Nor did they bow down to the king's image, even under penalty of death. These first six chapters tell familiar stories of Daniel and his three friends being selected for service to the king and then chosing not to eat the king's food. After completing this training, Daniel served in the government during the reigns of six rulers including Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Darius, and Cyrus. The most talented of the exiles are selected for three years of training, after which they will serve in Nebuchadnezzar's government as administrators. As the book opens, Daniel along with 10,000 other Jews had just been deported to Babylon fron Judea by Nebuchadnezzar. These chapters record six distinct events that took place over a 70-year period from about 605 BC to 535 BC. In this Bible study, we will only be looking at the history portion of the book (Chapters 1 to 6). They are written in a somewhat different style and, as we'll see in the study of Chapter 1, there is vigorous controversy as to when it was actually set down on paper and by who. The book of Daniel is almost two separate books, Chapters 1 to 6 that describe six incidents in the life of Daniel and his friends (history), and Chapters 7 to 12, which are visions and prophecy. A conspiracy against him led him to be thrown into a den of lions.Bible Study on Daniel Chapters 1 to 6 - Introduction Daniel Chapters 1 to 6 ~ Introduction Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego got thrown into a fiery furnace for not worshipping a golden image of the king. Although he and his three friends held prominent positions in the government, they were not immune from persecution. He also received a prophecy concerning the end time King of the North and South - the Bible's longest prophecy (chapter 10 - 12).ĭaniel eventually became a chief advisor to the King, then the third ruler of the entire kingdom. He also received the seventy weeks prophecy that foretells the birth of Jesus and his death in 30 A.D. They represented the then-future empires of Persia, Macedonia (under Alexander the Great) and the four smaller kingdoms created after Alexander's death (chapter 8). He was given an interpretation of a dream he had where he saw a ram and goat. He additionally interpreted the "handwriting on the wall," written by the finger of God, that prophesied the end of the Babylonian empire (chapter 5) and the start of the Persian Empire.
This tree represented the king's life of vanity and self-promotion and his punishment of receiving the mind of an animal for seven years.ĭaniel was also given the interpretation of his own dream of four great beasts which are symbolic of world-ruling empires (chapter 7). Daniel also interpretred the king's dream of a large tree cut down (chapter 4). The image represents world empires from the time of Babylon to the End Time just before Jesus' return (chapter 2). He interpreted Nebuchadnezzar's dream of a large image of a man. He soon became known for his understand of "visions and dreams." The prophecies interpreted by (or given to) him include the following.
At an early age, he and his three friends received positions as "wise men" serving the king. He received special training in the royal court of Babylon. The Jewish historian Josephus alludes to this fact in his book on the history of the Jews (Antiquities of the Jews, Book 10, Chapter 10). It is in Babylon that Daniel and his three friends, out of a tradition of kings, are likely made eunuchs for life. They are transported to Babylon while still children (Daniel 1:2 - 4, 6).
It was during King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon's first of three attacks against Jerusalem that he and his three friends (their Chaldean or Babylonian names were Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego) become captives. His name means 'judgment of God' or 'God my judge.' He was born into Judah's royal family and was likely a relative of King Zedekiah. Daniel will be the next life we will review in our timeline.
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