Often, the response to disaster is to look back and see how things should have worked. There's an attempt to analyze what went wrong and why. Another response is to realize that the premise of the historical record needs to change. This new insight involves more than backward glances or prophetic glimpses into the future. It is apocalyptic. And it can occur in the collective consciousness of an entire civilization, inspiring people to reconsider their direction and purpose.
Such a change occurred after the leaders of the last two tribes of Israel were taken into exile in Babylon. A creative burst of vision and inspiration among the prophets of Israel resulted in great progress. Ezekiel likens the resurrection of Israel to a valley of dry bones that will live again.See Ezek., 37 . Later, Daniel writes about individual resurrection and a new awakening.See Dan. 7-9 . And St.John in Revelation writes about the fulfillment of these end times in the new reality brought to light by Jesus Christ.See Rev. 19:10 .
These apocalyptic prophets found an inspiring starting-point of hope outside military, cultural, and economic domination by Babylonians, Greeks, and Romans. They forged a new, and liberating, spiritual identity for the people.
