Daniel 2

II. THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES: GOD’S PROGRAM FOR THE WORLD CHS. 2-7

Daniel wrote Daniel 2:4 to Daniel 7:28 in the Aramaic language. This literary change gives the reader a clue that this part is a distinct section of the book. The content of this section also identifies it as special. It concerns the future history of the Gentiles during "the times of the Gentiles" (Luke 21:24). Aramaic was the common language of the world in which Daniel lived when he wrote. It is natural that he would have recorded what concerns the world as a whole in the language of the Gentiles.

The writer constructed this section of the book in chiastic form.

A A prophecy of an image concerning four Gentile nations and their end ch. 2

B The supernatural persecution and deliverance of Daniel’s friends ch. 3

C God’s revelation to the Gentile king Nebuchadnezzar ch. 4

C’ God’s revelation to the Gentile king Belshazzar ch. 5

B’ The supernatural persecution and deliverance of Daniel ch. 6

A’ A prophecy of animals concerning four Gentile nations and their end ch. 7 [Note: See also A. Lenglet, "La structure littéraire de Daniel 2-7," Biblica 53 (1972):169-90.]

"Chapters 2 and 7 explain the succession of four gentile empires that would exert control over Jerusalem and the Jews until God’s kingdom is established. Chapters 3 and 6 warned the Jews of the persecution they would face during this period and exhorted them to remain faithful to God. Chapters 4 and 5 encouraged the Jewish remnant by reminding them that a time would come when even the gentile rulers would acknowledge that the God of Israel rules over the nations." [Note: Dyer, p. 704.]

A. Nebuchadnezzar’s first dream: the big picture ch. 2

This chapter is important because it records the broadest sweep of world history that God gave any prophet. It is the big picture, an overview of history yet future from Daniel’s perspective.

"The second chapter of Daniel has been justly called ’the alphabet of prophecy.’ Whoever wishes to understand the prophetic Scriptures must come to this chapter for the broad outline of God’s future program for the nations, for Israel, and for the glorious kingdom of Messiah. This outline is the simple but comprehensive framework of a multitude of future events. No political document can compare with it, and its importance cannot be overstated." [Note: Feinberg, p. 29.]

"Nowhere else in Scripture, except in Daniel 7, is a more comprehensive picture given of world history as it stretched from the time of Daniel, 600 years before Christ, to the consummation at the second advent of Christ. It is most remarkable that Daniel was not only given this broad revelation of the course of what Christ called ’the times of the Gentiles’ (Luke 21:24), but also the chronological prophecy of Israel’s history stretching from the rebuilding of Jerusalem to the second advent of Christ. These two major foci of the book of Daniel justify the general description of the book as world history in outline with special reference to the nation of Israel." [Note: Walvoord, p. 44. Cf. Culver, p. 777.]

"Few chapters of the Bible are more determinative in establishing both principle and content of prophecy than this chapter; and its study, accordingly, is crucial to any system of prophetic interpretation." [Note: Walvoord, p. 45.]

"The God of Daniel is the central figure and not the courtier." [Note: W. L. Humphreys, "A Life-style for Diaspora," Journal of Biblical Literature 92 (1973):221.]

"As you turn from chapter 1 to chapter 2, the atmosphere in the king’s palace changes radically. Chapter 1 closes with recognition and security, but chapter 2 introduces rejection and danger." [Note: Wiersbe, p. 257.]