Zico:
Yes I am an atheist. But that doesn't mean that we know everything about how this universe works.
Unfortunately, Daniel and Revelation as prophetic books are the residue of irrationality I still carry with me.
Being an atheist I am very skeptical of this sort of thing. But I indulge in speculation in this area because my interpretation seems to be coherent.
Daniel and Revelation are just the kind of books I would think some extra-earthly source might use to mid-wife human civilization through crisis.
It is piggy-backed on the notion of Christ. Christ represents a leap to a united earth. Christs followers become the model for humans through and after the crisis.
They need to know how to survive the time of trouble.
This secret knowledge becomes clear when it is needed and represents a minimal intervention in human affairs.
If I live a normal lifespan I will NOT die without having the answer.