Diving into Daniel: Summary of Daniel Part 1

This devotional lists the things I learned from the entire Book of Daniel and then summarizes my devotionals for Daniel 1-6.

Jun 17, 2025

a close-up of a book — Photo by Ben Burkhardt on Unsplash

I have completed diving into the Book of Daniel. It was an amazing journey that had many moments of sheer wonder and awe accompanied by lots of trepidation and anxiety when having to dig in and learn about the prophecies and what they mean. This is the first of two parts summarizing the book. As I’ve noted before - I’m not a scholar of eschatology, but I think it is important to think about the end when you know the beginning. I also should note that I’m a rank amateur doing Biblical studies and rely on several good commentary sources to help me in my quest.

The Introduction to Daniel was published on March 13, 2025, then every two days since that time until this first summary devotional, published on June 17, 2025; the second summary devotional is planned for June 19, 2025.

Overview:

Here are the things I learned from an in-depth study of Daniel that were not gleaned during previous cursory Bible in One Year studies.

Daniel 2.4 to Daniel 7.28 are written in Aramaic, not Hebrew.
There is a divergence among Biblical scholars about the authenticity of Daniel. Those that are more traditionalist and conservative about God’s word believe the time frames that are described for when the various chapters were written, starting in about 600 B.C.. Those who are liberal and skeptical about God’s word believe that the book was written much later, around or after the events in 1 and 2 Maccabees in 200 B.C. or later. This second group does not believe that the prophecies in the second half of the book are future events, but are historical descriptions of actual events disguised as prophecies and that the prophecies break down after Antiochus IV Epiphanes. I believe the book was written in the time frames as described and it is a work of incredible and detailed prophecy (some of that prophecy is reiterated in Revelation and other NT books).
The unwavering faith of Daniel and his friends is demonstrated over and over again and they are not only rewarded for that faith from pagan sources, but they are also miraculously saved from certain death (Daniel in the Lion’s Den, his friends in the fiery furnace). There are many lessons in this book on how to avoid entanglements with idolatry and the enemy’s power in secular societies, yet still be a productive and believing citizen.
Daniel is recognized as an esteemed man of God by heavenly messengers. What great praise!!
In the first half of the book, God uses Gentile kings as receptacles for prophetic messages that are interpreted by Daniel. In the second half of the book, the messages come directly to Daniel. The prophecies are more understandable now that I was forced to do some in-depth research to write a devotional. Those prophecies that are associated with the end times are worth regarding and remembering as a prepared Christian, but it is all in God’s hands as to when these events will occur.

Precept Austin also identified Daniel 4:17 as the key verse from the entire book:

“This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers
And the decision is a command of the holy ones,
In order that the living may know
That the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind,
And bestows it on whom He wishes
And sets over it the lowliest of men.””

‭‭Daniel‬ ‭4‬:‭17‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

Summary of Daniel 1-6 Devotionals

Daniel 1

Daniel 1:1-2 - Nebuchadnezzar Besieges Judah

Synopsis: Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon besieges Jerusalem during the third year of the reign of Jehoaikim (605 B.C.)

Lesson: In which we learn that having to dig in and study OT history, as opposed to just reading about it, reveals new knowledge and understanding!

Prayer: Dear Lord - Thank you so much for guiding me to various sources about this time in Biblical history at the start of the Book of Daniel. I love having new knowledge of Your will and sovereignty. Amen.

Daniel 1:3-7 - Four Sons of Judah

Synopsis: Nebuchadnezzar orders that some of the youth of Israel be brought in to him. The king was looking for noble, intelligent and handsome youth from those brought back who could be educated in the literature and language of the Chaldeans.

Lesson: Looking for souls to indoctrinate, the King has his chief official select the best young men from Judah.

Prayer: Dear Lord - I used to look at Your Word as indoctrination. Now I know it is the ultimate source of wisdom in this fallen world. Please help others to see Your story and move away from the enemy and his indoctrinations. Amen.

Daniel 1:8-16 - A Dietary Request

Synopsis: Daniel resolves not to defile himself with the king’s food and wine. He and the other three young men request that they have a diet of vegetables and water; they grow strong and healthy as a result.

Lesson: Daniel is a great role model for how we can live our beliefs in a sinful, secular world.

Prayer: Dear Lord - Today I pray the words of the hymn “Dare to Be a Daniel”, written by Philip Bliss (1838-1876); this is in the public domain:

Standing by a purpose true,
Heeding God’s command,
Honor them, the faithful few!
All hail to Daniel’s band!

Refrain
Dare to be a Daniel,
Dare to stand alone!
Dare to have a purpose firm!
Dare to make it known.

Many mighty men are lost
Daring not to stand,
Who for God had been a host
By joining Daniel’s band.
Refrain

Many giants, great and tall,
Stalking through the land,
Headlong to the earth would fall,
If met by Daniel’s band.
Refrain

Hold the Gospel banner high!
On to vict’ry grand!
Satan and his hosts defy,
And shout for Daniel’s band.
Refrain

Daniel 1:17-21 The Four Youth Grow in Wisdom and Serve the King

Synopsis: After their education and training, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah entered the king’s service. The king found them to be ten times better than all of the magicians and conjurers of his realm.

Lesson: Gaining wisdom from the first part of Daniel is essential for understanding the prophecies in the second part.

Prayer: Dear Lord - Please allow me to gain wisdom and understanding as I carefully study the Book of Daniel. I ask for the same faith that Daniel had to allow me to find the right resources and answers as the book study progresses. Amen.

Daniel 2

Daniel 2:1-13 - The King has Dreams

Synopsis: In the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign he has a troubling dream and summons his conjurers, magicians and Chaldeans to him to tell him about the dream. He wants them to know what the dream was about and to interpret it. They are unable to comply. He orders them to all be killed.

Lesson: God’s revelation can only be known and interpreted through His plan and through the people He has selected.

Prayer: Dear Lord: Thank you for the knowledge that I am gleaning about the Book of Daniel. Your revelation is a wonder and has come through people whom You appoint to be part of Your plan. Amen.

Daniel 2:14-24 - A Revelation from God

Synopsis: Daniel inquires about the king’s request to interpret the dream and his subsequent order to slay all of his advisors. The king’s consort Arioch tells him about it and Daniel prays to God for guidance with his friends. He then offers to tell the king about the dream and what it means.

Lesson: Faith is being able to praise God because of the promise and before we even have the answer in hand!

Prayer: Help me to pray blessing on You like Daniel: To understand Your Wisdom and the Power of Your Name, to bow before Your sovereignty over this universe, to have the profound and hidden things be revealed by You, and to praise You for Your promises at all times. Amen.

Daniel 2:25-35 - Daniel Describes the Dream

Synopsis: Daniel is brought before Nebuchadnezzar and describes his dream, which is of a large statue of a man made out of various materials. The statue is struck by a stone that was made without hands and all the materials are dispersed. The stone becomes a great mountain.

Lesson: Throughout scripture, there has been a clear identification of Jesus as the Stone.

Prayer: Dear Lord - Only through careful study of Your Word can we begin to see the threads and patterns and common references (like stones) that permeate that beautiful Word. Jesus is the cornerstone! Amen.

Daniel 2:36-49 - Daniel Interprets the Dream

Synopsis: After describing the dream, Daniel interprets the dream, which is a major prophecy. The statue represents future empires from the Babylonian to the Roman Empire and then beyond. The stone is Christ, who becomes the mountain that fills the earth. The king is very impressed with Daniel and with God.

Lesson: Your humble servant (me) attempts to understand this extraordinary vision of the coming kingdom of God.

Prayer: Dear Lord - I think I understand this dream and its interpretation better now, thanks to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Daniel 3

Daniel 3:1-7 - The King Builds a Gold Statue

Synopsis: After hearing about the dream and its interpretation, Nebuchadnezzar responds by having a giant gold statue of himself built. He orders all, when they hear the music being played, to worship the gold statue.

Lesson: The king responds to the dream and thinks that he can be worshipped like a god.

Prayer: Dear Lord - Once again, the power of Your Word is revealed by studying it and gaining knowledge and wisdom. Help me to never worship any modern false gods but only worship You. Amen.

Daniel 3:8-18 - A Test of Faith

Synopsis: The Chaldeans inform the king that there are Jewish men in his administration who refuse to bow down to the golden statue. Nebuchadnezzar is furious and orders Shadrach, Mesach and Abed-Nego to be brought before him (Daniel’s location is not revealed). He tells them that if they do not worship when they hear the music, he will be forced to throw them into a fiery furnace. The three respond that they will not serve other gods or the statue, regardless of the circumstances.

Lesson: The heart of our faith is to serve God willingly without any guarantees other than His promises.

Prayer: Dear Lord - I pray that I can have just a tiny portion of the incredible faith that these three men had in You. As Jesus said when His disciples asked Him why they were unsuccessful with driving out a demon:

“And He *said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭17‬:‭20‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

Daniel 3:19-30 - Into the Fiery Furnace

Synopsis: Nebuchadnezzar, in his rage, orders that the three men be thrown into a hotter than usual furnace (this kills the king’s attendants who had tossed them men, bound, into the furnace). He walks away, but then turns and sees that there is a fourth man in the fire and they are all walking around unscathed. He orders them out of the fire and the three men appear before him without any ill effects. The king sings the praises of their God and orders protection over Shadrach, Mesach and Abed-Nego.

Lesson: By obeying Him and not the world, the Lord is with us in all circumstances.

Prayer: Dear Lord - Please help me get it through my thick skull that obeying You and following Your precepts and relying on Your Truth will get me through any trial, even if that trial ends in death. Amen.

Daniel 4

Daniel 4:1-3 - The King Acknowledges God

Synopsis: Nebuchadnezzar begins a personal testimony by praising God.

Lesson: Declare the glory of God and His signs and wonders to everyone who will listen! Why keep quiet about something that is so important?

Prayer: Dear Lord - Thank you for the astute scholars who study Your Word and confirm its authenticity. Thank you for Mitsuo Fuchida and Jacob De Shazer, two men who were able to come to You in belief and overcome the horrors of WWII. Help me to be more active in declaring Your Signs and Wonders. Amen.

Daniel 4:4-18 - The King has Another Vision

Synopsis: Nebuchadnezzar relates the story of a vision that he has but no one can interpret it. Finally, he remembers Daniel and how he interpreted the dream of the statue. Nebuchadnezzar has dreamed about a tree that provides food and shelter for many living creatures. He sees an angel come down and demand that the tree be chopped down but leave the stump in the ground with a band of iron and bronze. The stump represents a man who will have the mind of an animal and graze in the grass over seven periods of time.

Lesson: Dreams are many things: Mysteries, messages from God or old long-abiding anxieties about things that seem incomplete.

Prayer: Dear Lord - Thank You for how You created us, to have minds that experience dreams. Sometimes those dreams really mean something and come from You and sometimes they remind us of family or things we need to do or things we need to stop worrying about. Amen.

Daniel 4:19-27 - Daniel Interprets the Dream

Synopsis: Daniel is asked to interpret the dream. He is reluctant, because the dream is not a good story for the king, but Nebuchadnezzar insists on the truth. Daniel tells the king that the tree in the dream represents him. He will be “chopped down” with just a remnant remaining and will become like an animal for a period of time, grazing on grass, until he realizes that God is sovereign, then his kingdom will be returned to him. Daniel pleads with the king to recognize his sinful nature and be generous.

Lesson: Only one King in history has an empty tomb.

Prayer: Dear Lord - Please help me to stay humble and focused on You as the Ruler of the Universe. Amen.

Daniel 4:28-37 - The Vision Happens!

Synopsis: A year after the vision is told to Daniel and the explanation is heard, Nebuchadnezzar is walking around his palace feeling very prideful in what he has accomplished. At that instant, a voice is heard from heaven and the vision is fulfilled. Nebuchadnezzar becomes like an animal, grazing on grass and drenched with dew, until the seven-year period is completed. He looks to heaven and his reason returns when he blesses God the most high.

Lesson: Lord, I am nothing and You are sovereign! Let that knowledge form my worship and prayer!

Prayer: Dear Lord - I pray that I have the proper response to Your Sovereignty by:

Having a heart full of humble adoration.
Showing a heart of unquestioning acceptance.
Exercising the spirit of reverent love.
Letting my spirit have profound delight.

Amen!

Daniel 5

Daniel 5:1-12 - A New King and Handwriting on the Wall

Synopsis: Belshazzar the king (son of the previous king) hosts a huge wine festival and has his guests drink out of the gold and silver vessels from the temple in Jerusalem. Suddenly, a man’s hand appears and writes words on a wall opposite a lamp stand. The king becomes pale and alarmed and calls in the wise men to read and interpret the words. They are unable to comply. The queen (not this king’s wife) enters the room and reminds everyone gathered of the abilities of Belteshazzar (Daniel).

Lesson: God can communicate in many different ways with humans (dreams, visions, words on a wall).

Prayer: Dear Lord - I am so enthralled by this story of the mystery words and the guilty conscience of a Gentile king. Please guide me away from guilty pleasures in this world into a state of gratitude and obedience. Amen.

Daniel 5:13-31 - Daniel Interprets the Words on the Wall

Synopsis: Daniel is found and brought to the banquet room. He tells Belshazzar the story of the vision and its realization for Nebuchadnezzar. He interprets the words on the wall: God has numbered Belshazzar’s kingdom and put an end to it. Belshazzar has been weighed and found deficient. His kingdom will be given over to the Medes and Persians. Belshazzar rewards Daniel, but that prophecy is fulfilled that very night and he is slain and Darius the Mede is given the kingdom.

Lesson: Are you ready today to meet the Lord? The handwriting may already be on the wall!

Prayer: Dear Lord - I pray that I am always in a state of readiness and am not caught off-guard by coming up short in my journey to eternal life with You. Amen.

Daniel 6

Daniel 6:1-15 - King Darius Appoints Satraps, who Look to Trap Daniel

Synopsis: King Darius appoints 120 satraps (officials) to work under three commissioners, including Daniel. The other commissioners and the satraps look for a way to trap Daniel. They create an injunction that the king signs declaring that anyone who worships another god other than the king for 30 days be executed in the lion’s den. They catch Daniel praying to God in his room, facing Jerusalem. This violation of the injunction is brought to the king, who is distressed.

Lesson: A believer’s integrity is a reflected light of Christ to others.

Prayer: Dear Lord - Please guide me into a life of integrity that:

Loves You and Your justice
Lives a blameless life
Keeps my eyes from evil
Protects me from the perverse
Silences gossip and slander
Seeks fellowship with You
Seeks wisdom from the wise
Denounces deceit and dishonesty
Confronts those who compromise.

Amen!

Daniel 6:16-28 - A Lion’s Den

Synopsis: The king’s hand is forced by the power of the laws at hand. He consigns Daniel to the Lion’s Den and seals it with his signet. Darius spends a restless night and fasts in his grief. The next morning he rushes to the Den and calls out to Daniel, who answers him and says that God’s angels came and shut the mouths of the lions. The king is very pleased that Daniel is alive and realizes that his prayers to the true God were innocent. He orders the satraps who betrayed Daniel and their families to be tossed into the Lion’s Den. Darius then sings praises to God.

Lesson: A man of God is condemned to die in a closed tomb but is instead rescued by God and prospers. Do you serve God constantly?

Prayer: Dear Lord - Help me to serve you constantly and be in awe of the Scripture that so clearly points to Jesus. Amen.

My next devotional summarizes Daniel 7-12. Following that devotional, I will do an introduction to the Epistle to the Philippians before beginning an in-depth study of that letter from Paul to the church at Philippi.