Sabbath: From Reading to Understanding
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Read for This Week’s Study: Luke 24:25-27; 2 Peter 3:11-13; Jonah 3:3-10; Num. 14:34; Dan. 9:23; Dan. 10:11-12.
Memory Text: “So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ ” (Acts 8:30, NKJV).
Our church was born from within the pages of the book of Daniel, our study for this quarter. As we begin, we should keep the following points in mind as a template to help guide us through our study.
First, we should always remember that Christ is the center of Daniel, as He is of the entire Bible.
Second, Daniel is organized in a way that shows literary beauty and helps us to understand its major focus.
Third, we need to understand the difference between classical and apocalyptic prophecies. This will help us distinguish between the prophecies of Daniel and those of others such as Isaiah, Amos, and Jeremiah.
Fourth, as we study the time prophecies of Daniel, we should understand that the prophetic outlines of Daniel span long periods of time and are measured according to the year-day principle.
Fifth, we shall emphasize that the book of Daniel not only conveys prophetic information but is profoundly relevant to our personal life today.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, January 4.
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Daniel is regarded by Seventh-day Adventists as bedrock. We used to run mission series entitled "Dead Men do Tell Tales" which were essentially a public declaration that we had cracked the interpretation of Daniel. If you went to an Adventist college or university one of the first courses of study would be "Daniel and Revelation" Adventism and Daniel are bound together with superglue.
And therein lies the danger. How many of us have taken the time to really challenge our thinking and study the book as though it was a first time encounter. We are in serious danger of simply accepting that we believe it rather than working it out for ourselves.
One of the fundamentals of research is that you do not trust what other people say. You do not take their word for it. In my area of research one of the pioneers made statement that if we developed persistent computing properly we would reduce coding time by 15 percent. Just about every PhD thesis in the area quoted this authority and nobody ever tested his assertion - they just accepted it on the basis that he said it. That was not the way to do research!
There are two ways of approaching this study of Daniel:
1. We can regard it as a catechism. We are given a question - and then we are provided with the church approved answer.
2. We can approach it with the questions: "Why do we believe that?", "Does it make sense?", "How did the Pioneers come up with that?", "Is there new information available now that the pioneers did not have access to?"
The very worst approach is to regard the study as the "Same Old Stuff: (SOS)
Here is some good advice from Paul:
There has been a group of us studying the book of Daniel every Friday night. Using multiple resources as we study this together.
1. "Daniel and Revelation" by Uriah Smith 1897 Pioneer Edition
2. "The Message of Daniel" by C. Mervyn Maxwell God Cares Volume 1
3. "The Abundant Life Bible Amplifier" by William Shea Daniel 7-12
4. "The Book of Daniel" by Taylor Bunch
5. "The Story of Daniel the Prophet" by SN Haskell
6. "The Coming King of the North, Understanding Daniel 11:40-45" by Ivor Myers
7. "Islam & Christianity in Prophecy" by Tim Roosenberg
If anyone knows of any other reliable sources please let me know.
Great list. I would suggest one more, “Revelation of Jesus Christ” by Ranko Stefanovic.
The one I have found most comprehensive is found on this link by pastor Stephen Bohr. He combines all the studies into one nicely flowing study.
https://secretsunsealed.org/studies-in-daniel-pdf-download/
Thank you! One I know I can trust! So far the book by Ivor Myers and his take on Daniel 11:23-45 seems to be the most interesting above the others. He is the only one at this time that seems to have a good handle of verses 40-45.
If he is right and what is going down in May with the pope calling all together we are VERY close to Christ coming!
I write requesting for clarification to the following statement "Our church was born from within the pages of the book of Daniel..."
The reference to "Our church" is confusing to me and as such would like to know, if it's the universal body of christ consisting of born - again believers or the seventh day adventist denomination.
I trust that I will get an answer to the above.
Thank you.
Amazing the prophecies of Daniel that come true reassures us that it is divinely inspired!
If this is your first time studying Daniel enjoy the sweep through history, for those of us who have studied Daniel before dig for the treasures missed the last time, there is always something more to learn.
I am glad the author had included the story of Philip as we begin the expository study of the book of Daniel
1) The Spirit told Philip to go and Join this Chariot
2) Philip ran - He did not delay the calling of the Spirit
3) He heard him reading - Philip patiently waited and heard the reader
4) Once hearing the reading - He asked a question, "Do you understand?" Usually we make the mistake of assuming things which leads us to the wrong destination.
5) Ethiopian Eunuch admits he needs help in understanding.
6) He invited Philip to sit with him to explain the scripture.
This passage is important for us to study the book of Daniel
1) Invite the Holy Spirit to give understanding of the word
2) Study for coherency of the revelation with the written word of God.
3) Affirm what you have learned with others. "No true doctrine will lose anything by close investigation. "
https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/821.12383#12387
December 20, 1892
Christ Our Hope
I'm looking forward to this study of Daniel and Revolution.
I am looking forward to this study
I thank God for bringing this lesson of Daniel, when I need it most.
In 2 Peter 3:12 The word "hasting" in the original greek "speudo" has for its main meaning: "to eagerly await." So the text there should be interpreted as saying, "Eagerly awaiting the coming of the day of God," and not "hastening the coming of the day of God." The English word "hasting" is the present tense of "haste." So to say for us to be: "hasting unto the coming of the day of God," is the same as saying for us to: "Presently behave in [a hasting way] to make the coming of the day of God happen sooner than ever." 2 Peter 3:12 is the only place in the whole New Testament that seems to indicate a "hastening" of Jesus Second coming. The Apostle Paul just simply says that "He that will come will come and will not tarry." And Peter does not even refer to Jesus' Second Coming in the above verse. He speaks regarding "The coming of the day of God." When Peter wrote this, John had not even written the book of Revelation yet, so Peter didn't even know, or even John, that there would be a 1,000 year millenium between Jesus Second Coming and the recreation of this earth in THE DAY OF GOD, 1,000 years later.
Bro Pete
Could it be that Second Coming of our Blessed Lord is simply the beginnning of the 1000 Year period.
When I returned and read all that Peter said in the chapter, he seems to be including the coming of Jesus as a 'thief in the might' which definitely refers to His second coming.
So, as I understand it,'the Day of God' is 1000 years long!
Any comments?
Here are two Greek definitions that I have.
Strong's Greek Dictionary
G4692
σπεύδω
speudō
spyoo'-do
Probably strengthened from G4228; to “speed” (“study”), that is, urge on (diligently or earnestly); by implication to await eagerly: - (make, with) haste unto.
Thayers
G4692
σπεύδω
speudō
Thayer Definition:
1) to haste, make haste
2) to desire earnestly
It would seem both those dictionaries don't quite agree with you.
When you put the word eagerly in front of await, I do believe eagerly implies hastening while waiting. Most people when they have a strong desire to do something good, i.e. hastening the Lords coming, follow through.
This will be my first time to study the book of Daniel so I'm looking forward to learn as much as possible from every body as we progress through the quarter.
Thank you.
Please try and do a personal study, that's my kind advice.
It will be challenging to keep all five characteristics of the book of Daniel in mind as we study this quarter. The 1st is easy, but must also be applied. 2-5 become more cognitive challenging. We studied Revelation last, as if a 1st time, we may do the same with Daniel.
We should remember that the book of Revelation and Daniel move together in studying them as twins, one explaining the other most of the time.
We should have the concept of line upon line, line upon line, precept upon precept, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little. Isaiah 28:13 so as to understand each and everything the Lord has been pleased to reveal to us.