End of Days
Daniel teaches us that God is on the throne and in control. Nothing happens accidentally before Him.
We need a prophetic perspective on life because if we don’t have this we will get caught up trying to do the things God alone can do, trying to get the kingdoms of the world under control and manipulate them our way.
Daniel had a clear understanding of the sovereignty of God through the empires of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. Daniel helps us understand, be prepared, stand ready, and defend the faith.
In the Great Tribulation, this book will be the most important reading for many people. There will be all sorts of classes on this book during the Tribulation.
As the book of Daniel comes to a close, it will reveal a future period in which the Jews will be persecuted by the antichrist and purged by God. Daniel 12:5-13 is part of a lengthy vision the prophet Daniel sees while standing on the bank of the Tigris River. He received this vision from God as an answer to his fervent prayers concerning the future of the Jews.
What’s Going On?
Besides Daniel, there are 2 other unidentified figures that speak in this text. Daniel has been talking with angels so we can assume that these characters are angels themselves. However, one may not have been an ordinary angel since the text states that one of these beings “was above the water.” It may have been the Angel of the Lord who is worshipped as God. If this is true, then Daniel was talking to none other than the Lord Jesus Christ.
One angel wants to know the length of the disciplinary period Israel would experience in the Great Tribulation. Daniel wanted to know what would happen to his people after they’d been delivered from the tribulation.
The superior angel responded to both questions in order. The tribulation will last a times, a times, and a half time. Violence against God’s people will begin when the antichrist breaks his covenant with the Jewish people in the middle of the 7 year Tribulation. Verses 11-12 provide greater detail and if the Jewish calendar was 360 days, this period comes out to 3.5 years, plus 30 days. These 30 days may have been to clean up from the Battle of Armageddon or to cleanse the temple from the abominations of the antichrist.
In response to Daniel’s question about the future of the Jews, the superior told Daniel to go his own way for these words are concealed for a time.
The angel offered counsel though…
How Should we Live Today?
Some in Thessalonica in the first century though Christ had already come and established His kingdom on earth. They used this to excuse themselves from work. Paul rebuked them and told them to “walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His kingdom and glory” (1 Thessalonians 2:12).
At this point, Daniel was pushing 90 and he was ready to check out of life but the Lord said to go back to what you were supposed to be doing.
I say the same to you: get back to engaging with the Great Commission, spread the gospel, make disciples. Live for Jesus.
Here are 3 Truths to Help You Carry On
1. The more time you spend with Jesus, the more teachable you become concerning Him
2. The more questions you ask the Lord, the more dependent you will become on Him
3. The more truth you discover about Jesus, the more magnificent He becomes to you
We need a prophetic perspective on life because if we don’t have this we will get caught up trying to do the things God alone can do, trying to get the kingdoms of the world under control and manipulate them our way.
Daniel had a clear understanding of the sovereignty of God through the empires of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. Daniel helps us understand, be prepared, stand ready, and defend the faith.
In the Great Tribulation, this book will be the most important reading for many people. There will be all sorts of classes on this book during the Tribulation.
As the book of Daniel comes to a close, it will reveal a future period in which the Jews will be persecuted by the antichrist and purged by God. Daniel 12:5-13 is part of a lengthy vision the prophet Daniel sees while standing on the bank of the Tigris River. He received this vision from God as an answer to his fervent prayers concerning the future of the Jews.
What’s Going On?
- The People
Besides Daniel, there are 2 other unidentified figures that speak in this text. Daniel has been talking with angels so we can assume that these characters are angels themselves. However, one may not have been an ordinary angel since the text states that one of these beings “was above the water.” It may have been the Angel of the Lord who is worshipped as God. If this is true, then Daniel was talking to none other than the Lord Jesus Christ.
- The Questions
One angel wants to know the length of the disciplinary period Israel would experience in the Great Tribulation. Daniel wanted to know what would happen to his people after they’d been delivered from the tribulation.
- The Answers
The superior angel responded to both questions in order. The tribulation will last a times, a times, and a half time. Violence against God’s people will begin when the antichrist breaks his covenant with the Jewish people in the middle of the 7 year Tribulation. Verses 11-12 provide greater detail and if the Jewish calendar was 360 days, this period comes out to 3.5 years, plus 30 days. These 30 days may have been to clean up from the Battle of Armageddon or to cleanse the temple from the abominations of the antichrist.
- The Final Outcome
In response to Daniel’s question about the future of the Jews, the superior told Daniel to go his own way for these words are concealed for a time.
The angel offered counsel though…
How Should we Live Today?
- Carry on and be about His business. Don’t be so concerned about the future that you neglect your present responsibilities.
Some in Thessalonica in the first century though Christ had already come and established His kingdom on earth. They used this to excuse themselves from work. Paul rebuked them and told them to “walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His kingdom and glory” (1 Thessalonians 2:12).
At this point, Daniel was pushing 90 and he was ready to check out of life but the Lord said to go back to what you were supposed to be doing.
I say the same to you: get back to engaging with the Great Commission, spread the gospel, make disciples. Live for Jesus.
Here are 3 Truths to Help You Carry On
1. The more time you spend with Jesus, the more teachable you become concerning Him
2. The more questions you ask the Lord, the more dependent you will become on Him
3. The more truth you discover about Jesus, the more magnificent He becomes to you
Pastor Chris Williams
To learn more about Pastor Chris and his teaching, visit us on the web at fcfamily.org and make sure you subscribe to receive these biweekly encouragements in your inbox.
To learn more about Pastor Chris and his teaching, visit us on the web at fcfamily.org and make sure you subscribe to receive these biweekly encouragements in your inbox.
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