Daniel and Revelation strike us today as strange and unsettling books. The figurative language is difficult for us to understand; the visions are often violent and scary. But this reaction should be a reminder to us to dive deeper and remember how these types of books—apocalyptic literature—were meant to be read at the time they were written.

We should remember for instance that these types of books use symbolic language to communicate their message. We must also keep in mind that they were originally written to an ancient audience that had a more ready understanding of the images used in the books since they were found in earlier Old Testament and even ancient Near Eastern passages. We should have a sense of the structure of these books as a whole when we interpret any particular passage. And we should also remember to make sure we focus on God, the triune God, as we read Daniel and Revelation.

God is in control, and he will indeed have the final victory.

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Importantly, we need to remember that these books are not just talking about the future so that future generations might see their prophecies fulfilled. No, the message is relevant for the original audience and then important for every generation since. The message targets God’s people who live in a troubled world and its message is a message of comfort and hope. While it looks like evil forces are in control of our world, in reality God is in control, and he will indeed have the final victory. The books of Daniel and Revelation, while bad news for those who are evil, are nothing but the best news for those who persevere in their faith and follow God.