Friday, April 10, 2009

Some Notes on Dan 9

If we stick to the text (The Book of Daniel), the following conclusions may be drawn:

(1) The vision (Hebr. "mar'eh") in Dan 9:23 is a reference to Dan 8:27, "(...) the vision, which [Daniel] could not understand". Thus, Dan vv. 24 offer an explanation of the vision in Dan 8.

(2) There is a reference to Dan 8:26 in Dan 9:24.

(3) There is a reference (back) to Dan 9:27 in Dan 11:31 and 12:11.

(4) The over-all theme in the Book of Daniel: The coming of one like the son of man/God's kingdom after the fall of four secular kingdoms (viz. [1] Neo-Babylonia; [2] Medo-Persia; [3] Alexander's Greece; [4] the 'rival diadochoi' Egypt and Syria with Antiochus IV as the 'little horn').

(5) The prophecy in Dan 9:24-27 covers a round number of years (= a long period) – as Jeremiah's seventy years was an approximation for a very long period, the 490 years mentioned in Dan 9 should not be taken literally.

(6) Dan 9:27 is about Antiochus IV "abolishing of the daily sacrifice and setting up the horrible abomination" (cf. Dan 11:31).

(7) that this prophecy has something to do with the fall of the little horn (= Antiochus IV) in Dan 8 (and, of course, Dan 7).

(8) In Biblical Hebrew, the word for "everlasting" does not always indicate 'without any end'.


Conclusion
The concern of v. 24 is (Ancient) Israel and Jerusalem; the prophecy in Dan 9 is not speaking of the sin of the whole world. Deliverance from Antiochus IV (and the fourth kingdom) is in view. Or, as pointed out by celebrated scholar John Goldingay:
"Like that vision [= Dan 8], it [= Dan 9:24] looks forward from the time of Daniel himself to the Antiochene crisis, and promises God's deliverance. There is no reason to refere it exegetically to the first or second coming of Christ". (Goldingay: Daniel, p. 260.)

No comments: