In Front | Interpretations of Daniel

Many readers come away from Daniel’s prophecies confused; others seem to be more convinced of what they see in this book. Some notable individuals have offered their interpretations of Daniel’s mysterious prophecies over the years. 

The physicist and philosopher Isaac Newton (1643–1727) had a deep interest in the apocalyptic material in the biblical books of Daniel and Revelation. This enormously influential scientist who developed, among other things, the law of gravity and the laws of motion, spent considerable time in his later years studying Daniel’s prophecies. His work on the subject was published posthumously as Observations upon the Prophecies of Daniel and the Apocalypse of St. John. His predictions and calculations in this work are now discredited.

A more recent, and quite different, interpreter of Daniel was David Koresh. This leader of the Branch Davidian sect was famously sieged and overrun in Waco, Texas by the United States government in 1993. Koresh, who was killed in the altercation along with 81 of his followers, referred to Daniel 11 as “the most important prophecy in the Bible.” The group’s apocalyptic vision drew heavily from Daniel and Revelation.  

Another American sectarian, the Christian radio-host Harold Camping, predicted the world would end in 1994 or 2011, based on his reading of Daniel 8. Camping later admitted he was wrong on both counts and his predictions led to major crises of faith among many of his followers. 

Reference: Carol A. Newsom, Daniel, 2014, p. 318.