Now we begin what many consider to be the meat of prophecy. Daniel, and then Revelation, will not only paint a picture to which we can relate, we will also have enough details that we can test the Bible’s validity in our modern world. Remember, we are still on a quest to find a trustworthy source of communication from God. We need strong evidence that the Bible is reliable before we commit to its teachings. The timeline of Daniel, overlaid on Moses and Adam, will provide a comprehensive and inspiring foundation on which to base our faith.

Daniel was one of the many members of the royal family in Jerusalem when Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, raided the city before returning years later to destroy it. Daniel, probably in his teens, was taken captive to Babylon to be trained to serve the king. This happened about 600b.c., which was about 800 years after the Exodus. (I will keep dates simplified to round numbers unless necessary.)

More important than when, is why? Why were any Israelites in captivity in any foreign nation? For one reason alone, God gave them up.

“In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.” (Daniel 1:1-2)

Generation after generation, king after king, God had prophet after prophet to the people of Israel to try to persuade them to work along the lines of Moses’ plan. Through miracles, messages, and judgments God demonstrated His willingness either to help or to discipline the backsliding, rebellious nation. God wanted Israel to be the world empire of peace, but now through Daniel in Babylon, He was about to signal a change in plan. Israel was still to repent, reform, and evangelize the world, but not from the vantage point of empire. They were to be one nation among many ruled over by other empires. Blessings rejected are blessings removed.

What we are about to see in the prophecies of Daniel is a fourfold repetition of 2500 years of history. The empires we read about in history books and the condition of the world today were all foretold by the prophet in Babylon.

Daniel lays down a single timeline in harmony with the previous ones, but he does so by going over it four times. This is something like a painter who first puts down washes of color for the background, then adds a layer of landcape, then another layer of detailed trees and animals and people. The completed scene emerges in stages. Similarly, we will look at chapter 2, then chapter 7, then chapters 8 and 9, then chapters 11 and 12. This is Daniel’s contribution to the fourfold timeline.

Israelites taken captive

1In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. 2And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god. 3And the king spoke unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes; 4Children in whom was no blemish, but well favored and skillful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. 5And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's food, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end of it they might stand before the king.

You only need to read back through Kings and Chronicles to see that Israel's failure was due to their own wickedness, not because of monsters attacking the innocent. The greatest enemy of God's people is always inside, never outside. Due to their stubbornness, the prophecies of Moses about world empire are now off the table. Secular empires will rule.

Daniel and friends remain undefiled

6Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 7Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego. 8But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s food, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. 9Now God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. 10And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall you make me endanger my head to the king. 11Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12Prove your servants, I beg you ten days; and let them give us vegetables to eat, and water to drink. 13Then let our appearances be looked upon before you and the appearance of the children that eat of the portion of the king’s food: and as you see deal with your servants. 14So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days. 15And at the end of ten days their appearances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s food. 16Thus Melzar took away the portion of their food, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them vegetables.

The text does not explain Daniel's reasoning for rejecting the kings's diet. He may have had both religious and physical health reasons in mind. Religious reasons for diet restrictions no longer apply under the new covenant. However, many health benefits are scientifically documented about an alcohol-free and vegetarian diet.

Daniel and friends superior in wisdom

17As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king. 20And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm. 21And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.

Individuals still receive God’s blessings for following His ways.

29“As for you O king, your thoughts came into your mind upon your bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that reveals secrets makes known to you what shall come to pass. 30But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that you might know the thoughts of your heart. 31You O king, saw and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before you and the form of it was terrible. [1] 32This image’s head was of fine gold, [2] his breast and his arms of silver, [3] his belly and his thighs of brass, [4U] 33his legs of iron, [4D] his feet part of iron and part of clay. [G] 34You saw until that a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them to pieces. 35Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. 36This is the dream...”

To let prophecy explain itself as much as possible, I used markers to help make the organization obvious. You will see these, and other, markers throughout Daniel and Revelation. This hopefully will make things easier to keep track of. Now let’s read the interpretation, then I will explain the markers.

[1] 36“...and we will tell the interpretation of it. 37You O king, are a king of kings: for the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. 38And wherever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven has he given into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all. You are this head of gold. [2] 39And after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to you [3] and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. [4U] 40And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: just as iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things: and as iron that breaks all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. [4D] 41And like as you saw the feet and toes, part of potters‘ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, just as you saw the iron mixed with miry clay. 42And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. 43And like as you saw iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cling one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. [G] 44And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. 45Just as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God has made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation of it sure.”

Just as the stone shattered the statue, so this dream shattered the dream of a Hebrew empire. From Nebuchadnezzar’s time to the end of the world, history would be controlled by other empires. At best, Israel would just be another country.

This dream leaves no wiggle room. Just as the metal sections sit one atop another in the statue, so empire 1 would be followed immediately by empire 2, then 3, then 4, then God’s kingdom. There are no gaps for Israel to exploit. There are no loopholes of which to take advantage.

You are probably wondering about the U and the D after the 4. U stands for United and D for Divided. Those are my letters. Read the interpretation again and see if that makes sense to you.

This dream has laid down a solid first layer on which to build. We know that the first empire is Babylon (king and kingdom are used interchangeably) and the last one is God’s. We know that in between there is a second, third, and fourth with no gaps. Therefore, all human history since about 600b.c. fits on this timeline.

Although this chapter does not tell us the names of the other kingdoms, many answers will be revealed as we continue reading. For now, what we currently know is summarized in the top 2 rows in the empire chart.

Freedom of conscience

The four stories in between the prophecies were given for lessons to us. The fiery furnace and the lions' den are examples of religious intolerance brought about by pride of human power, which is the point of Nebuchadnezzar's humbling and the handwriting on the wall. The equation is simple. As humans value themselves higher above others, they try to bring God down below them. However, the ruler of the universe will bring all things and all people back to their proper place sooner or later. In these stories, it was sooner.

The command to worship the golden statue

1Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits, and the breadth of it six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 3Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4Then a herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, 5That at what time you hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music you fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up: 6And whoever falls not down and worships shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 7Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

Three Hebrews refuse to worship

8Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. 9They spoke and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever. 10You O king, have made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music shall fall down and worship the golden image: 11And whoever falls not down and worships that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 12There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded you, they serve not your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up. 13Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. 14Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not you serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? 15Now if you be ready that at what time you hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music you fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if you worship not, you shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? 16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer you in this matter. 17If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18But if not, be it known unto you O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up.

The fiery furnace

19Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his appearance was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spoke and commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was accustomed to be heated. 20And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21Then these men were bound in their coats, their hose, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 22Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flames of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 24Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished and rose up in haste, and spoke and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 25He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. 26Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spoke and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you servants of the most high God, come forth, and come here. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. 27And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was a hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. 28Then Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. 29Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. 30Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.

Notice that religious enforcement first went against the Hebrews, then swung for them. In either case, the point was missed. Religious liberty and freedom of conscience is a God-given right for all.

Only Daniel can interpret the dream

1Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. 2I thought it good to show the signs and wonders that the high God has worked toward me. 3How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation. 4I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace: 5I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. 6Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream. 7Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation of it. 8But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my God, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying, 9O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and no secret troubles you tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation of it.

The king has drifted from the God of Daniel who revealed his first dream. Why didn't he just first ask Daniel?

The dream of the great tree

10Thus were the visions of my head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height of it was great. 11The tree grew, and was strong, and the height of it reached unto heaven, and the sight of it to the end of all the earth: 12The leaves of it were fair, and the fruit of it much, and in it was food for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs of it and all flesh was fed of it. 13I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and a holy one came down from heaven; 14He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches: 15Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth: 16Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him. 17This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will, and sets up over it the lowest of men. 18This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now you O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation of it because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but you are able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.

Even without consulting Daniel, Nebeuchadnezzar should have remained/returned to humility. We all know that pride goes before a fall, but, alas, that is the deceptive nature of pride.

Daniel interprets the dream

19Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spoke and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation of it trouble you. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate you and the interpretation of it to your enemies. 20The tree that you saw which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight of it to all the earth; 21Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit of it much, and in it was food for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation: 22It is you O king, that are grown and become strong: for your greatness is grown, and reaches unto heaven, and your dominion to the end of the earth. 23And just as the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots of it in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, until seven years pass over him; 24This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king: 25That they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven years shall pass over you until you know that the most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will. 26And just as they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; your kingdom shall be sure unto you after that you shall have known that the heavens do rule. 27Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto you and break off your sins by righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of your tranquillity.

The fulfillment of the dream

28All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. 29At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. 30The king spoke and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty? 31While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from you. 32And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make you to eat grass as oxen, and seven years shall pass over you until you know that the most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will. 33The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, until his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws. 34And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up my eyes unto heaven, and my understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honored him that lives for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: 35And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he does according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What do you? 36At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. 37Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

God will do whatever it takes to bring us into an attitude of trust and gratefulness, if we can be moved. How many later dictators refused to learn from Nebuchadnezzar's experience. Not only many political leaders have failed to learn their lessons, but many religious leaders have also succumbed to the temptation of power over people. It is a heady feeling to think that one has control over people and armies and institutions.

The mysterious hand writing

1Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. 2Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink in them. 3Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. 4They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. 5In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. 6Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his waist were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. 7The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whoever shall read this writing, and show me the interpretation of it shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom. 8Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation of it. 9Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonished.

Here is another story of pride leading to disastrous results. Belshazzar was Nebuchadnezzar's grandson. Therefore, he knew the story of the seven years of insanity. However, he rejected it and went beyond it into the heights of arrogance against God.

Also, here is an example of a miracle that many proud atheists pray for. Like shouting to the sky to be struck by lightning, the bloodless hand was a response to the king's pride. Yet, it did not convert him. Hand or no hand, lightning or no lightning, the arrogant attitude is never satisfied. It will not humble itself.

Daniel brought to the king

10Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house: and the queen spoke and said, O king, live for ever: let not your thoughts trouble you nor let your countenance be changed: 11There is a man in your kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar your father, the king, I say, your father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; 12 Because an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and showing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation. 13Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spoke and said unto Daniel, Are you that Daniel, which are of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry? 14I have even heard of you that the spirit of the gods is in you and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in you. 15And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation of it but they could not show the interpretation of the thing: 16And I have heard of you that you can make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if you can read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation of it you shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.

For the third time in Daniel's book the point is made that only the prophets can correctly interpret God's messages. This is a strong clue to us that when we study the Bible, we should the prophets and apostles interpret each other, rather than looking to pastor, priest, or theologian for the authoritative explanation.

Daniel interprets the writing

17Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let your gifts be to yourself and give your rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation. 18O you king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honor. 19And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down. 20But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: 21And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; until he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appoints over it whomever he will. 22And you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this; 23But have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before you and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines, have drunk wine in them; and you have praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand your breath is, and whose are all your ways, have you not glorified: 24Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written. 25And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. 26This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it. 27TEKEL; You are weighed in the balances, and are found wanting. 28PERES; Your kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. 29Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. 30In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. 31And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about sixty two years old.

Babylon had been surrounded by Persia's armies for months. Belshazzar and his friends partied in their supposed self-sufficiency. They refused to see reality as it was. In the end, the end came swiftly, even though the figurative handwriting had been on the wall for months.

Princes conspire against Daniel

1It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; 2And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage. 3Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. 4Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; because he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. 5Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God. 6Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever. 7All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of you O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. 8Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which alters not. 9Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.

Pride is all about “me” therefore there is little room for “us” and no room for “them”. Daniel, the Hebrew in the number one position, was the object of jealousy. Because no real problem could be found, the other princes invented one. As often used in Europe during the middle ages, political instability was used as an excuse to persecute those with different religious beliefs. Daniel's prayers to God were quite harmless, except to arrogant, power-hungry men.

The king attempts to deliver Daniel

10Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did beforetime. 11Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. 12Then they came near, and spoke before the king concerning the king's decree; Have you not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of you O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which alters not. 13Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regards not you O king, nor the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day. 14Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he labored until the going down of the sun to deliver him. 15Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establishes may be changed.

Although he had made a mistake in signing the decree, Darius realized it and worked tirelessly to fix it. Similarly, there will be a few good people who will put in all their efforts to try to prevent religious liberty from being threatened in our country and all other liberty loving places.

Daniel delivered from the den of lions

16Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spoke and said unto Daniel, Your God whom you serve continually, he will deliver you. 17And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel. 18Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of music brought before him: and his sleep went from him. 19Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. 20And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spoke and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is your God, whom you serve continually, able to deliver you from the lions? 21Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. 22My God has sent his angel, and has shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: because before him innocency was found in me; and also before you O king, have I done no hurt. 23Then was the king exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.

Just as Jesus was persecuted to prove the depth of His love, so His followers suffer. Yet, they never suffer alone and once in a while they are delivered, if it helps advance the long-term cause of good over evil.

Accusers killed; Decree made

24And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and broke all their bones in pieces before they came at the bottom of the den. 25Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. 26I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. 27He delivers and rescues and he works signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. 28So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Notice the improvement of the decree of Cyrus over the decree of Nebuchadnezzar. Cyrus encouraged, without force or threat, worship of the true God.

This vision of four animals parallels the vision of four metals. More details are added to the fourth beast as it takes more and more attention moving forward through Daniel and then into Revelation. The parallels between the four human kingdoms and God's kingdom become quite obvious as we compare visions and explanations.

2I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea. 3And four great beasts came up from the sea, different one from another. [1] 4The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld until the wings of it were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it. [2] 5And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh. [3] 6After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it. [4U] 7After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was different from all the beasts that were before it; [4D] and it had ten horns. 8I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. [S] 9I beheld until the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. 10A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. 11I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spoke, I beheld even until the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. 12As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. 13I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

15I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. 16I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things. [1-4] 17These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. [G] 18But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. [4U] 19Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; [4D] 20And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spoke very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. 21I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; [G] 22Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. [4U] 23Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be different from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. [4D] 24And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be different from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. 25And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a year and years and the dividing of a year. [S] 26But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. [G] 27And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. 28Here is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my appearance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.

Compare the top four rows of the empire chart to see how they naturally line up. What is added in this chapter is the investigative judgment in heaven that condemns the fourth beast as the worst and executes total judgment on it at the coming of God's kingdom. Notice that judgment is divided into two parts just as our modern court system divides it. First, there is a trial which investigates all the facts. This obviously must happen before the execution of the sentence if the defendant is found guilty. In this case, the monstrous fourth beast is found guilty. Now we begin to understand why Scripture is placing such a focus on it.

Notice that in the vision, the Ancient of Days sits still on His heavenly throne and the Son of man comes to Him. Then, in the explanation, the Ancient of Days moves and comes to the earth to execute the sentence decided in the courtroom where He sat.

Also notice that in the vision, judgment is in heaven with only angels in attendance. In the explanation, after God sets up His kingdom, the saints on earth have judgment given to them. God was still leaving open the possibility of a kingdom on earth right after His return. However, as we proceed into the New Testament, we will see a distinct shift in God's plan in response to the Jews crucifying Christ. Revelation 20 will nail down the final details, so we will wait until then.

One more note: A lot of details about the fourth kingdom are being thrown at us. There will be more in chapter 8. Then we will collect them into a table to help us unravel history and Revelation. The name of the fourth empire is NEVER mentioned anywhere in the Bible.

1In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first. 2And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was at Shushan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai. [2] 3Then I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last. 4I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great. [3] 5And as I was considering, behold, a he-goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes. 6And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power. 7And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with anger against him, and smote the ram, and broke his two horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand. 8Therefore the he-goat grew very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven. [4] 9And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which grew exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land. 10And it grew great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them. 11Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. 12And a host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practiced and prospered. [S] 13Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spoke, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? 14And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

Lots of horns in this vision! The parallels between the ram with unequal horns and the one-sided bear are easy to see. The identification of the four horned goat with the four winged leopard is obvious. However, what about the “little horn, which grew exceeding great”? It does not divide into ten toes nor into ten horns. What is it? The explanation will show us it is the fourth empire in BOTH united and divided phases, so keep reading, then it will be clear.

15And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man. 16And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision. 17So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision. 18Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright. 19And he said, Behold, I will make you know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be. [2] 20The ram which you saw having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. [3] 21And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. 22Now that being broken, just as four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power. [4] 23And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. 24And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practice and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. 25And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. [S] 26And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut you up the vision; for it shall be for many days. 27And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king’s business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.

Now we have the names of the second and third world empires and they line up with history! Babylon was conquered by Persia (Medo-Persia) which was conquered by Greece under Alexander the Great, the first king. After he died, his four generals split up the kingdom into four territories in the four directions of the compass. Though it is not identified as the fourth empire in Scripture, the city-state of Rome arose out of the northern kingdom when the Greek “transgressors are come to the full” to become the largest, fiercest empire of them all. It survives until the end of the world when it is “broken without hand”, which means by God Himself.

To help us distinguish between the horn of chapter 7 and this horn in chapter 8, let’s call the little horn in chapter 7 the little horn. (Brilliant, right?!) Let's call the little horn that becomes great in verse 9 of this chapter the great horn. The little horn of chapter 7 is the eleventh horn in the divided kingdom only, so it is truly little. The great horn in chapter 8 is only little before it becomes a great empire, so it is truly great. Look up and down in the 4U and 4D columns in the empire chart to see how these relate.

Also look at the Marks of the Fourth Beast table to see how much information we have gathered on the empire that shall not be named (by the Bible). God wants us to understand the spiritual characteristics of this beast for our own spiritual benefit, rather than merely labelling something “bad” without knowing why.

1In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans; 2In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, of which the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. 3And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:4And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments; 5We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from your precepts and from your judgments: 6Neither have we listened unto your servants the prophets, which spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. 7O LORD, righteousness belongs unto you but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries where you have driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against you. 8O Lord, to us belongs confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you. 9To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him; 10Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. 11Yea, all Israel have transgressed your law, even by departing, that they might not obey your voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him. 12And he has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven has not been done as has been done upon Jerusalem. 13As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand your truth. 14Therefore has the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he does for we obeyed not his voice. 15And now, O Lord our God, that have brought your people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and have gotten you fame as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly. 16O LORD, according to all your righteousness, I beg you let your anger and your fury be turned away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people are become a reproach to all that are about us. 17Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of your servant, and his supplications, and cause your face to shine upon your sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord’s sake. 18O my God, incline your ear, and hear; open your eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by your name: for we do not present our supplications before you for our righteousnesses, but for your great mercies. 19O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, listen and do; defer not, for your own sake, O my God: for your city and your people are called by your name.

I used to consider this prayer a waste of words when God could have easily given Daniel more visions and details. However, I came to realize that the prayer is the key to unlocking the spiritual cause and spiritual truth behind Daniel’s empire prophecies. Most people still miss the point as they look for enemies and monsters “out there.” They are looking in the entirely wrong place.

All the emphasized parts in the prayer deal with Israel’s sins and the desolation they caused. That is almost two thirds of the prayer! The other part of the prayer praises God and gives Him credit for punishing His people. Putting those parts together, we see that Israel’s sins are the cause and God’s righteousness is the enforcer and director of consequences.

Now read the prayer again carefully with this one question in mind, What name is never mentioned?

Not one single mention is made of Babylon or Nebuchadnezzar. It was that king’s army that destroyed the place, yet he is not mentioned once. He is never blamed. Instead, God is credited and Israel is blamed.

If Israel had been faithful, Babylon could have come in armed with nuclear bombs but they could never have even scratched the gates. By spiritual “whoredoms” and “abominations” the Israelites opened the gates. By the time Nebuchadnezzar’s armies arrived, the city and the sanctuary were already desolate. God used Babylon to visibly and physically desolate the city to show that Israel had already invisibly and spiritually desolated it. (Read Ezekiel 8, 16, and 23 for a succinct summary.)

Spiritual abomination precedes physical desolation.

Just as the nation’s spiritual faithfulness was to be rewarded with physical fruitfulness, so their spiritual sins resulted in physical destruction. Executioners are never charged with murder because they are simply obeying the orders of the justice system. Likewise, Babylon was a tool in God’s hand executing His wrath (until it began oppressing Israel, then it too became subject to God’s justice). This point God tried to impress on Nebuchadnezzar during seven years of insanity as recorded in chapter four.

In the king’s dream, God said, “to the intent that the living may know that the most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will, and sets up over it the lowest of men.” Nebuchadnezzar’s rebuttal was, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty?” He refused to acknowledge that as long as Babylon was a tool, not an oppressor, it would stand.

Nebuchadnezzar and Israel made the same mistake. They both mistook physical establishment as proof of spiritual approval. The Israelites thought themselves safe as they boasted, “The temple of the LORD! The temple of the LORD!” (Jeremiah 7:4) At the same time they were desolating the sanctuary with heathen rituals. The king’s pride and the people’s abominations moved them outside of God’s will. Therefore, they were punished.

Before going any further, we must make a crucial distinction between the institutions of church or nation vs. the condition of individuals. There is personal suffering not caused by sin (Job was a righteous man persecuted by Satan), but on the church or national level, only internal spiritual abomination could cause external physical desolation. Nebuchadnezzar’s insanity did not cause his pride. Neither did Babylon’s invasion cause Jerusalem’s abominations. Pride goes before a fall. Transgression comes before destruction. “The curse causeless shall not come.” Every Bible prophecy teaches this principle. A faithful church is persecuted, but never morally bankrupt or spiritually corrupt.

Therefore, a true church is never subjugated or destroyed. God’s people, as a church or nation, cannot be weak and faithful at the same time. This means we are always to look inside the church for the ultimate source of its problems. Daniel’s prayer confirms this.

21While I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. 22And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give you skill and understanding. 23At the beginning of your supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to show you for you are greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.

24 Seventy weeks are determined upon your people and upon your holy city, 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.

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

26 And after sixty and two weeks 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 of it shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week 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 upon the desolate.

Bringing it all together

We needed to get to this prayer and prophecy so we can start working backwards to connect major pieces we have not yet been able to explain. This prophecy of 70 weeks, like the 2300 days, are mentioned only once in the entire Bible, yet they serve as a cornerstone upon which to build a complete understanding of history. The conclusions may shock you, so let me first remind you of what we already know.

Every person, every decision, is ultimately spiritual. Faith, hope, and love (positive or negative) are the motivating forces in human events. In other words, the ordinary influences of the heart shape our lives and set the patterns in our history. Therefore, it is not a sensational, dramatic, sky-splitting explosion of miracles we should be looking for in the fulfillment of prophecy. The strange symbols point to real things, not to mystical monsters. Both God and Satan work through long-term patterns because humanity works on patterns.

Everything we have studied so far in Daniel comes together here. The no-gaps pattern, parallels between visions, all the gory details about the fourth beast, as well as Moses’ timeline, intersect with the 70 weeks. We start here and work backwards.

Why seventy weeks?

“Daniel understood by books the number of the years, of which the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.” He was referring to: “And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.” (Jeremiah 25:11)

“And they burnt the house of God, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces of it with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels of it. And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia: To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil sixty and ten years.” (2 Chronicles 36:19-21)

All the commandments are of high moral value for both society and religion. However, one command rises higher still in bringing people into direct, personal relationship with their Father–the Sabbath. “Speak you also unto the children of Israel, saying, Truly my sabbaths you shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that you may know that I am the LORD that does sanctify you.” (Exodus 31:13)

The Sabbath law is a paradox. It is a command to rest. It is a law to lay aside our efforts to keep law and let the Creator work on us, instead of we ourselves. “Six days shall you labor and do all your work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD your God: in it you shall not do any work.” (Exodus 20:9-10) We entrust ourselves to God’s power to let Him work in us.

As a nation, Israel refused to do this. Their continual selfishness laid a heavy burden of guilt on their souls and a heavy burden of waste and death on their land. By letting their country lay desolate, God would illustrate to His people their spiritual desolation. After 70 years they would be given the opportunity to start over.

So you see, there was no monster that caused Israel’s trials. They brought captivity on themselves through ordinary resistance and rebellion. And for hundreds of years they thought themselves safe because they had the temple in their midst.

God gave Israel 70 years of captivity so that they would repent of their personal and national sins in order to return home. Once there, they would be given 70 more weeks “to finish the transgression.”

But that seems a little odd. If the nation was given 70 years of punishment, then why only 70 weeks to learn their lesson, to make their repentance complete, to rebuild the sanctuary, and to reform the country? That is a really short time. Perhaps the weeks are not literal time, but symbolic time?

What ways can we calculate prophetic time?

Day equals day: “And the evening and the morning were the first day.” (Genesis 1:5)

Day equals year: “After the number of the days in which you searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall you bear your iniquities, even forty years, and you shall know my breach of promise.” (Numbers 14:34)

“For I have laid upon you the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days: so shall you bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. And when you have accomplished them, lie again on your right side, and you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed you each day for a year.” (Ezekiel 4:5-6)

Day equals millennium: “For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.” (Psalms 90:4)

“But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” (2 Peter 3:8)

I do not know of any other methods of interpreting time in the Bible.

What are the 70 weeks?

A week is 7 days. So 70 weeks is 70 times 7, which is 490 days. In fact, some translations say, 70 sevens instead of 70 weeks. So we have 490 days, but are they actual days, years, or millennia?

They obviously cannot be millennia. The time period starts with a rebuilding decree right after the Babylonian captivity and ends with the Messiah. The Messiah has already come, but 490,000 years is nowhere near finished! We must remove millenia from the list.

What about actual days? If the 70 weeks are literal, then we are talking about a time period of less than a year and a half. As mentioned earlier this is much too short to make all the needed changes. It is also much too short to reach from the captivity to the Messiah. There were hundreds of years and three empires that fit between the times of Daniel and Jesus.

The symbolic day for a year is our only option that can work. The 70 weeks are 490 years. Using the year-per-day decryption key, let’s proceed with understanding this prophecy.

To put it all together visually study Daniel’s Timelines, especially the bottom one. The top includes a few extra time periods that will be covered in chapter 12.

Focus on the first coming

Notice that the focus of the prophecy is on the first coming of the Messiah. He is cut off. He confirms the covenant. He causes the sacrifices to cease. This is not a picture of a Messiah coming in power and glory to bring all earthly empires to an end.

Because of the mystical monster method of interpreting prophecy, many think that antichrist is the main player in this prophecy. They think “the people of the prince that shall come” is antichrist’s army. They conclude that because they also split the last week off from the 70 week timeline. Both of these are errors.

The only prince mentioned in Daniel’s prophecies so far is Messiah the prince. And because of what we learned in Daniel’s prayer, the people who spiritually destroy the sanctuary before it is physically destroyed can only be the Jews. And the Israelites were “the people of the prince that shall come."

Notice that right before that phrase “shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself.” That happened at the end of the 69 weeks, which is the beginning of the 70th week. This lines up with what Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent and believe the gospel.” (Mark 1:15) There is no other time prophecy pointing to His first coming, so this is the only one that can be fulfilled.

Also, “cut off” means to separate. To separate from life (to die) is only one possibility among many. At His baptism, Jesus was separated from private life in the carpenter’s shop to start public ministry. He descended into the water “to fulfil all righteousness.” (Matthew 3:15) He didn’t need to be baptized for His sins, but to give us righteousness for our sins. He was “cut off, but not for himself."

Now look at the next verse. “In the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease.” About three and a half years later, in the midst of the 70th week of 7 years, Jesus left the temple and pronounced, “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, You shall not see me from now on until you shall say, Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord.” (Matthew 23:38-39) Jesus, not some mystical light or halo, was the glory of the temple. When Jesus abandoned the sanctuary, it was left desolate–“for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation.” Even if a temple should be rebuilt now on the temple mount in Jerusalem, it would be meaningless. Nothing but the return of Jesus can make the sanctuary significant.

So 70 weeks of years makes consistent sense and brings us to Christ’s first advent, but to fully understand the 70 weeks, we need to pair it with its complementary prophecy, the 2300 days. Just as the 70 weeks focuses on the first coming, so the 2300 days points us to the second coming.

2300 days to the Second Coming

Go back to chapter 8 and read about all the destruction the great horn causes. Then read the question in verse 13, “How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?” The answer to this terrible empire is the Day of Atonement, “Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed."

What is the connection?!

Go back to Moses‘ timeline and a key statement he made, “When he [the high priest] has made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat: And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness.” (Leviticus 16:20-21)

The triggering event to ending evil is the cleansing of the sanctuary. That enables God to place all the blame for sin on Satan and end evil once and for all.

Now we can bring the two prophecies together into a complete picture.

Whether Israel was cooperative or not at Christ’s first coming, His sacrifice would end all sacrifices. The earthly sanctuary would be desolate and insignificant because Jesus would ascend to the heavenly sanctuary (Hebrews 8, 9). This would confirm the covenant and prove God’s plan of salvation to be righteous and effective. God had placed His throne on the line before all the universe that humans were worth saving and able to be transformed.

As Jesus worked in and through His people, there would come a time when the sanctuary could finally be closed for business, as it were. Christ’s own blood would prove to be eternally effective and Satan would prove to be the ultimate cause of sin. God, His plan, and His headquarters of redemption would be justified and vindicated. Evil and evildoers would be eliminated forever and the whole universe would approve.

The end of the 70 weeks sheds the blood that cleanses the universe at the end of the 2300 days. The Day of Atonement was followed by Jubilee and the Feast of Tabernacles, symbols of eternity. Therefore, the 2300 days begins the day of atonement with its temple cleaning which triggers the Second Coming.

Let’s look at more connections to confirm this.

70 weeks and 2300 days belong together

Both the 70 week prophecy and the 2300 day prophecy are mentioned only once in the Bible and never directly referred to again, so we must be careful in our conclusions. One thing is clear, the 2300 days cannot stand alone. It has no beginning point. It must connect with another prophecy before it can be calculated. So here are some connections.

The angel, Gabriel, is sent to explain the 2300 days and to give the 70 week prophecy. He appears nowhere else in the Old Testament. Daniel, after his prayer, says he was the one “whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning.” The prophet himself connects the messages and the messenger. Gabriel also tells Daniel, “consider the vision."

Both times, Gabriel is sent to give Daniel “understanding.” However, at the end of chapter 8, Daniel faints, so the interpretation of the 2300 days is never given. It is the only thing lacking in the vision. Chapter nine deals only with a time prophecy. It makes sense that Daniel is to “consider” and to “understand” what he did not get the first time.

Both prophecies deal with the two comings of Christ. Therefore, they complement each other.

The 2300 days needs a sanctuary to be built so it can be attacked and then cleansed. The 70 weeks provides such a starting point with the decree to restore Israel, which included Jerusalem and the temple. Starting these two time periods together is the only sensible conclusion. They cannot end together, and if the 70 weeks is supposed to be somewhere in the middle of the 2300 days, then we are left clueless.

Lastly, the 2300 days must also use the day-for-year principle because 1) 2300 days (6 years and about 4 months) is way too short to reach from the united phase of the fourth empire to Christ’s return; 2) 2300 millenia is clearly way too long, and 3) we know of no literal 2300 day period that ends with cleansing the temple..

In summary, the 70 weeks and the 2300 days start together with the only starting point provided anywhere–the rebuilding decree. They both use the day-for-year symbolism because it is the only reasonable option. Gabriel finished in chapter 9 what he started in chapter 8 and leaves us with a spiritually complete timeline based on the two most significant events in history–Christ’s first and second comings.

Mourning for three weeks

Daniel falls before the Son of man

Angel comes to tell Daniel prophetic truth

To stay in harmony with the “history lite” approach, we need to skip chapter 11 for now. There are dozens of tiny historical details in there, but no new major events are added to the timeline. Students just tend to get lost in the weeds at this point. When we get into Revelation, we will add more history of the fourth empire, but a full analysis needs to wait for a second round.

Persia (stands up)

Greece (does his will)

United empire (in the glorious land)

Divided empire

False Prophet?

Final events

[S] 1And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which stands for the children of your people: [TT] and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: [G] and at that time your people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. 2And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. 4But you O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. (v1-4)

For the first time since Moses, we have a major event inserted into the timeline. In the annual feasts the day of atonement blended smoothly into the symbols of eternity–the feast of tabernacles and Jubilee. Now that we have empires devolving into fragmented nations at the end of time, we will have a time of trouble, war, violence, and unimaginable horrors. It is worse than any nation has ever experienced. The Pax Romana, the Roman Peace, ended with the united empire.

The fourth empire is still the ruling empire because it “makes war with the saints” and “prevails against them, until the Ancient of Days comes.” However, the kingdom is suffering terribly.

More time prophecies

5Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river. 6And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? [4D] 7And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and swore by him that lives for ever that it shall be for a year, years, and a half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished. 8And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? 9And he said, Go your way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. 10Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. 11And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12Blessed is he that waits and comes to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. 13But go your way until the end be: for you shall rest, and stand in your lot at the end of the days.

Again, due to our “history lite” approach in this first reading, I have only mapped the time periods in the timeline without explaining them. Revelation will introduce a lot more details about the fourth empire.

Hopefully, you have noticed that I have introduced very little outside interpretation and history. My goal in this basic introduction to the Bible is to organize more than to explain. The Bible speaks for itself. Our opinionated details are not helpful. Our quest is to understand God through His word. We can do that without becoming nerdy linguists, theologians, or historians.

Israel, as a nation, not an empire, had 70 weeks to return to being God’s chosen instrument for evangelizing the world. The millennium could have been avoided, but not the time of trouble.

Ezekiel

Eze 38) Gog invades Israel but is destroyed

Eze 39) Gog’s weapons burned, bodies buried (1000 years?)

Eze 40-43) measuring the new temple

Eze 47) healing river and trees; new borders for Israel

Minor prophets

Hag 1:1-9) glory of smaller, latter temple to be greater

Zech 12) Jerusalem besieged, but victorious and repentant

Zech 14) Lord on Mt. Olivet saves Jerusalem; plague on enemies

Mal 4) Elijah sent before day which burns wicked to stubble