Ancient History and Literature Seamus Burke 9/23/13 Theme of the book of Daniel ord !

ount" 29# The Theme of the book of Daniel The theme of the book of Daniel is incredibly sim$le%it is the So&erei'nty of (od o&er all else) This is borne out multi$le times throu'hout the book in the tales and &isions) *or instance+ ,hen Daniel-s three com$anions Ananias+ A.ariah and /ishael are thro,n into a furnace to be burned ali&e for their faith in (od+ they ,alk out unharmed) The ,ere $ersecuted for their faith+ but (od sa&ed them for their faith in him+ $ro&in' he is not sub0ect to human la,s and decisions) 1n another e2am$le+ Belsha..er and his nobles blas$heme by drinkin' from sacred 3e,ish chalices and offer $raise to false 'ods) 1n res$onse a hand a$$ears and ,rites a messa'e on the ,alls) Daniel is called to inter$ret+ and tells Belsha..er (od ,ill brin' his rei'n to an end) Later that ni'ht+ Belsha..er is found dead+ and Darius takes o&er the kin'dom) 1t sho,s (od is abo&e the human kin's+ and ,ill $unish blas$hemy and idolism) A third e2am$le of (od-s su$remacy lies in Daniel-s $ro$hecy concernin' the ram and the 'oat+ in ,hich a ,icked kin' rises and desecrates the tem$le+ but the $ro$hecy ends ,ith the cleansin' of the tem$le+ sho,in' (od ,ill al,ays ,in in the end) Throu'hout the book of Daniel+ (od-s ,ill is al,ays challen'ed+ throu'h the $ersecution of belie&ers and blas$hemy and idolatry+ but (od al,ays trium$hs in the end) 4othin' the humans can do ,ill chan'e that) 1n all three e2am$les%the $ersecution of Daniel-s com$anions+ the blas$hemy of the kin'+ and Daniel-s $ro$hecy concernin' the future%(od al,ays trium$hs%Daniel-s com$anions are unharmed+ Belsha..er is killed+ and the ,icked kin' is o&erthro,n and the tem$le cleansed)