God’s vision of the future is just as certain as if it were already a memory. But if you do not fully understand or comprehend what God says about the future, you are not alone. I am not so sure that Daniel knew completely either! While I think Daniel understood the broad strokes of what God revealed to him about the future, I am sure he did not completely understand the specific timing of everything.
The Bible is meant to be understood. The Bible is meant to be carefully studied. We would all do well to study the Bible, including the prophesy portions of Scripture. However, our peace for the future should not come in understanding every sign; it should come in knowing the One that gave the signs!
You may know that I travel quite a bit with my family. Suppose we are driving to California. What do you think my eight-year-old asks me an hour into the trip? Like your kid probably does, he says, “Dad, are we there yet? How far to California?” Now, that is a question that has an informed answer, and that is one question that I can actually answer! I can answer Weston’s question by either pointing to a road sign that says, “California-2,314 miles,” or I can encourage him to sit tight because the truck he is riding in is heading to California. Weston doesn’t comprehend miles and nor what is involved in the trip; but he doesn’t have to understand every road sign if he knows his father. If his dad makes it to California, and he is with his dad, he will make it, too!
Friend, you don’t have to understand every sign if you know the Lord who made them. Daniel expressed some anxiety about not understanding, but he expressed his anxiety to the very God who was already in the future! My confidence does not come because I know every minute detail of the future; it comes because I can talk real-time, at any time, to the One who holds the future!