Of all the Old Testament prophets, Daniel is probably the one with whom we are most familiar. There are numerous practical lessons to be learned from the life of this young man who purposed in his heart not to defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat (Dan. 1:8). His faithfulness is recorded by Ezekiel (Ezek. 14:14), and as a faithful one amidst a Gentile nation, he is a picture to us of the Jewish remnant in a coming day.
As a prophet in the court of Gentile kings, he is occupied with the “Times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24). From verse 4 of chapter 2 Through to the close of chapter 7, the book is written in Aramaic (Syriac, Dan. 2:4). The Gentile conquerors had in their language the mind of God regarding the authority that they had received from Him.
The book may be divided into two parts. The first six chapters give us the history of the monarchs from Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Cyrus the Persian (Dan. 6:28) and Daniel’s interaction with them. Here are to be found general principles concerning the times of the Gentiles. The details of this period are covered in the remaining six chapters in Daniel’s visions.
There are four Gentile nations beginning with the Babylonian empire (under Nebuchadnezzar). That kingdom would be succeeded by the Persian (under Cyrus), which in turn would be overtaken by the Grecian (Alexander the Great). A final empire, the Roman Empire, would conquer the Greeks.
Daniel lived to see the grandeur of the Babylonian empire and its fall to the Medes and Persians, but not beyond; yet the detail in which he describes future events is extraordinary—sufficient to confound historians. Though the Roman Empire declined and collapsed, no superseding kingdom rose in its place. In a coming day the Roman Empire will reappear in its final form as a ten-nation confederacy—a beast dreadful and terrible (Dan. 7:7).
In this book, we also find that seventy weeks (or periods of seven) are determined upon Daniel’s people (the Jews) and upon the holy city Jerusalem (Dan. 9:24). From the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem (Neh. 2) until Messiah the Prince, would be sixty-nine weeks (seven plus sixty-two; Dan. 9:25-26). When each week is taken as seven years, we find that the sixty-nine weeks, or 483 years, have been fulfilled precisely.
Further, a prince will come (of the people that would destroy Jerusalem—the Romans) and will confirm a covenant with the many for one week. This is the final and seventieth week (Dan. 9:26-27).
The seventy weeks close with the bringing in of everlasting righteousness (Dan. 9:24). Clearly this is still future. The final terrifying week, a seven-year period, divided into two three-and-a-half year periods, is future (Dan. 9:27, 7:25). This present day of grace in which we live, from Christ to the Rapture, is omitted in this timeline, for the “seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city” (Dan. 9:24).