(Daniel 2:21)
An American Musician Bob Dylan released a song titled “The Times They Are A-Changin’” in 1964.
Part of the lyrics go:
“For the Loser now will be later to win, for the times they are a-changin… And the first one now will later be last, for the times they are a-changin’…”
Basically, Bob Dylan’s message in that song was, TIMES CHANGE! Nothing lasts forever.
Kingdoms come, Kingdoms go. Empires rise, Empires fall. Presidents come, Presidents go. Everything changes- with TIME.
What holds true today may not hold true tomorrow. Wisdom is understanding when to reposition to the new reality.
In the above Scripture, Daniel said “God changes times and seasons”. Day comes, Night comes. Summer comes, Winter comes. Life is DYNAMIC, not STATIC!
There was a time the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. Another time came they were free from slavery. Then they passed through the Wilderness for 40 years. During those 40 years, God led them by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. They moved when the pillar moved, they stopped when the pillar stopped.
In life, you need to know the Template to apply to each situation you find yourself- what worked for your parents in 1976 will not work for you in 2026.
Some days ago, I had a phone conversation with my sister, Mero. She was having an issue with a friend and she quoted on of our dad’s favorite sayings: “If you love ME, you WILL love my DOG!”
Now, our dad was born in 1938, I was born in 1968, my sister in 1974. She wanted to use our dad’s 1976 Template for a 2026 situation! I told her, “Mero, NO! That is an archaic saying- it worked for dad in his days, but it is obsolete today! You can’t use a 1976 Template to solve a 2026 Challenge!”
That is like going on a trip from Lagos to London by sea- who does that?
“The Times They Are A-Changin’”- today, there are 6-hour flights from Lagos to London: why take a 2 -week trip by sea?
Jesus knew people found it difficult to change from what they are comfortable with, that was why he said, “No one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires the new; for he says, ‘The old is better.’ ” – Luke 5:39
That is the default setting of the average person: why leave Certainty for Uncertainty? Why leave the Known for the Unknown?
I had an interesting discussion with one of my Protégés some weeks ago. He is in his early 30s and single. I asked him about his marriage plans, he said he hopes to get married at 35, tops. I asked him to give me an idea of the type of woman he’d want to marry, he said “I want to marry a woman like my mother”! He said he’d want a wife between 25-28 who is not on Social Media! “Uncle H, the young ladies these days are too fixated on and too influenced by Social Media! I don’t think I can marry a Lady who is active on Social Media, honestly…”
The Times They Are A-Changin’, son. You can NEVER see a 25-28-year-old lady who is NOT active on Social Media today: they simply don’t exist- not even in the Village!
Apparently, he wants to use his mother’s Template of yesterday to chart a path for himself tomorrow.
In the Book of Ezekiel, we read: “The word of the Lord came to me again, saying, “What do you mean when you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, And the children’s teeth are set on edge’? “As I live,” says the Lord God, “you shall no longer use this proverb in Israel… – Ezekiel 18:1-3
God changes TIMES and SEASONS. There was a time that Proverb made sense, there was a time it was valid. But, “The Times They Are A-Changin’”: that proverb became invalid at some point, God had to personally intervene to ban its’ use in Israel!
That was an extreme situation- God had to get involved Himself. Most times, He won’t do that- He’d expect you to KNOW when The Times They Are A-Changin’.
Today, there is something called Global Warming; Planet Earth is getting warmer, the extremely cold regions are losing their cool. Icebergs are melting at an alarming rate, glaciers are disappearing!
I was an undergraduate in the University of Jos in 1984. Jos was so cold in December then- if you leave a bucket of water outside overnight, it would have a thin layer of ice on it the next morning! It was THAT cold. I was in Jos for Christmas last year- December was as hot as June!
As Believers, we MUST have understanding like the sons of Issachar (“Of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do…” -I Chronicles 12:32).
When times change we change with it. We follow the Spirit of God wherever He goes.
“When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, because there the spirit went; and the wheels were lifted together with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. When those went, these went; when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up together with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.” – Ezekiel 1:19-21
The Times They Are A-Changin’, Children of God!
Don’t be left behind: change with it!
Where the Spirit goes, go with it: refuse to be held down by the Known, the Comfortable.
And the Religious…
Shalom,
Haruna Daniels