Dani’el from a Messianic Jewish Perspective
To my great granddaughter Olivia, may she grow up strong in ADONAI, and like Queen Esther, stand up for herself and her Lord. May she grow up to be wise and a wife of noble character (Proverbs 31:10-31), like her mother.
Author and Date: Several verses indicate that Dani’el, whose name means God is my Judge, wrote this book (8:15 and 27, 9:2, 10:2 and 7, and 12:4-5). He wrote in the autobiographical first person from 7:2 on and should be distinguished from the three other Dani’el’s in the TaNaKh (First Chronicles 3:1; Ezra 8:2; and Nehemiah 10:6). As a teenager, possibly around fifteen years old, Dani’el was taken captive, virtually kidnapped, from his noble family in Judah (see the commentary on Jeremiah, to see link click Gt – In the 37th Year, Jehoiachin Released from Prison). He and other young Jewish men were deported to Babylon to be brainwashed into the Babylonian culture for the task of assisting in dealing with other imported Jews. There, Dani’el spent the rest of his life (eighty-five years or more) and made the most of his exile, successfully praising ADONAI by his character and service. Dani’el quickly rose to the role of statesman by official royal appointment and served as a confidante of kings as well as a prophet in two world empires – the Babylonian Empire (2:48) and the Medo-Persian Empire (6:1-2). Dani’el lived beyond the time described in 10:1 (536 BC). It seems more probable that he wrote the book shortly after this date, but before 530 BC in the sixth century.1
Purpose: Three main purposes of Dani’el may be listed. First, the book describes how Jews should live in a Gentile world, particularly while the Torah is still a blueprint for living (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Bk – The Ten Words). Second, the book gives us a valuable lesson about YHVH, the God of Isra’el. He was, by pagan standards, a defeated god. In general, Gentiles viewed the wars he fought with other nations as wars between national gods. If one nation triumphed over another, its god triumphed over the other god. Therefore, in the minds of the Babylonians, the God of Isra’el had been defeated by their god, but Dani’el showed them that the opposite was true. Third, the book demonstrates ADONAI’s provision for His people. Ha’Shem placed Dani’el in a unique position. The prophet spent all of the Babylonian Captivity in Babylon (see the commentary on Jeremiah Gu – Seventy Years of Imperial Babylonian Rule). His prominent position at the court of both Nebuchadnezzar and his successor, allowed him to consider the welfare of the captive Jews. This, in turn, proves that the LORD does not forsake His people.2
Theme: The primary theme of the book of Dani’el is the period known as the Times of the Gentiles. The book also deals with God’s program for Isra’el during this period. It’s focus, however, is on the development of world history from the destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian Captivity in 586 BC to the Second Coming of Messiah – from the dethronement of Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, to the enthronement of Yeshua Messiah, the last King of Isra’el.3 To see a short video summarizing the book of Dani’el click here.
The Chronology: Dani’el is one of the most significant books in the Bible in terms of the chronology of future events because it contains essential information concerning the key figures and time sequences of the far eschatological future. It is difficult to understand prophetic chronology without consulting the book of Dani’el. There are visions in Dani’el that detail what YHVH would do beginning in the sixth century BC until the Messianic Kingdom. Thus, Dani’el can be seen as the foundation for the key themes of biblical prophecy. Dani’el did not attempt to write history when he wrote his book; rather, he was developing a theme. Therefore, the book was not written in chronological order. The fact that Dani’el dated his prophecies, provides insight into the order in which the events took place, but they were not written in that order. So I have written this commentary in this order: Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 5, 9, 6, and 10-12.4
Languages: An unusual feature of the book is that it is written in two languages. From Chapter 2 verse 4 to Chapter 7 verse 28, the book is written in Aramaic because the focus is on the Gentile nations. But Dani’el Chapter 1 verse 1 to Chapter 2 verse 3 and Chapter 8 verse 1 to Chapter 12 verse 13 are written in Hebrew. It seems that this was a deliberate device on Dani’el’s part. The sections of the book written in Aaramaic include the majority of Dani’el’s personal history (Chapters 2-3 and 5-6), the fall and rise of Nebuchadnezzar, and the prophecy about the four kingdoms (Chapter 7).
Since Aramaic was the common language of that period, it seems logical that Dani’el would have recorded most of his personal history in that language. In fact, Aramaic was probably the language that he spoke. Official decrees were issued in Aramaic so that people from all parts of the empire could read them. So, it is not surprising that Chapter 4 was written in Aramaic. Not only that, but Chapters 2-6 concern Gentile kings whose activities would have been of interest to a world audience, so that material was written in a language that non-Jews could understand. Finally, the messages concerning the four Gentile kingdoms of Chapter 7 involved not only Isra’el, but the whole world and thus were written in Aramaic.
Regarding the Hebrew in Dani’el, the introduction in Chapter 1 was likely written in the prophet’s native language because it reports the fate of three Jewish youths sent to Babylon in the final days of the southern kingdom of Judah, an account that would have been of little interest to a Gentile audience. Likewise, Chapters 8-12 speak primarily of the fate of the Jews under tyrannical rulers, like Antiochus IV and the eschatological Antichrist, and would not have been relevant to the Gentile world of Dani’el’s time. Dani’el, therefore, wrote this section in Hebrew, the language of the Jews.4
Literary Form: The prophecy of Dani’el is the first great book of apocalyptic literature in the Bible. The Greek word apokalypsis, from which comes the English word “apocalypse,” means an unveiling, a disclosing, or a revelation. Though all Scripture is revelation from ADONAI, certain portions are unique in the form by which their revelations were given and in the means by which they were transmitted. Apocalyptic literature in the Bible has several characteristics: (1) In apocalyptic literature a person who received God’s truths in visions and recorded what he saw. (2) Apocalyptic literature makes extensive use of symbols or signs (see the commentary on Revelation Ae – The Use of Symbols in the book of Revelation). (3) Such literature normally gives revelation concerning God’s program for the future of His people Isra’el. (4) Prose is usually employed in apocalyptic literature, rather than the poetic style which was normal in most prophetic literature.6
Key verse: Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place (Dani’el 9:24).
The use of ADONAI: Long before Yeshua’s day, the word ADONAI had, out of respect, been substituted in speaking and in reading aloud for God’s personal name, the four Hebrew letters yod-heh-vav-heh, variously written in English as YHVH. The Talmud (Pesachim 50a) made it a requirement not to pronounce the Tetragrammaton, meaning the four-letter name of the LORD, Yod-Hey-Vav-Hey, since the ancient manuscripts do not give any vowel sounds, and this remains the rule in most modern Jewish settings. In deference to this tradition, which is unnecessary but harmless, I will be using ADONAI where YHVH is meant. In ancient times when the scribes were translating the Hebrew Scriptures, they revered the name of YHVH so much that they would use a quill to make one stroke of the name and then throw it away. Then they would make another stroke and throw that quill away until the name was completed. His name became so sacred to them that they started to substitute the phrase the Name, instead of writing or pronouncing His Name. Over centuries of doing this, the actual letters and pronunciation of His Name were lost. The closest we can come is YHVH, with no vowels. The pronunciation has been totally lost. Therefore, the name Yahweh is only a guess of what the original name sounded like. Both ADONAI and Ha’Shem are substitute names for YHVH. ADONAI is more of an affectionate name like daddy, while Ha’Shem is a more formal name like sir. Therefore, Jews, being respectful of the Third Commandment, use these words as replacements. The Talmud explains, “In the Sanctuary, the Name was pronounced as written; but beyond its confines a substitute Name was employed (Tractate Sotah VII.6). God has only one name, YHVH. All His other “names” like ADONAI Elohei-Tzva’ot, ADONAI Elohim, ADONAI Nissi, ADONAI Tzidkenu, and ADONAI-Tzva’ot, merely reflect His attributes.
Contrary to what some religious groups say today, no one can say with confidence how to pronounce God’s Name. The “name” Jehovah, for example, is a made-up word by a Franciscan monk in the dark ages. He took YHVH, and inserted vowels between the known letters to invent a new word: YeHoVaH. Jews never, NEVER, use this made-up word. The last book of the B’rit Chadashah tells us that when Yeshua returns to the earth, He will reveal the Name that no one knew but Himself (Revelation 19:12). It seems best to leave this lost pronunciation unresolved until the Messiah comes.
The use of TaNaKh: The Hebrew word TaNaKh is an acronym, based on the letters T (for ”Torah”),N (for “Nevi’im,” the Prophets), and K (for “Ketuvim,” the Sacred Writings). It is the collection of the teachings of God to human beings in document form. The term “Old Covenant” implies that it is no longer valid, or at the very least outdated. Something old, to be either ignored or discarded. But Jesus Himself said: Don’t think I have come to abolish the Torah and the Prophets; I have not come to abolish but to complete (Matthew 5:17 CJB). I will be using the Hebrew acronym TaNaKh instead of the phrase the Old Testament, throughout this devotional commentary.
The Use of the phrase, “the righteous of the TaNaKh,” rather than using Old Testament saints: Messianic synagogues, and the Jewish messianic community in general, never use the phrase Old Testament saints. From a Jewish perspective, they prefer to use the phrase, “righteous of the TaNaKh.” Therefore, I will be using “the righteous of the TaNaKh,” rather than Old Testament saints throughout this devotional commentary.
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