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Against the Flow: The inspiration of Daniel in an age of relativism
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 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.
436 pages, Paperback
First published February 20, 2015
290 people are currently reading
1135 people want to read
About the author
John C. Lennox
71 books891 followersJohn Carson Lennox is Professor of Mathematics in the University of Oxford, Fellow in Mathematics and the Philosophy of Science, and Pastoral Advisor at Green Templeton College, Oxford. He is also an Adjunct Lecturer at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford University and at the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics and is a Senior Fellow of the Trinity Forum. In addition, he teaches for the Oxford Strategic Leadership Programme at the Executive Education Centre, Said Business School, Oxford University.
He studied at the Royal School Armagh, Northern Ireland and was Exhibitioner and Senior Scholar at Emmanuel College, Cambridge University from which he took his MA, MMath and PhD. He worked for many years in the Mathematics Institute at the University of Wales in Cardiff which awarded him a DSc for his research. He also holds an MA and DPhil from Oxford University and an MA in Bioethics from the University of Surrey. He was a Senior Alexander Von Humboldt Fellow at the Universities of Würzburg and Freiburg in Germany. He has lectured extensively in North America, Eastern and Western Europe and Australasia on mathematics, the philosophy of science and the intellectual defence of Christianity.
He has written a number of books on the interface between science, philosophy and theology. These include God’s Undertaker: Has Science Buried God? (2009), God and Stephen Hawking, a response to The Grand Design (2011), Gunning for God, on the new atheism (2011), and Seven Days that Divide the World, on the early chapters of Genesis (2011). Furthermore, in addition to over seventy published mathematical papers, he is the co-author of two research level texts in algebra in the Oxford Mathematical Monographs series.
He studied at the Royal School Armagh, Northern Ireland and was Exhibitioner and Senior Scholar at Emmanuel College, Cambridge University from which he took his MA, MMath and PhD. He worked for many years in the Mathematics Institute at the University of Wales in Cardiff which awarded him a DSc for his research. He also holds an MA and DPhil from Oxford University and an MA in Bioethics from the University of Surrey. He was a Senior Alexander Von Humboldt Fellow at the Universities of Würzburg and Freiburg in Germany. He has lectured extensively in North America, Eastern and Western Europe and Australasia on mathematics, the philosophy of science and the intellectual defence of Christianity.
He has written a number of books on the interface between science, philosophy and theology. These include God’s Undertaker: Has Science Buried God? (2009), God and Stephen Hawking, a response to The Grand Design (2011), Gunning for God, on the new atheism (2011), and Seven Days that Divide the World, on the early chapters of Genesis (2011). Furthermore, in addition to over seventy published mathematical papers, he is the co-author of two research level texts in algebra in the Oxford Mathematical Monographs series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
July 4, 2017
I loved every word of Lennox's pretty exhaustive coverage of the book of Daniel. The characters, events, miracles, and prophecy are intricately interlaced with historical and scientific perspective and teaching. This book was a joy to read and an encouragement for Christian faith in this present age and the age to come.
June 26, 2024
Wow! I take my hat off for John Lennox! I needed this book in my life, and I believe so do you. His wording is so clear and right to the point. This time I read it like you would a regular book, but next time I am taking notes. Trust me on this, Against the flow, is worth your time! Especially if you, like me, are struggeling with how to stand firm on God's Word in our time and how to spread the Gospel about Jesus Christ to fellow friends, family and all the world.
No spoilers here, but I encourage you to read it for yourself.
No spoilers here, but I encourage you to read it for yourself.
May 26, 2023
Characteristic mix of cultural observation and thoughtful exegesis from the Oxford mathematician.
September 6, 2018
This is actually my first book of Lennox, but definitely will read more!
The great merit of this book is the profound and detailed view of Israel's political history in light of earthly developments as well as in a spiritual light. As a Christian I feel we often forget about the immense meaning of Israel (then - and now!). I am greatful that I had something like a crash course in ancient history and its consequences on Israel.
Another great point of this book is the exegesis and hermeneutics that Lennox employes to bring about hard to get meanings of this cryptic book.
It was definitely one of the best readings of the year. I especially profitted from learning to view profecies and profetic texts in a new way that is actually much closer to real life than we actually might think. I also learned to think of my own place in history and where we are moving together with the time and what are some dangers involved in "end-of-time-thinking". I am greatful to have had such a clear minded teacher teaching me about that.
A very worthy to read book with a surprisingly contemporary message. It encouraged me to be more bold in the face of a relativist world.
The great merit of this book is the profound and detailed view of Israel's political history in light of earthly developments as well as in a spiritual light. As a Christian I feel we often forget about the immense meaning of Israel (then - and now!). I am greatful that I had something like a crash course in ancient history and its consequences on Israel.
Another great point of this book is the exegesis and hermeneutics that Lennox employes to bring about hard to get meanings of this cryptic book.
It was definitely one of the best readings of the year. I especially profitted from learning to view profecies and profetic texts in a new way that is actually much closer to real life than we actually might think. I also learned to think of my own place in history and where we are moving together with the time and what are some dangers involved in "end-of-time-thinking". I am greatful to have had such a clear minded teacher teaching me about that.
A very worthy to read book with a surprisingly contemporary message. It encouraged me to be more bold in the face of a relativist world.
February 13, 2024
I was awfully disappointed with this text because Dr. Lennox spent more time quoting texts than making his own claims. The appendices contained so much quoting of Daniel and Maccabees that I gained no new insights from them. Dr. Lennox provided some useful knowledge, but he wrote better claims in "God's Undertaker".
October 13, 2023
"Indeed, faith is a response to evidence, not a rejoicing in the absence of evidence.
I wonder how Gray knows this. I presume he would accept that his book, from which I have just quoted, is part of his life and history. If he is right, in what he asserts, then his book can have no meaning beyond himself--and hence, surely, none for you or me. His theory of the meaninglessness of history fails to be valid for us, so he cannot know that your history or mine has no meaning. The circle in which he is trapped by his logical incoherence is made of sterner stuff than chalk. Like all who espouse such relativism, he falls into the error of making himself and his ideas an exception to the logical consequences of those ideas. His epistemology is incoherent.
Anyone who uses force of any kind to impose Christ's message on people is acting in defiance of Christ's explicit commands. In other words, they are engaging in anti-Christian activity. Their claim to be followers of Christ is, therefore, proved to be spurious. The existence of counterfeit money does not prove that the real and genuine thing does not exist, even though it may make it harder to find.
Socrates later exposed objective truth and our subjective response to it...At the heart of postmodernism lies a patent self-contradiction. It expects us to accept, as absolute truth, that there are no absolute truths. We should note this common, fatally flawed characteristic of relativistic thinking: it tries to exclude itself from its own pronouncements. The fact is that no one can live without a concept of absolute truth. If you do not believe this, try convincing a bank manager that the red figures he sees on his computer under your account number are not absolute values. Indeed, in the ordinary practical business of life, people tend to be relativists only in those areas that they consider to be matters of opinion rather than matters of fact. All of us act as if we believe that clocks and watches tell us the truth about time. We are not pluralists about whether London is the capital of England, or whether 2+2=4. The New Athiests are not postmodern when it comes to proclaiming the truth of athiesm, and denying the existence of God. The point I am making deserves emphasis. It is far too glib to say that someone is a relativist, for the simple reason that no one is a relativist in all areas. Indeed, in most areas, everyone turns out to be an absolutist.
Yes. To some people the idea of judgment is negative, especially a final judgment. But if there is no judgment it follows logically that there is no ultimate accountability, so that it doesn't really matter what I do, since I shall never be called to account for it. No society can operate like that without falling into anarchy...The bottom line is that accountability confers dignity and value on human beings. In ordinary life none of us likes to be treated as if we are not accountable or responsible. God has created us with a certain degree of freedom. We are capable of making choices. Denying ultimate accountability devalues me as a human being, because if what I do doesn't really matter then I don't matter either.
For instance, some words tend to fall foul of political correctness: truth, commandment, dogma, faith, conscience, morality, sin, chastity, charity, justice, authority, husband, wife; whereas a host of other words and concepts take centre-stage: rights, non-discrimination, choice, gender equality, plurality, cultural diversity. These profound changes arise from a postmodern deconstruction of truth, which involves removing truth from the objective realm to the subjective, and thus effectively relativizing it...This sounds quite paradoxical, but it is not. The pressure to conform will be felt the moment one questions any aspect of this relativism--that all lifestyles must be approved, for instance. The right to choose trumps everything else, including tradition and divine revelation. It is the one absolute in a sea of relativism, however self-contradictory that may be.
This is a very important principle. Daniel disagreed with these men; he was implacably opposed to their world-view. Yet even though it was a risky thing to do, he would still make it his business to intervene on their behalf in order to preserve their lives. This is a lesson in true tolerance. We do not tolerate people with whom we agree - the word itself indicates that is is people with whom we disagree. But we support their right to hold and express their worldview, provided it is without threat or incitement to violence. However, in many countries tolerance has degenerated into a simplistic, all-affirming political correctness: a debilitating and very dangerous attitude that prevents people saying what they believe in case anyone should take offence. It is the very antithesis of free speech, and it is having a paralysing effect on public discourse.
It would have been immediately obvious to them that this was the hardest test of loyalty to God they had ever faced. Indeed, it was the hardest test anyone could face. It was the ultimate value decision. On one side of the equation was position, family, wealth, security, life itself; and on the other side was there was God. Their lives had been on the line before. In chapter 2 Nebuchadnezzar made the decision to kill all the wise men, including Daniel and his friends, if they could not tell him what his dream was. Whether they lived or died depended entirely on God revealing the dream to them. This time it was different. They could save themselves simply by bowing down to the image. But was it worth it? Is there really something more valuable than human life? Especially when that life is my life? Imagine being one of these men and having to explain the situation to your family and friends. It is easy to see how they might try to talk you out of opposing Nebuchadnezzar.
'We all know that this idolatry is bogus - there is nothing real in it except the emperor wishing us to acknowledge his authority. What does it matter if we outwardly bow down to him? It doesn't mean that he controls our heads and our hearts. And if good men like you three - men of proven ability and integrity - refuse to bow down and get killed, that will make the situation even worse. You are top people; if you are not there to continue your powerful influence for good at the very highest levels of the state, what hope is there for the rest of us? And think of your wife and your children. What are they going to do if you throw your life away like this - needlessly? No, you must take part in the ceremony like everyone else for our sakes. We need you there in the corridors of power.'
Yet they were not prepared to compromise. Yes, bowing was an outward gesture; but it was calculated by Nebuchadnezzar to express acceptance of his idolatrous regime. The three friends were not prepared to do that - at any cost.
They totally rejected Nebuchadnezzar's claim that their God could not deliver them. They were convinced that God was well able to set them free, and they said so to Nebuchadnezzar. However, in a statement of breathtaking courage and confidence in God, they told the emperor that they had taken into consideration the possibility that God might not deliver them. They were not prepared to prescribe what God would do. That was for God to decide. But, no matter whether God delivered them or not, they were not going to bow to the statue. The issue was one of principled morality.
There is an important matter of principle here. God is a great deliverer - but he will not deliver us from having to make our own decisions. This is not because he is impotent but because he wants us to be strong. The development of our character depends crucially on the fact that we make responsible decisions before God for ourselves. For God to 'decide' for us would be to de-humanize us and essentially turn us into amoral robots.
But what I discovered in the camp was this: God does not help us to face theoretical situations but real ones. - man from Soviet Gulag
What does tolerance mean? I ask the question because it seems to me that one of the things that pose a real threat to human freedom is the contemporary understanding of tolerance. I say contemporary, because the old and good meaning of tolerance has been abandoned for something insidious and dangerous. The original meaning of the statement 'I tolerate you' was famously (and perhaps, rather extremely) expressed by Voltaire: 'I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.' Tolerance asserts the right to have convictions, to make judgments about right and wrong, which differ from those of others. It also asserts the right to express those views without fear. The word comes from the Latin tolerare, meaning 'to bear, endure, sustain hardship.' Tolerance does not demand that we accept the opinions, beliefs, and lifestyles of others, but only that we learn to live without forcing them to line up with us. The seventeenth-century philosopher John Locke advocated tolerance in order to protect religious adherents from state coercion. Such coercion, we should remember, was one of the reasons the Pilgrim Fathers sailed for America. True tolerance is principled; yet it involves knowing how to put up with things and people, as well as knowing when to offer criticism. True tolerance makes judgments without being judgmental. It is, therefore, capable of being intolerant of the fanaticism (both religious and secular) that inhibits true freedom. A classic example of the view that toleration is wrong was expressed by the French theologian Jacques Benigne Bossuet, who wrote in 1691, 'I have the right to persecute you because I am right and you are wrong.' Such a view is, of course, offensive, and principled tolerance is always careful to avoid offence wherever possible. However, offence may not always be avoidable, especially where truth is concerned. The new tolerance, however, is completely different. It seizes on the idea of offence and holds that I must not ever offend anyone else by expressing disapproval of any aspect of his or her behavior or ideas. The new tolerance disapproves of all absolutes except this one: you will be tolerant of everyone else's view. You must, however, be intolerant of intolerance. This means that crticism is forbidden, and must be replaced by unrestrained affirmation and praise, or silence. The new tolerance is intolerant of the old, and indeed negates it. To put it another way: the old tolerance accepted the existence of other views while disagreeing with them; the new tolerance insists on accepting the views themselves and not merely their existence. Such tolerance acts as an acid that not only dissolves human freedom and flourishing but also dissolved truth and morality - other views are to be accepted to be true as your won. If we are not allowed to make judgments or have convictions any more, then all that is left is for us to descend to a kind of ethical neutrality. In the end, tolerance simply becomes a synonym for unconditional approval. We have lost our human dimensions of virtue and truth. In that sense, we have become merely animal.
As it is for many today, the Greek ideal in life was the pursuit of the good (happiness); and they laid great emphasis on human reason as the vehicle for achieving it. For them, man was the measure of all things. And, just as there were may Jews who bought into it, today we have a Christianized version:
'A conscience soothing Jesus, with an unscandalous cross, an otherworldly kingdom, a private, inwardly limited spirit, a pocket God, a spiritualized Bible, and an escapists church. Its goal is a happy, comfortable, and successful life, obtainable through the forgiveness of an abstract sinfulness by faith in an unhistorical God.'"
I wonder how Gray knows this. I presume he would accept that his book, from which I have just quoted, is part of his life and history. If he is right, in what he asserts, then his book can have no meaning beyond himself--and hence, surely, none for you or me. His theory of the meaninglessness of history fails to be valid for us, so he cannot know that your history or mine has no meaning. The circle in which he is trapped by his logical incoherence is made of sterner stuff than chalk. Like all who espouse such relativism, he falls into the error of making himself and his ideas an exception to the logical consequences of those ideas. His epistemology is incoherent.
Anyone who uses force of any kind to impose Christ's message on people is acting in defiance of Christ's explicit commands. In other words, they are engaging in anti-Christian activity. Their claim to be followers of Christ is, therefore, proved to be spurious. The existence of counterfeit money does not prove that the real and genuine thing does not exist, even though it may make it harder to find.
Socrates later exposed objective truth and our subjective response to it...At the heart of postmodernism lies a patent self-contradiction. It expects us to accept, as absolute truth, that there are no absolute truths. We should note this common, fatally flawed characteristic of relativistic thinking: it tries to exclude itself from its own pronouncements. The fact is that no one can live without a concept of absolute truth. If you do not believe this, try convincing a bank manager that the red figures he sees on his computer under your account number are not absolute values. Indeed, in the ordinary practical business of life, people tend to be relativists only in those areas that they consider to be matters of opinion rather than matters of fact. All of us act as if we believe that clocks and watches tell us the truth about time. We are not pluralists about whether London is the capital of England, or whether 2+2=4. The New Athiests are not postmodern when it comes to proclaiming the truth of athiesm, and denying the existence of God. The point I am making deserves emphasis. It is far too glib to say that someone is a relativist, for the simple reason that no one is a relativist in all areas. Indeed, in most areas, everyone turns out to be an absolutist.
Yes. To some people the idea of judgment is negative, especially a final judgment. But if there is no judgment it follows logically that there is no ultimate accountability, so that it doesn't really matter what I do, since I shall never be called to account for it. No society can operate like that without falling into anarchy...The bottom line is that accountability confers dignity and value on human beings. In ordinary life none of us likes to be treated as if we are not accountable or responsible. God has created us with a certain degree of freedom. We are capable of making choices. Denying ultimate accountability devalues me as a human being, because if what I do doesn't really matter then I don't matter either.
For instance, some words tend to fall foul of political correctness: truth, commandment, dogma, faith, conscience, morality, sin, chastity, charity, justice, authority, husband, wife; whereas a host of other words and concepts take centre-stage: rights, non-discrimination, choice, gender equality, plurality, cultural diversity. These profound changes arise from a postmodern deconstruction of truth, which involves removing truth from the objective realm to the subjective, and thus effectively relativizing it...This sounds quite paradoxical, but it is not. The pressure to conform will be felt the moment one questions any aspect of this relativism--that all lifestyles must be approved, for instance. The right to choose trumps everything else, including tradition and divine revelation. It is the one absolute in a sea of relativism, however self-contradictory that may be.
This is a very important principle. Daniel disagreed with these men; he was implacably opposed to their world-view. Yet even though it was a risky thing to do, he would still make it his business to intervene on their behalf in order to preserve their lives. This is a lesson in true tolerance. We do not tolerate people with whom we agree - the word itself indicates that is is people with whom we disagree. But we support their right to hold and express their worldview, provided it is without threat or incitement to violence. However, in many countries tolerance has degenerated into a simplistic, all-affirming political correctness: a debilitating and very dangerous attitude that prevents people saying what they believe in case anyone should take offence. It is the very antithesis of free speech, and it is having a paralysing effect on public discourse.
It would have been immediately obvious to them that this was the hardest test of loyalty to God they had ever faced. Indeed, it was the hardest test anyone could face. It was the ultimate value decision. On one side of the equation was position, family, wealth, security, life itself; and on the other side was there was God. Their lives had been on the line before. In chapter 2 Nebuchadnezzar made the decision to kill all the wise men, including Daniel and his friends, if they could not tell him what his dream was. Whether they lived or died depended entirely on God revealing the dream to them. This time it was different. They could save themselves simply by bowing down to the image. But was it worth it? Is there really something more valuable than human life? Especially when that life is my life? Imagine being one of these men and having to explain the situation to your family and friends. It is easy to see how they might try to talk you out of opposing Nebuchadnezzar.
'We all know that this idolatry is bogus - there is nothing real in it except the emperor wishing us to acknowledge his authority. What does it matter if we outwardly bow down to him? It doesn't mean that he controls our heads and our hearts. And if good men like you three - men of proven ability and integrity - refuse to bow down and get killed, that will make the situation even worse. You are top people; if you are not there to continue your powerful influence for good at the very highest levels of the state, what hope is there for the rest of us? And think of your wife and your children. What are they going to do if you throw your life away like this - needlessly? No, you must take part in the ceremony like everyone else for our sakes. We need you there in the corridors of power.'
Yet they were not prepared to compromise. Yes, bowing was an outward gesture; but it was calculated by Nebuchadnezzar to express acceptance of his idolatrous regime. The three friends were not prepared to do that - at any cost.
They totally rejected Nebuchadnezzar's claim that their God could not deliver them. They were convinced that God was well able to set them free, and they said so to Nebuchadnezzar. However, in a statement of breathtaking courage and confidence in God, they told the emperor that they had taken into consideration the possibility that God might not deliver them. They were not prepared to prescribe what God would do. That was for God to decide. But, no matter whether God delivered them or not, they were not going to bow to the statue. The issue was one of principled morality.
There is an important matter of principle here. God is a great deliverer - but he will not deliver us from having to make our own decisions. This is not because he is impotent but because he wants us to be strong. The development of our character depends crucially on the fact that we make responsible decisions before God for ourselves. For God to 'decide' for us would be to de-humanize us and essentially turn us into amoral robots.
But what I discovered in the camp was this: God does not help us to face theoretical situations but real ones. - man from Soviet Gulag
What does tolerance mean? I ask the question because it seems to me that one of the things that pose a real threat to human freedom is the contemporary understanding of tolerance. I say contemporary, because the old and good meaning of tolerance has been abandoned for something insidious and dangerous. The original meaning of the statement 'I tolerate you' was famously (and perhaps, rather extremely) expressed by Voltaire: 'I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.' Tolerance asserts the right to have convictions, to make judgments about right and wrong, which differ from those of others. It also asserts the right to express those views without fear. The word comes from the Latin tolerare, meaning 'to bear, endure, sustain hardship.' Tolerance does not demand that we accept the opinions, beliefs, and lifestyles of others, but only that we learn to live without forcing them to line up with us. The seventeenth-century philosopher John Locke advocated tolerance in order to protect religious adherents from state coercion. Such coercion, we should remember, was one of the reasons the Pilgrim Fathers sailed for America. True tolerance is principled; yet it involves knowing how to put up with things and people, as well as knowing when to offer criticism. True tolerance makes judgments without being judgmental. It is, therefore, capable of being intolerant of the fanaticism (both religious and secular) that inhibits true freedom. A classic example of the view that toleration is wrong was expressed by the French theologian Jacques Benigne Bossuet, who wrote in 1691, 'I have the right to persecute you because I am right and you are wrong.' Such a view is, of course, offensive, and principled tolerance is always careful to avoid offence wherever possible. However, offence may not always be avoidable, especially where truth is concerned. The new tolerance, however, is completely different. It seizes on the idea of offence and holds that I must not ever offend anyone else by expressing disapproval of any aspect of his or her behavior or ideas. The new tolerance disapproves of all absolutes except this one: you will be tolerant of everyone else's view. You must, however, be intolerant of intolerance. This means that crticism is forbidden, and must be replaced by unrestrained affirmation and praise, or silence. The new tolerance is intolerant of the old, and indeed negates it. To put it another way: the old tolerance accepted the existence of other views while disagreeing with them; the new tolerance insists on accepting the views themselves and not merely their existence. Such tolerance acts as an acid that not only dissolves human freedom and flourishing but also dissolved truth and morality - other views are to be accepted to be true as your won. If we are not allowed to make judgments or have convictions any more, then all that is left is for us to descend to a kind of ethical neutrality. In the end, tolerance simply becomes a synonym for unconditional approval. We have lost our human dimensions of virtue and truth. In that sense, we have become merely animal.
As it is for many today, the Greek ideal in life was the pursuit of the good (happiness); and they laid great emphasis on human reason as the vehicle for achieving it. For them, man was the measure of all things. And, just as there were may Jews who bought into it, today we have a Christianized version:
'A conscience soothing Jesus, with an unscandalous cross, an otherworldly kingdom, a private, inwardly limited spirit, a pocket God, a spiritualized Bible, and an escapists church. Its goal is a happy, comfortable, and successful life, obtainable through the forgiveness of an abstract sinfulness by faith in an unhistorical God.'"
April 19, 2015
Want to know what life was really like for Daniel as he was drug into captivity along with thousands of other Jewish citizens? Do you want to see what ancient Babylon looked like? This book has everything from how the palace was laid out, which gods were worshiped, the thickness of the wall surrounding the city, to the experiences Daniel and his countrymen would have had to face. Unbelievable! I can’t even imagine the hours spend researching such a book!!!
This is something that I will read and re-read. It really gives you an understanding of what was happening. Inside the book are BEAUTIFUL, glossy pictures depicting the different things found from ancient Babylon to depictions made from the stories in the book of Daniel.
Please pick up a copy! This is one of the best Biblical research books you’ll ever find! It’s certainly the most thorough work I’ve read!!!! It will also make a great gift for any pastor, student, or friend interested in learning more about the Bible.
Thank you, Litfuse, for this wonderful book!! As always, this is my honest opinion. Here’s to many more!!!
This is something that I will read and re-read. It really gives you an understanding of what was happening. Inside the book are BEAUTIFUL, glossy pictures depicting the different things found from ancient Babylon to depictions made from the stories in the book of Daniel.
Please pick up a copy! This is one of the best Biblical research books you’ll ever find! It’s certainly the most thorough work I’ve read!!!! It will also make a great gift for any pastor, student, or friend interested in learning more about the Bible.
Thank you, Litfuse, for this wonderful book!! As always, this is my honest opinion. Here’s to many more!!!
June 11, 2018
John Lennox gives us a fresh, unique & different way of understanding & applying the text & truths from the Book of Daniel. It really is fabulous, he does a masterful job of unveiling Daniel & the lessons we can learn from someone who was taken captive, held against his will for many years, yet was able to gain the confidence of the leaders of the country & succeed. His interweaving of the story with its historical impact on the rest of history up to & including the return of Jesus are superb. The book is thought-provoking, & informative. So if you want to be inspired & challenged to live for the truth of God in this evil & present generation this book will do that. It will equip you to dismantle the moral relativism that permeates our society. Not a reference book but more of a devotional tool in evangelism & personal spiritual growth. You’ll have no regrets purchasing & reading this gem.
June 3, 2015
This is an excellent book. Initially I thought that it was a bible study or commentary on the book of Daniel. While this is also true, the book is also more than that. It fits with Lennox’s other books relating to science, the new atheism and living for Jesus today. Lennox discusses the many analogies between what happened in the book of Daniel and the same struggles and temptations Christian will have in today’s intolerantly politically correct culture. Near the end of the book, Lennox discussed more the prophetic parts of the book, and this was excellent right up to the final chapter. This final chapter was not nearly as cohesive as the other chapters.
December 28, 2022
This was an exceptional read! A perfect book for our time. It’s highly relevant and had such thought provoking moments that I won’t soon forget the lessons within. Dr Lennox unpacks the story of Daniel and all of its intrigue. He shows us it’s relevancy today as it was historically years ago. Daniel is a man to look up to in that he never shrunk from a challenge and he also never let others dictate who he is and what he believes in. Where did such a faith come from? The power of God at work in him. He was never alone in facing the most difficult things and even persecution. His faith in the Lord is a model to all of us.
April 10, 2024
last chapter has some new points against theological determinism / reformed theology- Moses asking his name to be blotted out- can be inferred that the Book of life is not a static, determined list of names; but sin is what removes people from the book; John 3:18-19 states the reason for not having life, a lack of believe and a love for darkness, not a predetermined list by God.
January 20, 2025
Read this years ago and I just noticed I never added it.
I recall how Lennox spent plenty of time arguing for the historicity of Danial and the early dating.
If this could be demonstrated, then hundreds of history, political intrigue, wars, and politics from Nebecanezzer up until Antiochus Epiphany is laid out, and this would be proof of the divine inspiration of Danial (and presumably, for Lennox) the rest of scripture.
Having studied the matter myself, I found Lennox's argument to be very weak.
We have several "visions" in Danial which all seem to carry the same message.
Babylon would be replaced by Persia, and they would be replaced by Greece, which would split into four empires, eventually Antiochus Epiphany would attempt to eradicate the Jews, but God would kill him, and the Son of man would return to establish the Kingdom and there would be the resurrection of the martyrs, so they could enjoy the kingdom, and the unfaithful Jews would be raised face everlasting contempt.
There are a lot of reasons to see this book written during Antiochus' Epiphany, it accurately presents history up to Antiochus, but then tries to predict the future and it gets wrong how Antiochus would die and it got wrong the end of the world (which was to occur a few years after Antiochus' death)--so the only part that was actually prophecy DID NOT happen. What is tragic, is the book was embraced by some Jews and reworked, and the last beast was creatively made into Rome, even though this created endless problems--the ingenuity of the faithful could rework the numbers and make new prophecies (a handful aligned with Jesus) but again, the end of the world did not occur as Jesus, Paul, and John envisioned in the immediate future. Danial has been repurposed by every generation to our common day. Sigh...
All the numbers and symbolism only work with the Beast being Greece/Antiochus. Strip it from its original context, then the pictures can speak 10,000 words. If I talked about an Elephant trampling a Donkey at the ballot box, for modern readers, they know I am talking about Republicans and Democrats. But 2000 years from now, another culture that has no idea could make the elephant and the donkey represent ANYTHING.
Lennox must engage in ludicrous mental gymnastics, believing that mid-sentence the author of Daniel switched from clearly talking about Antiochus, and then switching to thousands of years in the future! So in other words, it is talking about Antiochus, and yet, when it talks about Antiochus death and says AT THIS TIME, the tribulation and resurrection of the dead would occur. It mid-sentence talked about someone else's death in what is still our future!
So what Lennox is thinking is something like this. Suppose we found a book from Solomon we read "There was a shepherd who became king, he killed a giant with a stone, later slayed a man and took his wife and God killed his baby, and then this king was investigated for collaborating with the bear and inciting his followers to storm of the capital. He was then smitten in the ear by weapon fierce, but he rose as though from the dead, fist held high and is to be again inaugurated as king, and the land of the North and the land of the South, the land of ice called Green and the canal will all be made his plunder, but the orange man will stumble and no one will help him, and then immediately, the Son of Man will come on the clouds and the dead shall arise!"
As Daniel is talking about Antiochus but then is wrong about his death and the end of the world that was to immediately follow, Lennox who cannot just read the text, but must in desperation concoct an absurd and desperate rationalization.
Though it is clear that Daniel was wrong in his attempt to predict the future, we can still read it as a literary masterpiece. it does illustrate how empires rise and fall--and how God-fearers can faithfully live in an empire. But please do not take it as predictive. We have now divorced the symbolism and the numbers from their original context and they thus can be made to represent anything and anytime. People have made fools of themselves EVERY generation since this book was penned. We have over 2000 years of people wrongly trying to predict the future with this book, every person has been wrong. Lennox is just one more, whose fundamentalist leanings force him to attempt to try and divine the future from Daniel, which is as effective as divining the future from the guts of chickens.
A waste of time, and sometimes a very dangerous diversion.
I recall how Lennox spent plenty of time arguing for the historicity of Danial and the early dating.
If this could be demonstrated, then hundreds of history, political intrigue, wars, and politics from Nebecanezzer up until Antiochus Epiphany is laid out, and this would be proof of the divine inspiration of Danial (and presumably, for Lennox) the rest of scripture.
Having studied the matter myself, I found Lennox's argument to be very weak.
We have several "visions" in Danial which all seem to carry the same message.
Babylon would be replaced by Persia, and they would be replaced by Greece, which would split into four empires, eventually Antiochus Epiphany would attempt to eradicate the Jews, but God would kill him, and the Son of man would return to establish the Kingdom and there would be the resurrection of the martyrs, so they could enjoy the kingdom, and the unfaithful Jews would be raised face everlasting contempt.
There are a lot of reasons to see this book written during Antiochus' Epiphany, it accurately presents history up to Antiochus, but then tries to predict the future and it gets wrong how Antiochus would die and it got wrong the end of the world (which was to occur a few years after Antiochus' death)--so the only part that was actually prophecy DID NOT happen. What is tragic, is the book was embraced by some Jews and reworked, and the last beast was creatively made into Rome, even though this created endless problems--the ingenuity of the faithful could rework the numbers and make new prophecies (a handful aligned with Jesus) but again, the end of the world did not occur as Jesus, Paul, and John envisioned in the immediate future. Danial has been repurposed by every generation to our common day. Sigh...
All the numbers and symbolism only work with the Beast being Greece/Antiochus. Strip it from its original context, then the pictures can speak 10,000 words. If I talked about an Elephant trampling a Donkey at the ballot box, for modern readers, they know I am talking about Republicans and Democrats. But 2000 years from now, another culture that has no idea could make the elephant and the donkey represent ANYTHING.
Lennox must engage in ludicrous mental gymnastics, believing that mid-sentence the author of Daniel switched from clearly talking about Antiochus, and then switching to thousands of years in the future! So in other words, it is talking about Antiochus, and yet, when it talks about Antiochus death and says AT THIS TIME, the tribulation and resurrection of the dead would occur. It mid-sentence talked about someone else's death in what is still our future!
So what Lennox is thinking is something like this. Suppose we found a book from Solomon we read "There was a shepherd who became king, he killed a giant with a stone, later slayed a man and took his wife and God killed his baby, and then this king was investigated for collaborating with the bear and inciting his followers to storm of the capital. He was then smitten in the ear by weapon fierce, but he rose as though from the dead, fist held high and is to be again inaugurated as king, and the land of the North and the land of the South, the land of ice called Green and the canal will all be made his plunder, but the orange man will stumble and no one will help him, and then immediately, the Son of Man will come on the clouds and the dead shall arise!"
As Daniel is talking about Antiochus but then is wrong about his death and the end of the world that was to immediately follow, Lennox who cannot just read the text, but must in desperation concoct an absurd and desperate rationalization.
Though it is clear that Daniel was wrong in his attempt to predict the future, we can still read it as a literary masterpiece. it does illustrate how empires rise and fall--and how God-fearers can faithfully live in an empire. But please do not take it as predictive. We have now divorced the symbolism and the numbers from their original context and they thus can be made to represent anything and anytime. People have made fools of themselves EVERY generation since this book was penned. We have over 2000 years of people wrongly trying to predict the future with this book, every person has been wrong. Lennox is just one more, whose fundamentalist leanings force him to attempt to try and divine the future from Daniel, which is as effective as divining the future from the guts of chickens.
A waste of time, and sometimes a very dangerous diversion.
July 21, 2020
IF the book of Daniel can be shown to have been written in the 6th century BC, it will reveal it's supernatural origin. But if it can't, it is simply just another book that was written with the benefit of hindsight. Here are 3 arguments as to why it is given the 6th century date:
1. The Reality of Supernatural Revelation
The book of Daniel affirms strongly that there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries to his chosen servants, interpreting the meaning of events past, present, and future, as all these are “present” to God in eternity. (399)
That said, we might ask why God would have revealed these details. For the suggestion of an answer, we may think of the reasons Jesus told his disciples beforehand what was going to happen to him and to them. Jesus was concerned that when persecutions, wars, famines, and plagues came, they should be forewarned and comforted by the knowledge that these things would not last for ever but would ultimately herald the beginning of a new order of creation.
2. The Implication of Historical Evidence
The date preferred by those who do not accept supernatural revelation is the second century BC, during the time of the Maccabean revolt. This view gained ground with the rise of higher criticism and the anti-supernaturalism of the Enlightenment. However, there is historical evidence arising from the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran that makes this date difficult. The book of Daniel was clearly already seen as part of holy Scripture, yet it is almost inconceivable that it would have achieved canonical status by 100 BC if a Maccabean sect had written it just fifty years earlier.
3. The Internal Structure of the Book Itself
The placing of Daniel 9 parallel to Daniel 4 in the overall structure of the book compares God’s discipline of Nebuchadnezzar with God’s discipline of Jerusalem, whereas in the time of the Maccabean revolt we would have expected Nebuchadnezzar to be paralleled with Antiochus, whose judgment prefigured the eternal judgment of the wicked and not the temporary disciplining of God’s people. (400)
(Ask me if you would like more details--I know this was brief. I'm just trying to highlight the points.)
This book by John C. Lennox was FASCINATING! It was written from a scholarly perspective, but I think lay people can read and understand it too.
It covers SO many WORLDVIEW topics (this is not exhaustive, of course):
-How the book is anchored in history
-The problem of evil and suffering
-Faith and legitimate evidence
-Morality: can it be objective, or is it all subjective?
-Theism vs atheism
-Miracles vs anti-supernatural bias
-Idolatry
-Archaeological evidence related to Daniel (i.e. Ishtar gate in the Pergamon Museum, Berlin)
-Truth and postmodernism
-Human identity
He covers these topics throughout and digs deep into the latest evidence surrounding the book. He brings the book to life and it will DEFINITELY help us to be salmon--swimming against the current of our Age of Relativism. IF you read this book, it will GREATLY help you think through these topics AND help you see the winsomeness of the Christian faith. I took WAY more notes in my own files than I would like to admit. LOL
This book also provides an outline, questions for reflection and discussion, an index and a substantial amount of helpful footnotes to delve deeper into the material.
Well, what are you waiting for!?!?!?!?!
1. The Reality of Supernatural Revelation
The book of Daniel affirms strongly that there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries to his chosen servants, interpreting the meaning of events past, present, and future, as all these are “present” to God in eternity. (399)
That said, we might ask why God would have revealed these details. For the suggestion of an answer, we may think of the reasons Jesus told his disciples beforehand what was going to happen to him and to them. Jesus was concerned that when persecutions, wars, famines, and plagues came, they should be forewarned and comforted by the knowledge that these things would not last for ever but would ultimately herald the beginning of a new order of creation.
2. The Implication of Historical Evidence
The date preferred by those who do not accept supernatural revelation is the second century BC, during the time of the Maccabean revolt. This view gained ground with the rise of higher criticism and the anti-supernaturalism of the Enlightenment. However, there is historical evidence arising from the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran that makes this date difficult. The book of Daniel was clearly already seen as part of holy Scripture, yet it is almost inconceivable that it would have achieved canonical status by 100 BC if a Maccabean sect had written it just fifty years earlier.
3. The Internal Structure of the Book Itself
The placing of Daniel 9 parallel to Daniel 4 in the overall structure of the book compares God’s discipline of Nebuchadnezzar with God’s discipline of Jerusalem, whereas in the time of the Maccabean revolt we would have expected Nebuchadnezzar to be paralleled with Antiochus, whose judgment prefigured the eternal judgment of the wicked and not the temporary disciplining of God’s people. (400)
(Ask me if you would like more details--I know this was brief. I'm just trying to highlight the points.)
This book by John C. Lennox was FASCINATING! It was written from a scholarly perspective, but I think lay people can read and understand it too.
It covers SO many WORLDVIEW topics (this is not exhaustive, of course):
-How the book is anchored in history
-The problem of evil and suffering
-Faith and legitimate evidence
-Morality: can it be objective, or is it all subjective?
-Theism vs atheism
-Miracles vs anti-supernatural bias
-Idolatry
-Archaeological evidence related to Daniel (i.e. Ishtar gate in the Pergamon Museum, Berlin)
-Truth and postmodernism
-Human identity
He covers these topics throughout and digs deep into the latest evidence surrounding the book. He brings the book to life and it will DEFINITELY help us to be salmon--swimming against the current of our Age of Relativism. IF you read this book, it will GREATLY help you think through these topics AND help you see the winsomeness of the Christian faith. I took WAY more notes in my own files than I would like to admit. LOL
This book also provides an outline, questions for reflection and discussion, an index and a substantial amount of helpful footnotes to delve deeper into the material.
Well, what are you waiting for!?!?!?!?!
December 2, 2018
The book of Daniel is the standout apocalyptic document of the Hebrew bible, rivaled (and revisited in large part) by Revelation in the Christian canon. I am not sure that I have really engaged with it in recent years up till now: the example of Daniel and co in an ancient, pre-Christian setting and the forward looking prophecy left me feeling it was too lofty for someone stuck 'in the middle' of these poles. Lennox did a good job in reconnecting me with this book, thanks to my brother's inspiration to give it as a Christmas gift last year. As seems to be the case with me with other Lennox books, I was not enamored with all he had to say, but perhaps that's a strength of his approach (enabling dissent) or the fact that his scientific approach is similar to mine (so I'm more sensitive to smallish deviations from my preferences).
A strength of Lennox is his willingness to tackle the elephant in the room - was Daniel really able to predict the rise of the likes of Alexander the Great, or is the book instead a post-dated retelling of past events with some other, less dramatic, spiritual value. He takes the former view and while I didn't think his explanations are overwhelmingly convincing, it is at least a perspective that doesn't simply roll over to anti-supernatural arguments.
I also found myself far more educated about the second part of Daniel. Lennox outlines the structure of Daniel clearly, two halves with parallels between each. In hindsight I realize that I have previously glossed over the more abstract second half. Lennox goes into the detail of the various visions and their close parallel with known history, and the minutiae of the post Alexander internal conflicts of the Greek empire.
While these aspects were engaging, I found that Lennox's role as modern day apologist lessened the impact. Yes, there is some relevance to the relativism of Daniels time and our own, but it is hardly the point of the book. And so, this book became a little stranded in my view between an apologetic discourse and a commentary. Whilst it is not his background, I would have preferred a focus on the latter I think, accepting the former as relevant sidelines.
Overall I am not sure this could not have done with an extra revision. There is some excellent analysis, along with tables and illustrations which help summarize and visualize the material. But it seemed patchy - sometimes detailed with supportive summaries, but at other times thin and somehow undeveloped. His comparisons with New Testament apocalyptic writing (Matthew, Paul and johns revelation) were also a little incredulous, as if similarities between Daniel and these passages were independent of the literary influence of Daniel and other Hebrew writing. However, wherever one lands on the prophetic component of Daniel, I think Lennox's book helps the modern reader take it seriously, which we are perhaps tempted not to do with apocalypse.
A strength of Lennox is his willingness to tackle the elephant in the room - was Daniel really able to predict the rise of the likes of Alexander the Great, or is the book instead a post-dated retelling of past events with some other, less dramatic, spiritual value. He takes the former view and while I didn't think his explanations are overwhelmingly convincing, it is at least a perspective that doesn't simply roll over to anti-supernatural arguments.
I also found myself far more educated about the second part of Daniel. Lennox outlines the structure of Daniel clearly, two halves with parallels between each. In hindsight I realize that I have previously glossed over the more abstract second half. Lennox goes into the detail of the various visions and their close parallel with known history, and the minutiae of the post Alexander internal conflicts of the Greek empire.
While these aspects were engaging, I found that Lennox's role as modern day apologist lessened the impact. Yes, there is some relevance to the relativism of Daniels time and our own, but it is hardly the point of the book. And so, this book became a little stranded in my view between an apologetic discourse and a commentary. Whilst it is not his background, I would have preferred a focus on the latter I think, accepting the former as relevant sidelines.
Overall I am not sure this could not have done with an extra revision. There is some excellent analysis, along with tables and illustrations which help summarize and visualize the material. But it seemed patchy - sometimes detailed with supportive summaries, but at other times thin and somehow undeveloped. His comparisons with New Testament apocalyptic writing (Matthew, Paul and johns revelation) were also a little incredulous, as if similarities between Daniel and these passages were independent of the literary influence of Daniel and other Hebrew writing. However, wherever one lands on the prophetic component of Daniel, I think Lennox's book helps the modern reader take it seriously, which we are perhaps tempted not to do with apocalypse.
May 22, 2019
I have been studying the book of Daniel, and this is one of the five commentaries I have been using for reference. What sets this commentary apart from the others is that Dr. Lennox is a math professor, not a theologian. Because our society is rapidly secularizing, we Christians are increasingly finding ourselves dealing with people who not only do not share our Christian values, but are often completely ignorant of them and likely to assume that we are being intolerant or full of hate when we a stand we take based on biblical commands or inferences from biblical passages. Would they not take equally strong stands when their own core values are at stake? But I digress. The moral landscape of society has changed significantly over my five decades of life and seems to have experienced a sea change over the past decade. As a Christian, I find that day-to-day interactions feel like an unmarked minefield, and I looked to Daniel for inspiration, for he lived out that same minefield not just as a faithful Jew in pagan Babylon, but as a civil servant in the Babylonian government.
As noted above, Dr. Lennox is not a theologian. That he has a strong apologetics background, and he puts it to use in the points he makes, offering lessons based on his interpretation for playing both defense and offense. He also extracts numerous ethical observations from both the narrative and apocalyptic portions of the book. In general, I found them to be quite insightful. Because I discuss the point with which I disagreed most in my review of his book Gunning for God (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...), I don’t see a point in repeating my discussion here.
Regarding Dr. Lennox’s interpretation of the apocalyptic sections, he appears to strongly believe it yet presents his beliefs with humility. Consider this statement:
“We who live between that time and the time of the end must remain humble and open to the fact that we don’t understand everything. In all our running to and fro, and increase of knowledge, we might even be wrong about some of our attempts to understand prophecy.”
What a breath of fresh air! In three of the five commentaries I have been reading, the theologians have been so dogmatic about their interpretations of exceedingly opaque prophetic texts that it appears that they consider their often mutually exclusive interpretations as self-evident. For that matter, they seemed so skilled at shooting holes in opposing interpretations and so apparently pathologically blind to the holes in their own, that I got the impression of a circular firing squad. So, the humility shown by such a brilliant man as Dr. Lennox was absolutely refreshing. If you are looking for a commentary on Daniel, I strongly recommend this one for consideration, not as the only one but as one of several with diverse viewpoints. The prophetic material is exceedingly complex, and I don’t think that any one commentator has all the answers.
As noted above, Dr. Lennox is not a theologian. That he has a strong apologetics background, and he puts it to use in the points he makes, offering lessons based on his interpretation for playing both defense and offense. He also extracts numerous ethical observations from both the narrative and apocalyptic portions of the book. In general, I found them to be quite insightful. Because I discuss the point with which I disagreed most in my review of his book Gunning for God (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...), I don’t see a point in repeating my discussion here.
Regarding Dr. Lennox’s interpretation of the apocalyptic sections, he appears to strongly believe it yet presents his beliefs with humility. Consider this statement:
“We who live between that time and the time of the end must remain humble and open to the fact that we don’t understand everything. In all our running to and fro, and increase of knowledge, we might even be wrong about some of our attempts to understand prophecy.”
What a breath of fresh air! In three of the five commentaries I have been reading, the theologians have been so dogmatic about their interpretations of exceedingly opaque prophetic texts that it appears that they consider their often mutually exclusive interpretations as self-evident. For that matter, they seemed so skilled at shooting holes in opposing interpretations and so apparently pathologically blind to the holes in their own, that I got the impression of a circular firing squad. So, the humility shown by such a brilliant man as Dr. Lennox was absolutely refreshing. If you are looking for a commentary on Daniel, I strongly recommend this one for consideration, not as the only one but as one of several with diverse viewpoints. The prophetic material is exceedingly complex, and I don’t think that any one commentator has all the answers.
April 8, 2018
Judging this book is not easy. Unlike most readers, I suspect, I came to it with a particular Seventh-Day Adventist background. In my denomination, the Book of Daniel has been treated as almost an equal of the gospels themselves, well, definitely on par with Acts of the Apostles. (Not saying I condone this prioritizing...) So I love the book of Daniel, and I knew it very well beforehand. Reading this book then felt somewhat like a superficial introduction a lot of the time.
Dr Lennox is known for taking on present-day secularism and atheism. As a man who has debated Dawkins I can understand that this is his thing, but though New Atheism had its birth in the years following 2001, I'm not sure it's really all that relevant or widespread today. In other words, I'm not convinced that he truly engages today's culture and how *most* people would feel about Daniel. Some of the comparisons of Biblical characters to present-day atheists also feel forced. Whatever we think of Antiochus Epiphanes (and however much he fulfilled prophecies of Daniel), he hardly had a modern atheist worldview. Rather than an honest exegetical approach into the worldview of Daniel and its villains, it feels too much like he's reading the Book through 21st century glasses, sadly.
The later chapters are insightful and presents some serious arguments against the interpretations of my own denomination. I can appreciate that. I believe he puts too much emphasis on ethnic Israel and geographic Jerusalem, though I've seen a lot worse. And of course, I appreciate his getting the main theme of the Book right, or rather: I appreciate that I agree with him on the main points. Biblical prophecies have been the objects of much abuse within the Christian tradition. Lennox is humble and open-minded and keeps the everlasting, non-human Kingdom of Christ at the centre.
There's much to appreciate here, and it's a great introduction to the subject, which was probably the intention anyway. Hence, the modest rating is not supposed to reflect some objective evaluation, but rather my subjective experience of reading it.
Dr Lennox is known for taking on present-day secularism and atheism. As a man who has debated Dawkins I can understand that this is his thing, but though New Atheism had its birth in the years following 2001, I'm not sure it's really all that relevant or widespread today. In other words, I'm not convinced that he truly engages today's culture and how *most* people would feel about Daniel. Some of the comparisons of Biblical characters to present-day atheists also feel forced. Whatever we think of Antiochus Epiphanes (and however much he fulfilled prophecies of Daniel), he hardly had a modern atheist worldview. Rather than an honest exegetical approach into the worldview of Daniel and its villains, it feels too much like he's reading the Book through 21st century glasses, sadly.
The later chapters are insightful and presents some serious arguments against the interpretations of my own denomination. I can appreciate that. I believe he puts too much emphasis on ethnic Israel and geographic Jerusalem, though I've seen a lot worse. And of course, I appreciate his getting the main theme of the Book right, or rather: I appreciate that I agree with him on the main points. Biblical prophecies have been the objects of much abuse within the Christian tradition. Lennox is humble and open-minded and keeps the everlasting, non-human Kingdom of Christ at the centre.
There's much to appreciate here, and it's a great introduction to the subject, which was probably the intention anyway. Hence, the modest rating is not supposed to reflect some objective evaluation, but rather my subjective experience of reading it.
April 5, 2020
Good book that showing knowledge and being well researched. As the book of Daniel is made up of various different styles so to this book to cover them. Some of the highlights that I took away include:
“It is one thing to come to a sober estimate of turbulent and traumatic events after many years of reflection; it is quite another to have live through them, which is what Daniel and the others had to do. At one level they could see the events as representing the judgment of God on the behavior of the nation, and especially of its leaders. But as thinking, feeling human beings, surely they would have had questions as we would.” (page 15)
“We should take careful note, however, that Daniel did not protest against the education in the University of Babylon as such. He clearly devoted himself to it, and we can well imagine that he enjoyed his university course. He and his friends put such energy into the learning of the languages, literature, philosophy, science, economics, history and so on, that they were star pupils and ended up with the top distinctions, far ahead of the rest. Daniel did not protest as an observer outside the system: he protested as a participant.” (page 69)
“There is an important matter of principle here. God is a great deliverer – but he will not deliver us from having to make our own decisions. This is not because he is impotent but because he wants us to be strong. The development of our character depends crucially o the fact that we make responsible decisions before God for ourselves. For God to “decide” for us would be to de-humanize us and essentially turn us into amoral robots.” (page 147)
“It is one thing to come to a sober estimate of turbulent and traumatic events after many years of reflection; it is quite another to have live through them, which is what Daniel and the others had to do. At one level they could see the events as representing the judgment of God on the behavior of the nation, and especially of its leaders. But as thinking, feeling human beings, surely they would have had questions as we would.” (page 15)
“We should take careful note, however, that Daniel did not protest against the education in the University of Babylon as such. He clearly devoted himself to it, and we can well imagine that he enjoyed his university course. He and his friends put such energy into the learning of the languages, literature, philosophy, science, economics, history and so on, that they were star pupils and ended up with the top distinctions, far ahead of the rest. Daniel did not protest as an observer outside the system: he protested as a participant.” (page 69)
“There is an important matter of principle here. God is a great deliverer – but he will not deliver us from having to make our own decisions. This is not because he is impotent but because he wants us to be strong. The development of our character depends crucially o the fact that we make responsible decisions before God for ourselves. For God to “decide” for us would be to de-humanize us and essentially turn us into amoral robots.” (page 147)
September 13, 2023
Oxford Professor John Lennox has exceptional knowledge. I found Against the Flow both inspiring and interesting to read. It presents a fascinating history that spans multiple empires and conquests and kingdoms. John Lennox sets out to show us the book of Daniel in a new light, by revealing the significance of one life dedicated to God. Daniel shows the importance of moral living and making godly choices.
I appreciate the logic and thought flow of his parallels between life in Babylon for Daniel’s faith and life in a skeptical Western modern Babylon for personal faith. Lennox says “ It is becoming less and less the ‘done thing’ to mention God in public, let alone to confess to believing in anything exclusive and absolute, such as the uniqueness of Jesus Christ as Son of God and Savior.” Both Daniel and John Lennox are an inspiration and encouragement for believers to publicly discuss Biblical truths and defend their faith. John Lennox emphasizes that “Despite the opinions of modern cynics and ancient kings, God does exist and he does act in this world, revealing himself to mankind.”
I appreciate the logic and thought flow of his parallels between life in Babylon for Daniel’s faith and life in a skeptical Western modern Babylon for personal faith. Lennox says “ It is becoming less and less the ‘done thing’ to mention God in public, let alone to confess to believing in anything exclusive and absolute, such as the uniqueness of Jesus Christ as Son of God and Savior.” Both Daniel and John Lennox are an inspiration and encouragement for believers to publicly discuss Biblical truths and defend their faith. John Lennox emphasizes that “Despite the opinions of modern cynics and ancient kings, God does exist and he does act in this world, revealing himself to mankind.”
September 24, 2023
I picked up this book because of the title ‐ Against the flow is a kind of promising start for the book, and I thought it would use some of the parallels from the biblical story about Daniel.
Anyway, the book is about the Book of Daniel from the Bible with two premises:
1. The book of Daniel as a historical record of what happened in the Babylonian court and how that influenced the Jewish people and
2. To show how Daniel went against the flow with his strong faith and without willingness to compromise.
So this is my assessment of the book Against the Flow by John C. Lennox, according to my 8 criteria:
1. Related to practice - 3 stars
2. It prevails important - 3 stars
3. I agree with the read - 4 stars
4. not difficult to read (as for non English native) - 3 stars (I listened to text to voice app)
5. Too long (more than 500 pages) - short and concise (150-200 pages) - 3 stars (the whole concept could be summarized in one chapter)
6. Boring - every sentence is interesting - 4 stars
7. Learning opportunity - 4 stars
8. Dry and uninspired style of writing - Smooth style with humouristic and fun parts - 4 stars
Total 3,5 stars
Anyway, the book is about the Book of Daniel from the Bible with two premises:
1. The book of Daniel as a historical record of what happened in the Babylonian court and how that influenced the Jewish people and
2. To show how Daniel went against the flow with his strong faith and without willingness to compromise.
So this is my assessment of the book Against the Flow by John C. Lennox, according to my 8 criteria:
1. Related to practice - 3 stars
2. It prevails important - 3 stars
3. I agree with the read - 4 stars
4. not difficult to read (as for non English native) - 3 stars (I listened to text to voice app)
5. Too long (more than 500 pages) - short and concise (150-200 pages) - 3 stars (the whole concept could be summarized in one chapter)
6. Boring - every sentence is interesting - 4 stars
7. Learning opportunity - 4 stars
8. Dry and uninspired style of writing - Smooth style with humouristic and fun parts - 4 stars
Total 3,5 stars
February 3, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. Lennox did an excellent job of making the book of Daniel applicable to the twenty-first century, while also weaving in many of the extra-biblical resources available to help understand the world of Daniel.
Moreover, the section on prophecy was well-done. Lennox was careful to defend the inspiration of Holy Scripture—especially the supernatural element of God being able to know and announce the future, but he did so without being sensational and speculative. Instead, he was biblical and balanced.
Bottom line, a great book for bible teachers and pastor who are looking for a great resource to help them in their studies, but it is also a great book for anyone who is looking for an interesting, informative, and inspiring book to include in their devotional reading.
Moreover, the section on prophecy was well-done. Lennox was careful to defend the inspiration of Holy Scripture—especially the supernatural element of God being able to know and announce the future, but he did so without being sensational and speculative. Instead, he was biblical and balanced.
Bottom line, a great book for bible teachers and pastor who are looking for a great resource to help them in their studies, but it is also a great book for anyone who is looking for an interesting, informative, and inspiring book to include in their devotional reading.
March 31, 2022
"This is one of the open secrets of Daniel's life and witness. He believed that the Scriptures were the Word of the living God."
Having enjoyed Dr Lennox's writing in the past, I decided to check out his work on the book of Daniel in the Bible. "Against the Flow" is not merely a study of the prophet Daniel's life, but it is an exposition of the entire book of Daniel. The author covers the historical setting, interpretation of the prophecies, and connects all of it to the rest of the Bible. I especially appreciate how the book champions the truth of Biblical prophecy with practical applications. If you are interested in learning more about the book of Daniel, I strongly recommend this book!
Having enjoyed Dr Lennox's writing in the past, I decided to check out his work on the book of Daniel in the Bible. "Against the Flow" is not merely a study of the prophet Daniel's life, but it is an exposition of the entire book of Daniel. The author covers the historical setting, interpretation of the prophecies, and connects all of it to the rest of the Bible. I especially appreciate how the book champions the truth of Biblical prophecy with practical applications. If you are interested in learning more about the book of Daniel, I strongly recommend this book!
November 10, 2023
Un excelente libro que nos relata desde una perspectiva actual la historia de Daniel.
En este libro pude aprender muchas cosas nuevas y aprendí a ver la historia de Daniel con ojos nuevos, y sin duda, mucho de lo aprendido en este libro me servirá para poder seguir luchando contra la corriente de este mundo.
El autor nos lleva capítulo a capítulo desglosando la historia y aplicandola nuestros días y a la historia pasada.
Este es uno de esos libros que yo recomendaría a todo aquel que desee aprender a defenderse de la era del relativismo en donde cada ves más las personas tratan de desprestigiar la profecía bíblica y vivir una vida desenfrenada en el pecado.
En este libro pude aprender muchas cosas nuevas y aprendí a ver la historia de Daniel con ojos nuevos, y sin duda, mucho de lo aprendido en este libro me servirá para poder seguir luchando contra la corriente de este mundo.
El autor nos lleva capítulo a capítulo desglosando la historia y aplicandola nuestros días y a la historia pasada.
Este es uno de esos libros que yo recomendaría a todo aquel que desee aprender a defenderse de la era del relativismo en donde cada ves más las personas tratan de desprestigiar la profecía bíblica y vivir una vida desenfrenada en el pecado.
January 24, 2023
This book provides an excellent commentary on the book of Daniel. It becomes a bit confusing when it tries to glean wisdom for contemporary life from the book, as it promotes the familiar argument that Christians are surrounded by enemies, which can promote a paranoid way of thinking. To his credit, the author tries to counsel against that attitude, arguing for treating those with whom we disagree respectfully. Still, the book is framed as a response to the New Atheists, who were already somewhat passe by the time the book was published in 2016.
May 5, 2023
This is my first Lennox, and I would like to read more by him - maybe some of his more widespread books. For this one, it was kind out on the side of what I usually focus on reading(as it is a commentary of the book of Daniel) mixed in with something that is relevant today as the subtitle hints to. Lot of good stuff. I’m not too deeply into end time theory, and even if there is some talk here it is not overwhelming. A great book to read in order to refresh yourself on the book of Daniel and the surrounding history, although a bit too long.
January 19, 2019
I loved the insight into the stories in Daniel – the fiery furnace, the lions den, etc. But the thing that was really great about this book was the explanation of the prophecies in Daniel. Daniel's prophecies are clearly linked to historical events, events that are historical for us now but that were in Daniel's future. I have always found the prophecies to be confusing and therefore frightening, but seeing the explanation of the prophecies made everything clearer.
June 27, 2019
I was afraid it is going to be boring because it is sort of biography of Daniel.
But, I know I don't regret buying the book after the 1st chapter.
Give me better understanding about history, how they are written and why Daniel is considered very important for the Jewish people.
It's inspiring and motivate me to know more of the Bible I have been reading since childhood.
Teach people about how faith comes from understanding God and experience Him in your life.
But, I know I don't regret buying the book after the 1st chapter.
Give me better understanding about history, how they are written and why Daniel is considered very important for the Jewish people.
It's inspiring and motivate me to know more of the Bible I have been reading since childhood.
Teach people about how faith comes from understanding God and experience Him in your life.
November 7, 2024
Lennox wrote it, so it's good.
A great study of Daniel. Lennox is particularly skilled at weaving historical lessons into modern day teaching. This book which studies the book of Daniel, covers history, Daniels famous stories, as well as the end times prophesies. A great read and imo should be go-to for anyone wanting a commentary of Daniel.
My only complaint is that I would have like John to be the narrator as he was in his latest books.
A great study of Daniel. Lennox is particularly skilled at weaving historical lessons into modern day teaching. This book which studies the book of Daniel, covers history, Daniels famous stories, as well as the end times prophesies. A great read and imo should be go-to for anyone wanting a commentary of Daniel.
My only complaint is that I would have like John to be the narrator as he was in his latest books.
November 16, 2020
The author produces a detailed commentary/easy read informative book on the book of Daniel. I enjoyed the detail along with the book being easier to read, something that is very hard to do for a scholar. It was a wonderful and informative read. He made sure to include modern arguments concerning relativism as well.
April 1, 2021
Good book with a lot of information
It is a good book with a lot of information related to historical proofs of Daniel’s revelation from God (coming from the author who is a scientist). I think he could apply more the concepts to the real World to live the points that he is trying to make I.e. how to defend the Gospel openly but not being rude.
It is a good book with a lot of information related to historical proofs of Daniel’s revelation from God (coming from the author who is a scientist). I think he could apply more the concepts to the real World to live the points that he is trying to make I.e. how to defend the Gospel openly but not being rude.
April 15, 2023
Fantastic commentrary on Daniel, a man of God who served Him faithfully in the upper echelons of Babylonian government. A timely reminder that the God of Daniel is the same yestersay today and forever. Highly relevant to the challenges Christians face today. So good I read it twice and went to the British museum to see some of the artefacts pitcured in the book.
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