Read Daniel 3.1-30 The fiery furnace
The narrative promotes adherence to Jewish Identity and religion by demonstrating
that God protects the righteous.
In verses 1-18 Antiochus IV (175-163 BCE) erected a statue of Zeus in the Jerusalem Temple
and demanded that Jews worship Greek gods or be put to death (1 Macc 1.41-64; 2 Macc 6.1-11).
His nickname, Epiphanes, "manifest god," indicates that he expected worship as a god.
Worship of national gods was generally understood as a sign of loyalty, but Jews are
monotheistic and do not worship pagan gods.
Charges of disloyalty prompted many anti-Jewish actions in the Greco-Roman and
medieval periods and continue to underlie modern anti-Semitism.
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