The book of Daniel as I related in part one of this series was written approximately around 530 B.C. which is close to 2555 years ago. Some of the visions shown actually came true during Daniel’s lifetime as was recorded within the book of Daniel itself upon the fall of the Babylonian Empire to the Medo-Persian Empire in 619 B.C.
Why this book is so important to Judaism and Christianity is that it first shows that prophecies that come from God are fulfilled. It shows that God’s Word is accurate and true. So none can question it if they translate it correctly. This is why when you look to Galatians 1 it is extremely important to heed this warning.
Galatians 1:6 – I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News 7 but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ. 8 Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. 9 I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed.
In the perfect world we would be reading the Word of God in Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic. In a perfect world the Latin version of the word of God would not have been perverted and changed so badly that the scholars throughout the centuries would turn to the Greek version for its purity to the original translations of the Word of God.
But back on topic:
The book of Daniel even though prophecy in 530 B.C. become history when first Medo-Persia conquered Babylon. It became history when Alexander the Greek swooped through Medo-Persia and then died at thirty-two. Leaving his conquest to be broken up between four of his generals.
It became history upon the rise of Antiochus Epiphanies to come into power and adopted not only the name “Antiochus” after his father who was the third of that name, but also “Epiphanies” meaning “manifest god.” The telling of his story is covered as a prophecy in chapter 8 and chapter 11 of the book of Daniel.
Now it is history. Yes there are parts of the book of Daniel that are not yet fulfilled and that in itself should serve as a warning. This book above all other books within the Bible shows that the Word of God was true, is true and so will be true. The fact that we can look back into history and say yes there was a Nebuchadnezzar, yes there was a Daniel known as Belteshazzar. That there was a man that though himself as a living god that defiled the second temple in the 160s B.C.
Yet when this last was first mentioned he would not be alive for almost another four hundred years. Shows that the Bible is true and accurate. Not only as a historical document, but as the word of God. So when we are told to study the Bible. To come to know the Word of God we are doing so to not only know what was, and what is, but what will be. And we will know that God is real. That His Son is real, and that His scarifice upon the cross was for our salvation. So when what was prophesied by Daniel, by Isaiah, by Ezekiel and by Jesus Christ Himself will be. For even now we live within the last days of this world as we now know it. For Israel is once again a nation and His soon return was foretold to be preceded by Israel’s return to this status.