Daniel Outlines #2

[glen smith]

Outlining Daniel for a study of the Prophetical Sections

The Book of Daniel naturally divides between the historical narrative of chapters 1-6 and the prophetical visions of chapters 7-12.

Book of Daniel Outline

Historical Narrative in the Book of Daniel 1-6
Prophetical Visions Received by the prophet Daniel 7-12
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Daniel Outlined by Major Sections

I. Historical Narrative of Babylonian and Persian Periods (1:1-6:28)

A. Daniel and his friends taken into exile (1:1-7)

B. Daniel and his friends remain undefiled and are promoted (1:8-21)

C. Nebuchadnezzar's dream of a great statue of future kingdoms (2:1-49)

D. Nebuchadnezzar builds a great statue and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are put in the furnace (3:1-30)

E. Nebuchadnezzar's dream of a toppled tree (4:1-37)

F. Belshazzar's feast and the handwriting on the wall (5:1-31)

G. Daniel is in the lion’s den (6:1-28)

II. Visions of the Future Received by the Prophet Daniel (7:1-12:13)

A. Vision of the four great beasts representing future kingdoms and the heavenly court (7:1-28)

B. Vision of the ram, the goat, and the little horn representing future kingdoms (8:1-27)

C. Daniel's prayer and the vision of the seventy weeks (9:1-27)

D. Vision of future conflicts and the coming kingdom of the Most High (10:1-12:13)

An outline, which is a simplified overview and provides some details within the divisions, aids in initially grasping the contents. If the Bible student is only interested in grasping a summary understanding of the Book of Daniel this could be ample. However, if an interpretation of the future as prophesied is desired, a different detailed division might be in order because there is considerable disagreement among biblical scholars.

[glen smith]

Book of Daniel Outline formation continues from post Daniel Outline #2

Historical Narrative in the Book of Daniel 1-6

The first six chapters of the Book of Daniel consist of narratives (told in the third person) concerning the Prophet Daniel and other obedient Jews in Babylonian captivity and later under the Medes and Persians.

The initial part of the Book of Daniel, chapter 1 through 2:4a, is in Hebrew.
Starting with Daniel 2:4b through chapter 7 the text is Aramaic.
Daniel 8 through 12 is in Hebrew.

It is enticing to attempt some kind of outline based upon a separation of the Hebrew or Aramaic texts. Generally, it appears the Prophet Daniel recorded the historical material in Aramaic and his prophetic visions in Hebrew. However, this cannot be strictly adhered to because chapter 7 includes prophesy, but it is in Aramaic; and the first events concerning the history of the Babylonian exile of chapter 1 are in Hebrew.

Prophetical Visions Received by the prophet Daniel 7-12

The revelations received by the Prophet Daniel in Daniel 7-12 are of a similar nature to Daniel's interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream in Daniel 2: they concern the progress of history from the Prophet Daniel's time in the sixth century to the coming of the kingdom to be set up by God.

The last half of the Book of Daniel (Daniel 7-12) consist of revelations given to the Prophet Daniel in the first person, sometimes with introduction written in the third person.

In Daniel 7 and 8, the Prophet Daniel receives symbolic visions, which an angel interprets for him.

Daniel 9:1-19 is a prayer of repentance offered by the Prophet Daniel on behalf of his people Israel.

In Daniel 9:20-27, the angel Gabriel discloses to the Prophet Daniel significant events in the last seven years of the remaining 490 years of disobedient human history.

In Daniel 10-12, the Prophet Daniel receives a revelation from the angel Michael concerning events in the Hellenistic period including the persecution by Antiochus Epiphenes.