Includes bibliographical references.

Introduction -- The historical background -- The traditional view of the book -- The theory of the Maccabean orientation of the book -- The answer from the conservative point of view -- The central theme of the book--its convincing unity and integrity -- Daniel within the biblical tradition -- Daniel 1: The issue and the answer -- The people of God: new questions in theology and policy -- Nebuchadnezzar: benevolence and despotism -- The practical issues--co-operation or withdrawal? -- The caretakers of the true Israel -- Yes and no! -- The first encounter -- The issue, and the drawing of the line -- A model for today? -- The vow and the appeal -- God takes over -- Daniel 2: The stone and the shattered kingdom -- Crisis in palace and city -- Ultimate questions -- Daniel the mediator -- The mystery of the king's dream -- The proclamation of the kingdom of God -- The details of the image -- The stone from the mountain -- The king's first response.

Daniel 3: The blazing furnace -- The need for social cement -- The Festival of the New Babylon -- The miracle of resistance -- The answer -- The miracle of survival -- Nebuchadnezzar--the moment of truth -- Nebuchadnezzar--the moment of repentance -- Daniel 4: 'I Nebuchadnezzar' -- Evasion -- The rejection of the sower with the seed -- The clay in the hand of the potter -- The Father who disciplines us -- Daniel--companion and sign -- Daniel--faithfulness in counsel -- The lesson -- The personal testimony of a converted soul--his peace -- The personal testimony of a converted soul--his new-found life in God -- Daniel 5: Belshazzar's feast -- Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar--the drawing of a contrast -- Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar and Daniel--even 'change' can change! -- Daniel's attitude -- Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar--the elect and the rejected -- The rejected chooses his rejection -- Nebuchadnezzar--mercy and judgment -- Belshazzar--judgment and mercy -- The writing on the wall -- The act of sacrilege -- The vessels of the Lord -- The essence of sin -- The pastoral word at the eleventh hour -- The honesty and severity of love -- The background of the human tragedy -- Daniel 6: The den of lions -- The mystery of the offence -- Anyone who hates his brother ... -- The unswerving witness of Daniel -- The point of the offence -- The injustice of the charge -- Murder under the system! -- The saving grace of discipline -- Our need of habit -- The law-and-order trap -- The resurrection of Daniel -- Darius -- Daniel 7: The beasts and the son of man -- A new look at world power -- Questions for today -- The ultimate and tormenting problem -- Towards a final answer -- The kingdom of the son of man -- The son of man and the servants of the Most High -- The haunting details of the last beast -- The ten horns -- The need for perspective -- Reading the signs today -- Justifiable depression? -- The need for watchfulness -- Daniel 8: The he-goat and the little horn -- The vision--Alexander the Great and Antiochus Epiphanes -- A history without a clue -- the absurdity of the outcome -- A foretaste and foreshadowing of the final Antichrist -- Back to the king's business!

Daniel 9: A prayer and a prophecy -- Daniel, the community and the books -- The books and the presence of God -- The search today -- The presence, the books and the prayer -- An individual in community -- Reality and liturgy in the Bible -- Dates--or assurance? -- The beloved man as an acceptable sacrifice -- The angels and the answer -- The God of angels and mankind -- Is our God too small? -- Seventy weeks of years! -- The goal of history -- The foreshadowing of events to come -- The working out of the purpose of God -- Daniel 10: 'I Daniel' -- The final encounter -- The shattering and exalting presence -- The cost of involvement and the gift of understanding -- The cost must be the same today -- The communion of heaven and earth in the cosmic conflict -- The decisive heavenly war.

Daniel 11: The history inscribed in the book -- Take-over by the spoken word -- The history of the broken empire and its issue -- God shapes the pattern of our ways -- We have our responsibility -- The transition to 'the time of the end' -- Daniel 12: Waiting and watching for the end -- The time of the end -- The Antichrist -- The tribulation -- The separation -- The finale--the gap between seeing and understanding -- The need for steadfast patience -- The need for wisdom -- The final pastoral word--the way and the place -- The final pastoral word--the promise of rest.