"How to Read Daniel" (Tremper Longman III)

TITLE: How to Read Daniel (How To Read Series)
AUTHOR: Tremper Longman III
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2020, (190 pages).

This is the sixth book of the "How to Read" commentary series. Bible books of the apocalyptic genre are generally more challenging for the layperson to read and to comprehend. There are visions, dreams, and multiple symbols that pose some level of difficulty when it comes to interpretation. What can we make of these ancient visions? What do they mean then and now? How can we understand the message of Daniel for today? These questions and more are covered in this volume. Part One deals with the literary structure of the book such as the genre, the structure, the language, history, background, and the main theological messages. In Part Two, readers could dive into the six stories and four visions; and the lessons Daniel had experienced from. In Part Three, we read Daniel to learn about applications for our modern context.

Some people avoid the apocalyptic books simply because they think it is too difficult to understand. They might have thought about studying it but shy away for lack of guidance and background information. Others study it but due to the lack of foundation about biblical theology, they might miss the forest for the trees. For both categories, this book can fill in the gaps. It is easy to read as far as the layperson is concerned. While not as technical as some other commentaries, this book can provide compelling guidance for scholars and seminarians. In other words, this book is not too difficult but do not let the simplicity of the language used deceive us. Some of the terminology and concepts used in the book are what biblical scholars would be most familiar with. "Apocalyptic" is one. "Chiasm" and the interpretation of numerology are others. These are however kept to a minimum.

The author leaves no chapter unturned. Through helpful citations and interesting observations throughout, readers will not find this book dull at all.

"The Daniel Cure" (Susan Gregory and Richard J. Bloomer)

TITLE: The Daniel Cure: The Daniel Fast Way to Vibrant Health
AUTHOR: Susan Gregory and Richard J. Bloomer
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2013, (224 pages).

Food is a big part of life in every culture. It is also a big contributor to our health as well as any illnesses. As one looks at the title, one may tend to ask, a "Daniel Cure?" What is the Daniel cure? What makes this book so different from other dieting books? Do we need a cure in the first place? If we look at the book closely, it is less about eating or dieting in particular. It is about learning the biblical way of eating, fasting, exercising, and general well-being. It was Susan Gregory whose blog on her journey through the Daniel Fast that created viral headlines back in 2007. Having received more than 9 million hits, her fans grew by leaps and bounds, one of whom is her co-author, Richard Bloomer who saw surprising results in her wife and child when they also went through the Daniel Fast. In 2009, Dr Richard Bloomer then did a clinical study and several experiments on the Daniel Fast and found rather astonishing positive outcomes in this simple dieting program based on the biblical book of Daniel.  It emphasizes four things:

1. Fasting and Prayer;
2. Self-assessment of overall health;
3. Learning and Planning the Daniel Fast Program;
4. Practical Implementation.

The premise of the book is simple: Take the Daniel Fast, and for a mere 21 days, you will get a life-changing experience.  After this, simple steps can sustain the ongoing health benefits. Learning from the prophet Daniel, one can begin a body cleansing regimen through the eating of plant-based diets. The fast here refers more to eating appropriate foods rather than abandoning from eating altogether (partial fast). Appropriate foods such as natural foods rather than processed foods; fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, natural oils, herbs, spices, etc. It also means avoiding fast food, deep-fried stuff, sweeteners, stimulants, and drinking only water.