Daniel was one of the captives living in Babylon during the 70 years when the temple at Jerusalem was destroyed. He was trained by the Babylonian king and held high office in his administration. He prayed for Jerusalem and saw visions that describe human history from Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian king, through three other empires (Medo-Persian, Greek and Roman) and eventually culminating in the second coming of Christ, when the mountain cut out without hands (Christ) will fill the earth (have his kingdom on the whole earth).