Bible Overview
The Exile of the Jews
Events recorded by Daniel.
Daniel
was
amongst
those
taken
captive
when
Nebuchadnezzar
besieged
Jerusalem.
Along
with
three
of
his
companions,
Daniel
is
trained
for
service
to
the
king.
Electing
not
to
defile
himself
with
the
king’s
food
and
wine,
Daniel
gets
agreement
that
he
and
his
three
companions
should
take
a
vegetarian
diet
and
be
tested
after
ten
days.
They
are
then
found
to
have
grown
in
wisdom
and
understanding to such an extent that the king judges them to be ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers in his realm.
Aft
er
three
years,
Nebuchadnezzar
has
a
dream
that
only
Daniel
is
able
to
interpret.
It
is
a
prophesy
of
four
kingdoms,
or
empires,
followed
by
God’s
everlasting
kingdom.
Nebuchadnezzar
rewards
him
with
gifts
and
promotes
him
to
rule
over
the
whole
province
of
Babylon, and to be chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.
For
refusing
to
worship
a
giant
golden
image
of
Nebuchaznezzar,
Daniel’s
three
companions,
Shadrach,
Meschach
and
Abednego,
are
cast
into
a
furnace,
but
they
miraculously
survive
and
Nebuchadnezzar
gives
praise
to
God.
The
three
are
then
restored
to
the
positions
held before they were accused and given more responsibilities.
Nebuchadnezzar
has
another
dream,
also
interpreted
by
Daniel.
He
tells
Nebuchadnezzar
he
will
lose
his
mind
for
seven
years
in
order
that
he
will
come
to
know
that
God
is
all
powerful.
He
will
then
be
restored
to
his
position
as
king
of
Babylon.
After
a
year,
the
king is struck down just as the dream foretold, and seven years later his mind is healed and he gives praise to God.
Belshazzar
has
succeeded
Nebuchadnezzar
as
king
of
Babylon.
During
the
first
year
of
Belshazzar’s
reign,
Daniel
has
a
vision
of
four
beasts
that
represent
four
empires
succeeding
one
another,
followed
by
the
annihilation
of
the
dominion
of
the
fourth
beast
which
is
then replaced by the kingdom of God.
Two
years
later
Daniel
has
another
vision,
this
time
concerning
a
ram
and
a
goat.
The
angel
Gabriel
is
sent
to
Daniel
to
give
him
an
understanding
of
this
vision
and
awakes
him
from
a
sleep
to
interpret
it.
The
vision
and
its
interpretation
so
affects
Daniel
that
he
is
ill
for a few days. When he recovers and relates the vision to some of his own people, none can understand it.
Many
years
later
Belshazzar
holds
a
great
feast
for
a
thousand
of
his
lords,
during
which
a
hand
is
seen
writing
a
message
on
the
wall.
Daniel
then
interprets
the
writing,
which
is
a
short
condemnation
of
Belshazzar
and
an
announcement
that
he
is
to
lose
his
kingdom.
Daniel
is
rewarded
for
the
interpretation
and
is
made
third
ruler
in
the
kingdom.
That
night
the
city
is
invaded
and
Darius
the
Mede takes the kingdom.
During
the
first
year
of
Darius’
reign,
Daniel
reads
Jeremiah
and
realises
the
seventy
years
of
Israel’s
exile
are
nearly
complete.
Whilst
praying
about
it,
the
angel
Gabriel
comes
and
gives
Daniel
a
prophecy
involving
seventy
weeks
(which
are
seventy
weeks
of
360-day-years)
representing
Israel’s
destiny.
The
first
sixty
nine
weeks
are
the
period
between
Artaxerxes’
decree
to
rebuild
Jerusalem
and
Jesus’
triumphal
entry
into
Jerusalem.
There
follows
a
period
of
unknown
length
between
the
69th
and
70th
weeks
during
which
the
Messiah
is
executed,
Jerusalem
is
destroyed
and
the
Diaspora
follows.
During
the
70th
week
there
will
be
a
covenant
enforced,
interrupted
half
way
through
when
an
abomination
will
desolate
the
Holy
Place.
Then
the
great
tribulation
will
begin
which
precedes
the
Messiah’s second coming at the end of the 70th week.
Whilst
praying
about
it,
the
angel
Gabriel
comes
and
gives
Daniel
a
prophecy
involving
seventy
weeks
(which
are
seventy
weeks
of
360-day-years)
representing
Israel’s
destiny.
The
first
69
weeks
are
the
period
between
Artaxerxes’
decree
to
rebuild
Jerusalem
and
Jesus’
triumphal
entry
into
Jerusalem.
There
follows
a
period
of
unknown
length
between
the
69th
and
70th
weeks
during
which
the
Messiah
is
executed,
Jerusalem
is
destroyed
and
the
Diaspora
follows.
During
the
70th
week
there
will
be
a
covenant
enforced,
interrupted
half
way
through
when
an
abomination
will
desolate
the
Holy
Place.
Then
the
great
tribulation
will
begin
which
precedes
the
Messiah’s second coming at the end of the 70th week.
In
recognition
of
the
excellent
spirit
that
is
in
Daniel,
Darius
promotes
him
to
be
over
all
the
presidents
and
princes
in
his
kingdom,
to
the
envy
of
Darius’
officials
who
seek
to
be
rid
of
him.
A
plan
is
contrived
that
results
in
Daniel
being
thrown
in
the
lions’
den.
But
in
the
morning
Daniel
is
found
safe.
Darius
then
orders
Daniel’s
accusers
and
their
families
to
be
cast
into
the
den,
then
makes
a
decree
that all are to fear the God of Daniel.
Daniel
continues
to
prosper
throughout
the
reigns
of
Darius
and
Cyrus,
and
sees
some
of
his
people
return
to
Jerusalem
by
the
decree of Cyrus.