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Meta-narrive is mostly power play No longer valid We must be content with partial solutions; live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