How God Writes History:
Ahead of Time!
(Part 2)
Below John Lennox Explains “The Book of Daniel” from an Oxford & Cambridge Math Professors Perspective:
John Lennox, the Christian apologist, studied at Emmanuel College, Cambridge University, where he was an Exhibitioner and Senior Scholar. He earned his doctorate in mathematics from Cambridge. Additionally, he holds a D.Phil. degree from the University of Oxford and is a Fellow in Mathematics and the Philosophy of Science at Green Templeton College, Oxford University. He is also an Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at Oxford.
John Lennox, in the video below, is talking to a conference of Norwegian youth. Thankfully, he is speaking English so he can understand him.
Complete Outline: John Lennox on the Book of Daniel
Video: “John Lennox UNPACKS The Book Of Daniel (Like You’ve Never Heard!)”
Speaker: Professor John Lennox
Topic: Overview and significance of the Book of Daniel
I. Introduction: The Context of Daniel
- Authenticity of Ancient Documents:
- People question the genuineness and historicity of ancient texts like Daniel.
- Daniel’s text is unique because it weaves personal narrative, history, and future prophecy.
- Modern Skepticism:
- Critics argue Daniel is too accurate about the future (especially the Greek period), suggesting it was written after-the-fact.
- The broader objection: “Predicting the future is impossible.”
II. History and Cultural Legacy
- Babylonian Influence:
- Babylonian records (like the chronicles in the British Museum) offer external, independent evidence for events described in Daniel (e.g., Jerusalem’s capture).
- Babylon contributed to mathematics and divisions of time (60 seconds=1 minute, etc.).
- Worldviews: Ancient & Modern:
- Babylonians had both a cosmogony (origin of the universe) and a theogony (origin of gods: arose out of matter).
- Modern scientific materialism mirrors Babylonian ideas—nature as ultimate, denial of transcendent Creator.
- Key insight: Daniel and his friends “were pushed into a materialistic worldview.”
- Scripture Reference:
- Genesis 1 (contrast with Babylonian cosmogony)
III. Literary Structure of Daniel
- Not Strictly Chronological or Divided:
- Narratives and prophecies interwoven:
- Narrative in ch.1, prophecy in ch.2, more narrative in chs.3–5, and so on.
- Structure matters: Uniquely organized, not always linear.
- Narratives and prophecies interwoven:
Fast-Track “Table of Contents” of Daniel
- Chapter 1: Daniel and friends refuse the king’s food (faithfulness in foreign land).
- Chapter 2: Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the great image/statue (prophecy of four empires).
- Chapter 3: The golden image and the fiery furnace (Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego refuse to bow).
- Chapter 4: Nebuchadnezzar’s pride and humiliation—becomes like an animal, is later restored.
- Chapter 5: Belshazzar’s blasphemous feast—the writing on the wall, Babylon falls that same night.
- Chapter 6: Under Persian rule (Medo-Persia), Daniel in the lion’s den for praying to God.
- Chapters 7–8: Two major visions—four beasts and then two animals (prophecies of world empires).
- Chapter 9: Daniel studies Jeremiah, prays for Jerusalem’s restoration; receives the prophecy of the “seventy weeks.”
- Chapters 10–12: Final vision leading to the Greek Empire and, ultimately, predictions “of the time of the end.”
IV. Key Points & Takeaways
- God’s Sovereignty in History:
- Daniel’s core message: God is in control, even when “the Lord gave” Jerusalem into the hands of a pagan king (Daniel 1:2).
- Human events, even disasters, are not outside God’s providence.
- Rooted in Real History:
- Archaeological corroboration strengthens the book’s historical credibility.
- Faithfulness in a Foreign Culture:
- Daniel and friends remain faithful to God despite cultural pressures and potential consequences.
- Parallels are drawn between Daniel’s world and today’s secular materialism.
- The Structure Enhances Understanding:
- Recognizing the book’s literary design helps see recurring themes and the careful symmetry (e.g., pairs of stories, images, disciplines of two kings, visions, writings).
- Ultimate Relevance:
- The book mixes personal stories, historical record, and far-reaching prophecy.
- Encourages believers to trust God regardless of the cultural climate.
V. Important Scriptures Mentioned
- Daniel 1:1–2 – “And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand…” (God’s sovereignty).
- Daniel 2 – Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (prophecy of world empires).
- Daniel 3 – The fiery furnace.
- Daniel 4 – Nebuchadnezzar’s humiliation and restoration.
- Daniel 5 – The writing on the wall.
- Daniel 6 – The lion’s den.
- Daniel 7 – Vision of the four beasts.
- Daniel 9 – Prophecy of seventy weeks.
- Genesis 1 (comparison of creation accounts).
- Additional Allusion: Reference to Jeremiah’s prophecy regarding Jerusalem.
VI. Final Reflections
- p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0″>Challenges the listener to recognize the parallel between Babylon’s worldview and today’s secularism.
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This summary includes key Scriptures, main literary and historical takeaways, and the high-impact points emphasized by Lennox in his exploration of Daniel.youtube
Side Note: It seems to me … Many People who have already judged the Bible, have based their judgments through hearsay, and conjecture. They have not come into contact with the real purpose, power, persuasiveness, and undeniable prophetic wisdom, and deep intellectual power conveyed in its message, and on its pages.
I have not met any one person has investigated the message like John Lennox, who did not come away, believing in the Bible being the very Word of God, by proving that it is fulfilling all of its claims one after another. Sometimes 500 to 5,000 years ahead of the predicted events themselves. That’s exactly How God Writes History Ahead of Time.
Strangely enough, many people claim the Bible message has been corrupted through the example of the telephone game. But in reality, all the information that they have about the Bible has been gathered, cut and pasted, hacked and put into place after the fashion of the telephone game. Such people often, don’t know where their information originated. They never fact checked their information. They never actually diligently tried to disprove their own claims, or the claims of others, thereby, gathering and swallowing any fact that suited their narrative, about how the Bible is full of errors, etc. Never even fact checking their own statements.
In such a scenario, is it easy to see who the real hypocrite is: Isn’t it often the very person who most loudly proclaims that you are the hypocrite? You are the one that’s out of touch.
