Learning to Live in Exile Week Three: Apocalyptic Visions Welcome! - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Learning to Live in Exile

Week Three: Apocalyptic Visions

Apocalypticism? The course of empires? Hope in Persecution?

 Daniel 8

• What do you notice about

the images and symbolism used in the chapter?

• How do you understand the

interpretation of the dream?

• For what times is this

vision?

Daniel 8 Forward

 "Apocalypse" (ἀποκάλυψις) is a Greek word

meaning "revelation", "an unveiling or unfolding of things not previously known and which could not be known apart from the unveiling."

 Combines angelic revelation with transcendent

eschatology including Judgement after death. (Collins)

 Human reform no longer possible – Divine

intervention needed. (Hanson)

What is an Apocalypse?

 Enoch 1, 2 (300 BCE to 100 CE)

• Contains 5 separate visions of Enoch (Genesis 5:21-24)

“Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him. (5:24)

 Features:

• Pseudopigrapha: Writings attributed to famous people who

lived in the past.

• Ex Eventu Prophecy: Writings in the form of predictions of past

historical events.

• Travel accounts to places of judgement
• Descriptions of eras of history and the time of the end.

Extra- Biblical examples

 From third to first person narrative  Daniel from interpreter of dreams to needing

interpretation of visions.

 How long will the persecution last?

• 1,150 days 8:14
• 3.5 years (1,278 days) 12:7
• 1,290 days 12:11
• 1,335 days 12:12

Questions in Daniel

 When do people become aware of Daniel’s visions?  “I kept the matter in my mind.” (7:28)  “As for you, seal up the vision. . .” (8:26)  “But you, Daniel, keep the words secret and the

book sealed until the time of the end.” 12:4a

 “At the time of the end the king of the south shall

attack him” (11:40)

 “But he said to me, ‘Understand, O mortal, that the

vision is for the time of the end.’” (8:17b)

When are the end times, “time of the end”?

 “He shall speak words against the Most High, shall

wear out the holy ones of the Most High, and shall attempt to change the sacred seasons and the law. (7:25)

 “It took the regular burnt offering away from him and

• verthrew the place of his sanctuary (8:11)

 “He shall make sacrifice and offering cease; and in their

place shall be an abomination that desolates. (9:27)

 “Forces sent by him shall occupy and profane the

temple and fortress. They shall abolish the regular burnt

• ffering and set up the abomination that makes

desolate.” (11:31)

The Little Horn . . .

Antiochus Epiphanes IV

 Babylonian exile, 586–539 BCE  Persian, 539–333 BCE  Hellenistic (Alexander the Great), 333–164 BCE  Ptolemaic, 301–200 BCE  Seleucid, 200–164 BCE

• Hellenistic Reforms 175-168
• Profanation of the temple; Maccabean revolt 168-167
• Rededication of the temple by Judas Maccabee 164

 Hasmonean, 164–63 BCE

Cycle of Empires

 Opened Greek Gymnasium – allowed citizenship status

and began military training for Jewish boys.

 Jerusalem renamed “Antioch of Jerusalem”  High Preists Jason and Menelaus – bribed Antiochus

Epiphanes IV to become priest – stole the gold from the temple to pay the bribes.

 167 – statue to Zeus set up on the altar – circumcision

banned, following Torah banned, extreme persecution started.

 164 overthrown by the Maccabean revolt – cleansing of

the temple, establishment of Hannukah.

Under Antiochus

Consistent Lessons

Daniel The Lord is in control Remain faithful The Lord is faithful Be patient The Lord has a purpose Live and work