SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 1/14/2014
12:20 PM
My Worship Time Focus: Final Instructions to Daniel “The End”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Daniel
12:8-13
Message of the
verses: We begin what is actually
our last study from the book of Daniel as far as looking at the last verses in
the book. I mentioned that we will
return to Daniel in February to do a review of the book. I am not sure how many SD’s that will take,
but we will decide that when the time comes.
The End (Daniel 12:8-13):
“8 As for me, I heard but could not understand; so I said, "My
lord, what will be the
outcome of these events?" 9 He said, "Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed
up until the end time. 10 “Many will be purged, purified and refined,
but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will
understand. 11 “From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished
and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. 12 “How blessed is he who keeps
waiting and attains to the 1,335 days! 13 “But as for you, go your way
to the end; then you will enter
into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the
age.’”
We know that Daniel did not understand all that he had
seen and been told about, so he asks questions, but did not receive the answer
that he was looking for. When I come to
passages of Scripture that I really have trouble with and I do all the research
that I can do and still do not understand it I think about Deuteronomy 29:29 which
says ““The LORD our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for
them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that he has
revealed to us, so that we may obey all the terms of these instructions (NLT).” I like the NLT translation of this verse
because it makes it more understandable.
God is so far above us that we may never understand how far above us He
is and because He is God and can do as He pleases He does not have to tell us
everything He knows, and for one thing we could never understand all He knows
for He is God and we are man. He tells
us what He wants to tell us and what He tells us we are to obey.
Daniel is told by God that in the end times there will be
great trouble to come upon those on the earth, and I think that he is especially
talking about the Jews, and he goes on to say that these hard times will make
believers more pure, and wicked men more wicked. When we go through hard times as believers we
are to look at what the Lord is teaching us and not so much as to look to just
get through it. Peter has something to
say about prophetic events “So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to
which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until
the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts (2 Peter 1:19).” He is saying that the Word of prophecy is our
light when things get dark.
Daniel speaks of 1290 days and 1335 days which begin at
the middle of the tribulation when the temple is desolated by the
Antichrist. When you multiply 360 times
3.5 you come up with 1260 and we understand that the Lord will return to planet
earth as seen in Rev. 19 at the end of the tribulation period so there are
thirty extra days given in the prophecy and then when we go to 1335 that makes
75 extra days. I have heard that the
Lord will uses those extra days to begin to set up His Kingdom. We could look at it this way, when the Lord
returns at the end of 1260 He will take the thirty days to judge those who are
left alive on planet earth. He tells us
that He will separate the sheep from the goats, and the goats (unbelievers)
will go into eternal punishment, and the sheep go into the Kingdom. Daniel says that those who make it to 1335
days are blessed, and the Lord could use those remaining 45 days to set up His
Kingdom and begin to rule from Jerusalem.
When we look at the events that occur in Ezekiel 40-48 we see that many
things will happen in order to set up the Kingdom. I heard one commentator speculate that Jesus
would build the Millennial Temple in three days, but I don’t know if that is
what will happen. If the Lord wanted to
build that temple in three days He surely could.
Dr. Wiersbe concludes his commentary on this section and
actually the end of Daniel with the following words: “Though the Lord had taught Daniel many
things and revealed to him many mysteries, it was not for him to know
everything before he died. As the end of
his life drew near, it was enough to know that he had been faithful to the Lord
and would one day rest from his labors (Rev. 14:13). He will one day be raised from the dead ad
receive the reward the Lord has allotted for him (Matthew 25:21). ‘I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy
likeness’ (Ps. 17:15; 1 John 3:1-3; Rom. 8:29).”
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: In twelve days
from today I will begin my 41st year in serving the Lord, as I was saved
on the 26th of January, 1974.
I desire to finish strong and continue to serve the Lord as long as He
gives me breath. I have learned much
from the book of Daniel and some of the things that I learned are was about the
wonderful character that Daniel possessed.
Daniel is a person that I can pattern my life after.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Proverbs 3:5-6.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
Question: “The angel of the Lord”
(Matthew 1:20).
Today’s Bible
Question: “Where was Peter when he
received the vision of the sheet?”
Answer in our next SD.
1/14/2014 1:01 PM
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