Post on 13-Jan-2016
Daniel and Revelation
The divine meta-narrative
What is a Meta-narrative?
A world view that explains all A satisfying, coherent grand story Postmodern conviction:
Meta-narrive is mostly power play No longer valid We must be content with partial solutions; live
with contradictions Must be content with small stories
No more metanarratives
This means: End of Marxism, Communism End of Christianity
Religion, yes Church organisation, no
One, true religious ideology, no
No more meta-narrative? (1)
What is answer of the Christian? Are all religions of equal value? Is everything relative? Is Christianity still credible meta-narrative?
No more meta-narrative? (2)
Our claim: Daniel and Revelation present a convincing meta-narrative
Unique view of history
Present Truth
History in Perspective (1)
What makes a date/event important? 22 Nov. 1963
Death of C.S. Lewis Assasination of John F. Kennedy
1942 My year of birth Mohammed Ali; Barbara Streisand
Why is 22-12-1964 important?
History in Perspective (2)
English wars or Dutch wars? 1492
Landmark in history of civilisation? Fateful start of oppression?
Crusades In Christian history In Muslim memory
History in Perspective (3)
Philosophy of history: Series of random events? Evolutionary development of mankind? Cyclic view? Marxist view? Christian view –
Linear - BC and AD
Adventist view: Great Controversy
God’s Perspective
History as salvation history See history of Israel’s kings
‘He did what was good in the eyes of the Lord’ ‘He did what was evil the eyes of the Lord’
Reading of Daniel and Revelation provides us with bird-eye’s view of the divine perpective
God is in control Beyond human history: Great Controversy
Intermission
How to catch the meaning/broader picture and see God’s perspective in Daniel and Revelation? Read rather than only study Read and re-read in one session Experience what you read Use all your senses and imagination
Experience: Despair
Edvard Munch (1863-1944): The Scream
Experience: Summer
Monet: Bathers at La Grenoulière
Experience: Poverty
Vincent van Gogh: The Potato Eaters
Experience: Revelation
Albrecht Dürer
(1471-1528)
Experience
Experience the Revelation: There is all-out spiritual war Multimedia show: sounds, lights, angels,
dragons, demons, beasts Urgency; endurance Victory is constant theme
The Message
Be overwhelmed by the message: God is in control
Major theme in Daniel Major theme in Revelation
Focus: God’s kingdom will come Daniel 2, 7, 8, 9, 10-12 Lamb among the beasts
The Message
Be overwhelmed by the message God is at work behind the scenes
Daniel 10 War in heaven
Christ: The First and the Last, the Beginning and the End
All ends well
Evil is real but is totally defeated Daniel 7:13-14 Rev. 20
The Message
Grand story – metanarrative: Great Controversy
Begins with war in heaven Always in the background Ends in earth made new
Tale of two cities Jerusalem Babylon
Your story is part of it!
Present Truth
Daniel and Revelation reveal the true meaning of the history of the world and of my own history
This was present truth in time of Daniel In time of John In Middle Ages and Reformation time For William Miller and Ellen White For you and me