DANIEL

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• DANIEL

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• Ultimately, you will not be harmed. You may die
  in the physical sense, but your spirit will not
  be crushed. God will be with you and save you for
  the kind of life that lasts forever.

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Daniel

• He is portrayed as a wise man
• His kind of wisdom is sometimes described as
  mantic wisdom
• It consists in his ability to interpret dreams

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Author

• The author of the book tried to inspire the Jews
  to nonviolent resistance
• Resist oppression with all your heart
• It also points to life after death, to
  resurrection, and to hope in God despite
  circumstances that seem overwhelming and
  defeating.

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Codes

• The author had to avoid any direct references to
  the Greek oppressors in his writing.
• As a result, the book is filled with code names
  and plenty of analogies

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The Book of Daniel two sections

• First section

• Second section

• Chapters 1-6 are stories about Daniel and his
  friends

• Chapters 7-12 consist of multiple revelations
  received by Daniel, which are explained to him by
  an angel. These chapters are known as apocalyptic.

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• Apocalyptic literature
• Was intended to give hope and inspiration to
  those oppressed by powerful forces.
• It affirms that in the great cosmic struggle
  between good and evil in the world, the power of
  good- that is, the power of God- will prevail in
  the end.
• It has been misunderstood to predict certain real
  events in the future.

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Apocalypses

• Apocalypse comes from the Greek word meaning
• unveiling, disclosure, revelation
• The revelation is given either through a vision
  or through a report from some mediator, usually
  an angel.

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• The heart of the apocalyptic world-view is a
  profound disillusionment with the present order
• a sense of powerlessness to effect any changes
  for the better
• a conviction that this worthless age is about to
  end.

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2 responses to oppression

• Fight response

• Flight response

• Daniel (and other apocalyptic writers)
• Write bad things about enemy
• Use code language so the enemy does not
  understand
• Cosmic battle- good vs. evil, God vs. devil
• God will fight for them

• Maccabees
• Defend ourselves
• Kill them

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Responses to oppression

• Fight response

• Flight response

• How would each response apply to each of the
  examples below
• Someone bulling you
• Your girlfriend cheated on you
• Your best friend is going out with your ex
• Someone writes unkind things about you on
  facebook