Against the flow : the inspiration of Daniel in an age of relativism by John Lennox
Monarch Books, 2015 £12.99 434 pages ISBN 978 0 857 216 212
This is a commentary on the Old Testament book of Daniel but is far from the usual run of commentaries.
John Lennox is a scientist in the first place so he is quite comfortable using logic and philosophy in his approach to exposition of the Bible.
His background may well explain why this work differs from other commentaries on Daniel, many of which are quoted in John Lennox’s 434 pages of text.
In an introductory chapter (20 pages) John Lennox delves into the matter of history which is part and parcel of the book of Daniel. This chapter is important if only because the author uses the book of Daniel in an exemplary manner to consider more widely the question of God’s sovereignty and human responsibility – the exile from Jerusalem to Babylon being the immediate case in point.
Why do bad things happen to God’s chosen people ?
For its part, the book of Daniel has attracted more than passing interest in relation to its dating as well as in relation to its content.
Opinion as to the dating of Daniel is divided between those who hold to a 6th century BCE date (from the time of the exile of the Jews to Babylon) to which this author himself subscribes.
On the other hand, some scholars believe the book was written in the 2nd century BCE, being dubious about Daniel’s apocalyptic visions (prophecies) in chapters 7 to 12.
The content may also be separated between the existential experience of Daniel and his Jewish comrades while in exile in Babylon, Jerusalem having been seized and sacked by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BCE, and the second part (chapters 7 to 12) which contains the sometimes difficult prophetic visions of Daniel.
The primary concern of John Lennox is to show how Daniel’s experience and that of his friends as steadfastly faithful to the Lord in a foreign land and in a very different culture may be applied to the situation among Christians of today’s generation.
Despite significant success and many unwarranted experiences as exiles in their new land, Daniel and his co-religionists maintained the integrity of their faith in a sovereign God with steely determination.
Against the contemporary attitude to Christianity which is largely apathetic or antagonistic, John Lennox’s strictures against New Atheism are also carefully and persuasively presented.
The difference between this work and that of other commentators is that John Lennox, as he goes through the text chapter by chapter, consistently relates the loyal, unwavering commitment of Daniel and his friends to their God in a foreign culture to the experience of Christians in the contemporary world.
The comparisons are well made, instructive and helpful.
The remaining 6 chapters of Daniel are devoted to the 4 visions Daniel had – two received during the reign of Belshazzar and the other two afterwards. All in all, this is a sanguine study of an Old Testament book, well worth reading carefully because of the continuing, faithful experience of Daniel and his comrades in faith in a foreign land and its attendant culture. They swam against the flow. Their story clearly carries rich and relevant encouragement for believers in today’s world who are similarly called to swim against the flow of contemporary culture.