Immerse: Chronicles Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 169
IMMERSED IN DANIEL
I N T H E F E W C E N T U R I E S B E F O R E the birth of Jesus the Messiah, the nation
of Israel faced increasing pressure as they lived under the rule of hostile
empires. This meant dealing with not only the possibility of religious
contamination but also the threat of extinction. The book of Esther records the courage of faithful Jews when threatened under Persian rule.
The book of Daniel shows their steadfastness under the rule of several
powerful empires—first under the Babylonians and Persians, and then
in association with the Greek Seleucids.
The book of Daniel is divided into two main parts: a collection of stories
and a collection of apocalyptic visions. The six stories in the first part are
of two different types: interpretation stories and deliverance stories. In
the interpretation stories, a mystery arises that the king’s own wise men
can’t interpret or resolve, but the Most High God of Israel reveals the
meaning to Daniel. In the deliverance stories, the king demands that
the Jews compromise their worship of God (by worshiping an idol or by
abandoning regular times of prayer to God) and attempts to execute
them when they refuse. But God powerfully intervenes to rescue his
people from danger. Both story types emphasize that Israel’s God is
the one true Creator and King over all things.
These stories center on four young Judeans—Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—who were taken into exile by the Babylonians.
Their stories are among the most memorable and inspiring in the Bible.
These humble captives are lifted up after they refuse to compromise
their faith, while a proud king is brought low until he acknowledges that
“the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them
to anyone he chooses.”
After these stories, the book presents four visions filled with vivid
and intricate symbolism. These visions closely follow the conventions
of a particular type of writing known as apocalypse, which often features heavenly visitors, symbols representing historical periods, and a
command to seal up the book, among other elements. Apocalyptic
literature developed as a genre late in the First Testament period. In
the face of suffering and uncertainty, the Jewish people needed stories
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