A SYNOPSIS OF THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET DANIEL
Visions predicting events from the captivity up to the Messiah setting up his kingdom.

 The Hebrews were taken into captivity in Babylonian (for 70 years) to be cleansed of idolatry. After this the nation, Jerusalem and the temple were restored and God's strategy was back on course for the coming of the Messiah. Daniel lived right through that captivity (circ.BC 606-534). Significant events, which would lead right up to the setting up of the Messiah's everlasting kingdom and the removal of the old kingdom, its temple and sacrificial system, were revealed to Daniel, the faithful and beloved of God (Daniel 9:23) during the captivity.
[ See the hymn and tune Dare to be a Daniel]

At the end of the 70 years Daniel pleaded with God for the nation to be forgiven and the sanctuary to be restored for God's own sake and for the city and people called by God's name. In the vision that followed Daniel was distraught to learn of disastrous crises which would happen before the Messianic dream was realised. The most catastrophic was Antiochus Epiphanese's defilement of the rebuilt temple and prohibition of temple worship. Like all the disasters that had befallen the nation, this crisis happened because of Jewish apostasy. The faithful few would suffer and Quislings would prosper, consequently, as in all such situations, some would be raised some "to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt". Faithful Daniel was assured that his own final end was secure.

[NOTE: In the prophetic predictions we regard the word "time" to equal one year, "times" - two years, "half a time" - six months, "weeks" (AV.) - seven years, but, for reasons given, "days" to be actual days.]

CHAPTERS 1 to 6 - Setting the Scene

These chapters tell us of faithful Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego's experiences during their captivity. Daniel interprets the kings' visions predicting events leading up to the Messiah's everlasting kingdom being established.

These chapters tell us of Daniel's visions, also predicting events leading up to the Messiah's everlasting kingdom being established, but with more detail. In them he is taken behind the scenes to see things on earth from heaven's perspective (7:9-10, 22, 26. 10:13, 20-21. 12:1-3 & 13).

[Whereas Job is unaware of the conflict from behind the scenes (Job 1:6-12,2:1-7) Daniel is privileged to see it beforehand. Also see Ephesians 6:12-13

[See ROMAN DEPENDENCIES AND CLIENT KINGDOMS (Reference the Daniel 7:24) The ten client kingdoms within the Roman empire at  the time of Christ.]

THIS IS THE CONCLUDING EVENT IN DANIEL'S VISIONS ("end" Hebrew: safe = conclusion).

The revelations in Daniel culminate in the establishing of the Messiah's everlasting kingdom and the removal of the obsolete Judaic-Mosaic order (the Judean kingdom, the temple, and the priesthood).

Parallels within chapter 7

DANIEL'S VISION DETAILING EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE DEFILING OF THE REBUILT TEMPLE
[The previous vision having outlined events from Daniel's time right up to the establishment of the Messiah's kingdom and removal of the old order, this vision concentrates on the last historical event to interrupt the lead-up to the coming of the Messiah. That event was Antiochus Epiphanese's suppression of Mosaic worship.]

The Medo-Persian empire is represented by a Ram with two horns (vv.3, 20). The larger horn representing the Persian element which becomes dominant.
The Greek: by a Male Goat with a large horn, representing Alexander the Great (v.21), which is replaced by four horns representing the kingdoms ruled by his four generals after his death (vv.8, 22). Out of one horn comes an aggressively dominant horn depicting Antiochus Epiphanese (vv.9, 23 ff.). From his defiling of the temple until the temple being cleansed is 2,300 actual days, (vv.13-14, 26. Hebrew: evening-morning)

[Daniel would anticipate the return of the Jews, the restoration of the temple and the nation to pave the way for the Messiah's kingdom. Learning that more crises will impede the Messiah's coming and that when he does come he will be "cut-off" (9:26), causes Daniel much distress (7:28, 8:21-27, 10:2-3,14-18)].

See " A Study in Zechariah The Mount of Olives Split! - When ?" for an information on the rebuilding of the temple.

69 sevens (7+60+2) to the coming of a Messiah, a Prince, that is the most Holy One. The one who is anointed (v.24).
[Note: a period of  7 sevens followed by a period of  60+2 sevens. 69 sevens in all.]
The "troublous times" are during the 7 sevens after the decree to rebuild the city.

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief: and we hid our faces from him; he was despised and we did not esteem him. Isaiah 53:3
And Jesus said to them, All you will be offended because of me this night, because it is written: I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered. Mark 14:27

Afterwards the prince's people destroy the sanctuary. (AD 70)

Note: the people of the prince- not the prince himself, i.e. Titus' army -not Titus himself. Titus instructed his army to spare the temple but his men set fire to it. Titus was the prince in control of Judea at the time the sanctuary was destroyed.

Desolations continue to the end of the war with the Jews

The destruction of the temple in AD 70 finalised the close of the Mosaic era.

(Shortly before the destucion of the temple the Apostle Paul wrote: In that he says, a new covenant, he has made the first old. So that which is ageing and becoming obsolete is about to disappear Hebrews 8:13 ).

Half way through the next of the sevens (that is 69.1/2 sevens after the decree to rebuild Jerusalem) the Messiah causes sacrifices to cease. At the Lord's crucifixion Mosaic sacrifices became obsolete (Hebrews.10:7-14).
The covenant with Abraham is that in his seed all the nations of the world are blessed, both Jew and non-Jew (Genesis 22:18, 26:4). This covenant is confirmed with the Jews on the day of Pentecost (Acts.2) and with the non-Jews to Cornelius and his household (Acts 10 and 11).
Taking into consideration the events recorded in the first 10 chapters of Acts and in Galatians 1:15-18, Cornelius' conversion is at least 3 years after Acts 2 Pentecost.

See the article "THE LORD'S 3 YEAR MINISTRY - PETER'S KEYS WERE ALL WITHIN DANIEL'S 70th. SEVEN YEARS"
Which shows how the Apostle Paul's and Cornelius' conversions relate to the time when Aretus gained control of Damascus.

• Daniel 9:17 One desolation had already passed in the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar.
• Daniel 8:13 & 12:11 These refer to desolation caused by Antiochus Epiphenese.
• Daniel 9:26-27 These verses evidently refer to the time of the Roman siege from AD 68 to AD 70, which culminated in the destruction of the temple and devastation of Jerusalem [See Luke 21:20].

Daniel 9:26-27 And after sixty two periods of seven Messiah will be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end of it will be with a flood, and to the end of the war desolations are determined. And he will confirm the covenant with many for one period of seven: and in the middle of the period of seven he will cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and he will make it desolate for the overspreading of abominations, even until the consummation, and that determined will be poured on the desolate.

The words "desolations are determined" indicate that this would be a period of several desolations in succession.

 For a chronology of the "days" predictions click here

In Matthew.27:52 it says that "many" of the saints were raised - but not all. Those saints are now in "Paradise".