Today, we continue with Daniel being troubled, troubled especially with the fourth beast and the suffering of the saints.
In the prior post we looked at the biblical reality that evil exists in the world, and the reality that belief in Jesus does not eliminate our suffering; quite the opposite.
Where are you with this text? Are you troubled?
Perhaps both the message and medium is troubling.
The text is full of prophetic imagery. Jesus’ followers through the ages have struggled with these sorts of texts. Texts such as these yield varying opinions and at times these opinions have led to division.
Some people therefore want only to draw general principles and not go deeper. Others go perhaps too deep, making absolute detailed proclamations.
What should we do? Lennox suggests Step One is what he calls a “plain reading” of the text. When we do so, we see:
1. An immensely powerful beast with ten horns and a little horn speaking “great words”.
2. The beast makes war with the saints and prevails.
3. The Son of Man comes on the clouds of heaven.
4. The heavenly court passes judgment on the beast and destroys it.
5. The saints receive the kingdom.
If you know your Bible, then you know the last book of the Bible, Revelations, has very similar imagery. Many commentators do a great job weaving the two texts together. Lennox in Against the Flow on pp.240-248 does a great job in this regard.
He, I find, without becoming too specific, unpacks the prophetic message of the direction our world is heading.
Some Christians think that by applying Jesus’ teaching, by following Jesus, we will create “heaven on earth”. To be clear, our lives and our societies will be better (indeed have been better). Further, when we live like Jesus, loving God and neighbor, you might say a “bit of heaven” breaks into their world.
But, and it is a big “but”, the Bible describes what our world must go through until God puts everything right. It must endure a period of lawlessness, persecution of Jesus’ followers, and those holding “this world’s” power in utter rebellion against God.
The Good News is that Daniel’s vision is in the process of being fulfilled. The Son of Man has come, the heavenly court has passed judgement, and we are in the final days (however long they be) of the final destruction of evil.
It is a bit sobering. Our hearts are troubled because we are made for eternity.
Why does God communicate to us with all this frightening pictorial drama?
Answer: so when it happens, we will understand. Jesus, in John 2:18-22 and John 14:29, says he is telling his followers things in advance, so when they happen, they will believe.
The point, with this knowledge we can:
1. Go about our day with realistic expectations of where the world is going.
2. Go about our day witnessing Jesus’ love with realistic expectations.
3. Go about our day processing the events that cross our paths, at times dramatic, in a manner where we are not shaken, but rather we have our faith strengthened.
The point is not that we understand all the detail. The point is that we understand the direction, not be taken in by wild speculation, be ready so when these things happen, we are not shocked, and finally—live with eternal hope.
Is this easy? No.
How do you process this message of Daniel?