Deep Calls Out to Deep

When I was a little girl, it was the age of the televanglist. PTL, home of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker was practically in my backyard.  While getting ready for church it was not uncommon for Oral Roberts to be preaching on TV and his son Richard and wife singing some gospel.

Throughout the week my mom often had lesser know television preachers on in the background.  Some of them were good and I’m sure had very honest hearts but some of them were, shall we say shysters? My parents were both Christians but my mom was a Christian who believed everyone was sincere while my dad followed the philosophy trust God, question others. He didn’t distrust everyone, in fact he took us to PTL often, but he did see through certain things making for one very amusing evening televised dispensationalist.  

This gentleman was talking about being a little boy and climbing a tree.  He heard the voice of God calling him and from then on, he knew he would be a preacher.  He also knew God had very special plans for him.  So far so good. He said he heard the voice of God often throughout his life. And this month God had been speaking to him about the end times.  He had been led to write a book so that he could help people understand what they would need to do. God had now revealed to him that the rapture would take place tomorrow.  We were all a bit caught off guard by that.  But he repeated it, God had told him personally that the rapture would take place the following day and you must get his book so you would know what to do.  For younger people, this is before Amazon could get you what you ordered overnight. As a matter of fact, my dad said, “Wendy, look at the bottom of the screen.”  Sure enough, for this rapture that would take place tomorrow and the only book that could help, it said allow four to six weeks for delivery. And you know, the phone lines were lighting up like crazy. Dad and I are laughing hysterically and my mom is rather upset that we are making fun of God’s friend. 

It’s a thing since Jesus said He was coming back, there are people who want to know when.  It would be useful information.  And I am not immune to wondering or trying to figure it out, or even having skeptical moments of did You forget us, Jesus?  What is soon to Someone who has always existed.

Recently, our weekly scripture readings included excerpts from Daniel 7.  And I was tempted to go down the Apocalyptic trail, the four beasts, you know the Revelation beast had characteristics of each Daniel’s four beasts.  Hmmm…

Then I started thinking about something that goes by me sometimes. Daniel sees a foreshadowing of Jesus’ given authority.  And it hit me, anything about Jesus to Daniel is pure prophesy.  He didn’t know Him.  Even when Jesus walked with His people, they were confused about the plan so Daniel is truly trusting a vision from God. That was my revelation. So further on this train, I thought about his audience.  The exiled people captive in Babylon. They weren’t decoding every message looking for Jesus’ return yet.  He hasn’t even come for the first time at this point.  So if instead of a woman in 2025 sitting in an office, reading the Bible online, what would I be needing from Daniel and what would he be trying to convey at that very moment in time?

HOPE.

They needed hope. They needed to know that although they may not know God’s plan, He had one. And they were part of it. And things would work out for them eventually. And honestly, in this time, we need hope as well.  Things are messy these days. And while looking to Jesus’ return is lovely if you know where He’s taking you, we were called to be ready.  We were never called to guess when it would happen. We are people of hope, just like they were.  Our hope and belief in Him is still a part of this journey and it started a long time ago with people who didn’t know what was going to happen.  But they knew, God had this and that He had them.

In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man,^[a] coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.  He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

Daniel 7:13-14