Bible Commentary: Ezekiel 41 - Daniel 8

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Bible Commentary for Ezekiel 41 thru Daniel 8

Ezekiel Chapter 41

Ezekiel is taken into the Holy, the outer sanctuary, where the bronze man measured it. The dimensions of the Holy compartment were twenty cubits by forty cubits. He also measured the entrance, the jambs and the projecting walls. The man then went into the inner sanctuary, the Most Holy and measured it. Its dimensions were twenty cubits by twenty cubits. Ezekiel, although he was a priest, was not allowed to go into the inner sanctuary, the Most Holy. As Ezekiel entered the sanctuary he may have noted that the width of the three entrances of the sanctuary were narrower as he approached the inner sanctuary.

After leaving the sanctuary, the man measured the thickness of the wall that surrounded the temple. Our attention is drawn to the side rooms that surrounded the temple. There were three levels of rooms with thirty rooms on each level. These rooms rested on ledges that jutted out from the temple wall so that no supporting beams would be inserted into the temple wall. The rooms on the lowest level were narrower than the ones above them and the third level of rooms were the widest. A stairway connected the three levels of rooms. In the temple that Solomon built, there were similar side rooms. (1 Kings 6:5-10)

Ezekiel watched as the bronze man measured another building that was on the western end or the rear of the temple and that faced the court although nothing is said about its function.

Ezekiel is now given a description of the temple decorations and furnishings. The walls of the temple, both the inner and outer sanctuary and the portico, were covered with wood and cherubim and palm trees were carved into the walls. The cherubim had two faces that were turned towards the palm tree on either side of it. On one side was the face of a man and on the other side was the face of a lion. The only furnishings in the outer sanctuary was a wooden altar that was the altar of incense and the man called it ‘the table that is before Jehovah.’ Both the inner and outer sanctuary had double doors with hinged
leaves that also had cherubim and palm trees carved on them. In the portico or vestibule, there were cherubim and palm trees carved on its sidewalls.

Ezekiel Chapter 42

Ezekiel was taken into the outer court and was shown two other buildings, one on the north side of the temple and the other on the south side of the temple. These buildings have two rows of rooms on three floors with corridors separating them. The rooms on the upper level were narrower than the rooms on the first and second levels because they had no pillars as supports. These rooms were recessed from the ground upwards. The bronze man told Ezekiel that these rooms were for the priests and were holy. They would serve as dining rooms where they would eat the most holy offering and where they would store their portions of the grain, the sin and the guilt offering. When the priests entered these rooms, they had to change from their official garment into different garments before going before the people in the outer court.

The bronze man then led Ezekiel from the temple complex by the east gate so that he could measure the area around the temple. He measured the area on all four sides and its dimensions were five hundred cubits on each side. There was a wall around this area that would separate the common from the holy. The wall itself was five hundred cubits wide and five hundred cubits long.

Ezekiel Chapter 43

The bronze man brought Ezekiel back to the east gate and he saw the ‘glory of Jehovah’ coming from the east and the land glowed because of it. Ezekiel describes this vision as the same one he saw by the River Kebar and when the destruction of Jerusalem was announced. (Ezekiel, chapters 1, 3, 8) He heard a voice that was like the roar of rushing waters speaking to him from inside the temple. The voice said that the temple was the place of his throne and his footstool. Here He would live among Israel and they would never defile His holy name by their prostitution and the lifeless monuments they built to their dead kings. They had put their threshold and doorpost next to Jehovah’s threshold and doorpost with only a wall separating them. They had put more emphasis on the words of their wise men than on the words of Jehovah’s inspired prophets, thereby choosing to defile Jehovah’s name with their vile practices. For this He destroyed them in his anger. If they were now willing to remove these detestable things from before Him, He would live among them forever.

Ezekiel is encouraged to relate to them the details of the temple in order to make them ashamed of their sins. They would see how far short they had fallen in their obedience to Jehovah and how they had not measured up to their responsibilities to their covenant with Him. Ezekiel would write down these details so that Israel would have no excuse for not being faithful to its design and following its regulations. The one law that would be observed is that all the surrounding area on top of the mountain was to be treated as most holy.

The measurements of the altar are now given. It was to be seventeen and one-half feet high. The altar hearth was twenty-one feet square and would have four horns on each of its corners. It had steps that led up to it and they faced east; that is, the altar was placed in front of the temple. The regulations for the altar were then given. The priests were to take the blood of a young bull for a sin offering and sprinkle it upon the four horns, the corners of the ledge and the rim in order to purify the altar and make atonement for it. The carcass of the bull is then to be taken to the designated area outside the sanctuary and burned. (Exodus 29:14)

On the second day they were to take a male goat and sprinkle its blood on the altar to purify it. Afterwards they were to take another young bull and a ram and sprinkle salt upon it and offer them as a burnt offering to Jehovah. They would do this for seven days so that the altar would be purified. On the eighth day the offerings of the people would be put on the altar and Jehovah would then accept the people and their offerings.

Ezekiel Chapter 44

The bronze man them brought Ezekiel back to the outer gate of the sanctuary that faced east and it was closed. He was told that this gate was to remain closed because Jehovah had entered through it. The prince, who has been identified as ‘David’ is the only one who may sit inside the gate to eat in the presence of Jehovah. (34:24; 37:24, 25) He will enter the gate through the portico and leave the same way. Ezekiel was then taken to the front of the temple by the gate facing north. When he looked he saw the ‘glory of Jehovah’ again fill the temple and Ezekiel falls down in worship.

The one who eats in the East Gate is a mystery person for most scholars. He is not Jesus because he has to offer a sacrifice for himself, so he is a sinner. But he is the designated leader of modern-day Israel, Jehovah’s Witnesses, known as the modern-day Servant. See the article entitled “Ezekiel’s ‘Chieftain’ and Israel’s Restoration” for further details on the modern-day Servant as Israel’s prince or leader. See the link:

http://www.livingwatersforum.com/forum/ ... .php?t=165

He was told to look carefully, listen closely and give attention to everything he would be told concerning the regulations regarding the temple with special attention given to the entrance of the temple and to the exits. Jehovah tells Ezekiel that among the detestable practices of Israel was that they allowed uncircumcised foreigners to take charge of His sanctuary thus desecrating it while they offered sacrifices to Him as though nothing was wrong. This desecration was not to continue. No foreigner, whether they lived among Israel or not, was to ever enter His sanctuary.

Attention is now given to the Levites and the priests who serve in the temple. The Levites that did not remain faithful to Jehovah when Israel followed their idols will have to be punished. They continued to act in behalf of the people as though they were following Jehovah’s laws faithfully. They will now become more like a servant than a minister of Jehovah. They will not be allowed to come near to Jehovah to serve as priest or touch any of His most holy offerings. They will however be allowed to be in charge of other type of duties such as slaughtering the offering of the people and serving them during the communal meals. They would also be allowed to be gatekeepers.

The descendants of Zadok, who, in contrast, faithfully carried out their duties even though Israel strayed will be the ones that will stand before Jehovah to offer His sacrifices. When they come into the inner court they must wear linen clothes so that they will not perspire. They will also have on linen turbans and linen undergarments. They will remove these official garments and leave them in the sacred rooms before they go into the outer court and circulate among the people.

The priests are not to shave their heads or allow their hair to grow too long. They are not to drink any wine when they are serving before Jehovah. They are to marry only Israelite virgins or widows of other priests. They will teach the people how to distinguish between what is holy and what is common, between the unclean and the clean. They will serve as judges in disputes making sure that their decisions are based upon Jehovah’s law. They will keep the Sabbaths and will not defile themselves by going near a dead person. If however the dead person is a close relative then he may go near them. After he is cleansed, he must wait seven days before going into the inner court where he will first offer a sin offering in his own behalf.

The priest are to have no land possession among the people; their food will be the offerings devoted to Jehovah that Israel brings as their firstfruits and special gifts. They are not to eat anything found dead or torn by other animals.

Ezekiel Chapter 45

When the land was to be allotted to the twelve tribes, a special portion in the center of the nation’s land allotment was to be set aside as a sacred district. It would be the same size as the tribal allotments. In the center of this district the sanctuary would be located and the priest who minister before Jehovah would build their houses around the holy place because they would not be given a land inheritance. The Levites would be given land on one side of the land allotted for sanctuary and on the other side of it land would be set aside for the city.

Israel’s prince (chieftain, NWT) would own the land within the sacred district on either side of the land set aside for the sanctuary, the city and the Levitical land. It would stretch from the western border to the sacred district on one side and from the sacred district to the eastern border on the other side. This land would be his as a possession and he or any other ruler would have no need to oppress the Israel but would allow them to possess their own land. In fact, a warning is given to the rulers of Israel to stop mistreating the nation and to do what is just and right. They were to use accurate scales and standards of measure. So that they would know what the proper standards of measure were, Jehovah has Ezekiel tell them what they are.

Each Israelite was to give a prescribed portion of wheat, barley, oil and sheep to the prince as a tax or gift that he would use in the temple service. It is his duty to provide the offerings for the New Moon, the Sabbaths and all the appointed festivals in order to atone for the house of Israel. On the first day of the first month, the priest was to purify the sanctuary. He would take the blood of a young bull that had been provided by the prince and put it on the doorpost of the temple, the four corners of the altar hearth and on the gateposts of the inner court. He would repeat this procedure on the seventh day also in order to atone for the temple due to any unintentional sins committed by an Israelite.

On the fourteenth day of the first month, the Passover was to be observed. For seven days, they would eat bread with yeast added to it. The prince will provide the bull for the sin offering for himself and the people for the seven days of the celebration. He would also provide seven bulls and seven rams for the burnt offering and a male goat for the sin offering along with their grain offerings and oil. During the seventh month on the fifteenth month day the Festival of Booths would begin. The prince would provide the offerings for each of the seven days of this festival.

Ezekiel Chapter 46

Jehovah instructed that the East Gate leading into the inner court was to be shut six days and only opened on the Sabbath Day and the day of the New Moon. The prince or chieftain would enter this gate in order to present his offerings. After he leaves, this gate would remain open until the evening. On the day of the Sabbath and New Moon, the people would be allowed to worship at the entrance of this gate. On the Sabbath, the prince would provide the burnt offering of six male lambs, a ram and their grain offerings along with oil. On the day of the New Moon, he would provide a young bull, six lambs and a ram along with their grain offerings and oil.

The prince is to enter and leave by the same gate but the people are not allowed to do this. If they enter the outer court through the north gate, they were to leave by the south gate and vise versa. They were not to leave by the same gate through which they entered but were to go out through the opposite gate. Whenever the prince brought a freewill offering whether it was a burnt offering or a fellowship offering, the east gate is to be opened to him and when he leaves, it is to be shut except on the day of the Sabbath or New Moon. Each morning he will provide a year-old lamb along with its accompanying grain offering and oil as the regular burnt offering.

The prince may give his sons some of his property as their inheritance. It will belong to them for perpetuity. But if he gives his servants some of his property, it will only belong to them until the year of freedom, or the Jubilee year. It will then revert back to the prince. The prince will not be allowed to dispossess any Israelite of their inherited land as many of their previous leaders had done. (1 Kings 21:17-19) He can only bequeath the land that belongs to him.

The bronze man then took Ezekiel to the sacred rooms that belonged to the priest (42:13, 14) and showed him the kitchens where the priests would cook the guilt and sin offering and bake the grain offering. They would not need to bring them into the outer court to cook them and so consecrate the people. (Leviticus 6:16, 26; 7:6) Ezekiel was then led to the outer court where he surveyed the four corners of this court. He saw in each corner smaller enclosed courts that had ledges of stone that had places for fires to burn. The man told him that these were the kitchens where the Levites cooked the sacrificial meals for the people to eat. (44:10-14)

Ezekiel Chapter 47

The bronze man brought Ezekiel back to the entrance of the temple and he saw flowing from the south side of the temple, a thin stream of water and it was flowing in an easterly direction along the south side of the altar. They came out of the inner court through the gate facing north into the outer court to the gate facing east and the water was flowing on its south side. As they followed the water’s easterly flow, the man would measure off a thousand cubits and Ezekiel would test the depth of the water. It was ankle-deep here but as they went another thousand cubits, it became knee-deep, another thousand cubits it was waist-deep then at the fourth thousand-cubit measurement, it became a river that was too deep to cross on foot. When the man brought him back to the bank, he drew his attention to the trees that were growing on each side of the bank of this river.

He told Ezekiel that the water was flowing to the Arabah where it would enter the Dead Sea and wherever it entered the sea, swarms of living creatures would live there as this river would make the salt water fresh. The Dead Sea is said to be four times saltier than the oceans are. Fishermen would stand along its shore from En Gedi to En Eglaim, about a third of the length of the shoreline and spread their nets. They would catch many different kinds of fish here. The swampy and marshy places would not be healed, they would remain salty.

There were all kinds of trees growing along the banks of this river and their leaves would never wither nor their fruit fail. These trees would produce fruit monthly and this fruit would serve as food and the leaves of these trees would be used for healing. (Revelation 12:2)

The boundaries of the land are essentially the same as those given in Numbers 34:3-12. The land was to be equally divided between the twelve tribes with Joseph’s descendants getting two portions. Those aliens who have permanently settled among the tribes of Israel are to be considered native-born and will receive a land inheritance among the tribe in which they settled.

Ezekiel Chapter 48

The land will be apportioned as follows with each tribe receiving an equal portion: Dan will receive the northernmost portion with Asher bordering it. Naphtali will be next to Asher, then Manasseh and Ephraim, Joseph’s two sons, then Reuben and Judah. Bordering Judah will be the land that will be set aside for Jehovah. It will be the same length as the other tribal lands. It will contain portions for the sanctuary and for the priests to live, a portion for the Levites, and a portion for the city with its pastureland and the portion of land that will belong to the prince.

The sacred land will have the sanctuary in its center and this land will be given as a special gift to the priests, the sons of Zadok, who remained faithful to Jehovah when Israel strayed from Him. They will live there and build houses on this land. The Levites will be given an allotment of land on one side of that that belongs to the priests. They cannot sell or exchange any of this land because it is holy to Jehovah. The land on the other side of the priests’ allotment will be for the city to be built on. There will be pastureland on either side of the city to grow food for the city workers who come from all the tribes. The remainder of the land will belong to the prince. The sacred land actually sits in the center of the land that belongs to the prince.

The next assigned allotment bordering the sacred land on the south will be given to Benjamin. Simeon, Issachar, Zebulun and Gad will have the remaining portions with Gad being given the southernmost portion.

The city itself will have twelve exits, three on its four sides. The three gates on the north side will be called Reuben, Judah and Levi. The gates on the east side of the city will be called Joseph, Benjamin and Dan. The gates on the south side will be called Simeon, Issachar and Zebulun. The gates on the west side of the city will be called Gad, Asher and Naphtali. Revelation 21:12, 13, 21) The name of the city itself will be called ‘Jehovah Is There.’

For a more indepth discussion of chapters 41-48, see the following article: The "Temple Of God" Under Examination Today.

http://livingwatersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=99

Daniel Chapter 1

Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came up against Jerusalem in the third year of Jehoiakim’s reign and besieged it. Jehovah gave them into his hands and he took some of the articles from Jehovah’s temple to put in the temple of his god. The account recorded at 2 Chronicles 36:6 show that Nebuchadnezzar put Jehoiakim in shackles but it does not say that he took him to Babylon. 2 Kings 24:1 shows that he made Jehoiakim a vassal king and he served for three years before rebelling against him.

A footnote in the NIV states this concerning the stated year of Jehoiakim’s reign: “According to the Babylonian system of computing the years of a king’s reign, the third year of Jehoiakim would have been 605 b.c., since his first full year of kingship began on New Year’s Day after his accession in 608. But according to the Judahite system, which counted the year of accession as the first year of reign, this was the fourth year of Jehoiakim (Jer. 25:1; 46:2)”

At this same time, Nebuchadnezzar had the chief of his court officials, Ashpenaz, take some male members of the royal family and nobles, those who were intelligent and showed an aptitude for learning, had no physical defects, and would qualify to serve in Nebuchadnezzar’s palace. These young men were to be given a three-year period in which they would be taught the language and literature of the Babylonians and were to be given the best food and wine that came from the king’s table. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah were among the young men taken to Babylon. After arriving in Babylon, they were given Babylonian names that contained the name of the Babylonian gods. (Isaiah 39:6, 7)

Daniel knew that food eaten by the pagan nations did not conform to the dietary requirements given in Jehovah’s law so he asked that he and his three friends be given vegetables and water. The court official was afraid that if they did not eat the food prescribed for them that they would not fare well and he would be blamed. But Jehovah had caused this official to be sympathetic towards Daniel, so when Daniel suggested to him that he give them a trial ten-day period on the bland diet, then he would know whether they were as fit as the others or not. He could then make his decision. The official agreed to do this and so he withheld the food from the king’s table and gave them just vegetables to eat.

After the ten-day period, Daniel and his friends looked healthier and fitter than the men who were given the king’s food did. So from that time onward, the official gave them only vegetables to eat and water to drink. This act of faith in Jehovah’s wisdom on their parts pleased Jehovah and He blessed them with knowledge and the ability to learn and understand all kinds of literature and other learning more so than any of the others. Daniel was even able to understand visions and dreams. At the end of the three-year period, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah were brought before the king and he was pleased with them because their understanding and knowledge far surpassed that even of his magicians and enchanters. They then were given positions in his government.

Daniel served in some governmental capacity in Babylon until the first year of the reign of Cyrus the Persian, possibly some sixty-five years or more. His being taken into captivity in the third year of Jehoiakim’s reign began the seventy years of Israel’s captivity to Babylon.

Daniel Chapter 2

In Nebuchadnezzar’s second year as king he had a dream that troubled him greatly. He knew that the dream had a message that he should understand so he summoned all of his wise men to unravel the meaning for him. But he wanted to make sure that they were giving the true meaning of the dream so he told them that they would first have to tell him what the dream was before they gave him the interpretation. He believed that if the gods were working through them, they would reveal to them the dream as well as its interpretation. When he put his request to them, they told him that if he told them the dream he could interpret it, but he refused to tell it to them. He told them that if they were not able to tell him what his dream had been, he would have them all put to death. But if they did tell him his dream and its interpretation, he would honor them and give them gifts and rewards.

But they told him that there was no man on earth who could do what the king was asking them to do, only a god could do this. The king became angry and ordered all the wise men in Babylon to be put to death and this order included Daniel and his friends. When Daniel heard about the king’s order, he asked Arioch, the commander of the king’s guards, why the king had issued such a harsh decree. After Arioch told him what had happened, Daniel went before the king to plead for time so the he could interpret the dream, which the king granted him.

Daniel returned to his home and told his friends what had transpired and he urged them to petition Jehovah for help in this matter so that they would not all die along with the wise men of Babylon. During the night, Jehovah revealed to Daniel the dream and its interpretation. Daniel then gave praise to Jehovah recognizing that He was the one who possessed all wisdom and power and He gives these to those who desire it. He is the one who reveals the hidden things because light dwells in him. He had given Daniel wisdom and power by making known to him the king’s dream.

Then Daniel spoke to Arioch and told him that he did not have to execute the wise men because he could interpret the king’s dream. So Arioch took him to Nebuchadnezzar and told him that he had found someone who could interpret the king’s dream for him. The king then asked him if he could tell him what he had dreamed and Daniel told him that he could because the God who lived in heaven was a God that could reveal mysteries. This same God was showing the king what was to occur in the future.

Daniel reminded the king that previous to his having this dream he had been thinking about the future while he lay on his bed and Jehovah had seen this and had sent Daniel to him to explain to him what lay in the future for the kingdoms of mankind. Daniel then described the king’s dream to him. He had seen an immense statue where the head was of pure gold, its chest and arms were made of silver, its belly and thighs were made of bronze, its legs were made of iron and its feet and toes were made partly of iron and partly of clay. As the king watched the statue, a stone was cut out of a mountain but not by human hands and it struck the statue on its feet and smashed them and the rest of the statue disintegrated like chaff which the wind blew away. The stone then grew to become a huge mountain and filled the earth.

Daniel then explained to the king what the dream meant. Nebuchadnezzar had been made the head of gold by the God of heaven and had been given dominion over everything on earth. (Jeremiah 27:5, 6) After him, three other kingdoms would arise that would be inferior to his. The fourth kingdom is described in some detail. It would be strong as iron and will crush all the other kingdoms. But because the feet and toes were partly of clay and partly of iron, this kingdom would be partly strong and partly brittle. This kingdom will be a mixture of people and will not remain united just as iron and clay do not mix or bond together. During the rule of the fourth king, the stone that the king saw represents the kingdom that the God of heaven would set up that would crush and put an end all of those kingdoms and it would become the only government ruling. This is what Jehovah had shown Nebuchadnezzar would be the future of human governments.

When the king heard the interpretation of his dream, he prostrated himself before Daniel and ordered that an offering be made to him just as they would for a god. He then acknowledged that Daniel’s God was the supreme God and the revealer of mysteries. He then elevated Daniel to a high governmental position making him ruler over the province of Babylon and giving him charge of all the wise men. Daniel then requested that the king give his three friends positions of administrators under him, which the king granted.

Daniel Chapter 3

Nebuchadnezzar was not converted to become a worshipper of Jehovah by the above experience. To solidify his kingdom, he made an image of gold that was ninety feet high and nine feet wide. It was probably made in the image of his god and was covered with gold rather then being solid gold. He then summoned all of his officials from all over his kingdom to participate in the dedication ceremony. He also had another motive for this command. It was a move to secure the loyalty of these men to his authority. They were told that as soon as they heard the sound of the musical instruments, they were to fall down and worship the image. If they did not, they would be thrown into a blazing furnace.

A comment from The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Volume I, page 1338, says this concerning this image: “The fact that the officials were commanded not only to fall down before the image, but also to worship it, indicates that the image had religious as well as political significance. Since no specific god is mentioned, it may be inferred that Nebuchadnezzar was not honoring one of the gods of Babylon, but rather was instituting a new form of religious worship with this image as the center. Nebuchadnezzar purposed to establish a unified government and also a unified religion. The king constituted himself as both head of state and head of religion. All who served under him were to recognize both his political and religious authority.”

As soon as they heard the sound of the musical instruments, the officials fell and worshipped the image. But some noticed that the Jewish officials did not fall down before the image and reported this to the king. The king became furious and summoned his men to bring Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to him. He would give them another chance to follow his command otherwise he would throw them into the fiery furnace. They answered him that they did not need to defend themselves for their actions but if they were thrown into the furnace, the God that they served was able to save them but if He did not do so, they still would not bow down and worship his gods.

Their response really infuriated the king and he commanded that the furnace be heated seven times hotter that usual. He then had his strongest soldiers tie the three men up and throw them into furnace. The fire was so hot that the soldiers who threw the men into it were themselves killed. When the king saw another man in the furnace in addition to the three and he observed that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were walking around in the furnace untied and unharmed, he was amazed. He called to them to come out and when they did all of the men crowded around them, as they showed no signs of having been in a blazing fire. Then Nebuchadnezzar, as before, praised Jehovah because He had rescued His servants who would not, even under the threat of death, worship any other god. He then decreed that any one who said anything against this God would be killed and their houses would be torn down. He then promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to a higher position in his government.

Daniel Chapter 4

This chapter appears to be one that was dictated by Nebuchadnezzar and circulated throughout his realm as it is addressed to peoples, nations and men of every language. He was relating to them the miraculous signs that Jehovah had performed for him. He offers high praise to Jehovah for His mighty wonders and signs then he relates what happened to him. He states that he was in his palace feeling content and prosperous when he had a dream that caused him to become terrified. He called all of his wise men before him and told them the dream and he asked them to interpret it for him but they could not.

Daniel came before the king and he acknowledged that Daniel had the spirit of the holy gods and no mystery was too difficult for him. He then told him that in his dream, he had seen an exceedingly high and strong tree whose top touched the heavens and that could be seen to the ends of the earth. The tree had luxuriant leaves and bore much fruit that served as food for everyone. The beasts of the field found shelter under it and the birds of the air lived in its branches. As he watched, a holy one came from heaven and called in a loud voice to cut down the tree, trim its branches, strips off it leaves and scatter its fruit. All the animals and birds that found shelter there would flee from it. But the stump and its roots would be bound in bronze and iron would be left in the ground.

The holy one then changes gender in his next statement to that of a man. He said that he would become covered with the dew and he would live among the animals in the fields. His heart would be changed from that of a man to that of an animal until a period of seven times had passed for him. This decision was decreed from heaven and declared by the holy ones to the intent that all the living would know that the Most High is ruler in the kingdoms of men and He gives them to whomever he wishes even the lowliest of men. Nebuchadnezzar is confident that Daniel can give him the correct interpretation.

Daniel or Belteshazzar, as the king called him, was perplexed for a time and was unsure that he wanted to tell the king the meaning of the dream. But the king insisted that he speak and Daniel did so though he preferred that it applied to the king’s worst enemy.

The immense tree represented king Nebuchadnezzar because his kingdom had become strong, his greatness had reached the sky and his dominion extended to the ends of the earth. Jehovah had decreed that he would be driven away from his kingdom and would live like a wild animal eating grass like cattle and the dew would wet him. He would be in this condition for a period of ‘seven times’ until he recognized that Jehovah was the ruler over the kingdoms of men and He was the one that put each ruler in their place. But he would be restored to his kingdom when he acknowledged Jehovah as ruler.

Daniel recognized that the king needed to make some changes if he were to avoid what had been decreed for him. So he advised him to renounce his sin and do what was right. Nebuchadnezzar may have given some thought to Daniel’s advice but it was soon forgotten because one year later when he was surveying his kingdom from the roof of his palace, he arrogantly attributed all the he had achieved to his own efforts even attributing to himself ‘mighty power and majesty.’ Jehovah was listening and a voice came out of heaven telling him that his royal authority had been taken from him. He would be driven away from the people and would live in the outdoors like a wild animal and he would eat grass as cattle do.

According to the NIV Bible Commentary, Volume I, page 1374, Nebuchadnezzar was immediately afflicted with a disease known today as boanthropy where “his skin toughened into hide through constant exposure to the weather, his hair, matted and coarse, looked like eagle feathers; and his uncut fingernails and toenails became like claws." He would think of himself as an animal and would even act like one. During the time of his illness, no one was allowed to usurp his throne or to try to kill him because Jehovah would fulfill His word to him as long as he acknowledged Jehovah as the supreme ruler.

After the period of ‘seven times’ or seven years ended, Nebuchadnezzar raised his eyes to the heavens having his sanity restored and praised Jehovah, giving honor and glory to Him. He acknowledged that Jehovah’s dominion and kingdom were eternal; He does as He pleases and does not regard people as anything. No one can stay His hand or ask what is he doing. After this acknowledgement, Jehovah restored the king to his throne and he had greater honor than he had before. He had finally come to recognize that the God of heaven was sovereign in all the affairs of man and that He would humble any who became haughty. It is believed that the king continued to acknowledge Jehovah for the remainder of his life. He died around 562 BCE, about twenty-three years before the recorded events of chapter 5.

Daniel Chapter 5

The events of this chapter take place in 539 BCE, the seventieth year of Babylon’s kingdom, the prescribed number of years that Jehovah had given it. (Jeremiah 29:10; 25:11, 12) Belshazzar was ruling Babylon in place of his father, Nabonidus, as coregent. That night he was celebrating with his nobles when he decided to use the gold and silver goblets that his grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar, had taken from the temple in Jerusalem in his pagan celebration. As they drank from these sacred goblets, they praised their gods of wood and stone. As they continued to drink, they noticed the fingers of a human hand writing on the wall near a lampstand. As the king watched as the hand wrote a message, he became so frightened that his knees began knocking together and his legs would not hold him up.

The king then summoned his wise men, although Daniel was not included among them, and told them that whoever was able to read the writing would be clothed in purple, have a gold chain around his neck and would be made third highest ruler in the kingdom. But they were not able to read the writing, which caused the king to be even more terrified. His mother, after hearing the commotion in the banquet hall, came in and told him that there was someone in his kingdom that could interpret the writing. She told the king that Nebuchadnezzar had appointed this person chief of the wise men because he was found to have insight and wisdom like that of a god. He was able to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems.

The king had Daniel brought before him and told him that if he could read the writing, he would reward handsomely. Daniel refused the gifts but told the king that he would read the writing for him and explain its meaning. He begins by reminding him of what Jehovah had done to Nebuchadnezzar because of his pride and arrogance. He had, after being disciplined, repented and recognized Jehovah as the sovereign God. But Belshazzar, even though he knew this, as Nebuchadnezzar had made a public statement to this effect, had not humbled himself but had defied the God of heaven by defiling His sacred vessels and honoring his gods of wood and stone, lifeless gods. He had refused to honor the God who was the giver of life and it was He who had sent the message to him.

The NIV Bible Commentary, page 1376, says this of the writing: “‘Mene’ means numbered or measured, signifying that the years of Belshazzar’s reign had reached their end. “Tekel” is related to the word for ‘shekel,’ whose root idea is ‘to weigh.’ In Belshazzar’s case, God found him deficient in his scales and therefore rejected him. ‘Peres,’ is derived from a root that means ‘to divide.’ Belshazzar’s kingdom would be divided or separated from him and given to the Medes and Persians then besieging the city.”

Daniel was then clothed in purple; a gold chain put around his neck and was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom. However Belshazzar was killed that night by the besieging armies under Cyrus the Persian; Darius the Mede took over the kingdom. (Isaiah 45:1-6, 13) The Medes and Persians represented the second kingdom on the image that Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream. (2:39)

Daniel Chapter 6

Darius organized his kingdom by appointing 120 satraps who would be his chief representatives throughout the kingdom and he appointed three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. Daniel, at this time, may have been nearly eighty years of age. Because of his outstanding qualities, Daniel distinguished himself among the other rulers such that Darius was considering elevating him over the whole kingdom. This idea did not please the other administrators and satraps so they set out to find something in Daniel’s past that would disqualify him for such a high position. But they only learned that he was above any charges of corruption or negligence so they sought to find something against him using the law of his God.

They went to the king without Daniel’s knowledge of course, but the king was not to know this, and proposed that for the next month no person would petition or pray to any other god or man other than the king and if he did he would be thrown into the lion’s den. This certainly flattered the king’s ego and so he readily agreed with them. He was urged to put this edict into writing so that it could not be altered or repealed not even by the king himself. When Daniel heard about this edict he returned to his home and did as always, got down on his knees and prayed to Jehovah. These men knew that his habit was that three times a day he would open the window that faced towards Jerusalem and pray to Jehovah to give thanks to him. They went as a group to his home and found him praying just as they knew he would be doing.

They reported to the king that Daniel had disobeyed his decree and should be thrown to the lions. The king was greatly distressed when he heard this and was determined to find some way to save Daniel. The men returned to the king later and reminded him that according to the law of the Medes and Persians, his edict would have to stand, as it could not be changed. So the king was forced to arrest Daniel and throw him into the lion’s den. But he said to Daniel that he hoped that his God would rescue him. The den was sealed with a stone and clay and the king’s signet ring was imprinted on the seal so that no one would tamper with it. When the king returned to his palace, he refused any food or entertainment and because he was so anxious about Daniel, he could not sleep.

Early the next day the king hurried to the den and called out to Daniel asking if his God had been able to rescue him from the lions. Daniel answered that His God had sent an angel who had shut the mouths of the lions and so he had not been hurt. The king then had him lifted out of the den and those who had falsely accused him, along with their families, were thrown to the lions that crushed their bones before they reached the bottom. Darius then issued a public proclamation that stated that everyone in his kingdom was to fear and give reverence to the God of Daniel because He is the living God who lives forever. He is also the one who saves and rescues by performing many signs and wonders. Daniel continued to serve the king until the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Daniel Chapter 7

Daniel now records a vision that he received during the first year of Belshazzar’s reign. In this vision he saw the four winds churning up the great sea, and four beasts came out of the sea. The first was like a lion that had the wings of an eagle on its back. The second was like a bear that was raised up on one side and had three ribs in his mouth. The third was like a leopard that had four wings and four heads. And the fourth beast, the most terrifying of them all, was very powerful and had large iron teeth and ten horns on its head. As he was contemplating the horns on this fourth beast, he saw a small horn come up among the ten horns and three of these were uprooted before the small horn. This horn had eyes like that of a man and a mouth that spoke arrogant words. (Revelation 13:1, 2)

Most scholars say that these four beasts are the same ones as depicted on the image that Nebuchadnezzar saw in his vision in chapter 2. But as Daniel saw in this vision, the beasts were just emerging from the sea. Babylon as a kingdom was coming very near to the end of its designated seventy-year period. It could not be one of the beasts that Daniel saw coming out of the sea. This vision as with the one in chapter 8 then must be depicting events that occur during the time of the end.

Since the beasts come out of the earth (verse 17) the sea would be the nations of wicked humanity described at Isaiah 57:20 from which these four beasts arise. The four winds that stir this great sea up are the wicked spirit forces that will drive humans into the terrible war described in Revelation 6:2 and Daniel 10:1, 2.

Daniel now describes a heavenly scene where thrones were put in place and he saw the Ancient of Days take a seat on his throne. He was clothed in white and His hair was white, there was fire around His throne and a river of fire was coming out from before him. There were hundreds of millions of angels standing before Him. The court was seated and books were opened. Daniel continues to watch because of the arrogant words of the small horn and he saw the beast killed and his body thrown into the fire. Then he saw a man coming on the clouds who was led into the presence of the Ancient of Days. He was given dominion, glory and kingship so that peoples and nations should serve him and his kingdom would never be destroyed.

Daniel asks an angel for the meaning of this vision. He is told that these beasts are four kingdoms that would arise from the earth. The saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever. Then Daniel wanted to get more information on the fourth beast because it was so different from the others and it was crushing and devouring and trampling underfoot everything. He was also interested in the ten horns and the small horn that caused three of the ten horns to fall and waged war against the holy ones and defeated them. The angel told him that the fourth beast would devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it. The ten horns are ten kings that would come from this kingdom and the small horn was another king that would arise and he would subdue three of these ten kings. He would speak against the Most High and would try to change sacred times and laws. The holy ones would be given over to him for a time, times and half a time. (Revelation 13:5-7)

The court would sit in judgment and the fourth beast is condemned to death and the kingdom is given to the people of the Most High and their kingdom would be an everlasting kingdom and all would serve and obey them. This kingdom is the same one that is described in Daniel 2:44.

Daniel Chapter 8

In the third year of Belshazzar’s reign, Daniel saw another vision. In this vision, Daniel was in the city of Susa in Elam sitting beside the Ulai Canal and he saw before him a ram with two horns, one horn was longer than the other was and it came up second. The ram moved in any direction he chose because no other animal was able to stop him and he became great. Then a goat with one horn between his eyes came from the west at great speed and came face to face with the ram charging with great force. He shattered the horns of the ram and knocked him to the ground and trampled him. The goat then became great but before long his large horn was broken off and four other horns grew on the goats head each one pointing in four different directions.

From one of these four horns would emerge a small horn that would grow in power until it reached the host of heaven. It would throw some of this heavenly host down to the earth and trample them. It would act against the prince of the host taking away the regular burnt offering and bringing his sanctuary to a low position. It would succeed in doing this because of rebellion and it would throw truth to the ground. Daniel then heard one holy one asked another how long would it take for the vision to be fulfilled and he answered that it would be in this condition for 2300 days and evenings then the sanctuary would be re-dedicated.

While Daniel was trying to understand the vision, an angel came and stood beside him. Then he heard a voice say to this angel, “Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of the vision.” Then Gabriel spoke to Daniel and said that the vision concerned the time of the end. The vision would occur during the time of wrath at the appointed time of the end, so he does not give him very much detail. He told Daniel that the two-horned ram represented the kings of the Medes and Persians and the goat represented the king of Greece. The large horn was the first king, Alexander the Great, who died and his government was divided into four parts and given to four of his generals.

In the latter part of the rule of these kings, when the rebels among God’s people have become completely wicked, a king who would be known as a master of intrigue would arise. He would become strong but not by his own power and would cause great destruction. He will cause the mighty to fall and also God’s people. Because of his cunning, deceit will prosper and he will consider himself to be superior to others. Without warning, he will destroy many and will rise up even against the Prince of princes but he will be destroyed although not by any human hand. Since the vision is for a future time, the angel told Daniel it was going to be sealed at that time. Therefore, Daniel would not be able to understand it.

This prophecy is a future one as the angel told Daniel and can only have meaning in the time of the end in which we now live. The small horn that grows strong but not by his own power will be the modern-day King of the North of Daniel chapter 11. He will devastate Jehovah’s people, modern-day Israel, taking away from them their manner of worship and he will trample down those who are called the holy ones or saints in Revelation 13:7. At the end of Jehovah’s appointed time for him to rule He will put him to death.


NOTE: Bible translations used in this commentary are the New American Standard Bible (NASB), the New International Version (NIV) and the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

***©2005 by YORWW Congregation