A summary of the book of Daniel as recorded in ‘The Bible Brief’ Bible summary book
The Prophet Daniel was one of the major prophets of the Old Testament, and possibly one of the most influencial of all the Bible Prophets. The stories of the lions den and the fiery furnace, perhaps as well known as Jonah and the giant fish in the book of Jonah.
For students of escatology or ‘end times’ study, Daniel is of especial importance as he refers to the run-up to the end of days and the coming conflict at Meggido – what we refer to as the battle of Armageddon.
When: Daniel Time Period
Around 530 B.C.
Main Character:
The Prophet Daniel.
People & Places In Daniel:
Daniel (Belteshaz-zar); Hananiah; Mishael; Azariah; Nebuchadnezzar; Darius; Gabriel.
Judah; Jerusalem; Babylon; Persia
Notable Passages In Daniel:
As for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams. (Ch.1:17)
As for every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm. (Ch.1:20)
The king answered Daniel and said, “Surely your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, since you have been able to reveal this mystery.” (Ch.2:47)
“…..For He is the living God and enduring forever,
And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed,
And His dominion will be forever.” (Ch.6:26)
The Messianic Link In Daniel:
Messiah is the ‘Son of Man’ (Ch.7:13-14)
He is the stone that smashes the kingdoms, and the everlasting kingdom (Ch.2:34, 44)
He is the fourth man in the fiery furnace (Ch.3:25)
The Book of Daniel:
This book follows the visions and ministry of Daniel after he has been deported to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar. The first chapter begins with the appointment of Daniel and his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, into the royal court of Nebuchadnezzar and taken on as ‘wise men’ or advisors to the king.
In the second chapter Daniel interprets a disturbing dream that Nebuchadnezzar has, thereby leading to the promotion of Daniel to Chief Prefect. Chapter 3, however, sees Daniel’s three friends (re-named Shadrach, Meshach & Abed-nego) thrown into a furnace for their refusal to worship the golden statue—only to be saved by God and the ‘fourth man’ in the furnace with them.
King Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges ‘Daniel’s God’ in chapter 4, and goes mad for 7 years according to the Word spoken by Daniel. Chapter 5 sees Nebuchadnezzar’s son, Belshazzar, and the passage relating to the writing on the wall that Daniel interprets correctly to prophesy the end of Belshazzar’s kingdom.
In Chapter 6 Daniel is thrown into the lion’s den by his new ruler, Darius the Mede, but God closes the mouths of the lions and he is unscathed, and promoted by King Darius.
The last chapters are all prophecies and visions relating to the ‘end times’ and in particular the time of ‘Tribulation’, a period of seven years of turmoil to come in the last days. (Ch.9:24-27)
Brief Summary:
- Daniel taken by King Neduchadzezzar into captivity in Babylon
- Daniel and his friends appointed as leaders over over the nation after interpretating Nebuchadzezzars dream.
- Daniel is Condemned with his friends and sent into the fiery furnace
- Nebuchadnezzar frees them all when he sees an Angel in the furnace protecting them from the flames.
- Daniel interprets a second dream. Nebuchadnezzars madness
- Daniel interprets writing on the wall and Nebuchadnezzars Kindom is lost to the Persians.
- Daniel thrown into the Lions Den by the new King Darius.
- Daniel is restored and has vision of the four beasts and the end of days.
This is a complex, and at the same time exciting, book. We have Daniel and his friends appointed as leaders over a nation that enslaved them, the escape from the fiery furnace and the escape from the lions’ den, perhaps the most well-known of the stories, as well as Nebuchadnezzar’s 7 year long madness!
The book of Daniel is also a most popular book for the students of eschatology (studies relating to the end-times), and rightly so as the last 5 chapters are dedicated to the ‘End Days’ and full of allegory and visual stimuli as to just when it will all occur, and what we can expect to happen.
Along with the book of Revelation in the New Testament, this is a major book for anyone interested in the tribulation period, and just exactly where the Christians will be when it is happening!
Are you pre, mid, or post tribulation? That is the question!
