Let Us Endure To The End
Admit it. Some of us want to know the end of any story right at the beginning. Oh, we try to act like we’re not going to read the very last page of the book, but we peek. Come on, who hasn’t read the last verses of the last chapter of the last book, Revelation?
Well, if you really haven’t, because you’re still working through the book of Leviticus, it says: “He who testifies to these things says, “yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus is with God’s people. Amen.” (Revelation 22:20-21)
The book of Revelation is a counterpart to the book of Daniel. They align together.
The last chapter of Daniel, chapter 12, is like opening the last few pages of history. We need to unwrap it carefully, as Daniel did, like a fine, precious gift. We want to understand the moment in its solemnity, anticipate the future, and live with the promise of the joy of Christ, our ultimate gift.
Only God can write prophecy, which is history before it happens. God wants us to know what He has prophesied, promised, and will bring to pass.
This is a sacred, holy moment that Daniel experiences. As God unfolded the story of human history, and its sure conclusion to His faithful servant, Daniel had at times, fainted, or fallen sick (Daniel 7:15, 7:28, 8:27, 10:8, 10:17). This is no magic trick by the Babylonian astrologers, or cheap trinket to be unwrapped hastily, and quickly discarded. Daniel is given priceless truth, which is both a warning and yet a comfort, to those who believe in the one true God.
Daniel is seeing the very last days through a series of supernatural visions. This will be a time of great distress and judgment, as God pours out His wrath on an unbelieving world, but that time will be followed by a millennium period of peace and joy, which concludes in eternity.
Certainly, there are some eschatological textural disagreements among theologians on the timing and sequencing of all this. Still, interestingly, the angel merely says to Daniel, “as for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days, you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance” (Daniel 12:13).
In our generation, difficult days are ahead. Even unbelievers can sense this, and we are reminded that in Matthew 24, the disciples asked Jesus when all these things would happen. He didn’t give them a direct timeframe, as that is only for the Father to know.
Jesus was always about His Father’s business, which was sharing the good news of the gospel, teaching, serving, loving,and forgiving.
I want to unwrap the last page of history. I want to see what Daniel saw, know what he knew, and even experience an angel telling me to “go my way till the end”. I do.
We can’t, yet. We are to be about the Father’s business, as Jesus was. Share the gospel with that unbelieving friend. Teach the little ones in your family the things of God. Serve someone, even when they don’t say thank you. Love someone that is challenging to love with the same self-sacrifice that Jesus did. Forgive them. Forgive, even if you take your heart to the cross again and again.
Be about your Father’s business, and unwrap the very last page of all that God has assigned you to complete in your own story.
Our rewards are coming soon enough. Your eternity is secure in Christ. Go your way, till the end.
~ Originally from New York, Gerry Lutzel has been a NC resident since 2017 and currently teaches in the women’s Bible study. She also serves at Guest Services on Sunday mornings.