Structural Observations

Continuing on from my last post, Daniel is a sophisticated book because it combines narrative and apocalyptic literary styles, the first six chapters being narrative and the last six apocalyptic. Another way of speaking about apocalyptic literature is to refer to it as symbolic, visionary or prophetic literature. This is literature that speaks of the future in very graphic language that stirs the imagination and fills the mind with awe. The 12 chapters that make up the book of Daniel can also be evenly divided in terms of biographical writing written in the third person (he/they) and autobiographical writing written in the first person (I/we). 

Furthermore, some of the book is written in Hebrew (ch.1:1-2:4; ch.8-12), while the rest is written in Aramaic (2:4-7:28).  This is an interesting feature of the book for several reasons. First, it indicates that Daniel is a literary whole and is to be read and interpreted as such since the Aramaic center of the book includes parts of both the narrative and apocalyptic divisions of the book. Second, since Aramaic was the 'English' of Daniel's day, it means that God is speaking to the world and not just to the nation of Israel. The opening Hebrew section (1:1-2:4) is probably meant to be an introduction to the book as a whole, and the chapters written in Hebrew at the end of the book (ch.8-12) should be seen as having specific application to Israel. But the middle section, which has been described as the theological heart of Daniel, is for everyone. God is speaking to the nations of the world many years before the coming of his Son whose advent is foretold.

The universal nature of the Aramaic section (2:4-7:28) becomes even more apparent when we take into consideration that biblical scholars have discerned a remarkable 'chiastic' or 'mirror' arrangement to this part of the book that is designed to focus attention on its central message. The chiastic structure pairs chapters 2 and 7, 3 and 6, and 4 and 5. In chapters 2 and 7, world kingdoms are in rebellion against the kingdom of God. In chapters 3 and 6, God sovereignly delivers his people from certain destruction, and in chapters 4 and 5 God judges the kings of Babylon, first Nebuchadnezzar and then Belshazzar. When all these factors are factored in the universal message of the Daniel is easily discerned. The nations are pictured as raging against the Lord and his anointed (ch. 2 and 7) and yet the Lord knows how to deliver his elect from trouble (ch. 3 and 6) and in the end he will reign supreme over this fallen world symbolized by Babylon (ch. 4 and 5). Sound familiar? It should! It is the basic message of the book of Revelation at the end of the New Testament, and it is one of the dominant messages of the Bible as a whole. This explains why it is written so that human beings everywhere, hundreds of years before the worldwide proclamation of the gospel, would be warned.

It continues to be the responsibility of believers to make this message known to the world. The coming of Jesus Christ and the inauguration of the new covenant have only increased the urgency. The gospel age in which we are living will not go on forever. There is an end that has been unalterably determined by God. Rage against the Son, while still widespread, is doomed to failure. God has given his Son the nations for his inheritance and the ends of the earth for his possession. He will break them with a rod of iron and dash them to pieces like pottery. The only wise course of action is to serve the Lord with fear and to celebrate his rule with trembling. We must kiss the Son or he will be angry and we and our ways will be destroyed. The only safe place is to take refuge in him. This is the place of blessing where we are forever shielded from his wrath (cf. Psalm 2).

To be continued...

Learning from Daniel

No, I have not dropped off the face of the earth, I have just been extremely busy. Finally I have a chance to write something for your edification. One of the things I miss about not preaching regularly in a church is the opportunity to work through books of the Bible. So to remedy that, and to remain fresh myself, I have decided to work through books of the Bible as I go about preaching here and there. In particular I will try to tackle larger sections of scripture so as not to repeat what is being done in many churches from Sunday to Sunday. Because of a number of world events I have been drawn to the book of Daniel in the Old Testament. This book has much to say about living between the times that Christians and non-Christians alike need to consider. Over the next months I will post material from my messages on Daniel from time to time. On this blog I do not want to get locked into any one subject because I treat the blog as more of a free style writing project than anything else. It is a place to express my thoughts on a whole array of topics without taking time (which I do not have) to check and re-check my prose. Being the principal of TBS as well as a full-time teacher at the school and weekend preacher means that I have to manage my time carefully. Nevertheless, there is so much to be said and so little time to say it, and so I trust this blog will continue to be useful to those who read it.

Someone has said that the book of Daniel is "undervalued and sophisticated." Undervalued because we tend to get lost in the great stories that take up the first half of the book and fail to appreciate the larger theological lessons. Our preoccupation with the stories is understandable. They are wonderful. What a reader can forget the faith and courage of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Asariah in chapter one? Or Nebuchadnezzar's dream and the statue of gold, silver, bronze, iron/clay in chapter two? Or the image of gold and the furnace of fire in chapter 3? Or Nebuchadnezzar's descent into madness and back again in chapter 4? Or Belshazzar and the writing on the wall that announced the immediate fall of Babylon in chapter 5? Or Daniel in the lion's den in chapter 6? These are compelling stories of danger, bravery, mystery and intrigue that stir the imagination and imprint themselves themselves on the mind forever. Nevertheless, for all the drama Daniel is a theologically sophisticated book that has something to say about the great issues of life and salvation. It is a good book to come back to in days like these in which the world is a very uncertain place. It reminds us of him who is in control of all things and it gives the believer assurance than in the end all things will work out for God's glory and our good.

To be continued...

Woodchuck Theology

Yesterday was Groundhog Day, when according to local lore we find out if there will be 6 more weeks of winter or 6 more weeks until spring based on whether certain prize groundhogs see their shadows! The annual ritual does make for some fun in the midst of a long Canadian winter where even the hope of spring is a welcome thought, and it gives radio and television hosts something light to talk about. Who would travel to one of these events in person is beyond me, but then again, it sure boosts the local tourist industry!

Be that as it may, I got thinking yesterday that the ability of human beings to forecast the future, in any field of endeavor, is probably not much better than Wiarton Willie's or Punxsutawney Phil's prognostications. While it is true that we humans employ sophisticated statistical models and the like, in the end we are constantly surprised and caught off guard by what happens. If this were not so then some people would be richer than they are, the government would not have to spend so much on 'intelligence', and news headlines would be very boring. In fact, if we really knew what was going to happen next in politics, the financial markets, sports, the weather, there would be very little to wonder about and lots of people would be out of work.

And so, Groundhog Day with its star woodchucks has some real value. It reminds us that only the God of the Bible can predict the future with certainty. He knows what will take place because he has ordained all things in one way or other. As Paul told the Atheneans at the Areopagus, "From one man he (God) made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands" (Acts 17:26).

Moreover, God is moving history forward to the goal he has ordained which will be realized when Jesus returns to the earth as the New Testament predicts. This is one future event we may be sure of even though Jesus himself tells us that his coming will catch people unprepared. No one will see it coming. In this sense it will be like the Genesis flood, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and many other sudden, irreversible, overwhelming events that sweep people away. The only sure refuge is God himself. Since we cannot run from him the only wise course of action is to run to him and find shelter in his love and grace. This is too important an event to be left to chance, experts, or even to groundhogs -- here it is best to act upon the truth of God's word -- that word which cannot lie and will never be proven false in the end.

The Branding of the Gospel

We just finished an interesting Sunday discussion around our dinner table on the "branding" of the gospel. During the discussion the observation was made that well-meaning attempts to reach the culture with the gospel can unwittingly fragment people into smaller and smaller interest groups - groups, that are themselves by-products of the culture we are trying to reach. So for example, attempts to be straight-talking tell-it-like-it-is, culturally sophisticated sorts of people, often come across as parodies of Christian ministry versus authentic representations of biblical Christianity. Add to the parody a high tech website, a catchy ministry name, a conference, books, cds and podcasts, and voila... another "ministry model" is born. The trouble with all this talk and differentiation of "ministry models" is that there is a vast difference between talking, writing and speaking about ministry and actually doing it in any kind of practical, life-transforming sense.

There is an old saying which goes like this: "Those who can do -- do. Those who cannot do - teach. Those who cannot teach -- teach teachers. And those who cannot teach teachers -- write books!" Of course, it is a gross exaggeration and overstatement and there are all sorts of exceptions to the "rule." But there is also an element of truth in it as well. I fear that we live in a generation of over-educated and over-mentored talkers and writers as opposed to Spirit-dependent doers. It may see simplistic but doing ministry is more than setting up a ministry or a website that talks about doing ministry. Too often the latter takes the place of the former and that is why so little is being done beyond organizing more conferences, writing and reading more books, listening to more sermons, and going to more meetings.

Meanwhile we are basically talking to ourselves. What we don't realize is that those on the outside - the ones we are trying to reach - can frequently see this more clearly than we do. Our kids see it as well and they are looking for Christians doing ministry in a way that lacks the self-conscious absorption that too often characterizes "branded ministry" today. I am not convinced that the same apostle who wrote 2 Corinthians would be impressed with the current epidemic of ministerial triumphalism. And I cannot imagine going to a conference organized by the apostle Paul (or any other apostle who had been instructed by Jesus) only to be confronted by booths and ministry staff representing Paul.org, Peter.org, Andrew.org and John.org. Yes, I know, I am being terribly anachronistic... but I think the point remains and needs to be discussed... better yet, maybe we just need to get on with the job the Lord has given us to do and let him sort it out. Whatever we think we must not forget that "the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power" (1 Corinthians 4:20). May God give us more power to live our lives for his glory no matter what he calls us to do.