Welcome to the Pauline Family's "Year of the Bible"! I'm reading the Bible clear through this year, and I invite you to read along with me. But first, let us pray:
Everlasting Father,
All time belongs to you, and all the ages. In signs, in songs, in words of promise, you reassured your chosen ones, “I am with you; fear not.” You taught them through the prophets to trust that your saving deeds were not limited to the past.
When Jesus came, he fulfilled “all that was written in the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms.”
The Church has found him everywhere in these same holy books.
Help me to find Jesus in my reading today, to listen to him, and to follow him with all my heart.
Amen.
Today's chapters are Daniel 7-9.
The vision of the beasts is very similar to the king's dream of the statue, and the theme is the same: The upstart "rulers" of this world, no matter how powerful they may seem, will be done away with. Everlasting kingship will be given by God ("the Ancient One") to "one like a Son of Man."
Anyone who has heard or read the Gospel knows that "Son of Man" was the enigmatic title Jesus seemed to prefer for himself.
The importance of Daniel's vision of the "one like a Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven" who was given the divine attributes of "dominion and glory and kingship" cannot be overstated. When Jesus cites this prophecy in answer to the High Priest's question, "Are you the Messiah?" the words bring down on him the charge of blasphemy—and the death penalty.
Chapter 8 brings us the Bible's first mention (by name) of the Angel Gabriel.
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