The Book of Daniel is not prophecy. The Book of Daniel is not found in Prophets (Nevi'im) in the T’nach and is not considered prophecy. Christians upon hearing this are usually outraged – but consider the definition you’ve been given. Daniel did not understand his visions. His visions had to be explained to him by the angel. Thus the information in Sefer Daniel (the Book of Daniel) is not prophecy. It does not lessen the importance of the message. Daniel was given a message by G-d, from His angel. The message was primarily for future generations. Daniel was told to warn the Jewish people that if, upon returning from exile to Jerusalem, they did not turn to G-d alone and be good to their fellow Jews, the Temple and the entire country would eventually fall again -- and there would be a second, much longer exile. All negative visions were in the form of warnings. The dire consequences could be avoided -- and if they were not there would be consequences... this was the purpose for the visions given to Daniel -- and they were critical information for the Jewish people. Some have yet to unfold as some pertain to the true messianic era and have yet to happen, while some of his visions pertained to the Second Temple period... The mere fact that Daniel's visions were not prophecy by definition does not lessen their importance to the Jewish people, and indeed to the entire world. What of Daniel himself? Was Daniel a prophet? That was a debate among our sages, some say yes and some say no. We do know that the information we have from him is not prophecy (for the reasons just given). In chapter 2 of Daniel the Babylonian Emperor, Nebuchadnezzar, has a worrying dream -- but he can't remember what the dream was about -- and yet he commands his astrologers and sorcerers to tell him both the dream and its meaning. If they fail to tell him the dream and its meaning they will be executed. Terrified the men approach Daniel for help. Daniel went to Arioch, the king's chief executioner, and upon hearing that this was the decree approached the king asking for a delay in the executions. The Emperor agreed to the delay. Daniel then had a dream. The words presented by the list maker as "prophecy about Jesus" is in fact a vision of Nebuchadnezzar's empire and the empires which would follow him . ". . . there is a G-d in heaven Who reveals secrets, and He lets King Nebuchadnezzar know what will be at the end of days; that is your dream and the visions of your head on your bed." Daniel 2:28. Daniel tells the king that he is the head of kingdom of gold. Eventually another kingdom will rise and it will be inferior (silver). The next kingdom is even less great -- made of copper, and the fourth kingdom is weaker yet -- iron. The feet are mixed with pottery (because it will be divided into factions with some stronger than others),. Eventually, says Daniel, these kingdoms will all be replaced by one not made by men -- but by G-d. This is "one stone was hewn without hands, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay and crumbled them." Daniel 2:34. A kingdom -- not a person. Not the messiah and certainly not Jesus who never ruled a kingdom. How can you know for certain? Read on. The kingdom " hewn without hands," will never be conquered by another. It will dismantle all of these kingdoms. Has there ever been an "empire" which has not fallen or been conquered? Not yet. Who were the four kingdoms in Daniel's vision? He names the first as Babylon. The others are not named in Daniel -- but most commentators opine that silver chest and arms are the Persian empire. The copper stomach and thighs, per the commentators, are Greece, and the iron legs are Rome. Our sages consider Christianity to be a continuation of Rome -- thus we are still in the "Roman" period. Ibn Ezra was of the view that the third kingdom was a combination of Greece and Rome, while the fourth kingdom referred to the Muslims and the Turks. In any case this vision was about empires -- not about Jesus and was in no way a prophecy about him. A similar vision is found in Zechariah 6. Acts 4:10 - 12 claims that Jesus was "the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, that has become the cornerstone." The Christian bible is making a claim about Jesus which is not supported by the T'nach -- certainly not Daniel 2 which speaks about the eventual messianic empire which G-d will bless. Revisit 148. Psalms 118:22,23...The rejected stone is Head of the corner...Matthew 21:42,43 or 167. Isaiah 8:14...A stone of stumbling, a Rock of offense... 1 Pet. 2:8 for other instances of this "cornerstone" claim.
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