God through it all
The book of Daniel is an amazing portion of Scripture that often leaves many feeling intimidated and confused; however, the tremendous specificity and clarity of the text should lead us to feeling enlightened and encouraged. We simply need to avoid over complicating the writing. But, to read Daniel, there are a few requirements in order for us to walk away with understanding.
First, we will need to grasp a basic understanding of history. On the one hand, the book of Daniel is rich with history and is ridiculously more accurate than any history book in our classrooms. Be that as it may, this does not mean that all of its history is laid bare before us; there are gaps that the authors (yes, plural) either expect us to already know or require us to research ourselves. But, if we are willing to do this work, the book really comes alive! Also, it should be said that there are many different resources and study Bibles that have a lot of this history made readily available to us—it won’t be an excessive amount of work on our part as we read Scripture.
Second, we need to understand that Daniel does not fit perfectly into any category. Biblically speaking, it stands apart from the general structure of the rest of Scripture. Daniel is described as a prophet and the book is organized with the prophets, but he does not fit the traditional mold. Daniel was a prophet in the truest sense; he was placed in a position to advise kings, and he gave each king served the truth of God. His renowned prophetic moments (the interpretation of dreams and the writing on the wall) are better described as interpretation similar to Joseph’s service to Pharaoh; but his day to day actions, his declarations of faith, his Godly influence on the kings, and his evangelistic efforts (we should not be surprised that nearly all those whom he served came to some degree of faith in the God of heaven) establish Daniel as a subtle and tremendously successful prophet. Regardless, the book of Daniel is not a prophetic work. Nearly half of the work is apocalyptic and more aligned with the book of Revelation. However, unlike Revelations, the book of Daniel includes historical narrative and dream analysis. Needless to say, part of the reason why many feel perplexed when reading through Daniel is due to the desire to fit the work into a specific category and interpret it through that lens. Instead, we should be led to read Daniel for what it is and not force a particular perspective; it is not all historical narrative, not all apocalyptic vision, not all prophecy—it’s all of the above, and that’s okay.
Through the book of Daniel we will encounter a wide range of themes and topics with all being incredibly relatable and relevant for our daily lives today. Through Daniel, we are led to consider how to boldly live separate and holy while living in Babylon, how to endure persecution, how to trust in the provision and protection of God, and how to prepare ourselves for the turmoil of the end times. But we are also given a perspective of God’s heart for the lost, the power of His redemption, and His promise of faithfulness even and especially while living in exile. We are led to know the unchallenged sovereignty of God. And, if there was one theme consistent through the book of Daniel it is the simple truth of God through it all.
Daniel is a book that should inspire humility, increase our understanding of grace, and prepare us to walk into the future with confidence and clarity.