Daniel 9:2 –
During the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, learned from reading the word of the LORD, as revealed to Jeremiah the prophet, that Jerusalem must lie desolate for seventy years.
Daniel had the right idea by reading the word. We get into so much trouble in this world that we tend to ignore reading the Bible.
Many tend to say it’s a dated book and we as a people have evolved past it. Others just say it’s too confusing (I will expand on that later). Even more just dismiss it as a “fairytale” with little application in the real world. We need to really look at reading this book daily and trying to figure out applications in today’s world.
First, it is time to look inward at ourselves and see how we have evolved. I get it all the time how people have evolved past the teachings of this book. People’s intellect has evolved much like the Greeks did in this time. But rudimentary needs have not changed as far as needing food and shelter. Our envy and lust still drives us for more in life, which gets us in trouble. We have not evolved past most of what the Bible talks about. Interestingly many of the great books I have read throughout the years have similar threads to those written in the Bible.
The other complaint is it’s too confusing. Really? Sure there are many truths that take years, and in my case decades, to understand, but it’s not rocket science. You don’t have to learn complex formulas to get it, just read and pray and repeat. Now with that said I read the last bit of this chapter and remain confused. The periods described are difficult to comprehend and I wonder if they get interpreted properly. I read this and see Jesus all over it, until I get to the time line. The I get lost and confused, so yes there are some confusing parts in prophecies, but for the majority it’s crystal clear … eventually.
Now the “fairytale” aspect gets the most scrutiny since parting the Red Sea and creating the world in 7 days seem unbelievable to most. A man who healed the sick, raised the dead, walked on water and saved us all seems farfetched to many reading the Bible. To our temporal knowledge, it is a “fairytale”. That is actually the toughest to “fight” when you think about it. How do you “prove” something you cannot empirically show? That is where time with God shows you the possible in the impossible. I can say I have had some strange stuff happen that I can only explain to God, but others would apply “chance” to. This could go on forever, but the key Daniel says is to read and become “enlightened” by reading!