DANIEL

Introduction

Exiled to Babylon in 605 b.c., Daniel was one of several young men chosen to serve in Nebuchadnezzar's court. When Persia conquered Babylon in 539, Daniel was again given a position of power. He remained faithful to God in both of these hostile environments. From the interpretation of dreams, to the familiar stories of the fiery furnace, the lion's den, and the handwriting on the wall, to the prophetic visions, the recurrent theme is God's sovereignty over human affairs. In the historical sections (chs. 1—6) God supernaturally rescued Daniel and his friends. The rest of the book consists of visions of future judgement and deliverance by the Messiah. Some of Daniel's prophetic themes are echoed in the New Testament, especially in Revelations.