The complation of Book of Danial12

Thursday, August 17, 2006

trust which is found in it. This “tasbeha” is also chanted on the eve of Joyous Saturday.
2) The Story of Susanna
This is the story of the failure of an evil plot organised by two elderly men against Susanna, a kind and honest person. This is also read on the eve of Joyous Saturday.
3) The Story of Bel & the DraRon
This describes the time when Daniel, exposed the truth about the Bel priests to the king. Daniel informed him that they were offering great amonnts of food to Bel only to ferociously eat it themselves with their families. This story and the story of the dragon (also in chapter 14) do not appear in the Coptic Orthodox Church readings.
CHAPTER 3
THE SONG OF THE THREE YOUNG MEN
Contemplation on the Song of the Three Young Men:
This section begins with the prayer of Azaria asking God to have mercy upon His people. Then it tells of how the flames poured ont above the furnace forty-nine cubits, and spread out to the Chaldeans who were caught near the furnace. The three young men were not harmed. They walked within the furnace and were untouched by the flames as the angel of the Lord came down and drove the fiery flames out of the furnace. He made the inside of the furnace as though a moist wind were whistling through it, “The three with one voice praised aud glorified and blessed God in the furnace.” (3:28). In their song the three young men asked all the creatures to join them in praising God. ‘Bless the Lord, yon angels of the Lord; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.” (3:36,37).
All creation took part in praising God. The angels, heavens, sun, moon and stars, rain, dew, waters, powers, winds, fire, winter cold and summer heat, falling snow, nights and days, light and darkness, ice and cold, frosts and snows, lightning and clouds, the earth, mountains, seas and rivers, springs, whales and all that swim in the waters, all the birds of the air, all the wild animals and cattle, all people on earth, etc.
The names of Daniel’s friends:
Shadrach: “command of Aku” (a Sumerian moon-god). This name was given to Hananiah (Daniel 1:7)