When we consider the topics of evangelism and epistolary literature in the Bible, we normally think of the NT documents. Might the OT book of Daniel contain an evangelistic epistle?
Six of Daniel’s twelve chapters originally appeared in Hebrew, and the other six in Aramaic. The Aramaic section, chapters 2–7, conveys conceptual parallels as illustrated below. The central segments of the parallelism, chapters 4 and 5, describe the dethronements of Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar. Belshazzar clung to his pride until the bitter end (5:22–23). He died at a drinking party, unrepentant and possibly even inebriated (“under the influence of beer,” v. 2). Nebuchadnezzar, on the other hand, arguably experienced true spiritual conversion. This foray into Daniel 4 contends that Nebuchadnezzar published his personal testimony as a redeemed evangelist in order to persuade the nations to submit to the Most High God.