A CONCISE COMMENTARY ON THE BOOK OF DANIEL (Draft) PDF

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A CONCISE COMMENTARY ON THE BOOK OF DANIEL1 (Draft) Daniel Kwame Bediako Introduction Most Christians would admit that the book of Daniel is difficult to understand, especially its prophetic sections. This is mainly because the book presents its message through symbols and enigmas with which the rea...

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A CONCISE COMMENTARY ON THE BOOK OF DANIEL1 (Draft) Daniel Kwame Bediako Introduction Most Christians would admit that the book of Daniel is difficult to understand, especially its prophetic sections. This is mainly because the book presents its message through symbols and enigmas with which the reader of the 21st century is not conversant. This has resulted in divergent schools of interpretation (e.g., historicist, preterist, futurist, and historical-critical) that have polarized scholarly perspectives on the book. Despite its difficulty, this book contains powerful lessons not only for faith communities but also for governments. Like other books of the Bible, it was “given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (1 Tim 3:16). The message of the book of Daniel comes in the form of historical narratives and prophecies. In order to provide a backdrop for the brief comments on the text, which is our primary focus here, a few historical and literary issues need to be mentioned. Date and Authorship. There are two main views on the date and authorship of the book of Daniel. The first, commonly known as the Maccabean hypothesis and introduced by the NeoPlatonist Porphyry (233-304 CE), holds that the book is a pseudonymous document written in the 2nd century BCE in reaction to the activities of the Syrian King Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-164 BCE). This position is held primarily by critical scholars who have been influenced by rationalism, which denies God’s intervention in history and rejects predictive prophecy. They 1

This draft was prepared following an invitation by the editors of the Ghana Study Bible for the Bible Society, Ghana. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture citations are taken from the New Revised Standard Version, which authors were asked to use. The comments follow the versification of the English Translation (ET), which differs from the Masoretic Text (MT) in chapters 3-6 (e.g., MT 3:31-33/ET 4:1-3; MT 6:1/ET 5:31). The author follows the historicist approach to prophetic interpretation but tries as much as possible be less confessional.

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raise issues regarding history (e.g., Dan 1:1 vs. Jer 25:1; 46:2; Darius the Mede; Belshazzar as king; Ecclesiasticus 44-50), language (i.e., written in Hebrew and Aramaic; use of Greek and Persian terms), and prophecy (i.e., supernaturalism; placement in the Writings) to argue their position. For these scholars, the so-called predictions in the book were written after the events had already taken place (i.e., vaticinia ex eventu). Conservative scholars who believe in divine inspiration and thus accept the claims of the text itself argue that Daniel wrote the book. Both internal (e.g., Dan 7:1-2, 15; 8:1-2; 9:1; 10:2; 12:4-5) and external (e.g., Matt 24:15; 4QFlorilegium; 4QNab; Jewish Antiquities 10.10.1) evidence suggest that the book was written in the 6th century BCE. As the book indicates, Daniel and his friends were taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar at the beginning of the 6th century BCE. The book must have been composed during the long service of Daniel in the Babylonian and Medo-Persian kingdoms to encourage God’s people, present and future, in times of crises. Historical Backgrounds (see 2 Kgs 22-25; 2 Chron 34-36; Jer 1, 39-43, 52). Accepting that the book of Daniel was written in the 6th century, a brief description of the political situation of the ancient Near East of the period will be helpful. In the wilderness en route to Canaan, Moses pronounced both blessings and curses on Israel, depending on whether or not they would obey God. One of these curses was that if Israel disobeyed God, He would scatter them among the nations (Deut 28:15-68; cf. Dan 9:11-12). This curse was fulfilled in several forms in Israel because the people continuously disobeyed God. In 722 BCE, the Assyrians took the people of God in the northern kingdom (Israel) into captivity, while those of the southern kingdom (Judah) remained under Assyrian control until King Josiah’s reign (640-609 BCE). After the death of King Ashurbanipal of Assyria (627 BCE), King Nabopolassar of Babylonia declared independence (626 BCE) and allied with King

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Astyages of the Medes, and both captured Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, in 612 BCE. By 605 BCE, the Babylonians had taken over from the Assyrians as the unbeatable power. King Josiah had died in 609 BCE while trying to stop the Egyptian army from helping the Assyrians against the Babylonians. The kings that succeeded Josiah switched allegiance between Egypt and Babylonia, and Nebuchadnezzar reacted on several occasions by taking captives from Judah: Daniel and his friends were taken in 605 BCE, and many citizens of Judah were taken captive in 597 BCE. The last major Babylonian invasion of Judah took place in 586 BCE: Jerusalem was besieged and taken, the Temple built by Solomon was destroyed (586 BCE), and Judah was reduced to a province. During these tumultuous times, Jeremiah arduously pleaded with Judah to take the “yoke” of Babylon and “live” (Jer 27:12), but the leaders would not listen. For about seventy years (605-539 BCE), the Babylonians ruled the world, but as ordained by God, they were overthrown and succeeded by the Medo-Persians, followed by the Greeks, and finally the Romans. Literary Features. The book of Daniel was composed in two languages: Hebrew (Dan 1:1-2:4a; 8:1-12:13) and Aramaic (Dan 2:4b-7:28). The book contains both historical narratives and prophecies. Chapters 1-6 comprise the historical narrative section, though, in this section, some prophecies are found within the stories of court. The prophetic section (chaps. 7-12) mostly comprises visions received by Daniel, who, in most cases, is concerned about the future of God’s holy people. The prophecies in this book are commonly known as apocalyptic prophecies. In an apocalyptic prophecy, God reveals relevant future happenings that will affect His covenant people through visions or dreams involving otherworldly beings. While apocalyptic prophecies are predictive prophecies, not all predictive prophecies are apocalyptic (e.g., the prophecies of Elijah, Isaiah, Amos, etc.). Apocalyptic prophecies, such as found in the books of Daniel and

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Revelation, (1) contain visions and dreams with multiples of imagery and symbolism, (2) have a universal focus with the visions giving a sweep of history relating to God’s people from the prophet’s time till the end time, and (3) portray a cosmic dualism that finds expression in resurrection and judgment. Scholars have recognized some extra-biblical texts as apocalyptic (e.g., Marduk prophecy, Kummaya’s dream vision, Prophecy of Neferti, Hesiod’s Works and Days, 1-2 Enoch, the Sibylline Oracles). However, only the prophecies in the biblical books of Daniel and Revelation are truly apocalyptic. Theology. As the books of Daniel and Revelation indicate, the basic purpose of apocalyptic prophecy is to encourage believers in times of national or religious crisis. In so doing, three themes stand out. First, the God of Israel is sovereign (Dan 4:34). He is the God of gods, Lord of lords, and King of kings (2:47). He is the Lord of history. He enthrones and dethrones kings (2:21). He works in human history to carry out His plan of salvation (2:17, 28; 6:27; 12:1-2). His kingdom is everlasting (2:44; 4:3; 6:26; 7:14, 27). Second, the Messiah is the hope of humanity. It is He who effects salvation through His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice and intercessory ministry (7:13-14; 9:26-27; 10:5-5; 12:1-2). Finally, the God who saves is also the God who judges (e.g., 4:37; 5:26; 7:9-11, 26; 8:13-14). The principles of His kingdom require that He allows evil to a certain degree and that at the appointed time, He will bring an end to evil, suffering, and pain (7:25-27; 8:25; 11:40-45). He is the righteous Judge who will vindicate His people, those who remain loyal to Him throughout the conflict between good and evil (3:28; 6:27; 12:1-2).

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Outline of the Book A. Historical Section (1:1-6:28) 1. Deportation and Babylonian Education (1:1-21) 2. A King’s Dream about the Kingdoms (2:1-49) 3. A Call to Worship (3:1-30) 4. Another Dream: A Proud Tree (4:1-37) 5. Last Banquet of the Babylonian Empire (5:1-31) 6. Excellence, Integrity, and Death Penalty (6:1-28) B. Prophetic Section (7:1-12:13) 1. Daniel’s Dream about the Kingdoms (7:1-28) 2. Daniel’s Vision about the Sanctuary (8:1-27) 3. Behold, the Messiah! (9:1-27) 4. The Kingdoms, Again! (10:1-12:13)

Daniel 1:1-21 Deportation and Babylonian Education This chapter divides into four units: God’s judgment against Judah (vv. 1-2), cultural assimilation (vv. 3-7), decision to abide by dietary laws (vv. 8-14), and reward for loyalty (vv. 15-21). 1:1-2. Judgment against Judah. The book opens with God’s judgment against His people. Because Judah disobeys God, He allows Nebuchadnezzar and his army to deport Judah’s citizens into the “land of Shinar” (i.e., Babylonia, Gen 10:10; 11:2), fulfilling the declaration in Habakkuk that He would bring the Chaldeans to punish Judah (Hab 1:6-11). The year is 605

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BCE. Daniel’s “third year” of Jehoiakim (Dan 1:1) is Jeremiah’s “fourth year” of the same king (Jer 25:1; 46:2), suggesting that each follows either a different calendar or a different system of reckoning regnal years: religious (Nisan/Abib) calendar or non-accession system (Jeremiah) and civil (Tishri/Ethanim) calendar or accession year system (Daniel). Although God delivers Jerusalem and the king into Nebuchadnezzar’s hand, he takes away captives and some of the holy vessels of the Temple of Solomon (2 Kgs 24:1-3; 2 Chr 36:6-7). God is sovereign over all nations. He can punish His people through the hand of their enemy. Jerusalem and Babylon stand on opposing sides. Abraham was called out of the land of the Chaldeans to the land of Canaan. Now, Abraham’s descendants are being deported from the promised land (Canaan) back to the land of the Chaldeans. Like Judah, the Lord is with His people as long as they are with Him (2 Chr 15:2). Nevertheless, even in their punishment, He requires that they remain faithful so that the covenant promises will be fulfilled. 1:3-7. Cultural Assimilation. Although Daniel and colleagues were taken to Babylon as captives, Nebuchadnezzar had a special purpose for them: they were among those the king selected to be trained specially for the service of the kingdom. They were to become members of the scholarly group in the king’s service known as “wise men.” But first, the captive students are given Babylonian names. The change of names implies a new identity. They are named after Babylonian deities: Daniel’s new name bears the name of “Bel,” Hananiah and Mishael carry the name of “Aku,” and Azariah, “Nebo” (corrupted as ‘Nego’). As the story unfolds, these Hebrews would still live up to their Hebrew names and religion despite the Babylonian inculturation. The world may give names to God’s people, but this must not distract faith in God. Regardless of the circumstances, these Hebrews would consistently display a profound trust in God and serve Him faithfully to the end.

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1:8-14. Dietary Laws. The food that was served the students was rich and palatable. It was the king’s food, food from his table. But why would Daniel and his friends decide not to defile (Heb. ga’al) themselves with the king’s food and drink (v. 8)? The term patbag, translated “rations,” is a royal food (see also 11:26). The only possible reason is that this food would have been unclean, contrary to the dietary rules of the Hebrew religion (cf. Mal 1:7). The NRSV translates the Hebrew rab/sar sarisim as “palace master” (Dan 1:3, 7-8), but saris (singular of sarisim) may mean either “eunuch” (Esth 2:3, 14; Isa 56:3) or “official” (Gen 39:1; 2 Kgs 18:17; Jer 39:3, 13). God was with Daniel and his colleagues. Therefore, their request to the “palace master,” though strange and risky, was granted through the “guard” (Heb. meltsar). When God is with His people, they may receive “favor” (Heb. khesed “lovingkindness”) and “compassion” (Heb. rekhem) in certain rare circumstances that glorify His name. The ten-day test over food and drink may seem trivial, but Genesis 3 helps us understand that food, and for that matter, eating the right food, is as critical as living a God-fearing life. The favor that God granted the Hebrews before their supervisors included making them look healthier during the ten-day test. The diet that Daniel and friends depended upon was a simple one, “vegetables” and “water” instead of “royal rations” and “wine.” The Hebrew zera’ (lit. “seeds”) is the same term used in Genesis 1:29, where it designates the original diet God assigned to humans. Here, Daniel and friends requested a purely vegetarian diet, but this is not to suggest that they were vegetarians (see Dan 10:3). 1:15-21: Reward for Loyalty. Daniel and friends were select, brilliant, healthy, and handsome young men of royal or noble descent (1:4). Their Babylonian education took three years, following the inclusive reckoning method. The Babylonian curriculum included the study

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of science (astrology) and languages (Sumerian, Akkadian, and Aramaic). The four Hebrews did not only take their relationship with God seriously, but they were also arduous students of science and language. And God rewarded their faithfulness with extraordinary abilities, academic and spiritual (1:17), enabling them to excel “ten times better” than their colleagues in “wisdom and understanding” (1:20). Throughout Daniel 1-5, the string of offices—magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, etc.—refers to professionals of various specialties, known as “wise men.” The term “Chaldeans” refers to a group of advisors to the king who often served as spokesmen among the wise men (2:2-10; 4:7; 5:11), though this term primarily referred to the ruling tribe of Babylon (3:8; 5:30) and, by extension, the Babylonians (1:4; Hab 1:6). The superiority of the Hebrew students over all others won them a place in the king’s person service (lit. “they stood before the king,” v. 19). In verse 21, Daniel indicates that he continued (lit. “he was”) in the service of the king and his successors in the Babylonian kingdom till the first year of Cyrus. In other words, he endured the entire captivity that began from the first year of Nebuchadnezzar and ended in the first year of Cyrus, the Medo-Persian, who allowed the captives to return. Calamities also come to an end.

Daniel 2:1-49 A King’s Dream about the Kingdoms The chapter can be divided into four units: the king’s test (vv. 1-13), God is King of Heaven and Earth (vv. 14-30), the dream and its interpretation (vv. 31-45), and Nebuchadnezzar’s recognition of the God of the Hebrews (vv. 46-49). In this chapter, there is a focus on God’s sovereignty and His everlasting kingdom.

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2:1-13. A Dream and a Test. The year 605 BCE was Nebuchadnezzar’s accession year (cf. Jer 25:1), so his second was 603 BCE. Dreams were an important aspect of life in the ancient Near East, an evidence of which is found in an extant collection of books dealing with dreams and methods of interpretation from Babylon. For kings, dreams were extremely significant as they were considered messages from the gods; they could signal misfortune, emergencies, or peace. This dream did not only disturb Nebuchadnezzar, but it also captured his interest, and he needed to know its interpretation. The king did not forget the dream as the KJV seems to suggest; he only wanted to be sure that what the group of interpreters would tell him was the truth. The adjective ’azda’ means “firm,” not “forget.” A literal translation of the last part of verse 8 and the first part of verse 9 makes this clear: “. . . time you are buying because you have seen that certain/firm [’azda’] from me is the word [milleta’] that [di] if the dream you do not make known to me one is the verdict . . .” Consistently in the book of Daniel, the group of scholars is unable to interpret the dreams and the signs that God gives to the kings (Dan 2, 4, and 5). Ancient Near Eastern kings had professionals trained in the art of interpretation and divination. Nebuchadnezzar’s wise men included experts across the relevant disciplines—magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, diviners. However, human knowledge and wisdom are limited. Rightly, the king’s command was not only impossible but also irrational, for only the gods, not humans, could do as the king demanded. In the end, it is only the God of Israel who can give a human the ability to tell and interpret the king’s dream. The command to destroy the wise men was also to affect Daniel and his friends, though it is apparent that these were not among those invited to declare and interpret the dream. Daniel and friends had probably just completed their education, being young and not-yet-so experienced

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to be invited before the king regarding this serious matter. But the God of Israel does not select persons for His service based on age and experience. 2:14-30. God Is King of Heaven and Earth. Guessing from the text, the killing of the wise men was about to begin with the new graduates. Arioch visits Daniel and friends to kill them, but his encounter with Daniel begins to change the narrative. The other wise men had complained and schemed to “buy time,” but Daniel “requests time” from the king to seek divine intervention. Those who know and believe in God will not be moved by circumstances but will pray and seek His face in times of trouble. Unlike the claims of the other wise men about their gods, Daniel’s God is close to His people and reveals “mysteries” to His prophets. And the “mystery was revealed to Daniel” (v. 19). He is a prayer-answering God. Daniel and friends praise and glorify the God of knowledge and wisdom, the God who sustains life and listens to the cry of His people. But Daniel joins the other wise men in stating that the king’s request was rare, for no human could do what the king required. It is the God of Daniel, the “God in heaven,” the same who “disclosed” through Nebuchadnezzar’s dream what will happen “at the end of days” (lit. “in the latter [part of] the days”); it is He who “reveals deep and hidden things.” It is this God who changes times, establishes and removes kings, and gives wisdom and knowledge. 2:31-45. The Dream and Its Interpretation. Daniel narrates the dream and interprets it as it was given to him by God. The dream is about kingdoms, covering the rise and fall of world empires, through a period of divided kingdoms, to God’s superior kingdom, which shall last forever. The image of the human that he saw in the dream represents human kingdoms, and the stone that struck the image and subsequently became a great mountain represents the kingdom of God (see, e.g., Deut 32:4; 1 Sam 2:2; Psa 18:2, 31, 36; 118:22; Isa 2:2-3; 11:9; 28:16; 1 Pet 2:4,

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7). In the interpretation of the dream, the focus is on the Babylonian kingdom and God’s eternal kingdom; only these two kingdoms are specifically named in the chapter (vv. 38, 44). History has shown that this dream has been fulfilled, except that the fulfillment of the stone kingdom is still future: head of gold (Neo-Babylonian empire, 626-539 BCE), chest and arms of silver (Medo-Persia, 539-332 BCE), middle and thighs of bronze (Greece, 332-168 BCE), legs of iron (Rome, 168 BCE-476 CE), and feet of iron and clay (Divided Kingdom, after 476 CE). Weak and strong nations will continue to exist and will not be able to truly unite until the glorious appearing, the return of Jesus Christ. God’s word never fails. As in Daniel 2, the fulfilment of the prophecies in chapters 7, 8, and 11-12 spans the period from the prophet’s day to the eschaton. 2:46-49. ...