What story does Chronicles retell?
Samuel and Kings
What is apocalyptic literature?
It’s deeply symbolic and revealing of something– of a time to come.
Who has the dream that Daniel interprets?
King Nebuchadnezzar
How far, historically, does Chronicles go?
Up through the Israelites returning from the Exile.
What does it mean for literature to be eschatological?
This means that it discusses the end of ordinary reality.
What is in the King's dream? How can we interpret it?
Who is King Cyrus
A Persian, Zoroastrian king who allowed the Jews in exile to return to Israel.
What are the features of apocalyptic literature?
Generally attributed to an important figure (written under a pseudonym).
Revelation of a heavenly messenger.
Message is highly symbolic
The symbolism is usually pretty bizarre (surreal beasts– often represent foreign nations).
Tend to be chronological (past, present, future).
Tend to predict catastrophes.
Morally dualistic (small, good population and a large, bad population).
What Daniels vision about the beasts?
What is the tone of Chronicles
It's much more hopeful than Kings and Samuel
What is the first part of Daniel about?
Daniel and his friends (know who they are) at school.
What does Son of Man mean?
“Son of Man” came to refer to the promised Messiah, who would deliver the Jews from their enemies and establish an eternal kingdom of righteousness and justice.
What is central to Jewish worship in Chronicles?
The Jewish Temple.
What's the first test Daniel and his friends face?
They refuse to eat the Babylonian food, but God makes them strong anyway.
How are we all still "in the exile?"
Much of what we see around us today is like Babylon-- it encourages us to sin and worship "false idols."