The Critics Den

Because of its miraculous prophetic revelations of kingdoms and of Christ, no other book in the Bible has been attacked like the book of Daniel. For more than 1,700 years, the book has been in the “Critics Den” and fiercely assailed by sceptical writers. Their claim is that instead of being written by Daniel in the sixth century BC, it was a forgery written in the time of the Maccabees in about 168 BC.

But there is no question that the book of Daniel existed long before the critics say. Josephus, the Jewish historian, tells us that when Alexander the Great, who is foretold in Daniel’s prophecies (Daniel 8:5-8), came in the course of his conquests to Jerusalem in 332 BC, Jaddua, the High Priest, showed him the reference to himself in the book of Daniel. Alexander was so pleased that he spared the city. According to this, Daniel must have been written before 332 BC.

Furthermore, Ezekiel was a contemporary of Daniel, and wrote in Babylon the book which bears his name. Three times he mentions Daniel (Ezekiel 14:14,20; 28:3). Thus Ezekiel bears witness to the fact that Daniel existed, and that he was so noted for his righteousness as to be classed with Noah, and for his wisdom as to be linked with Job.

But the highest authority for the authenticity of the book of Daniel is our Lord Jesus, who said, “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet” (Matthew 24:15). Whosoever therefore denies the authenticity of the book of Daniel impeaches the integrity and wisdom of none other than the Lord Jesus Christ.

—Condensed from The Book of Daniel by Clarence Larkin.