Daniel 12 English Standard Version

The Time of the End

1 “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. 4 But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”

5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on this bank of the stream and one on that bank of the stream. 6 And someone said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, “How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?” 7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished. 8 I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” 9 He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand. 11 And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days. 12 Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days. 13 But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.”

If anyone is wondering where the “bad news” is here in Daniel 12 it is this; the offer of salvation is time limited. It does not matter if you know what He means about time in verse 7, time has limits. It does not matter if we live long enough to realize 1,290 days or even last the 1,335 days, our days are numbered.

We live in the here and now and we are called to preach the gospel while we have time.

Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

If we truly believe that we are seeing the signs of Matthew 24:4-13 then it is in the best interest of all who can be saved that we press forward with the gospel message.

Matthew 24:40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left.

Matthew 24:41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left.

Let those who have ears hear. The clock is ticking.

Psalm 10:14 But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation, that you may take it into your hands; to you the helpless commits himself; you have been the helper of the fatherless.

Matthew 9:36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

John 10:11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

John 10:14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,

Psalm 37:39 The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.

The helpless need help. Jesus came as the good shepherd but then He left.

John 16:7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.

John 15:26 But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.

This is the Word of the Lord, hear this, the Helper has come if you have placed your faith in the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Before we were born again we were helpless to resist sin. Once we are born again the Spirit of Truth has come to help us sort out all of our problems because we are still helpless. We don’t like to admit that and if we take the attitude of “I got this” the Holy Spirit will back away and let us try. If you could hear the Spirit speak to you in those moments it might sound like this.

“Let me know when you need me.”

The Holy Spirit is God and as such maintains the Godly qualities of perfect love which says;

1 Corinthians 13:5 (is not) rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; The Holy Spirit is “4 Love is patient and kind”. If we insist on doing it ourselves, He will let us go our own way. How well did that work for us when we were in need of saving grace?

So when does the Holy Spirit stop us from our reckless behavior? When Father God says, “that’s enough, shut it down.” In my personal experience that is said when my actions place this personal relationship with God at risk. You are free to disagree. That is just my experience.

That is a key element of the power of the Holy Spirit, we do not all require the same amount of help. Nor do we all have the same calling.

1 Peter 1:5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

It is a scary thing to realize this help is eventually going to come to an end. But when?