The Book of Daniel is one of the most thrilling books in the Bible, filled with dramatic stories such as the fiery furnace and detailed prophecies about world empires. For centuries, Jews and Christians assumed that a man named Daniel, who lived in Babylon in the 6th century BC, wrote the book.

However, modern biblical critics fiercely dispute this claim. They argue that the book was written much later, around 165 BC, by an unknown author. Ministries such as World’s Last Chance (WLC) uphold the traditional view that Daniel is the genuine author.

This article outlines the main arguments critics use to deny Daniel’s authorship and presents the strong counterarguments that support the traditional view.

The Heart of the Debate: Predictive Prophecy

Before examining specific arguments, it is important to understand why this debate exists. The Book of Daniel contains remarkably accurate prophecies about the rise and fall of world empires, including Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. It also predicts the specific actions of the cruel Greek ruler Antiochus Epiphanes IV.

The Critical View: Critics operate under a philosophy called naturalism, which assumes that predicting the future is impossible. Therefore, if a book contains highly accurate descriptions of historical events, it must have been written after those events happened. They view Daniel’s prophecies as history disguised as prophecy.

The Traditional View: Believers accept that Yahuwah knows the future and can reveal it to His prophets. If Yahuwah exists, accurate predictive prophecy is not only possible but also expected.

Argument 1: The Language of the Book

The Book of Daniel is unique because it is written in two languages. Chapters 1:1 to 2:4a and 8 to 12 are written in Hebrew. The middle section, from chapter 2:4b to the end of chapter 7, is written in Aramaic.

The Book of Daniel is unique because it is written in two languages. Chapters 1:1 to 2:4a and 8 to 12 are written in Hebrew. The middle section, from chapter 2:4b to the end of chapter 7, is written in Aramaic. Critics cite the vocabulary in these sections to argue for a late date of composition.

The Critics’ Claim:

Critics point out that the Aramaic used in Daniel contains several Greek and Persian words.

Persian Words: There are about 15 Persian words in Daniel, mostly relating to government titles and legal terms.

Greek Words: There are three Greek words, all of which are names of musical instruments (the harp, lyre, and bagpipe) found in Daniel 3.

The Conclusion: Critics argue that these words could have entered the text only after the Persian and Greek empires conquered the Middle East. They claim that a 6th-century BC Jew in Babylon could not have known these terms.

The Counterargument:

Defenders of Daniel’s authorship argue that the language perfectly matches a 6th-century BC Babylonian context.

Imperial Aramaic: Modern archaeology has shown that the Aramaic in Daniel is “Imperial Aramaic,” the official dialect used in the government offices of the Babylonian and Persian Empires. It is not the later Palestinian Aramaic of the 2nd century BC.

Persian Influence: Daniel lived into the early years of the Persian Empire’s rule over Babylon. As a high-ranking government official, it is completely natural that he would use official Persian political and legal terms.

Greek Trade: International trade existed long before Alexander the Great conquered the East. Greek mercenaries served in the Babylonian army, and Greek musicians traveled the world. It is reasonable that Greek musical instruments, along with their names, would be present in the royal court of Babylon.

The Missing Words: If the book were written in 165 BC, after centuries of Greek rule, it should be filled with Greek words on government, law, and culture. Instead, we find only three names of instruments.

Argument 2: Historical Alleged Mistakes

Critics argue that the author of Daniel made several historical blunders that a real person living in the 6th century BC would never make.

The Critics’ Claim:

Critics focus heavily on two specific figures mentioned in the text: King Belshazzar and Darius the Mede.

Belshazzar: In Daniel 5, Belshazzar is called the King of Babylon and the son of Nebuchadnezzar. For a long time, ancient Greek historians listed Nabonidus as the last king of Babylon, without mentioning Belshazzar. Critics claimed Belshazzar was a fictional character.

Darius the Mede: Daniel 5:31 states that “Darius the Mede” took over the kingdom after Babylon fell. Secular history records that Cyrus the Great of Persia conquered Babylon, and there is no record outside the Bible of a major ruler named Darius the Mede at that time.

The Counterargument:

Archaeological discoveries have repeatedly vindicated the historical accuracy of Daniel, proving that the author had intimate, firsthand knowledge of 6th-century (BC) Babylon.

Archaeological discoveries have repeatedly vindicated the historical accuracy of Daniel, proving that the author had intimate, firsthand knowledge of 6th-century (BC) Babylon.

The Nabonidus Cylinder: In the 19th century, archaeologists uncovered clay cylinders in Iraq. These texts proved that Belshazzar was a real historical figure. He was the eldest son of King Nabonidus. Nabonidus spent years away from Babylon, leaving Belshazzar in the capital to rule as co-king.

The Third Ruler: This explains why Belshazzar offered to make Daniel the “third highest ruler in the kingdom” (Daniel 5:29) rather than the second. Nabonidus was first, Belshazzar second, and Daniel third. A later author writing 400 years later would not have known this hidden detail.

The Custom of “Father”: In ancient Near Eastern language, the word “father” was often used to mean “ancestor” or “predecessor.” Calling Nebuchadnezzar Belshazzar’s father simply meant he was a former king on the throne.

Darius the Mede Explained: While secular records use different names, Darius the Mede is highly likely another name for Gubaru (or Gobryas), the general Cyrus appointed to rule Babylon directly after its capture. It was common for ancient rulers to have multiple names and titles depending on the region they governed.

Argument 3: The Placement in the Hebrew Bible

The Hebrew Bible is divided into three main sections: the Torah (Law), the Prophets (Nevi’im), and the Writings (Ketuvim).

The Critics’ Claim:

In the traditional Hebrew Bible, Daniel is not placed in the “Prophets” section alongside Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. Instead, it is placed in the “Writings” section, alongside books such as Psalms, Proverbs, and Chronicles. Critics argue that this placement proves the “Prophets” section was already finalized and closed before Daniel was written. Therefore, because Daniel was written late (around 165 BC), it had to be placed in the newer “Writings” section.

The Counterargument:

The placement of Daniel has nothing to do with the date it was written, but rather the office and function of the author.

The placement of Daniel has nothing to do with the date it was written, but rather the office and function of the author.

The Office of Prophet: In Jewish tradition, the books in the “Prophets” section were written by men who held the official public office of a prophet (such as Isaiah or Jeremiah) and were sent to preach directly to Israel. Daniel was not a career prophet; he was a government statesman and administrator serving in a pagan court.

The Nature of the Book: The “Writings” section contains books of wisdom, history, and apocalyptic literature. Daniel fits perfectly here.

The Dead Sea Scrolls Evidence: Fragments of the Book of Daniel were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran. These scrolls date to a period very close to the one critics claim for Daniel’s composition. The scrolls treat Daniel with immense reverence as scripture. It takes generations for a book to be accepted as holy scripture across a community; it could not have achieved this status overnight if it were a recent forgery.

Argument 4: The Theology of the Book

Critics argue that certain religious ideas in Daniel are “too advanced” for the 6th century BC and align with ideas that developed much later.

The Critics’ Claim:

Critics point out that Daniel contains highly developed ideas about angels (naming Gabriel and Michael), the resurrection of the dead, and the final judgment (Daniel 12:2). They claim these theological concepts developed only within Jewish thought during the intertestamental period (the time between the Old and New Testaments).

The Counterargument:

This argument assumes that religious truth evolves slowly over time through human invention, rather than being revealed directly by Yahuwah.

Early Roots: The concepts of angels, resurrection, and judgment are not unique to late Judaism. Isaiah (written in the 8th century BC) mentions the resurrection of the dead (Isaiah 26:19). Job, one of the Bible’s oldest books, expresses faith in a final resurrection (Job 19:25-27).

Progressive Revelation: Yahuwah reveals His truth progressively. As history moved closer to the New Testament, it makes sense that Yahuwah would provide Daniel with clearer details about the spiritual world and the end times.

Positive Arguments for Daniel’s Authorship

Yahuwah reveals His truth progressively. As history moved closer to the New Testament, it makes sense that Yahuwah would provide Daniel with clearer details about the spiritual world and the end times.

While refuting critics is important, there is also overwhelming positive evidence that Daniel wrote the book.

Internal Claims

The text itself claims that Daniel wrote it. In the second half of the book, the narrative shifts from third person (“Daniel did this”) to first person (“I, Daniel”). In Daniel 8:1, 9:2, and 12:4, the author explicitly states that he received these visions and was commanded to preserve them. If Daniel did not write the book, it is a deliberate deception.

The Testimony of Ezekiel

The prophet Ezekiel was a contemporary of Daniel, living in Babylon at the same time. Ezekiel mentions Daniel by name three times (Ezekiel 14:14, 14:20, and 28:3), praising him for his exceptional righteousness and wisdom. This evidence confirms that Daniel was a real, highly prominent historical figure who lived in Babylon during the 6^th-century BC exile, exactly as the Book of Daniel describes.

First-Hand Knowledge of Babylonian Customs

The author of Daniel demonstrates an intricate knowledge of 6th-century BC Babylon that a 2nd-century BC writer in Palestine could not have possessed:

Punishment by Fire: In Daniel 3, the penalty for violating the king’s law is being thrown into a fiery furnace. This aligns with historical Babylonian law. However, in Daniel 6 (under the Medo-Persians), the penalty shifts to a lions’ den. This reflects Persian culture, in which fire was considered sacred and could not be defiled by human bodies.

Building Pride: Daniel 4 records Nebuchadnezzar boasting, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built…?” Archaeologists have uncovered thousands of bricks from Babylon’s ruins, stamped with Nebuchadnezzar’s name, confirming his massive, obsessive building projects.

The Authority of Yahushua Christ

The Book of Daniel was written in the 6th century BC by a wise statesman who remained faithful to Yahuwah in a foreign land, leaving a historical anchor for our faith today.

For those who accept the authority of the New Testament, the strongest argument comes from Yahushua Himself. In Matthew 24:15, Yahushua speaks to His disciples about the future, saying: “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel…”

Yahushua explicitly calls Daniel a “prophet” and credits him with the words recorded in the book. For a believer, Christ’s endorsement settles the matter.

Conclusion

The debate over the authorship of Daniel is not just an academic argument about dates and grammar. It is a battle over the supernatural power of Yahuwah. If the critics are right, Daniel is a historical fiction written by a deceiver. If the traditional view upheld by WLC Ministry is correct, Daniel is an authentic prophet who received direct revelations from the living Yahuwah.

When the linguistic, historical, and archaeological evidence is examined closely, it supports the traditional view. The Book of Daniel was written in the 6th century BC by a wise statesman who remained faithful to Yahuwah in a foreign land, leaving a historical anchor for our faith today.

Standing with the Prophet: Why We Hold to Daniel’s Authorship

[Verse 1]
Though the critics may mock and the skeptics may sneer,
To the word of Yahuwah we hold without fear.
For the visions of Daniel are solid and true,
And they point to the triumph of King Yahushua!
Every empire shall fall, and its glory shall fade,
While the path for the righteous is perfectly made.

[Chorus]
Let the trumpet sound loud for the Lord Yahushua,
As we bow in the presence of great Yahuwah!
For the prophet named Daniel was fearless and bold,
When the secrets of time in his book were untold.
We will stand for the truth, and we never will yield,
For the victory is won and our promise is sealed!

[Verse 2]
From the dirt of the earth shall the sleepers arise,
To behold the great King in the clouds of the skies.
By the power of Yah, our protector and guide,
In the light of Yahuwah, we safely abide.
With the faith that kept Daniel alive in the den,
We will praise Yahushua forever, amen!

[Bridge]
In the heat of the fire, we are never alone,
For Yahuwah looks down from His heavenly throne.
By the blood of Yahushua, our sins are erased,
And the lies of the critics are fully disgraced.
Like the servant named Daniel who prayed to the East,
We are saved from the wrath of the dragon and beast!

[Outro]
Now the kingdom is here, and the darkness must fly,
Raise the name of Yahuwah up high to the sky!
Shout the praises of victory for King Yahushua,
Sing Hallelujah to great Yahuwah!
With the strength given to Daniel, we stand in the light,
Marching onward to glory, triumphant and bright!