Thursday, January 12, 2023

Brian E. Barnes (Protestant): "Has Daniel Been Fulfilled Yet?"

In my article Refuting Jeff Durbin on “Mormonism” I discuss Daniel 2 and how it is not evidence against LDS claims of a Great Apostasy and need for a Restoration (contra the post-millennial hermeneutic of Durbin). I recently read the following from a Protestant who also acknowledges that Daniel 2 is something that is yet to be fulfilled:

 

HAS DANIEL BEEN FULFILLED YET?

 

There is a lot of historical evidence that lines up nicely with Daniel’s prophecies. However, there are two major events that Daniel speaks of that have not happened yet. The first is that Daniel speaks of the resurrection of the dead and the final judgment.

 

“2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” (Dan 12:2-3, NIV)

 

Clearly the multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth have not awoken to everlasting life or shame. The time of judgment where the dead rise to either everlasting life for ever and ever, or to shame and everlasting contempt has not happened yet. As Christians we believe that Christ will return to judge the living and the dead. And Christ has not returned yet. We await his Second Coming and the resurrection of the body to everlasting life.

 

The second reason Daniel has not been fulfilled yet is because God has not yet completely established his Eternal Messianic Kingdom which destroys all other kingdoms.

 

“44 In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. 45 This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands—a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces. The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy.” (Dan 2:44-45, NIV)

 

How do we know this hasn’t happened yet? How do we know this isn’t a reference to Christ reigning in Heaven today, with his Kingdom already established after his Crucifixion and Resurrection? Because he sits at the right hand of the Father while his enemies are being made a footstool (Ps 110:1, Matt 22:44, 26:54, Acts 2:34-35, 1 Cor 15:25, Heb 10:13). Jesus taught us to pray for the coming of the Kingdom, “Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.” It is not here yet, at least not completely. And lastly, other kingdoms clearly exist today. All other kingdoms have not been destroyed yet. They have not come to an end like Daniel predicted. And many kingdoms on Earth today are clearly not trying to follow Christ.

 

Because we have not had the resurrection of the dead, the final judgment to everlasting life or contempt, and because all kingdoms opposed to Christ have not yet been destroyed, we can say with certainty that Daniel has not been completely fulfilled yet.

 

Because we have not had the resurrection of the dead, the final judgment to everlasting life or contempt, and because all kingdoms opposed to Christ have not yet been destroyed, we can say with certainty that Daniel has not been completely fulfiled yet. Moreover, we see that references to Daniel in the New Testament are seen as a future (not past fulfilment . . .  (Brian E. Barnes, Understanding Revelation: The Sola Scriptura Challenge [Eugene, Oreg.: Wipf and Stock, 2022], 64-65)