In Biblical prophecy (particularly Daniel, Jeremiah and Revelation) we are given a broad-stroke picture of things to come. With a few notable exceptions (such as naming Darius hundreds of years before he was born) we are not given intricate detail.

Given the absence of detail, it is hardly profitable to surmise that as being accidental, which leaves the focus on this summary: our team wins the spiritual war.

We don’t know about every individual battle in this war, so speculating on those is close to pointless, but we have been given some underlying principles.

From a logistic perspective, the most obvious message is to focus on those principles, ask yourself how close to right you’re getting them, ask above for better ability to perceive and to achieve those principles.

To assume that we know precisely what is going on and exactly how to deal with it is to fall prey to the initial big lie. The alternative is Proverbs 3:5-8, which I strongly recommend.

Leon Brooks

Here’s a positive story. A Pro Life advertisement played during the Superbowl. You can watch it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BIOTItUwvk

It caused a lot of controversy but it is a miracle that such a thing was played in the light of the current state of the media.

The football player featured was born after her mother, a missionary worker in the Philippines (correct me if I’m wrong), was recommended an abortion by doctors who said having the child would be bad for both her and the child. He played in the game that this commercial first aired.

Hew Sandison

But I have two fears here. The first fear is that this article will lead to all sorts of rather heated arguments and debates over fine points in eschatology. That may be beginning to happen here. If so, I want to nip it in the bud. While these issues are important, and can and should be discussed and debated, I don’t want it to become a place where everyone is pushing his or her particular hobby horse, and doing the very thing I warned about – becoming so obsessed with a particular view onf the end times that more heat than light starts to be generated. So as the moderator here I will have to keep an eye on how things progress here. OK?

The other fear is an ongoing one – that of going off on unnecessary tangents and heading down rabbit warrens. This piece is about future events, not past events, so we may not really need to yet again enter into the age of the earth debate. It is not the real topic at hand here, and has been debated countless times both here and elsewhere. OK?

I certainly don’t want to squash proper discussion and debate here, but neither do I want things to spin out of control either. If you cannot appreciate the difficulty of my position, just start your own blog site and see how difficult the job of moderation can be! OK again? Thanks for helping me out here guys.

Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch

Thanks for your response.

You say: “That may be your interpretation of Genesis, but I am unable to accept it because it is contradicted by the physical evidence.”

I’m glad that you concede that the plain reading of Genesis is for the timescales I have mentioned. Unfortunately you admit that rather than accept the authority of the Bible you accept the authority of today’s scientific consensus. May I suggest that this is a very dangerous position to be in. Once the authority of the Bible is let go of, there is no logical reason to stop the reinterpreting just with Genesis. Ask yourself: what does today’s scientific consensus say about the possibility of a virgin giving birth, or of a man rising from the dead?

May I suggest you take an honest look at the website www.creation.com which is a very good resource giving good Biblical answers to scientific questions. I was once in the same position you are now, but I was set free to believe fully in God’s word by such ministries.

You also say: “as I keep saying, why does it even matter? How are we to live our lives any differently?”
It matters very much, because the authority of God’s word over all else is what is at stake. The extent of how ones life would change depends on how much of God’s word is not believed. Those who believe the Bible’s timescales, for instance, are expecting the Lord’s return quite soon, those who don’t are not.

Finally you say: “What is the point of arguing over a question that no one can answer?”

Why do you think no-one can answer the question? The Bible gives a very clear answer to the age of the Earth if only people would believe God’s word. The physical evidence too, when interpreted without an a-priori belief in long-ages, is entirely consistent with these timescales.

Mansel Rogerson

That may be your interpretation of Genesis, but I am unable to accept it because it is contradicted by the physical evidence. On the cosmological/geological timescale, 2000 years is nothing, and to an infinite God time doesn’t even exist.

I don’t want to turn this into another tiresome creationist argument. You are entitled to your opinion, but there are other opinions, and as I keep saying, why does it even matter? How are we to live our lives any differently? What is the point of arguing over a question that no one can answer?

Mike Robertson

2. I did not say that you knew that the coming was not for millions of years (or whatever), but I asked the question. All right, it was semi-rhetorical, but you spoke with such confidence, and dismissal of any concern with eschatology that it was an appropriate question.

Murray Adamthwaite

I agree that it is a possible the world could go on for millions of years more. But consider the Biblical timeline for milestones in God’s history so far: The flood occurred only c.1,500 years after creation. Jesus’ incarnation occurred only 2,500 years after that. And now we are already 2,000 years later than that.

So given God’s past timeframe, it seems that we are more likely due for the next chapter in God’s history rather sooner than later.

Mansel Rogerson

Every generation, from the earliest Christians, has expected Christ to return during their lifetime, so how can we know what “near” means? And I didn’t say I knew it was a long way off, I said it could be.

On the other hand, we know with absolute certainty that we will die soon. How should we live our lives differently, or what should we do differently, to prepare for Christ’s coming compared with preparing for our own death?

Mike Robertson

Dan 8:26-27 “The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been given you is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future.” I, Daniel, was exhausted and lay ill for several days. Then I got up and went about the king’s business. I was appalled by the vision; it was beyond understanding.

Dan 12:9-10 He replied, “Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.”

Dan 12:13 “As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.”

It seems to me that one of the hardest things to fight as a Christian individually is the selfish notion that we are the centre of the universe. Daniel was given a special place in Israel’s journey – he would probably have been aware of it to some extent – but as far as his historical biblical place was concerned, that time had passed and he was told to just ‘get on with it’. I’m challenged by the notion that Daniel served where he did on earth without compromising, yet he was directed and blessed by God in that serving. The tension of being aliens in exile speaks volumes to me.

Additionally, I’m aware of the fact that God has deliberately withheld knowledge from us for our own good (“…the words are closed up and sealed…”) and seeks for us to go on with our lives regardless as much as he has directed us. Daniel was simply told to get on with ordinary life and leave the rest to God. Perhaps God wants it that way because it is precisely the fact we don’t always get clear signposts about our lives that directs us to rely on Him more for guidance and help. (note the word – “refined”! That takes time.) But we need to be reassured that the end of the world, whenever that comes, is in the hands of God. Murray is right, we need to live as if it was going to happen today.

Mark Rabich