1. AUTHOR. — Daniel, carried captive by Nebuchadnezzar, and honored among the Babylonians.

2. DATE. — The events recorded belong to the time from 602 to 534 B. C. — from he second year of Nebuchadnezzar to the third year of Cyrus.

3. PLACE. — Babylon.

4. HISTORICAL OCCASION. -At the time that the Jews were in captivity, when it would seem that the world-power had overcome the kingdom of God. The book was produced amid the idolatrous beliefs and practices of the Babylonians.

5. LEADING TOPIC. — The conflict between the world-power, represented in its successive stages, and the kingdom of God, resulting in the victory of the latter. Dreams, visions, and history are used to set forth the truths of the book.

6. CHIEF PURPOSE. — To show that the success of the world-power was to be but temporary; that the kingdom of God would triumph over all enemies; that it would at last be permanently established on the earth.

7. GENERAL ANALYSIS,

Part I. Mainly narrative, showing the supremacy of Jehovah, Ch. 1-7.

(a) Daniel's early life, Ch. 1.

(b) Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the image, Ch. 2.

(c) The Hebrews in the furnace, Ch. 3.

(d) Nebuchadnezzar's madness and restoration, Ch. 4.

(e) The writing on the wall, Ch. 5.

(f) Daniel in the lions' den, Ch. 6.

(g) Dream of the four beasts, Ch. 7.

Part II. Visions and revelations illustrating the victory of the kingdom of God over the world-power, Ch. 8-12.

(a) Dream of the ram and he-goat, Ch. 8.

(b) Daniel's prayer and its answer, Ch. 9.

(c) Additional revelations about the future, Ch. 10–12.

8. POINTS OF ESPECIAL INTEREST. — The position of the magicians; the career of Nebuchadnezzar; the supernatural deliverance of God's people; the successive kingdoms of the East; the fullness of the revelations made to Daniel.

9. SPECIAL SINS CONDEMNED. — Of the Gentiles: Pride, self-conceit, disregard of God, opposition to him. Of Israel: Departure from the laws of God.

10. NATIONAL HOPES PRESENTED. — The people of God to be delivered from the oppression caused by their iniquities; the kingdom of God to be established.

11. MESSIANIC IDEAS. — An everlasting kingdom set up by God on earth, given to the Son of man; the time of his advent.

12. RELATION TO OTHER O. T. BOOKS. — It presents more clearly than earlier books the fact that the people were to gain a final triumph over their enemies. It announces with emphasis the triumph of the kingdom of God, which had been predicted and typified in earlier writings. It is historically located at the time when the deliverance of God's people was certain, after the period of their punishment.

13. TOPICS FOR SPECIAL STUDY. — The object of miracles in Old Testament times; the careers of the nations mentioned as over come by the kingdom of God; the apocryphal writings of the Jews.