Against the flow : the inspiration of Daniel in an age of relativism

Daniel's story is one of extraordinary faith in God lived out at the pinnacle of executive power. It tells of four teenage friends, born in the tiny state of Judah about twenty-six centuries ago, but captured by Nebuchadnezzar, emperor of Babylon. Daniel describes how they eventually rose to the top echelons of administration. Daniel and his friends did not simply maintain their private devotion to God; they maintained a high-profile witness in a pluralistic society antagonistic to their faith. That is why their story has such a powerful message for us. Society tolerates the practice of Christianity in private and in church services, but it increasingly deprecates public witness. If Daniel and his compatriots were with us today they would be in the vanguard of the public debate. What was it that gave that ancient foursome, Daniel and his three friends, the strength and conviction to be prepared, often at great risk, to swim against the flow? A wide-ranging discussion of the place of Christianity in the public square Daniel's story is one of extraordinary faith in God lived out at the pinnacle of executive power. It tells of four young men, born in the tiny state of Judah around 500 b.c., and captured by Nebuchadnezzar, emperor of Babylon. Daniel describes how they eventually rose to senior positions of administration. Daniel and his friends did not simply maintain their private devotion to God; they maintained a high-profile witness in a pluralistic society antagonistic to their faith. Their story carries a powerful message for us today. Society tolerates the practice of Christianity in private and in church services, but increasingly it deprecates public witness. If Daniel and his compatriots were with us today they would be in the vanguard of public debate. This is a lucid and erudite examination of the life of Daniel from a leading expert on faith and science. In his first biblical work, Dr. Lennox provides a unique perspective on both Western society and biblical exegesis that will make "Against the Flow" an instant classic encouraging Christians to speak out in our modern Babylon. Daniel's story is one of extraordinary faith in God lived out at the pinnacle of executive power. It tells of four young men, born in the tiny state of Judah around 500 BC, but captured by Nebuchadnezzar, emperor of Babylon. Daniel describes how they eventually rose to senior positions of administration. Daniel and his friends did not simply maintain their private devotion to God; they maintained a high-profile witness in a pluralistic society antagonistic to their faith. Their story matters: It carries a powerful message for us today. Society tolerates the practice of Christianity in private and in church services, but increasingly it deprecates public witness. If Daniel and his compatriots were with us today they would be in the vanguard of public debate. This is a lucid and erudite examination of the life of Daniel -- what was it that gave them the strength and conviction to be prepared, often at great risk, to swim against the flow? - Publisher. Daniel's story is one of extraordinary faith in God lived out at the pinnacle of executive power. It tells of four young men, born in the tiny state of Judah around 500 BC, but captured by Nebuchadnezzar, emperor of Babylon. Daniel describes how they eventually rose to senior positions of administration. Daniel and his friends did not simply maintain their private devotion to God; they maintained a high-profile witness in a pluralistic society antagonistic to their faith. Their story matters: It carries a powerful message for us today. Society tolerates the practice of Christianity in private and in church services, but increasingly it deprecates public witness. If Daniel and his compatriots were with us today they would be in the vanguard of public debate. This is a lucid and erudite examination of the life of Daniel -- what was it that gave them the strength and conviction to be prepared, often at great risk, to swim against the flow? - Back cover Daniel's story is one of extraordinary faith in God lived out at the pinnacle of executive power. It tells of four young men, born in the tiny state of Judah around 500 BC, but captured by Nebuchadnezzar, emperor of Babylon. Daniel describes how they eventually rose to senior positions of administration. Daniel and his friends did not simply maintain their private devotion to God; they maintained a high-profile witness in a pluralistic society antagonistic to their faith. Their story matters: It carries a powerful message for us today. Society tolerates the practice of Christianity in private and in church services, but increasingly it deprecates public witness. If Daniel and his compatriots were with us today they would be in the vanguard of public debate. This is a lucid and erudite examination of the life of Daniel - what it was that gave them the strength and conviction to be prepared, often at great risk, to swim against the flow? Why we should read Daniel Daniel 1. A matter of history City of idols A question of values A question of identity The resolution and the protest The world-view of Babylon The manner of the protest The logical structure of Daniel Daniel 2. Dreams and revelations A succession of empires Daniel 3. When the state becomes God Daniel 4. The testimony of Nebuchadnezzar Daniel 5. The writing on the wall Daniel 6. The law of the Medes and Persians Daniel 7. The four beasts and the Son of Man Daniel 8. The vision of the ram and the goat Daniel 9. Jerusalem and the future The seventy weeks The seventieth week Daniel 10. The man above the river Daniel 11. The book of truth Daniel 12. The time of the end Appendixes. The nature of the kingdom of God Translation of the text on the Cyrus cylinder The structure of the book of Daniel Daniel 11 and history The dating of the book of Daniel Questions for reflection or discussion Bibliography Uses the book of Daniel as a starting point for a wide-ranging critique of current Western thinking.