The Prophecy of Daniel in Preterist Perspective

The great expositor of Scripture, John Calvin, once exclaimed in exasperation about the numerous speculations on controversial passages in the Book of Daniel, such as the identity of the "Little Horn" of chapter 7. Calvin preached, "They are all wrong." This book provides a preterist view of Daniel that is in harmony with other parallel passages in Scripture, such as Zechariah 14, Matthew 24 and Revelation. Areas of agreement among conservatives are summarized. Special attention is then paid to so-called "hard parts" in which the majority of commentators, in the words of Calvin, are "utterly at sea." From a preterist perspective, each of these (Daniel 2:44,45; 7; 9:26,27; 11:36-45; 12:1-13) deal with the Roman period, the Fourth Kingdom of Daniel 2 and 7 that dominated Judea from 63 BC to AD 70. The preterist view of Daniel as presented by Calvin, and others as early as Clement of Alexandria in AD 180, is the most consistent interpretation. "R.J. Rushdoony once said there are four things liberals hate about Daniel: (1). Daniel displays a sovereign God who cannot be manipulated and who destroys all who rebel against His Law-Word, including civic rulers. (2). It showcases predictive prophecy that is infallible and sure. (3). It illustrates a comprehensive Providence that governs even the tiniest details of life and history. (4). It unapologetically presents the reality of miracles. "You can judge an author by their attitude towards those four things in Daniel. Based on that criteria, Jay Rogers stands head and shoulders above a crowd of commentaries on this book. He takes the inerrancy of Scripture and hermeneutics seriously, submits to the New Testament's interpretation of Daniel, illustrates his interpretations quite well with history, and shows how Daniel dovetails with the rest of Scripture." - Phillip Kayser, Biblical Blueprints