The Five Visions of Daniel
The Five Visions of Daniel (Dan. 2, 7, 8, 9, 10-12)
The
prophecy of Daniel is a series of five visions occurring over a time period of
about 70 years. The visions move from general to specific. The purpose is to
point to several key events in the future history of the Jews: the desecration
of the Temple by Antiochus and its restoration from BC 167 to 160; the time of
the coming of the Messiah in AD 27; Nero’s persecution from AD 63 to AD 67; and
the siege of Jerusalem from AD 67 to AD 70.
The
first vision is a dream of the king that is interpreted by Daniel. The second
is Daniel’s dream. The next three visions are waking visions with angels and an
epiphanous appearance of Christ to interpret the dream for Daniel.
Below
are the years in which the visions occurred with their interpretations
explained in terms of time-lines. All dates are approximate.
FIRST VISION
Daniel
2 — BC 603 in the second year of the reign of King Nebuchannezzar of Babylon.
The
king’s dream is interpreted by Daniel. The four kingdoms are described.
Chaldean
Empire ……………. from BC 605 to 539
Medio-Persian Empire ………. from BC 539 to 336
Macedonia Greece …………… from BC 336 to 133
Roman Empire ……………….. from BC 133 to AD 70
Medio-Persian Empire ………. from BC 539 to 336
Macedonia Greece …………… from BC 336 to 133
Roman Empire ……………….. from BC 133 to AD 70
SECOND VISION
Daniel
7 — BC 555 in the first year of the reign of Belshazzar the son of Nabonidus
and successor of Nebuchadnezzar.
This
is Daniel’s dream. The interpretation by angels is part of the dream. The four
kingdoms are described in more detail and special attention is given by Daniel
to the fourth kingdom which has 10 kings.
Chaldean
Empire ……………. from BC 605 to 539
Medio-Persian Empire ………. from BC 539 to 336
Macedonia Greece …………… from BC 336 to 133
Roman Empire ……………….. from BC 133 to AD 70
Medio-Persian Empire ………. from BC 539 to 336
Macedonia Greece …………… from BC 336 to 133
Roman Empire ……………….. from BC 133 to AD 70
THIRD VISION
Daniel
8 — BC 553 in the third year of the reign of Belshazzar.
This
is a vision of Daniel. The vision is interpreted by two angels. It describes
the Medio-Persian Empire; the conquest of the world by Alexander; the Seleucid
and Ptolomic succession; and the reign of Antiochus Epiphanies King of Syria.
Medio-Persian
Empire …….. from BC 539 to 336
Alexander’s invasions …….. from BC 336 to 323
Ptolomies rule Egypt &
Seleucids rule Syria ……….. from BC 323 to 167
Antiochus Epiphanes ……… from BC 167 to 160
Alexander’s invasions …….. from BC 336 to 323
Ptolomies rule Egypt &
Seleucids rule Syria ……….. from BC 323 to 167
Antiochus Epiphanes ……… from BC 167 to 160
FOURTH VISION
Daniel
9 — BC 538 in the first year of Darius, king of the Medes.
Gabriel
appears to Daniel while he was fasting over the meaning of Jeremiah’s “70
years” and later the Messiah the “Son of Man” appears. The vision describes the
483 year time period from the 20th year of King Artaxerxes, in 457 BC, when by
his commandment Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2) to the
baptism of Jesus Christ, in AD 27, when he first began to preach and execute
the office of the Messiah.
Medio-Persian
Empire …… from …… BC 457
Roman Empire ……………. to …….. AD 27
………………………………………. 483 years
Roman Empire ……………. to …….. AD 27
………………………………………. 483 years
FIFTH VISION
Daniel
10,11,12 — BC 534 in the third year of Cyrus king of Persia.
In
chapter 10, an angel came to Daniel while he was fasting for three weeks. The
angel shows Daniel the wars and succession of kings in the Persian, Greek and
Roman empires (Daniel 11) and the time period from the coming of Messiah to the
reign of Vespasian and the great tribulation from 67 to 70 AD.
Chapter 11
Medio-Persian
Empire …….. from BC 534 to 336
Macedonia Greece ………… from BC 336 to 133
Roman Empire …………….. from BC 100 to AD 70
Pompey invades Jerusalem ………. BC 63
Death of Julius Caesar …………… BC 44
Macedonia Greece ………… from BC 336 to 133
Roman Empire …………….. from BC 100 to AD 70
Pompey invades Jerusalem ………. BC 63
Death of Julius Caesar …………… BC 44
Chapter 12
The
Messiah appears ……….. from AD 27 to 30
The Great Tribulation ………. from AD 67 to 70
The Great Tribulation ………. from AD 67 to 70
The
prophecy of Daniel was purposed to give God’s people comfort in the time of
three great events in their history:
1.
The
captivity in Babylon
2.
The
invasion of Jerusalem by Antiochus Epiphanes
3.
The
coming of the Messiah during the occupation by the Roman
Empire and the resulting destruction of
Jerusalem and the Temple.
