OK: I know this may be too general (macroscopic) to be useful, but does this work? If it does, broadly, work, I know for sure that my headings will need refining.
A: Daniel 7: A vision explained – successive earthly kingdoms will culminate in God’s kingdom, ruled for his holy ones and his people.
B: Daniel 8: A vision explained – the cruelest opposition to God’s people is for a divinely-limited time
B’ Daniel 9: A prayer answered – the cruelest opposition to God’s people is for a divinely-limited time
A’: Daniel 10-12: A prayer answered – successive earthly kingdoms will culminate in God’s kingdom, ruled for his holy ones and his people.
If so, that means that Daniel is structure with two chiastic structures – the structure of chapters 2-7 being far more widely written about. Chapter 7 overlaps and is in both structures. That explains why chapter 7 wants to be in the first half of the book (linguistically) and in the second half of the book (in genre terms).
If offers two ways of looking at the book which give different, but equally valid centres of thought. Chapter 7 is the centre of the book – it unites the narratives and the visions. Chapters 4-5 and 8-9 are at the centre of the book – forming the hearts of each half.
What think?
Add new comment