The MAJOR & MINOR Prophets - The 16 Writing Prophets Of The Hebrew Canon

The Book of Daniel

Daniel could easily be classed as one of the greatest of the Hebrew prophets, and his book has a gripping interest for both casual and serious Bible students. The twelve chapters are interesting, but can be somewhat confusing since they are not in chronological order. A careful analysis, however, of the construction and content, scope DQG VHTXHQFH ZLOO JLYH \RX D EUHDWKWDNLQJ RYHUYLHZ RI *RG·V SUHVHQW and eternal purpose for the Gentile and Jewish world. Consider %D[WHU·V FRPPHQW

For sheer interest this Book of Daniel surely stands first among the writings of the prophets. It is full of supernatural marvel, both in the

events which it records and in the visions which it describes. But its interest is eclipsed by its importance; for it preserves to us not only unique links in history, but also vital keys to the interpretation of prophecy. 1 :ULWWHQ LQ WKH 6L[WK &HQWXU\ % & 'DQLHO·V 3URSKHF\ LV ´7KH ODVW DQG VKRUW est, of the four Major Prophets. µ 2 The style and content are not common to modern readers: for instance, all those miracles and visions, and then those colorful metaphors of strange images, wild beasts, trees and angels, each purporting to be divinely inspired! However, in spite of this ancient apocalyptic approach, like the solution of a crossword puzzle, the miracle sections do gradually come together and reveal the amazing mysteries contained in each piece and the overall picture. A Target of Criticism Immediately the reader is struck by the unapologetic emphasis on the supernatural ² like the foretelling of history or people surviving a furnace of fire without being burned! Undoubtedly, such things have made this, of all the prophetic books, the target of the greatest criticism. 3 )UHHPDQ FRPPHQWV ´7KH %RRN RI 'DQLHO KDV ZLWKRXW TXHVWLRQ EHHQ WKH REMHFW RI PRUH QHJDWLYH FULWLFLVP WKDQ DQ\ RWKHU ERRN RI WKH 2OG 7HVWDPHQW µ 4 Here are three areas of hostile criticism accompanied by some brief answers: 1. Foretelling the future. Critics who do not believe in futuristic prophecy, would not believe WKDW 'DQLHO·V accurate revelations were actually made beforehand; rather, they say, he must have actually lived in the second century B.C., in the time of the Maccabees, and written what he observed. Daniel, according to them, could not have lived previously in the Sixth Century B.C. and written with such accuracy; Daniel, therefore, must be fraudulent, even intentionally deceptive. Evangelical scholars have effectively counter-punched this argument with the unassailable fact that the Old Testament canon was already settled before the later time 1 J. Sidlow Baxter, Explore the Book, p. 49. 2 J. Barton Payne, Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy, S +H DGGV LQ D IRRWQRWH ³,Q WKH IRXUWK FHQWXU\ UDEELQLF OHDGHUV SODFHG 'DQLHO DPRQJ WKH PLVFHOODQHRXV ERRNV WKDW PDGH XS WKH WKLUG GLYLVLRQ RI WKHLU FDQRQ ZKLFK WKH\ HQWLWOHG WKH µ:ULWLQJV ¶

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