Daniel

Desktop size presentation on top

Scroll down for the mobile size presentation and the reading guides

NOTE: To see the speaker notes for the presentation, click the three dots and then select "Open speaker notes".

Reading Guide

Daniel


Daniel (Belteshazzar), Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach), and Azariah (Abed-nego) were deported to Babylon in 605 BC, 19 years before the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 586 BC.They were given Babylonian names (in parentheses above) by their captors.

Structure of the book: Written in two different languages, Hebrew and Aramaic

Two sections: Chapters 1-6: historical details about Daniel and his friends; Chapters 7-12: Daniel’s visions

Chapter 1 (Hebrew) Daniel and the others are recruited to serve in Babylon

What challenges do they face here?

How do they respond? What is the outcome?

Chapter 2 (Aramaic) King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream

How did the king assure that the interpretation given would be genuine?

What did the statue represent? What did the mountain represent?

What will be the ultimate outcome?

To whom did Daniel give credit for the interpretation?

Chapter 3 (Aramaic) The fiery furnace

What was the cause of their problem? What was the outcome?

Chapter 4 (Aramaic) Nebuchadnezzar’s second dream

What was Nebuchadnezzar’s problem? What did God do about it? What was the outcome?

Chapter 5 (Aramaic) Belshazzar’s vision

What was Belshazzar’s problem? What did he do about it? What was the outcome?

How are chapters 4 and 6 similar?

Chapter 6 (Aramaic) The lion's den

What was the cause of Daniel’s problem? What was the outcome? 

How are chapters 3 and 6 similar?

Chapter 7 (Aramaic) Daniel’s dream

What do the beasts represent? What do the Son of Man and the Ancient of Days represent?

What is the outcome? How are chapters 2 and 7 similar?

Chapters 9-12 (Hebrew) When will all the things described in chapters 2-7 take place?

Chapter 8 (Hebrew) Daniel’s second vision

What does the ram represent? What does the goat represent? How are their attitudes and character described? What is the outcome? What does the angel tell Daniel to do about the vision?

Chapter 9 (Hebrew) Daniel’s prayer

What prompts Daniel to pray? What does Daniel acknowledge in his prayer? What does Daniel ask for in his prayer? What was Gabrel’s message to Daniel?

Chapters 10-12 Daniel’s third vision

What condition was Daniel in when he had this vision? What were the attitudes and character of the kings described? What will be the outcome? What did the angel tell Daniel to do with the vision?


Daniel

Extra Credit


Daniel 9:24-27

NOTE: The Hebrew word translated “weeks” by most English translations actually means “seven” The NIV, for example, translates: “Seventy ‘sevens’ have been determined…”

Almost all commentators agree that this is referring to groups of seven years; thus, seventy ‘sevens’ is 490 years.


Verse 24 (NASB) 

Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place.

List the specific things that will be accomplished by the end of the seventy ‘sevens’.


Verse 25 (NASB)

So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress.

What is the beginning point and the ending point for the 69 ‘sevens’?

(7 ‘sevens’ + 62 ‘sevens’ = 69 ‘sevens’)

What will happen during this period?


Verse 26 (NASB)

Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.

When will the things described in verse 26 happen?

List the events that are described in verse 26.


Verse 27 (NASB)

And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.

List the things that will happen during the seventh ‘seven’.