Prophets of the Exile Daniel, Ezekiel
Prophets of the Exile Daniel, Ezekiel
HCBCPf Ed Center Old Testament Survey Week 11
1
Daniel
Author – “God is my Judge” – no negative character mentioned in Scripture! Date – 605-536 Setting – Babylon Captivity Audience – Exiled Jews / Court wise men Theme – God’s future program for Israel Purpose – To encourage Israel (both exiled and post-exiled) 2
Structure of Daniel
3
Encouragement for the exiled
The God who directs the forces of history has not deserted His people. They must continue to trust in Him, because His promises of preservation and ultimate restoration are as sure as the coming of the Messiah.
4
Daniel – Key Verses – God’s Sovereignty
2:20-22 Daniel said, “Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him. “It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding. “It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, And the light dwells with Him. 5
Daniel – Key Verses – The Kingdom
2:44 “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.
6
Daniel – Key Chapter - 9
Daniel’s prophecy of the Seventy Weeks (9:24– 27) provides the chronological frame for messianic prediction from the time of Daniel to the establishment of the kingdom on earth. It is clear that the first sixty-nine weeks were fulfilled at Christ’s first coming. Some scholars affirm that the last week has not yet been fulfilled because Christ relates its main events to His second coming (Matt. 24:6, 15). Others perceive these words of Christ as applying to the Roman desecration of the temple in a.d. 70. 7
Daniel – righteous, but exiled
Mentioned 3 times by Ezekiel as example of righteousness Still taken into exile with first deportation from Jerusalem (605) Covenant and consequences were national in scope: the nation broke the covenant, the nation suffers
8
Christ in Daniel
Christ is the Great Stone who will crush the kingdoms of this world (2:34–35, 44), the Son of Man who is given dominion by the Ancient of Days (7:13–14), and the coming Messiah who will be cut off (9:25–26). The vision of the sixty-nine weeks (9:25–26) pinpoints the coming of the Messiah. The decree (9:25) took place on March 4, 444 b.c. (Neh. 2:1– 8). The sixty-nine weeks of seven years equals 483 years, or 173,880 days (using 360-day prophetic years). This leads to March 29, a.d. 33, the date of the Triumphal Entry. This is checked by noting that 444 b.c. to a.d. 33 is 476 years, and 476 times 365.24219 days per year equals 173,855 days. Adding twenty-five for the difference between March 4 and March 29 gives 173,880 days.
9
Daniel – Contribution to Bible
While Ezekiel emphasizes the nation’s religious restoration, Daniel concentrates on its political restoration. Daniel did not occupy the prophetic office by making public proclamations to the people. Therefore, this book was placed in the Writings, the third division of the Hebrew bible, rather than the Prophets. 10
Daniel of the Magi Court
Introductory chapter in Hebrew Aramaic in chapters 2–7 describes the future course of the gentile world powers. In chapters 8–12, Daniel reverts back to his native language to survey the future of the Jewish nation under gentile dominion. The Magi of Matthew may have been descendents of this court, with Daniel’s timetable! 11
Chapter 4 – Nebuchadnezzar
1 Nebuchadnezzar the king to all the peoples, nations, and men of every language that live in all the earth: “May your peace abound! 2 “It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done for me. 3 “How great are His signs And how mighty are His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom And His dominion is from generation to generation. 12
Daniel’s Visions
Four beasts (7) Four-part statue (2) Babylonian, Persian, Greek, and Roman empires. Chapter 8 focus: ram and goat shows Israel under the Medo-Persian and Grecian empires.
13
Significant Teaching Stories
Protected through the furnace (not prevented from it) Nebuchadnezzar grazing Belshazzar Sees the Handwriting Darius’ foolish decree – the lion’s den All 3 kings acknowledge God – but Belshazzar only in defeat
14
Daniel’s Time of Trouble
The 70th week – a week of years 12:1- a unique time
“a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time;” “at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued.” Distress and rescue both highlighted – purification of Israel
15
The time of Trouble – how long?
12:7 “it would be for a time, times, and half a time”
Generally seen as 3 ½ years
12:11 “From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.” 12:12 “How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1,335 days!
1290 days until the Messiah comes, 1335 until the kingdom is established following judgments 16
Resurrection in Daniel
12:2 “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.
A spiritual afterlife would not indicate awaking, as one would pass to it upon death Best fit is return to physical/spiritual life
17
Ezekiel
Author – “Strengthened by God” – priest and prophet Date – 570-565 Audience – Exiled Jews in Babylon Occasion – Carried to Babylon in 2nd group, 597 Theme – Condemnation (1-32) and Consolation (33-48) – primary focus is restoration of Israel Purpose – The sovereign purpose of God through judgment and blessing alike is that His people come to know that He is the Lord. 18
Structure of Ezekiel
19
Ezekiel – a hardened people
After the first exile, those left felt they had escaped, the evil ones had been judged – led to revolts. Those exiled hoped for rescue. From 592 to 586 B.C., Ezekiel tried to convince the disbelieving Jewish exiles that there was no hope of immediate deliverance. But it was not until they heard that Jerusalem was destroyed that their false hopes of returning were abandoned. 2:2 “I am sending you to them who are stubborn and obstinate children” (Lit the sons, stiff-faced and hard-hearted) Read 3:4-9 20
Ezekiel – a hardened people
Read 3:4-9 Then He said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them. For you are not being sent to a people of unintelligible speech or difficult language, but to the house of Israel, nor to many peoples of unintelligible speech or difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. But I have sent you to them who should listen to you; yet the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, since they are not willing to listen to Me. Surely the whole house of Israel is stubborn and obstinate. Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. Like emery harder than flint I have made your forehead. Do not be afraid of them or be dismayed before them, though they are a rebellious house.”
21
Ezekiel – Key Verses
36:24-29 “For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God. Moreover, I will save you from all your uncleanness; 22
Ezekiel – Key Verses
36:33-36 ‘Thus says the Lord God, “On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the waste places will be rebuilt. The desolate land will be cultivated instead of being a desolation in the sight of everyone who passes by. They will say, ‘This desolate land has become like the garden of Eden; and the waste, desolate and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.’ Then the nations that are left round about you will know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted that which was desolate; I, the Lord, have spoken and will do it.” 23
Ezekiel – Key Chapter – 37
The Valley of Dry Bones – resurrection of dead or restoration of Israel? 37:5 “Thus says the Lord God to these bones, ‘Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life. I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the Lord.’ ” 24
Ezekiel – Key Chapter – 37
37:6-10 “I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the LORD.” So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, sinews were on them, and flesh grew and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them. Then He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life.”’” So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.
Then read 37:11-14
25
Ezekiel – Key Chapter – 37
37:11-14 Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel; behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope has perished. We are completely cut off.’ Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people. I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken and done it,” declares the LORD.’”
26
Master of visual aids
4:1-2 “Now you son of man, get yourself a brick, place it before you and inscribe a city on it, Jerusalem. “Then lay siege against it, build a siege wall, raise up a ramp, pitch camps and place battering rams against it all around. 4:12 bread - “You shall eat it as a barley cake, having baked it in their sight over human dung.” 5:1 “As for you, son of man, take a sharp sword; take and use it as a barber’s razor on your head and beard. Then take scales for weighing and divide the hair. 27
Christ in Ezekiel
A tender twig that becomes a stately cedar (17:22-24) The King who has the right to rule (21:2627) The true Shepherd who will deliver and feed His flock (34:11-31)
28
A Significant Departure
Ezekiel 9&10 describe the Glory of the Lord leaving the Temple. (~ 586) The Glory of the Lord had filled the Temple when Solomon completed it in 1 Kings 8. (~960) The Glory of the Lord had been in the Tabernacle before that. (~1442) The Lord had been in the pillar of fire and cloud before that.(~1445) The Lord had “lived” in their midst for nearly 900 years! 29
Ezekiel – The New Temple
The New Temple Described in 40-42 43:4-5 And the glory of the Lord came into the house by the way of the gate facing toward the east. And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house.
30
Ezekiel – The New Temple
43:6-7 Then I heard one speaking to me from the house, while a man was standing beside me. He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell among the sons of Israel forever.
The Glory left but will return, and He will rule there forever!
31
Summary
Daniel – written to Israel after the exiles doesn’t warn like the prophets, but gives a message of hope about the future of Israel Ezekiel does warn – because the exiles haven’t accepted that the exile is what God had foretold. But once the city and temple are destroyed he also writes to assure the future of Israel 32
HCBCPf Ed Center Old Testament Survey Week 11
1
Daniel
Author – “God is my Judge” – no negative character mentioned in Scripture! Date – 605-536 Setting – Babylon Captivity Audience – Exiled Jews / Court wise men Theme – God’s future program for Israel Purpose – To encourage Israel (both exiled and post-exiled) 2
Structure of Daniel
3
Encouragement for the exiled
The God who directs the forces of history has not deserted His people. They must continue to trust in Him, because His promises of preservation and ultimate restoration are as sure as the coming of the Messiah.
4
Daniel – Key Verses – God’s Sovereignty
2:20-22 Daniel said, “Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him. “It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding. “It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, And the light dwells with Him. 5
Daniel – Key Verses – The Kingdom
2:44 “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.
6
Daniel – Key Chapter - 9
Daniel’s prophecy of the Seventy Weeks (9:24– 27) provides the chronological frame for messianic prediction from the time of Daniel to the establishment of the kingdom on earth. It is clear that the first sixty-nine weeks were fulfilled at Christ’s first coming. Some scholars affirm that the last week has not yet been fulfilled because Christ relates its main events to His second coming (Matt. 24:6, 15). Others perceive these words of Christ as applying to the Roman desecration of the temple in a.d. 70. 7
Daniel – righteous, but exiled
Mentioned 3 times by Ezekiel as example of righteousness Still taken into exile with first deportation from Jerusalem (605) Covenant and consequences were national in scope: the nation broke the covenant, the nation suffers
8
Christ in Daniel
Christ is the Great Stone who will crush the kingdoms of this world (2:34–35, 44), the Son of Man who is given dominion by the Ancient of Days (7:13–14), and the coming Messiah who will be cut off (9:25–26). The vision of the sixty-nine weeks (9:25–26) pinpoints the coming of the Messiah. The decree (9:25) took place on March 4, 444 b.c. (Neh. 2:1– 8). The sixty-nine weeks of seven years equals 483 years, or 173,880 days (using 360-day prophetic years). This leads to March 29, a.d. 33, the date of the Triumphal Entry. This is checked by noting that 444 b.c. to a.d. 33 is 476 years, and 476 times 365.24219 days per year equals 173,855 days. Adding twenty-five for the difference between March 4 and March 29 gives 173,880 days.
9
Daniel – Contribution to Bible
While Ezekiel emphasizes the nation’s religious restoration, Daniel concentrates on its political restoration. Daniel did not occupy the prophetic office by making public proclamations to the people. Therefore, this book was placed in the Writings, the third division of the Hebrew bible, rather than the Prophets. 10
Daniel of the Magi Court
Introductory chapter in Hebrew Aramaic in chapters 2–7 describes the future course of the gentile world powers. In chapters 8–12, Daniel reverts back to his native language to survey the future of the Jewish nation under gentile dominion. The Magi of Matthew may have been descendents of this court, with Daniel’s timetable! 11
Chapter 4 – Nebuchadnezzar
1 Nebuchadnezzar the king to all the peoples, nations, and men of every language that live in all the earth: “May your peace abound! 2 “It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done for me. 3 “How great are His signs And how mighty are His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom And His dominion is from generation to generation. 12
Daniel’s Visions
Four beasts (7) Four-part statue (2) Babylonian, Persian, Greek, and Roman empires. Chapter 8 focus: ram and goat shows Israel under the Medo-Persian and Grecian empires.
13
Significant Teaching Stories
Protected through the furnace (not prevented from it) Nebuchadnezzar grazing Belshazzar Sees the Handwriting Darius’ foolish decree – the lion’s den All 3 kings acknowledge God – but Belshazzar only in defeat
14
Daniel’s Time of Trouble
The 70th week – a week of years 12:1- a unique time
“a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time;” “at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued.” Distress and rescue both highlighted – purification of Israel
15
The time of Trouble – how long?
12:7 “it would be for a time, times, and half a time”
Generally seen as 3 ½ years
12:11 “From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.” 12:12 “How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1,335 days!
1290 days until the Messiah comes, 1335 until the kingdom is established following judgments 16
Resurrection in Daniel
12:2 “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.
A spiritual afterlife would not indicate awaking, as one would pass to it upon death Best fit is return to physical/spiritual life
17
Ezekiel
Author – “Strengthened by God” – priest and prophet Date – 570-565 Audience – Exiled Jews in Babylon Occasion – Carried to Babylon in 2nd group, 597 Theme – Condemnation (1-32) and Consolation (33-48) – primary focus is restoration of Israel Purpose – The sovereign purpose of God through judgment and blessing alike is that His people come to know that He is the Lord. 18
Structure of Ezekiel
19
Ezekiel – a hardened people
After the first exile, those left felt they had escaped, the evil ones had been judged – led to revolts. Those exiled hoped for rescue. From 592 to 586 B.C., Ezekiel tried to convince the disbelieving Jewish exiles that there was no hope of immediate deliverance. But it was not until they heard that Jerusalem was destroyed that their false hopes of returning were abandoned. 2:2 “I am sending you to them who are stubborn and obstinate children” (Lit the sons, stiff-faced and hard-hearted) Read 3:4-9 20
Ezekiel – a hardened people
Read 3:4-9 Then He said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them. For you are not being sent to a people of unintelligible speech or difficult language, but to the house of Israel, nor to many peoples of unintelligible speech or difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. But I have sent you to them who should listen to you; yet the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, since they are not willing to listen to Me. Surely the whole house of Israel is stubborn and obstinate. Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. Like emery harder than flint I have made your forehead. Do not be afraid of them or be dismayed before them, though they are a rebellious house.”
21
Ezekiel – Key Verses
36:24-29 “For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God. Moreover, I will save you from all your uncleanness; 22
Ezekiel – Key Verses
36:33-36 ‘Thus says the Lord God, “On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the waste places will be rebuilt. The desolate land will be cultivated instead of being a desolation in the sight of everyone who passes by. They will say, ‘This desolate land has become like the garden of Eden; and the waste, desolate and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.’ Then the nations that are left round about you will know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted that which was desolate; I, the Lord, have spoken and will do it.” 23
Ezekiel – Key Chapter – 37
The Valley of Dry Bones – resurrection of dead or restoration of Israel? 37:5 “Thus says the Lord God to these bones, ‘Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life. I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the Lord.’ ” 24
Ezekiel – Key Chapter – 37
37:6-10 “I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the LORD.” So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, sinews were on them, and flesh grew and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them. Then He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life.”’” So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.
Then read 37:11-14
25
Ezekiel – Key Chapter – 37
37:11-14 Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel; behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope has perished. We are completely cut off.’ Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people. I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken and done it,” declares the LORD.’”
26
Master of visual aids
4:1-2 “Now you son of man, get yourself a brick, place it before you and inscribe a city on it, Jerusalem. “Then lay siege against it, build a siege wall, raise up a ramp, pitch camps and place battering rams against it all around. 4:12 bread - “You shall eat it as a barley cake, having baked it in their sight over human dung.” 5:1 “As for you, son of man, take a sharp sword; take and use it as a barber’s razor on your head and beard. Then take scales for weighing and divide the hair. 27
Christ in Ezekiel
A tender twig that becomes a stately cedar (17:22-24) The King who has the right to rule (21:2627) The true Shepherd who will deliver and feed His flock (34:11-31)
28
A Significant Departure
Ezekiel 9&10 describe the Glory of the Lord leaving the Temple. (~ 586) The Glory of the Lord had filled the Temple when Solomon completed it in 1 Kings 8. (~960) The Glory of the Lord had been in the Tabernacle before that. (~1442) The Lord had been in the pillar of fire and cloud before that.(~1445) The Lord had “lived” in their midst for nearly 900 years! 29
Ezekiel – The New Temple
The New Temple Described in 40-42 43:4-5 And the glory of the Lord came into the house by the way of the gate facing toward the east. And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house.
30
Ezekiel – The New Temple
43:6-7 Then I heard one speaking to me from the house, while a man was standing beside me. He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell among the sons of Israel forever.
The Glory left but will return, and He will rule there forever!
31
Summary
Daniel – written to Israel after the exiles doesn’t warn like the prophets, but gives a message of hope about the future of Israel Ezekiel does warn – because the exiles haven’t accepted that the exile is what God had foretold. But once the city and temple are destroyed he also writes to assure the future of Israel 32
