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Essay: Narrative and Apocalyptic Genres in Daniel Assignment Michael D. Warren BIBL 450: Daniel-Revelation September 5, 2022

1 The narrative passage in Daniel that I believe to be most significant is chapter one, verses eight through sixteen, but primarily verse eight: “Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself” (ESV). J. Pentecost states that a couple of the purposes of Daniel’s book being written was to be “an example to the deportees on how they should live in a heathen society,” while at the same time exploring what could be seen as the contradictory theme of “God’s sovereign authority over Gentile nations, how He establishes and deposes kings and empires to serve His purpose.” 1 There is a slight undertone of the text that makes it sound like an undetermined number of other Jewish youths did defile themselves with Babylonian food. God was ultimately the One who allowed Israel to be taken captive and be subject to only eating gentile foods, so it stands to reason to God would not distance Himself more from His people when they were doing what they had to so they could survive. Amidst this time of compromise Daniel stuck to his principles, but he would have to be tactful in his refusal to eat the king’s food. God, upon seeing Daniel’s devotion to his God, “gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs,” which would be a trend throughout the Book in Daniel’s interactions with various gentile leaders. Although the chief of the eunuchs was skeptical at first, Daniel made a reasonable request of practicing their Jewish diet for ten days and then comparing their physical aesthetics with the other young men to see which was better (vs. 10-14). God blessed Daniel and his friends for his desire to obey Mosaic dietary laws, which primed him to be of greater, Jehovah-honoring service while under foreign empires. God blessed Daniel with insight to interpret the dreams of Nebuchadnezzar, which led to Daniel and his friends being promoted to higher positions in the Babylonian empire. After the death of Nebuchadnezzar, King 1 “Daniel,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, 1351.

2 Belshazzar would promise the empire to Daniel after God blessed him to interpret the writing on the wall. Daniel would maintain his high governmental status throughout both Babylonian and Persian empires thanks to God’s favor on his life, that all started with simple obedience to dietary laws. The apocalyptic passage I believe to be of most import is all of chapter 7, in which Daniel is given a vision within a dream about four beasts coming out of the sea. The first beast was like a lion, the second like a bear, the third like a leopard, but the fourth was like nothing Daniel had ever seen before and so lacked words to describe it. J. Pentecost points out how Daniel had little to no trouble interpreting the first three beasts, but the fourth beast troubled and confused him. 2 The vision then turns to a heavenly courtroom convened by the Ancient of Days, a title and name for the one true God of Israel that had not been revealed in previous Scripture. The Ancient of Days slew the fourth beast and destroyed the body with fire. The vision concludes by giving Daniel a glimpse of the Ancient of Days presenting everlasting glory, dominion, and kingdom to “one like a son of man” (7:13), which is a title Jesus Christ commonly used to refer to Himself (Mk. 8:31; Jno. 1:51). Being so troubled by what he saw Daniel approached an angel who is likely Gabriel, as we would find out later (8:16, 9:21), and asked for “the truth concerning all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of the things” (7:16). J. Pentecost summarizes the angel Gabriel’s interpretation: “It was explained that the four great beasts represent four kingdoms… the four kingdoms are Babylon, represented by the lion; Medo-Persia, represented by the bear raised up on one side; Greece, represented by the winged leopard with four heads; and Rome, represented by the mongrel beast.” 3 From verses 26-27, the angel informs Daniel that the fourth 2 Ibid. 1350. 3 Ibid. 1351.

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