Reading for June 15th

Daniel's vision of Antiochus' fall In Chs. 10-12: the culmination of the book describes the onset of the vision in 10.1-11; an overview of history from the fall of Persia to the projected fall of Antiochus IV in 11.2-12.4; and a conclusion that attempts to calculate the realization of the vision in 12.5-13. The author's description of historical events is accurate through 11.39, but the portrayal of Antiochus' demise in 11.40-12.4 is fictitious. The author wrote between December 167 BCE, when the Temple was descrated and December 164 BCE, when it was redeicated by Judah Maccabee. Read Daniel 10.1-11 In 10.1-11.1: The onset of Daniel's vision. Compare Ezekiel's vision (Ezek 1). In 10.1: The third year of King Cyrus of Persia: 536 BCE, 70 years after the date in 1.1 (see 9.24). In verse 2-4: Acts of self-denial are typical preparations for trances and other forms of mystical experiences. In verse 5: Twenty-fouth day of the month: The 24th of Nissan, one day following the conclusion of Passover. In verses 5-6: A man clothed in linen: An angel dressed as a priest and gleaming like a cherubim of Ezekiel's vision (see Ezek 9.2; 40.3). Uphaz: see Jer 10.9. In verses 7-9: Trance see; See Gen 2.21; 15.2. Comments or Questions..