For more than 500 years, Daniel the prophet predicted the coming of Christ and made a number of prophecies that refer to the coming end of the world. In their content, these predictions have much in common with the Revelation of John the Theologian, which is placed at the very end of Holy Scripture.
In 606 BC. BC Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem, where the future great prophet lived. Daniel at the age of 15, along with other Jews, was captured by the Babylonians. Daniel, along with other capable youths, went to a special school to prepare for service at the court of the Babylonian king.
Together with Daniel, three of his close friends studied at the school: Azariah, Misail and Ananias. The Babylonians were pagans, however, Daniel and his companions did not change the faith of their ancestors and categorically refused to accept pagan food. They persuaded their caregiver to give them simple plant foods. The mentor agreed, but on the condition that in ten days he would check their health. At the end of the probationary period, it turned out that all the young men feel great and even much better than those students who ate meat from the king's table.
After completing his studies, Daniel, together with his friends, began to serve at the court of the king of Babylon, and received the title of a court dignitary.
Daniel's prophecies
King Nebuchadnezzar had a strange dream in which he saw a huge and very terrible idol made of four metals. A large stone that rolled down the mountain broke the idol and turned into a great mountain. Daniel the prophet told the king that the ugly idol is the four kingdoms, where the pagans rule, who will replace each other, and the stone is the Messiah. The resulting mountain is the eternal kingdom of the Messiah (Church).
Daniel served at court during the entire reign of Nebuchadnezzar and his five successors. During the reign of King Belshazzar, a mysterious inscription appeared on the wall: “Mene tekel uparsin”. Daniel the prophet was able to decipher its meaning and predicted the end of the Babylonian kingdom to Belshazzar. "You are insignificant, and your kingdom will be divided by the Medes and the Persians" (Dan. 5:25). And so it happened. King Darius of the Medes conquered the Babylonian kingdom, and Belshazzar was killed.
During the reign of Belshazzar, Daniel foretold the coming coming of the "Son of man." It turns out that for more than five hundred years, he predicted the coming of Jesus Christ to Earth.
Under Emperor Darius, Daniel occupied an important state post, but envious pagan nobles slandered him before Darius. The prophet Daniel was thrown to be devoured by angry lions, but the Lord left his prophet unharmed. Darius examined the case of the slanderers, and ordered to subject them to a similar execution. The lions immediately tore the envious people to pieces.
During the reign of Cyrus, the prophet Daniel also remained at court. The fortuneteller took a great part in the creation of the law on the release of the Jewish people from captivity. Daniel showed Cyrus the predictions of the prophet Isaiah, who lived two hundred years earlier. King Cyrus was shocked by this prophecy and ordered the construction of a temple in honor of Jehovah God.
It is known that the prophet Daniel lived to a ripe old age. The book of his prophecies consists of 14 chapters.
In his conversations with his disciples, Jesus Christ twice referred to the prophecies of Daniel.
