1. Daniel’s background (chapter 1).
2. Daniel interprets others dreams (chapters 2-7).
3. An angel interprets Daniel’s dreams (chapters 8-12).

Daniel - The Gentile Prophet

• Daniel the author was a statesman in the court of heathen monarchs, and throughout his life he was uncompromising and faithful to his God.
• He was taken captive as a youth to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar in 605 B.C. He spent the rest of his life there as a government official and as a prophet of the true God.
• He was given a place of prominence and responsibility in Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom, was made one of three presidents under Darius (6:1), and lived until the third year of Cyrus.
• In Ezekiel 14:14 and 20, he is classified with Noah and Job as being one of the godliest of men.
• The basic message of the book deals with that period that our Lord called “the times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24).
• It contains two principal divisions: history (chapters 1-6) and prophecy (chapters 7-12). The sections have been called the “Historic Night” and the “Prophetic Light."
• Among the doctrines mentioned in the book are:

1. Personal separation (1:8; 3:12; 6:10).
2. Angels (8:16; 9:21; 11:36).
3. Resurrection (12:2).
4. Antichrist (7:24-25; 9:27; 11:36).

• Favorite stories in this book include those of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (chapter 3); and Daniel in the lions’ den (chapter 6).
• It seems that Daniel died in the first year of King Cyrus, and he may have helped inspire the decision of Cyrus to have the temple rebuilt (II Chronicles 36:22).
• The book is chiefly about the man Daniel and his message. Nothing finer could be recommended to the youth of today than a study of the life of Daniel.