PREAMBLE TO APOCALYPTIC BOOKS
We are now in Babylon, and we are about to be introduced to two prophets Daniel and Ezekiel.
Here comes the difficult bit. To help, there are some things to remember about dreams and visions. Events are not always continuous, time is not always constant and order does not always run logically from start to finish. Old-Testament people did not understand that Messiah was coming twice. They thought Messiah was coming once and everything would happen when He came. We now know that Messiah came once to fulfil the law and institute a period of grace when all might be saved. But He is to come again to end the age of grace and establish a just kingdom and rule with a rod of iron.
Most prophets have had something to say about the end times but Daniel and Ezekiel do it in more detail. Both tell us in no uncertain terms to watch what is going on in the nations. But what are we to watch for? The weird things described in the books are attempts to describe a future world. How would you describe a bus to a stone-age family? How would an internet surfing buff explain how to watch the world to Ezekiel standing on the ramparts of a watch tower one foggy morning?
Jesus says when you see certain things happen, understand what is going on. John tells us when you see these things come to pass you will know the time of end is near. All of these writers pepper their writings with several warnings the foolish overlook.
The first shake of the Pepper pot says stay close to God. You cannot understand what is going on it the world if you do not understand what God intends to do. In the building trade it used to be said, “the blue-prints gives the clue but conversation reveals the method”. In the world of art, “the picture tells a story but the artist gives the meaning”. In the world of those who live by faith, we might say “the scriptures gives the intent, interrogative prayer236 reveals the method”.
The second shake of pepper is beware how you treat speculation. God tells Ezekiel more than one-hundred-and-ninety times - ‘I will…and when you see it you will know’. Jesus tells his listeners false speculators will come and say “He is here or there, but don’t go with them until you see these things for yourself.”
The third liberal dose of pepper is ‘don’t doubt just because you don’t understand’. The signs we are given are signs we may not see now, but they will develop in the nations. They are tangible and have been told beforehand that we might believe. “Therefore watch and pray that the hour does not creep up on you like a thief in the night”.
Figure 70: Daniel-where are we?
-Time
Figure 71: Outline Joel
236 We met this term in chapter 16 when dealing with Habakkuk.