That's when Michael, the great angel-prince, champion of your people,
will step in. It will be a time of trouble, the worst trouble the world has
ever seen. But your people will be saved from the trouble, every last one found
written in the Book. Many who have been long dead and buried will wake up, some
to eternal life, others to eternal shame. Men and women who have lived wisely
and well will shine brilliantly, like the cloudless, star-strewn night skies.
And those who put others on the right path to life will glow like stars
forever. This is a confidential report, Daniel, for your eyes and ears only.
Keep it secret. Put the book under lock and key until the end. In the interim
there is going to be a lot of frantic running around, trying to figure out
what's going on.
As I, Daniel, took all this in, two figures appeared, one standing on
this bank of the river and one on the other bank. One of them asked a third man
who was dressed in linen and who straddled the river, 'How long is this
astonishing story to go on?' The man dressed in linen, who straddled the river,
raised both hands to the skies. I heard him solemnly swear by the Eternal One
that it would be a time, two times, and half a time, that when the oppressor of
the holy people was brought down the story would be complete.
I heard all this plainly enough, but I didn't understand it. So I
asked, 'Master, can you explain this to me?' Go on about your business,
Daniel,' he said. 'The message is confidential and under lock and key until the
end, until things are about to be wrapped up. The populace will be washed clean
and made like new. But the wicked will just keep on being wicked, without a
clue about what is happening. Those who live wisely and well will understand
what's going on.' From the time that the daily worship is banished from the
Temple and the obscene desecration is set up in its place, there will be 1,290
days. Blessed are those who patiently make it through the 1,335 days. And you?
Go about your business without fretting or worrying. Relax. When it's all over,
you will be on your feet to receive your reward.
Is your name in The Book? Is Jesus your Savior?—then your
name is in The Book. When the bad times
come—don’t worry—your name is in the book. You’ll be rescued. And if you’ve
died before that happens…you’ll be raised from the dead to everlasting life.
Everyone whose name is in The Book will be rescued, too. What a comforting
thought. Share Jesus with others, so their names can be written down along with
yours. Those whose names are not written down will suffer an everlasting
disgrace.
No worrying! Go about your business. That is the advice
given to Daniel—and it is still good advice for us. Matthew 24:36 again assures
us: But of
that day and hour no one knows,
not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. NASB. We just have to trust the Lord God to give us
knowledge and wisdom as we need it and not to expect to understand just when
His end time is set to happen until He reveals it to us. Relax, if your
name is written in the book.
© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
Scripture from The Message, except where noted.
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