ORIGINAL RESEARCH

 

The second coming of Christ as the golden key to unlock the Book of Daniel: An analysis of a pentecostal interpretation of the dream in Daniel 2

 

Die tweede koms van Christus as die goue sleutel om die Boek van Daniël te ontsluit: 'n Analise van 'n pinkster-interpretasie van die droom in Daniël 2

 

 

M. Nel

School for Biblical Science and Biblical Languages, Potchefstroom Campus. North-West University. Potchefstroom. E-mail: MariusN@als.org.za

 

 

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ABSTRACT

Pentecostals regard the doctrine of the second coming of Christ as very important. All passages in the Bible deemed to be "prophetical" are interpreted in premillennialist terms. Bennie Kleynhans' interpretation of the dream in Daniel 2 is used to demonstrate how an endeavourto find relevance through a contemporary interpretation of a Biblical passage, easily becomes outdated. He was of the opinion that communism, the Council on Foreign Relations and the European Economic Community with its ten members would introduce the Antichrist as the leader of a one-world government, eventually leading to the second coming of Christ. Daniel 2 is read as "prophecy", describing the global situation at the latter half of the twentieth century. This demonstrates that the differences in interpreting the dream in Daniel 2 reflect different ways of viewing and treating the Bible. A fundamentalist perspective sees the Bible as a blueprint of what God is going to do in future and how he is going to do this. The "future" - the "last days" just before the second coming of Christ - is inevitably linked to the present day.

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OPSOMMING

Pinkstergelowiges heg groot waarde aan die wederkoms van Christus en interpreteer alle Skrifgedeeltes wat "profeties" mag klink in premillennialistiese terme. In hierdie artikel word Bennie Kleynhans se interpretasie van die droom in Daniël 2 gebruik om te demonstreer hoe 'n kontemporêre interpretasie van 'n Skrifgedeelte gedateer kan raak. Kleynhans het geglo dat kom-munisme, die Raad vir Buitelandse Verhoudings en die Europese Ekonomiese Gemeenskap met sy tien lede die Antichris sal voorstel as die leier van 'n eenwêreldregering en dat dit die wederkoms direk sal voorafgaan. Hy lees Daniël 2 as "profesie" wat die globale situasie in die tweede helfte van die twintigste eeu beskryf. So demonstreer Kleynhans hoe sy siening van die Bybel hom lei om Daniël 2 te interpreteer as 'n fundamentalistiese perspektief van die Bybel, as 'n bloudruk van wat God in ons tyd gaan doen. Die "laaste dae" net voor die tweede koms van Christus word direk aan die hede verbind.

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