by Desmond Ford

The Book of Daniel is the key to New Testament theology. Daniel teaches in seedform the doctrines of the Kingdom of God, the historical struggle over true Worship,

Justification by faith, the Messiah, Judgment, the last Tribulation, and the Resurrection.

Undivided Two AdventsLet me just emphasize here that the Old Testament neverdivides the two Advents of Christ. The Old Testament nevertalks about the First Advent followed by a period of time andthen the Second Advent.

The "kingdom of God" is the term used in the Old

Kingdom of GodOur Lord's expression "the kingdom of Heaven" comes fromDaniel. (The two expressions, the "kingdom of God" and the"kingdom of Heaven" mean the same thing.)

We find it in chapter 2. Daniel, having described the king-doms of earth, then gives a description of the kingdom ofheav-en: "A rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands"that "became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth"(Daniel 2:45, 35).

It's from here that our Lord drew the expression "the king-dom of Heaven" (see verse 44).

Daniel uses the word "kingdom" 54 times. That is severaltimes more often than all the major prophets and all the minorprophets put together!

So, here is where our Lord's kingdom theme comes from-Daniel 2. His parables, and many of his instructions, are basedon this kingdom theme.

T he Book of Daniel has been called by theolo-gians "the Mother of Christian Theology." It isthe ke to the whole New Testament.

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Testament to speak of (and include) both Advents. Theexpression in Daniel 9:24, about making an "end of sin," hasoften been used as though it only means that at the cross therewas a legal atonement.

Now, of course, it does mean that-and it means that first.But it doesn't mean only that. It also means that at the end oftime-as a result of the cross-the whole universe will beclean. Everything will be holiness and joy and health and glad-ness. All sorrow and sighing will flee away.

Literally, it means what it says: To make an end of sin. Atthe cross that happened, legally. But there's still plenty of sinaround, within and without. This verse simply stretches to takein the whole kingdom of God-First and Second Advents.When some scholar asks, "Which Advent is referred to here?"the answer is, "Both." Similarly, the coming of the stone inDaniel also points to both Advents.

Justification by FaithJustification by faith is emphasized in the Book of Daniel.

"Seventy 'sevens' are decreed for your people and yourholy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin,to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting right-eousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and toanoint the most holy."(Daniel 9:24-25)

Everlasting righteousness will be brought in. Dear friends,you and I couldn't bring it in. We couldn't bring everlasting

righteousness in.The word "righteousness" is the same as the word "justifi-

cation." In Hebrew and Greek, the words are identical. Pleaseunderstand: Wherever you have the word "righteousness," youcould just as readily translate it "justification." That is true inboth Testaments.

Some people have quarreled about whether "righteousnessby faith" includes only justification or whether it is justificationplus sanctification. If they knew New Testament Greek, theywouldn't quarrel. "Righteousness by faith" in Greek reads"Justification by faith."

So, in Daniel 9 you not only have the theme of theAtonement but also justification by faith-which flows out ofthe Atonement to bring everlasting righteousness.

Think of the miracle! One atonement, by one Man, legallyexecuted as a malefactor and rejected by his people, would fin-ish sin and accomplish righteousness forever and ever!

Christ in DanielChrist dominates the Book of Daniel. He is "Messiah thePrince." The first time "Christ" is used as a proper noun is inDaniel. Some Bible versions translate the title "Messiah" (KJV)in Daniel 9:26 as "Christ," because "Messiah" means "theAnointed One" (NIV).

Christ the StoneWe find Christ in the stone of Daniel 2.Jesus adopted this image. He said:

"Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall bebroken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it willgrind him to powder." (Luke 20:18; Matthew21:44 KJV)

Jesus is using the exact words of the Greek translation ofDaniel 2, Verse 45, onwards, about the stone smiting theimage. He is applying the stone to himself.

Jesus also said,

"Have you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stonethe builders rejected has become the capstone; theLord has done this, and it is marvelous in oureyes'!" (Matthew 21:42 NIV)

"On this rock I will build my church, and the gatesof Hades will not overcome it." (Matthew 16:18)

The Hebrew word for stone is "eben." The word for son isI "ben." Scholars have pointed out that ~'theSon of Man" pic-tured in Daniel 7, Verse 13, ISalready Impltclt III the stone ofDaniel 2:34. This is word punning, or paronomasia. Christ is the"eben" stone of Daniel 2, and the "ben" Son of Daniel 7.

Christ is also present as the new Temple of Daniel 8 and 9.J He is also Michael, that great Prince. More in a later article}.~ He is indeed the true and ultimate !&Dlel.

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Christ the True DanielThink about Daniel.

First, he is a prince of the House of Judah, of the line ofDavid.

Second, no sin is recorded against him. That's very rare.Wherever you have much discussion of anybody in the Bible,there are always sins and failings mentioned. If my life wererecorded here-well, it wouldn't be like Daniel's.

Third, he leaves his home and goes far, far away. There, inexile, he is a captive. He is a man of sorrows and acquaintedwith grief. He is tempted, tried, and tested. He witnesses torulers. Because of his goodness, he is cast into a pit amonglions. (Remember, Christ said, in the prophetic passage ofPsalm 57:4, "I am in the midst of lions; I lie among ravenousbeasts--men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tonguesare sharp swords.")

A stone is rolled over the pit. A seal is put on the stone.But Daniel is 'resurrected.' He is brought up out of the pit.

A decree goes forth to all the nations about the God whodelivered this man, Daniel. Then Scripture says he prospered.Here is a gleam of glory! He prospered in the reign that fol-lowed.

All of this foreshadows and parallels the other Prince ofJudah, of the line of David-Jesus.

Daniel's Calvary~GroundThe next picture we have of Daniel is in Daniel 9. He goesover the Calvary-ground again.

He is in great agony, interceding for his people, and takingtheir sins upon himself. Throughout his prayer he says, "Wehave sinned. We have committed iniquity. We have violatedyour commandments." "We." Daniel takes the sin of his peopleupon himself. He intercedes for his people. "Lord, have mercy.For your name's sake, have mercy." As he weeps and prays forhis people, Gabriel comes at 3 o'clock-the Calvary hour-tostrengthen him.

Christ is not only the stone. Christ is not only the Son ofMan. Christ is not only Michael, the Great Prince. Christ isalso the true Daniel.

Christ the Judge of GodThe name Daniel means "the judge of God."

Christ said, "The Father judges no one, but has entrustedall judgment to the Son" (John 5:22).

Here is the true Daniel. Jesus is the Prince of the House ofJudah. He is the ultimate Son of David. He is the One who,like Daniel, left his home and came away to a far country. Jesusis the One who was tempted and tried. He is the Man of sor-rows, acquainted with grief. He is the One against whom no sincould ever be recorded.

Christ is the One who, because of his righteousness, wasthrown into a grave. We have a precious vignette of that inLuke 22. Scripture says Jesus was in agony when, like Daniel,

he took the sins of the people upon himself (verse 44). In hisagony, praying like Daniel for his people, an angel visited himto strengthen him (verse 43). What happened to Daniel hap-pens to Jesus.

Jesus is the One who witnessed to rulers and was rejected.He is the One resurrected out of the bottomless pit-death.

Then the word went forth, the Great Commission to allthe world, about his God, and he prospers in the heavenlyreign. (Daniel 6:28 says that after he came up from the pit oflions, "Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and thereign of Cyrus the Persian.") And while Christ is prospering inheaven, he intercedes for us, as Daniel did (see Daniel 9:1-23.

Last Great TribulationAll the great themes of the New Testament are in this OldTestament book: The Christ, the Kingdom of God, theAntichrist, the Last Tribulation, the Judgment, theResurrection, etc.

There is to be a Great Tribulation in the future, at theend of time. Even though many strange and weird ideas havebeen written about last-day events, it is still perfectly true thatthere will be a last Great Tribulation. The Bible teaches that itwill be so intense that it will threaten to destroy the people ofGod. But for the providence of God, the elect would be wipedout! (See Matthew 24:21-27.)

This teaching is first found in Daniel:

And at that time shall Michael stand up, the greatprince which standeth for the children of thy peopie: and there shall be a time of trouble, such asnever was since there was a nation even to thatsame time: and at that time thy people shall bedelivered, everyone that shall be found written inthe book. (Daniel12:l KJV Emphasis supplied)

It is talking about God's people and their experience. Thetime of trouble, the last great tribulation.

Resurrection in DanielThe doctrine of resurrection is also in the Book of Daniel.

Here is the plainest statement in the whole Old Testamentabout the resurrection of the dead:

And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earthshall awake, some to everlasting life, and some toshame and everlasting contempt. (Daniel 12:2 KJV)

This verse is the seed of Revelation 20. (See also John5:28-29.)

Judgment in DanielWhat follows the resurrection of the wicked dead is theirJudgment (see Revelation 20). Chapter after chapter of theBook of Daniel speaks about the Judgment. His name isn'tDaniel, "Judge of God," for nothing. This is a book about theJudgment, and in apocalyptic, the eschatological judgment is

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always for the wicked-never the saints. (See Revelation 14:6-7,18:10.)

I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and theAncient of days did sit, whose garment was white assnow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool:his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels asburning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forthfrom before him: thousand thousands ministeredunto him, and ten thousand times ten thousandstood before him: the judgment was set, and thebooks were opened. (Daniel 7:9-10)

Daniel is a book about the Judgment.

Worship in DanielDaniel is a book about worship.

The first war in this world and the first bloodshed was overworship (see Genesis 4). Because we are so fallen, so carnal,earthly, mundane, and worldly, we think worship is "just one ofthose things." It's not. It's the chief thing.

Worship means you attend absolutely to the Absolute-and you attend relatively to the relative. If you want to live for-ever, that is the rule. "Attend absolutely to the Absolute, andattend relatively to the relative."

The word "worship" comes from"W-O-R- T-H-S-H-I-P." Our adoration of God recognizesthat he has all worth. The sun makes up 99.8 percent of thematter of our solar system. Everything else is .2 percent. So it iswith God. God makes up the greater part of reality. We, theleftovers, the flotsam and jetsam, have the great privilege ofcoming to worship him.

One chapter alone of Daniel-Chapter 3-uses the word"worship" about 12 times. That chapter is 'lifted out' by theBook of Revelation, which uses the word "worship" over andover and over. Six times the Book of Revelation warns againstthe worship of the beast and his image. That is a play on theimage of Daniel 3, which was commanded to be worshiped.

The first war of the world was over worship. One wor-shiper, Abel, wanted to worship with the blood and the otherworshiper, Cain, didn't. That difference in worship led to assas-sination and death. The Book of Revelation makes it very plainthat the last war of the world is also going to be over worship.

(See Revelation13:4-15, and study theapproximately 25 refer-ences to this word in itsvarious forms in theBible's last book,Revelation.) God clear-ly views this issue ofworship as one of tran-scendent importancefor our time.