It is certain that the wickedness of the king, princes, priests, and people, in the days of Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah, caused the captivity of the people and the destruction of the temple and the city of Jerusalem. It was for this cause that: "The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah,...with part of the vessels of the house of God," (Daniel 1:2) into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, who carried all to the land of Shinar, where they were to remain for seventy years. Out of this calamity and captivity came the book of Daniel. The book of Daniel was written especially for the last days; for when Daniel came to explain to King Nebuchadnezzar the great things of the king's dream, he said that God "makes known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days." (Daniel 2:28)
And when the writing of the book was finished, Daniel was commanded, "shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end." (Daniel 12:4)
And he was then told, "Go your way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end." (Daniel 12:9)
These references are sufficient to show that the book of Daniel was given and written especially, and even specifically, for the last days. We have also seen that the iniquity of the people of Judah in those last days of their dwelling in that land, is so exactly paralleled to the last days that there is no room for doubt that the record of that ancient time was written, and has been preserved, to be for counsel and warning in the last days.
The book of Daniel, then, coming to us out of the consequences of a condition of things which finds a parallel in the last days, and having such an origin, and being specifically designed for the last days, it is certain that it contains principles, as well as prophecies, which are of special importance, and have a special bearing, in the last days.
These principles are given to save the people of the world in the last days from calamities and destruction of which those that came upon Judah and Jerusalem are but a feeble representation. To ignore these principles, given especially for this time, is but to court a destruction as much more dreadful than that other as worldwide destruction and final ruin are greater than local destruction and temporal ruin.
So much for the origin, the setting, and the purpose of the book. We now begin the direct study of the book itself.--Advent Review, January 25, 1898--Editor's Note: I split the January 25 article into two chapters, because of the natural division in topic. This is the first part.