"Pivotal Passage" Daniel 8 & 9

When you are given a list of turns and distances to a particular destination, getting the first turn right is the most critical. If you make a wrong last turn, you may only end up on the wrong street. Whereas if you make a wrong first turn, you could end up in another state. The same is true with various Bible passages. If you get some passages wrong, you will have only slightly different views. But if you get the “pivotal passages” wrong, you will end up with a completely different “big picture” in many cases.

Daniel 8 & 9 is one of the "pivotal passages" in the Bible because what you believe the phrase "the vision" in Daniel 9:23 is referring to will greatly affect what you believe about the historical and prophetical portions of the Bible.

In order to understand a passage in the Bible we have to accomplish two things…

(#1) We must be able to understand what the Bible passage says, and the translators have helped by creating versions in our native tongue.

(#2) We must be able to understand what the Bible passage means, and this is where commentaries can come in handy.

We often expect the clergy to be better at knowing what a passage means (#2 above) because they have had extensive training. This may be the case. But we all have a good chance at knowing what it says (#1 above). It is our job to make sure that what we are told the passage means matches up with what it says. If a commentator (no matter how eloquent or famous) tells you a passage means something that does not align with what it says, I would suggest seeking another answer.

So I ask you, when you read Daniel chapters 8 & 9 in one reading, do you agree that the plain meaning implies that the prophecy recorded in Daniel 9:24-27 is somehow connected to the vision recorded in Daniel 8?

I believe that “the vision” in Daniel 9:23 and “the vision” in Daniel 9:21 both refer to the vision of Daniel 8, since that agrees with the natural reading of the text and because Daniel 9:24-27 (the only other thing "the vision" in Daniel 9:23 could possibly be referring to) records a prophecy and not a vision.

(Daniel 9:21-23) Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.

Daniel was greatly distressed by the vision of Daniel 8 and did not understand it. I believe Daniel 9:21-23 says that Gabriel is coming to help Daniel understand the vision of Daniel 8 by giving him a prophecy. Somehow, the prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27 must help explain the vision of Daniel 8.

Now, when you read commentaries that attempt to explain what Daniel 8 & 9 means, make sure it matches up with what the passage says (that the prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27 helps to explain the vision of Daniel 8).

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