• Title Page
• Introduction
• General Overview
• Daniel 1:1-6
• Daniel 1:7-21
• Daniel 2
• Daniel 3
• Daniel 4
• Daniel 5
• Daniel 6
• Daniel 7
• Daniel 8
• Daniel 9
• Daniel 10
• Daniel 11
• Daniel 12

General Overview

The Book of Daniel is really a prophetic statement about what is going to happen to Israel. It is a prophetic book. The question then becomes, “Why are all those nice stories at the beginning?” The answer is that those stories teach vital lessons for understanding the message of God’s Word.

Commitment to Godly Diet

Daniel 1:8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

In Daniel 1, we read of four young Jewish boys who committed their diets to the Lord. They wanted to obey the instructions of God in what they should eat, and they did not want to eat those things forbidden them of God. This commitment resulted in a very creative and reasonable request. We are told that after ten days these young men were much healthier than all the other boys. The results also carried over into their studies—they graduated ten times more capable than all the other boys.

Commitment to God’s Direction

Daniel 2:23 I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter.

Next we are carefully told of the details of the King’s request. King Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed about something, and he expected the wise and educated teachers to tell him the dream and its meaning. They were not able to do this, so the King ordered all of them to be killed. Among those to be killed were Daniel and his three friends. Here Daniel’s faith in God is shown. He told the King that if he would be given more time, he would be able to tell the King the dream.