Prophets of the Persian Period © John Stevenson, 2010.

Prophets of Prophets of the Persian Periodthe Persian Period

© John Stevenson, 2010

Session ObjectivesSession Objectives• Recognize the theme of the book of Recognize the theme of the book of

Daniel and distinguish between the two Daniel and distinguish between the two major sectionsmajor sections

• See the characteristics of apocalyptic See the characteristics of apocalyptic literature.literature.

• Focus on the two major sections of Focus on the two major sections of Daniel and classify the ways in which Daniel and classify the ways in which each story/vision in the section each story/vision in the section contributes to the book’s major theme. contributes to the book’s major theme.

Course ObjectivesCourse Objectives• Look in detail at several of the Minor Look in detail at several of the Minor

Prophets to distinguish the primary Prophets to distinguish the primary message of the book and assess what message of the book and assess what appropriate applications may be made appropriate applications may be made to life today.to life today.

Statesman-ProphetStatesman-Prophet

Amos

The Prophet of Social Justice

610 600 590 580 570 560 550 540 530

Kings of Judah

Obadiah?

Jeremiah

Daniel

Ezekiel

Zephaniah

Habakkuk

Joel? Jerusalem & Temple Destroyed

ReturnfromExile

Babylonian Captivity

Daniel 1:1Daniel 1:1In the third year of the reign of

Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchad-nezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his god.

Jerusalem

Carchemish

BabylonNebuchadnezzar

PharaohNeco

Jerusalem

Carchemish

BabylonNebuchadnezzar

PharaohNeco

1:1 8:1

Written in the Third PersonWritten in the First

Person

Seven Historical Seven Historical NarrativesNarratives

Four Prophetic Four Prophetic VisionsVisions

Features of the BookFeatures of the Book

• Partially written in AramaicPartially written in Aramaic

1:1 8:1

Written in the Third PersonWritten in the First

Person

Seven Historical Seven Historical NarrativesNarratives

Four Prophetic Four Prophetic VisionsVisions

Written in Aramaic

Written in HebrewHebrew

Prophetic History relating to the Gentiles

Prophetic History relating to the Jews

Prologue

Features of the BookFeatures of the Book

• Partially written in AramaicPartially written in Aramaic• Emphasis on the KingdomEmphasis on the Kingdom

• Emphasis on PrayerEmphasis on Prayer

• The Spiritual BattleThe Spiritual Battle

Daniel and EzekielDaniel and Ezekiel

Ezekiel Daniel

A priest who spoke of matters of spirit

A statesman who spoke of matters of state

Emphasizes times of Israel’s glory

Emphasizes times of Gentile’s glory

Residence as a prisoner Residence in a palace

Focus on Israel and the Jews

Focus on Gentiles and the world

Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon

A Commitment to PurityA Commitment to Purity

Daniel 1:8Daniel 1:8But Daniel made up his mind that

he would not defile himself with the king's choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself.

Daniel 1:19Daniel 1:19The king talked with them, and

out of them all not one was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s personal service.

Daniel 1:20-21Daniel 1:20-21As for every matter of wisdom

and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm. 21 And Daniel continued until the first year of Cyrus the king.

Dream of image of the four kingdoms (2)Dream of image of the four kingdoms (2)

Rescue of Daniel’s friends from the fiery Rescue of Daniel’s friends from the fiery furnace (3)furnace (3)

Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the treeNebuchadnezzar’s dream of the treeDaniel’s interpretationDaniel’s interpretationNebuchadnezzar’s humiliation (4)Nebuchadnezzar’s humiliation (4)

Belshazzar’s handwriting on the wallBelshazzar’s handwriting on the wallDaniel’s interpretationDaniel’s interpretationBelshazzar’s death (5)Belshazzar’s death (5)

Rescue of Daniel from the lion’s den (6)Rescue of Daniel from the lion’s den (6)

Night vision of the four beasts (7)Night vision of the four beasts (7)

Daniel 2Daniel 2Vision of a great

statue

Daniel 7Daniel 7Meaning

Kings & Kingdoms

Vision of beasts from the sea

Head of fine gold Babylon Lion with wingsBreast & arms of

silverMedes &

PersiaBear with three ribs in its teeth

Daniel 2Daniel 2Vision of a great

statue

Daniel 7Daniel 7Meaning

Kings & Kingdoms

Vision of beasts from the sea

Head of fine gold Babylon Lion with wingsBreast & arms of

silverMedes &

PersiaBear with three ribs in its teeth

Belly & thighs of bronze

Greek Empire

Leopard with 4 wings & 4 heads

Daniel 2Daniel 2Vision of a great

statue

Daniel 7Daniel 7Meaning

Kings & Kingdoms

Vision of beasts from the sea

Head of fine gold Babylon Lion with wingsBreast & arms of

silverMedes &

PersiaBear with three ribs in its teeth

Belly & thighs of bronze

Greek Empire

Leopard with 4 wings & 4 heads

Legs of iron & clay; ten toes

Antiochus?

Rome?

Beast with iron teeth & ten horns

Daniel 2Daniel 2 Daniel 7Daniel 7MeaningAll previous kingdoms

destroyed by the stone cut without

hands

Coming of the Lord and His Kingdom

Ancient of Days takes his seat and passes judgment

A new kingdom that will never be destroyed (2:44)

His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom (7:27)

Lessons from Daniel 7Lessons from Daniel 7

• Earthly power in and of itself Earthly power in and of itself degenerates into brutality. degenerates into brutality.

• It is the tendency of brutality to It is the tendency of brutality to increase. increase.

• Restoration is an act of God, not Restoration is an act of God, not of man.of man.

Daniel 7Dream comes in the

first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon

Daniel 8Vision given in the third

year of the reign of Belshazzar the king

Successive beasts rise up out of the ocean

• Babylon• Medes & Persia• Greece• Other Kingdom

A ram standing by a canal is attacked by a goat coming from the

west • Medes & Persia• Greece

Terrible beast has ten horns

Large horn broken; gives way to ten horns

Out comes a smallhorn that…

Out comes a smallhorn that…

Daniel 7 Daniel 8

• Pulls up three previous horns

• Utters great boasts

• Alterations in times and law

• Wages war against saints and wins against them

• Grows exceedingly

• Magnifies itself against heaven

• Removes regular sacrifice & throws down the temple

• Flings truth to the ground

Daniel 7 Daniel 8Saints are given into his hand for a time,

times, and half a time

Endures for 2300 mornings and evenings

Then sovereignty, dominion, and

greatness are given to the saints of the Most

High

Then the holy place will be properly restored

Daniel 11:2Daniel 11:2And now I will tell you the truth.

Behold, three more kings are going to arise in Persia. Then a fourth will gain far more riches than all of them; as soon as he becomes strong through his riches, he will arouse the whole empire against the realm of Greece

Daniel 11:3Daniel 11:3And a mighty king

will arise, and he will rule with great authority and do as he pleases.

Daniel 11:4Daniel 11:4But as soon as he has arisen, his

kingdom will be broken up and parceled out toward the four points of the compass, though not to his own descendants, nor according to his authority which he wielded; for his sovereignty will be uprooted and given

to others besides them.

““To the To the strongest!”strongest!”

Daniel 11:5Daniel 11:5Then the king of the South will

grow strong, along with one of his princes who will gain ascendancy over him and obtain dominion; his domain will be a great dominion

indeed.

Daniel 11:6Daniel 11:6And after some years they will

form an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the South will come to the king of the North to carry out a peaceful arrangement. But she will not retain her position of power, nor will he remain with his power, but she will be given up, along with those who brought her in, and the one who sired her, as well as he who supported her in those times.

• Antiochus IV• Hostage in Rome• Escape• Appointments in Judah

Antiochus imposed the Antiochus imposed the following regulationsfollowing regulations

• Jews could not assemble for prayer

• Observance of the Sabbath forbidden

• Possession of the Scriptures illegal

• Circumcision was illegal

• Dietary laws illegal

• Pagan sacrifices mandated

• Maccabean Revolt• 166 B.C.• Mattathias• Temple liberated

Daniel 11:29-30Daniel 11:29-30At the appointed time he will return

and come into the South, but this last time it will not turn out the way it did before. 30 For ships of Kittim will come against him; therefore he will be disheartened and will return and become enraged at the holy covenant and take action; so he will come back and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant.

Daniel 11:31Daniel 11:31And forces from him will arise,

desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they

will set up the abomination of desolation.

Antiochus EpiphanesAntiochus Epiphanes• Comes on the heels of Alexander’s Comes on the heels of Alexander’s

generalsgenerals

• Magnifies itself against the Jews and Magnifies itself against the Jews and against their Godagainst their God

• He puts a stop to the sacrificial system He puts a stop to the sacrificial system and makes alterations to the Lawand makes alterations to the Law

• He attempts to overturn the truth of the He attempts to overturn the truth of the ScripturesScriptures

• He has power over the nation of IsraelHe has power over the nation of Israel

• His sway over the Temple endures for His sway over the Temple endures for approximately 3 and a half years (2300 approximately 3 and a half years (2300 mornings and evenings).mornings and evenings).

• Then the holy place is ultimately properly Then the holy place is ultimately properly restoredrestored

Antiochus EpiphanesAntiochus Epiphanes

Daniel 12:1Daniel 12:1Now at that time Michael, the great

prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued.

““A time of distress…”A time of distress…”

• Abomination of Desolation brought Abomination of Desolation brought by Antiochus Epiphanes in 168 by Antiochus Epiphanes in 168 B.C.B.C.

• Destruction of the Temple brought Destruction of the Temple brought by Titus in A.D. 70by Titus in A.D. 70

• The Final JudgmentThe Final Judgment

Daniel 12:2Daniel 12:2And many of those who sleep in the

dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.

Daniel 12:4Daniel 12:4But as for you, Daniel, conceal

these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase.

Daniel 9Daniel 9

Daniel 9:1-2Daniel 9:1-2In the first year of Darius the son of

Ahasuerus, of Median descent, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans-- 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was revealed as the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.

Daniel 9:3Daniel 9:3So I gave my attention to the Lord

God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes.

Daniel 9:4-5Daniel 9:4-5I prayed to the LORD my God and

confessed and said, “Alas, O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His command-ments, 5 we have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly and rebelled, even turning aside from Your command-ments and ordinances.”

Daniel 9:6Daniel 9:6“Moreover, we have not listened to

Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers and all the people of the land.”

Daniel 9:20-21Daniel 9:20-21Now while I was speaking and

praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God in behalf of the holy mountain of my God, 21 while I was still speaking in prayer, then the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision previously, came to me in my extreme weariness about the time of the evening offering.

Daniel 9:24Daniel 9:24Seventy weeks have been decreed

for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place.

Seventy SevensSeventy Sevens• To finish the transgression

• To make an end of sin

• To make atonement for iniquity

• To bring in everlasting righteousness

• To seal up vision and prophecy

• To anoint the most holy place

Daniel 9:25Daniel 9:25So you are to know and discern

that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress.

Daniel 9:26Daniel 9:26Then after the sixty-two weeks the

Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.

Author

Cyrus

Bible

Ezra 1:1-4

Date

539

Decree

Jews allowed to return & rebuild

temple

Darius Ezra 6:8-12

520 Jews allowed to complete the

temple

Artaxerxes Ezra 7:11-28

457 Ezra brings another return

Artaxerxes Neh. 1 445 Nehemiah allowed to rebuild walls

Date for giving the decreeDate for giving the decree

Cyrus Ezra 1:1-4

539

Plus 483 Plus 483 yearsyears

Darius Ezra 6:8-12

520

Artaxerxes Ezra 7:11-28

457

Artaxerxes Neh. 1 445

56 B.C.

37 B.C.

27 A.D.

39 A.D.

605 B.C.605 B.C. 171 B.C.171 B.C.62 Weeks62 Weeks(434 Years)(434 Years)

First fall of First fall of JerusalemJerusalem

Murder Murder of High of High PriestPriest

Middle of Middle of 7070thth week week

temple temple desecrated desecrated

by Antiochus by Antiochus IVIV7 Weeks7 Weeks

(49 Years)(49 Years)

587 B.C. 587 B.C. Temple Temple

destroyeddestroyed

538 B.C. 538 B.C. Temple to Temple to be rebuildbe rebuild

444 B.C.444 B.C.

RaptureRapture

69 Weeks69 Weeks(adapted years)(adapted years)

Order to Order to rebuild rebuild walls of walls of

JerusalemJerusalemCrucifixion Crucifixion of Christof Christ

( )Church Church AgeAge

7070thth WeekWeek

22ndnd Coming Coming of Christof Christ

457 B.C.457 B.C.

Beginning Beginning of ministry of ministry of Jesusof Jesus

69 Weeks69 Weeks

First order First order to rebuild to rebuild walls of walls of

JerusalemJerusalem

7070thth WeekWeek Jerusalem Jerusalem

destroyeddestroyed

For we are slaves; yet in our bondage For we are slaves; yet in our bondage our God has not forsaken us, but has our God has not forsaken us, but has extended lovingkindness to us in the extended lovingkindness to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us sight of the kings of Persia, to give us reviving to raise up the house of our reviving to raise up the house of our

God, to restore its ruins and to give us God, to restore its ruins and to give us a a wallwall in Judah and Jerusalem. in Judah and Jerusalem.

(Ezra 9:9).(Ezra 9:9).

Daniel 9:26Daniel 9:26Then after the sixty-two weeks the

Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.

Daniel 9:27Daniel 9:27And he will make a firm covenant

with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.

Construction: From the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem

Messiah: …until Messiah the Prince

Construction: …it will be built again

Messiah: Messiah will be cut offAnti-messiah: …and the people of the prince who is to come

Destruction: …will destroy the city and the sanctuary; desolations are determined

Messiah: He will make a firm covenant with the many for one week

Destruction: He will put a stop to the sacrifice and grain offering

Therefore when you see the Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which abomination of desolation which

was spoken of through Daniel the was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), (let the reader understand), 1616 then then those who are in Judea must flee those who are in Judea must flee

to the mountains. to the mountains. (Matthew 24:15-16)(Matthew 24:15-16)

Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out

that are in his house. 18 Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those

who are nursing babies in those days! 20 But pray that your flight will

not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath.

(Matthew 24:17-20)(Matthew 24:17-20)

For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not

occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.

(Matthew 24:21)(Matthew 24:21)

“...the entire nation was now shut up by fate as in a prison,

and the Roman army encompassed the city when it was crowded with inhabitants. Accordingly, the multitude of those that therein perished

exceeded all the destructions that either men or God ever

brought upon the world.” (Wars of the Jews 6:9:4).