Daniel The Man who Feared God 2016

Summation Sequence (5-13)

1. 
   Who joined the angel who had been speaking with Daniel?
   
   1. 
      Two ‘others’—presumably angels—joined the first angel who had been speaking with Daniel.
      
      1. 
         The same angel (compare 10.5 with 12.7) spoke to Daniel from 10.5 through to this point in the narrative, and continues to provide the explanation until the end of this chapter.
         
   2. 
      Why did they join the first angel?
      
      1. 
         The simplest explanation seems to be that they appeared as witness (Dt 19.15) to a solemn oath that would be taken by the angel (‘man’) dressed in linen (7).
         
         1. 
            Some object to this idea since they claim that witnesses to oaths were only required in settings related to criminal charges. However, this is not the case (Mt 18.15-16).
            
         2. 
            Some claim that if the speaker were Christ and not Gabriel, then Christ would not need witnesses to his words. However, Jesus does invoke witnesses to validate his words (Jn 5.30-47). In addition, John indicates that Jesus is vindicated by witnesses (1 Jn 5.6-9).
            
   3. 
      Where did they appear?
      
      1. 
         They appeared standing on either side of the stream, with the first angel (Gabriel?) hovering above the waters of the stream (6).
         
      2. 
         The stream in this instance is a tributary of the Tigris (10.4), which flowed below the mound on which the citadel of Susa was built; although a generic term is used, which is often used to refer to the Nile and its tributaries, and not the normal name for the Tigris.
         
      3. 
         Why did they appear on either side of the stream?
         
         1. 
            A number of fanciful suggestions have been given, for example, they were separated so that they couldn’t whisper to one another, or to form a triangle as a symbol of the trinity.
            
         2. 
            A possible explanation, based on the symbol of waters representing the nations (Ps 29.10; Is 17.13) might be that they were ready to go in different directions throughout the world to carry out their duties.
            

2. 
   Who made the enquiry, and of whom?
   
   1. 
      Probably one of the other angels made the query of the ‘man’ clothed in linen.
      
      1. 
         The Hebrew reads, ‘and he said’; it does not say, ‘and someone said’ or ‘and one of them said’. So, some suggest that it was the angel above the water who spoke, to a fourth person not yet identified.
         
      2. 
         However, it was likely one of the other angels who spoke to Gabriel.
         

3. 
   Why did he make the query?
   
   1. 
      Not because the angels were curious. The revelation was not to inform them, but to provide additional information for Daniel and the Jews.
      
   2. 
      The angel asked the question on Daniel’s behalf, to give him more insight. Daniel may have been overwhelmed by what had been revealed to this point and may not have thought to ask for additional information
      

4. 
   What was the query?
   
   1. 
      To determine how long it would be before these wonders were fulfilled.
      
      1. 
         The Hebrew reads, ‘until when ends the wonders’ the translators supply the words ‘will/shall it be’.
         
      2. 
         The supplied words change, somewhat, the sense from the duration of the period to when would be the termination of the period. The question seems to be focusing on the duration of the time of trouble (12.1), rather than on when the time of trouble would end.
         
      3. 
         The duration is what is supplied, in the answer in the subsequent verses (7, 11).
         
   2. 
      Why is the time of trouble called ‘the wonders’?
      
      1. 
         It could also be translated as ‘unusual’, ‘extraordinary’, or ‘astonishing’.
         
      2. 
         The time of trouble would be so astonishing because of what God would allow to happen to his people, city, and the Temple.
         
   3. 
      The query is asking about the same period that is referred to in 7.25, and by Jesus as the ‘days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written’ (Lk 21.21-22)—in other words the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. This period would be characterized by such an astonishingly severe distress that it would be necessary to shorten it or no human being would be saved (survive) (Mt 24.22).
      

5. 
   How did the ‘man’ (angel) clothed in linen respond?
   
   1. 
      He raised both his hands and swore and oath.
      
   2. 
      Why did he raise both hands?
      
      1. 
         Raising a hand to heaven is a symbol of telling the truth when taking an oath (Gen 14.22; Dt 32.40; Rev 10.5, 6).
         
      2. 
         Apparently he raised both hands because the oath was of the most solemn nature and he was giving the strongest assurance that what he would say was true—it is akin to someone saying he will swear on a ‘stack of bibles’.
         
   3. 
      How did he reinforce the truthfulness of his oath?
      
      1. 
         By swearing by the eternal God.
         
   4. 
      This verse demonstrates that taking oaths in God’s name is proper, in spite of an incorrect interpretation many place on Matthew 5.33-37 and James 5.12. If God himself (Gen 24.7; Ps 110.4; Heb 6.16, 17), a holy angel, and the apostles (Rom 9.1; 2 Cor 1.23; Gal 1.20; 1 Th 2.5; 1 Th 5.27) can swear oaths, then certainly Christians can, and should, swear oaths under the right conditions:
      
      1. 
         What is the implication of people not taking an oath (or making a promise) in God’s name? When people do not take oath in God’s name but promise to tell the truth:
         
         1. 
            They have to substitute something for God’s name, either a created object or nothing.
            
         2. 
            If their oath (or promise) refers to any created object, that is idolatry (Jos 23.7; Mt 5.34-36).
            
         3. 
            If nothing is referenced in the oath (or promise), it is equivalent to saying that the oath (or promise) is based on the person’s own veracity. If it is based on his own veracity, this is equivalent to the person setting himself in the place of God, which also is idolatry.
            
      2. 
         When is it proper to take an oath?
         
         1. 
            “A lawful oath is part of religious worship, wherein, upon just occasion, the person swearing solemnly calleth God to witness what he asserteth or promiseth ... The name of God only is that by which men ought to swear and therein it is to be used with all holy fear and reverence: therefore to swear vainly or rashly by that glorious and dreadful name, or to swear at all by any other thing, is sinful, and to be abhorred (Mt 5. 34, 37). ... [i]t is a sin to refuse an oath touching any thing that is good and just, being imposed by lawful authority.”⁶⁰¹
            

6. 
   When would these things be fulfilled? (7, 11)
   
   1. 
      The time (i.e., date) of the fulfillment is not actually being addressed in this passage. Rather, it is the duration of the time of trouble (1).
      
   2. 
      Daniel 7.25 refers to the same duration of ‘a time, times, and half a time’. So we should be consistent in our interpretation and application of the reference. When we studied 7.23-27 we noted that the events prophesied dealt with the Roman Empire, and in particular appeared to refer specifically to Titus and the conquest of Galilee and siege and destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.
      
   3. 
      The reference to the ‘the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away’ (11) indicates that this prophecy is dealing with the time of the destruction of Jerusalem. The dispensationalist hypothesis that there will be a future Jewish temple in which animal sacrifices will be restored is a blasphemy that denies the sufficiency of the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Heb 7.27; 9.12, 26; 10.5, 10 ,14).
      
   4. 
      The three-and-a-half years referred to here (7) and in 7.25, cover the period from May, 67 AD to September, 70 AD.
      
      1. 
         The Roman armies first approached Jerusalem in late 66 AD, after a Jewish revolt in Caesarea. For reasons that are hard to determine, they withdrew towards the coast and were ambushed by Jewish rebels—an attack that shocked the Romans.⁶⁰²
         
      2. 
         Nero, in response, sent Vespasian (Titus) to crush the Jewish rebellion, and Jerusalem was put under siege and finally fell in the late summer of 70 AD.
         
      3. 
         The siege of Jerusalem is reported to have occurred from May 67 AD to September 70 AD. From May 1^st, 67 AD to September 30^th, 70 AD is three years and half years. However, the siege didn’t coincide with these exact terminal dates. The three and half years in Daniel 7.25 (and 13.7) is likely a rounded figure to the nearest half-year.
         
   5. 
      Verse 11 speaks of 1,290 days.
      
      1. 
         This may be a prophecy of the exact number of days from the first arrival of the Roman armies in Galilee (the abomination of desolation; 9.27) to the end of the daily sacrifice. But it is more likely a round number based on an elapsed 43 months (of 30 days)—42 months would be 3.5 years, but 43 months may be giving a more exact indication of the duration of the Roman occupation until the destruction of the city.
         
      2. 
         If the Roman armies arrived near Jerusalem on November 9^th, 66 AD and the daily sacrifice ended on July 14, 70 AD,⁶⁰³ that covers a period of ~1,340 days or ~45 months. This does not seem to fit with the prophecy. However, it is possible that the time is referring to the number of 30-day months between the two events—without considering the partial months on either side. If this is the case, then 43 full months elapsed between the two events.⁶⁰⁴
         
   6. 
      One objection that is raised against this interpretation, is that verse 11 refers to the regular burnt offering being abolished before the abomination that makes desolate was set up.
      
      1. 
         Based on the interpretation of the duration we have been considering, the order is reversed. The abomination that makes desolate (the arrival Roman armies) preceded the removal of the daily sacrifice.
         
      2. 
         However, it has been pointed out that the form of the verbs in this verse do not indicate a sequence of events. All that is mentioned is the elapsed time between the two events—not the chronology of the events.⁶⁰⁵
         
   7. 
      Many have speculated about the significance of the numbers in this chapter.
      
      1. 
         For example, one writer has suggested that the numbers (1290 and 1335) are Pythagorean plane numbers, representing geometric shapes, which in combination with the significant numbers 7 and 70, are symbolic, not historical.⁶⁰⁶
         
      2. 
         Others (e.g., Seventh Day Adventists) have suggested that the duration of these periods started in 508 AD with Clovis’ victory over the Arian Visgoths⁶⁰⁷ or at some other date between the destruction of Jerusalem and our day.
         
      3. 
         Dispensationalist put the fulfillment of these time periods in our future.
         
      4. 
         The occurrence of three-and-a-half years throughout Scripture (Dan 7.25; Re 11.2, 3; 12.6, 14; 13.5) may have a symbolic meaning—i.e., half of seven a ‘complete’ period. However, this does not mean that it cannot also be fulfilled in actual history. For example, the drought at the time of Elijah was a judgement on Israel which lasted three-and-a-half years (1 Ki 17-18; Lk 4.25; Ja 5.17). Similarly, God created the universe over a literal six days, and rested on the seventh, to establish a pattern for man’s work and rest temporally and eternally (Heb 4.9).
         

7. 
   What was to happen to the holy people? (7)
   
   1. 
      The ‘holy people’ refers to Israel as a nation, set apart by covenant. The power of the holy people would be completely shattered (broken). Thus, the complete destruction of the Jewish nation is prophesied.
      
   2. 
      What happened to Israel after the destruction of Jerusalem?
      
      1. 
         Jesus prophesied that after the destruction Jerusalem the Jews would be taken into captivity as slaves (Lk 21.24). The Hebrew word (נָפַץ) which is translated ‘shattered’, may refer to this scattering (dispersal).
         
      2. 
         The conquest of Judea by the Romans and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD resulted in a great dispersion of the Jewish population throughout the world. Many were dispersed as slaves. It is likely that the number of Jews left in Judea was less than the population of Jews dispersed from the territory. Jews became a minority in their former land.⁶⁰⁸
         
   3. 
      Jesus and Paul teach that the Jews (as a nation) had their chance to receive Jesus as the Messiah while he was on earth. If they rejected him they would no longer be considered the people of God, would be cut off, and would be treated as pagans. For example:
      
      1. 
         Jesus says: “I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Mt 8.11,12)
         
      2. 
         In the Parable of Two Sons and Parable of the Tenants (Mt 21.28-46), Jesus says: “Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits.” (43)
         
      3. 
         The Parable of Fig Tree (Lk 13.6-9) says: “cut it down.” (9)
         
      4. 
         Jesus cursed the fig tree (Mt 21.18-22), speaking of the Jews (see Hos 9.10), and said “May you never bear fruit again!” (19)
         
      5. 
         In the Seven Woes of Matthew 23, Jesus appeals to Jerusalem to believe and then says: “your house is left to you desolate.” (38)
         
      6. 
         In 1 Thessalonians (2.14-16) Paul indicates that the Jewish generation which rejected the Messiah was the last generation of Jews. Because of their rejection of the Messiah, “God’s wrath has come upon them at last! [or fully].”
         
      7. 
         When Paul was in Corinth the Jews opposed him and became abusive, and after shaking his clothes in protest he said “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clear of my responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” (Acts 18.6)
         

4. 
   The destruction of Jerusalem is a clear sign that God has stopped dealing with the Jews as a nation. This of course does not mean that individual Jews cannot come to Christ in the same way any other sinner can turn to him for salvation (e.g., Mt 23.39; 2 Cor 3.14-16; Eph 2.11-18).
   
5. 
   The NT Church, called out from many nations and marked by baptism, has replaced the OT Church composed essentially of a single nation, marked with circumcision. Some of the evidence that supports this statement includes the following:
   
   1. 
      The Abrahamic Covenant is not a promise for the physical nation of Israel—it is a promise for the spiritual seed of Abraham (Rom 3.29,30; 4.13-16; Gal 3.7-9).
      
   2. 
      Out of all the nations on earth, the Jews were to be a “kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” (Ex 19.6) Peter and John apply similar words to the NT Church:
      
      1. 
         “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God.” (1 Pet 2.9)
         
      2. 
         “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins [and thus made us a holy nation] by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father...” (Rev 1.5-6)
         

3. 
   Stephen refers to the covenant made with Abraham as “the covenant of circumcision” (Acts 7.8). But Paul tells us that circumcision is now no longer an essential part of the Covenant (Rom 2.28,29; 1 Cor 7.19; Gal 5.6, 6.15). The covenant made with Abraham has not been annulled; but circumcision, the distinctive ‘badge’ of the Jews (Eph 2.11) in the OT, has been replaced by baptism on in the NT (Acts 2.38; Col 2.11,12). In the NT economy, Gentiles as well as Jews (Gal 3.28) are among the Israel of God (Gal 6.15-16). To suggest that those marked with circumcision continue to have a special place in God’s plans seems to invalidate the importance of changing the sign of the Covenant.
   
4. 
   Israel is God’s nation forever, in the same sense that other aspects of the covenant are eternal in Christ. For example, the (Jewish) Sabbath (Ex 31.16-17), bread (Lev 24.8), salt (Num 18.19), the priesthood (Num 25.13), the temple (1 Kings 8.13; 1 Chron 23.25), the sacrificial system (Exd 29.42.), the kingly line (2 Sam 23.5), circumcision (Gen 17.13), and the land (1 Chron 16.16-18) are all aspects of the ‘Jewish’ covenant which are referred to as everlasting. In Christ, these aspects of the old covenant have been changed or brought to their fulfillment (Heb chapters 4-9). With the coming of Christ, the imperfect types and shadows of the OT economy have been replaced with their spiritual and eternal anti-types. So also, Israel as a nation is the OT counterpart of the Church in the NT. Israel is fulfilled in the Church.
   

8. 
   What time period is introduced in verse 12?
   
   1. 
      Anyone who reaches the end of 1,335 days is blessed.
      
   2. 
      This adds 45 days (or 1.5 months) beyond the 1,290 days of verse 11.
      
   3. 
      It is possible that this 45 days is a reference to the time between the end of the daily sacrifices (July 14) and the final destruction of the city and the end of the siege (Sept 2).⁶⁰⁹ The exact dates, based on Josephus’s writings are difficult to determine.
      
   4. 
      How surviving through this 45 day portion of the siege could be a blessing is not obvious from the text. However, when Titus entered the city he freed those who had been held captive during the siege.⁶¹⁰
      
   5. 
      It may be that the vision in Daniel is foreseeing the perseverance that is expected of the saints in the face of persecution (Mt 24.13) and speaking of an extra-ordinary blessing on those who endure to the end.
      

9. 
   What would be an outcome of the time of trouble? (10)
   
   1. 
      The first part of this verse appears to refer to the same type of purification as is mentioned in 11.35. Thus, the purification, being made white (spotless), and being refined is speaking of the saints (believers in the coming Messiah) facing persecution and death.
      
      1. 
         The troubles under Antiochus IV Epiphanes are the subject of 11.35.
         
      2. 
         The troubles brought about by the siege of Jerusalem, under Titus, are the subject of 12.10.
         
   2. 
      What would the wicked do when faced with extreme trouble?
      
      1. 
         They would continue in their wickedness and refuse to repent.
         
      2. 
         One event can affect people in different ways, for example, two non-Christian survivors from a plane crash will respond differently—one, though losing his family in the crash will see God’s hand in preserving him, repent of his sins, and devote his life to purposefully presenting Christ to the world; the other, while losing his family, will blame God, and will live out the rest of his pitiful life as an avowed atheist.
         
      3. 
         From one perspective, it is unclear why men blame God and continue in their sins when faced with calamity, instead of seeing the troubles as a warning of worse to come on the Day of Judgement. We can only ask, “How can they be so stupid and not repent?”
         
      4. 
         However, from a theological perspective it is clear, men in rebellion against God, love sin and are too full of pride to fall on their knees before God, their Creator (Rev 9.20–21; 16.9, 11). Even in Hell, men will never be of a mind to repent but will always be yelling curses against God.
         
   3. 
      What reason is inmplied in this verse for why men do not repent?
      
      1. 
         They are unwise, or fools, and cannot understand God’s truth and word (Ps 14.1).
         
      2. 
         They supress even what light of truth they have from the revelation about God in nature and darken their minds (Rom 1.18-31).
         
      3. 
         Understanding comes through the fear (reverence) of God in faith (Ps 111.10).
         
   4. 
      This passage is not speaking directly about the days just prior to the return of Christ. It cannot be used to reject or defend a particular eschatological view. For example, it is inappropriate to use this passage to reject the postmillennial idea that society will get progressively better before Christ returns. Similarly, it is inappropriate to use this passage to defend the premillennial view that evil will escalate to unprecedented levels under the Antichrist. Wickedness and godliness will both be present in all societies until the end of time (Gen 6.5; Mt 13.30; Rom 1.28-31; 3.10)—each will wax and wane throughout history and around the globe, as the Holy Spirit works out God’s eternal plan of filling the eternal Kingdom with a great multitude that no man can number (Rev 7.9).
      

10. 
    What was Daniel’s reaction to this revelation? (8)
    
    1. 
       He could not understand the revelation and asked for clarification from the angel speaking with him.
       
    2. 
       His use of the appellation ‘lord’ does not mean that we are to conclude that the speaker is Jesus (although it might be a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus). Daniel uses a general term of respect (Gen 23.6, 11, 15), equivalent to ‘sir’ (Judges 6.13; Jn 4.11; Rev 7.14).
       
       1. 
          He is likely addressing Gabriel, who was introduced in chapter 8 (16) and appears to be the one explaining the visions found in the remainder of the book (9.21).
          
       2. 
          Gabriel next appeared about 530 years later when he carried the announcement of the births of John and Jesus (Lk 1.19, 26). It would be interesting to know what Gabriel thought when he delivered the message to Mary that she was to miraculously to bear a son who would be the fulfillment of the prophetic messages he had delivered over 500 years prior to Daniel. He likely bowed in awe before God and praised him for how he had worked his providences to ensure that Jesus would be born during the reign of the king (Herod) who would slaughter many and die shortly thereafter with none to help (11.44-45).
          
    3. 
       What does this tell us about Daniel?
       
       1. 
          Daniel was a wise man—wiser than anyone in his day (Ezk 28.3)—yet he was challenged to understand the revelation contained in the vision. He was not so proud as to think that he could give the meaning of the revelation without assistance from God. He understood the importance of asking God for wisdom so that he could understand his revelation (Jam 1.5; 1 Pet 1.10, 11).
          
       2. 
          We have the advantage of additional revelation, the fulfilment of prophecy, and the wisdom of over 2,000 years of careful interpretive study of Scripture. Yet there is still much speculation and perversion in how men interpret God’s word. Like Daniel, when we approach the study of God’s revelation, we need to come before it humbly, knowing that at times, it will be difficult for us to understand, we need to ask for wisdom, and we need to study and examine his revelation with great care (Acts 17.11).
          

11. 
    Why was Daniel told to go his way? (9, 13)
    
    1. 
       The angel told Daniel to go (literal: “Go, Daniel”) because the words are closed and sealed (4) until the time of the end.
       
    2. 
       This is not a word of censure (i.e., for asking for clarification) but rather a reminder to Daniel that a fuller explanation could not be provided until the events prophesied were fulfilled.
       
       1. 
          As the time of the end approached, the message would become increasingly clear to believers.
          
       2. 
          The basic meaning seems to be, “Don’t try to understand these visions, you won’t be able to until all is fulfilled.”
          
    3. 
       What was the way that Daniel was to go?
       
       1. 
          To take his rest (compare verse 2) until the end—i.e., to await the resurrection.
          
       2. 
          Daniel was at this point around 85 years old. Likely, he died shortly after receiving this prophecy.
          
       3. 
          However, the focus of this message from the angel, is not on death—i.e., the angel is not saying ‘go away and die’.
          
       4. 
          The Hebrew word ‘rest’ (based on the same word that is at the root of Noah’s name) used here includes the idea of cessation from labour. Daniel had lived a life of many challenges as he faithfully confronted paganism in high places. He is being given a message of encouragement, “Your work is done, take your rest now!” Daniel could now go to his eternal rest (Ps 116.7).
          
    4. 
       What promises are given to Daniel by the angel?
       
       1. 
          He would stand at the end of days. He would experience the resurrection.
          
       2. 
          He would receive his allotted inheritance—with the implied promise being that his inheritance was to be eternal life in the kingdom of the Messiah of which he had prophesied starting with his interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (2.45).
          
       3. 
          While the words were currently closed up, it is implied that at the resurrection all would be explained to him and he would see how God had worked out the fulfillment of these prophecies.
          

12. 
    What are some lessons that we can derive from this section?
    
    1. 
       Work – Daniel continued his work for the Lord until his dying breath, serving in the administrations of a series of pagan kings from Nebuchadnezzar to Cyrus.
       
       1. 
          It was only when his work was complete that he could rest.
          
       2. 
          He is an example of the dedicated perseverance, which should be displayed by all Christians.
          
       3. 
          Those who are faithful to the end, in their service for God, will “shine like the brightness of the sky above … like the stars forever and ever” (3).
          
    2. 
       Watch – Daniel was given great visions and deep insight. Yet he was told that he could not have a full explanation of their meaning. He would have to watch and see what God would do, in order to understand what God had planned to do.
       
       1. 
          There is a warning in this for all the ‘date-setters’ or our age who try to read into contemporary events the arrival of the Antichrist, signs of the rapture, or the establishment of a millennial kingdom. The words from the angel, to Daniel, that he should go his way, should be a loud word of rebuke to the ‘prophets’ of our age, “Stop!”
          
       2. 
          We need to listen to the clear prophecies of Scripture (Christ will return, there will be a resurrection, a Day of Judgement is coming), watch for their fulfillment in God’s time, and marvel as we see him work them out.
          
    3. 
       Wait – Daniel was to wait with faith, expectation, hope, and patience for the coming Messiah. So, we also are to wait with expectation, faith, and patience for the return of Christ.
       

13. 
    What else do we know about Daniel that is not recorded in the Book of Daniel?
    
    1. 
       When we began this study of Daniel, we noted that the only place in the Bible that he is mentioned outside of the Book of Daniel is in Ezekiel (14.14, 20; 28.3).
       
       1. 
          He was considered by Ezekiel, his contemporary, to be one of the most righteous men to have ever lived and wiser than any other in his generation.
          
    2. 
       There are three additions to the Book of Daniel in the Apocrypha.
       
       1. 
          Song of the Three Youths or the Prayer of Azariah (i.e., Abednego)
          
          1. 
             We considered this addition when we studied Daniel 3.19-30. It is inserted between verses 23 and 24 in the Greek Septuagint (LXX) version of the OT. It includes an additional account about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
             
          2. 
             It is primarily a prayer of prayer acknowledging God’s justice in punishing Israel and a request for deliverance; and includes additional information about the heating of the furnace and descent of the Angel of the Lord.
             
          3. 
             The original King James Version (1611) included this account in its appendix.
             
       2. 
          Susanna
          
          1. 
             In the Greek OT this account appears as a prologue to the book of Daniel.
             
          2. 
             In the Vulgate this addition is included as chapter 13, this organization is followed by Roman Catholic translations (e.g., Douay-Rheims).
             
          3. 
             The original King James Version included this account in its appendix.
             
          4. 
             In this account a virtuous woman is accused of adultery by two Jewish elders who lusted after her. Since she would not consent to their wishes, so they concocted a story about her adulterous affair with a young man. Daniel as a youth, apparently before being taken into captivity, defends the woman by examining the account of each of the elders separately and showing by their inconsistent accounts that they were lying. The two men who had falsely accused the women were put to death.
             
       3. 
          Bel and the Dragon
          
          1. 
             Some believe that this account was originally written in Aramaic around the late second century BC and translated into Greek and included in the Septuagint. This addition was included in an appendix in the King James Version of the Bible.
             
          2. 
             It consists of two related accounts:
             
             1. 
                Cyrus worshipped a Babylon idol, named Bel. The king asked Daniel why he didn’t worship Bel. Daniel replied that he would only worship the true God and not idols. Cyrus asked Daniel if he thought that Bel wasn’t real since he ‘ate’ the daily sacrifices. Daniel told the king that the idol was only glass and brass. The king asked Bel’s priests to prove that the idol ate the sacrifices—if not they would die, if so, Daniel would die. So the priests had the king present the sacrifice and then seal the doors of the temple of Bel. But they had a secret entrance under the sacrifice table where they could enter the chamber and consume the sacrifices. Daniel had his servants spread ashes throughout the temple. During the night the priests and their families came and ate the sacrifices. In the morning they came to the king and asked him to check the seal. When he opened the door and saw the empty table they praised Bel. But Daniel laughed and told the king to enter carefully and he would see all the footsteps. The secret door was then revealed to him and he killed all the priests of Bel.
                
             2. 
                There was also a dragon idol that the Babylonians worshipped. The king asked Daniel if this was also merely an image of brass. Daniel filled the idol’s mouth with tar, fat and hair and blew up the dragon idol. The Babylonians accused the king of becoming a Jew and demanded that Daniel be handed over to them. Daniel was thrown into a lions’ den for six days. A Jewish prophet, Habbacuc, was told by an angel to bring food to Daniel in the lions’ den. The prophet told the angel that he had never been to Babylon and didn’t know where the lions’ den was. The angel then transported the prophet to the den where he delivered the food to Daniel. After Daniel was released from the den, the king threw in Daniel’s accusers who were devoured by the lions.
                
    3. 
       There is nothing in these accounts that is inconsistent with Biblical theology, God’s working miracles (e.g., protecting Daniel in a den of lions), or with the godly life of Daniel. However, they are 2^nd century BC stories written by Jews living under Greek rule.
       
    4. 
       As we noted previously when we considered the Song of the Three Youths, the apocryphal additions to the book of Daniel are not included in Reformed Protestant translations of the Bible. We can summarize the reasons as follows:
       
       1. 
          These accounts are not found in Hebrew manuscripts of the OT, and were not considered to be canonical by the Jews.
          
       2. 
          Jesus appears to have endorsed the Hebrew canon, although he may have quoted from the Greek translation (at least the Gospel writers, have him quote from the Greek translation).
          
       3. 
          No NT writer quotes from the Apocrypha.
          
       4. 
          Early translators of the OT into Latin, e.g., Jerome (c 450AD) rejected the Apocryphal books because no Hebrew version of these texts could be found. They eventually were accepted by the Church during the middle ages and added to the Vulgate.
          
       5. 
          The Protestant Reformers rejected these books during the Reformation as lacking divine authority.
          
    5. 
       No extra-Biblical, contemporary, references to Daniel are known.
       

14. 
    What are some summary lessons we can derive from the book and life of Daniel?
    
    1. 
       Providence – God is in control of the nations and of all events that transpire on this earth.
       
       1. 
          A key message of the book of Daniel—from God’s dealings with Nebuchadnezzar to the prophecies of his plans for the nations that follow, until the arrival of the supreme king Jesus Christ—is that God raises up and disposes the nations (Dan 2.21).
          
       2. 
          As King Nebuchadnezzar, Antiochus Epiphanes, Herod, and Titus fulfilled God’s purposes, so also do kings, dictators, presidents, and prime ministers today.
          
       3. 
          God is working out his plan and redemptive purposes. His purposes are not arbitrary or capricious. They are directed to one primary goal and mission—to save a people for himself.
          
    2. 
       Prophecy – God’s word is accurate and trustworthy.
       
       1. 
          If God says something, it is true. If he prophesies an event, it will transpire. If he promises something it will come to pass—provided the associated conditions he has set are met (e.g., obedience to his laws).
          
       2. 
          The prophecies in this book describe precisely events as they actually unfolded in history.
          
       3. 
          When God records history (e.g., in Genesis 1-11) his word is to be understood as truth.
          
       4. 
          Secular history, whether derived from cosmology, geology, palaeontology, archaeology, or ancient writings, when rightly interpreted, will only ever confirm the Bible, never contradict it or disprove it.
          
       5. 
          We can have absolute confidence in the Bible as God’s word.
          
    3. 
       Power – God can do anything; but contradict his own nature. He is all-powerful.
       
       1. 
          Miracles are exceptional to us but not to God.
          
       2. 
          We should not stumble over the miracles in Daniel—e.g., saving the three men from the furnace and Daniel from the mouths of lions. Preventing harm to them is a relatively insignificant control of nature compared with creating the universe, creating life, or raising someone from death to life.
          
    4. 
       Perversion – Idolatry is the natural course that all men follow if the Holy Spirit does not convert them.
       
       1. 
          Idolatry can take many forms (physical or non-physical), since it is “adoration, reverence, or devotion to something other than God”.
          
       2. 
          If God is not our primary focus and first priority (Mt 6.33), then anything that is put in his place is an idol.
          
       3. 
          Idolatry is a pernicious evil that pervades all of man’s thinking and practice. Thus, the NT writers warn us to flee from idolatry (1 Cor 10.14; 1 Jn 5.21).
          
    5. 
       Punishment – God punishes wickedness. There is a judgment to come, and God is the Judge (Ps 58.11; 98.9).
       
       1. 
          God cannot be trifled with, he holds all men accountable against the Ten Commandments, will judge men accordingly, and will mete out punishment for every breach of his holy law.
          
       2. 
          All forms of false worship are especially displeasing to him because they are direct sins against him. Other sins (e.g., theft) are, first, sins against our fellow men and indirectly sins against God. False worship is a direct slap in the face of Almighty God.
          
       3. 
          We can rest assured that any apparent escape from judgement is only temporary. God knows all mankind’s thoughts and actions and will bring all wickedness to account.
          
       4. 
          The kingdoms of this world will be held accountable to God and judged. We know that no ‘orbis unum’ (one world) government will ever exist. God will not tolerate any supreme challenge against the kingdom of his Son—God will permit no unified kingdom to arise again, as did the first Babylonian empire that challenged God and was destroyed (Gen 11.1-9). And no single earthly kingdom will ever reach the heights of rebellion against God that the neo-Babylon empire did under Nebuchadnezzar. Babylon (and Rome in the image of Babylon) is the epitome of what man aspires to without God and it has been destroyed (Is 21; Rev 18).
          
       5. 
          The proud and cruel enemies of the Church of Jesus Christ will certainly be judged and destroyed in God’s time, and the Church will rejoice (Rev 19.1-5).
          
       6. 
          We should rejoice in God’s judgement of the nations because he is just in all his ways (Dt 32.4; Dan 4.37).
          
    6. 
       Prayer – Daniel was a man of prayer, who provides us with models for prayer. Our prayer should be like Daniel’s and be:
       
       1. 
          Supplicating – Our prayer should be based on a humble confession of our sins and unworthiness to receive any blessings from God.
          
       2. 
          Sustaining – We should pray only for what is agreeable with the will of God.
          
       3. 
          Sacrificing – Our prayer should be offered up as a spiritual sacrifice of worship.
          
       4. 
          Systematic – We should learn from Daniel about discipline and regularity in prayer—for example, in his three-times daily prayer (6.10).
          
    7. 
       Provocation – When the people of God fall into apostasy, they can expect to be chastised (Prov 3.11-12; Heb 12.6-11).
       
       1. 
          Throughout Biblical history when the hearts of God’s covenant people grew cold, he chastised them—examples include: the serpents in the wilderness, forty years of desert wandering, Babylonian Captivity, and destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD.
          
       2. 
          All the successes of the church’s enemies are but a rod of chastisement in God’s hand.
          
       3. 
          We should then expect persecution in the Church in the West because of apostasy.
          
    8. 
       Persecution – God permits and wills the persecution of his people also when they are living godly lives and challenging the culture (Jn 15.20; 2 Tim 3.12; 1 Pet 4.12).
       
       1. 
          One evidence of a professing Church is persecution (Mt 5.10-12). The more Christ is displayed in the lives of Christians the more there will be persecution against them.
          
       2. 
          The very existence of Christianity provokes a pernicious reaction from evil men. In particular, God-haters despise:
          
          1. 
             God’s legal requirements, because men demand to be autonomous.
             
          2. 
             Christ’s claim to uniqueness, because men espouse human effort as the path to paradise.
             
       3. 
          When we suffer because of righteousness we should rejoice (Jas 1.2) because this persecution reminds us that we are:
          
          1. 
             Living lives that honour Christ. Only Christians suffer because of righteousness. We must be having an impact on society if people care enough to hate us for the sake of Christ (1 Pet 4.14, 16).
             
          2. 
             Considered worthy to share in Christ’s suffering (Phil 1.29, Acts 5.41) and the suffering of the prophets and apostles. This means that we are not weaklings but champions.
             
       4. 
          Paul assures us (Rom 8.28) that all things (this includes persecution!) work together for good for those who are God’s people. God accomplishes great good by allowing his people to suffer persecution, including:
          
          1. 
             Spiritual growth in faith, and sanctification for his people, through suffering (1 Pet 1.7).
             
          2. 
             Sifting out of the Church on earth those who are unfaithful hypocrites.
             
          3. 
             Bearing witness to the world that faith in the true God overcomes all adversity.
             
          4. 
             Storing up judgement on the persecutors of Christians.
             
          5. 
             Bringing glory to God as he fits together all the events of history.
             
    9. 
       Protection – God protects his people and is especially caring of those who obey him under difficult, life threatening, situations.
       
       1. 
          It might appear at times that God deserts his people. For example, when the three young men were thrown into the furnace, they may have thought that God had forsaken them. The miracle of their salvation from the fire and the presence of Christ with them in the fire, tells us that God is with his people in their infirmities, troubles, persecutions, trials and temptations.
          
       2. 
          This does not mean that every believer will be protected in every adverse circumstance in this life.
          
          1. 
             God’s purposes are deeper and larger that we can ever understand or imagine at this time, with our finite understanding.
             
          2. 
             His purposes may include allowing us to be subjected to an apparently premature death.
             
          3. 
             The protection of the three in the furnace is a promise that God will never leave us or abandon us (Josh 1.5; Ps 37.25; Is 41.10; Jn 14.18; Heb 13.5). He will be with us even through the valley of the shadow of death.
             
    10. 
        Prospect – The resurrection of believers is assured.
        
        1. 
           Daniel assured the Jews with the promise that all the believers martyred in the tribulations under Antiochus IV Epiphanes and Herod would be restored to life.
           
        2. 
           This same promise is given to us. The next major event in the history of redemption will be the return of Christ and the resurrection of all the dead.
           

15. 
    Daniel is the man who feared God (Prov 9.10). As a result he was considered to be a righteous man of the caliber of Noah and Job (Ezk 14.14, 20), and wise beyond any of his era (Ezk 28.3). Our concluding prayer should be that God would grant us the grace to be like Daniel and that he would raise up Daniels in our day.