Why Valuable

1. During what critical time did Jehovah commission the prophet Daniel?

 JEHOVAH commissioned Daniel as His prophet during a critical time in history. The king who sat on Jehovah’s throne in Jerusalem had been deposed. That city and the temple bearing Jehovah’s name were in ruins. And God’s people were in exile. Jehovah chose this crucial period to reveal thrilling details about his universal sovereignty and had them recorded in the book of Daniel.​—2:20; 6:26, ftn.

2. What details does the book of Daniel reveal about (a) the Kingdom? (b) the Messiah?

  ² In this book, Jehovah reveals many new details about his eternal rulership. Jehovah tells Daniel what the Messianic Kingdom will accomplish, how extensive its rulership will be, where it will rule from, and who will rule in it. (2:35, 44; 7:13, 14, 18) He also reveals when the Messiah will appear, when he will be killed, and when he will begin ruling in heaven. In one remarkable prophecy, Jehovah discloses that the Messiah will arrive and then be killed toward the end of a period of “70 weeks” following which Jerusalem will be destroyed. (9:24-26; see  Box 27-A.) Later, Nehemiah records the starting point of this period. (Ne 2:1, 5-8) Daniel also lays out a prophecy that states that the Messiah will begin ruling at the end of “seven times.” (4:16, 17; see  Box 27-C.) When discussing the sign of his presence as heavenly King, Jesus refers to this period as “the appointed times of the nations.”​—Lu 21:20-24; Mt 24:1-3, 15.

3. What does the book of Daniel reveal about human rulership?

³ Jehovah also reveals details about the rise and fall of certain human governments. Daniel chapters 2, 7, 8, and 10-12 record history in advance, showing the succession of world powers from ancient Babylon until “the time of the end.” (12:4; nwt App. B9) Jehovah shows how human governments oppose his rule, harass his people, and are ultimately destroyed by his Kingdom. (7:23-26) In addition, the visions of beasts mentioned in this book help us identify the beasts of Revelation as political powers.​—Da 7:15-17; Re 13:1, 2; 17:3.

4. What do we learn from Daniel’s personal experiences?

⁴ By inspiring Daniel to write down some of his personal experiences, Jehovah provides us with valuable lessons. We learn about integrity as we read how Daniel and his Hebrew companions refused to break God’s laws. (1:8; 3:16-18; 6:10) We learn about humility when we read that Daniel turned to Jehovah in heartfelt prayer. (2:19-23; 9:3-19) And we learn about courage when we read that Daniel delivered God’s judgment messages to kings and that he ended up in a lions’ pit because he refused to stop praying to his God.​—4:27; 5:22, 23; 6:6-10, 16, 17.

5. What does Jehovah teach us about himself through the book of Daniel?

⁵ Jehovah provides marvelous insights into his personality through the book of Daniel. Jehovah shows himself to be a Revealer of secrets, kindly sharing with his servants knowledge about future events. (2:47) He becomes a Rescuer, not only saving his servants from death but also promising to resurrect those who die faithful. (6:27; 12:13) And he becomes a Rewarder, giving loyal ones insight, understanding, and strength. (1:17; 10:19) Most important, Jehovah proves that he is the Supreme Ruler. Daniel alone uses the expressions “Ruler in the kingdom of mankind” and “Supreme One” to describe Jehovah. a​—4:17; 7:18.

What to Know Before Reading

6. What do we know about Daniel?

 ⁶ Writer: Daniel, whose name means “My Judge Is God,” was from the tribe of Judah. He may have been of royal descent. As a young man, possibly in his teens, he was taken captive to Babylon in 617 B.C.E. (1:1-3, 6) There he served in the king’s palace under Babylonian rule and, later, as an official in the Medo-Persian government. (1:4; 6:1, 2) Daniel gained extraordinary wisdom and an excellent reputation, a fact alluded to by the prophet Ezekiel. (Eze 14:14, 20; 28:3; Da 1:17-20) Daniel began his prophetic career in about 606 B.C.E. (2:1, 19) He received his final vision in 536 B.C.E. (10:1) Thus, Daniel’s life may have spanned almost 100 years, including 78 years under Babylonian rule and extending into the third year of Medo-Persian rule. In about 536 B.C.E., Daniel compiled into a book the most significant events of his life, some of which he had written down earlier.​—7:1; see  Box 27-B.

7. What background information helps us to understand the book of Daniel?

⁷ Background: In 620 B.C.E., Babylon began collecting tribute, a form of payment, from Judah. Eventually, Judah rebelled and Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar attacked Jerusalem, subduing the city in 617 B.C.E. (2Ki 24:1, 10-12) He then took members of the royal family and “the foremost men of the land,” including Daniel, to Babylon as captives. (2Ki 24:15) Some years later, in 607 B.C.E., Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and brought many more Jewish captives to Babylon. In 539 B.C.E., Babylon was conquered by the Medes and the Persians under the command of Cyrus the Great. The Medo-Persians permitted Governor Zerubbabel, a contemporary of Daniel, to lead a remnant of Jews back to Judah.​—Ezr 1:1-8; 2:1, 2; Hag 1:1.

8. How is the book of Daniel organized, and in what two languages was it written?

⁸ Other details: The book of Daniel can be divided into two parts. Chapters 1-6 record experiences of Daniel and his companions as well as prophetic messages given to human rulers. These narratives are written in chronological order. Chapters 7-12 contain visions given directly to Daniel. After writing the introductory chapter in Hebrew, Daniel wrote in Aramaic about the future course of world powers. (2:4b–7:28) He wrote chapters 8-12 in Hebrew; these deal with the future of God’s people during the rule of the world powers.

Summary

9. What happens to Daniel and his companions soon after they arrive in Babylon?

⁹ Training in Babylon. (1:1-21) In 617 B.C.E., Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah b arrive in Babylon and begin training for government service. After refusing to defile themselves with the king’s delicacies, they are blessed for their integrity and become famous for their wisdom.​—1:20.

10. What occurs about one year after the destruction of Jerusalem?

¹⁰ The immense image. (2:1-49) In about 606 B.C.E., Nebuchadnezzar has a disturbing dream of an immense image. He threatens to kill all the wise men of Babylon if they cannot tell him what he dreamed and what the dream means. When Daniel makes known the dream and its meaning, Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges Jehovah as “a Revealer of secrets”; makes Daniel ruler over the province of Babylon; and appoints Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah as its administrators.

11. What test do the three Hebrews face, and what is the outcome?

¹¹ The fiery furnace. (3:1-30) During or after 606 B.C.E., Nebuchadnezzar inaugurates a huge golden statue. When Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah refuse to worship it, Nebuchadnezzar has them thrown into a fiery furnace. Jehovah sends his angel to rescue them. As a result, Nebuchadnezzar praises Jehovah, issues a decree safeguarding His worship, and promotes the three Hebrews in the province of Babylon.

12. What does Daniel chapter 4 contain?

 ¹² The enormous tree. (4:1-37) This chapter contains a copy of a letter written by Nebuchadnezzar, perhaps sometime after 600 B.C.E. In the letter, the king recounts his dream of a tree that was chopped down and banded for “seven times” and describes Daniel’s interpretation of it. (4:25; see  Box 27-C.) The dream was fulfilled when Nebuchadnezzar lost his sanity and his ability to rule but later regained both. He concludes by praising Jehovah and acknowledging His sovereignty.

13. What prophecy is fulfilled in 539 B.C.E.?

¹³ The writing on the wall. (5:1-31) On October 5, 539 B.C.E., Babylonian King Belshazzar sees a hand write a mysterious message on a wall, so he summons Daniel to read the writing and interpret its meaning. Daniel, who is probably in his 90’s, reveals that Babylon will fall to the Medo-Persian Empire. That night, Belshazzar is killed, Babylon is captured, and Darius the Mede becomes king.​—5:30, 31.

14. What test of loyalty does Daniel face in his old age?

¹⁴ The lions’ pit. (6:1-28) Soon after Babylon’s fall, Darius appoints Daniel as a high official in the government. However, jealous officials plot to have Daniel killed for praying to Jehovah. Daniel is thrown into a lions’ pit. Jehovah rescues Daniel, and Darius orders everyone in the empire to fear Jehovah.

15. In Daniel’s vision of the four beasts, from whom is rulership taken and to whom is it given?

¹⁵ The four beasts. (7:1-28) In 553 B.C.E., Daniel, who is in his late 70’s or early 80’s, recounts a vision of four beasts that represent four kingdoms, or governments. The fourth beast has ten horns, three of which are replaced by a small horn that “came up among them.” (7:8) Daniel sees someone like a son of man receive everlasting rulership. (7:13, 14) He learns that the small horn is to harass “the holy ones” for three and a half times. (7:21, 25) Jehovah takes rulership away from the horn, the beast is destroyed, and “the people who are the holy ones of the Supreme One” are given an everlasting kingdom.​—7:26, 27.

16. What happens to the ram and the male goat as prophesied in Daniel chapter 8?

¹⁶ The ram and the male goat. (8:1-27) In 551 B.C.E., a year before Cyrus unites the Medo-Persian Empire, Daniel sees a vision of a two-horned ram that is killed by a goat with a prominent horn. The ram represents the kings of Media and Persia. The goat represents Greece. The goat’s horn breaks and is replaced by four horns. From one of these appears a little horn that becomes an aggressive king. In the time of the end, that king exalts himself and brings desolation to the holy place. After 2,300 days, the holy place is restored to its right condition. Finally, the aggressive king is “broken without human hand.”​—8:25.

17. What does Daniel learn after supplicating Jehovah?

¹⁷ The 70 years and the 70 weeks. (9:1-27) Possibly as early as 539 B.C.E., well before Cyrus issues the command to release the Jews from captivity, Daniel discerns that Jerusalem’s 70-year desolation will end. c (2Ch 36:23; Ezr 1:1-11; 2:64) He supplicates Jehovah to restore worship at the temple. The angel Gabriel appears and informs Daniel about a time period of “70 weeks,” that is, 70 weeks of years. (9:24, ftn.) This prophecy describes many events: Sin will be atoned for; Jerusalem will be rebuilt; the Messiah will arrive and be cut off; “the city and the holy place” will be destroyed; the covenant will be kept in force until the end of the 70th week; and, halfway through that week, sacrifices will cease.​—9:26.

18. What does Daniel’s vision of the rival kings reveal about “the final part of the days”?

¹⁸ The rival kings. (10:1–12:13) In 536 B.C.E., Daniel, now about 100 years of age, receives his final vision​—one regarding “the final part of the days.” (10:14) Daniel finds out that the king of Persia “will rouse up everything against the kingdom of Greece.” (11:2) Eventually, the kingdom of a mighty king is broken into four. In time, the king of the north and the king of the south fight for supremacy. During that time, God’s sanctuary is profaned, the constant feature is removed, and “the disgusting thing that causes desolation” is set up. (11:29-31) During the time of the end, the rival kings ‘push’ each other. Later, the king of the north enters “the land of the Decoration.” (11:40-45) During a time of great distress, Michael stands up for God’s holy people. An angel asks: “How long will it be to the end of these marvelous things?” Another angel mentions a period of three and a half times. Later, two other time periods are mentioned​—1,290 days and 1,335 days. Daniel is told that he will rest and then stand up “at the end of the days.” (12:6, 7, 11-13) Soon after the vision ends, Daniel completes the book bearing his name.