Current Events and the Bible

Current Events and the Bible

“But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall increase.”   Daniel 12:4

When we think about the old-time Prophet Daniel of Old Testament times we generally think about Daniel in the Lion’s Den.  It also holds a lot of information about Israel and its future.  It tells of many life and death situations and it would pay for you to study the entire book.  However this week we will be dealing with Daniel’s visions regarding future kingdoms and end-time events in chapters 8-12.   

The angel, Gabriel, appears to Daniel and he speaks outright by saying, “This refers to the time of the end.”  Could he be referring to the times we live in?  Many believe we are living in end times.  Gabriel showed Daniel in visions a terrible time in this world; it was so bad that Daniel fainted and was sick for days after, but no one understood how horrible the vision was. 


Daniel prayed and prayed that God would forgive his people for not being faithful or obedient. From then on Daniel was told many things which probably don’t make much sense to the average person today, but Daniel understood and knew what was to come in end times.  Then Daniel was told to shut up the words and seal the book until the time of the end.


When you stop and think of the times Daniel lived in back then, when the fastest thing in the world was a horse and a chariot and compare it to our rockets and jet planes.  It would be so terrifying, but angel told him a little more, “Many shall run to and fro and knowledge will increase.”  Now think about how fast we travel today and also how knowledge has increased with everything going digital. Then Daniel was told to go on about his life and he will die some time, but in the end he will arise, (come back to life) and receive his inheritance.


This is a brief summary of Daniel and what he was told about the time of the end.  The pictures that come to mind are amazing.  When it talks about people running to and fro on the earth puts forth mental pictures of the thousands of people traveling by cars, trains, rockets and jet planes.  For us this is how we live, but for Daniel, he could not have imagined these things.  This leads one to believe only God would have known what it would be like today.


The other amazing thing was that in the days of Daniel, communication was very limited.  Few could even write, let alone read and the rest was passed by person to person. Other than God, no one knew anything about telegraphs, telephones, television, languages, computers and satellites.   Today we can send and receive information from over two-million miles into space. 


In Daniel’s time the average person probably grew crops and raised a few animals.  It was enough to think how to feed a family and take care of them.  Their minds were not crowded with schedules, travel, shopping and a thousand other things. When they finished their work for the day, they went to bed and when the sun came up, they rose and went to work again.

Now we live in such miraculous times, yet it is all so commonplace to us.  It must be very difficult for us be quiet long enough to hear from God and meditate long enough to understand what He is telling us.  Yes, God still speaks to his people when he can get our attention.  Daniel always made time for God by kneeling and praying three times a day to God.  When he was ordered not to pray, he still prayed. He heard God’s voice and obeyed. 

How about you; do you make time to listen to God’s voice?