How Long is a Year? More studies in Daniel

The new year started and we went back into Daniel, hoping to finish our study of the prophets soon. Since this study will end with John the Baptist - an appropriate book-end with Samuel - we've decided to move straight into a Chronological study of the Gospels next. But first, here are the last few studies from the prophets - with all their attendant numerical and apocalyptical complexities.

(51) Daniel’s Numbers

Daniel is often remembered for obscure visions and strange numbers. We’ve already looked at how important symbolic numbers can be in prophesy—3 for God’s certainty, 2 for man’s trust, 4 for the earth, 7 for God’s plan, 10 for man’s counting, 12 for God’s choice… But Daniel uses real numbers too—360 days in a year, 7 days in a week, etc. Going back to Daniel’s vision of Alexander and the history to follow him…

Read Daniel 8:11-14

1.       A mathematical question. A generic year was 360 days long. How many years is 2,300 days?

2.       There are lots of different interpretations of Daniel’s 2,300 days.

a.       One suggests that the Temple will be defiled when the high priest is killed in 171BC, and restored when Antiochus Epiphanes dies in 164BC.

                                                                                       i.      Do you think the people would have been encouraged by this interpretation in the time of the Maccabees?

                                                                                     ii.      Do you think God intends the prophecy to be encouraging or confusing?

                                                                                    iii.      Do you think God intends the prophecy to be applicable to all times and places?

b.      Interpreting days as years meant the world was going to end in 1844. Does this remind you of end-times arguments about the millennium?

Daniel looks for an explanation of the vision and talks with an angel again.

1.       Read Daniel 8:16 Where else do we know Gabriel from? (Read Daniel 9:21, Luke 1:19,26)

2.       What do we think of when we hear Gabriel’s name? (In Hebrew, it  might be a play on words, meaning one like a man)?

3.       Who might the one telling Gabriel to speak?

Read Daniel 8:17,19 The angel mentions the time of the end. Does this mean the end times, or the end of Israel’s punishment under Antiochus Epiphanes?

3.       Some interpretations use Antiochus as an image or precursor of the anti-Christ. Do you think we’re meant to know for sure, now? Should Christians argue over interpretations?

4.       What general message do you get for difficult times from Daniel’s vision?

Daniel’s fourth vision takes place after the Babylonians have been conquered. He’s still working at court, working for the Medo-Persian empire. And Jeremiah’s 70 years have passed – it’s time for God’s people to go home.

1.       Read Daniel 9:1-6. Daniel confesses “our” sins even though he’s not guilty of them.

a.       How willing are we to confess other people’s sins as our own?

b.      When we Read Romans 1:18,21,24  do we emphasize the sins of others or our own failure to glorify God?

2.       Read Daniel 9:18-19 Are we called by His name?

3.       Read Daniel 9:20-23. Another vision is coming. Read Daniel 9:24-27

a.       Why might 70 be on Daniel’s mind? (Read Jeremiah 25:11)

b.      What do you think might be the significance of 70? (symbolic numbers, average lifetime…?)

                                                                                       i.       Jeremiah’s 70 years could be from the fall of Jerusalem to the rebuilding (66) or dedication (71) of the Temple, or from Nebuchadnezzar to Cyrus (various numbers). Does it worry you if it’s not precise?

c.       What might be the significance of weeks instead of years? (Read Matthew 18:22)

d.      What “command” do you think might be the starting point for “calculating” the years?

                                                                                       i.      Some use Cyrus decree. Others use the decree issued in Nehemiah’s time to rebuild the city. Given how hard it is to “calculate” Jeremiah’s 70 years, does there have to be a “right” answer?

e.      7 weeks and 62 weeks might represent 49 years to clean up the rubble and rebuild the city under Nehemiah, and 434 years to the Messiah… but years are only 360 days long, which leads to a Messiah in 32AD… but the crucifixion might be in 30AD… Is all this really about counting precise numbers?

f.        Which leads to the final week of years. Cutting off the Messiah must have been a strange idea to Daniel who looks forward to welcoming a Messiah.  What strangely unlikely events has God done in your life?

g.       Who might the people of the prince who is to come be, if the Messiah invites Gentiles into his kingdom? And what did the Romans do to Jerusalem?

h.      Read Matthew 14:15-21. What do you think Jesus meant?

In the reign of Cyrus, with the Jews about to return, Daniel has another vision

1.       Read Daniel 10:1-3 Is this going to be a nice message?

2.       Read Daniel 10:4-6 Who does Daniel see? (Read Revelation 1:14-16. This probably happens just after Passover)

3.       Read Daniel 10:7-11 Does this remind you of Paul?

4.       Read Daniel 10:12,2-3 How does Daniel end up being the person to speak with angels?

5.       Read Daniel 10:13-14.

a.       What was happening to the Jews at this time (Read Ezra 4:1-5)?

b.      Why isn’t Daniel with them (instead he’s near the Tigris – still working for the “the enemy.”)?

c.       Why does this make it more plausible to non-believers that Daniel’s a real person?

6.       Read Daniel 10:8,15,17 How many times is Daniel overcome? Who else does that remind you of?

7.       Read Daniel 10:20-21 What do you think is meant by “The Scripture of Truth”? How might it differ from Scripture?