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Activity 1|Activity 2|Activity 4|Activity 5
Process
Activity 3: Know Your
Prophets in the Hebrew Scriptures
Group 5: Your Prophets
are Daniel, Habakkuk
Complete the tasks for Daniel and then Habakkuk
1.
Daniel
Use the following information and the
listed resources to complete your tasks.
Daniel -
His Profile
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His Name Means |
'God
is my judge' |
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Appears |
Daniel |
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The
Book |
Mostly written in Hebrew, with chapters 2:4-7:28 in Aramic, the official
language of the Persian empire. Questions about the nature of the book have influenced its
location in different versions of the Bible. In the Hebrew Bible it is in the 'Writings',
possibly because of the different material in it, or because it was composed later than
the Prophetic books. However, in the Greek translation of the Bible, and thus in Christian
Bibles, it is located among the Prophetic books.
There are two parts: Daniel in Babylon (Daniel 1 - 6) and Apocalyptic
Visions (Daniel 7 - 12). These parts are represented by two styles of writing: the telling
of a story to give a moral lesson and the apocalyptic writing.
Significant are the important role
of angels as messengers of God, and the clear teaching on the resurrection of the dead,
which is unique in the Hebrew Old Testament.
This is one of the most studied and
influential in the Bible. Daniel's influence can be seen in the Gospels, Paul's Letters,
and the Apocalypse of John. The phrase 'son of man' (Daniel 7:13; cf 9:22) was used by
Jesus of himself, and since he said 'the Son of Man' (ie. the one you know
about), Jesus was drawing on Daniel ad on other biblical passages to convey his own
understanding of his own work and person. The rule of God promised by Daniel was then seen
as being fulfilled in the coming of Jesus. (Bowker, 1998, 216)
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Best
Known As |
The
Prophet in the Lions' Den! Daniel's relationship with the king aroused much jealousy among
his enemies. They persuaded King Darius that anyone who did not worship him should be
thrown in the lions' den. When Daniel was found praying to God, Darius reluctantly agreed
to punish him. In the night an angel from God came and shut the lions' mouths. The other earlier story recorded is of
Daniel's three friends being thrown into a furnace because they refused to join in an act
of idol-worship. They were saved (Daniel 3:27) and the king issued a decree that the
mighty God of the Hebrews was to be treated with respect throughout his realm. |
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Special
Interest |
Daniel
was an interpreter of the King's dreams. He explained to the King that the golden head of
the statue was Nebuchadnezzar himself, and the silver, bronze, iron and clay parts
represented lesser kingdoms that would suceed the Babylonian one - until all of them were
swept away by the kingdom of God that would last forever. Nebuchadnezzar's son and his successor on the
throne celebrated a great feast. Suddenly a hand appeared and wrote on the wall of the
banquet chamber the words: 'MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN' (Daniel 5:25). Daniel
interpreted the writing on the wall as follows: "MENE, God has numbered the days of
your kingdom and brought it o an end; TEKEL, you have been weighed in the balances and
found wanting; PARSIN, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.'
(Daniel 5: 26,27,28). That night Belshazzar was assassinated! |
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Time |
The
stories about Daniel are set in the sixth century BC. The visions, however, refer to a
later time when Palestine was ruled by the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175 - 163
BC) and specifically to the events of the Maccabean period when Jewish people were
suffering horrendous persecution for their faith (167-164 BC). The book must have been
compiled at this time, incorporating the older traditional stories. (Drane, 1998, 233) |
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Key
Themes/
Messages |
Both
parts of the book of Daniel serve the same purpose: to inspire and encourage people at a
time of great persecution. The stories of Daniel himself show it was possible to win
through by staying faithful to God, while the visions use dramatic images to assure their
readers that, though things might seem out of control, God had not abandoned them, and
their cruel oppressors would soon be destroyed. Maintaining faith under persecution
Knowledge and power lie with God
alone
Stories of Daniel |
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Key
Passages |
Shadrach,
Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace (Daniel 3) Belshazzar's feast (Daniel 5)
Daniel escapes the lions (Daniel 6)
Daniel's prayer (Daniel 9: 1-19) |
Sources:
Bower, J. 1998, The Complete Bible Handbook - An Illustrated Companion,Dorling
Kindersley, UK
Brown, R.E., Fitzmyer, J.A.,and Murphy, R.E., 1992. The New Jerome Bible
Handbook, Geoffrey Chapman, England
Comay, J., and, Browning, R., 1980. Who's Who in the Old Testament,
Bonanza Books, NY
Drane, J.(ed), 1998, The Lion Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Bible,
Lion Publishing, England
Motyer, S. 1998. Who's Who in the Bible - An Illustrated Guide,
Dorling Kindersley, UK
Resources
Catholic Encyclopedia - Daniel (difficult to
read)
Wikipedia
- Daniel
About Judaism - Daniel
Jewish Encyclopedia - Daniel
2
Go to Habukkuk and complete
this activity
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