Daniel the Prophet
Daniel's amazing Prophecies
Acts 17:11
70 Weeks Possibly the most amazing prophecy ever uttered
Alexander the Great Very Detailed - over 200 years in Daniel's future
Daniel's Life
Daniel's prophecies put him as one of the most influential men in Christian history. He is one of the four Major Prophets in the Old Testament. His book, Daniel is second only to Revelation as the scripture telling theologians today about the end times. He prophesied the major kingdoms of Earth. In great detail he describes how Alexander the Great's Kingdom will be divided, and when the messiah (Jesus) would come. All of this was in his future. Amazingly, some of what he wrote, he himself didn't understand (Daniel 8:27, 12:8,9).
Daniel's predictions are so accurate and so detailed that it can only come from God. The only attempt to refute this comes from a theory that it was really written much later by someone pretending to be Daniel. The case for an early date is strongly presented here.
.Under King Jehoiakim in Judah (Birth to 605 BC)
Daniel was a young man in Judah, possibly in Jerusalem. His king was King Jehoiakim who was made King by Pharaoh Necho of Egypt, who controlled Judah. When Pharaoh Necho was defeated by King Nebuchadnezzar at the Battle of Carchemish in 605 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar, King of the Chaldean Empire took control of much of Egypts territories, including Judah.
It was during this time that Babylon took some articles from the Temple of God and some people, including Daniel, back to Babylon. Daniel, being an intelligent, handsome young man of royal birth was one of many selected for a three year training program in Babylonian language, literature and culture. At the end of the three years these men were interviewed by King Nebuchadnezzar himself. He finds Daniel an amazing young man and picks him to be a "wise man" on his staff.
Under King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon (605 to 562 BC)
During Daniels life God was close with him. God gave him the power to interpret dreams.
Under Amel-Marduk (562 to 560 BC)
Murdered by Neriglissar who succeeded him.
Under King Neriglissar (560 to 556 BC)
Under King Labashi-Marduk (556 BC - murdered after serving 9 months)
Under King Nabonidus (556 to 539 BC)
Nabonidus' son King Belshazzar ruled Babylon for many of these years. See Cylinder of Nabonidus here
Power struggles, selfish rulers and murders were becoming the norm. Daniel, while still around, was quickly being forgotten. One evening during a big party, King Belshazzar decides to have his guests drink from the gold goblets from Jerusalem's temple. While drinking, a finger appears and writes " Mene , Mene , Tekel , Parsin " on the wall. Petrified, the King asks Daniel to interpret the words. He does in Daniel 5:26,27,28. The Persions had just won the Battle of Opis. Nevertheless, King Belshazzar thought he was safe behind the great "impregnable" walls of Babylon. He was wrong and was killed by the Medes and Persians that night.
Under King Cyrus of Persia (539 BC to Death)
During Daniel's life God was close with him. God gave him the power to interpret dreams. Daniel faithfully served the Chaldean Empire. When the empire fell to King Cyrus' military, the new ruler was Darius the Mede. When Daniel survive the famous lions den Darius made Daniel's God, "the God of the land".
Daniel, being aware of the prophesies in Jeremiah 25:11 and Jeremiah 29:10 , knew the seveny years was about up. This is reflected in Daniel 9:1,2 so he prayed to God, then Cyrus in 539 B.C. (Ezra 1:1,2,3,4) allowed the rebuilding of the temple. Note, 70 (Nbr of yrs) times 360 (days in a Prophetic year is 25,200 days. From the first seige of the Babylonian army (summer of 606 BC.) until the decree of Cyrus (summer of 537 BC) is very close to 25,200 days. Because the exact dates are unknown it is impossible to exactly confirmation Jeremiah's prophesies. However, we do know that at worst it is very close and that Daniel believed them to be exact.