THE BOOK OF DANIEL

  I. INTRODUCTION:
     1. Nabopolasser became king of Babylon in 625 B.C., rebelled
        against Assyria, destroyed the city of Niveveh in 612 B.C.
        The final battle in the destruction of the Assyrian army was
        at the battle near Haran, 609 B.C.
     2. War between the Caldeans and the Egyptians followed, in which
        Judah was caught in the middle.
     3. In the fight with Egypt, Nebuchadnezzar returned to Babylon
        to be made king and took a number of captives of the people
        of Judah (605 B.C.).
     4. While only a youth, Daniel was carried to Babylon where he
        lived during the captivity, at times occupying high office in
        the Babylonian empire. Daniel's three friends were also among
        the number carried captive.
     5. The other groups of Judah were taken captive, which included
        Ezekiel and Jehoichin, the king (597 B.C.), and the final
        captivity at the fall of Jerusalem (586 B.C.).
     6. Daniel became a statesman in the court of Nebuchadnezzar,
        from 605 B.C. to the return of the first group under
        Zerubbabel (536 B.C.), thus spanning the entire period of the
        captivity.
     7. Daniel was primarily the Lord's representative at the court
        of the king, rather than a prophet directly to the people, as
        was Ezekiel.

 II. PURPOSES OF THE BOOK:
     1. Reveals the destinies of the pagan empires of the day and to
        follow. Their destinies were in the hand of God, to be
        determined by His own judgments.
     2. The permanence of the kingdom of God. In the midst of this
        history, Jehovah would establish His kingdom, which should
        never be destroyed.
     3. We see the relation of the two kingdoms --- the kingdom of
        the world and the kingdom of God.
     4. The divine protection afforded to the people of God in time
        of trouble and trial. (Note: the book of Revelation serves
        this purpose to the people of John's time.)

III. THE CITY OF BABYLON:
        Babylon was the wonder city of the ancient world. It was
     located in the rich Mesopotamia Valley, the very cradle of the
     human race. The Euphrates River ran through the city.
     Historians tell us that its wall was 60 miles around, 15 miles
     on each side, 300 feet high, 80 feet thick, extending 35 feet
     below the ground so that enemies could not tunnel under; built
     of brick 1 foot square and 3 or 4 inches thick; 250 towers on
     the wall, guard rooms for soldiers; 100 gates of brass.
        Nebuchadnezzar's palace was one of the most magnificent
     buildings ever erected on earth. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
     were one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world.

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