Journal: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Volume: JETS 32:3 (Sep 1989)
Article: The Middle Ages Within The Scope Of Apocalyptic Prophecy
Author: Hans K. Larondelle

JETS 32:3 (September 1989) p. 345

The Middle Ages Within
The Scope Of Apocalyptic Prophecy

Hans K. Larondelle*

In view of the popular preterist and futurist applications of the beasts of Revelation it is essential for an adequate Biblical interpretation to place Revelation against its OT background, specifically of the unique book of Daniel. The prophetic series in the book of Daniel forms a progressive parallelism in which covenant history is outlined as an historical continuum from Babylon’s rule until the establishment of the glorious kingdom of God and the resurrection of the saints (Daniel 2; 7; 8; 11–12). In this respect Daniel is manifestly different from the other OT prophets. The other prophetic books are characterized by the motif of a double focus of God’s judgment: the immediate, national fulfillment (as a type), and the end-time, worldwide consummation (as the antitype). Daniel’s prophetic outlook is unique because his future perspective intends to outline a definite succession of the God- and Israel-opposing world powers until the final judgment day. This apocalyptic style of a sequential order of future events is typical of Daniel’s book. It does not deny that the historical narratives of Daniel’s own experiences in Babylon and Persia carry also typological significance for the end time.1

The comforting message for the covenant people is Daniel’s stress on the supreme rulership of Israel’s God over all evil powers. This is expressed specifically in the supernaturally-determined time periods, by which the sovereign Ruler has “numbered” the days of the reign of evil rulers or has set specific boundaries of time to the raging of persecuting world powers (see Dan 5:26–28; 8:14; 9:24–27; 11:29, 35, 40; 12:4, 7, 11–12). Daniel summed up his essential message in a spontaneous doxology when the God of Israel revealed to him the “mystery” of the future: “He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them” (2:21 NIV). God not only foresees the future but also actively participates in each century or age and ultimately determines its outcome. He alone therefore is to...