
|
|
Silver |
Bear |
Ram |
Medo-Persia 8 v20 |
|
Bronze |
Leopard |
He-goat |
|
|
Iron/clay |
Indescribable beast |
|
( |
|
Supernatural stone |
Heavenly court |
|
God’s Kingdom |
CHAPTER 9
Daniel’s Prayer & the Vision of Seventy Weeks
CHAPTERS 10-12
Vision of the Heavenly Messenger and His final revelation (Chs 10-12)
The relationship between the visions and the first six chapters can also be summarised so:
|
Vision |
Setting |
Relationship to i - vi |
|
Four Kingdoms (7 &
8) Kingdoms identified Seventy Weeks (9) Final vision (10-12) |
Belshazzar y1 Belshazzar y3 Darius y1 Media Cyrus y3 |
Between chaps iv & v Chapter vi Later than ch. vi |
What was God up to? What were His long term intentions? How did they fit into the world power view of history?
These questions are answered through Daniel’s
visions. These visions begin in
He is entrusted with the visions so that others coming later will be able to see the significance. As with other prophecy, he has a meaning for his own time, for the next generations, and for a time still to come. It is not always immediately obvious which part is which – because he is dealing in the overall themes that:
· God is in charge
· God reveals His purposes to His people
· God controls the events of human history
· God has an end in view
But before we sketch those themes in a little more detail we must notice certain peculiarities of the visions of Daniel.
· The book belongs to a class of its own in the Old Testament.
This is usually called Apocalyptic. It presents a view of history in highly symbolic language – some of it very detailed but confusing. One moment it seems to be begging close identification with world figures, the next pointing into the distant future.
It is also a book that is written in two original languages – Aramaic and Hebrew, and possibly the writer intended to use that as a literary tool in setting out his word.
Daniel has a lot in common with Ezekiel, Ezra and Zechariah.
· NUMBERS are especially important to Daniel.
He groups his visions in fours, and then adds an extra one. He writes about seventies and sevens, and then presents us with an enigmatic 69. He captures our imagination and attention in a quite different way from the other prophets (with the exception of Zechariah).
·
Like his NT counterpart, John in Revelation,
Daniel lived a long time and his writings spanned many different empires.
All of these were outside of
His writing appeals especially to minorities and those in a hostile environment. His view of political systems is pessimistic. Daniel’s teachings were expressly forbidden by Marxist governments, because they undermine confidence in human governments.
· Whereas the Prophets wrote against a background of apostasy in the Lord’s people – Daniel is set in an exile situation and is more concerned with other nations.
His is a view of history that begins with today, explains tomorrow and expects to be certain of eternity. It demands a larger stage than that of the earlier Prophets and Law.
“He creates a genuine World view and is more comprehensive in his understanding of history … of other nations and their part in God’s overarching purpose. On foreign soil , in a missionary situation the God of gods reveals Himself in ways that are meaningful to the new culture and background.” (op cit)
· Daniel’s visions began with Bible Study
In Chapter 9 we see the link between his vision and his bible study :
2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel,
understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet,
that the desolation of
So what are his great themes?
· God is in charge
· God reveals His purposes to His people
· God controls the events of human history
· God has an end in view
It didn’t look like it to Daniel and his friends as we saw in our last study – they were exiles in the capital of a world class power, away from the familiar and loved influences of their Jewish homeland. They were subjected to the unreasonable demands of an absolute dictator. Yet they saw God work on their behalf.
Daniel’s visions declare this clearly:
Chapter 7 9 and 10
9 “As I looked,
“thrones were
set in place,
and the
Ancient of Days took his seat.
His clothing
was as white as snow;
the hair of
his head was white like wool.
His throne was
flaming with fire,
and its wheels
were all ablaze.
10 A river of fire was flowing,
coming out
from before him.
Thousands upon
thousands attended him;
ten thousand
times ten thousand stood before him.
The court was
seated,
and the books
were opened.[3]
13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there
before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He
approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He
was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of
every language worshipped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that
will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.[4]
This is the over-arching message as
This was of course the real function of the vision – to show Daniel what God intended.
He understood from personal experience that God is at work in human history, and in charge of the rulers themselves.
He had already learned that dreams could be significant – for the individual ruler and for the nation: now he has his own visions in his old age and they trouble him too.
As we saw above, he learned from his study of Jeremiah. All serious Bible study can have far reaching consequences. The Scriptures are indeed a source of understanding of the events that trouble us.
His was an INTERACTIVE study of God’s ways. Often when puzzled by the vision he is able to ask for help:
Chapter 8
15 While I, Daniel, was watching the vision and
trying to understand it, there before me stood one who looked like a man. 16
And I heard a man’s voice from the Ulai calling, “Gabriel, tell this man
the meaning of the vision.”[5]
19 He said: “I am going to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath, because the vision concerns the appointed time of the end.[6]
In Chapter 9 he gives many verses to his prayer and as a result:
23 As soon as you began to pray, an answer was
given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore,
consider the message and understand the vision:[7]
This was a special privilege:
Chapter 10
7 I, Daniel, was the only one
who saw the vision; the men with me did not see it, but such terror overwhelmed
them that they fled and hid themselves. 8 So I was left alone, gazing at this
great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was
helpless. 9 Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a
deep sleep, my face to the ground.
10 A hand touched me and set me
trembling on my hands and knees. 11 He said, “Daniel, you who are highly
esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand
up, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up
trembling.[8]
Such revelation carries with a responsibility : and Daniel
discharged this responsibility by writing it down and sharing it.
The visions of Daniel tell us of the way God brought about the rise and fall of several nations. Some of these are clearly named:
Babylon Chapter 7 lion
Medo-Persia Chapter 8 bear ram
Greece Chapter 8 leopard he-goat
Most people would agree that apart from those leaders mentioned by name others include Alexander the Great and Antiochus Epiphanes.
But the message of the visions stretches on beyond the period of post-exilic times to those of the New Testament and beyond.
Daniel lays down a PRINCIPLE of history – God is in control of the events.
Surely there will be times when it does not seem so – but in reality it is.
Of course it is in Christ that the prophecy is fulfilled and the principle most powerfully stated:
Chapter 7
13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there
before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He
approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He
was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of
every language worshipped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that
will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.[9]
But if you look at Chapter 11 you realise that is not just the broad
sweep of the prophetic brush. There is pencilled the most astonishing detail.
We are familiar with the reference in Our Lord’s teachings
to Daniel:
Matthew 24
15 “So when you see standing in the holy place
‘the abomination that causes desolation’, spoken of through the prophet
Daniel—let the reader understand— 16 then let those who are in Judea
flee to the mountains.[10]
Chapter 11
31 “His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation. [11]
But we know because Jesus used the words – that there was another dimension to the vision – and probably more than one.
God is in control.
One of the great messages of Daniel’s visions is the word concerning the End Time and the coming of the Lord.
But this truth is also implicit in the preoccupation Daniel has with numbers.
He is saying that the time is MEASURED – whatever the measurement be, day or week or time or year. God knows the length of it
We may find it confusing and reflect on the many different interpretations given these passages – but the fact remains God tells Daniel they are measured off. God sets limits. He knows when the end time is.
And that End is glorious :
Chapter 7
13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there
before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He
approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He
was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of
every language worshipped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that
will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
Chapter 7
27 Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of
the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the
people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all
rulers will worship and obey him.’
Chapter 12
But at that
time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be
delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will
awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3
Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and
those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever
Like all good
managers, God has a plan of action. It was laid down in eternity – it concerns
His Son and His people, and he will complete the work that He has started.
© David A. Green July 2001
[1] Joyce Baldwin “Daniel” p. 52,53 IVP Press
[2] Joyce Baldwin “Daniel” p161
[3]The New International Version - Anglicised, (
[4]The New International Version - Anglicised, (
[5]The New International Version - Anglicised, (
[6]The New International Version - Anglicised, (
[7]The New International Version - Anglicised, (
[8]The New International Version - Anglicised, (
[9]The New International Version - Anglicised, (
[10]The New International Version - Anglicised, (
[11]The New International Version - Anglicised, (