1.     Historical-critical -- Interpreters who do not consider the book of Daniel as true prophecy written in the sixth century B.C. by Daniel. It sees the book of Daniel as a situation of the Jewish people under the persecution of Antiochus IV Epiphanes.

2.     Preterist -- Limit the fulfillment of its prophecies to the time period from the time of Daniel (6 century B.C. to Christ's first coming or to the end of the Roman Empire.

3.     Historicists -- The school of interpreters. It views Daniel as the author of the book. prophecies of Daniel cover the entire historical period from Daniel’s days to the final eschaton without any gap or interruption.

4.     Futurist-dispensational -- accept Daniel’s authorship of the book in the sixth century B.C. They expect that in the future a personal Antichrist will appear who will fulfill what is said of the Little Horn in Dan 7 and of the king of the North in Dan 11:36-45.

• This school is divided into two groups: 
  • Those who believe that there is a gap in the fulfillment of the prophecies of Daniel from the first coming of Christ to seven years before his second coming (Dispensationalists).  
  • Those who think that from the destruction of the Roman Empire (the fourth beast in Dan 7:8) to the appear­ance of the Little Horn (the Antichrist) there will be a number of kingdoms (the ten horns) which are successors to the Roman Empire (Futurists).

At times, there is some overlapping. For example: Preterists, Futurists, and Historicists all believe that the author of Daniel lived in the sixth century. 

•  Historical-critical scholars do not.  
• Preterists, Futurists, and Historical-critical scholars all apply Daniel 8 to Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Historicistsgenerally do not. 

The phrase "Latter Days" refer to different periods in the history of Israel (endtime) in the OT:

• “Eschatological” (“doctrine of the last things”) e.g., Deut 4:30; Jer 23:20; 30:24.
• Others are NOT, e.g., Deut 31:29; Jer 48:47; 49:39

Let’s be clear: "Eschatology” can be view as:

• Narrowly: The end of history and the beginning of the time of eternal salvation. 
• Broadly: "To a future in which the circumstances of history are changed to such an extent that one can speak of a new, entirely different, state of things without, in doing so, necessarily leaving the framework of history". [Th. C. Vriezen,"Prophecy and Eschatology," VT, Sup 1 (1953): 223].

"Latter Days" of Dan. 10:14 and "Latter Days" of Dan. 2:28 [distant future] are the same. Both phrases refer to the future which began in the time of Daniel and which reaches down to the time of the Messianic kingdom. "The time of the end" in Dan 8:17; 11:35,40; and 12:4,9, are the same. Some see these phrases to mean:

1.     The time of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-164 B.C.) and his attacks on the religion of the Jews.

2.     Before the second coming of Christ. 

3.     A dual-fulfillment sees both events contained in the prophecy.

The questions are, the phrase, "Latter Days" does it means:

• First or the second appearance of the Messiah?
• The future in general, or 
• Does it refer to both?

In the NT, "the last days" are placed in a basic or natural Christological setting and the expression becomes an idiom for the Messianic or Christian age (Acts 2:17; Heb 1:2).

Extra-biblical information of the two phrases, "the latter days" and "the time of the end" can contribute to understanding of these expressions in the book of Daniel and in the OT.

Bring further enlightenment to the subject matter. CM

Sources:

• S. R. Driver, The Book of Daniel. CBSC (Cambridge: University Press, 1901), xlvii.
• Andre Lacoque, The Book of Daniel (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1979), 7.
• Moses Stuart, A Commentary on the Book of Daniel (Boston: Crocker and Brewster, 1850), 65
• Samuel Lee, An Inquiry into the Nature. Progress, and End of Prophecy (Cambridge: University Press, 1849).
• Edward J. Young, The Prophecy of Daniel (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1949), 149, 163, 249. 

• Is Jesus Messiah-King or Messiah-Savior?
• The Messiah-King or Messiah-Savior is God?
• Is Messiah just a human and or divine figure?
• The Messiah is this common-ground between Judaism and Christianity?
• What does the Bible have to say of the "Messiah" in the OT and NT?

To start, please note, in the OT, Daniel's references to Christ match Him too closely to have been merely the product of human speculation:

• On earth -- He was one "like a son of the gods" (Dan 3:25).
• In heaven -- "one like a son of man" (Dan 7:13).
• In Daniel. 8 -- we find Him as "the Prince of princes" (Dan 8:25).
• In chap. 9 -- as "the Anointed One, the ruler" (Dan 9:25).

Jesus was the God-man, the Messiah-Prince!

In addition, Dan 11:22, at the very center of a narrative spanning all of Dan 10-12, is a reference to Christ on the cross as the "prince of the covenant"— swept away, along with an overwhelming army of others, through a process of judicial murder, on falsified charges of disloyalty to Caesar. cf-- See John 18:28-40; 19:12-16.

Peter in his preaching emphasized that Jesus, whom the Jews crucified, was the Messiah. In early Christian tradition, Dan 9:24-27 was generally held to be a Messianic prophecy. The pronoun often translated "he" in Dan 9:27. "Since the Prince of the previous passage (vs. 26) is not a Roman prince . . . the 'He' in this verse refers to the Messiah Prince, or Jesus Christ historically". The antecedent of the pronoun "he," then, according to this argument, is the "Messiah, the Prince" of vs. 25..."

Gurney said, "It is highly probable that the 'he' of verse 27 refers back to the ‘anointed one, since He is the principal character in verse 26." Oh, it's Jesus! CM

SOURCES:

• Jerome 's Commentary on Daniel. trans. Gleason L. Archer, Jr. (Grand Rapids. MI: Baker Book House, 1958). 95-110
• Otto Zockler. The Book o f the Prophet Daniel, trans. James Strong. A Commentary- on the Holy Scriptures, vol 13 (New York: Scribner. Armstrong & Co.. 1876). 205-17
• Montgomery, The Book o f Daniel. 394-401
• Robert M. Gurney, 1980). God in Control (Worthing: H. E. Walter. 1980) pg 114

The book of Daniel opens with an allusion to the issue of worship by stating that the Lord or Master (Heb. "Adonay") delivered His household (literally gave King Jehoiakim) into the hand of the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar. This is why the prophet Daniel explicitly articulates that it was the Lord who gave His people to their enemy (Dan. 1:2).

Daniel, a prophet of the 6th century B.C., lived firmly by biblical principles, and yet he endured two different political systems (The Neo-Babylonian and Medo-Persian empires). He survived:

• Six Babylonian kings (Nebuchadnezzar, Amel-Marduk, Neriglissar, Labashi-Marduk, Belshazzar, Nabonidus).
• Two Medo-Persian rulers (Darius the Mede and Cyrus).

As a statesman, he was a successful minister in the Babylonian royal court and a prominent prime minister in the Medo-Persian kingdom, as well as the president of the Royal Academy. Surprisingly, as a wise man, a Jew, a foreigner, and a captive, he was the prominent counselor to many kings of different national and religious backgrounds. Life was not always easy for him, but he stayed in the court services in Babylon at least until the first year of Cyrus (Dan. 1:31), died at a ripe old age most probably in his 90s (ca. 622–530), and mostly stayed wisely out of trouble in the situations of different strict royal commands.

The book of Daniel is about the end, and world history terminates in the time of the end (‘et qets). This specific term occurs five times in the book, always in the prophetical section (Dan. 8:17; 11:35, 40; 12:4, 9):

• The KJV uses the word “end” 27 times (Dan. 1:5, 15, 18; 4:11, 22, 29, 34; 6:26; 7:26, 28; 8:17, 19 [twice]; 9:24, 26 [twice]; 11:6, 27, 35, 40, 45; 12:4, 6, 8, 9, 13 [twice]).
• NKJV employs this term 26 times (Dan. 1:5, 15, 18; 4:22, 29, 34; 6:26; 7:28; 8:17, 19; 9:24, 26 [twice], 27; 11:6, 13, 18, 27, 35, 40, 45; 12:4, 8, 9, 13 [twice]).
• NIV, 24 times (Dan. 1:15, 18; 2:44; 4:34; 5:26; 6:26; 7:28; 8:17, 19; 9:24, 26 [twice], 27 [twice]; 11:18, 27, 35, 40, 45; 12:4, 9, 12, 13 [twice]).

The book of Daniel is not about Daniel but about the God of Daniel who invites, as the whole book attests, to worship Him in truth, love, and reverence. Those who do it are wise (Dan. 11:33-35; 12:10). In English Bibles, the word “worship” usually occurs in the book of Daniel at least 11 times:

• Daniel 3:5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15 (twice), 18, 28 (in KJV, NKJV, NIV, NAU).
• In some translations, worship in Daniel 2:46 (KJV), 7:14 (NKJV), and 7:27 (NIV).

The Book of Daniel is about those who stand for God and His truth, those who live His law and lead others to righteousness, will be resurrected to eternal life and shine (Dan. 12:2, 3). Resurrection is the culminating hope of God’s people, who then will live in God’s presence forever in His kingdom (Dan. 7:26). This goal is the ultimate reward of God’s faithful worshipers.

The book of Daniel is punctuated with seven prayers:

• Daniel
• The three Hebrews
• King Nebuchadnezzar

The book of Daniel ends with a blessing (Dan. 12:12), a feature that is specific to many biblical prayers (Ps. 1:1, 119:1, Rev. 1:3).

The final royal doxology recorded in the book of Daniel is magnificent. King Darius exalts the God of Daniel: “For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end. He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions” (6:26, 27). Similar royal doxologies occur in Daniel 2:47; 3:28, 29; and 4:3.

I hope this introduction to the Book of Daniel (date, the content of the book and prophetic style), gives you a better appreciation for the Book. CM