Dare to Study Daniel

Dare to study Daniel.

Dare to study alone.

Dare to search for something new.

Then dare to make it known.

The first three lines of the above parody are challenge enough. We really get daring, however, when we are willing to accept the challenge of the last line. Someone who comes up with a position that may be a little different from that of the majority takes a chance of being clobbered with the label "heretic."

Yet Adventist ministers dare not neglect to take a new look at this book, which assumes more and more significance as we approach the end of time. We cannot escape our responsibility so clearly set forth in passages such as the following:

"As we near the close of this world's history, the prophecies recorded by Daniel demand our special attention, as they relate to the very time in which we are living." --Prophets and Kings, p. 547.

"When the books of Daniel and Revelation are better understood, believers will have an entirely different religious experience. They will be given such glimpses of the open gates of heaven that heart and mind will be impressed with the character that all must develop in order to realize the blessedness which is to be the reward of the pure in heart." Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, p. 114.

With the sense of urgency in mind that comes from careful reading of such statements as these, we plan to run a series of twelve studies on Daniel by Dr. Desmond Ford. To these we will append study guides for the book of Daniel that are designed to encourage Adventist ministers to take a fresh look at this prophetic book. The emphasis in this series will not be so much on the traditional interpretation with which we assume you are already very familiar, but on ideas and suggestions that may lead you to dis cover new significance and meaning in these much-studied passages.

For those who are members of the Academy of Adventist Ministers, or who may be attracted by this study program into joining the organization, arrangements have been made to send your responses to the academy for evaluation and comments. Upon completion of this series, if you have sent in your response to the study guide for each lesson to the academy for evaluation, you will be allowed two hours credit, which is the equivalent of a year's study requirement for membership (50 hours).

Of course, you don't have to join the academy to follow this series on your own, although we suggest such a procedure if you wish evaluation of your responses and academy credit. We'll attempt to make the study guides specific and clear enough so that anyone who will spend a little time may be led to discover new significance in the prophecies of Daniel. Our hope is that this series might stimulate a renewed interest in the study of a portion of the Scriptures that is taking an added significance as we approach the end of time. So we dare you to really study Daniel, then dare to share the results of your study with your members, thus stimulating them to restudy this message for today.