My position falls in line, generally with EJ Young and Calvin.

The time in view is mainly the era between the testaments, post-exilic Judah is the geographical focus. I don't believe there is much overlap in Daniel's visions and Revelation, particularly whatever is interadvential and eschatological in Revelation. Daniel is interested in the Messiah's initial coming and setting up his kingdom, and what is happening until then from his standpoint. Since I don't believe in a future kingdom-set-up from our present day, but that Christ has already brought his kingdom in, I find Daniel to be fully explicated by what has already happened in Christ.

The reason that "king of north/south" is so "generic, and in our view refers to several different kings and even kingdoms is that the Bible isn't so concerned with WHO they are, but that they are "players" in the world, while God's people huddle in their tiny hill-country, insignificant and just... well... in the way of these grand armies and empirical designs.

One of the most interesting things to me is that God tells Daniel that when the time comes that the Jews throw in their lot again with one of these powers, they stop being ignored, and simply buffeted by the winds and vicissitudes of war and politics, and become objects of persecution by the kings to whom they joined themselves. Strong irony, and in fact the very thing that happened when Judah allied with the Seleucids.

__________________
Rev. Bruce G. Buchanan
ChainOLakes Presbyterian Church, CentralLake, MI


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