SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 1/13/2014
9:46 AM
My Worship Time Focus:
Final Instructions for Daniel PT-2
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Daniel 12:5-7
Message of the
verses: In today’s SD we begin the
second sub-point from this last main point “Final Instructions for Daniel.”
The Times (Daniel 12:5-7): “5 Then I, Daniel, looked and behold, two
others were standing, one on this bank of the river and the other on that bank
of the river. 6 And one said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the
river, "How long will it be until the end of these wonders?" 7
I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, as he
raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives
forever that it would be
for a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they finish
shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed.”
We see two more angels arriving on the scene at this
time, one on one said of the Tigris River and one on the other side of the
river, and then we see One who is standing above the river, and that is
probably the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ who we met at the beginning of this
vision in Daniel 10:5-6. Next we see an
angel ask the Lord how long will it be until the end of these wonders, and the
Lord’s answer was for three and a half years, (a time, times, and half a
time). We saw this figure in Daniel
7:25, “25 ’He will speak out against the
Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to
make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for
a time, times, and half a time.” This
period of time, three and a half years, refers to the last half of the
tribulation period or what some have called “The Great Tribulation.” There are several ways that the Bible
describes this last part of the tribulation period, the one we are looking at
today, and then in Revelations 12:14 we read “But the two wings of the great
eagle were given to the woman, so that she could fly into the wilderness to her
place, where she *was nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the
presence of the serpent.” (The same
way.) When we look at Revelations 11:2
and then 13:5 we read “"Leave out the court which is outside the temple
and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will
tread underfoot the holy city for forty-two months.” “There was given to him a mouth speaking
arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was
given to him.” In Revelations 11:3 we read “"And I will grant authority to
my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days,
clothed in sackcloth.’”
We have learned that the Tribulation period begins with
Antichrist signing a peace treaty with Israel for seven years, and then in the
middle of the Tribulation period we see him go into the rebuilt temple and
commit the abomination of desolations and declaring himself to be God. Now when this happens the Jews should be
getting out of town, for they know that he is a false god. Jesus says “15 “Therefore when you see the
ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet,
standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then those who are in Judea must flee to the
mountains. 17 “Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things
out that are in his house. 18 “Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get
his cloak. 19 “But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing
babies in those days! 20 “But pray that your flight will not be in the winter,
or on a Sabbath. 21 “For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has
not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. 22
"Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but
for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.” (Matthew 24:15-21)
Dr. Wiersbe concludes his commentary on this section by
writing “The key to God’s timing is the purpose He fulfills for ‘the holy
people,’ the nation of Israel. Throughout
the Book of Daniel, the emphasis is on the nation of Israel, and the only
reason other nations are mentioned is because of their relationship to the
Jews. While the Tribulation period is a
time for punishing the Gentile nations for the way they have sinned against the
Jews (Joel 3:2-8), it’s also a time for sifting and purging Israel and
preparing the Jews for the return of their Messiah (Amos 9:9-12).”
“2 I will gather all the nations And bring them
down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. Then I will enter into judgment with them there On behalf of
My people and My inheritance, Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations; And
they have divided up My land. 3 “They have also cast lots for My people, Traded
a boy for a harlot And sold a girl for wine that they may drink. 4 “Moreover,
what are you to Me, O Tyre, Sidon and all the regions of Philistia? Are you
rendering Me a recompense? But if you do recompense Me, swiftly and speedily I
will return your recompense on your head. 5 “Since you have taken My silver and
My gold, brought My precious treasures to your temples, 6 and sold the sons of
Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks in order to remove them far from their
territory, 7 behold, I am going to arouse them from the place where you have
sold them, and return your
recompense on your head. 8 “Also I will sell your sons and your
daughters into the hand of the sons of Judah, and they will sell them to the
Sabeans, to a distant nation," for the LORD has spoken (Joel 3:2-8).”
“9
“For behold, I am commanding, And I will shake the house of Israel among all
nations As grain is shaken in a sieve, But not a kernel will fall to the
ground. 10 “All the sinners of My people will die by the sword, Those who say,
’The calamity will not overtake or confront us.’ 11 "In that day I will
raise up the fallen booth of David, And wall up its breaches; I will also raise
up its ruins And rebuild it as in the days of old; 12 That they may possess the
remnant of Edom And all the nations who are called by My name," Declares
the LORD who does this. 13 “Behold, days are coming," declares the LORD,
"When the plowman will overtake the reaper And the treader of grapes him
who sows seed; When the mountains will drip sweet wine And all the hills will
be dissolved. 14 “Also I will restore the captivity of My people Israel, And
they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them; They will also plant
vineyards and drink their wine, And make gardens and eat their fruit. 15 “I
will also plant them on their land, And they will not again be rooted out from
their land Which I have given them," Says the LORD your God (Amos 9:9-12).”
Spiritual
meaning for my life today: I think
that this passage in Amos is the one that the Prime Minister referred to when
he spoke at the United Nations last fall, saying that Israel was in their land
to stay. I admire Benjamin Netanyahu
and the courage that he displayed and continues to display. I pray for him most every day for I know that
God has placed him in the job that he has to bring honor and glory to the Lord. All of the prophets had this kind of courage,
and I am not saying that he is a prophet, but has the courage of the
prophets. I desire to have this same
kind of courage, standing up for my Lord, and doing what He has called me to
do.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Proverbs 3:5-6.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible Question: “He raised from the dead the only son of a
widow (Luke 7:11-17).”
Today’s Bible Question: “Who said ‘Fear not to take unto thee Mary
thy wife?”
Answer in our next SD.
1/13/2014 10:22 AM
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