Daniel: Outline

H. A. (Buster) Dobbs
  1. Introduction
    1. The man.
      1. Little is known of Daniel.
        1. He was of royal descent, according to Josephus.
        2. His birth place was probably Jerusalem.
      2. Nothing is recorded of his early years.
      3. At about the age of 12 to 15 (in chapter 1:4 he and his friends are called “children”) he is found among the first captives Nebuchadnezzar took to Babylon.
        1. He is mentioned in connection with three other youths.
        2. He and his companions are selected to be trained in the language, history and customs of the Chaldeans.
        3. The fortunes and misfortunes of Daniel are recorded in his book of prophecy.
      4. How long he lived and when and where he died cannot be determined with certainty.
        1. Epiphanius says he died in Babylon.
        2. Some say he died in Shushan in Persia.
    2. Background.
      1. Egypt was the first world empire.
      2. Assyria succeeded Egypt as dominant in the world and was the first kingdom to attempt a one world government.
      3. Assyria gave way to Babylon.
        1. When the king of Assyria was weakened through rebellion and sickness, Nabopolassar revolted and declared himself the king of Babylon.
        2. He then attempted to make himself emperor of the world.
        3. The war between Assyria and Babylon caused Pharaoh Necho of Egypt to intercede in an attempt to participate in the plunder.
        4. Josiah, king of Judah, tried to form an alliance with Babylon and was killed in a battle with Egypt at Megiddo.
        5. Shallum (Jehoahaz) ruled for three months, but was carried by Necho to Egypt.
        6. Eliakim (Jehoiakim) became king and ruled for 11 years. He was defeated by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, the son of Nabopolassar, who carried some of the ruling class of Judah and some of the wealth of the Jerusalem temple to Babylon. Daniel was among this number.
      4. The Babylonian empire was defeated by the Medes and Persians.
      5. Philip of Macedon had for a long time desired revenge on Assyria for having invaded Greece.
        1. Philip died without having achieved his ambition of crossing the Mediterranean Sea and punishing Assyria.
        2. Alexander, the son of Philip, set out to fulfill his father’s desire and developed the Greek empire. He ruled the world for a short time.
        3. Alexander built roads throughout his empire and required all the people to speak the Greek language.
      6. Greece gave way to Rome.
        1. Upon the death of Alexander, his world empire was divided between his four generals.
        2. Slowly the Roman empire began to develop. Julius laid the military foundation upon which the kingdom was built.
        3. His adopted son, Octavian (later Augustus), opened the imperial period of Rome (30 B.C.).
  2. The Book.
    1. Introduction.
      1. The book was written in two languages. Chapters 2:4 to 7:28 are written in Aramaic, and the balance of the book in Hebrew.
      2. The predictive nature of the book declares its inspiration.
      3. Modern discoveries support the facts in the book of Daniel.
    2. Historical portion of the book of Daniel (1:1 to 6:28).
      1. Prologue of the book (1:1 to 1:21).
        1. The Babylonian captivity occurred in three stages. This was the first carrying away into Babylon in the reign of Jehoiakim (1-3).
        2. Children of the nobility chosen to go to Babylon. They were made eunuchs (2 Kings 20:17-18) and trained in the language and culture of the Babylonians (4-7).
        3. The diet test and its outcome (8-21).
      2. The famous dream of Nebuchadnezzar (2:1-49).
        1. The wise men of Babylon unable to describe and interpret the kings’ dream (1-14).
        2. Daniel offers to recite the dream and give its meaning (15-16).
        3. Jehovah reveals the matter to Daniel and his companions (17-24).
        4. Daniel describes the strange image Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream and tells the meaning, prophesying four world empires and Messiah’s kingdom (25-45).
        5. Nebuchadnezzar’s reaction (46-49).
      3. The fiery furnace (3:1-30).
        1. Nebuchadnezzar made a golden image and required all people to worship the image when they heard the sound of music (1-8).
        2. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (three Jews) were accused of not worshipping the image (8-12).
        3. The king inquires if they will worship his golden image and they refuse (13-18).
        4. The three Jewish men are cast into the fiery furnace (19-23).
        5. The victims are delivered by the power of God (24-27).
        6. Nebuchadnezzar praises Jehovah and promotes Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (28-30).
      4. Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a tree and Daniel’s interpretation(4:1-37).
        1. Nebuchadnezzar’s pronouncement (1-3).
        2. The Babylonian king reports having had a dream, his wise men had not been able to make its meaning known to him (4-7).
        3. Nebuchadnezzar recounts his dream to Daniel (8-18).
        4. Daniel is stricken speechless (19).
        5. Daniel gives the meaning of the dream (20-27).
        6. One year later the prophecy of Daniel was fulfilled (28-33).
        7. Nebuchadnezzar’s recovery (34-36).
        8. Nebuchadnezzar fully converted to the worship of the one God (37).
      5. Writing on a wall (5:1-30).
        1. Belshazzar, grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, gave a feast for 1,000 of his lords (1).
        2. Vessels from the Jerusalem temple defiled and Jehovah insulted (2-4).
        3. Writing on the wall (5-6).
        4. The king’s wise men could not read the writing (7-9).
        5. The queen-mother’s recommendation (10-12).
        6. Daniel, 78, called to read the writing (13-29).
        7. End of the mighty Babylonian empire (30-31).
      6. The den of lions (6:1-28).
        1. Darius of Persia sets up his government (1-2).
        2. Daniel promoted (3).
        3. Occasion sought against Daniel (4).
        4. The law against praying to any god except Darius (5-9).
        5. Daniel defied the king and disobeyed the law (10).
        6. Daniel accused and thrown to the lions (11-17).
        7. The king’s lament (18-22).
        8. Daniel delivered (23).
        9. Daniel’s accusers punished (24).
        10. Darius’ proclamation concerning “the God of Daniel” (25-28).
    3. Visions and Dreams (7:1 to 12:13).
      1. Four beasts (7:1-28).
        1. Belshazzar is co-regent with his father, Nabonidus (1a).
        2. Dreams and visions (1b).
        3. Four beasts coming out of the sea (2-3).
          1. Lion with eagle’s wings (4).
          2. Bear with 3 ribs in his mouth (5).
          3. Leopard with wings and 4 heads (6).
          4. Terrible beast with iron teeth and 10 horns (7).
        4. The little horn with a big mouth (8).
        5. A scene in heaven — the Ancient of Days — a coronation in heaven (9-14).
        6. An explanation to the grieving Daniel (15-27).
        7. Daniel, though troubled, hid the matter in his heart (28).
      2. Vision of a ram, a he-goat, and a horn (8:1-27).
        1. A ram with two horns representing the Medo-Persian Empire (1-4).
        2. The he-goat with a horn between his eyes (5-6).
        3. The he-goat overcomes the ram; the he-goat’s horn is broken and 4 notable horns appear (7-8).
        4. A little horn comes from one of the 4 horns and desecrates the temple in Jerusalem (9-14).
        5. Gabriel’s explanation of the vision (15-26).
        6. Daniel fainted and was sick (27).
      3. Daniel’s prayer for himself and the people (9:1-27).
        1. The prayer (1-19).
        2. The sending of Gabriel to Daniel (20-23).
        3. Gabriel’s explanation of conditions — the 70 weeks of years (24-27).
      4. Vision of a man (10-1-21).
        1. Daniel is afraid because of the vision (1-9).
        2. Daniel is comforted by an angel (10-17).
        3. Persia and Greece in conflict (18-21).
      5. The rise and fall of the Grecian empire (11-1-45).
        1. Alexander of Macedon (1-4).
        2. An alliance, through marriage, between the king of Egypt and the king of Syria (5-6).
        3. Wars between Egypt and Syria (7-10).
        4. Continued struggles and intrigues between Syria and Egypt (11-19).
        5. Antiochus IV Epiphanes’ brutality foretold (20-24).
        6. Antiochus IV Epiphanes invades Egypt, but is driven back and again distresses the Jews in Jerusalem (25-39).
        7. Summary of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (40-45).
      6. The time of the end (12:1-13).
        1. The archangel shall stand up (12:1-4).
        2. The great deliverance (12:5-10).
        3. Waiting for the end (12:11-13).
This article is easy to share with friends...