The Book of Daniel - Saint Mary Coptic Orthodox Church in ...saint-mary.net/youth/ebs/Presentation/Daniel/00_intro_to_daniel.pdfObjections to the book of Daniel ... said to the chief

St. Mary Coptic Orthodox Church, East Brunswick, NJ. USA 1

The Book of Daniel

Introduction


Main Points

Historical overviewDivided KingdomStory of two kingdomsOther kingdoms


Historical background


Times of the prophets


Divided KingdomDue to David’s sins his kingdom was dividedAfter Solomon’s reign Rehoboam his sun became a king.Due to following the wrong advise Jeroboam succeeded in leading Israel to a rebellionTen tribes followed Jeroboam while 2 stayed with Rehoboam.Levi stayed with Judah and God’s altar


Divided Kingdom


Story of IsraelJeroboam built an altar to Baal so people will not go back to JerusalemCapital was SamariaIsrael strayed away from God consistentlyGod sent them great prophetsDue to the lack of an altar and organized worship Israel quickly weakenedWas enslaved to AssyriaAll 10 tribes (83%) of God’s people were lost due to sinMultiple campaigns against them were a warning, but they did not listen


Story of JudeaMost of the kings of Judea did not keeps God’s commandmentsThere were several good kings that restored the temple and following God’s commandmentsGod sent them many prophets to warn them of their sinThey did not learn from the fall of IsraelHezekiah shows the content of the temple to Babylonian (2Ki 20).3 different captivitiesThey were finally taken captives by BabylonSome took Jeremiah and fled to Egypt


Other Kingdoms

EgyptAssyria (883-638 B.C.)Babylon (626 – 539 B.C)Persia-Media (559 – 404 B.C.)Greek (1000 – 323 B.C.)Roman Empire (27 BC to AD 476)


Assyrian Campaigns Against Israel and Judah

From 734 b.c. to 732 b.c. Tiglath-PileserIII mounted one invasion against Judah and two against Israel.Sennacherib against Jerusalem 701BCIn 725 b.c. Shalmanesar V invaded Israel and marched on Samaria. Sargon II took Samaria in 722 b.c.


Assyrian Empire


Babylonian KingsFounded by Nimrod son of Cush (Gen 10:8)Nabopolassar626–605 b.c.Nebuchadnezzar II605–562 b.c.Evil-Merodach 562–560 b.c.Neriglissar 560–556 b.c.Labasi-Marduk 556 b.cNabonidus (Belshazzar reigned as vice-regent) 555–539


Family Tree

Evil-Merodach is the son of Nebuchadnezzar Evi-Merodach was killed by NeriglissarNeriglissar was over thrown by Labasi-MardukLabasi-Marduk was killed by Nabonidus


Who is Nabonidus

He is the husband of Nebuchadnezzar’s daughterHe wanted to promote Sin the god of the moon versus the Babylonian gods (Bal-Merodach) He moved to Harran and left his son Belshazzar to rule instead of him


Major battle

Egypt came out to fight the BabyloniansJosiah went to stop the EgyptiansHe lostThe Egyptians and the Babylonians faught at the Battle of CarchemishThe Egyptians lost


Babylonian Empire


Facts

Isaiah prophesized who will destroy Babble few hundred years before itJeremiah prophesized about the destruction of BabbleBabble was a great citythe walls were huge, 6 (12) military wagons can on the wall.


Persian KingsCyrus 559–530Cambyses 530–522Smerdis 522Darius I 522–486Xerxes I (Ahasuerus) (486–465)Artaxerxes I 465–424Xerex II 424Darius II 423–404


Important eventsCyrus ordered the return of the JewsCambyses stopped the buildingDuring Darius’ time Haggai and Zachariah encouraged the people to build the templeXerxes I (Ahasuerus) is the husband of EstherArtaxerxes gave the order to build the walls of Jerusalem in ~457 BC [Key to the 70 week prophecy]


Greek Empire

Founded 1000 B.C.Grew to cover most of the old world by Alexander the greatDivided into 4 kingdoms after his deathGreek language remained dominant until the Bible was spread through out the old world


Who followed AlexanderSeleucus Nicanor had Asia the Great (Paltestine and Persia till Pakistan’s border)

Perdiccas, and after him Antigonus, had Asia Minor;

Cassander had Macedonia and Greece

Ptolemeus had Egypt.


Greek Empire During Alexander


Roman Empire

Strongest and most powerful empireFrom 27 B.C to 476 A.D.Paved the roads to allow Christianity to travel easily from one country to the other.


Scope of the Roman Empire


God’s messages and messengers


God and His People

Though God had a covenant with His people it was dependent on them following His commandment and continue to worship HimGod’s people disobeyed HimWorshiped other godsBecame like the “other” nations


God’s messagesGod continued to remind people of their covenant to HimGod sent prophets to both Judea and IsraelMost of the time people did not listenThe prophetic books warn people of Israel and Judea of the consequence of not following God.


Summary of the prophecies

Repent and worship GodIf you do not repent, you will be destroyed.There is hope, a new King will come to re-establish David’s kingdom and his throne forever


Prophets to JudeaShemaiahIddo the SeerAzariah, the son of OdedHananiJehu, the son of HananiJahazielEliezer—ObadiahElijahJoelUnnamed ProphetsIsaiahZechariahMicahNahumUnnamed ProphetsJeremiahZephaniahHuldah the Prophetess—Habakkuk


Prophets to IsraelAhijah the ShiloniteMan of God from JudahOld Prophet at BethelIddo the SeerJehu, the son of HananiElijahElishaJonahAmosHoseaOded


Places of Prophecies


CaptivitiesDue to persistent sin and disobedience, both Israel and Judea fell to captivityIsrael was taken captive to Assyria in about 722 BCCaptivity to Judea happened on 3 times

First group (Daniel) [606-603 B.C.] Jehoiakim king2nd Group (Ezekiel) [598 or 597 BC] Jehoiakim and Jehoiakin 2 Kings 24:8-203rd time and the destruction of Jerusalem [588 B.C. or 587], Sedekia King 2 Kings 25:9


Daniel the Prophet

God Judges


Who is DanielFrom the royal familywrote his prophecy while in exileHis name means: God JudgesThe topic of his prophecy is God’s judgment to the nations


Objections to the book of Daniel

The Jews include this book not with the prophets but with the books of wisdomThe Septuagint translation places the book with the prophetic booksIf they believe the book to be a true prophecy they will collide with the 70 week prophecy


Objections to the BookQ1) Daniel prophesized about events that

spanned hundred of years. It must have been written by multiple people or written in the second century B.C.God knows the history of the world. He is the one who gave Daniel his visions.Other prophets, Isaiah and others, made prophecies about events hundred of years before they happen


Objections to the BookQ2) Daniel was royal and did not suffer as

Ezekiel and JeremiahDavid was a king and he was a prophet.Daniel lived a life of hardship even when it was not imposed on himGod uses people in high and low places to reach everyone. Daniel was preaching at the palace to the kings and rulers


Objections to the BookQ3) Some of Daniel’s book is written in Modern Aramaic

and not all in HebrewAramaic was the language of trade and diplomacy and archeology proved that it was used during Daniel’s timeAramaic was used in captivity and Daniel was talking to people in the captivityWhen Jerusalem was surrounded by Rabshakeh the assyrian, they asked to speak aramaic

2Ki 18:26 Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joahsaid to the chief of the cupbearers, Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand. And do not talk with us in Jewish, in the ears of the people who are on the wall.


Same Aramaic was used by Jews who fled to Egypt with Jeremiah.


Objections to the BookQ4) There are some Greek words in Daniel.

How can it be written in the 6th Century BC if he knew Greek which was not wide spread?The Greek words are names of musical instruments.Musical instruments usually keep their name regardless of the language usedGreek were a civilization from 1000 BCthese instruments must be known through trade


Objections to the BookQ 5) Belshazzar is not mentioned in history as a

king?More recent finding (Nabonidus Cylinder found after 1900) shows that Nabonidusisolated himself and appointed his son Belshazzar as a 2nd in commandBelshazza promised to make Daniel 3rd in the kingdom since he is the second


Darius and Cyrus


Importance of Daniel


Scope of prophecy

Daniel prophesized about:The return to JerusalemThe date of Christ’s crucifictionthe destruction of JerusalemThe second comingthe end of the world


His ImportanceChrist himself referred to Daniel’s prophecies about the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world (Math 24:15, Mar 13:14)Called Man Greatly Beloved

Dan 10:11 And he said to me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright. For to you I am now sent. And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood trembling

The Maccabeas refer to him and to his prophecies (1 Mac 1:29, 1 Mac 2:62)


Son of ManDaniel sees God and calls him the Son of Man

Dan 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him.

Christ uses this expression to describe Himself constantly


St. Paul

St. Paul refers to the fiery Furnace St. Paul refers to Daniel in the Lion’s den in Heb 11:33


Ezekiel refers to DanielEze 14:14 And though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver only their own souls by their righteousness, says the Lord Jehovah. Eze 14:20 though Noah, Daniel, and Job werein it, as I live, says the Lord Jehovah, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter. They shall onlydeliver their own souls by their righteousness. Eze 28:3 Behold, you are wiser than Daniel; all secret things are not hidden from you!


JosephusSurprising Showdown at JerusalemJosephus recounts how Alexander's troops surrounded the city and readied themselves to attack. Suddenly the city gates swung open, and out came the high priest with his entourage.Josephus writes: "... For Alexander, when he saw the multitude at a distance, in white garments, while the priests stood clothed with fine linen, and the high priest in purple and scarlet clothing, with his mitre on his head, having the golden plate whereon the name of God was engraved, he approached by himself, and adored that name, and first saluted the high priest ... whereupon the kings of Syria and the rest were surprised at what Alexander had done, and supposed him disordered in his mind. However, Parmenio alone went up to him, and asked him how it came to pass that, when all others adored him, he should adore the high priest of the Jews?"To whom he replied, 'I did not adore him, but that God who hath honoured him with his high priesthood; for I saw this very person in a dream, in this very habit [clothing], when I was at Dios in Macedonia, who ... exhorted me to make no delay, but boldly to pass over the sea thither, for that he would conduct my army, and would give me the dominion over the Persians; whence ... now seeing this person in it, and remembering that vision ... I believe that I bring this army under the divine conduct ...'"... And when the book of Daniel was shewed him, wherein Daniel declared that one of the Greeks should destroy the empire of the Persians, he supposed that himself was the person intended; and as he was then glad, he ... bade them ask what favours they pleased of him; whereupon the high priest desired that they ... might pay no tribute on the seventh year. He granted all they desired ..." (Antiquities of the Jews, XI, viii, 5).


Dead Sea Scrolls

Several fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls are copies of some of Daniel’s Chapters.This proves that the original Text existed a while before the Manuscript (the manuscripts were a collection of existing sacred texts).


Overview of his prophecy


Daniel’s prophecy

King Nebuchadnezzar Vision of the statue. Judgment of the nationsThe vision of the four beastsVision of Ram and Male goat70 week visionvision of Israel’s future


Why these specific kingdom

This kingdoms in particular persecuted God’s peopleThey are ruled and controlled by the devilThe world may see them glorious To God’s people, they are monsters.


Refrences


Refrences through out the study

Fr. Tadros MalatyFr. Antonious FikryFr. Daoud Lamee


References for the introduction

Thomas Nelson Publishers. 1996. Nelson's complete book of Bible maps & charts : Old and New Testaments. "Completely revised and updated comfort print edition"; Includes indexes. (Rev. and updated ed.). Thomas Nelson: Nashville, Tenn. E-sword.netWikipedia (map of Rome)

Documents

The Book of Daniel - Saint Mary Coptic Orthodox Church in ...saint-mary.net/youth/ebs/Presentation/Daniel/00_intro_to_daniel.pdfObjections to the book of Daniel ... said to the chief