The Daniel Hermeneutic of Prophecy

A Foundational Guide for Understanding Revelation

Before approaching the book of Revelation, it is essential to understand how Scripture itself teaches us to read prophecy.

The book of Daniel provides the clearest biblical example of how God communicates long-range prophetic history—through symbols, measured time periods, and sequential fulfillment spanning centuries. Unlike modern approaches that confine prophecy to a single generation (Past-only) or postpone it almost entirely to the end of time (Future-only), Daniel shows prophecy unfolding progressively through real historical events, often long after the lifetime of the prophet who received it.

Because Revelation deliberately reuses Daniel’s symbols, timelines, and narrative structure, it cannot be interpreted responsibly apart from Daniel. The principles learned in Daniel form the interpretive lens through which Revelation was historically understood by the Church for centuries.

This hub gathers a series of focused studies that together reveal the Daniel Hermeneutic of Prophecy—the biblical method established in Daniel for reading apocalyptic Scripture as history written in advance. Readers are strongly encouraged to begin here before evaluating the Revelation studies.

Through these studies, you will see that:

-Biblical prophecy is rarely fulfilled within the lifetime of its original audience

-Prophetic timelines often unfold over extended periods of time, with events progressing gradually rather than occurring in sudden, isolated moments

-Symbols in prophecy consistently refer to real kingdoms, rulers, and events

-Daniel presents a continuous historical narrative, not disconnected end-time jumps

Study 1 — How Biblical Prophecy Works: Learning from Daniel

This study lays the foundation for interpreting prophecy by examining how Daniel’s visions were fulfilled over long periods, rather than within a single generation. It explores how prophetic timeframes function, why prophets often did not understand their own visions in their time, and how prophecy becomes clearest after its fulfillment.

Study 2 — Prophecy as History Written in Advance

This study explores how Daniel outlines a sequence of four world empires—Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome—using symbolic imagery that later appears in Revelation. By examining how these prophecies were fulfilled over centuries, the study demonstrates how Scripture itself interprets these symbols and how history affirms their fulfillment. This study also highlights how Daniel’s prophecies provide a roadmap for understanding God’s sovereignty over history and how the Traditional Protestant Interpretation aligns with these prophecies in contrast to Futurism.

Study 3 — Symbols: Kings, Kingdoms, Beasts, and Horns

This study dives into the symbolic language used in Daniel, where “kings,” “kingdoms,” “beasts,” and “horns” represent powerful empires and rulers. By examining these symbols, we gain a deeper understanding of how God’s sovereignty is revealed through world history. This study highlights how these symbols appear not only in Daniel but also in Revelation, providing a cohesive interpretation of prophecy across both books.

Study 4 — The Four Empires and God’s Kingdom

In this study, we explore Daniel’s prophetic vision of four great empires—Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome—and their role in the unfolding of God’s sovereign plan. Using symbolic imagery like the statue in Daniel 2 and the beasts in Daniel 7, Daniel reveals how these empires will rise and fall, setting the stage for the establishment of God’s eternal Kingdom. We also explore how the Kingdom of God, represented by a stone, begins small but grows to fill the earth, as foretold during the Roman Empire’s reign.

Study 5 — The Horns of Daniel 7 and 8

This study examines the two distinct “little horns” that appear in Daniel 7 and 8, each arising from a different empire: the Greek Empire in Daniel 8 (symbolized by Antiochus Epiphanes) and the Roman Empire in Daniel 7 (symbolized by the Church-based position of authority). By understanding the historical context and fulfillment of these two little horns, we gain valuable insight into God’s unfolding plan for His people throughout history.

Study 6 — The Fall of Rome, the Rise of the Little Horn and the 1,260 Years of Persecution

This study explores the division of the Roman Empire, the rise of the “little horn” out of the Western Roman Empire, and the 1,260 years of persecution. We examine the historical context of Rome’s fall, its division into ten kingdoms, and the subsequent rise of a position of authority within the Church that would persecute Christians over the course of more than a millennium.

Study 7 — Recap of the Daniel Studies: Prophecy Fulfilled

This study provides a recap of the key themes in Daniel’s prophecies, emphasizing the Traditional Protestant Interpretation. It summarizes the fulfillment of prophecies and sets the stage for understanding the significance of Revelation’s prophecies, which share the same principles and interpretive framework.

How This Hub Connects to Revelation

The studies above are not an end in themselves. They exist to establish a consistent interpretive framework.

Once these principles are in place, Revelation no longer appears mysterious or disconnected. It becomes recognizable as the continuation of Daniel’s prophetic storyline—using the same symbols, the same time structures, and the same historical method of fulfillment.

Readers who complete these studies will be equipped to evaluate Preterist, Futurist, and Idealist interpretations with clarity—and to understand why the Traditional Protestant Interpretation dominated the Church for centuries.

With a solid understanding of the prophecies in Daniel and how they’ve unfolded throughout history, we’re now prepared to dive deeper into the Book of Revelation. Revelation, like Daniel, uses rich symbolism to portray the unfolding of God’s plan through history. As we begin to study Revelation, we’ll apply the same principles of Historicism that we’ve seen in Daniel, recognizing that many of the events described in Revelation have already occurred, with others still waiting to be fulfilled in God’s perfect timing. The next series of studies will continue to uncover the historical significance of these prophecies, offering us a deeper understanding of God’s sovereignty and His ultimate victory over the forces of evil.

Continue to the Revelation Studies