By Not Known
As we come to the end of our study on the book of Daniel, some of us may find that there are still many unanswered questions. Do we need all the answers at this point? What will it do even if we have them? The big question really for us is how then shall we live today knowing what we already know.
Who. Last Sunday, we heard that the focus is on the One who will end the time and not when the time will end. We had learnt thus far that the Sovereign God is in complete control and that His sovereignty is clearly displayed in all the events and visions and dreams dealt with here in this book. However, whether the events had happened or will be happening, the key is back to the One who causes it all. He is the One who judges, who forgives, who strengthens, who fights, who purges, who purifies, who refines and who resurrects. Do you know who He is?
What. Most who read and study this book tend to be overly concern about what is going on. The concern centres around what the dreams and visions mean? What do they refer to? What was happening to each of the character mentioned? What do the imageries mean; some will even analyse the colours and the figures of every single detail. Yes, these have meanings and refer to characters we may be familiar with. Yet at the end of the day, it is about how each of these are subjects under the Sovereign God.
Why. The primary purpose these visions and dreams were given was to comfort and encourage the people of God who were taken away forcibly from their homeland as conquered people living more as slaves under foreign domination. Moreover they were not allowed to worship their God freely and instead were subjected to much persecutions under them. The key to bringing them a sense of comfort and assurance is to know that their God is a God of grace, mercy and redemption. That in spite of tests and trials, sufferings and humiliation, they will ultimately be vindicated.
When. Many who study Daniel love to speculate the times and seasons of the events and visions. They love to pinpoint the possible happenings of visions pertaining to future events. Some are so consumed with it that they speculate the dates of the event and gave up all that they had to wait for the event to take place. How shall we then live if the world should end in the next hour? Is it about the when and the timing or is it about the depth of our relationship with a God who cares, loves, and redeems?
Where do these bring us to then? God is faithful. The writer of Hebrews has reminded us that He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb 13:8). This unchanging God desires our in-depth devotion and worship through relationship with Him. As we deepen that relationship, we become like Him, and be able to respond and react to what’s around us like Him. Do we know this unchanging God?
Peter Poon