Sunday, April 15
Among the many things that Daniel and Revelation have in common is their two basic divisions: historical and eschatological (end-time events). Both these concepts are intricately linked in each book. We may view the historical events as precursors, or examples, even if on a smaller scale, of grand and global events in the last days. That is, by studying what happened in Old Testament history, we can have insights for what will happen in our days and beyond. This principle, however, is not limited only to Daniel and Revelation.
Read 1 Corinthians 10:1-11. In these verses how do we see the principle talked about above?
As we found last week, some of the stories in Daniel (Daniel 3:6, 15, 27; and 6:6-9, 21, 22) were localized historical incidents that reflect, somewhat, the end-time events depicted in Revelation. By studying these stories, we can get glimpses and insights into some of the things that God’s people will face on a broader scale in the end. Perhaps, though, the most important point is that, regardless of our immediate situation here, we are assured of ultimate deliverance. Whatever else Revelation teaches, it assures the faithful of victory.
Though there are some exceptions, the historical portion of Revelation is chapters 1-11, followed by the end-time chapters 13-22.
Read Revelation 12:1-17. Where should we place this chapter, historical or end events, and why?
As we can see, this chapter belongs to both segments. Why? Because it talks about historical conflicts — the expulsion of Satan from heaven (Revelation 12:7-9), Satan’s attack on baby Jesus (Revelation 12:4), and the persecution of the church in subsequent church history (Revelation 12:14-16) — followed by a depiction of the devil’s attack on the end-time remnant (Revelation 12:17) .
It has been said that one of the lessons we learn from history is that we never learn from history. The idea is that regardless of when they live, people keep making the same mistakes. With so much history behind us to learn from, how can we avoid making the same mistakes?
