Literal Events
Daniel 1 – Temptation of appetite, the kings table of delicacies and wine is set before Daniel and his companions.
Daniel 2 – In the vision of Nebuchadnezzar, a stone cut without hands dashes the image on the feet – man falls because of pride.
Daniel 3 – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego ordered to bow down and worship the image under threat of death.
Daniel 4 – Nebuchadnezzar has a dream of a tree, and the branches spread abroad providing refuge for birds and beast; but is cut down leaving a stump and the roots with a band about for it will be preserved for a time.Daniel 5 – Cyrus goes into the deep and open the gates to set the captives free; and Babylon falls.
Daniel 6 – Daniel is thrown into a lion’s den and the opening is covered with a stone and sealed. He rises unharmed by the lions on the next day.
The Life of Jesus Christ
Daniel 1 – Satan temps Jesus to eat by turning stones into bread. First temptation of Christ.
Daniel 2 – Satan compels Jesus to throw himself down for surely you will not dash your foot against a stone. Second temptation of Christ
Daniel 3 – Satan tells Christ to bow down and worship him and he will give him the kingdoms of the world. Third temptation of Christ.
Daniel 4 – Jesus borrows this very tree imagery to describe the true tree which is the tree of Calvary.
Daniel 5 – Christ, as a second or type of Cyrus, descended into the grave on our behalf and opens the gates of death to set the captives free.
Daniel 6 – By a death decree, Christ is crucified. Christ is placed in a tomb with a stone covering the opening and it is sealed. Christ rises on the third day in His glory, unharmed by the roaring devouring lion referred to as Satan.
Daniel 1-6 we are given a snapshot of the 70-week prophecy in living color. This prophecy is about when Christ would come, beginning specifically with His baptism in the Jordan River; and takes us down to His death, burial, and resurrection. Daniel 7 will introduce us to the 1,260-day prophecy. Daniel 8 will introduce us to the 2,300-day prophecy. We literally have in Daniel 1 – 8, the very order of the three major time prophecies of the Bible. We want to keep this in mind as we move forward. As we move forward, we will see how these prophecies run together…it is amazing. How God layers His word is so dynamic and divine that is should inspire us and confirm in us that only God could weave such a narration.
King of the North
Daniel 1 – King of the south pushes against the king of the north. The king of the north fight back with chariots and horses and overcomes the king of the south. Then the king of the north turns his attention to Jerusalem and seeks to enforce the wine of Babylon.
Daniel 2 – The king of the north hears tidings from the north and east that troubles him, and sets up his image.
Daniel 3 – The king of the north goes after them with fury for he seeks to destroy them.
Daniel 4 – The king of the north sets up his palaces, to be gloried in his palaces; and his sins reach unto heaven.
Daniel 5 – Cyrus (c.f. Michael stand- Dan. 12:1) stands up and Babylon falls by Cyrus drying up the river Euphrates (cf. Isaiah 44:27-28, 45:1-2)*. The anointed stands up and sets the captives free so they can go up. See: Rev. 16:12-16*.
Daniel 6 – A death decree goes forth, generated by deception. There is a time of trouble as such never was for Daniel, but those found written in the Book of Life will be delivered.
*In Revelation 16 verse 12 it speaks to the river Euphrates drying up and makes reference to the kings of the east. We must note that Cyrus was of Persia and Darius was of the Medes. Darius was a general at that time so he was the power, and Cyrus was the anointed one who stood up and set the captives free. They became the kings of Babylon. Remember, one was from the east the other was from the north. However, Cyrus is considered as a king of the east for he joined forces with Darius, but he was also a king from the north because God said He was going to bring the northern families upon Babylon to overthrow them and destroy them. In the end of time, the true King of the north will stand up to battle against the counterfeit ‘king of the north’, this is amazing and we see how all of this comes together and we haven’t even hit the heavy prophetic portion. We have covered one prophetic chapter, but everything else thus far has let us know exactly what we are looking for in chapters 7 through 12 of Daniel.
Matthew 24 talks about the second coming of Jesus (who is the true king of the north), and in verses 27 it says, “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Then in Matthew 26:64 we are told that, “Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” Who is the power? The Father These are two Kings of the east that are coming like lightening (brightness) and we find Jesus sitting at the right hand of the Father; who will arrive after the plagues fall upon the Earth.
So, the Euphrates River is dried up in order for the anointed one, who represents Darius for he was the General at that time, prepared the way. Remember, Cyrus of Persia becomes more powerful a little later and is referenced at the anointed one as prophesied in Isaiah 45:1. This is the same terminology being brought forth…the Medes and the Persians, one was from the east (Persia-Cyrus) and the other was from the north (Medes-Darius); but also, Cyrus was also considered the king from the north. Remember, when God said he was going to bring northern families upon Babylon to overthrow them and destroy them – this is who was being referenced. Then, we read about the true king of the north who stands up to battle with the counterfeit parading upon earth.
Matthew 27:50-53 says, “Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.” Here the point is made that Jesus went down so we can ‘go up’. The prophecies of Daniel are all about salvation, just as the rest of the Bible is about salvation.
Daniel 1-6 parallels in so many ways. It parallels with Daniel 11:40 – 12:2; ending with ‘they shall be delivered’. So yes, we can be assured of our delivery (cf. Revelation 13). God is a master at repeat and enlarge way of writing.
Daniel 6 is personal, practical and it is present truth for us today, and it is history that gives us courage for the trials that we are facing now and those that we will face in the future.
Good verses Evil, The Great Controversy
Jesus is on every page of the Bible, we simply have to look for him there. His life is foreshadowed in all of the events of the Bible. God pours into these stories the plan of salvation. We must remember that Jesus is the ultimate reason why we have prophecy, and it reveals how Jesus deals with this great controversy between good and evil.
These patterns also are relevant to our time. In the end of time, God will have a people who will avoid the wine of Babylon, we see what the king of the north will be doing during this time, and so on. These patterns are so woven together, so much order that it is surly by divine design.