The Lodestar

The Book of Daniel is a preacher's nightmare. Those who are scheduled to preach or teach from this book dread being thrown into the den of lions of critical scholars and conflicting approaches to interpretation, and coming out of it unharmed is nearly impossible. Having expended so much energy in the den of critics, they have lost all strength to break this book on the pulpit for the ordinary people on the pew.

Ross has simplified the book of Daniel for all the preachers who had been to the seminary and knew all the academic stuff but are struggling to make sense of all that they know, as well as for those who have never been to seminary without much training.

The author takes the traditional approach to interpretation, convinced that predictive prophecy is possible. This means that he considers the Book of Daniel not an interpretation of history written after the events at a later date but a foretelling of events that God of history has scripted, that Daniel wrote in the seventh-sixth century B.C.

After introducing the readers to the historical background of Daniel’s life, the author introduces us to the general features of this book, generally classified as Apocalyptic literature in the Old Testament. The book's fourth chapter summarises the twelve chapters of the Book of Daniel for quick reference.

The first parts of the Book of Daniel are stories about Daniel and his Jewish friends (Daniel 1—6). The second part is visions of the kings and Daniel (Daniel 7—12). Ross deals with each of these sections as Story One, Two, Three to Six and then Vision One, Two, Three on so that those who use this as a ready-to-use guide to prepare sermons and bible studies.

Like other books in this series, this book will have a long shelf-life on the collection of all those who divide the word of God for their generation.

BARRY L. ROSS retired in 2011 as Old Testament and Biblical Hebrew professor at Anderson University School of Theology. He has also taught at Azusa Pacific University, United Wesleyan College, and Union Biblical Seminary in India. He served twenty years as a missionary to Asia with the Wesleyan Church, the denomination he holds ordination. He has earned degrees from Houghton College, Asbury Theological Seminary, the University of Michigan, and Drew University.