"Apocalypse against Empire" is an excellent book. Portier-Young shows how the earliest "historical apocalypses"--the Book of Daniel, and the Apocalypse of Weeks and Book of Dreams in 1 Enoch--resist the tyrannical rule of Antiochus IV Epiphanes in the second century BC. She devotes a lengthy portion of the book to the history leading up to and including Antiochus' religious and political persecution of the Jews in 167 BC. She posits, along with many others, that the Book of Daniel and the Enochic "historical apocalypses" have this specific moment in time in mind, when they wrote their apocalypses.

I especially found her discussion of Daniel illuminating and exciting. The Book of Daniel is overtly and consistently political throughout, and Portier-Young's analysis of the political context surrounding the final redaction of the work gives whole new meaning to it. The differences she notes between Daniel and the Enochic texts are fascinating, as well: whereas Daniel advocates for nonviolent resistance to the powers that be, the texts in 1 Enoch advocates for armed revolt, and specifically applauds the actions of the Maccabees.

Ultimately, Portier-Young shows how the genre of "apocalypse" is both religious and political--the two are intertwined, as we also find in Daniel and in the other biblical apocalypse, Revelation. The claims of kings and their kingdoms are examined with an eternal, heavenly perspective in an apocalypse, and are found to be untrue. According to Daniel, the true Judge is the "Ancient of Days" and the only kingdom that will last forever is the "kingdom and dominion" of God, which he bestows on the "one like a Son of Man" and his people. This message of hope for the oppressed is also a message of resistance against the powers that be!