In the last reflection we looked at Revelation and Reason. There were two main points.
First, to set revelation against reason is a false comparison. They are in different categories. Further, this false comparison is a prevalent belief in our society. Point of fact, every day information is revealed to us and we use our reason to sort it out.
Second, the question then becomes, “Do you believe God reveals himself to individual humans?”
As Christians, we believe God reveals himself to us. He reveals himself to us in and through the Bible. He reveals himself in the person of Jesus, who literally came to this earth and walked among us. He reveals himself to us through His indwelling Spirit.
But does this revelation push beyond the present? Does God reveal the future?
This is yet one more way the Book of Daniel is stunning in how it presents two very different ways of viewing the world. Ways that are operative today.
So far, we’ve looked at the two ways the world looks at:
· God and history
· Evidence and Belief
· Reason and Revelation
It would be prudent, before we press further into the Book of Daniel, to look at another clash around an idea—the idea of Prophecy.
Daniel, as he tells King Nebuchadnezzar the interpretation of his dream is witnessing that God has 1. Revealed the dream to him, and 2. Given him a word that interprets the dream with implications for the future.
If you are challenged by whether God can reveal himself, then you will be further challenged by the question, “Can God, does God, speak to specific humans and reveal the future?
When writing about prophecy, are we suggesting that God gives us the winning numbers to the Lottery? No. It is important to understand the prophecy is much more. Let’s look at the Bible.
First, if we simply look at all the words of the prophets, we will note the majority of the time they are not talking about the future. No, the majority of the time they are talking about the present. They are calling kings, in fact all the people, to return to God. Not in the future. In the present.
Second, let’s look at 2 Peter 1:16 – 20.
In verses 16 – 18, the apostle Peter notes that he was an eyewitness to Jesus’ transfiguration:
16 For we didn’t follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received from God the Father honor and glory when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35 ) 18 We heard this voice come out of heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.
He personally knows that there is more than the “natural world”. But note what follows in verses 19 – 20:
19 We have the more sure word of prophecy; and you do well that you heed it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns, and the morning star arises in your hearts: 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of private interpretation.
Peter knows first that prophecy is not private. Peter, who stood on the mountain seeing Jesus transfigured, saw Jesus risen from the dead, and watched him ascend to heaven—this Peter says that the words of prophecy are “more sure”.
The prophet’s words are not a matter a personal private interpretation. The Holy Spirit is involved, because prophecy has an aim. This aim brings us to the third point.
Third, there are times when the prophets, inspired by the Holy Spirit, spoke of the future. Most of the time that was in small bits such as Isaiah 11. In this chapter we see a prophecy about Jesus. It does not give dates and times.
No, rather it is an example of the aim of all prophecy.
Prophecy points us to what Christians say is an eternal reality: The Kingdom of God.
Prophecy, in the end, is less about dates and times—prophecy’s aim is to stir up in us a continuous awareness of Jesus, and a desire for Him and His eternal kingdom.
Those who hold to only a “natural world view” reject prophesy. In large part, because they think is about predicting the future in a natural world way around dates and times. It is why people struggle with Daniel. His interpretation of this dream (and more that we will read later) gets a lot right about history.
Ironically, those who often embrace Huxley’s Brave New Word, or Orwell’s 1984, cannot embrace Daniel.
Do you shy away from prophecy because there have been Christians through history who have misused it? Does it seem like Christian fortune telling? Do you rely too much on it for dates and times? Where are you with prophecy?