His book the kingdom of god won the 1952 abingdon press award. The seventh chapter of the book of daniel tells of daniel s vision of four worldkingdoms replaced by the kingdom of god. The book of daniel thus provides an overview of prophecy regarding these empires unmatched in any other old testament book. Daniel also has vivid, symbolic visions about the future of israel, world kingdoms, and the kingdom of godexposing us to some of gods longterm plan for the world. Daniel 4, the madness of nebuchadnezzar the fourth chapter of the bibles book of daniel tells how king nebuchadnezzar learns the lesson of god s sovereignty, who is able to bring low those who walk in pride. Now almost 100 years old, daniel receives gods promise. The book of daniel begins with king nebuchadnezzar, the ruler of babylon, ransacking jerusalem. He writes about the kingdom of god and reminds us that was what jesus preached during his earthly ministry. God will someday replace the corrupt kingdoms of this world with his own kingdom. In verses 3645, daniel explained the meaning of this dream to nebuchadnezzar. It shows that in spite of difficulties, confusion, and persecution, god is in control and will deliver his people as he has promised.
Jewish reconstructionists and full preterists believe that daniel is completely fulfilled, and that the believers are now working to establish the kingdom of god on earth. God has a kingdom in heaven where all those who believe in and have relationship with him will go after this earth but satan counterfeits that perfect place with the city of babylon. Nebuchadnezzar dreams of a great tree that shelters the whole world, but in his dream an angelic watcher appears and decrees that. In daniel 2 these two merge, and the claim of gods sovereignty extends beyond the immediate story to take in all of history. With a account you will be able to save items to read and study later. The divine kingdom daniel 2 john macarthur the book of. Introduction to the kingdom of god from discipleship.
The four beasts represented the kingdoms of babylon, medopersia, greece, and rome. If all this werent enough, the book also features godfearing characters who provide shining examples of how to live in a culture that opposes exclusive faith in god. Specifically, it tells us about the times of the gentiles, starting with israels defeat in. Daniel prophesies about gods kingdom while in babylon.
While the first part of the book of daniel is presented chronologically in the third person, the last part is written in the first person. The clearest explanation of the kingdom of god comes from the book of daniel, especially in chapters two and seven. Do you know how to interpret the four kingdoms of daniel. This is a most valuable book and i hope that it will be widely read and discussed. The israelites had lost their sovereignty through captivity. What they will be in, however, is the lake of fire. It is no wonder that the book of daniel is a favorite of so many people.
Bible book number 27daniel watchtower online library. The title chief princes, rightly explained in the margin, shows that the charge of israel had been entrusted by god to the highest of the heavenly powers. According to the bible what is the theme of the book of daniel. It is not by chance that the book of daniel begins and ends. Jesus is the king of those who rule as kings and lord of those who rule as lords. This poster is a solution to such a problem, and we believe it is the most accurate and correct teaching illustration available. The book of daniel, among many other things, gives us a clear picture of the upsidedown from our perspective reality of the kingdom of godwhoever exalts. The kingdom of god occupies a prominent place in the nt. Lloydjones reminds us of that and challenges us to be children of the kingdom of god. While the first part of the book of daniel is presented chronologically in the third person, the last part is. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth. The upside down kingdom of god in daniel baptist21. Jehovah god is shown as the supreme sovereign who sets up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin and that will crush all other.
Old testament bible quotations update on december 17, 2019 by pastor jack wellman daniel was a jew who lived in captivity, but because of his faith in god he met with success even while living in a foreign land. After you, another kingdom will rise, inferior to yours. According to the bible what is the theme of the book of. But if i cast out demons by the finger of god, then the kingdom of god has come upon you. The summary above is based on a discussion by caragounis, djg, pp. The divine kingdom daniel 2 john macarthur the book. In todays excerpt from the most recent edition in the story of god bible commentary series, author wendy l. Two main schools of thought on the four kingdoms of daniel, are. He pointed out that history would be dominated by four powerful gentile kingdoms that would rule the world until they were destroyed by the fifth and final kingdom, gods kingdom involving national israel. Daniel also has vivid, symbolic visions about the future of israel, world kingdoms, and the kingdom of god exposing us to some of god s longterm plan for the world. The book of daniel is often read for its contribution to our understanding of endtimes events, but sometimes christians have been so obsessed with this that we have missed its main message. The overall theme of the book of daniel is gods sovereignty over history, and the theme of the tales in chapters 16 is that god is sovereign over all earthly kings. Baldwin makes an excellent case for a late sixth or early fifthcentury date for the book in daniel.
The book of daniel demonstrates the glorious wisdom and unmatched power of god at work in his people. Daniel 1 introduces the fundamental question that runs through the entire book, how god may continue to work his plans when all seems lost. Daniel 4, the madness of nebuchadnezzar the fourth chapter of the bibles book of daniel tells how king nebuchadnezzar learns the lesson of gods sovereignty, who is able to bring low those who walk in pride. Nebuchadnezzar dreams of a great tree that shelters the whole world, but in his dream an angelic watcher appears and decrees that the tree must be cut down and that for seven years. He pointed out that history would be dominated by four powerful gentile kingdoms that would rule the world until they were destroyed by the fifth and final kingdom, god s kingdom involving national israel. Book of daniel from the king james version of the bible. Only daniel could interpret the writing, a message of coming judgment from god. Reference to the kingdom of god also known as the kingdom of heaven appears throughout the synoptic gospels matthew, mark, and luke and carries largely the same relevance to the disciples of jesus time as it does to us, as second millennium christians. These two understandings of the kingdom are both truly taught by the word of god and coexist in a type of alreadynot yet reality.
Daniel 8its relationship to the kingdom of god ministry magazine. Daniels natural ability and help from god soon led him to an appointment in the babylonian government. It talks about the kingdoms of man and the kingdom of god. In this sermon, learn how the spirit of babylon wants to topple, train, and tempt you but the spirit of. Introduction to the kingdom of god from discipleship lessons. Jesus christ, in announcing the kingdom of god is at hand in mark 1. Daniels vision by the tigris 12 do not be afraid, daniel, he said, for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your god, your words were heard, and i have come in response to them. Daniel s prophecies about the kingdom came at a critical time in the history of ancient israel. The god of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory. The book of daniel is the book of revelation in the old testament because it is an excellent prediction of the coming of jesus christ, the messiah and the triumph of his messianic kingdom. The divine kingdom 44 in the days of those kings the god of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people. We can be certain too, that daniel was, or had just finished, fasting when he prayed. Clearly, daniels four kingdoms extend down to our day and on out to the kingdom of yehovah god.
Chapter 7 brings us back to its first theme of the book of daniel. The widely held view that the book of daniel is largely fictional rests mainly on the modern philosophical assumption that longrange predictive prophecy is impossible. This is a commentary covering the first three of daniels visions in chapters 79. Daniel 2 god will overthrow pagan kingdoms and replace them. For an explanation of the themes in and structure of the book of daniel, see the section the big picture in the book of daniel.
The four beasts or kingdoms from the book of daniel the. This is the good news of daniels prophecy and the same good news jesus preached. Then michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for i had been left. Daniel foresaw that in the time of the final ruling power of this wicked world, gods kingdom would act. The book of daniel, volume 2 composition and reception. In chapter 7, god gave daniel a vision of four beasts. The four beasts or kingdoms from the book of daniel the prophet daniel records several visions describing four beasts or kingdoms that would rise to power. He ends up taking back the cream of the crop, the most elite and noble israelites, to serve at his court in babylon. This theme is that god will overthrow pagan kingdoms and replace them with his own kingdom. Too often we christians operate from a kingdom of this world rather than a kingdom of god perspective. Hasel, who was not only my doktorvatm, but also my friend.
Daniel 2 god will overthrow pagan kingdoms and replace. And in the days of these kings shall the god of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed. King cyrus overthrew the city just as the prophets had foretold. The book of daniel is an attentiongrabber with its compelling stories and shocking visions of the future.
The book of daniel is followed by the prophet hosea, the first of the prophets in the book of the twelve. Mar 09, 2020 the divine kingdom 44 in the days of those kings the god of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people. It will shatter all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, but. This question gets to the heart of the book of daniel and the bible as a whole. Highlights from the book of daniel watchtower online library. In addition are views that the kingdom of god is a mythical symbolnorman perrin and existential, rudolf bultmann, that the kingdom of god is ever coming and thus a continual decision. Daniel forsees the kingdom of god united church of god. They are so interwoven that to refer to them as separately is a misstatement. John bright is professor of hebrew and interpretation of the old testament, union theological seminary, richmond, virginia. Daniel left the solution to the problem to the granter of the prayers, to god. Gods kingdom advances in gods good time and waynot ours.
In addition, the captivating prophecy, imagery, and symbolism make the book of daniel one of the most read of hebrew scripture, our old testament of the bible. For many years, it has been difficult to find an accurate depiction of the statue we read about in the book of daniel representing the world kingdoms leading up to gods kingdom. Having set up in detail the lifesituation faced by daniel and his friends, the book of daniel now in daniel 2 begins the first of the three themes that form the chiastic structure described in the section above the big picture of the book of daniel. Feb 06, 2017 the book of daniel is mostly a prophetic book. This is a commentary covering the first six chapters of daniel, which are the historical chapters. The four kingdoms of daniel are four kingdoms which, according to the book of daniel, precede the endtime and the kingdom of god. The first three kingdoms of babylon, medopersia, and greece followed each other, with each successive kingdom conquering the previous one. But when they believed philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of god and the name of jesus christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike. The god of israel, to whom daniel remained faithful, gave daniel the ability to interpret dreams and also presented daniel with several visions and their meanings. Daniel gives details concerning the rise and fall of world powers from the time of ancient babylon right on down till the time when the kingdom of god crushes them out of existence forever. Four beasts come out of the sea, an angelic guide interprets the beasts as kingdoms and kings, the last of whom will make war on the holy ones of god, but he will be destroyed and the holy ones will be given eternal. Daniel 2, 7, 9, 12 the coming of messiah the prince. Islam and daniels four kingdoms hope of israel ministries. Daniel concludes by emphasizing that the dream is certain, and its interpretation is reliable.
The book of daniel is often read for its contribution to our understanding of endtimes events, but sometimes christians have been so obsessed with. As a very old man, daniel lived to see the fall of babylon. Historicist interpretations of the book of daniel wikipedia. Indeed, there is a calmness in the book of daniel which only comes. The book of daniel is about how god shows his everlasting wisdom, power, and faithfulness through one of israels greatest prophets. In a series of visions, both to king nebuchadnezzar and to daniel, god revealed a series of four worldruling empires that would be followed by the kingdom of god. It represents gods kingdom on earth apparently overshadowed by evil but finally to be vindicated. This was the dream, and now we will interpret it to the king. Gods kingdom advances in gods good time and way, not ours.
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