The Book of Daniel

Daniel's writing and prophecies fulfilled two primary purposes. 1. to reassure God's people who were in foreign captivity that their present situation was not their final destiny and 2. to pass on to future generations the prophetic visions of God's sovereignty over nations and the final triumph of His kingdom on the earth.


Eight special features characterize the book of Daniel. 1. It is the shortest of the four major prophetic books, which include Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. This group is called the "major prophets" because they contain the most prophecies that cover the broadest range of time mentioned in the Bible. Daniel is also the most read and studied of all the Old Testament prophets. 2. In prophetic passages of the New Testament, Daniel is quoted more often than any other Old Testament books. 3. It is "the Apocalypse" of the Old Testament revealing major themes of prophecy that are highly important to the church in the end times. 4. It contains the most detailed summary of history - from a prophetic perspective - in the Old Testament. 5. It reveals more about its author than any other Old Testament prophetic writing. 6. It contains one of the Bible's most unforgettable models of intercession as Daniel pleads for the restoration of God's people based on the promises of God's Word. 7. The powerful testimonies about Daniel and his friends are among the best-loved and most memorable stories in the Bible. 8. The dramatic "handwriting on the wall" at Belshazzar's banquet has made that phrase a well-known part of human language and a commonly used figure of speech to this day, particularly within the church community.


Daniel contains several prophetic themes that are more fully developed in the New Testament. Some examples are: the great tribulation - including God's severe end-time judgments and the antichrist; the second coming of Christ; the triumph of God's kingdom; the physical resurrection of the righteous and the wicked; and the final judgment. The lives of Daniel and his three friends are clear examples of the New Testament teaching about personal separation from sin and ungodliness in the world. Their example challenges all followers of Christ to take a bold stand for God, refusing to compromise with evil or to worship anything else in life but the true God.