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Daniel and Revelation
Daniel and
Revelation
January 1968 & March
1993
Daniel 1:17
Introduction
The
book of Daniel, a tremendous influence upon the life and literature of the
Jewish people during the centuries following its writing. This influence
extending to a new writing of the New Testament and development of the Christian
community and the years following.
1. The Book
was loved, studied, honored, and quoted by our
Savior:
(Matthew 24:15--Daniel 9:23, 9:31, 12:11;
Matthew 24:21--Daniel 12:1; Matthew 24:30--Daniel 7:13; Matthew 26:64--Daniel
7:13; Jeremiah 5:28-29--Daniel 12:2; Matthew 13:43--Daniel
12:3).
2. Paul in his last letters to Timothy:
2 Timothy 4:17.
The author of Hebrews 11:33--Daniel
6:22; Hebrews 11:34--Daniel 3:27; 1 Peter 1:10--Daniel 9:3 &
12:8.
3. But especially the book loved studied,
influenced of the apostle John. From a heavenly point of view, the revelation
of God through Jesus Christ, the same author, but so much of Daniel is from the
Revelation, we shall compare the man and the
book.
I. The Comparison of the Two
Authors.
1. Both were favored of heaven
greatly beloved men of the angels. Daniel thrice called the man, greatly loved
(Daniel 9:23; 10:11 & 19). John four times called, "the disciple whom Jesus
loved" (Daniel 20:2; 21:20; 19:26). Chosen of heaven for the privilege of
seeing the vision of the whole course of times from 605 B.C. on down to the
second Christ and then the consummation of the
age.
2. Both wrote apocalyptically. Daniel
occupied the same office among Old Testament writers, and John, the same, unique
among the authors of the New Testament. Daniel is the apocalypse of the Old
Testament (the first of the centuries of apocalyptic literature following).
Revelation is the apocalypse of the New Testament. One cannot be understood
without the other. A literary vehicle carrying the message in writing with
symbols, signs, and visions. An encouragement of hope and victory for a distant
people.
3. Both saw this vision in
Exile:
• Daniel in
Babylon.
• John in
Patmos.
Revelation is a prophecy, 5 times so
described in Revelation 1:5, 22:7, 10, 18, and 19. Consequently, the things I
read, I read a meaning beyond themselves. Compare the seven churches of Asia.
Hierapoles and Papias. Those of profund significance. They represented
compared in John's gospel. It is never "miracle", but Semeion. The
words, the water–filling up. Blind man, Lazarus, resurrection
life.
So to remember in our study of Daniel:
primarily fit, all a prophecy, Daniel a statesman-prophet. Of the two Jesus
emphasized the latter (Matthew 24). A prophet as a man who speaks for God; a
prophet in the narrow use is a man who foretells the
future.
The book in two divisions: history 1 -
6, prophecy 7 - 12, yet all prophecy.
1. The captivity, the scattering and
diaspora.
2. Two times of the Gentiles.
3. Israel in the tribulation--the fiery furnace.
4. Tree cut down--raised up to glorify God (Daniel 4:1 -
3; not an old testament, but heathen king, millennium conquering of
nations.
5. Judgment on Gentile race.
6. Isaiah's perseverance buried in the door of Gentile
domination encouragement for all to called upon to suffer (2 Timothy
4:27).
Both deal with the events of this age in which we
live and of the end time. So much that was sealed in Daniel is revealed,
unsealed, and opened up in Revelation (compare Daniel 12:6 & 9 with
Revelation 5).
This accounts for the differing
emphasis in the books. Daniel, the course of Gentile life to the consummation.
But the consummation so largely hid from his eyes. Revelation the unveiling of
the end times.
a. Follows the history of the
church to the time of the Rapture (Revelation 2-3 and Ephesians
3.)
b. Revelation 4-19 detailed outline of
Daniel’s 70th week of tribulation
Both
present a most prophetic description of the chief actor of tribulation: the man
of sin (Revelation), the antichrist.
Both
describe the glorious coming of Christ, our Lord in Daniel 7:13-14; Revelation
19:11-16.
So much of Daniel in the Revelation
(not surprised for the great God in heaven reveals to them both the vast
program).
1. Passages in the historical section
of Daniel 1 - 6 retold in the
Revelation.
(1) "The things that shall come to
pass hereafter."
(Revelation 1:19 &
4:1--Daniel 2:29 & 45)
(2) Ten days
trial
(Revelation 2:10--Daniel 1:12 &
15)
(3) "Gods of silver and gold....which see
not..."
(Revelation 9:20--Daniel
5:23).
(4) "Forty-two months, 1260 days, times
two....."
(Revelation 11:2 & 3, 22:14--Daniel
7:25, 9:27 and 12:7)
(5) Compelling all men to
worship the image.
(Revelation 13:15--Daniel
3:6)
(6) Great
Babylon.
(Revelation 18:2--Daniel
4:30)
(7) The sweeping away of the fragments of
the world power so that "no place was found for
them."
(Revelation 20:11--Daniel
2:35)
2. Passages in the prophetic section of
Daniel 7-12 explained in the Revelation.
(1) Daniel 7:13 & 14. The sublime vision. When is
this? Who is this who comes before the Ancient of Days? (Revelation 1:7). It
is the crucified Lord Jesus. Compare Jesus’ avowal before the Jewish High
Priest. His debt to lead the way to the glory to which He would appear in the
second advent (Matthew 26:64). Compare Revelation 14:14 "One like unto the Son
of Man, the very expression is a vision (Daniel 7:13) coming to reap the harvest
of the earth on a white cloud. Compare Revelation 1:13-15 the description of
the glorified Lord Jesus:
• Revelation 1:14, 6, 18; 2:18--Daniel 10:5
& 6
• Revelation 1:17--Daniel
10:8-11
• Revelation 1:17--Daniel
10:12
• Revelation 10:9, 6--Daniel
2:6
• Revelation
20:15--Daniel 12:1 (John
5:27–judgment
(2) Daniel 7:7, 19 & 20
who is this fourth kingdom?
Revelation 13 &
17
Revelation 13:1 & 2 out of the sea rises
4 successions wild beasts as in Daniel 7:2-7 but only one; thus, indicating that
three have already risen and past and the one remaining is the fourth and last
kingdom.
Daniel described it as nondescript,
not like any particular animal. John described it as an amalgamation of the
three wild beasts, which precedes it in the Book of Daniel. As in Revelation,
its power derived from Satan Daniel 13:26.
In
Revelation 13:3 & 13 the monster receives death wounds in one of its heads
and recovers at the amazement of the world.
In
Revelation 17:1 and following, the harlot riding the beast was killed as a pagan
political power and revered as a papal
power.
III. A Comparison of the Two
Theologians.
• Daniel 2:44; 7:9-14 the coming
kingdom.
• Daniel
2:34 smiling on the feet.
• Daniel 2:35 fragments swept
away.
• Rev.
19:11 & following introduces battle of
Armageddon.
• II
Peter 3:1 a day as 1000 years, 1000 years as a day.
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