Author: Wick

So it’s been a while.  I don’t have time or desire to read right now, so I’ll just give an update on what’s been going on.

We left here early last wednesday, even though we hated to miss the evening service here in Cedar Rapids.  The 4 hour drive to Sarah’s parents’ house took us about 7.5 hours altogether.  We spent most of that delayed time inching through the bloomington area on Highway 74.  It was great.  At one point, we put the car in park and played cards for a while.  Blackjack, 21, whatever u wanna call it..I totally rocked and beat Sarah.  But I gotta admit it was close.  Anyways, we made it to Decatur alive.

While in Decatur, quite a bit happened….it was busy, we spent a ton of time with family we hadn’t seen in a LONG time.  It’s so cool how her cousins grow so fast.  One time I’ll be there, and they’ll hardly say a word to me….and we play a little. The next time we come, we know we’re gonna play some more…and we do.  Those guys are getting so big and tough.  I saw her cousin Teagan climb up a really tall excercise bike!!  It may not sound like much, but at one point he had to lift his entire body weight by reaching up with both hands, and pulling himself up.  Anyways, as someone who couldn’t do a pull up until his college years, I was quite impressed. 

We ate a lot.  We talked a lot.  About life, and about what is going on both there in Decatur, and where we were all coming from as well.  Her sister Brooke is pregnant..and to the point where u can feel the baby kick.  It’s gonna be a girl, but they’re not tellin’ any names just yet.:)  We miss them, they miss us….it’s difficult to leave…but we did.

We had church Sunday morning, and I preached Sunday night.  Talked about the season of Advent, and how we’re waiting on God’s second return……

Monday I picked up a live tree to surprise Sarah, and had it all lit up when she got home.  We had some people over for pumpkin cheesecake and coffee (so adult-like, eh?).  Last night we decorated the tree, and ate cheese, sausage and crackers.  I know that’s a minor detail, but the cheese kicked butt.  I splurged and bought this $6, 4-year aged cheese.  I’d always wondered what “aging” did to cheese.  Well, I’ve tasted sharp cheddar before, but this stuff was awesome…very bitter and sharpest I’ve ever had.  There’s more left, thankfully.:) 

Anyways, Christmas is coming soon.  I think I’ve decided I want an X-box, which makes buying easy for Sarah…but what should I get her?  There’s hundreds of things….but I have a hard time.  I know how to make her smile…but what would get the biggest smile, the largest “thanks”.  I’m sure I’ll figure it out.  Anyways…I’m rambling……God Bless…and more to come.:)

“All In the Family: Daniel and Revelation” – Hill begins by talking about the audio world.  As a boy, he’d purchased an album by Simon and Garfunkel. He loved listening to it over and over again, each time feeling as if the words had been almost written for him and about his life.  The songs meanings fit what he was going through.   Then, when cd’s came out, he bought a stereo with a cd player.  He bought the same album on cd.  It was hard to enjoy musically at first.  All of the imperfections came out…drawing a breath, etc.  But he was also able to hear it better, and understand most of the words better and more clearly.  All of this brought his ears closer to hearing something that was closer to the original performance.  Hill compares this to his beginning of biblical studies.  Already having a certain understanding of the bible, and a level of knowledge about the content.  When he began his studies, however, it is at first disconcerting and disorienting.  But after some time, ” I came to see that careful biblical study can remove layers of distortion, taking us closer to the original performance, allowing us to hear the notes more clearly, helping us to get the lyrics right.”

Daniel and Revelation are two books that are heard the most differently through the instrument of modern scholarship.  “The question that divides traditional and modern interpreters is this:  Are Daniel and Revelation principally books of historical FORESIGHT or theological INSIGHT?”  So many today interpret these writings as a sort of “End Times road map”, where they recognize a description of their own historical terrain…..meaning the end times are at hand, the beast/antichrist is alive in the world…etc.  It’s hard sometimes talking with these people, because they are everywhere.  I know quite a few who believe technology/computers/internet/bar codes/implants/etc…you name it…is the mark of the beast.  I find it hard to believe someone could accidentally be condemned to hell because they trusted the government or new developments in technology.  But it’s surprising ( and sad) how many don’t find it hard to believe at all.  But anyways, I’m off the subject..

Daniel – Hill first examines the book of Daniel.  With the realization that it was written by an imperfect and finite human, but also inspired by a perfect and infinite God; we can both accept Daniel’s place in scripture, be insprired to think of it theologically, and confront the conflicting details found within it.  The author’s knowledge of Babylonian and Persian history is both thin and inexact.  11:40-45 also tells about the destruction of Antiochus and his forces….which never happened.  “True to apocalyptic form, Daniel sees the eschatological climax as the very next event on the prophetic calendar.” 

Hill goes on to discuss specific details about the book of Daniel, that I won’t bother with copying down or bore you with detailing.  But it’s well worth a read, and very thought provoking.  To think that so many would deny that Daniel might be written by someone other than Daniel, even though most of the evidence seems to point in that direction…is odd. 

Anyways…tomorrow is thanksgiving….can’t wait to feast on turkey and pie and whatever.  hehe.  Actually I could care less about all the food.  Give me a pizza.  I just really enjoy the season because people are so happy and nice to each other.  People get days off from work, families get to come together, and hang out.  Conversations are had about what we’re thankful for.  Sure, most of the thanks goes for material things….but here and there are candy sprinkles of thanks being sent up for things that matter….life..love…family…etc.  I like this time of year.  I’m not sure if anyone reads these things….or if I’m saying this for my own benefit…but enjoy this week/weekend.  Love.  Laugh.  Live.  Remember to breathe (worship).  God Bless.

Chapter 4, “Apocalypse Then” – Hill discusses the histories and various backgrounds of understanding apocalyptic literature.  He doesn’t yet go into the issues found in Daniel and Revelation, but rather talks about the writings that influenced those books, and thoughts that existed well before Christianity, centuries before Christ. 

One book that Hill talked about that struck me as interesting was 1 Enoch.  It’s evident upon reading 1 Enoch, that many New Testament writers have been influenced by the writings found in it.  But it’s not only 1 Enoch, but other ancient Jewish writings, like 4 Ezra, 2 Baruch, Apocalypse of Abraham, 3 Baruch, 2 Enoch, the Dead Sea Scrolls (from Qumran), Testament of Levi 2-5, Sibylline Oracles, Jubilees, and the Testament of Abraham.  I realize that these, and other ancient texts, are not “canonized”…meaning have not been made a part of the “Bible” that we read today.  But I also think the importance of studying these texts may have been under-rated all these years.  I realize that the study and understanding of the Gospel, and the Bible would be of greatest importance in regards to all this literature.  But if New Testament authors were so heavily influenced by a lot of these other ancient texts, perhaps we should be involved more actively in thinking/studying/and at least reading them.

I can’t remember the last time (if ever) I heard a sermon preached that included some information about or from one of these “unbiblical” ancient texts.  I’m not saying I’m gonna go buy copies of them all, and make sermons out of what they hold, but it is a great reminder of the literary influence some of these writings had on those who wrote the Bible.  And if I’m to be seeking to understand the apocalyptic literature of the Bible, it would only make sense to read the books that influenced them.

The next chapter is the one where Hill discusses specifically the writings of Daniel and Revelation.  This would make a great text book, but also remains a great book for personal reflection and study of “end times” thought.  I’m glad I picked it up, and look forward to his thoughts on the biblical apocalyptic literature.