Apocalyptic at Its Best

Daniel 7:1–8:27; 2 Thessalonians 1:1–12; Job 41:21–34

Daniel is full of spooky scenes. If Daniel doesn’t scare you a bit, you’ve probably watched too many horror movies.

 

Apocalyptic literature in the Bible has a way of playing tricks on us. It’s full of vivid imagery that can be haunting—and that’s intentional. The pictures it paints are meant to stay with us. We’re meant to remember what these passages are teaching. Of course, the same can be said of the entire Bible, but apocalyptic literature is especially vivid because its message requires us to choose: to follow or to turn away from God at the most important time—the end.

 

The dreams Daniel has, including those recorded in Dan. 7:3–14, are images of what is and is to come. The beasts in Daniel were evocative symbols for his audience. When they heard of the lion with eagles, they envisioned Babylon (Dan. 7:4). When the bear appeared, they thought of Media (Dan. 7:5). Likewise, the leopard with four wings and heads symbolized Persia (Dan. 7:6). And the ten-horned beast with iron teeth represented Greece (see Dan. 7:7; see also Dan. 2). These beasts would become memory devices for Daniel’s audience. Later, when Greece entered the scene, the people could say, “I won’t follow the empire, for they are evil. Like a ten-horned beast with iron teeth, the empire will maul us and eat us alive.”

 

When we misread large sections of the Bible, such as apocalyptic literature, we lose sight of what matters most about it: remembering the truth. Daniel wanted us to call it like it is. If we see evil, we need to remember that it will destroy us. We need to remember the vividness of Daniel’s descriptions. Evil can, and will, capture us if we compromise. But our good God is here as our guide—let’s lean on Him.

Where are you currently compromising?

John D. Barry