The Message of Daniel
Dale Ralph Davis
For several months we have been exploring together on Sunday mornings the Old Testament book of Daniel. What can I recommend for further reading? Dale Ralph Davis’s The Message of Daniel is right at the top of the list.
Dr. Davis combines what is not often found together: accessible scholarship, fine writing, faithful exposition, clear structure, helpful lessons, good illustrations, and humour. If you have read his commentaries on Joshua, Judges, 1st and 2nd Samuel, 1st and 2nd Kings, or the early Psalms you will know what I mean. I was delighted some years back to find that he had contributed The Message of Daniel to The Bible Speaks Today series. I bought and read it eagerly and have appreciated re-reading it for our recent Sunday morning series.
The first six chapters of Daniel are expounded over six chapters of the book. The very titles are appealing: Saints in the hands of a saving God (Ch.3); The strut stops here (Ch.5); The night the lions were fasting (Ch.6). But please don’t skip the introduction. A number of important matters are addressed, the last of which has to do with why Daniel was written. It is a book for the long haul. God makes his people wait and wait and wait for his kingdom to fully come and they suffer persecution as they do so. Daniel is in the Bible to help us as the waiting and the suffering continue. In Dr. Davis’ own words, it is ‘a realistic survival manual for the saints’ (p.26).
Chs.1-6 of Daniel are among the best-loved chapters in the Bible, rich in interest and instruction for young and old alike, and it is refreshing to have them so helpfully expounded. But what about Chs.7-12? I expected a sober treatment of these chapters and I was not disappointed. Daniel’s visions and prophecies have given rise to a great deal of speculative, even sensational interpretations. The tendency of many is to be overly-dogmatic both in identifying prophetic details with past and present events and in mapping out the future. Dr. Davis avoids these extremes. His focus is on the big picture and the main lessons. Nor is he slow to acknowledge difficulties in interpretation and to indicate where it is wise not to be over-confident.
These final chapters of Daniel are designed both to help us to live well as Christians in the difficult present and prepare us for the difficult future. Things have been hard for God’s people from the outset and we are to expect that to continue to the end. But the enemies of God only ever ‘triumph’ for so long. The day of their destruction always comes. The God who has all history in his hands ensures that. So too the final deliverance of his people. That is the message of Daniel. Dr. Davis’ exposition will help you to see that – and to take courage.