“The foundation of God standeth sure.” (2 Timothy 2:19)

So wrote St. Paul, and truly it is the privilege of all the faithful watchers today to realize increasingly that the great foundation of their faith remains immovable, indestructible, even in this time when the raging billows of unbelief, agnosticism and infidelity, often disguised in forms of godliness, are lashing and beating against the faith structure of God’s faithful people. The testimony of Jesus, which is the spirit of prophecy, has richly illumined the Divine Message in these last days, as was promised, so that none of those walking by faith need falter or be dismayed. Such may realize with some of old, the force of the Master’s words, “Blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear.”

Among these holy writings, the general meaning of which is clear today, is the prophecy of Daniel. It is our conviction that none can read, in the spirit, without recognizing in this sacred message and prophecy a most rare contribution to the treasures of truth that are of inestimable value to the Lord’s people. In our examination of the Book of Daniel the significance of the Apostle’s words have come home to us with fresh meaning to the effect that these God-given prophecies were intended to shine as a light in a dark place until the dawning of the day, to all who give earnest heed.

As other portions of the Bible have been made luminous through the earnest investigation and patient study of consecrated men of God, so with the Book of Daniel. There is in the hands of God’s children today a number of very valuable expositions of this prophecy, which in a general way enable the devout student to see further into its meaning than was ever possible in the past. Still none of these expositions up to the present can claim to give a complete and final revealment of all that is contained in the Book of Daniel. Nor can any one at this time utter the last word on this portion of the Bible, for the reason that some of the prophecies still remain unfulfilled. It is manifest, however, that as history continues to be written, and as time and events shed their rays of light upon our way, there will be still clearer unfoldings of this and other prophecies, of which God’s people do well to avail themselves, in harmony with the Apostle’s admonition to give heed to the more sure word of prophecy that will shine more brightly until the new day is fully ushered in. All recognize that we are living in a time when there is great rapidity of events and developments in the earth; the vast increase of knowledge among men, together with the marvelous advancement of civilization, makes possible in these times, the fulfilling of prophecy and the writing of history overnight. Hence the prophetic student of the present has a decided advantage over all others of the past. It is in consideration and in view of the foregoing important facts, that it has seemed wise to have this exposition of the Book of Daniel prepared and sent forth.

The publishers of this work take pleasure in acknowledging the invaluable service rendered by the late Brother R. E. Streeter, whose long years of experience in the study of both prophecy and history gave him a broad comprehension of the entire subject and made possible the bringing together of the exposition that is herein presented.

As is already well known by many who will read these pages, this exposition was published as a series in The Herald of Christ’s Kingdom during the years 1923 to 1925. The results from these published articles have been most gratifying; many have been led to study the Book of Daniel as never before. In fact it was the deep interest in these studies repeatedly expressed by the readers of the Herald, together with many requests that the articles be published in a book that has led to the issuing of this volume.

It is eminently appropriate that some reference here be made to our dear Brother’s life and ministry; though scarcely necessary, owing to the fact that for the last forty years of his life Brother Streeter had been well known to many Christian people in various parts of the world as a result of his extensive travels and the prominent part he took in the ministry of the Truth. Our Brother’s sterling Christian character, his piety and deep consecration to the will of God could not be questioned by any who had been brought in close contact with him. Very early in his Christian experience he became an earnest searcher and student of history as well as prophecy; for truly he who would understand prophecy must become informed respecting many details of history. Brother Streeter devoted long years to the study of both of these branches, as a result of which he was peculiarly fitted and qualified to speak and write along the lines of prophetic truth to the people of God.

The ministry performed by our Brother has been a valuable one, in that he gathered together, in a remarkable manner, the rays of light and focused them upon the two outstanding prophetic books of the Bible, that of Daniel and the Revelation, greatly assisting the truth seeker. Many who read the pages of this book can testify to the rich blessings received from Brother Streeter’s exposition of the Apocalypse in two volumes, entitled, The Revelation of Jesus Christ. This exposition of the Revelation is increasingly in demand and is earnestly studied by devout Christians the world over. It is interesting to recall in this connection that our Brother’s last service and work in behalf of the Lord’s people was that of preparing the exposition of the Book of Daniel contained in this volume. It was while he was engaged in writing on the closing chapter of Daniel that death came to him, ending his labors and bringing to a close a life sweet with the fragrance of loving service, a life that had borne much valuable and rich fruitage to the glory of God and the blessing of His Church.

The last of our Brother’s writings is represented in Chapter 13 of this volume. The remaining chapters, fourteen, fifteen, and sixteen, were arranged subsequent to Brother Streeter’s death, from notes that were found in his study, and through the aid of the several expositions that our Brother had consulted much in the preparation of this work as a whole.

We believe that our Brother would have us acknowledge in this connection, as he frankly explained in his exposition of the Revelation, that many of the interpretations and applications of these prophecies were not original with himself; he freely acknowledged that he had received much valuable assistance from a number of eminent expositors who had dealt considerably with this prophecy. His work therefore was largely that of compiling and assembling from various quarters the fragments of truth and focusing them, in connection with the progress of events in the world, in such a manner that the Lord’s people might at this time gain a clearer and more comprehensive understanding of the prophecy of Daniel as a whole.

Similar to the Apocalypse in the New Testament, the Book of Daniel is recognized to be largely a forecast of history, an announcement of future things — future from the day in which Daniel lived. Indeed, none can read carefully and critically the prophecies of St. John and Daniel without observing a most remarkable resemblance between the two, and the impression is common among writers and students that no matter what interpretation or construction is placed on the two books, it is difficult to expound or write on one of them without carefully considering the other, and without substantially producing to a considerable extent an explanation of the other. Thus observes Mr. Barnes:

“There is no evidence, indeed, that John, in the Book of Revelation, intended to imitate Daniel, and yet there is so strong a resemblance in the manner in which the Divine disclosures respecting the future were made to the two writers; there is so clear a reference to the same great events in the history of the world; there is so much similarity in the symbols employed, that no commentator can well write on the one without discussing many points, and making use of many illustrations, which would be equally appropriate in an exposition of the other.”

The striking feature about both the prophecy of Daniel and that of St. John is that they portray the history particularly of the Church, both true and false, and also the world powers to whatever extent these have affected the interests and experiences of the Lord’s professed people; Daniel’s prophecy covering approximately twenty-five centuries, from the time he lived unto Messiah’s Kingdom, and that of The Apocalypse covering much the same period, but more particularly from the First Advent of Christ onward and reaching unto the conclusion of his future glorious reign.

Considering the vast importance of these two prophecies, the scope of their influence and power to enlighten and cheer the saints, it is not to be wondered at that the great opposer of Truth has bitterly assailed the prophecy of Daniel and also that of the Revelator. In the case of the Apocalypse every effort has been made to confuse the mind of the truth seeker and to discourage diligent study of the subject, notwithstanding the fact of its “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein.”

With the Book of Daniel, for long years past most strenuous efforts have been made to discredit it as an authentic portion of the sacred writings, or as having been written under inspiration, the claim being made by Porphyry, who wrote in the third century, and others, that it was a forgery and was written not by Daniel but by “another who lived in Judea in the time of Antiochus, surnamed Epiphanes; and that the Book of Daniel does not foretell things to come, but relates what had already happened. In a word, whatever it contains to the time of Antiochus is true history; if there is anything relating to aftertimes, it is falsehood.”

Among other opponents of later times is one, De Wette. This writer with others living contemporaneous took the position “that the book was written at or about the time of the Maccabees, by some Jew, who, in order to give greater authority and importance to his work, wrote under the assumed name of Daniel, and laid the scene in Babylon in the time of the captivity.” In our time the enemies of Daniel have had re-enforcement by some known as Higher Critics, who, while they profess loyalty to the Bible and to be spiritual lights and guides to the people, yet claim the right to criticize and reject any portion of the Bible at will. The arguments offered by these various critics of Daniel are for the most part vague and worthless and may be regarded as having no weight with those who keep before them all the facts.

In the exposition presented in this volume, the criticisms of Daniel’s prophecy have not been considered worth time and space, believing that the internal evidence of Divine supervision and inspiration observed in the examination and exposition, is all that would be necessary to satisfy the minds of the Lord’s people as an answer to Daniel’s critics. Mr. Barnes, who evidently made an exhaustive examination of all the charges and claims made against the Book of Daniel, finally sums up briefly the main lines of testimony that stand unrefuted in support of the genuineness of the prophecy and of Daniel as its author:

“There is (1) on the face of the book, the testimony of the writer himself to his own authorship — good evidence in itself, unless there is some reason for calling it in question or setting it aside. There is (2) the fact that it was early received into the canon as a part of the inspired Scriptures, and that it has always been, both by Jews and Christians, regarded as entitled to a place there. There is (3) the express testimony of the Savior that Daniel was a prophet, and a clear reference to a part of the prophecy by him, as we have it now in the Book of Daniel. There is (4) express testimony that the book was in existence before the time of the Maccabees, and was then regarded as a genuine production of Daniel; particularly (a) the testimony of Josephus; (b) of the author of the Book of Maccabees, and (c) of the authors of the Septuagint translation. There is (5) the fact that the book was so written in two different languages that we cannot well attribute it to a writer of the Maccabean period. And there is (6) ‘the accurate knowledge which the writer of the Book of Daniel displays of ancient history, manners, and customs, and Oriental-Babylonish peculiarities, which shows that he must have lived at or near the time and place when and where the book leads us to suppose that he lived.’ For the genuineness and authenticity of what other book can more clear and decisive testimony be brought?

“These considerations seem to make it clear that the book could not have been a forgery of the time of the Maccabees, and that every circumstance combines to confirm the common belief that it was written in the time of the exile, and by the author whose name it bears. But if this is so, then its canonical authority is established; for we have all that can be urged in favor of the canonical authority of any of the books of the Old Testament. Its place in the canon from the earliest period; the testimony of Christ; the testimony of Josephus and the Jews in all ages to its canonical authority; the testimony of the early Christian fathers; its prophetic character; and the strong internal probabilities that it was written at the time and in the manner in which it professes to have been, all go to confirm the opinion that it is a genuine production of the Daniel of the captivity, and worthy to be received and accredited as a part of the inspired oracles of truth.”

It will readily be observed by the careful reader that the Book of Daniel naturally divides itself into two general divisions. In the first six chapters we have brought to our attention six prophetic stories, which may be summarized as follows:

(1) Daniel and the King’s Meat
(2) The Dream of the Image and the
(3) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the Fiery
(4) The Dream of the Tree Hewn
(5) Belshazzar’s Feast and the Handwriting on the
(6) Daniel in the Lions’

The remaining six chapters of the book, considered by themselves, have been appropriately termed “The Revelation of Daniel.”

Perhaps the chief value of the first part of the book, is to establish Daniel in our minds as a trustworthy prophet. The last portion of the book, being his “revelation” of events, all of which were future from his time, constituted a prophecy about which, until the events predicted met fulfilment, there might be question, unless the integrity and trustworthiness of the prophet were above question. As another has said:

“As the Book of Daniel is found to have a twofold structure, so the motive or purpose of the work must be pronounced twofold. If the book be taken as it stands, and the relation of its component parts examined, then the general purpose of the whole seems to be this: the six stories emphasize the character of Daniel and his God-given power to read supernatural mysteries — a power tested of course by the events — as a basis of credibility for the final revelation made to himself, much of which … yet remained to be fulfilled” (Moulton).

There is a special value and importance to be attached to the Book of Daniel appertaining to the Lord’s people of the present time: Devout and spiritually minded students of prophecy stand in this early portion of the twentieth century, in very much the same position as did the Prophet Daniel as he neared the end of the seventy years of servitude in Babylon when his prophecies were written. He recognized that the servitude and bondage in Babylon was drawing to a close; and he “understood by books” that the deliverance and return of his people to their own land was very near at hand. The Lord granted to Daniel certain further communications and made certain revelations which the Prophet failed to understand, especially the chronological statements embodied in the predictions given to him; he therefore asked for a further explanation. His request however was refused and he was told that the prophecies were not intended for the benefit of the generations of that time, but rather for those of the then far distant future ones. He was instructed to “shut up the words, and seal the book”; that the significance of the prophecies or the revelation of their meaning was reserved to “the time of the end.” The language clearly indicated that even in the time of the end none of the wicked should understand, but it was said to him that “the wise shall understand.”

There is in the mind of the true watchman in Israel today, from various signs and predictions, a conviction that the long reign of sin and death is about to draw to a close; that the times in which we live have about them “a character of finality”; that the bondage of humanity to the great taskmaster Sin is soon to be broken; and as the days go by this conviction deepens. In other words, the watchers of today, like Daniel of old, “understand by books,” especially the Book of Daniel, that the days are about fulfilled and that the Word of God permits of no room for doubt that the last days of this dispensation are at hand and that we have well nigh reached the end of the present order of things.

These faithful watching ones who long to know something of the time when the promised deliverance shall come, both for the Church and the world, have earnestly and reverently studied “not only the perfected scroll of prophecy, but also the record of God’s providential government of the world from Daniel’s day to our own. They have compared history and prophecy and the actual chronology of the one with the predicted chronology of the other,” and therefore are enabled to understand to a remarkable degree, the close proximity of the great climax of the Age — the passing of the kingdoms of this world and the inauguration of the long promised Kingdom of God. Such information in addition to having a chastening and sanctifying effect upon the heart and life tends to effectively confirm and establish the faith of God’s consecrated children, enabling them to remain loyal and steadfast amidst the peculiar and quickly changing scenes and fiery ordeals through which they as the last members of the Body of Christ find themselves passing.

This work is now commended to the careful and reverent study of the true Israel of God, with the prayer that the Divine blessing may be upon head and heart, bringing true peace and rest and the joy of the Lord.

PASTORAL BIBLE INSTITUTE
March 1, 1928