Our scripture today is Daniel 8:17 (ESV).
So he came near where I stood. And when he came, I was frightened and fell on my face. But he said to me, “Understand, O son of man, that the vision is for the time of the end.”
I will tell you honestly that interpreting apocalyptic lessons is very difficult. This is a prime example. Rather than see it as a riddle to solve – we will never solve it ourselves – we need to ask “what is the eternal lesson God is teaching?” We know that Daniel was given the gift to interpret dreams and visions, but in this episode the angel Gabriel is called to explain it to Daniel who doesn’t understand. If Daniel didn’t understand, we have no chance. We need to ask God to help us see what meaning is assigned for us in this lesson, rather than attempting to discover who or what in human history is represented by these fantastic images.
Loving Lord, You want us to be part of everything You are doing, but Your wisdom and power is too great for us to comprehend in human terms. Help us to accept that which we can understand rather than coveting to know more than we are able. Amen.
