Old Testament study this week. The Prophets (continued)

“Prophecy afflicts the comfortable; apocalyptic literature comforts the afflicted.”(Dr. Moore’s lecture notes).

When I read this statement, it literally jumped off the page at me. I was talking with a dear elderly lady after church this last Sunday. She has had a really tough time, battling cancer. She loves the Lord and we were talking about how one day we will see our Lord return and He will take us home to be with him and our loved ones. I pointed her toward Paul’s writings in I Cor. 15: 51-58, which concern our resurrection and the Parousia. A big smile came on her face as I related Paul’s instructions in I Thess. 4:16-18, concerning the same issue where Paul finishes by saying, “..comfort (exhort) one another with these words.” Truly, there is great comfort in sharing the hope embedded in certain prophetic/apocalyptic writings, among the afflicted. I personally saw that take place last Sunday.

One other comment on the lecture notes, concerning Daniel. The illustration of the little boy telling the Revelation professor, “God’s team wins”, is almost identical to what I heard a local preacher say about Revelation recently. If you get lost in Revelation (this could apply to Daniel, also), just remember there are really two things you need to know: 1) “Our team wins”, and 2) “Jesus is coming back one day, and he is gonna straighten this mess out!” (simple, but perhaps effective exegesis). :-)

Blessings!
George