The Book of Daniel has a complex developmental history. In the Hebrew Bible, and in most recent Protestant versions, the scope of Daniel is limited to what are called its protocanonical portions or those portions of the book accepted early on into the biblical canon and done so without controversy. In the Septuagint or the Greek translation of the Hebrew text, along with the Latin Vulgate and many other ancient and modern translations of the Bible, Daniel comprises both its protocanonical and what are called its deuterocanonical parts, both of which have an equal right to be considered as inspired and to be included in that book. As found in the Latin Vulgate, nearly all of the deuterocanonical portions of Daniel’s apocalyptic writing form a kind of appendix to its proto-canonical material as found in the Hebrew text.
The Book of Daniel holds a significant place in the biblical canon, offering a captivating blend of historical narrative, prophetic visions, and tales of faith and courage. Likely composed during the Babylonian exile, the inspired writing presents a unique perspective on that tragic Jewish experience and provides invaluable insights into God’s sovereignty, the power of faith, and the ultimate triumph of righteousness. While Daniel is known for its intriguing prophecies and apocalyptic imagery, it is essential to explore the book within its broader context and understand its literary type that it enshrines in order to fully grasp its depth and relevance.
For a better appreciation of the Book of Daniel, it is also crucial to delve into its historical and cultural context. The majority of events recorded in the text take place during the Babylonian exile, a period of immense upheaval and challenge for the Jewish people. The Babylonian Empire, under the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar, conquered Jerusalem, destroyed the temple, and exiled many citizens to Babylon. It is against this backdrop that Daniel and his companions found themselves in the service of foreign kings, navigating a complex landscape of shifting political power and religious tensions. Furthermore, Daniel falls within the literary genre of apocalyptic literature. Apocalyptic texts, characterized by vivid visions, symbolic language, and predictions of future events, were and often are prevalent during times of crisis and persecution. Understanding this literary type aids in interpreting the book’s imagery and messages, as well as to better appreciate the significance of apocalyptic visions in ancient Jewish and early Christian communities.
Daniel 7:2-14
Now, consider Daniel’s vision, especially the one extracted from the dream of the Four Beasts. The Four Beasts go through a series of transformations. The Ancient One, a symbol for God, takes the throne in the midst of this terrifying scene. As such, the Ancient One is dressed in all white from hair to clothing and the throne is surrounded by fire. Countless myriads attend him. Another figure appears, like an ordinary man, when this man is presented to the Ancient One, he is summarily transformed. He is elevated from his lowly status by being given permanent authority over the world.
For Daniel, the four beasts represented great nations that would be in conflict, tearing each other to pieces. In ancient times the Babylonian empire was commonly represented as a winged lion. A bear represents the Median empire, with its three tusks symbolizing that nation’s destructive nature. A leopard was used to symbolize the swiftness with which Cyrus the Persian established his kingdom. Finally, Alexander the Great’s empire was different from all the others in that it was Western rather than Eastern in inspiration, and far exceeded the others in power. The ten horns represent the kings of the Seleucid dynasty, the only part of the Hellenistic empire that concerned the author. The little horn is Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175–164 B.C.), who usurped the throne and persecuted the Jews. Harmony would come through a person authorized by God to bring peoples together. The beast imagery of this chapter has been used extensively in the Book of Revelation, where it is applied to the Roman Empire, the persecutor of the Church.
This kind of an apocalyptic scenario holds perennial popularity in the human imagination and, so, throughout history we can see where examples of this have occurred. For the early Christians, Jesus was the ultimate Son of Man. The first-century in which they lived were times that were just as difficult as Daniel’s era. However, despite widespread persecution, the early Christians knew that God would not abandon them. An ordinary son of man seemed to promise that the world could be restored, not through power, but through reconciliation among peoples.
Nature and dignity 