Philosophy and the Rewriting of All Religions
Daniel 8 begins with empires, but it does not end with another ordinary empire. The ram represents Medo-Persia. The goat represents Greece. The great horn …
How Conquered Greece Conquered the World – From Polis to Empire
Classical history says that Rome conquered Greece. The Roman armies defeated the Greek city-states, the poleis were transformed into provinces, and their autonomy disappeared. On the surface, …
323 B.C. — The Death of Alexander
The Greek Empire Is Divided In 323 B.C., Alexander the Great died in Babylon at the age of thirty-two. In little more than a decade, …
538 B.C. — Cyrus Issues the Decree
The Exiles Are Permitted to Return Babylon had fallen in 539 B.C. One year later, the change of empire produced a decisive consequence for the …
539 B.C. — The Fall of Babylon
The Writing on the Wall In 539 B.C., the Neo-Babylonian Empire came to its end. The city that had conquered Jerusalem, destroyed the Temple, and …
605 B.C. — Daniel’s Captivity
The Beginning of Exile In 605 B.C., Babylon defeated the Egyptian forces at Carchemish and extended its power toward Judah. Jerusalem was not yet destroyed, …
Philosophy Reshapes Judaism
In my interpretation, Hellenistic Judaism marks the turning point when interpretation becomes power and Philosophy becomes the new empire. After the creation of the Septuagint, …
“Come out of Babylon, My people”
For a long time, I read the expression “Come out of Babylon, My people” almost the way everyone else does: as a call to leave …
Chapter 6 — A Lifetime in Captivity: Daniel, the Lions’ Den, and the Prophet No Empire Could Replace
Part I — The Life of an Authentic Prophet The most familiar images of Daniel in the lions’ den usually show a young man standing …
Chapter 7 — The Four Beasts, the Little Horn, and the Son of Man
Daniel 7 returns to the same succession of empires first shown in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, but it changes the point of view completely. In Daniel 2, …