Touring the Old Testament – Major Prophets

Isaiah through Daniel

Table of Contents

Preface 1

Isaiah 2

Jeremiah 6

Lamentations 10

Ezekiel 12

Daniel 16
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PREFACE

The major prophets are so named because their writings are more lengthy than those of the minor
prophets. With the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, there is no question of their major status.
However, the book of Lamentations is only termed major because it seems to be an addendum to the
book of Jeremiah. The book of Daniel is the only exception regarding length of writing, but its inclusion
in the category of major prophets is attributed to Daniel’s high status as the secondary ruler under the
kings of Babylon and Persia, and his detailed visions of the future of the gentile kingdoms and the
kingdom of Israel.

We must bear in mind the Jewish character of these major prophets, for they were aware of Israel’s
present condition of suffering punishment for their sins, but they were hopeful of the final restoration of
Israel’s kingdom upon repentance and the nation turning to God again. This was the Palestinian
Covenant laid out in Deuteronomy 29 and 30. God was using the gentile nations to discipline back-
sliding Israel. Also, the Davidic Covenant described in 2 Sam 7 said that a physical seed of David (the
Messiah) would one day rule the kingdom of Israel forever. The major prophets had trouble reconciling
these covenants in a single time frame.

The solution to the dilemma was that there were to be two advents (comings) of the Messiah, who
was also the Lord most high. These advents were to be of different natures, the first advent involving the
humiliation and sacrifice of Messiah for the sins of the world (not only for Israel), and the second advent
coming much later, where Messiah would appear as the conquering King of Israel with all power to set
up the kingdom and to rule the whole Earth. The intervening gap of time between the first and second
advents of Messiah, and the calling out of a new entity named “The Church” were not shown to the Old
Testament prophets. The prophetic vision may be compared to someone looking through a telescope at
two ranges of mountains which are separated by many miles, but which appear to be the same mountain
range through the telescope. Only when one is in the huge valley between the mountains can he look
backward and forward and see the different mountain ranges. Even so, in the 21st century we are in this
position, looking backward to Messiah’s first coming as a suffering servant, giving his life for the sins of
the world, and looking forward to Messiah’s second coming as the conquering King of Israel and
indeed, King of all the nations and the Son of God.

First Advent Second Advent

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ISAIAH

Author: The prophet Isaiah can be called the “Paul” of the Old Testament. He had a good
education and came from a distinguished Jewish family. He was uncompromising, sincere, and
compassionate. His wife was a prophetess and he had at least 2 sons. In the Hebrew language his
name “Yeshaiah” means “Yahweh is salvation.” Tradition says that he was sawed in half during
the reign of King Manasseh of Judah. Isaiah was a contemporary of the prophets Hosea and
Micah.

Setting: Isaiah’s ministry was from 740-680 B.C. during the reigns of the Judaic kings
Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Assyria was growing in military power and was
conquering nation after nation. After Israel was carried captive by Assyria in 722 B.C., Isaiah
warned Judah of judgment by Babylon before Babylon became the dominant world power after
the fall of the Assyrian capital of Nineveh in 612 B.C. Nineveh was destroyed by a coalition of
Medes under King Cyaxares and Babylonians under King Nabopolassar, the father of
Nebuchadnezzar.

Theme: The theme of Isaiah is that salvation is of the Lord. The word “salvation” appears
26 times in Isaiah, but only 7 times in all the other Old Testament prophets combined.

Structure: The book is a miniature Bible with the emphasis as shown below:

DIVISION MESSIANIC EMPHASIS THEME SIMILAR TO

First 39 chapters as King Judgment on the nations Old Testament
Last 27 chapters as suffering servant Messiah as Savior & King New Testament

Purpose: The purpose is to show Man’s great need for salvation (ch.1-39) and God’s great
provision of salvation for all peoples through Messiah (ch.40-66).

Christ Seen:
Key verses:
9:6-7 Shows Messiah as king upon David’s throne forever.
53:6 Shows Messiah as the vicarious suffering servant.
Key chapter:
53 Specific prophecies of the suffering and death of Messiah for all mankind

Suffering Servant (Examples)

7:14 Virgin birth of Messiah, and calling his name Immanuel
42:6-7 Messiah will be a light of the Gentiles to set them free from sin’s bondage.
53:4-6 Messiah will suffer for the sins and sickness of all mankind.

Glorious King (Examples)

9:6-7 He shall establish the kingdom with righteousness forever.
4:2 The branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious.
11:10 To him shall all nations seek, and his rest shall be glorious.
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Significance in the Bible: Isaiah is quoted in the New Testament far more than any other
prophet. It is mentioned 21 times by name; chapter 53 is quoted or spoken of 85 times. The book
is characterized by systematic presentation, brilliant imagery, broad scope, clarity, beauty, and
power. The book of Isaiah compares to the book of Romans regarding the explanation of God’s
redemption plan.

Survey: Overview (The abbreviation Rev means Revelation)

I. Prophecies of Condemnation (ch. 1-35)

A. Prophecies against Judah (ch. 1-12)

Ch 1 This is a capsulated message of the whole book of Isaiah.
1:l8 God will forgive sins although they be as red as scarlet.
1:19 If we are willing and obedient, we will eat the good of the land.
Ch 2,4 A vision of the coming Kingdom of Messiah
5:13 God’s people go into captivity (to Satan) if they have no knowledge
(of God).
5:18-22 Woe to those who seek iniquity, who mock God, who call evil good
and good evil, who are wise in their own eyes, and who love wine
and strong drink.
7:14 Messiah’s virgin birth is predicted.
9:6-7 Messiah’s reigning on David’s throne forever is predicted.
10:27 The anointing of God destroys the yoke.
11:2 The 7 spirits before God’s throne (See Rev 4:5) are identified.

B. Prophecies against other nations (ch. 13-23)

Nations of Babylon, Assyria, Philistia, Moab, Syria, Israel, Ethiopia, Egypt,
Edom, Arabia, and Tyre
13:3-5 These are angels.
13:13 Earth changes its orbit around the sun.
13:20 Babylon will never be inhabited again after its destruction by the Medes.
14:12-17 This describes Lucifer’s (Satan’s) revolt against God.
17:1 This is a prediction of the destruction of Damascus, still to come.
19:18-22 This is a prophecy of the salvation of Egypt.

C. Prophecies of the Day of the Lord (ch. 24-27)

24:20 The Earth nods around its axis and changes orbit (See 30:36, Rev16:8-9).
25:7 God will destroy the mind-blinding veil cast over the nations.
26:19 Prediction of the Parousia (Rapture)

D. Prophecies of Judgment and Blessing (ch. 28-35)

28:16 A prophecy of Messiah, the precious cornerstone
28:11-12 This is a prophecy of speaking in tongues giving rest and refreshing.
28:24-28 Different peoples require different methods of sowing and reaping.
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29:1-6 This implies that Ariel (Jerusalem) will be hit with a nuclear bomb.
30:15 Returning to the Lord and resting, we shall live in quietness & confidence.
31:5 The Lord will defend Jerusalem as birds flying (Israeli Air Force).
32:17 Righteousness works peace, and its effect is quietness and assurance.
33:24 A prophecy of the equivalence of forgiveness and healing
Ch 35 A prophecy of the kingdom of Messiah during the Millennium

II. Historical Parenthesis (ch. 36-39)

A. Hezekiah’s Salvation from Assyria (ch. 36-37)

36:10 Sennacherib’s general lies to Hezekiah.
36:20 Sennacherib’s general likens the Lord to the gods of other nations.
37:10-13 Sennacherib mocks the Lord in a letter to Hezekiah.
37:20 Hezekiah asks the Lord to save Jerusalem.
37:33-35 The Lord promises that Jerusalem will not be harmed.
37:36 The angel of the Lord slays 185,000 Assyrian soldiers, ruining the army.

B. Hezekiah’s Salvation from Sickness (ch. 38)

38:8 God reversed the Earth’s rotation for 40 minutes (10 degrees).

C. Hezekiah’s Sin
39:6-7 The Babylonian captivity predicted about 100 years before it happened.

III. Prophecies of Comfort (ch. 40-66)

A. Prophecies of Israel’s Deliverance (ch. 40-48)

40:3-5 Messiah’s 2 comings in 1 picture: vs 3---1st Coming, vs 4-5---2nd Coming
40:10 This verse pertains to Messiah’s 2nd Coming and reward for his people.
41:11-12 A good passage to use in spiritual warfare against demonic forces
42:6-7 Messiah’s mission to enlighten the Gentiles and free the devil’s captives
43:2 God will protect us during life-threatening times.
43:4 God will slay others in order to protect his own people.
44:26 God confirms his servant’s words, & does the counsel of his messengers.
44:28, and 45:1-4 and 45:13
This is Cyrus, called by God, for 3 purposes:
1. Permitting the captive Jews to freely return to Judah
2. Commanding the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem to be rebuilt
3. Commanding the city of Jerusalem to be rebuilt
48:6-7 God creates progressively, over a period of time.
48:16 The entire trinity is in view here, with Messiah speaking.

B. Prophecy of Israel’s Deliverer (ch. 49-57)

49:5-6 Messiah not only to restore Israel, but to be salvation for Gentiles also
50:4 God the Father awakened Messiah every morning and taught him.
50:6 This speaks of Messiah’s humiliation in going to the cross.
52:7 The gospel is not only for the lost, but for the Church (Zion) also.
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52:10, 15 The gospel must be seen, and not just heard. “Seen” implies miracles.
53:4 Surely he has borne our sickness (choliy) and carried our pains (makobah).
Therefore we don’t have to bear them. Messiah was our substitute.
54:2 This can refer to the spiritual covering over you; your “tent.”
55:8-9 God expects us to walk in his higher ways (See Hosea 14:9).
Examples: Forgiveness, humility, self-sacrifice
56:7 The temple at Jerusalem was to be a house of prayer for all peoples.
See Mark 11:15-17.
57:19 God creates the fruit of our lips. We must speak with caution.

C. Prophecies of Israel’s Glorious Future (ch. 58-66)

58:6-7 This is God’s chosen fast; not a food fast, or afflicting one’s soul.
59:19 The standard of the Spirit of the Lord is the flood, not the enemy. We are
the standard that the Lord raises. In the KJV the comma should have been
placed after the word “in.”
60:1-5 Pertains to God’s people today who will boldly share the gospel of
the Kingdom.
61:2-3 The day of vengeance begins immediately after the Parousia (Rapture).
“Trees of righteousness” refers to people.
62:10 Go through the “gateway” cities of a nation and prepare the way for the
people to be saved. Take away the stumbling stones, and be the standard.
63:1-4 Refers to Jesus trampling anti-Jewish armies on his way to Armageddon.
64:5 God meets him who rejoices, works righteousness, and remembers
God’s ways.
65:17 This creation takes place after the Millennium, but vs 18-25 refer to
conditions during the Millennium.
66:7-8 This refers to the conversion of the remnant of Israel after the flaming
judgment of God in Ezekiel 38:22, which conversion is realized in
Ezekiel 39:22, Zechariah 12:10, and Zechariah 13:1.
66:19 These are the Jewish evangelists of the Tribulation (See Rev 7:1-8).

This concludes the book of Isaiah

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JEREMIAH

Author: Jeremiah was the son of Hilkiah the priest. The Hebrew name “Yirmeyah” means that
Yahweh establishes, or sends. He was a heart-broken prophet with a heart-breaking message. His
book is not arranged chronologically or topically. God called him to be a prophet from the womb
(1:5). God didn’t permit him to marry (16:2). He preached a message of coming judgment on Judah
from Babylonian invasion. He suffered for this message through much persecution. Jeremiah dictated
his prophecies to Baruch, his secretary. After King Jehoiakim destroyed his first scroll, he dictated a
second, more complete one. Chapter 52 was not written by Jeremiah, but by some other unknown
person.

Setting: There were 3 stages of Jeremiah’s ministry:

1. 627-606 BC. King Josiah had been killed by Pharaoh Necho in 609 BC. Judah was
threatened by Assyria and Egypt. Assyria finally was destroyed in 612 BC.
2. 606-587 BC. Babylon defeated Egypt in 606 BC. Judah was threatened and besieged by
Babylon, and Daniel and his 3 friends were carried captive to Babylon in 606 BC. The majority of
Jews in Jerusalem were carried to Babylon in 598 BC. Jeremiah remained in Jerusalem.
3. 587-580 BC. Jerusalem was destroyed by Babylon in 587 BC. Jeremiah went to Egypt
with the remnant of the Jews after the fall of Jerusalem (ch.43). In Egypt, Jeremiah’s ministry mostly
involved prophecies against the nations surrounding Judah (ch.46-51).

Theme: Warning of coming judgment.

Purpose: To show the certainty of coming judgment for failure to repent, and to show God’s
grace in His promise of restoration.

Key verses: 8:11-12 …”Peace, peace, when there is no peace”…

Key chapter: 31—The promise of the New Covenant with God’s law written on the hearts.

Christ seen:
23:1-8 The coming shepherd and righteous Branch, verses 5-6
22:28-30 He can’t come from the cursed seed of Jehoiachin, which leads to Joseph, the
carpenter of Galilee, but comes instead from David’s son Nathan, whose line leads to Mary, Jesus’
mother.
31:31-34 He brings in the New Covenant.

Significance in the Bible: This is a non-chronological, broken book that shows God’s hatred
for sin, but His patience in delaying judgment in order to give time for repentance.

Survey: Jeremiah refers to Babylon 164 times, more than the rest of the Bible taken together.
He is the weeping prophet, lonely, rejected, and persecuted. He prophesied 40 years and received
opposition, beatings, isolation, and imprisonment.
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I. Call of Jeremiah (ch. 1)

1:2-3 He prophesied from 627-580 BC, a period of 47 years.

1:5-10 Jeremiah was called from the womb to be a prophet to the nations.

II. Prophecies to Judah (ch. 2-45)

A. Condemnation of Judah (ch. 2-25) Jeremiah preaches 12 sermons.

3:3 Drought is a judgment for wickedness (Deut 28:23-24).
4:4 God wants circumcised hearts.
4:16-17 The watchers and keepers of the field are angels (See Dan 4:13).
5:1 This is worse than Sodom, where there were 4 righteous people.
6:19 God will bring evil upon Judah, even the fruit of their thoughts.
7:16/11:14/14:11 God tells Jeremiah not to pray for Judah. Prayer can be a sin!
10:11/20:11/30:23 Good passages to use for spiritual warfare against demons.
15:16 We can eat God’s words, and they produce joy and rejoicing in our hearts.
15:19 We can only speak for God if we remove the precious from the vile.
20:2-3 Jeremiah was put into the painful stocks for one day.
20:7-10 Jeremiah complains of his situation because nobody listens to God’s Word.
23:7-8 The return of Israel from the north country (Russia) is prophesied.
25:11 The prophecy of 70 years of desolations of the land. Fulfilled 589-520 BC.
It was the practice of the Jews to count both the beginning and ending years of the prophecy.

B. The Conflicts of Jeremiah (ch. 26-29)

These are conflicts with the nation, false prophets, Hananiah, and Shemaiah.
26:2-3 This is God’s mercy, desiring repentance instead of judgment of the people.
29:10 The prophecy of 70 years of captivity for the people. Fulfilled 606-537 BC.
29:13 Those who seek God diligently shall find Him.

C. Future Restoration of Jerusalem (ch. 30-33)

30:3 The prophecy of the return of both Israel and Judah to the land. Fulfilled:
1845 AD---There were 8000 Jews in the ancient land of Israel.
1905 AD---There were 41,000 Jews in the land.
1945 AD---There were 500,000 Jews in the land.
1975 AD---There were 3,500,000 Jews in the land.
1992 AD---There were 4,500,000 Jews in the land.
2012 AD---There were 7,200,000 Jews in the land.
30:6 The men are guarding their loins from nuclear radiation (See Rev 8:7)..
30:7 The Great Tribulation begins in Rev 12:13 when Satan is grounded on Earth.
30:9 David will again reign over Israel during the Millennium (See Eze 34:23-24).
31:22 The prophecy of the virgin birth of Messiah. Fulfilled Mt 1:18 in 3 BC.
31:31-34 Prophecy of the New Covenant. Fulfilled after the resurrection, 32 AD.
33:15-16 The Davidic Covenant to be reconfirmed in the Millennium.
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D. The Present Fall of Jerusalem (ch. 34-45)

36:23 King Jehoiakim burns Jeremiah’s scroll.
37:15-16 Jeremiah imprisoned in the dungeon on charges of treason.
37:21 Jeremiah released from the dungeon but confined to the prison courtyard.
38:6 Jeremiah imprisoned in the mud of another dungeon.
38:13 Jeremiah again confined to the prison courtyard.
39 Jerusalem falls to the Babylonians under King Nebuchadnezzar (587 BC).
40:4 Jeremiah released from chains at Ramah by Nebuzaradan, Babylon’s general.
41:2-3 Ishmael murders Gedaliah, Nebuchadnezzar’s puppet ruler of Judah.
42:1-6 The Jews remaining in Judah promise to obey the Lord’s word to Jeremiah.
42:10-12 God counsels the remaining Jews to stay in Judah and He will protect them.
42:15-17 God warns the people not to go to Egypt, or they will be destroyed there.
43:7 The remaining Jews did not obey God, but traveled to Egypt.
43:11-13 Prophecy of Nebuchadnezzar destroying Egypt. Fulfilled in 568 BC.
44:17 The queen of heaven was the Phoenician fertility goddess Astarte.

III. Prophecies to the Gentiles (ch. 46-51)

These prophecies are against Egypt, Philistia, Phoenicia, Moab, Ammon, Edom, Syria,
Arabia, Elam, and Babylon.
46:23 The forest of Egypt represents the people of Egypt (Like Isa 61:3).
47:4 The Philistines were scattered and spoiled by Alexander the Great in 333 BC.
47::4 The Phoenicians were defeated by Alexander the Great also in 333 BC. At this
time the prophecy of the destruction of Tyre (Eze 27:32-34) was fulfilled by Alexander reaching the
remnant of Tyre on an island close to the old city, by throwing the ruins of the old city into the sea to
create a causeway to enable his soldiers to reach the island.
48:7 Moab’s god Chemosh shall be taken captive with its priests and princes.
49:1-2 Ammon will be a desolate heap because it wanted to take over eastern Israel.
49:13 Bozrah (Edom) shall become a desolate waste. It is desolation today.
49:18 No man will ever live in Edom. No people have lived in Edom for 2000 years.
49:25 Damascus (Syria) will be obliterated (See Isa 17:1). This is future to 2014 AD.
49:28 Prophecy of destruction to Kedar (Arabia) and Hazor by Nebuchadnezzar.
49:37 Prophecy of destruction of Elam. Today Elam has been rebuilt in western Iran.
50:39 After Babylon is destroyed by the Medes and Persians, it shall never be
inhabited again, from generation to generation. This has been true since 539 BC.
51:11 The Lord raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes to destroy Babylon. The
Medes and Persians in 539 BC dug a bypass for the Euphrates River which flowed through Babylon,
in order to lower the level of the river. At night, they used this bypass and entered Babylon by
walking in the lowered river under the iron gate that used to extend to the surface of the river. They
took the city completely by surprise in one day.
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IV. The Fall of Jerusalem (ch. 52)

52:4 The 10th day of the 10th month 589 BC---Babylon invades, desolations begin.
52:6-7 The 9th day of the 4th month 587 BC---Jerusalem falls to Babylon.
52:12-13 The 10th day of the 5th month 587 BC---Jerusalem and temple were burned.
41:1-3 1st day of the 7th month 587 BC---Babylon’s puppet Gedaliah is killed.
In the book of Zechariah, chapter 8 verse 19, the above four dates are mentioned as customary to be
celebrated as mournful days. But after Zechariah heard from the Lord, he counseled the priests and
prophets who had inquired of him, that those days were to be joyful days and feast days because of
the blessing that the Lord would give to Israel if they practiced truth and peace.

This concludes the book of Jeremiah

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LAMENTATIONS
Author: Jeremiah, according to the Talmud and early Christian writers. The scenes taken from
Lamentations had to be witnessed by a survivor of Jerusalem’s fall. The same compassion and grief are
seen in both the books of Jeremiah and Lamentations.

Setting: The book of Lamentations was written soon after Jerusalem’s destruction at the hands of
Babylon, probably before Jeremiah was taken captive to Egypt by the surviving Jewish forces in the
area. The city of Jerusalem had been burned, together with the temple of the Lord, and the wall had been
broken down (2 Ki 25:9-10). Since the city had been besieged for almost 2 years, starvation and disease
had taken the lives of many Jews. The Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar plundered the city and raped
the women after taking the city.

Theme: There are 3 themes here.

1. Mourning over Jerusalem’s destruction
2. Confession of sin and acknowledgment of God’s righteous judgment
3. A note of hope in God’s future restoration of His people

Structure: It is a 5 poem dirge or funeral song for Jerusalem written in acrostic fashion.
Ch. 1,2,4: Each verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
Ch. 3: There are 22 groups of 3 verses, each group beginning with a successive letter.
Ch. 5: This is not an acrostic, but a “limping meter,” giving a somber effect of diminuendo.

Purpose: The purpose is to mourn the destruction of Jerusalem.

Key word: Lamentations

Key verses: 3:22-23 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions
do not fail. They are new every morning; great is His faithfulness.

Key chapter: 3. This chapter shows faith in the promises and character of God.

Christ seen: Jeremiah is a type of Christ, weeping over Jerusalem. Jesus also wept over this city
during His triumphal entry, Lk 19:41-44.

Significance in the Bible: Lamentations emphasizes the importance of Jerusalem in God’s

redemptive plan for the nation of Israel, and the other nations of the world. After all, Jesus will rule the
Earth from Jerusalem during the Millennium. The poetic form of “limping meter” was a sad rhythm that
was used in funeral songs. The acrostic form aided the memory, and this book may have been used in
synagogue chanting. Jews publicly read Lamentations each year to remember Jerusalem’s destruction in
587 BC and its second destruction by the Romans in 70 AD.
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Survey:

I. The Destruction of Jerusalem (ch. 1)

1:1-11 Lament of Jeremiah

1:12-22 Jerusalem speaks for itself in a lament. She asks God to see her misery and to
repay her enemies.

II. The Anger of God (ch. 2)

Here is an eyewitness account of the thoroughness and severity of the destruction.

III. The Prayer for Mercy (ch. 3)

3:22-23 God’s compassions are new every morning.

3:25-26 God is good to those who seek Him and who patiently wait for Him.
3:40-41 We must test our own ways and align them with God’s ways.

IV. The Siege of Jerusalem (ch. 4)

4:6 The punishment of Jerusalem was worse than the punishment of Sodom.
4:8 The effects of starvation are blackened skin (See also 5:10).
4:10 This is a description of the cannibalism that took place among families.

V. The Prayer for Restoration (ch. 5)

5:21 This is the plea for restoration and renewal.

This concludes the book of Lamentations

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EZEKIEL
Author: Ezekiel (Yehezke’l = Heb.) means “Strengthened by God.” He was a priest who
was called to be a prophet, and to minister to the Jewish exiles in Babylon. His ministry shows a
priestly emphasis on temples, priesthood, sacrifices, and Shekinah glory. He was a man of
visions, whereas the prophet Jeremiah, a contemporary, was a man of tears. The first person
singular “I” is used throughout the book.

Setting: Ezekiel was carried to Babylon in 597 BC, along with the 10,000 other “good figs”
(See Jer. 24). Ezekiel and Daniel, who had been carried to Babylon in 606 BC, were about the
same age. Ezekiel was 30 years old when his prophetic commission came (1:1-3). He prophesied
from 593 BC to 570 BC and died at age 62 in 560 BC. He overlapped the end of Jeremiah’s
ministry and the beginning of Daniel’s ministry.

Theme: The theme of Ezekiel is the glory of the Lord.

Purpose: The book was written for the Jewish exiles to assure them of a long captivity, and
after Jerusalem was destroyed, to assure them of God’s future blessing and restoration.

Key words: The restoration of Israel

Key verses: 36:24-35 These verses talk about:

● Restoration of the people to the land
● Cleansing the people from sin
● The people are given a new spirit (heart)
● The people living in a prosperous land

Key chapter: 37 This chapter shows Israel’s future as seen in the vision of the dry bones

Christ seen: Christ is seen in 3 places:

● 17:22-24 Shows Messiah as a tender twig that becomes a stately cedar.
● 21:26-27 Shows Messiah as Shiloh, who has a right to rule.
● 34:23-24 Shows Messiah, the son of David, as the true shepherd.

Significance in the Bible: God used the prophet Ezekiel 10 times as a sign to the house of
Israel of God’s hatred for sin, of His chastisement for His people who backslide into sin, and of
His final provision for them of salvation, blessing, and prosperity upon their repentance. The
book has a methodical style, and is carefully dated and put in chronological order. It has terrific
imagery, some difficult to interpret. It contains 10 signs, 6 visions, 6 parables, and many
apocalyptic (revelatory) passages.
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Survey: Overview

I. Commission of Ezekiel (ch. 1-3) 593 BC

A. Ezekiel sees the glory of God (ch. 1)

Vision of cherubim, wheels, firmament, throne, glory of God (See also 10:20-22)

B. Ezekiel commissioned to the Word of God (ch. 2-3)

2:3 Ezekiel is sent to the children of Israel in Babylon.
3 Ezekiel is given instruction (1-7), enablement (8-9), & responsibility (17-21).
3:26 The prophet is made dumb in normal conversation with Israelites so that the
people would know that when he spoke, it was certainly from God.

II. Judgment on Judah (ch. 4-24)

A. Three signs of coming judgment (ch. 4-5)

4:1-6 SIEGE: Clay tablet besieged with Ezekiel lying on his left side 390 days.
(Symbolized Israel’s iniquity for 390 years)
Ezekiel lying on his right side for 40 days.
(Symbolized Judah’s iniquity for 40 years)
4:9-17 DEFILED BREAD: (Symbolized the coming famine on the land)
5:1-4 DIVIDING THE HAIR: (Symbolized disease, death, scattering, captivity)
5:6 Israel was more wicked than the nations around it.

B. Two messages of coming judgment (ch. 6-7)

6 Message against idolatry and judgment upon idolaters.
7 Message against violence, and that the time of judgment is soon to come.

C. Vision of coming judgment (ch. 8-11) 592 BC

9:1-2 The 6 men are really angels who have been given charge over Jerusalem.
9:3 Shekinah glory departs from the Holy of Holies to the temple’s threshold.
9:4-6 God saves those who obey Him from destruction; that is His way.
10:18 Shekinah departs from the threshold to the east gate of the temple grounds.
11:19 God promises a new spirit to the scattered remnant in Babylon.
11:23 Shekinah departs from Jerusalem to the Mount of Olives. (cf Zech 14:4)

D. Signs, parables, and messages of judgment (ch. 12-24)

12:13 Prophecy of the captivity and blinding of Zedekiah, king of Judah
13 The untempered mortar means “no Holy Spirit was present.”
17 People are likened to the branches of a tree.
17:3 The great eagle is king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.
17:6 The vine is the nation of Judah.
17:7 Another great eagle is Pharaoh of Egypt.
17:22 The tender twig from the highest branch is Messiah.
20 God is concerned that His name is not polluted in the sight of the nations.
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21:27 God will overturn Judah’s kingdom until Messiah comes, who will
receive the crown.
22:30-31 God will pour out His wrath upon sinful people unless He can find an
intercessor for them.
24:1-2 This date (10/10/589 BC) marks the beginning of the invasion of Judah.
24:16-21 The death of Ezekiel’s wife was a sign to Judah that the thing that they
treasured most, God’s temple, would be taken away from them.

III. Judgment on the Gentiles (ch.25-32)

25 Prophecies against Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia

26:1-12 Tyre to have her ruins cast into the sea.
(This was fulfilled by Alexander the Great’s causeway in 332 BC.)
28:12-19 The king of Tyre is Satan himself, the spirit ruler of the city.
29:11-12 Egypt is to be desolate for 40 years. This happened from 568-528 BC.
31:9 The trees of Eden are the nations of the earth. Eden represents the world.
31:12 By the swords of the Babylonians will Egypt be destroyed.
32 Describes the pit of hell:
32:18 The pit is located in the lower parts of the earth (underground).
32:21 The wicked in the pit are conscious and are able to speak.
32:24,31 The wicked dead are able to feel shame and comfort.

IV. Restoration of Israel (ch.33-48)

A. Return of Israel to the land (ch.33-39) 587 BC, after Jerusalem falls
33:21-22 Ezekiel’s normal speech returns.
34 This chapter is against the faithless teachers in Israel. Our New
Testament 5-fold ministry must take heed.
36:24-30 Sequence of restoration:
1. Return to the land
2. Be cleansed from filth of sin
3. Become born again with a new spirit
4. The Holy Spirit indwells the new human spirit
5. Prosperity in the land
37 Vision of dry bones—a picture of the restoration of Israel Verse 22 was
accomplished on 14 May 1948 when Israel became a nation again.
38:2-3 Magog appears to be Russia. (See also Dan 11:40-45, Zech 12:3-9,
and Rev 8:7. All refer to the same time.)
38:9 Cloud refers to paratroops.
38:12-13 Tarshish is Great Britain, the young lions are the USA, Canada,
Australia, and New Zealand—all birthed by Great Britain.
Sheba is Yemen, and Dedan is Saudi Arabia.
38:15 Horses refer to tanks (they have “horsepower”)
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38:22 This seems to refer to nuclear war.

39:6 Fire on Magog and on the coastlands: Nuclear explosions in Russia
and in the USA and Canada.
39:12 This refers to the burial of irradiated bodies.
39:22 This refers to the repentance of Israel, who finally recognizes their God.
39:29 The Holy Spirit is poured out on the house of Israel, and they are born
again, into the family of God.

B. Restoration of Israel in the Kingdom (ch.40-48) 573 BC

40-42 The millennial temple is measured in great detail.
43:2-4 The Shekinah glory comes from the east through the eastern gate into
the new temple.
43:11 The purpose of the measurements is so Israel will build the temple.
44:3 The prince mentioned here is King David in his resurrected body.
44:4 God’s glory fills the new temple.
45:1 The holy portion of the land is to be 50 miles long and 20 miles wide.
45:7 The prince’s (David’s) portion of the land is to be on both sides of the
holy portion, to be 50 miles wide, and extend from border to border.
47 Describes the river of the sanctuary, and its quality of life, because it
flows from the throne of Messiah.
47:13-48:7 Describes the boundaries of the land and the placement of the tribes
on it.
48:35 The name of the earthly Jerusalem will be Yahweh-Shammah (the Lord
is there).

This concludes the book of Ezekiel

Touring the Old Testament - Major Prophets 16 of 20

DANIEL

Author: Daniel, meaning “God is my judge.” In the Hebrew language his name is Daniye’l.
Daniel was taken as a hostage to Babylon at age 16. He became God’s prophet to both the
Gentile and Jewish worlds, declaring God’s present and eternal purposes. Nothing negative is
written about him in the Bible. He had an excellent spirit in him and was faithful (6:3-4). His life
was characterized by faith, prayer, courage, consistency, and no compromise.

Setting: Babylon rebelled against the kingdom of Assyria in 626 BC, and Nabopolassar
helped the Medes overthrow the capital city of Nineveh in 612 BC. His son Nebuchadnezzar
defeated Egypt in 606 BC, subdued Judah and captured Jerusalem, taking several sons of the
king and his princes to Babylon as hostages against Judah’s rebelling. Daniel and his three
friends were taken to Babylon at this time. Later, Daniel ministered to the Gentiles as a
government official and prophet of God during the entire Babylonian captivity of 70 years. He
continued on into the government of the Persian kingdom where he was a high official, very near
to King Darius, who was set over the former Babylonian kingdom by King Cyrus, while Cyrus
was on the battlefield, extending his kingdom. Daniel also ministered to his own Jewish people.
He lived at least until the 3rd year of the reign of Cyrus, 536 BC (10:11). The book of Daniel was
written before 530 BC when Daniel would have been 92 years old. Chapters 2-7 were written in
Aramaic.

Theme: The theme is the sovereignty and power of God over human affairs.

Purpose: The purpose for the book is to encourage the exiled Jews by revealing God’s plan
for Israel during and after the period of Gentile domination (the times of the Gentiles).

Christ Seen:
● The smiting stone of ch. 2:34-35.
● The Son of Man of ch. 7:13-14.
● The Messiah who will be cut off (killed), ch.9:25-26.

Significance in the Bible: The book of Daniel speaks of the political restoration of Israel in
the Kingdom of God. It has many similarities to the book of Revelation in images and
symbolism.

Key Verses:
2:20-22 God is in complete control of human history.

Key Chapter:
9 The prophecy of the 70 sevens of years to the establishment of the Kingdom of God
on the Earth.
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Survey: Overview

I. Personal History of Daniel (ch. 1)

A. Deportation to Babylon 1:1-7

B. Faithfulness of Daniel in Babylon 1:8-16
C. Reputation of Daniel in Babylon 1:17-21 Daniel was granted wisdom & knowledge

II. Prophetic Plan for the Gentiles (ch.2-7)

A. Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the great image (ch. 2)

2:30 The dream was revealed to spare the lives of the 4 men, and that king
Nebuchadnezzar might know his own heart.
2:37-43 The meaning of the kingdoms depicted by the image:
1. Golden head---Babylon—king alone had absolute authority
2. Silver breast & arms—Persia—king & nobles ruled
3. Brass belly & thighs—Greece—no king, but warriors ruled
4. Iron legs—Rome—Senate ruled, but very powerful
5. Iron & clay feet—Revived Roman Empire (our day),
Partly dictatorial, partly democratic
2:44 The stone (Christ) destroys all kingdoms of the Earth suddenly. The Church
doesn’t do it.

B. Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image (ch. 3)

3:15-18 The “But if not” of vs. 18, refers to not being thrown into the furnace,
not whether God will save them. They knew He would save them.
When the men spurned the king’s mercy, he was furious and said to
heat the furnace 7 times hotter than normal.
3:25 The fourth person in the fire probably was the angel who had power over
fire, see Rev. 14:18. Not even the smell of fire was on their clothes.
3:29 Nebuchadnezzar confesses that only the God of Israel is Almighty.
3:30 Promotion follows the passing of a test.

C. Nebuchadnezzar’s vision of the great tree (ch.4)

4:13, 17 The watchers were angels who were given charge over Babylon to
report events within the city.
4:25 The 7 times represent 7 years that the king would be insane.
4:30 The king’s pride speaks that he had built Babylon for his own majesty.
4:37 The chastisement of God was effective on Nebuchadnezzar, and he
confessed to the justice of Daniel’s God.

D. Belshazzar and the handwriting on the wall (ch. 5)

5:3-4 The party-goers were mocking the vessels that were dedicated to the
service of God.
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5:7 The 3rd ruler in the kingdom: Belshazzar was co-regent with Nabonidus,
his father. Belshazzar was Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson through Nitocris,
Nebuchadnezzar’s daughter.
5:10 The queen probably was Nebuchadnezzar’s wife, the queen-mother, who
remembered Daniel.
5:30 Cyrus the Persian, with an army of Medes and Persians, diverted the course
of the Euphrates River which flowed through Babylon, lowering the level
of the water enough so his troops could pass under the iron gate over the
river and go into the city. This took place in 539 BC.
5:31 Darius the Mede was given charge of Babylon by Cyrus the Persian. Darius
was also called Gobryas and Gubaru by the people of his time.

E. Darius’ foolish decree (ch. 6)

6:3 Daniel had an excellent spirit, and Darius wanted to make him ruler over the
entire kingdom.
6:14 Daniel’s enemies in the government tricked Darius into making a decree
that would cost Daniel his life. The king recognized it, but too late.
6:23 Daniel was unharmed by the lions because of his faith in God. Darius died
in 538 BC, shortly after this incident.
6:26 Darius acknowledged Daniel’s God to be the living God and His kingdom
to be eternal.

F. Daniel’s vision of the 4 beasts (ch. 7)

7:2 The sea represents the great mass of humanity; the 4 winds are angels who
strive to influence men and empires (see Zech. 6:5-8)
7:4-7 The 4 beasts represent:
1. Lion with eagle’s wings—Babylon; wings are swiftness of
action. A man’s heart represents Nebuchadnezzar’s conversion.
2. Bear—Persia; eating 3 ribs refers to Media, Persia, Babylonia.
3. Leopard—Greece; wings are swiftness of conquests of
Alexander the Great.
4. Beast with iron teeth—Rome; 10 horns represent the coming
revived Roman Empire (our day).
7:8 The little horn is a man, not a kingdom. He is the antichrist, and is a great
orator. He has not yet come back from the pit (Rev. 17:8).
7:11-12 The Roman beast is destroyed by fire (Rev. 17:16). This is the city of
Rome. Later, the little horn is cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 19:20)
7:13-14 This is the coronation of Jesus in heaven, and the setting up of His
Kingdom.
7:24-26 The little horn is a military man, a great orator, a changer of the
calendar, and a changer of existing laws.
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III. Prophetic Plan for Israel (ch. 8-12)

A. Daniel’s vision of the ram and male goat (ch. 8)

8:1 The vision came in the 3rd year of the reign of Belshazzar, 551 BC.
8:3 The ram represents the Medes and Persians. The first horn was Cyaxares the
Mede. The higher horn was Cyrus the Persian.
8:5 The male goat represents the Greeks. The notable horn is Alexander the
Great. His tactics were swiftness of movement and surprise.
8:7 Alexander destroyed the Persian Empire by 331 BC.
8:8 When Alexander died in 323 BC, his empire was divided into 4 parts by his
generals:
1. Cassander—ruling Macedonia
2. Lysimachus—ruling Thrace & Asia Minor
3. Ptolemy I—ruling Egypt
4. Seleucus—ruling Syria, & remainder of Persian Empire
8:9-12 This little horn is Antiochus Epiphanes, from the Seleucus territory. He
hated the God of Israel, sacrificed a pig on the temple altar in Jerusalem,
was defeated by the Jewish Maccabees in 165 BC, and died of a severe
bowel disease in 164 BC (see v. 27).
8;14 The sanctuary was cleansed of this defilement after 2300 “mornings and
evenings,” or 1150 days, or 3.15 years.
8:23 “The latter time of their kingdom” refers to the Greek kingdom only.

B. Daniel’s vision of 70 weeks (sevens, of years) (ch. 9)

9:2 Two 70 year periods are given in Jeremiah, the captivity and the desolations.
Captivity—606-536 BC (Jer. 29:10)
Desolations—589-520 BC (Jer. 25:11) Daniel understood this one.
9:20 Daniel confessed his sins together with the sins of Israel in his petition.
9:24 This is a Jewish prophecy concerning Jews and Jerusalem.
9:25 The commandment to rebuild Jerusalem was given by Artaxerxes the
Persian on 14 March 445 BC. From then unto the coming of the Prince
(Messiah) was to be 7 sevens to the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and 62 more
sevens. 69 x 7 x 360 days in a lunar year = 173,880 days. This is the exact
time between 14 March 445 BC and 6 April 32 AD, when Messiah
entered Jerusalem on a donkey as King of the Jews.
9:26 Messiah’s vicarious death is predicted, as is the destruction of Jerusalem
in 70 AD.
9:27 This verse leaps ahead 2000 yrs. to the end times, the 7 years of tribulation.

C. Daniel’s vision of Israel’s future (ch. 10-12)

10:1 The vision took place in 537 BC.
10:13 There are ranks among the fallen angels just as there are among God’s
righteous angels. Princes are over nations and empires. Michael is a chief
prince, namely; an arch angel (Jude 9).
Touring the Old Testament - Major Prophets 20 of 20

10:14 The angel came to reveal to Daniel what would become of Israel in the
latter days, from that day forward to the 2nd coming of Messiah.
11:1-35 This is the revelation of Ptolemaic and Seleucid empires from the day
of Darius unto the death of Antiochus Epiphanes in 164 BC.
11:36-45 This passage refers to the antichrist who will rule the world in the last
days. His foreign god will be Allah, the Muslim god whom he will honor
but not worship.. The king of the south represents Egypt, and the king of
the north represents Russia. Russia will invade Israel and afflict Egypt,
but news from home and from China will cause trouble, because the
Chinese army is marching westward.
12:1 This is the beginning of the Great Tribulation, that last 3 ½ years of the
last 7 year period of Earth’s history, when Satan will be confined to the
surface of the Earth.
12:3 And they that be wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament;
and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.
12:11-13 There will be 1290 days from setting up the abominable image of the
antichrist in the temple in Jerusalem to the destruction of mystery
Babylon, (Rev. 16:19), and 1335 days to the 2nd coming of Messiah,
(Rev. 19:11-20), and the resurrection of Old Testament saints.

This concludes the book of Daniel

* * *