Book of Daniel

This article is about the Biblical book. For the novel by E. L. Doctorow, see The Book of Daniel (novel).

Influence of Daniel

Due to the specificity of its prophecy and its place in both the Jewish and Christian canons, the book of Daniel has had great influence in Jewish and Christian history.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Jewish exegete Rabbi Moses Ben Maimon, sometimes called simply RaMBaM and later called Maimonides, was so concerned that the "untutored populace would be led astray" if they attempted to calculate the timing of the Messiah that it was decreed that "Cursed be those who predict the end times." This verbiage can be both found in his letter IGERET TEIMAN and in his booklet The Statutes and Wars of the Messiah-King.

Related Topics:
Maimonides - IGERET TEIMAN

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel lamented that the times for the fulfillment of the prophecy of Daniel "were over long ago" (Sanhedrin 98b, 97a).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Christians have embraced the prophecies of Daniel, as they believe they clearly illustrate that Jesus Christ of Nazareth must be the Messiah. They consider the Prophecy of Seventy Weeks to be particularly compelling due to its apparent accuracy. Many Orthodox Jews believe that the prophecy refers to the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans in 70 AD. Secular scholars however, believe that the prophecy better fits the reign of Antiochus, and that it is an example of vaticinium ex eventu (prophecy after the fact).

Related Topics:
Messiah - Prophecy of Seventy Weeks - Second Temple - Vaticinium ex eventu

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Medieval study of angels was also affected by this book, as it is the only Old Testament source for the names of two of the archangels, Gabriel and Michael (Dan 9:21; 12:1). The only other angel given a name in the Old Testament is Raphael, mentioned in the deuterocanoncial Book of Tobit.

Related Topics:
Angel - Archangel - Gabriel - Michael - Raphael - Book of Tobit

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~