Daniel has often been called the prophet of dreams. God revealed to him His secrets and events that go far into the future. One cannot fully grasp the great signs in Revelation without looking at their meaning in the book of Daniel.
Daniel came from a family of high rank. He was taken captive to Babylon during the first invasion by Nebuchadnezzar when he was about sixteen years old. He lived to be over ninety years old. Daniel saw the Babylonian kingdom fall (539 B.C.), and the establishment of the Medo-Persian Empire. He held high positions under the kings, Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Darius and Cyrus.
He spent most of his life living in and around wicked rulers. Daniels entire life beginning from the time of his captivity was spent in what was considered to be the most glamorous and great city of Babylon. There he lived a life of great integrity and was well favored and greatly loved. The prophet Ezekiel called him a model of righteousness (Ezekiel 14; 14-20; 28:3).
Although Daniel was captive, he rose to be prime minister of Babylon and remained true to God throughout his entire life.
A Bible student can learn a great deal from the book of Daniel. In the following list the highlights of each chapter are listed.
Chapter one: The dedication and consecration of young Daniel.
Chapter two: the entire “times of the Gentiles” is given and the prophecy of Christ’s Millennial reign.
Chapter three: The fiery furnace – Gods Presence in adversity.
Chapter four: The greatness of Nebuchadnezzar “the hanging gardens” one of the ancient wonders of the world and how God humbled him.
Chapter five: Belshazzar’s feast – the handwriting on the wall and the defeat of Babylon by the Medes and Persians.
Chapter six: Daniel in the Lion’s den.
Chapter seven: The four Beasts – the coming one-world government.
Chapter eight: The great prophecies of Alexander the great and his conquests. The appearance of the angel Gabriel to help Daniel interpret one of the visions.
Chapter nine: The seventy weeks of Daniel the great prophecy of the exact number of years from Cyrus to the crucifixion and then the event that begins the future seven year Tribulation (given in Revelation 6-19).
Chapter ten: you will learn much about angles, Satan and his kingdom.
Chapter eleven: The history from Alexander to the Antichrist. Amazing prophecies of Antiochus Epiphanes and the Antichrist.
Chapter twelve: The truth of the resurrection; the signs of the end times and the final triumph of Jesus the Messiah.
The last three books of Daniel are all one vision giving what is going to take place for Israel.