Bible Stories

To be able to understand any biblical book correctly, it is essential to know for whom the book was intended. The book of Daniel was clearly intended for people who were living during the second century BCE. During those years the Jews in Palestine once again found themselves under foreign rule. Alexander the Great had succeeded in conquering the Persian Empire, but after his death in 323 BCE, his empire was divided among four generals (Dn. 11:3-4). Ptolemy obtained control of Egypt (king of the South) and Seleucid of Syria (king of the North). The successors of these two rulers continually fought for control of Palestine (Dn.45). The rule of Palestine therefore alternated between Egypt and Syria. Both these groups adhered to and propagated the Greek culture.

Nothing good could come of these events and influences for the Jews. They were exiles once again, but this time in their own country. The writer of the book of Daniel could therefore be said to appropriate old exile narratives about Daniel and his friends for this period in order to convey an encouraging message to his contemporaries who had to live in this new period of exile. After all, these people had to witness the desecration of the temple in Jerusalem with the setting up of a foreign altar (Dn. 7:25; 8:11-12; 11:31). Furthermore, they were confronted by a culture and language that were entirely foreign to them. Some Jews participated in all the novelties unthinkingly, but others wanted to remain true to their traditional customs. The celebration of the Sabbath and the dedicated reading and keeping of the prescriptions of the Law were important to them. The author therefore encourages them by telling them the stories of Daniel and his friends and by saying: “As God kept the friends from harm in the furnace and Daniel in the den of lions, so He will assist you in all these ordeals. Stay faithful to the Law and do not surrender your faith.”

Therefore, when the author speaks of the “son of man” in Daniel 7:13-44, it does not refer to Jesus, but to the Jewish nation itself. Just as the different beasts in the visions in Daniel 2 and 7 represent different kingdoms, the “son of man” represents the Jewish nation. The hope the author cherished was that the Jews would obtain their independence after the oppression by the Ptolemies and the Seleucids and after the atrocities committed by Antiochus IV, and that they would never again be subjected to the rule of foreign kings. In the NIV, these verses are not rendered in capital letters to illustrate that they do not refer to Jesus.

My vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

Although the translators of the NIV rendered the reference to the “Anointed One, the ruler” in Daniel 9:25-27 with capital letters, a footnote is added to the first occurrence of the term in verse 25, stating: “Or an anointed one; also in verse 26″. In contrast, the Amplified Bible (AMP) also refers to “an Anointed One”, but adds “a Prince” (capitalised), and the KJV as well as the NKJV refer to “Messiah, the Prince”. Through the introduction of this footnote in the NIV, as well as through the use of the lower case “ruler” instead of “Prince”, the translators indicate that the verses do not refer to Jesus‘ crucifixion, but only to an anointed person who will rule and be killed. These particular verses contain the interpretation of the angel Gabriel of the seventy times seven years:

• Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens‘, and sixty-two ‘sevens‘. It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble.
• After the sixty-two ‘sevens‘, the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.
• He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven‘. In the middle of the ‘seven‘ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.

In his elaborate interpretation of the seventy periods of seven years, Gabriel divides the number seventy into the following constituent parts: seven + sixty-two + one. The seventy periods of seven years therefore represent three periods. Something is said about each of the three periods, but once again (as is the case in the other visions: Dn. 2 and 7), the emphasis is on the last period.

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