Daniel

Daniel is one of the most unique books of the Bible.  It easily breaks into two sections.  Chapters 1-6 include the stories of Daniel and his friends serving in the palace of King Nebuchadnezzar.  From the lion's den to the fiery furnace to dream interpretations, God is clearly the main character, putting his power on display in front of Nebuchadnezzar and so many others.  While the first 6 chapters were originally written mostly in Aramaic, the final six chapters were originally written in mostly Hebrew and are very different in style, content, and message.  The final six chapters contain 4 apocalyptic visions, giving a picture of things that are yet to come.  Many of the images in Daniel 7-12 appear again in Revelation, also apocalyptic visions.  Interestingly, the Jewish scriptures place Daniel in the "writings" (historical literature) while the Christian Bible places Daniel in the prophets.

Take comfort in knowing that the God who took care of Daniel and who took care of Israel in captivity is the same God who will take care of you and work out his purposes for his glory in you.

Enjoy your reading!  Please share your reflections and questions.  Be sure to use the guiding questions as you read.


Our guiding questions are these: 
  • What stood out to you in the reading?
  • Was there anything confusing or troubling?
  • Did anything make you think differently about God?
  • How might what you read change the way you live?

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