One of the buzzwords we hear bantered around these days is ENDTIME. We’re in the End Time, they say. Well, there was a time when if the subject of the end times or Bible prophecy came up, I would politely excuse myself and leave the room to get a glass of water.
The subject seemed ominous and much too deep for me. Well, fast forward some 45 years and I find myself pastoring a church and teaching from the Book of Daniel about prophetic dreams interpreted by Daniel for King Nebuchadnezzar.
Not only was Daniel a gifted prophetic individual, but the downloads from God saved his life more than once. God is all about protection and help.
Just so you know, my wife, Lynmarie, has journaled thousands of dreams she and others have received. It’s completely changed our lifestyle and brought much of God’s protection and help.
What I think you might be interested in is a seeming conflict between one of Daniels statements and one of Jesus’.
Look with me at Matthew 24: 36-44, paying special attention to what I have emphasized.
But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
JESUS‒ ENDTIME PROPHETIC STATEMENT 1
• In speaking to the multitudes and to His disciples, Jesus clearly states that those living at the time of His return will NOT know its DAY or HOUR. That the return of Jesus to the earth‒ HIS SECOND COMING‒ will be unexpected.
In my experience, this point is highly emphasized, while the verse in Daniel I will be sharing seems to have been overlooked.
JESUS‒ ENDTIME PROPHETIC STATEMENT 2
• Jesus instructs the people living in the Endtime to WATCH and to BE READY. To me, “you won’t know the day or the hour” and “watch and be ready” seem contrasting. Watch for what signs? Blindly watch? And be ready in what way?
To me, the first TRUTH seems somewhat out of character for God. After all, He warned his people so very many times in scripture, and warned my wife and I countless times as well.
In the Book of Daniel, the Book of Revelation, and a few other biblical books, God tells us some critical things that are coming to the world in the End Time.
It’s my belief that God wants us to be in a position of understanding some things happening now or in the past‒ but more importantly, what’s coming up in the future.
And that’s why He gives us prophetic passages in the Bible, and prophetic dreams now. He leads and guides us so that we aren’t in the complete dark about critical issues, events, and relationships in our lives. And I believe He occasionally gives his prophetic voices words for all of us.
Let me get to the seeming conflict between Jesus and Daniel. This is important, so hang in there with me.
KNOWETH NOT OR UNSEALED? WHICH IS IT?
If you read Daniel from the beginning, you can see that Daniel was given absolutely life changing downloads from God, to not only help save Daniel’s life and minister to the King, but to give prophetic words to us so that we can see and understand what’s going on today. Absolutely amazing.
In Daniel chapter 12, Daniel relays the vision he received concerning a “time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation… the ENDTIME.
In interestingly, he records the words of God in Daniel 12: 8-9: Daniel inquires of the Lord “And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?”
I want to focus not only on Daniel’s question, but more so on God’s response…vs.9, “And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.”
GO THY WAY, DANIEL, FOR THE WORDS ARE CLOSED UP AND SEALED TILL THE TIME OF THE END!
Can you see the significance of this passage. Let me paraphrase what God was saying to Daniel, “You don’t need to know. I don’t WANT you to know. But in the end times, the words will be unsealed!
In verse 10 of Daniel 12, God clarifies: “none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.”
God is saying here that the wise will be able to make sense of Daniel’s words, and know they are in the end times… the times just prior to His return!
You see, God is not all about secrecy and mystery just to keep us in the dark. He doesn’t toy with us and take joy in withholding important and vital information that could hurt us if we didn’t see it coming. That would be sadistic and cruel and far from what a loving God would do.
Here’s the point… God told Daniel “now is not the right time in history for you or mankind to understand this because the time is coming in the future when you WILL be able to understand it. At that time, it will be relevant and make sense to those who are watching.
And by the way, the same principle applies to prophetic dreams today. Some of them are SEALED until the right time… when suddenly they make sense! Every experienced that?
WHAT ARE WE TO MAKE OF THIS?
Those days of wanting to turn the preaching off when the topic was the ENDTIME are gone for me! I now find the topic more than fascinating.
• Jesus said we will not know the day or the hour…
• But He also said that the wise in the Endtime will be able to know the SEASON in general!
The Word of God tells us that we CAN know we are in the end time! We can be watching and readying ourselves!
But we’ll need to spend some serious time studying the prophecies and comparing them to what’s going on in the world… an exciting adventure! And BTW, know that I’ll get back to you with more thoughts on Endtime prophecy.
Your comments or questions on my thoughts are very welcome!
Remember: Each of us receives our own dreams, and each of us knows our own state of affairs. Dreamers are intended to make the best interpreters of their own dreams as they grow in understanding of the parabolic language of dreams.
I’m not you, but that’s my view! Every Blessing!
Pastor Raymond