WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.910 Emily: welcome to immerse: the daily bible reading experience. 00:00:03.020 --> 00:00:04.590 day 300 and 59 00:00:08.260 --> 00:00:09.400 Immersed in Daniel 00:00:11.530 --> 00:00:15.970 in the few centuries before the birth of Jesus the Messiah, the Nation of 00:00:15.970 --> 00:00:20.320 Israel faced increasing pressure as they lived under the rule of hostile empires. 00:00:21.280 --> 00:00:24.940 This man dealing with not only the possibility of religious contamination, 00:00:25.360 --> 00:00:26.980 but also the threat of extinction. 00:00:27.940 --> 00:00:31.210 The Book of Esther records The Courage of Faithful Jews when 00:00:31.210 --> 00:00:32.740 threatened Under Persian rule. 00:00:33.580 --> 00:00:36.940 The book of Daniel shows their steadfastness under the rule 00:00:36.940 --> 00:00:38.560 of several powerful empires. 00:00:39.160 --> 00:00:42.280 First, under the Babylonians and Persians, and then in 00:00:42.280 --> 00:00:43.990 association with the Greek Lucid. 00:00:45.370 --> 00:00:49.660 The book of Daniel is divided into two main parts, a collection of stories, 00:00:49.960 --> 00:00:52.150 and a collection of apocalyptic visions. 00:00:52.960 --> 00:00:55.630 The six stories in the first part are of two different types. 00:00:56.335 --> 00:01:01.315 Interpretation stories and deliverance stories and the interpretation stories. 00:01:01.705 --> 00:01:05.305 A mystery arises that the king's own wise men can't interpret or 00:01:05.305 --> 00:01:09.715 resolve, but the most high God of Israel reveals the meaning to 00:01:09.715 --> 00:01:12.475 Daniel in the deliverance stories. 00:01:13.135 --> 00:01:17.425 The king demands that the Jews compromise their worship of God by worshiping 00:01:17.425 --> 00:01:21.745 an idol or by abandoning regular times of prayer to God and attempts 00:01:21.745 --> 00:01:23.605 to execute them when they refuse. 00:01:24.565 --> 00:01:27.895 But God powerfully intervenes to rescue his people from danger. 00:01:28.615 --> 00:01:32.605 Both story types emphasize that Israel's God is the one true, 00:01:32.605 --> 00:01:34.975 creator and king over all things. 00:01:36.145 --> 00:01:41.905 These stories Center on four, young Judeans, Daniel Shadak, Micha, and 00:01:41.905 --> 00:01:47.545 Abednego, who were taken into exile by the Babylonians, their stories are among the 00:01:47.545 --> 00:01:50.035 most memorable and inspiring in the Bible. 00:01:50.785 --> 00:01:55.285 These humble captives are lifted up after they refuse to compromise their faith. 00:01:55.915 --> 00:02:01.345 While a proud king is brought low until he acknowledges that the most high 00:02:01.345 --> 00:02:05.995 rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses. 00:02:07.345 --> 00:02:10.915 After these stories, the book presents four visions filled with 00:02:10.945 --> 00:02:12.865 vivid and intricate symbolism. 00:02:14.065 --> 00:02:17.365 These visions closely follow the conventions of a particular type 00:02:17.365 --> 00:02:19.705 of writing known as apocalypse. 00:02:20.365 --> 00:02:24.325 Which often features heavenly visitors, symbols representing historical 00:02:24.325 --> 00:02:28.705 periods, and a command to seal up the book among other elements. 00:02:29.785 --> 00:02:33.685 Apocalyptic literature developed as a genre laid in the first testament period 00:02:34.555 --> 00:02:36.715 in the face of suffering and uncertainty. 00:02:37.315 --> 00:02:41.725 The Jewish people needed stories that would reveal the cosmic realities behind 00:02:41.725 --> 00:02:46.285 their experience and give them hope in the battle against the rulers of this world. 00:02:47.425 --> 00:02:51.925 As the visions themselves depict, the Babylonian empire fell to the Persians 00:02:52.255 --> 00:02:55.015 who were conquered and turned by the Greeks under Alexander the Great. 00:02:55.825 --> 00:02:59.905 The Greek empire was divided up after Alexander's death, and the Seleucids 00:02:59.905 --> 00:03:04.375 who ruled one part eventually carved out an empire of their own that 00:03:04.375 --> 00:03:06.175 was nearly as large as Alexander's. 00:03:06.475 --> 00:03:07.675 That included Judea. 00:03:08.785 --> 00:03:12.025 After anti kiss, IIV epiphanies became emperor. 00:03:12.700 --> 00:03:16.150 He desecrated the tempo in Jerusalem and tried to force all 00:03:16.150 --> 00:03:17.950 the Jews to worship Greek gods. 00:03:18.760 --> 00:03:22.360 But under the leadership of the Maccabees, the Jews fought back 00:03:22.870 --> 00:03:24.940 after great suffering and sacrifice. 00:03:25.240 --> 00:03:28.450 And with God's help, they temporarily won their freedom. 00:03:29.200 --> 00:03:33.340 The stories and visions in the Book of Daniel worked together to strengthen 00:03:33.340 --> 00:03:37.120 God's people as they struggle to maintain their distinctive identity 00:03:37.120 --> 00:03:39.010 as a people loyal to God alone. 00:03:40.075 --> 00:03:45.235 They reveal that God is truly working even when it looks like evil is triumphing. 00:03:46.345 --> 00:03:50.635 The pride of even the greatest human rulers is shown to be empty and weak when 00:03:50.635 --> 00:03:53.005 the most high God acts to save his people. 00:03:54.145 --> 00:03:57.145 The Book of Daniel became one of Israel's most popular books in the 00:03:57.145 --> 00:03:59.815 first century ad The time of Jesus. 00:04:00.550 --> 00:04:04.300 God's people were still suffering greatly under the oppression of foreign Roman 00:04:04.300 --> 00:04:08.470 rulers, and they were longing for the arrival of God's promised redeemer. 00:04:09.610 --> 00:04:12.670 Daniel gave them hope that God would bring a change in the future. 00:04:13.810 --> 00:04:18.730 Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be 00:04:18.730 --> 00:04:20.920 given to the holy people of the most high. 00:04:21.970 --> 00:04:27.520 His kingdom will last forever, and all rulers will serve and obey him.