Daniel 7-9

The End Times.  Daniel is one of those books of the Bible I usually just skimmed over, especially during the prophetic parts.  I think the reason I have skimmed in the past is because I haven’t really understood.  I still don’t understand, but perhaps I’m not meant to understand.  The angel Gabriel told Daniel that he was precious to the Lord — that’s why the Lord was revealing this information about the coming end times to him.

As I read these chapters, I see glimmers of history that has already come true, such as the fact that the Greece empire will split into four empires, with none of them as strong as the original one.  Some historians would say that already happened.  Another prophesy foretold of Jesus:

²⁶ “After this period of sixty-two sets of seven,^[h] the Anointed One will be killed, appearing to have accomplished nothing, and a ruler will arise whose armies will destroy the city and the Temple.

After Jesus was crucified and resurrected, the Romans began to persecute Jews. Jerusalem was destroyed — just as Daniel says here, and just as Jesus predicted when he walked on this earth.

What to make of all this?  I’m not sure…except that Daniel is not a book to be taken lightly.  Everything has meaning.

And now for a quick step onto the soap box.

It is barely mid-September, and already the Halloween merchandise glares at me from the shelves of stores.  I am bothered by the whole demonizing of a day that originally was meant to honor and pray for those who have died.

Yes, Walgreen’s, the demonic figure hanging from the ceiling of your store offends me to such an extent that if a store existed that refused to sell such items, I would shop there exclusively.

Atheists have no trouble filing lawsuits claiming that their right to religious freedom is infringed upon when cities post copies of the Ten Commandments or nativity scenes…so why won’t Christians turn the tables on them?  Many of the Halloween “decorations” are demonic in nature and are deeply offensive to Christians who don’t wish to be confronted with images of  red-eyed caricatures of the one who openly does battle with the Lord.  Maybe it’s time to turn the tables!