Lesson 12 - The End and a New Beginning
Tried, Yet Trusting: Questions 12-14
Trials are God’s great teachers. Each difficulty we face in life draws us closer to Him. Problems are prayer prompters. They lead us to our knees to seek Him. The challenges we face in life can either lead us to a deep trust in Him or they can create hostility, anger and resentment. Whether we grow through our trials and thrive in life’s toughest times largely depends on our abiding faith in a loving, heavenly Father who has everything under control. As He guided the rise and fall of kingdoms throughout the centuries, truly He can guide our lives.
In 408 A.D., Clovis, the king of the Franks, was converted to the Roman Church. This paved the way for the union of church and state in 538 A.D which took place when the Ostrogoths abandoned the siege of Rome and Pope Vigilias II assumed full control. This period of 1,296 prophetic days or literal years came to an end in 1798 when Napoleon took the pope captive. The prophecy was fulfilled exactly. The prophecy of the 1,335 days (years) in verse 12 also began in 408 A.D., but ended in 1843/1844. The text says, “Blessed is He who waits for the 1335 days.” Since 1844, we have been living in the end-time, the days of God’s final judgment, the days just before the coming of the Lord. Praise God, soon Jesus will come. We, of all people, are greatly blessed.
There is a renewed interest by tens of thousands in studying Daniel’s prophecies. Each prophecy is a pointer to the return of our Lord. Each one graphically predicts the coming of Christ as the end of all history. Daniel, chapter 2, concludes with Christ’s kingdom—the Rock—smashing down and destroying all evil empires.
Daniel 7 concludes with God setting all things right in earth’s final judgment. The destiny of every human being is settled in the judgment. God’s fairness is revealed in the judgment. God’s mercy and justice meet in the judgment. Daniel 8 climaxes with the final restoration of truth at the coming of Christ. The entire universe is clean. Sin is defeated. God’s truth triumphs. In Daniel 11 and 12, God’s people—persecuted, opposed and oppressed—are delivered.
The book of Daniel graphically reveals an all-powerful, all-wise, all-mighty God whose plans, people and purposes will be victorious at last.
We are on the winning side. We can look away from the problems of life to the promises of His Word. We can by faith see a better land where the trials of life are ended. We will one day enter into the joy of His eternal presence and experience the happiness for which we were created.
Right now would you like to commit your life to this Christ who has the whole world in His hands? Are you willing to surrender anything in your life that is not in harmony with His will?
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