Announcements This is the last day to inform me if you plan to re-take one of the previous unit exams. This will be an entirely essay exam. Study questions for make-up exams are on Blackboard. Please use them! The make-up/re-take exams are reading day (Friday, 12 December) at 3:00 pm in J 406. For the final exam, please study your old tests. The exam will be comprehensive, drawing questions directly from previous exams. The final unit on prophets and post-exilic Israel will be new material. Study questions are on Blackboard.

A Brief Psalm Recital: Psalm 100:5 KITOVADONAI Becausegood (is) the LORD LE’OLAMH ̣ ASDO (2X) To eternity (is)His hesed VE’ADDORVE-DOR (2X) And unto generation and generation EMUNATO His faithfulness

Psalm 51:10-12 “Create in Me a Pure Heart” Lev tahor b’rah li - Elohim V’ruah nahon hadesh bekirbi - Elohim Al tashlikheni miliphanekha v’ruah kodshekhah al tikakh mimeni (2x) Hashivah li seson yishekha v’ruah nedivah tismekheni (2x)

Oseh Shalom (Job 25:2b) O-SEH SHALOMBIMROMAV The One Who Makespeacein His heights HUYA’ASEHSHALOMALENU Hewill makepeacefor us VE’ALKOLISRAEL And for allIsrael VE’IMRUIMRUAMEN And saysayAmen! YA’ASEHSHALOM, YA’ASEH SHALOM SHALOMALENU VE’AL KOL ISRAEL (4 times)

Prophet of the Exile: Daniel

Introductory Issues Four major prophets all concerned with the exile Review characteristics of apocalyptic Another demonstration of God’s sovereignty Languages of the book of Daniel – Hebrew and Aramaic (lingua franca of the day) A note on structure of the book –Framework of Hebrew –In Aramaic section Chs 2 and 7 – visions Chs 3 and 6 – persecution Chs 4 and 5 – rulers who set themselves up as gods

Identity of Daniel: Statesman and Prophet Both Jewish and Babylonian names –Daniel –Belteshazzar Personal qualifications Lived in exile – “re-education” in intellectually “superior” context –Language –Literature Religious convictions demonstrated in the narrative sections of the text

The Historical Perspectives Length of Daniel’s service – lived through transition from Babylonian to Persian domination –The reign of Nebuchadnezzar (chs 1-4) –Nabonidus/Belshazzar (chs 7-8 and 5) –Darius the Mede/Cyrus the Persian (chs 9, 6, 10-12) Future times of which Daniel prophesied (the four kingdoms – visions of chs 2,7,8,11) –Greece conquered Medo-Persia in 333 BCE –Alexander the Great’s empire divided into four parts; eastern rulers – Ptolemy and Seleucus –A critical event – desecration of Temple by Antiochus Epiphanes in 167 BCE –Roman empire – conquered Palestine in 63 BCE

Nabonidus Cylinder Reigned from Part co-regency with his son Belshazzar Cylinder describes work on the Temple to the moon-god, Sin.

Chronicle of Nabonidus’ Reign Describes events of his reign Nabonidus was absent in Arabia for a good amount of time, which prevented proper observance of the spring festivals in Babylon Also notes the conquest of Media by Persia

Date of the Book –Date suggested by critics to deal with specificity in chapters 8 and 11  middle of the second century BCE –Traditional date – sixth century BCE Note the amount of time spent on Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian context; this suggests the text was written at that time The Aramaic and Hebrew reflect sixth century In the second century BCE, the hero of a narrative would never have been presented as a faithful servant in a pagan court

Visions and Interpretations of the Four Kingdoms and their Demise The statue (ch 2) – an idol (same word as ch 3) –Head of pure gold –Chest and arms of silver –Stomach and thighs of bronze –Legs of iron; feet of iron and clay –The Rock –Note the story of Nebuchadnezzar’s setting up an image of gold follows immediately – which is then followed by his humiliation! The four beasts (ch 7) – sub-human predators –Lion –Bear –Leopard –Terrifying beast with ten hours and the small horn

The Throne Scene (7:9-14) The “Ancient of Days” – court of judgment The Son of Man – given authority, Glory, sovereign power –Ezekiel’s use of the title –Daniel as “son of man” –The rule of the saints (Dan 7:27) –Intertestamental developments (I Enoch) –Jesus’ choice of this name for Himself (note Matthew 26:64) – He is the Representative Human Being who embodies the full authority of God

Additional Visions for God’s People The ram (Persia) and the goat (Greece) in chapter 8 The kings of the north and south in chapter 11 The seventy weeks (9:24-27) – a response to Daniel’s prayer for his people –The significance of “week” –The events which take place at critical points in the time scheme The Anointed One cut off The abomination of desolation The time of the end and the hope of resurrection in chapter 12