The Handwriting on the Wall: A Commentary on the Book of Daniel by James B. Jordan

The Handwriting on the Wall: A Commentary on the Book of Daniel Reviews

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  Jake Litwin

  This is a beast of a commentary. Took a while to work through but it was very enjoyable. If you know Jordan, you know you will get a ton of interesting insights and more than just a commentary on Daniel. Highly recommend.
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  John

  Anything by James Jordan is well worth reading. His commentary on Daniel is a remarkable book, in that it deals with the wider picture--not just the book itself. Jordan goes to show that to understand Daniel, one must first understand a broader range of books first. In addition, he looks into future texts, such as Revelation, and even other prophetic literature such as Zecheriah.
  
  Like the book of Daniel itself, the first half of the book is easier to understand and more engaging. The second half of both Daniel, and the commentary on it, are much deeper and much more difficult to understand. But readers will find there is great depth here and will profit from further study and re-reading.
  
  One of the things that I admire most about Jordan is that he is firmly committed to a maximalist understanding of whatever book it is he is studying. He takes every jot and tittle seriously and is not easily contented with the pat answers and overlooking what most scholars are guilty of in one way or another.
  
  For example, he takes numbers in the Bible seriously--and not just the numbers themselves, but the number of times keywords appear in a text. He shows there is meaning in this, and I've never seen this taken so seriously or consistently as with Jordan.
  
  Jordan, unlike other commentators, seeks to answer all the questions a text raises--especially the difficult ones. Another fine feature to this commentary is Appendix A, in which he lays out the timeline of the history of Judah from the time of the last few kings through the restoration covenant. The research and argumentation is precise and easy to understand.
  
  One of the most amazing nuggets hidden in this timeline, for example, is the fact that King Josiah fathered two sons (perhaps more) by the time he was 16. This is easy to see by doing the math as it is given, but who has ever taken the time to do the math and consider the findings?
  
  This is a very large volume, with many appendices. But it is a treasure store of information and elucidation. I highly recommend it.
• 
  Darren

  A fantastic commentary on Daniel, sadly out of print, but coherent and clear. Really brings out the interconnectedness of scripture from beginning to end, and Daniel's pivotal role in linking the Old Testament and Jesus. I've learnt so much from this.
• 
  Michael Jones

  Going through again this year with a finer tooth comb. This book goes into Daniel in the whole Bible with exquisite depth teaching you much about the imagery of the ancient world.
  
  One question I would definitely now ask anyone who was trying to predict the "end times" is how they believe Daniel and his friends saw the prophecies in the book of Daniel. After all, the prophecies were given firstly for them. Ask the same question about the book of Revelation, and I don't think you end up with cobra helicopters or some pending global holocaust.
  
  I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to understand the times subsequent to the kings of Israel, through the exile and return, and leading up to the New Testament. Not to mention one of the most amazing men in history: Daniel himself.
  
  His careful unraveling of Daniel's difficult prophecies is done in a much more readable way than other commentaries I have seen. He brings in the best of scholarship and historical data as well as a depth of theological understanding from years of studying the Old Testament.
  
  A huge strength of Jordan's thought process is his ability to carefully pay attention to chronology. He includes charts and time lines.
  
  This book is a gem and I would listen to it on audio book-- it deserves careful reading by someone with a very rich voice!
• 
  Michael

  Really fantastic! While you might not always agree with Jordan’s speculations on any given text, his instincts are always to view the Bible as the primary interpreter of scripture. This commentary will not only help you with Daniel, it will give you keen insight into the relationship between the OT & NT. The years from 600 BC to the time of Christ are often foggy in the minds of 21st c. Christians but they shouldn’t be. Jordan has dug deep into chronological issues and pulls back the veil on these centuries. Rather than years of silence, Jordan shows that the Book of Daniel has much to say about the “intertestimental” period.
• 
  Coram Deo Church

  The Handwriting on the Wall is not currently available at local libraries.
• 
  Josh Shelton

  The introductory portion was the most fun I’ve had reading a commentary.
  
  Very good!
• 
  Peter Krol

  What I most appreciate about Jordan is his keen eye for observing the text of Scripture. He's a Bible hawk, and I'm the loyal eyas, longing to be like his papa.
  
  That which I am much less excited about, however, is the frequency with which Jordan stacks up possibilities as propositions (A, B, and C are all possible) that produce certain conclusions (the text clearly states, therefore, that...). I gleaned tremendous insight from this commentary, but I must admit that after a while I started tuning out whenever I hit the word "clearly."
• 
  Elisabeth

  This book is completely readable for the average person, but is full of depth. I would read a chapter, and think, “Oh yeah, I know exactly what he’s talking about.” And then I would come up for air and realize how swift and deep the waters had been before plunging in again. By the end it was Russian roulette of if I would make it through.
  
  I highly recommend this for when reading Daniel. I know I will need to read this several more times before I feel like I’ve unearthed the actual meat of it, and Daniel.
  
  Do yourself a favor and get you a copy.
  
• 
  John

  Great book. This book does not support dipensationalism. If you are looking for another book to verify your particular dispensational position you will be disappointed. This book takes Daniel seriously as dealing with historical situation of Daniel's day and the role the people of God were to play in exile and restoration period.
• 
  G.M. Burrow

  Really sad I don't own this one.
• 
  Harley

  Excellent.
• 
  Steve

  Readable and clear. Great stuff.
• 
  Patricia

  Will have to read again, so much information. Great book!