Daniel's Five Visions

Daniel’s Five Visions

R. J. Plugge

Copyright © 2016 R. J. Plugge.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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American King James Version: KJV translation rewritten by M. P. Engelbrite in modern American English as a public domain document; 1999

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV®copyright©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc,® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright ©; 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-5127-5879-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-5878-8 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-5880-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016916193

WestBow Press rev. date: 05/30/2020

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In memory of

I. R. Stockreef, Uncle Bob,

1920–2001.

He walked with Jesus.

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Contents

Preface

Introduction

Chapter 1 Daniel’s Record: Its Organization and Visions

Chapter 2 Vision 1: The Stone and the New Kingdom

Chapter 3 Vision 2: The Kings, the Crowned, and the Saints: The Ascension of the Son of Man

Chapter 4 Vision 3: Detailing Days, Desolation, and Design

Chapter 5 Angels Assisted Daniel

Chapter 6 Vision 4: The Prince and the Calendar

Chapter 7 Vision 5A: Daniel 10: Jesus’ Touch and a Deep Sleep

Chapter 8 Vision 5B: Daniel 11: A Review of the Individual Kings

Chapter 9 Vision 5C: His Mission: The Beginning of the Church Age

Chapter 10 So What? Conclusion and Hope

Appendix A Organization of Daniel

Appendix B An Interval of Kings before the Stone

Appendix C Questions and Answers for and from the Book of Daniel

Bibliography

Dates To Help Define Symbolic Intervals

605 BC: Daniel taken to Babylon

586–587 BC: Destruction of the first Temple

535 BC: Daniel’s last vision

458 BC: Start of the seventy weeks

AD 30: Crucifixion of Jesus

AD 70: Destruction of the second Temple

Preface

About AD 1980, a great many people were predicting the return of Jesus would occur within a decade. That was primarily because 1988 was forty years, or a symbolic lifetime, after the establishment of Israel in 1948. But why? Those people often used the Old Testament book of Daniel in their rationales, but the prominent numbers in Daniel are 70 and 490—not 40. So I began to reread Daniel more carefully, making notes. Unfortunately, some commentaries and references made Daniel seem to be a story without any reference to secular history or a book with only the intent of motivating youth to bravery. Others suggested it must have been written during the second century BC because it matched that history so well. And some writers even seemed to think it was a prophetic warning about a renewed Roman Empire and a special seven-year tribulation period, probably coming soon. But where was that in the book?

So, I wrote a discussion on the five visions of Daniel and printed a few copies for fellow Bible readers. There wasn’t any hint of modern Israel in my discussion. Years later, I finally realized the absolute requirement of having hard copies printed, especially since computer software and computers get upgraded, and sometimes everything is lost. This document is essentially a rewrite of that earlier text using different software to enable printing a hard copy as well as incorporate a precious few new comments and criticisms.

Almost all the Bible verses reproduced here have been taken from the marvelous American King James Version (AKJV) published by Michael Engelbrite as an open public domain document. It’s often included in computer software packages. I’ve inserted clarifying interpretations and identities into the verses using square brackets. Occasionally, verses from other translations, such as the New International Version of the Bible (NIV) or the New King James Version of the Bible (NKJV), have been included for comparison. I have indicated this when appropriate.

I have heavily emphasized biblical numerology. God has been amazingly consistent in the use of symbols and numerology throughout the whole of scripture. Both are especially important in Daniel since his visions occurred within Mesopotamian Babylon during the sixth century BC, when numerology and astrology were aggressively applied.

The book of Daniel was included in the Septuagint, the early Greek translation of the Bible. Whether that was soon after the initial translation of the Torah, which took place about 275 BC, or much later seems to be unknown. But it’s likely all of the Hebrew Scriptures were included by about 250 BC, well before some of the Seleucid persecution of Jerusalem that Daniel foretells. However, many believe Daniel and Esther weren’t included until the reign of the Maccabeans. History has verified the fulfillment of the prophetic visions given to Daniel, and archeological findings have verified details once thought to not accurately reflect conditions during the sixth century BC. God knows the end from the beginning and He has control over events affecting His people.

Timeline Anticipating the Anointed One: Daniel 9:24-27

Daniel 9:24:

Seventy weeks [seventy times seven years] are determined on your people [Israel] and on your holy city [Jerusalem], to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy [Jesus].

Note the phrases your holy city Jerusalem and your people.

Daniel 9:25:

Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem to the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks [seven times seven years], and three score and two weeks [sixty-two times seven years]: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

Note the phrase Messiah the Prince. The word translated weeks indicates sevened, in this case seven years or a week of years. (Lev.25:5; 26:18f)

Daniel 9:26

And after three score and two weeks [sixty-two times seven years] shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and to the end of the war desolations are determined.

Note that Messiah will be cut off after the sixty-two times seven years.

Daniel 9:27

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week [seven years]: and in the middle of the week [after three and a half years] he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured on the desolate.

Note the word confirm.

Introduction

Few in America today know anything about the Korean War, even though it took place less than three score and six years ago—and never officially ended. Only a few still shiver at a thought of the Chosin Reservoir, remember the despair as unprepared young men filled gaps along the Pusan perimeter, or recall the pride in MacArthur’s daring landing at Incheon. Those events are rapidly fading into the mists of yesteryears and are scarcely recalled even within histories. So it’s no wonder that mighty empires long past are almost forgotten, especially those God said would be blown away by the wind (Dan. 2:35). However, to understand the marvelous messages within the Bible’s Old Testament book of Daniel, the history of several empires must be properly viewed. God’s prophetic foretelling was revealed in the visions given to Daniel, and these precise verifications should give pause to any who would doubt God’s hand in earthly affairs or the power of His wrath. God’s power makes the thoughtful fall on their knees in awe.

To understand the book of Daniel, some understanding of the history of the Middle East and Jerusalem between 609 BC and AD 70 has to be known or readily available. That time interval—333 BC to 140 BC—which contained the Greek Hellenistic kingdoms, their development, and their segmenting before the rise of the Roman Empire, is particularly important. After the Babylonian exile, the influences of the Ptolemaic Egyptian Empire and the Seleucid Syrian Empire on the redevelopment of the Judean Kingdom are especially important. They are part of the background for much in the visions Daniel reports, as are portions of the prophetic messages from Isaiah and Jeremiah. Many students will be surprised to learn that the presence of the Roman Empire can only be inferred from a couple of sentences within the book of Daniel.

The book of Daniel reports some of the events that occurred within the life of a Judean man named Daniel. The events began when he was a young man living with the royal families, the bright and handsome individuals, and the nobility taken from Jerusalem into Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar after the king’s Chaldean forces first subdued Judea in 605 BC (Dan. 1:3–4).

The name Daniel is understood to mean God is my judge, or perhaps God judges, which is a very appropriate theme for the content of this book. While there are many lessons to be learned within the entire book of Daniel, only those five visions given to Daniel will be discussed in this monograph.

Daniel himself wrote much of the book of Daniel in the first person. He had devoted friends whom he later placed in high positions within the Chaldean government. After the first vision, Daniel was given a governing role directly under the Babylonian king. So it’s likely his friends or colleagues provided, or edited, the bulk of the remaining descriptive dialogue with him.

The book of Daniel was written more than five centuries before the first coming of Jesus in Nazareth. But Jesus as the foretold Branch, Savior, Messiah, and King is foreseen and announced in Daniel’s five visions. Daniel’s visions even foretell how to identify the year of Christ’s coming. Jesus is king now! The kingdom of God on the earth exists now! The Lord is still in charge of earthly events today, just as He was for Daniel!

The five visions given to Daniel are listed in table 1 below.

Table 1: The Visions in Daniel

The Book’s Purpose

As had been prophesied by Jeremiah, King Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, captured Jerusalem and took the leadership of Judea into their foretold seventy-year exile (Jer. 20). The book of Daniel is a written record based on some of the events in and around the life of one of those Judeans from Jerusalem named Daniel. He was taken from Jerusalem to Babylon in 605 BC. He was likely about fourteen years old at that time (estimates range from twelve to fourteen, or maybe even slightly older since he was already well schooled in the Torah). King Nebuchadnezzar was perhaps only ten years older. Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar almost grew up together, and there was a definite fondness between them that lasted throughout their lifetimes.

The book of Daniel was prepared to show the whole people of Israel—all thirteen tribes—that they were not abandoned. At that time, some of the people were from the northern kingdom of Israel, and some were from the kingdom of Judah. But they were still a people of God. However, they were in exile away from their Promised Land (Dan. 9:2). Daniel informed them they were still to have a future (Dan. 3:28, 9:2, 10:1). That future would last for a long time, but not forever (Dan. 10:14). Ancient Israel’s days were numbered (Dan. 9.27, 12:7). Only a remnant would remain for future restoration (Jer. 31:37, 33:19–26; Rom. 11).

Other kingdoms would come and go, but the Israelites would continue—at least for a specified time (Dan. 12:44, 7:17–18, 8:14, 17, 26, 11:45). And in that specified long time, they would have troubles (Dan. 10:1). In writing this book, Daniel was also warning ancient Israel that their last days would be their worst (Dan. 12:1). They certainly were.

Through Daniel, the Israelites were also being foretold that there would be a series of rulers over Jerusalem—and then one very hurtful ruler, a beastly king (Dan. 7:7). He would reign shortly before Jerusalem would regain independent rule (Dan. 7:9, 21, 22, 8:10, 19, 25, 11:36). Fortunately, in those days the Promised One for Israel would come (Dan. 7:13, 14, 8:25, 12:1). But even then there would still be a terrible period coming—the worst their nation had ever known (Dan. 12:1).

Long before Jesus the Messiah was to come, the days of the Anointed One’s earthly service were specifically numbered within Daniel. A timeline until His appearance was also given (Dan. 9:25–27, 11:2–45, 12:12). But this book promised that the Messiah’s kingdom would definitely come, and it did (Dan. 2:35; Acts 2:17). His kingdom would, at least temporarily, replace national Israel as the people of faith (Dan. 2:35, 12:1).

Though the book of Daniel was written to, and for, Israel, the church needs to hear its messages. The behavior and history of the Christian church has had many developmental parallels and many of the same general patterns that ancient Israel experienced. Not only does the church need to learn from the behavioral lessons and from the examples of firm resolution found in Daniel, but it also needs to understand God’s relationship and dealing with the people of promise.

The Promised One’s kingdom was also to be different (Dan. 2:35, 12:1, 3, 10). His coming kingdom was destined to last forever and to grow to fill the whole earth (Dan. 2:35). All the previous powers over Jerusalem before the Messiah’s coming would be blown away and forgotten. The worldly kingdoms over Jerusalem would end, but so would that of restored Judea (Dan. 2:35, 12.6). Daniel’s received visions showed that there would be (and historically there later was) a time of the end (Dan. 9:24, 11:35, 12:4). And the end of that order experienced within ancient Israel came, and the beginning of a new age dawned just as Daniel foretold. All the visions in Daniel were fulfilled!

Prophetic Literature

Daniel is usually considered a writing—not prophetic or apocalyptic, and probably not a history. But it is history. It is also prophetic. And many now view it as pending apocalyptic literature. That’s the main reason it draws so much interest. By its very nature, prophetic literature speaks for God and generally gives (or gave) insight into the future, since God knows the end from the beginning. Today curious people often hope that ancient prophetic writings will explain what tomorrow’s newspapers will bring. The book of Daniel once did. But that’s because it foresaw events that were still in the future at the time his visions were being experienced and recorded.

Sadly, the book of Daniel is one of today’s most abused, misused, and misinterpreted books of the Bible. Speakers continue to claim that it may yet be fulfilled someday and that it’s likely to be fulfilled very soon. So they shout, Be prepared! Be prepared, they mean, for some coming doom or for a new kingdom. But they ignore the fact that this book’s fulfillment was in Christ’s first coming—and that God is still in control. Hallelujah!

Does Daniel tell us of the church’s end time? No. Does Daniel tell