What can the apocalypse teach us about COVID?

The word “apocalypse” is a transliteration of apokalypsis in Greek. Generally, the Greek word is translated as “revelation”. However, the English word “apocalypse” has taken the place of “Doomsday” to mean the end of the world.

We can think of the Greek version of the word “apocalypse” as “a reveal that causes change”. The Hebrew version of the word means the same thing. The Hebrew word is used for when dreams are revealed and also for when nakedness is revealed.

Matthew 11:25–27 (CSB)

At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and revealed [apokalypto] them to infants. Yes, Father, because this was your good pleasure. All things have been entrusted to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son desires to reveal [apokalypto] him.

Galatians 1:11–12 (CSB)

For I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel preached by me is not of human origin. For I did not receive it from a human source and I was not taught it, but it came by a revelation [apokalypto] of Jesus Christ.

Revelation 1:1 (CSB)

The revelation [apokalypto] of Jesus Christ that God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,

Various “apocalypses” happen throughout the Bible:

Adam wakes up from sleep to meet his wife, Eve.

God appears 4 times to Abraham with promises.

Jacob saw the stairway to Heaven, waking to learn that God was for him.

Moses encounters a revealed God on Mt. Sinai.

Samuel, David, Solomon, Micaiah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, Zechariah, and more have revelatory dreams.

Besides healthcare, what issues have been revealed about the society because of the pandemic?

How has the pandemic affected the poor?

Has society learned from past disasters?

The ESV Study Bible Author and Title

The book of Daniel, named after and written by Daniel in the sixth century B.C., records the events of his life and the visions that he saw from the time of his exile in 605 (1:1) until the third year of King Cyrus (536; 10:1). Daniel, whose name means “God is my Judge,” was a young man of noble blood who was exiled from Judah during the time of King Jehoiakim (609–597 B.C.) and lived thereafter at the Babylonian court. After the fall of the Babylonian Empire, he served the Medo-Persian Empire that succeeded it.

In chapter 2, King Nebuchadnezzar has a dream and told his “magicians, mediums, sorcerers, and Chaldeans” to tell him the interpretation of his dream without him first telling them the dream.

dan2:14-19

Daniel 2:14–19 CSB

Then Daniel responded with tact and discretion to Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon. He asked Arioch, the king’s officer, “Why is the decree from the king so harsh?” Then Arioch explained the situation to Daniel. So Daniel went and asked the king to give him some time, so that he could give the king the interpretation. Then Daniel went to his house and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah about the matter, urging them to ask the God of the heavens for mercy concerning this mystery, so Daniel and his friends would not be destroyed with the rest of Babylon’s wise men. The mystery was then revealed to Daniel in a vision at night, and Daniel praised the God of the heavens

At this terrible crossroads, God gives Daniel a revelation. What did Daniel do in this situation?

Daniel 2:31–35 CSB

“Your Majesty, as you were watching, suddenly a colossal statue appeared. That statue, tall and dazzling, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was terrifying. The head of the statue was pure gold, its chest and arms were silver, its stomach and thighs were bronze, its legs were iron, and its feet were partly iron and partly fired clay. As you were watching, a stone broke off without a hand touching it, struck the statue on its feet of iron and fired clay, and crushed them. Then the iron, the fired clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were shattered and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors. The wind carried them away, and not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

Daniel 3:4–6 CSB

A herald loudly proclaimed, “People of every nation and language, you are commanded: When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, drum, and every kind of music, you are to fall facedown and worship the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. But whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire.”

Now, this next part is even wilder.

Daniel 4:19–26 CSB

Then Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, was stunned for a moment, and his thoughts alarmed him. The king said, “Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.” Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, may the dream apply to those who hate you, and its interpretation to your enemies! The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, whose top reached to the sky and was visible to the whole earth, and whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant—and on it was food for all, under it the wild animals lived, and in its branches the birds of the sky lived—that tree is you, Your Majesty. For you have become great and strong: your greatness has grown and even reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to the ends of the earth. “The king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump with its roots in the ground and with a band of iron and bronze around it in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with dew from the sky and share food with the wild animals for seven periods of time.’ This is the interpretation, Your Majesty, and this is the decree of the Most High that has been issued against my lord the king: You will be driven away from people to live with the wild animals. You will feed on grass like cattle and be drenched with dew from the sky for seven periods of time, until you acknowledge that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms, and he gives them to anyone he wants. As for the command to leave the tree’s stump with its roots, your kingdom will be restored to you as soon as you acknowledge that Heaven rules.

That is what happens to the king.

There is a theme within the Bible of peace in relation to animals.

Adam has peace with the animals. (creation)

Noah had peace with the animals. (re-creation)

Solomon spoke of animals. (1 Kings 4, wisdom)

Jesus speaks of animals. (Luke 12, wisdom)

dan7:2

Daniel 7:2 CSB

Daniel said, “In my vision at night I was watching, and suddenly the four winds of heaven stirred up the great sea.

dan7:11-15

Daniel 7:11–15 CSB

“I watched, then, because of the sound of the arrogant words the horn was speaking. As I continued watching, the beast was killed and its body destroyed and given over to the burning fire. As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was removed, but an extension of life was granted to them for a certain period of time. I continued watching in the night visions, and suddenly one like a son of man was coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was escorted before him. He was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, so that those of every people, nation, and language should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed. “As for me, Daniel, my spirit was deeply distressed within me, and the visions in my mind terrified me.

What similarities do you see with Daniel’s life and the dreams of others?

What similarities do you see with Daniel’s life and his own dreams?

Application

What does Daniel’s dream teach us about COVID?

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