Intro; GENERAL PREFACE; AUTHOR'S PREFACE; CHIEF ABBREVIATIONS; Bible versions; SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY; INTRODUCTION; 1. Historical elements; a. Overview; b. Nabopolassar, Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian Empire (Daniel 1

4); c. Nebuchadnezzar's successors and Babylon's decline (Daniel 5:1-30); d. Cyrus and Babylon's downfall (Daniel 5:31

6:28); e. Babylon, Persia-Media, Greece and beyond (Daniel 7

12); f. Conclusion and implications; 2. Literary elements; a. Overview; b. Hebrew and Aramaic text of Daniel; c. Greek and Latin texts of Daniel; d. Characters; e. Plot; f. Imagery; g. Genre.

H. Narratori. Authorship, date and setting; 3. Canonical elements; a. Overview; b. The Old Testament canon; c. Daniel's placement in the Old Testament canon; d. Daniel's canonical significance; 4. Theological elements; a. Overview; b. God, the revealer of life-shaping truth; c. God, history's everlasting ruler; d. God, the ruler whose kingdom rises; e. God, his suffering people's protector; f. God, the one to whom all must answer; 5. Formational elements; a. Overview; b. The New Testament; c. Contemporary times; ANALYSIS; COMMENTARY; 1. GOD GIVES EXILE AND GRACE (1:1-21)

A. God gives his people into Nebuchadnezzar's hands (1:1-7)B. God gives his servants grace (1:8-21); 2. GOD GIVES WISDOM, MIGHT AND HIDDEN KNOWLEDGE (2:1-49); A. Nebuchadnezzar's troubling dream and hasty decree (2:1-13); B. God reveals hidden knowledge (2:14-23); C. Daniel reveals Nebuchadnezzar's dream and its interpretation (2:24-45); D. Nebuchadnezzar praises God and promotes Daniel and his friends (2:46-49); 3. GOD DELIVERS HIS SERVANTS FROM THE FLAMES (3:1-30); A. Nebuchadnezzar's golden statue (3:1-7); B. Conflict in the court (3:8-12)

C. Confrontation, confession and condemnation (3:13-23)D. Deliverance, confession and decree (3:24-30); 4. GOD HUMBLES THE PROUD (4:1-37); A. Nebuchadnezzar's letter to his people (4:1-3); B. Another helpful troubling dream (4:4-18); C. A reluctant interpreter and some wise counsel (4:19-27); D. God humbles Nebuchadnezzar (4:28-33); E. God heals and restores Nebuchadnezzar (4:34-37); 5. THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL: THE END OF BABYLON (5:1-31); A. The handwriting on the wall (5:1-12); B. Daniel interprets the writing (5:13-28); C. Honours at the eleventh hour (5:29-31)

6. GOD SAVES DANIEL FROM THE LIONS (6:1-28)A. New regime, new dangers (6:1-9); B. Daniel's faithfulness and the king's anguish (6:10-18); C. God delivers Daniel (6:19-24); D. Darius's decree and Daniel's security (6:25-28); 7. THE ANCIENT OF DAYS AND THE SON OF MAN (7:1-28); A. Four beasts from the sea (7:1-8); B. The Ancient of Days and the Son of Man: earth's true co-regents (7:9-14); C. The vision's interpretation and Daniel's reaction (7:15-28); 8. A RAM, A GOAT, A HORN AND A TEMPLE (8:1-27); A. A ram, a goat and a temple: Daniel's vision (8:1-14)