The Book of Daniel is the only book in the Old Testament with visions of apocalyptic events. The last part of the book is often referred to as the counterpart to Revelation in the New Testament because of Daniel's visions about future events.
Even though Daniel is listed as a major prophetic book in the Bible, it is quite different from the other major prophetic books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. Those three prophets spoke on behalf of God to get people to repent from following false gods and to turn back to serving the one and only true living God. The prophets were ostracized by the people and given object lessons to perform to help the people learn what God wanted them to learn. None of that happened in the short Book of Daniel.
Daniel is the first one to introduce both Gabriel and Michael. The angels later show up in the New Testament, but readers find about them initially in the Book of Daniel.
Daniel meets Gabriel during one of Daniel’s troubling visions (it involves a ram, a goat, and a crazy talking horn). Gabriel is told to tell Daniel what’s going on (8:15–19). Gabriel shows up later to tell Daniel that God has plans to make an end to Israel’s sins (9:21–27).
Michael is a warrior angel who combats opposing forces from Persia and Greece (10:13, 21). Daniel is told that at the time of the end, Michael will arise on behalf of Israel again (12:1).
Daniel 2:4 through chapter 7 is in Aramaic.
Daniel's first six chapters are narrative. The last six chapters are prophetic about future events.
Book of Daniel Highlights
1. Introduction about Daniel and friends' Babylonian captivity
2. Daniel and his friends' dietary request
3. Daniel's friends in the fiery furnace for not bowing down to the gold statue
4. Daniel in the lions' den for praying to his God
5. Daniel interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dreams
6. Daniel's apocalyptic visions
What to Look for in the Book of Daniel
1. Reason Daniel's friends were in the fiery furnace but not Daniel under Nebuchadnezzar
2. Reason Daniel ended up in the lions' den under King Darius
3. How examples of Daniel and his friends influenced King Nebuchadnezzar
4. Daniel and friends dietary requests
5. The Daniel Fast
6. Daniel interpretation of the king's dreams
7. Daniel's apocalyptic visions
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