The Analysed Bible, Volumes 1, 2, 3, by Rev. G. Campbell Morgan: The Book of Daniel - Analysed and Explained in Detail (Full Text and PDF).

A detailed analysis of the book of Daniel: The Prophet of Interpretation.

To the best of our knowledge we are of the understanding that this book, being published in 1907, and freely available elsewhere on the internet is in the public domain.

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The Book of Daniel - Analysed and Explained in Summary - Volumes 1, 2, and 3 of "The Analysed Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.

To the best of our knowledge we are of the understanding that this book, taken from Volumes 1, 2, & 3 of the "Analysed Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan published in 1907, and freely available elsewhere on the internet is in the public domain.

DANIEL - THE PROPHET OF INTERPRETATION

PART A: THE HISTORIC NIGHT - Daniel 1:1-6:28

A1. The Reign of Nebuchadnezzar - Dan. 1:1-4:37

  1. Daniel's History - 1:1-1:21
  2. Nebuchadnezzar's Dream - 2:1-2:49
  3. Nebuchadnezzar's Pride - 3:1-3:30
  4. Nebuchadnezzar's Manifesto - 4:1-4:37

A2. The Reign of Belshazzar - Dan. 5:1-5:30

  1. The Carousal - 5:1-5:4
  2. The Writing - 5:5-5:12
  3. Daniel - 5:13-5:29
  4. The Fulfillment - 5:30-5:31

A2. The Reign of Darius - Dan. 6:1-6:28

  1. The Appointment of Daniel - 6:1-6:3
  2. The Plot - 6:4-6:15
  3. The Deliverance - 6:16-6:24
  4. The Proclamation - 6:25-6:28

Part B: THE PROPHETIC LIGHT - Daniel 7:1-12:13

B1. Belshazzar's Reign - Dan. 7:1-8:27

  1. Daniel's first Vision in first Year - 7:1-7:28
    1. The Vision - 7:1-7:14
    2. The Explanation - 7:15-7:28
  2. Daniels's second Vision in third year - 8:1-8:27
    1. The Vision - 8:1-8:14
    2. The Explanation - 8:15-8:27

B2. Darius' Reign - Dan. 9:1-9:27

  1. Daniel and the Prophecy of Jeremiah - 9:1-9:2
  2. Daniel's Confession and Prayer - 9:3-9:19
  3. The Coming of Gabriel - 9:20-9:23
  4. The Revelation - 9:24-9:27

B3. Cyrus' Reign - Dan. 10:1-12:13

  1. The Introductory Apocalypse - 10:1-10:21
  2. Prophetic History - 11:1-11:45
  3. The last Things foretold - 12:1-12:3
  4. The Closing of the Book - 12:4-12:13

Introduction

Daniel was carried away into captivity before Ezekiel, having been among the number of those captured by Nebuchadnezzar in his first invasion, in the third year of Jehoiakim. His whole life from that time would seem to have been spent in Babylon. His personal history is a remarkable one, in that notwithstanding the fact that he was of the captive race, he rose to positions of power in three kingdoms, those namely of Babylon, Media, and Persia; and this, moreover, not as the result of any deflection from unswerving loyalty to the God of his fathers. His prophecies deal in detail far more fully with Gentile nations than with the history of the Hebrew people. In the midst of the densest darkness he was the medium through which the light of the Divine government shined. His ministry was exercised largely in the atmosphere of visions, and its nature was that of interpretation.

The first half of the book is occupied with historic matter, giving us pictures of the times and conditions in which he lived. The second half of the book deals with visions and their interpretations, and thus constitutes his prophetic message. The book thus falls into two divisions: the Historic Night (1-6); the Prophetic Light (7-12).

A. The Historic Night - Daniel 1:1-6:28

During the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel came into favour and power. The king would seem to have been impressed by the people he had conquered, and desired that some of the choicest of their young men should be included among his own confidential servants. Among those selected were four specially named, and among the four, Daniel. These were set apart for training and preparation for the fulfilment of their official duties. This training lasted for three years, and included special physical attention, their food and drink being supplied from the king's table. Daniel at once manifested his strength of character in the purpose he formed to abstain from the king's meat and wine. His attitude was characterized by courtesy, and he asked for a ten days' test. The test vindicated his purpose, and Daniel and his friends were allowed to proceed with their training. At the end of that training they were presented to Nebuchadnezzar, approved by him, and appointed to positions in the kingdom.

In the second year of his reign Nebuchadnezzar, troubled by dreams, called together his magicians, and sought their interpretation. Their difficulty consisted in the fact that he could not tell them his dream, and demanded that they should discover it and interpret it. Being unable to do so, he was furious, and commanded their destruction. In this decree the Hebrew youths were involved. Daniel sought an interview of the king, and asked for time, promising to show the king the interpretation of his dream. This being granted, he at once gathered his friends together, and they betook themselves to prayer. In answer to that prayer the secret was revealed to him in a vision of the night. He then stood before the king, and first, in language full of confidence and dignity, ascribed to God the glory of the interpretation he was about to give; exonerating the wise men from any blame in their inability to interpret the dream. He then vividly described the image of the king's dream, and proceeded to an interpretation of its meaning. Tracing the progress of events through the successive kingdoms of Babylon, Media, and Persia, Greece, Rome, the ten kingdoms, and the final setting up of the kingdom of heaven, he showed that there would be a process of deterioration. This interpretation carried conviction to the mind of Nebuchadnezzar, who at once recognized the supremacy of God, and rewarded Daniel by setting him over the province and the wise men.

The next story is that of the pride of Nebuchadnezzar in setting up in the plain of Dura a great image of gold. There may have been a connection between this and the interpretation of the dream which Daniel had given. The head of gold in the image of Nebuchadnezzar's dream symbolized Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar's image was all of gold, and perhaps revealed his conception of the power of Babylon. To this he commanded all peoples to bow down in worship. This would also explain the attitude of the dauntless three who declined to bend their knee to the image. In the first place it was an act of idolatry; and moreover, such obeisance on their part might have been construed into a recognition of the continuity of the power of Babylon, of which the Divine revelation to Daniel had predicted the downfall. With splendid heroism they cast themselves upon God, and were supernaturally delivered from the fierce fire of the furnace. This deliverance more deeply impressed Nebuchadnezzar, and he made a decree that no word should be spoken against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and promoted them in the province of Babylon.

The last story connected with the reign of Nebuchadnezzar consists of the king's own manifesto, setting forth the dealings of the Most High God with him. It opens with an ascription of praise, then proceeds to tell the story of his own humbling before God, and ends with a description of his restoration, and a final ascription of praise. In the midst of his prosperity he had a dream which filled him with fear, and his magicians were unable to interpret it to him. Again he sent for Daniel, and minutely described his vision of the tree growing to great height, and then cut down, so that only roots and stump were left. Daniel "was astonied," evidently because he saw the application of the dream to the king. He nevertheless, in loyalty to truth, interpreted to him its meaning, declaring that he, by the decree of the Most High, would be driven out a madman from the ways of men for a long period, and appealing to him to turn from sin. A year later the dream was fulfilled. In the midst of a proud boast he was stricken with madness. Finally restored to reason, he recognized the God of heaven, and was restored to his kingdom, and uttered the praise of the Most High.

The next scene is cast in the reign of Belshazzar. A man of profligate habits, he had succeeded to the throne of his father. In the midst of a great carousal there appeared to him a mystic hand, writing on the wall his doom and that of his kingdom. Again the wise men were unable to interpret the meaning; and Daniel, who evidently was not now in proximity to the king, who did not seem to know him, was sent for. The attitude of Daniel before him was full of dignity and heroic loyalty to God. With clear, incisive words he first declined all the king's gifts, and then charged upon him his guilt. Continuing, he proclaimed God as seated high over the thrones of earth and interpreted the writing as indicating God's knowledge of the kingdom and His determination to end it; His estimate of the king; and finally the future of Babylon, as divided among Medes and Persians. With dramatic and terrible force the story declares, "In that night Belshazzar the Chaldean King was slain. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom."

The last scene in the historic portion is in the reign of Darius. Having come into the kingdom, he appointed Daniel as one of three presidents, and proposed to set him over the whole realm. This naturally stirred up jealousy in the hearts of the other presidents and satraps, who with great cunning planned his downfall. Knowing that they would be unable to find occasion against him, save in the matter of his relation to God, they induced the king to sign a decree which would necessarily involve Daniel. His loyalty never swerved; he continued to observe those acts of worship which had been his custom. Against the desire of the king, he was cast into the den of lions, and was supernaturally delivered. This deliverance issued in a proclamation made by Darius, and Daniel prospered through his reign, and in the reign of Cyrus.

B. The Prophetic Light - Daniel 7:1-12:13

During the reign of Belshazzar two visions were granted to Daniel, which constituted the prophetic light of that particular period. The first of these was of four beasts arising from the sea, the last of which had ten horns. In the midst of these there arose another, which destroyed them. The vision then became that of the setting of thrones, and the appearing of the glory of One Who overcame the beasts, and received dominion, and glory, and a Kingdom. These visions troubled Daniel, but an interpretation was given to him, first in general terms. The beasts symbolized four kings, and the final vision indicated that the saints of the Most High should yet receive and possess the Kingdom for ever and for ever. A particular interpretation of the meaning of the fourth beast, and the horns, was vouchsafed to him; and the ultimate value was again declared to be the government of Jehovah, and the final establishment of His Kingdom over all others. The whole matter troubled the prophet, but he kept it in his heart.

Two years later another vision came to him. It was that of a ram with two horns pushing westward, northward, and southward. As he watched, a he-goat attacked the ram, and overcame him, and magnified himself. Four horns appeared, out of one of which there came another, which grew until it had broken down the sanctuary. A voice of a holy one inquired as to how long this should continue, and the answer was given to Daniel. Again he pondered the vision, and sought to understand it, and an interpretation was granted to him. The two-horned ram represented the united power of Media and Persia; the rough he-goat was the king of Greece. Against him a fierce one should arise, succeeding through policy, but ultimately being broken without hand. The effects of the vision upon Daniel was such that he fainted, and was sick. Being restored, he continued to fulfil his office in the kingdom, until the hour came in which, as we have already seen, he interpreted the writing to Belshazzar, and Darius succeeded to the throne.

In the first year of the reign of Darius, Daniel became conscious that the seventy years of judgment upon Jerusalem, foretold by Jeremiah, were drawing to a close. He set himself to personal prayer and penitence on behalf of his people, making confession of their sin, and pleading their cause. He besought the Lord that the reproaches which had fallen upon Jerusalem might be put away, and as the men of vision had so often done, he based his plea upon the honour of the name of the Lord. In the midst of this intercession Gabriel came to him, declaring to him first of all that he was "greatly beloved," urging him to consider the matter, and understand the vision. He then made a revelation to him concerning the Divine programme. Seventy weeks were decreed upon the people and the city. These were divided into three periods, the first of seven weeks, the second of sixty-two weeks, and the third of one week.

The last things were revealed to Daniel in the reign of Cyrus. In the third year of his reign Daniel was mourning and fasting for three weeks. Following this morning there appeared to him, as he was by the river Hiddekel, a Person glorious in appearance, in the presence of Whom he was reduced to weakness, and evidently filled with an overwhelming sense of awe. This glorious One touched him, and then addressed him in words full of tenderness, and subsequently gave him a prophetic history of what should befall his people in the latter days.

That history dealt first with Persia, showing how there should be three kings, and yet a fourth "richer than they all." It then foretold the coming of a mighty king whose kingdom would be divided after his death. Proceeding, it described the conflict between the kings of the north and they of the south in the centuries following, until there should arise one contemptible in person, but gaining the kingdom by flatteries. The reign of this one, undoubtedly Antiochus Epiphanes, is described at greatest length. The last things were then foretold; the coming of Michael, and the subsequent time of trouble; beyond that the resurrection, and the advent of a new age. Daniel was charged to shut the book and seal it to "the time of the end." In mystic language he heard the man clothed in linen swear "by Him that liveth" that these things should be for "a time, times, and a half." Being filled with a sense of mystery, he asked what would "be the issue of these things"; and was answered that the words were "shut up and sealed till the time of the end," and assured that to such as waited there would be blessing, and that he would rest, and yet stand in his lot at the end of the days.