It was not too many decades ago that most Christian people respected & accepted the Word of God as just that, the Word of God. But in the last century and a little more the so called higher critics of the Bible came to prominence & began to influence the thinking of many, including individuals within churches that had recently been staunch supporters of the wholly inspired Word of God. Their influence has had such an impact that many of the larger denominations today either lock upon the Bible as partly or wholly legendary and even teach it as such, or are at least willing to harbor within their midst those who hold to a variety of views on the subject.
When we come to the book of Daniel it is not surprising that the critics are not willing to accept the book as written by Daniel in the 6th century BC, for if they were to do so they would be bound to admit that it must indeed have been inspired by God because of the very detailed prophecies that it contains that have been accurately fulfilled down to the minutest point. Therefore, the critics would have us believe that the book of Daniel was written long after the time that it claims so as to infer that it was history and not prophecy. The date commonly set by the critics is 164 BC. We will shortly see that “professing themselves to be wise, they became fools” (Rom. 1:2).
Yet they have tried to put forth their ideas in such a clever way as to be as inoffensive as possible that they might diswade many. Some say that the author was either a man named Daniel or someone who claimed to be named Daniel, and that he merely pre-dated his work by 400 years so as to be able to have it accepted as Divinely inspired. It is then suggested that the only incorrect thing about Daniel is the claimed date of writing. But now let us examine this subtil suggestion more closely that we may reach a correct conclusion and no longer “halt between two opinions.‘ (1 Kings 18:21).
There is no doubt that fulfilled prophecy is the greatest proof that God indeed did inspire the writing of the book of Daniel — it is God’s verification. Even if Daniel was written in 164 BC many of his prophecies were still future and did come to pass as he said they would, such as:
- The rise and fall of the Roman Empire—ch. 2, 7, 11.
- No 5th world empire after Romech. 2, 7.
- The Pope and the Roman Catholic Church–ch. 7.
- The birth & crucifixion of the Messiah—ch. 9, 11.
- Each king described in successionevents—ch. 11.
How many more can you think of? There are many!
But the suggestion that the book of Daniel is pre-dated actually raises additional problems regarding the honesty of the things written. Everything written in it about that past would also be unique! Here is a brief review:
Ch. 1—Daniel would not have been in the deportation or in Babylon with his 3 friends if he did not live until 400 years later.
Ch. 2—Daniel could not have interpreted Nebuchadnezzer’s dream to him if he did not live until 400 years later.
Ch. 3—The 3 men that Daniel was acqainted with could not have been thrown into a fiery furnace by Nebuchadnezzer if Daniel did not live until 400 years later.
Ch. 4—Daniel could not have interpreted the dream of Nebuchadnezzer’s insanity to him if he did not live until 400 years later.
Ch. 5—Daniel could not have read the handwriting-on-the-wall to Belshazzar if he did not live until 400 years later.
Ch. 6—Daniel could not have been the chief of the 3 presidents of Persia if he did not live until 400 years later.
Ch. 7—Daniel could not have dreamed in the 1st year of Belshazzar’s reign if he did not live until 400 years later.
Ch. 8—Daniel could not have had a vision in the 3rd year of Belshazzar’s reign if he did not live until 400 years later.
Ch. 9—How could a man pray to God 400 years before he lived or why would he ask that his people might return from a captivity that they had already returned from centuries before?
Ch. 10, 11, 12 — Present the same problems of seeing a vision 400 years before he lived.
This leaves the critics with the problems of explaining how an author could be incorrect in everything he writes about the past & yet correct in everything he writes about the future!! This would be a miracle!!!
But now we move on to the most remarkable evidence of all that the critics are wrong in their claim that Daniel was not written until 164 BC. It was in 1947 that the 1st of the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, among which were parts of the book of Daniel. These scrolls were subjected to the carbon 14 method of dating and were found to be as old as 200 BC. These scrolls were only copies, not originals. How ridiculous to claim that Daniel was not written until 164 BC now that we have copies of it that are about 36 years older!
Our proof is further strengthened by the fact that 70 rabbies translated the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek at Alexandria Egypt about 275 BC. The book of Daniel was one of the books that was translated for even at that early date the book was old and had long since been included in the Jewish canon of inspired writings. The critics position becomes even more ridiculous as they try to explain how a book can be translated from one language to another over 110 years before they are willing to admit it was even written!
The final blow to the nonsense of the so called higher critics is the fascinating account involving Alexander the Great that the historian Josephus leaves on record for us. During Alexander’s conquest of the Persian Empire he laid seige to the then island fortress city of Tyre, During the 3 years that it took him to take Tyre he sent demands to Jerusalem for food supplies for his army. When the Jews refused to help him he vowed to destroy Jerusalem when he finished with Tyre. When he finally marched on Jerusalem he expected the Jews would come out against him with swords, but instead, as he drew near the city, the gates opened and an unarmed column wound its way out of the city and up to Alexander. The High Priest led the column carrying with him a very old Hebrew scroll. When they reached Alexander, Alexander fell down before them and worshiped. One of his generals, being surprised, asked why he worshiped instead of killing them as he had vowed. Alexander told him that when he had crossed the Helesponce he had seen this very man coming to him, in this very way, in a night dream, and now he knew this was of God. It was then the High Priest showed him the scroll that he had brought with him. It was the Book of Daniel! In it he showed Alexander the prophecies about himself conquering the Persian Empire which God had long before inspired Daniel to write! Alexander was so impressed that he not only spared the city of Jerusalem but entered it to worship Yahweh, the true God of Israel, and then made it one of the principle cities of his empire.
The year: 330 BC! Yes, 166 years before the critics would admit that Daniel had even been written, and at that time the book of Daniel was already old.
We have here a book that is without question historically accurate, and what is more, prophetically accurate. We actually have scrolls of this book that pre-date the critics’ claim. It was translated over a century before they would admit it was even written. And now we see it influencing the events of history almost 2 centuries before the critics’ date. The critics have indeed “professed themselves to be wise,” but “they became fools”! (Rom. 1:22). In the meanwhile, we have been given even more reason than ever to place our faith in the inspired Word of God, that it may motivate us to a life more in harmony with His will, and that we may share in the glorious life to come.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One