This document provides an overview and analysis of chapters 6-9 of the Book of Daniel. It summarizes the key events and visions in these chapters. The document also discusses the genre of apocalyptic literature, noting that it uses symbolic visions and supernatural beings to convey messages of hope about God's ultimate victory during times of crisis. Specifically, Daniel 7 is analyzed in depth, with identification of the four kingdoms represented by beasts in the vision, as well as the "one like a son of man" who contrasts with these kingdoms. Guidance is provided on properly interpreting apocalyptic literature.

1. DANIEL
Day 4: chapters 6–9

2. Daniel 6

3. Who is Darius?

4. Ugbaru (=Gobryas) –
Persian general who
captured Babylon?

5. Gubaru – governor of
Babylon?

6. Cambyses – son of Cyrus?

7. Cyrus?

8. Rubens

9. Briton Rivière

10. Daniel
7 – 12

11. A God vindicates his faithful servants (1)
B Nebuchadnezzar’s dream: 4 kingdoms (2)
C God rescues his faithful witnesses (3)
D Warning for king; redemption (4)
E Warning for king; judgment (5)
F God rescues his faithful witness (6)
G Daniel’s dream: 4 kingdoms (7)
H Details of post-Babylonian kingdoms (8)
I Jerusalem restored (9)
J More on post-Babylonian kingdoms (10–12)

12. ‘‘Chapter 7 is ‘the single most
important chapter of the Book of
Daniel. Its position is pivotal, both in
terms of the architecture of the book
as a whole and in terms of the
brilliance of the vision which it
contains.’
Sibley Towner

13. ‘‘Once convinced of the truth this
chapter is proclaiming, the reader is
in possession of the key to history.
Joyce Baldwin

14. 1 Daniel refuses to
compromise
2 Nebuchadnezzar’s
dream: kingdoms
10–12 Writing of
truth
5 Writing on the
wall
9 Jerusalem:
discipline/restoration
4 Nebuchadnezzar:
discipline/restoration
8 ‘None can deliver
out of his hand’
7 Daniel’s dream:
kingdoms
6 Daniel refuses to
compromise
3 ‘No god can deliver
out of his hand’

15. 7 First year of Belshazzar (553 BC)
8 Third year of Belshazzar (551 BC)
9 First year of Darius (539 BC)
10–12 Third year of Cyrus (537 BC)

16. symbolic visions (7, 8)

17. Standard vision report
a. Introduction
b. Report of the vision
c. End of the vision
d. Prophet’s reaction
7:1
7:2–27
7:28a
7:28b
8:1
8:2–25
8:26
8:27

18. ‘epiphany vision’ (9, 10–12)

19. ‘Epiphany visions’ in Daniel
a. Circumstances
b. Prayer
c. Messenger
appears
d. Reassuring
message
e. Revelation
f. Charge
9:1–2
9:3–19
9:20–21
9:22–23
9:24–27
10:1
10:2–3
10:4–9
10:10 – 11:1
11:2 – 12:3
12:4

20. Understanding
apocalyptic
literature

21. ‘‘It's ‘a “911” genre, for times of
emergency – not just the stress of
routine problems – times when the
ordinary means for addressing life’s
difficulties are simply not sufficient.”
Thomas Long

22. prophetic visions

23. narrative framework

24. revelation mediated by an
otherworldly being

25. concerns the interaction
between this world and a
supernatural reality

26. ultimately about
eschatological salvation

27. ‘‘Apocalyptic literature draws back
the curtains and allows the reader to
see the eschatological victory of
God, which has already been
achieved over whatever forces are,
even at the moment, crippling the
community of faith.’
Thomas Long

28. ‘‘Apocalyptic literature is ‘intended to
interpret present, earthly
circumstances in light of the
supernatural world and of the future,
and to influence both the
understanding and behaviour of the
audience by means of divine
authority.’
SBL

29. Eight common features
• ‘Temporal dualism’
• Pessimism about the present; optimism
about the future
• Viewing history as distinct periods
• Expectation of God’s imminent arrival

30. Eight common features
• Cosmic perspective
• Righteous people being vindicated
• Involvement of supernatural beings
• A messianic element
Daniel Block

31. ‘‘The intention of apocalyptic is not to
chart out God’s plan for the future
so future generations may draw up
calendars but to assure the present
generation that — perhaps contrary
to appearance — God is still on the
throne . . . and that the future is
firmly in his hands.
Daniel Block

32. ‘‘Apocalyptic tends to be impression-
istic, more like an abstract painting
which communicates an overall
impression. . . . Sometimes the
details in apocalyptic are for
dramatic effect; there may be no
significance other than how the
imagery of the scene is enhanced by
the details. . . .

33. ‘‘. . . The details in apocalyptic must
not be seen as allegorical in the
sense that each detail has a
corresponding reality.
Brent Sandy and Martin Abegg

34. don’t interpret everything
symbolically

35. don’t interpret everything
spiritually

36. don't think it’s all
about the future

37. don't think it’s all
about the past

38. focus on the main point

39. ‘‘The key to the interpretation of
images is to find the point of
connection [between the images and
their intended meaning] and not
push the peripheral elements of the
comparison. . . .

40. ‘‘. . . This means we will be left with a
gray area in our interpretation. Some
of the points of comparison will be
obvious, but others will not be. At
such points we need to hold back
and not insist on our interpretation.
Tremper Longman III

41. identify the scenes and
characters

42. identify the plot line

43. climax
setting
description
of vision
rising tension –
request for
interpretation
interpretation
conclusion
perhaps with
prophet’s reaction

44. Daniel 7

45. sea = chaos
© Stuart McKiggan, used under a Creative Commons licence

46. ?
What are the scenes in Daniel 7, and what
characters are involved?
Try to identify the plot line.

47. ?
Compare the beasts in Daniel 7:3–8,19–25
with the statue in Daniel 2:31–43.
What similarities are there?
What are the differences?
If Daniel 2 is a human perspective
and Daniel 7 is God’s perspective,
how does that help us understand
the difference?

48. Shumma Izbu
© British Museum. Used by permission.

49. Four kingdoms

50. 1. Lion = Babylonia
(605–539 BC)
Daniel 7:4 (cf 2:37–38)

51. lamassu
© British Museum. Used by permission.

52. 2. Bear = Medo-Persia
(539–331 BC)
Daniel 7:5 (cf. 2:39; 8:3)

53. 3. Leopard = Greece
(331–63 BC)
Daniel 7:6 (cf 2:39; 8:8; 11:3–4)

54. 4. Beast with iron teeth =
Rome (63 BC – AD 476/1453)
Daniel 7:7–8,19–25 (cf 2:40–43)

55. ‘‘Rome showed itself to be the first
truly universal empire of antiquity.
Rome was characterized by its
conquering and crushing power and
by its ability to consolidate the
territories which it seized.
E.J. Young

56. 10 horns

57. horned
crown
© British Museum. Used by permission.

58. little horn

59. the little horn in Dan. 7:7–8
is not
the little horn in Dan. 8:9–12

60. little horn in
Daniel 8 =
Antiochus IV
Epiphanes
(215 BC – 164 BC)
© Jniemenmaa, used under a
Creative Commons licence

61. little horn in Daniel 7
= antichrist /
man of lawlessness
1 John 2:18,22; 4:3; 2 Thessalonians 2:3–10

62. one like a son of man
Daniel 7:13–14

63. ?
How is the ‘one like a son of man’
contrasted to the four beasts?

64. one like a son of man
= the Son of Man

65. ‘‘When people heard Jesus use the
term “son of man” for himself, they
had to decide which type of “son of
man” he was. Technically he was
both, but it took faith to believe he
was like the “son of man” in Daniel
ESV Study Bible

66. www.tonywatkins.uk