The Time of the End
"Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever. But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until THE TIME OF THE END...But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days.”
Daniel is an old man when he hears these words (in his nineties). He has witnessed great changes in his lifetime but now as he moves toward the end of his days on the earth and the Lord has graciously shown him what it will be like at the time of the end for His people Israel. O what a privilege it is to see what God has purposed to do!
Jesus taught that there was a very distinct difference between the wise and the foolish. The wise build their lives on the rock and hear His sayings and obey them but the foolish hear the same sayings and do no obey them and thus they build their lives on the sinking sand. Ever since Daniel interpreted the first dream of King Nebuchadnezzar he saw the major kingdoms that would exist concerning His people to the end of the age but the one that would last would be the large rock that represented God's kingdom in His Son.
After Daniel hears the prophecies concerning the developing kings of Persia and Greece, one of the Lord's angels shows him an inspired time interval that jumps ahead into the future. We need to pay close attention to the time indicators that show us a greater lapse of time which takes us to the time of the end, such as "the time of the end" (Dan. 11:35, 12:4,9) and "time, times, and half a time" (which is 3 and 1/2 years found in Dan. 7:25, 12:7 Rev. 12:14).
These latter days and times were spoken through Moses and then through the prophets to God's people. In Deuteronomy 4:30-31, it says something that has application for both the generation that heard these words but sets the tone for it actual fulfillment in the end: "When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the LORD your God and obey His voice (for the LORD your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them."
For the people of Israel, it is also called "the time of Jacob's trouble", which reflects how Jacob's name was changed to "Israel" when he finally desperately called out to the Lord and finally prevailed with God and men in Genesis 32:24-28.
The prophet Jeremiah says, "Alas! For that day is great, So that none is like it; And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, But he shall be saved out of it...For I am with you,’ says the LORD, “to save you; Though I make a full end of all nations where I have scattered you, Yet I will not make a complete end of you. [That means that Israel must continue on and God's promises] But I will correct you in justice, And will not let you go altogether unpunished.’" (Jer. 31:7, 11)
Jeremiah the prophet describes the last 3 and 1/2 years by describing God's wrath on the earth as the Antichrist commits the abomination that causes desolation and the heavy persecution for Israel reaches its climax as well as the judgments of God...BUT GOD keeps His covenant promise to His people Israel and to all who are wise and believe.
The Antichrist rises up above all the former antichrist types and embodies the spirit of opposition against the Lord and His anointed because he will be empowered by Satan who desired to be exalted and worshipped in heaven. Since that agenda did not work, this is attempt to find his place of exaltation on earth and to gather as many people to the destruction that awaits him.
“Then the king [Antichrist figure] shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done. He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all." (Daniel 11:26-37, See Dan. 7:25)
All the while, the angels are doing war in the heavenlies and Michael the archangel is helping to ensure the full execution of God's purpose and to save the remnant of Israel and all of God's chosen in Christ as Daniel 12 shows us. Everything is under God's sovereign purpose until the gospel has been preached throughout the earth and the Lord is ready to gather His Church and all the wise and ready believers of the earth in His appointed time.
In these last days, knowledge will increase everywhere, but as in the days of famine in Amos, people will still not understand the word of God which is able to lead to the saving of their souls. As Proverbs 11:30 says, "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise." Unfortunately, the prophets warning still applies where it says His people are "destroyed for lack of knowledge" (Hos 4:6). The Apostle Paul agrees and tell us that people (even in the days of the internet and widespread access to information) are "always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (2 Tim. 3:7).
Therefore, let us be the wise who put their trust in the Lord and call upon His name and turn many to righteousness. May all of God's people in every generation be living for the kingdom of God that now is but yet coming in fullness when Jesus gloriously appears with His people and establishes His righteous reign forever and ever. For "many will be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand...and will arise to their inheritance AT THE END OF DAYS." (Dan. 12:7,13)
DANIEL CHALLENGE:
"Dare to be a Daniel!
Dare to stand alone!
Dare to have a purpose firm!
Dare to make it known!"
...Be wise and turn many to Jesus!
Questions for open discussion and reflection:
1. What has been the most impactful spiritual lessons from the book of Daniel? What things are similar and different in Daniel's time and the time we live in?
2. How has studying the prophecies of Daniel opened your eyes to what you are seeing in the world concerning the spirit of Babylon and the soon coming of Christ?
3. How are you challenged to live for the kingdom of God with greater purpose and passion? Explain and share from your heart.
Daniel is an old man when he hears these words (in his nineties). He has witnessed great changes in his lifetime but now as he moves toward the end of his days on the earth and the Lord has graciously shown him what it will be like at the time of the end for His people Israel. O what a privilege it is to see what God has purposed to do!
Jesus taught that there was a very distinct difference between the wise and the foolish. The wise build their lives on the rock and hear His sayings and obey them but the foolish hear the same sayings and do no obey them and thus they build their lives on the sinking sand. Ever since Daniel interpreted the first dream of King Nebuchadnezzar he saw the major kingdoms that would exist concerning His people to the end of the age but the one that would last would be the large rock that represented God's kingdom in His Son.
After Daniel hears the prophecies concerning the developing kings of Persia and Greece, one of the Lord's angels shows him an inspired time interval that jumps ahead into the future. We need to pay close attention to the time indicators that show us a greater lapse of time which takes us to the time of the end, such as "the time of the end" (Dan. 11:35, 12:4,9) and "time, times, and half a time" (which is 3 and 1/2 years found in Dan. 7:25, 12:7 Rev. 12:14).
These latter days and times were spoken through Moses and then through the prophets to God's people. In Deuteronomy 4:30-31, it says something that has application for both the generation that heard these words but sets the tone for it actual fulfillment in the end: "When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the LORD your God and obey His voice (for the LORD your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them."
For the people of Israel, it is also called "the time of Jacob's trouble", which reflects how Jacob's name was changed to "Israel" when he finally desperately called out to the Lord and finally prevailed with God and men in Genesis 32:24-28.
The prophet Jeremiah says, "Alas! For that day is great, So that none is like it; And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, But he shall be saved out of it...For I am with you,’ says the LORD, “to save you; Though I make a full end of all nations where I have scattered you, Yet I will not make a complete end of you. [That means that Israel must continue on and God's promises] But I will correct you in justice, And will not let you go altogether unpunished.’" (Jer. 31:7, 11)
Jeremiah the prophet describes the last 3 and 1/2 years by describing God's wrath on the earth as the Antichrist commits the abomination that causes desolation and the heavy persecution for Israel reaches its climax as well as the judgments of God...BUT GOD keeps His covenant promise to His people Israel and to all who are wise and believe.
The Antichrist rises up above all the former antichrist types and embodies the spirit of opposition against the Lord and His anointed because he will be empowered by Satan who desired to be exalted and worshipped in heaven. Since that agenda did not work, this is attempt to find his place of exaltation on earth and to gather as many people to the destruction that awaits him.
“Then the king [Antichrist figure] shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done. He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all." (Daniel 11:26-37, See Dan. 7:25)
All the while, the angels are doing war in the heavenlies and Michael the archangel is helping to ensure the full execution of God's purpose and to save the remnant of Israel and all of God's chosen in Christ as Daniel 12 shows us. Everything is under God's sovereign purpose until the gospel has been preached throughout the earth and the Lord is ready to gather His Church and all the wise and ready believers of the earth in His appointed time.
In these last days, knowledge will increase everywhere, but as in the days of famine in Amos, people will still not understand the word of God which is able to lead to the saving of their souls. As Proverbs 11:30 says, "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise." Unfortunately, the prophets warning still applies where it says His people are "destroyed for lack of knowledge" (Hos 4:6). The Apostle Paul agrees and tell us that people (even in the days of the internet and widespread access to information) are "always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (2 Tim. 3:7).
Therefore, let us be the wise who put their trust in the Lord and call upon His name and turn many to righteousness. May all of God's people in every generation be living for the kingdom of God that now is but yet coming in fullness when Jesus gloriously appears with His people and establishes His righteous reign forever and ever. For "many will be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand...and will arise to their inheritance AT THE END OF DAYS." (Dan. 12:7,13)
DANIEL CHALLENGE:
"Dare to be a Daniel!
Dare to stand alone!
Dare to have a purpose firm!
Dare to make it known!"
...Be wise and turn many to Jesus!
Questions for open discussion and reflection:
1. What has been the most impactful spiritual lessons from the book of Daniel? What things are similar and different in Daniel's time and the time we live in?
2. How has studying the prophecies of Daniel opened your eyes to what you are seeing in the world concerning the spirit of Babylon and the soon coming of Christ?
3. How are you challenged to live for the kingdom of God with greater purpose and passion? Explain and share from your heart.
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