“And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end” (Daniel 12:9).
TEXT — Daniel 12:5-13
Our text concludes the series of predictions about eschatological events revealed by God to Daniel the prophet, concerning the nation Israel. The chapter opens the curtain on the pivotal focus of this prophecy – the many troubles the nation of Israel would face in the latter days referred to variously in different parts of the Bible. “There shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, everyone that shall be found written in the book” (Daniel 7:25; 9:27; 12:7; Revelation 11:2,3;12:6,14; 13:5). Daniel had the privilege of receiving the series of revelations about the events of the last days. Many of these, especially the catastrophic sufferings during the great tribulation that will befall the nation of Israel, saddened him and made him worried about his people. His genuine concern and burden for his people to survive that period serves as a lesson for all of us.
The events in the passage will occur after the Church has been raptured, and the reign of the Anti-christ kicks in, in the second half of the great tribulation period. Although the troubles will be global, the sufferings will be essentially most intense on the nation of Israel. But she would not be obliterated as deliverance will come her way at the appearance of the Messiah, at the second advent when He returns to establish His millenial kingdom. Israel will mourn and lament for the manner they treated the Messiah at His first coming.
This brought home to us the lesson on timely decision for the Messiah. In the history of God’s dealings with man, we are in the period known as the Church Age, the period of grace. All who have been saved by faith in Christ and are righteous will be raptured with the saints. Suppose anyone rejects salvation at this period of grace; what guarantees that such will endure the intense sufferings of the great tribulation and escape eternal doom? This is therefore the period to accept the salvation that Christ brought to mankind, live in holiness daily, and proclaim the gospel so that others can escape the impending judgment.
Thought for the day
Genuine believers will escape the great tribulation.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
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As a member of Deeper Life Church, I would to receive daily all Christian materials including The Daily Manna, via email for personal use.
As a member of Deeper Life Church, I would to receive daily all Christian materials including The Daily Manna, via email for personal use.