Commentary on the Book of Daniel by Steven Rudd

This article provides a detailed analysis of the prophetic timelines and historical interpretations found in the Book of Daniel and Revelation, specifically focusing on the following key sections:

  • Daniel 2: The 5 kingdoms: Rome 49 BC + Church kingdom
  • Daniel 7: The 1260 Days, 42 months: Nero persecution: 64-68 AD
  • Daniel 8/11: 2300 days + evenings = 1150 days: Antiochus Epiphanes 167-164 BC
  • Daniel 9: The 70 weeks, 490 years ending at Resurrection
  • Daniel 12: The 1290 Days, 43 months: Ministry of Christ

Daniel 2: The Five Kingdoms

In the prophecy of Daniel 2:44, it is stated: "In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever."

The five kingdoms of Daniel 2 are identified as:

  1. Babylon
  2. Media-Persian
  3. Greek
  4. Roman
  5. Church/Kingdom of Christ on Pentecost AD 33

Daniel 7: The Little Horn and the 1260 Days

Regarding Daniel 7:23-26 and the 42 Months/1260 days, the analysis considers whether the figure represents Nero, Titus or Domitian? Ultimately, Nero fits best. The primary focus of Daniel 7 is the little horn who "wages war with Christians." While Daniels visions are presented in a chronological sequential order of the four kingdoms, the ten kings are out of chronological sequence to make Nero the horn to be noticed. In contrast to historical interpretations, Futurists are hopeless with their speculations as depicted in fictional movies like "left behind" and the rise of the antichrist.

The vision of Daniel sees a total of 11 kings that indeed sequential from Julius to Titus, but first he sees 10 kings, EXCEPT for Nero, the 6th. While looking at the entire collection of kings, then AFTER HE SEES them all together, the spotlight shines on the rise of King 6, which although is out of chronology, it does powerfully draw attention to how he is different from the other 10. So Daniel 7 focuses not on the order of the ten kings, but how one king was different in that he "persecuted Christians" unlike any of the other 10.

Scriptural Vision and Angelic Interpretation

Daniel's initial vision is recorded as follows: "After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among/between them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth uttering great boasts." (Daniel 7:7-8)

The angel interprets the vision: "The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings. He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever." (Daniel 7:23-26)

Notice that while Daniel sees the ten all at the same time, Nero rises "between them", but in the vision he comes up AFTER them. The reason the last horn was seen coming up last among all the others was because he was different. Nero fits best as the Angel may merely be echoing the way Daniel saw the vision with the 10 all together, then Nero who is different rising, to continue to keep the focus on Nero the chronological 6th of the 11 kings.

Prophetic Timelines: Daniel 8, 9, and 12

The following summaries highlight the specific timelines associated with other chapters in Daniel:

  • Daniel 8/11: 2300 days + evenings = 1150 days: Antiochus Epiphanes 167-164 BC
  • Daniel 9: The 70 weeks, 490 years ending at Resurrection
  • Daniel 12: The 1290 Days, 43 months: Ministry of Christ