Ralph F Wilson

Daniel: Faithful Discipleship in a Foreign Land Ralph F Wilson

Publisher Marketing: Disciples need to study Daniel afresh. The Book of Daniel is both familiar and mysterious. You find the stories of the Hebrew children in the fiery furnace, Daniel in the Lions' Den, and the Handwriting on the Wall. But the book also contains visions of beasts and horns and kings that predict the future from Daniel's time all the way to the Second Coming of Christ. Daniel is foundational to the New Testament for three reasons: 1. The "Son of Man" that Jesus takes as his own title, is drawn directly from Daniel 7:13-14. As you understand Daniel's prophecy, you begin to comprehend Jesus' origins, authority, self-understanding, and mission. 2. Kingdom of God. The coming of the all-encompassing Kingdom of God has strong roots in Daniel's visions. This Kingdom is at the very core of Jesus' teaching. 3. Daniel's eschatology, his visions of the End Time, are echoed in the predictions of Jesus himself, of Paul the Apostle, and in the Book of Revelation. We'll look at the Book of Daniel in the light of New Testament revelation. However, the author says, "I don't have Daniel's visions of the Last Days all figured out, and I am leery of those who seem to be able to fit everything together perfectly." Daniel is like a jigsaw puzzle with some pieces missing. Though the main outlines are clear, some details can't be discerned at present. The task of this book is to help you understand what Daniel does teach, pros and cons of various interpretations of the key prophecies, to let you know where the author comes out and why, and to give you some sense of a level of certainty. This book is intended for study as well as instruction, presented in nine lessons. Each chapter concludes with a summary of lessons for disciples to ponder. Helpful thought and discussion questions make it useful for personal enrichment and by small groups and classes. Extensive research contained in the footnotes makes it a goldmine for teachers and a boon to preachers involved in sermon preparation.