Introduction to the Book of Daniel

Most of us must have heard of the miracle of Daniel in the lions’ den. Or the account of the miraculous survival of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace of Nebuchadnezzar. These are but two of the more interesting and common accounts of how God took His people through their tough trials as they placed their total trust in Him. These accounts are found in the book of Daniel.

This book is set in Babylon which was the dominant power of the day. Due to their disobedience and unfaithfulness, God dealt with the children of Israel and allowed them to be taken into exile during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar. The deportation of Judah to Babylon came in three stages.

Daniel, Hananiah, Mishel, and Azariah were deportees in the first stage. This took place during the reign of King Jehoiakim around 606 BC. Together with the elites of the Jewish people, these four bright prospective youths were taken to Babylon. There they were renamed Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego respectively.

Today we begin our reflection in the Book of Daniel, the last of the five Major Prophetical books in the English Bible. This book can be divided into two broad categories. The first category from chapters 1-6 contains mainly biographical materials and is easier to understand. The second, from chapters 7-12 is mainly prophetical material. Hence, they are more difficult to understand and would require us to put more thought into it.

As usual, our journey in this book is more for reflection than an academic study. So, prayerfully, we place our complete trust in God. We seek His insight and spiritual gems that will take us through our own personal journey with Him.