Correlating Daniel and Revelation Prophecies
The books of Daniel and Revelation share significant thematic and symbolic connections, particularly in their prophetic visions concerning world powers and the ultimate triumph of God's kingdom. Both books are considered apocalyptic literature, with Daniel providing a foundational understanding for many of the symbols and timelines found in Revelation [6, 10].
Daniel's prophecies, particularly in chapters 2, 7, 8, and 11, describe a succession of world empires leading up to a final, oppressive power that opposes God's people [9]. For instance, Daniel's vision of the great image in chapter 2 depicts various kingdoms represented by different materials, culminating in a kingdom that God will establish [1]. Similarly, chapter 7 presents four beasts representing successive empires, followed by the Ancient of Days taking his seat and judgment being given to the saints of the Most High [4]. The "Treasury of Scripture Knowledge" cross-references Daniel 7:25, which speaks of a power making war with the saints, with Revelation 13:3, 16:6, 17:6, 17:12, and 17:17, all of which describe similar persecuting powers in Revelation [2].
The concept of a "time, times, and half a time" (three and a half years or 1,260 days) appears in both books as a period of tribulation. Daniel 7:25 and 12:7 mention this period, and the "Treasury of Scripture Knowledge" links Daniel 12:7 to Revelation 10:5, 11:2, 11:7, 12:6, 12:14, and 13:5, indicating a shared prophetic timeframe for significant events [3]. This period is often understood as a time of intense persecution for God's people, during which their faith is tested and refined [5].
Both books also emphasize the ultimate victory of God and His saints. Daniel 7:22 states that "judgment was given to the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom" [4]. This resonates with Revelation's portrayal of the Lamb's victory over all opposing forces and the establishment of God's eternal kingdom. The "Treasury of Scripture Knowledge" connects Daniel 2:37, which speaks of God giving dominion to kings, with Revelation 1:5, 4:11, 5:12, 17:14, and 19:16, all highlighting Christ's supreme authority and ultimate reign [1].
The book of Daniel is divided into historical and prophetic sections, with the latter focusing on the future of God's people and the kingdom of God [6, 7]. Daniel's prayers for his people, as seen in Daniel 9, are also significant, as he seeks understanding regarding the seventy years of captivity and receives a prophecy of seventy weeks leading to the Messiah's death [8, 13]. This detailed timeline in Daniel 9:24 is considered one of the most important revelations regarding the future development of God's kingdom [11]. The prophecies in Daniel, particularly those concerning the preservation of Israel, are seen by some as extending through the entire Church-historical period [12].
Sources
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Daniel 2:37 cross-references: 1 Kings 4:24, 2 Kings 25:28, 2 Chronicles 36:23, Ezra 1:2, Ezra 7:12, Psalms 62:11, Proverbs 8:15, Isaiah 10:8, Isaiah 47:5, Jeremiah 27:6, Jeremiah 28:14, Ezekiel 26:7, Daniel 2:31, Daniel 4:3, Daniel 4:19, Daniel 4:25, Daniel 4:32, Daniel 4:34, Daniel 5:18, Hosea 8:10, Matthew 6:13, John 19:11, Revelation 1:5, Revelation 4:11, Revelation 5:12, Revelation 17:14, Revelation 19:16”
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Daniel 8:24 cross-references: Psalms 37:35, Daniel 7:25, Daniel 8:10, Daniel 8:12, Daniel 11:23, Daniel 11:31, Daniel 11:36, Daniel 12:7, Revelation 13:3, Revelation 16:6, Revelation 17:6, Revelation 17:12, Revelation 17:17, Revelation 19:2”
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Daniel 12:7 cross-references: Deuteronomy 7:6, Deuteronomy 26:19, Deuteronomy 32:36, Deuteronomy 32:40, Job 27:2, Isaiah 62:12, Jeremiah 4:2, Daniel 4:31, Daniel 4:34, Daniel 7:21, Daniel 7:25, Daniel 8:14, Daniel 8:24, Daniel 11:13, Daniel 12:6, Daniel 12:11, Luke 21:14, Luke 21:24, 1 Peter 2:9, Revelation 10:5, Revelation 11:2, Revelation 11:7, Revelation 12:6, Revelation 12:14, Revelation 13:5”
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Daniel 7:22 cross-references: Psalms 149:5, Isaiah 63:4, Daniel 7:9, Daniel 7:18, Matthew 19:28, Luke 22:29, 1 Corinthians 6:2, 2 Thessalonians 2:8, Revelation 1:6, Revelation 3:21, Revelation 5:10, Revelation 11:11, Revelation 14:8, Revelation 19:11, Revelation 20:4, Revelation 20:9”
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Daniel 11:35 cross-references: Deuteronomy 8:2, Deuteronomy 8:16, 2 Chronicles 32:31, Proverbs 17:3, Daniel 8:10, Daniel 8:17, Daniel 8:19, Daniel 9:27, Daniel 11:27, Daniel 11:29, Daniel 11:33, Daniel 11:40, Daniel 12:4, Daniel 12:10, Habakkuk 2:3, Zechariah 13:9, Malachi 3:2, Malachi 4:1, Matthew 16:17, Matthew 26:56, Matthew 26:69, John 15:2, John 20:25, Acts 13:13, Acts 15:37, James 1:2, 1 Peter 1:6, Revelation 2:10, Revelation 7:14, Revelation 14:15, Revelation 17:17”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Daniel, Book of — Is ranked by the Jews in that division of their Bible called the Hagiographa (Heb. Khethubim). (See [144]BIBLE.) It consists of two distinct parts. The first part, consisting of the first six chapters, is chiefly historical; and the second part, consisting of the remaining six chapters, is chiefly prophetical. The historical part of the book treats of the period of the Captivity. Daniel is "the historian of the Captivity, the writer who alone furnishes any series of events for that dark and dismal period during which the harp of Israel hung on the t”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Daniel, The Book Of — stands at the head of a series of writings in which the deepest thoughts of the Jewish people found expression after their close of the prophetic era. Daniel is composed partly in the vernacular Aramaic (Chaldee) and partly in the sacred Hebrew. The introduction, Dan. 1-2:4 a, is written in Hebrew. On the occasion of the "Syriac" (i.e. Aramaic) answer of the Chaldeans, the language changes to Aramaic, and this is retained till the close of the seventh chapter (2:4 b-7). The personal introduction of Daniel as the writer of the text, 8:1, is marked”
- Daniel (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Daniel 9:4: my confession--according to God's promises in Lev 26:39-42, that if Israel in exile for sin should repent and confess, God would remember for them His covenant with Abraham (compare Deu 30:1-5; Jer 29:12-14; Jam 4:10). God's promise was absolute, but prayer also was ordained as about to precede its fulfilment, this too being the work of God in His people, as much as the external restoration which was to follow. So it shall be at Israel's final restoration (Psa 102:13-17). Daniel takes his countrymen's place of confession of sin, identifying himself with”
- Daniel (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Daniel 10 (introduction): The Revelation Regarding the Affliction of the People of God on the Part of the Rulers of the World Till the Consummation of the Kingdom of God - Daniel 10-12 In the third year of the reign of Cyrus, Daniel received the last revelation regarding the future of his people, which gives a fuller unfolding of the hostile attitude of the world-power toward the people and the kingdom of God from the time of the Persian dominion to the end of the days, as well as regarding the powerful protection which the covenant people shall experience amid the severe o”
- Revelation (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Revelation 1 (introduction): 1TITLE: SOURCE AND OBJECT OF THIS REVELATION: BLESSING ON THE READER AND KEEPER OF IT, AS THE TIME IS NEAR: INSCRIPTION TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES: APOSTOLIC GREETING: KEYNOTE, "BEHOLD HE COMETH" (Compare at the close, Rev 22:20, "Surely I come quickly"): INTRODUCTORY VISION OF THE SON OF MAN IN GLORY, AMIDST THE SEVEN CANDLESTICKS, WITH SEVEN STARS IN HIS RIGHT HAND. (Rev. 1:1-20) Revelation--an apocalypse or unveiling of those things which had been veiled. A manifesto of the kingdom of Christ. The travelling manual of the Church for the G”
- Daniel (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Daniel 9:24: The divine revelation regarding the seventy weeks. - This message of the angel relates to the most important revelations regarding the future development of the kingdom of God. From the brevity and measured form of the expression, which Auberlen designates "the lapidary style of the upper sanctuary," and from the difficulty of calculating the period named, this verse has been very variously interpreted. The interpretations may be divided into three principal classes. 1. Most of the church fathers and the older orthodox interpreters find prophesied here the appe”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 86: the meaning would be that the Jews would not cease to be a distinct people until his predictions were fulfilled. 837 837 Dorner. De Oratione Christi Eschatologica, Tractatus Theologicus . Stuttgart, 1844, pp. 76-86. C. A. Auberlen, The Prophecies of Daniel and the Revelations of St. John . Translated by Rev. Adolph Saphir, Edinburgh, 1856, p. 354. “The Lord Jesus himself,” says Auberlen, “prophesied ( Matthew xxiv. 34 ), that Israel was to be preserved during the entire Church-historical period.” There is nothing, therefore, in this disco”
- Daniel (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Daniel 9 (introduction): Daniel, understanding from the prophecies of Jeremiah that the seventy years' captivity was now terminating, pours out his soul in fervent prayer to God, and earnestly supplicates pardon and restoration for his captive people, Dan 9:1-12. When thus supplicating God in behalf of Israel, the angel Gabriel is sent to inform him of the seventy prophetic weeks, or four hundred and ninety natural years, which should elapse from the date of the edict to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple to the death of the Messiah, Dan 9:20-27; a prophecy most exactly fulfilled ”