Jensens survey of the old testament adam 222
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determining the revelation of one of
the great books of the Old Testament
but is an indispensable preliminary
investigation
to
any
complete
eschatological system.2
I. PREPARATION FOR STUDY
Read Luke 21:20-28. Note especially the
phrase “the times of the Gentiles” (21:24).
Daniel lived and prophesied at the beginning
of this notable epoch in the world’s history.
Concerning the epoch, note these two
things:
1. Its distinctive character: During this
time, by divine design Gentiles, not Jews,
have political power and supremacy in the
world.
2. Its duration: The “times of the Gentiles”
began with the Babylonian Captivity of
Judah under Nebachadnezzar, and it will
end with the second coming of Christ in
glory (Luke 21:20-28).
God had o ered world supremacy to the
Jews (Deut 28) on the condition of
obedience to Him, but the Jews would not
comply with that condition. So, beginning in
6 0 5 B.C., God withdrew the o er and gave
the supremacy to the Gentiles, at that time
represented by the nation of Babylon.
Nebuchadnezzar, as absolute monarch of
Babylon, was thus made “master” of the
world.
In Babylonian captivity, Daniel was
prophet to both Gentile and Jew. He
prophesied to the Gentiles concerning the
events which would take place among the
Gentile nations during the times of the
Gentiles (when political dominion of the
earth would be vested in Gentile nations).
His mission to Israel mainly concerned the
unborn generations of Jews. He prophesied
of an eventual Messianic Kingdom, which
God would set up when the times of the
Gentiles had been fulfilled. (See Chart 88.)
II. DANIEL AND HIS CONTEMPORARIES
Study carefully Chart 89. Observe the
following:
1. Daniel’s ministry in Babylon lasted for
at least seventy years (605-536 B.C.). He was
among the Jewish captives of the rst
deportation (605 B.C.; Dan 1:1-6), and he
lived in Babylon throughout the entire
seventy-year captivity period (536 B.C. is the
date referred to in 10:1).
2. Babylon, the land of Jewish exile, came
under three powers during Daniel’s career:
Neo-Babylonian, Median, and Persian. The
rulers that played an important part in the
book of Daniel are:
Nebuchadnezzar;
(Neo-
Belshazzar
Babylonian)
Darius the Mede3
(Median)
Cyrus
(Persian)
3. In 539 B.C., when Belshazzar was
coregent with Nabonidus, Babylon fell to the
Persian King Cyrus. This began the Persian
period of supremacy.
4. The return of Jewish exiles to
Jerusalem and the beginning of construction
on the new Temple began at the end of
Daniel’s career.
5. What prophets and kings of Judah were
contemporaries of Daniel? Recall your
earlier studies of these men.
