(All scripture from the World English Bible, ebible.org, all rights reserved)
“I heard, but I didn’t understand. Then I said, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these things?” He said, “Go your way, Daniel; for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. Many will purify themselves, and make themselves white, and be refined, but the wicked will do wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand. From the time that the continual burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there will be one thousand two hundred ninety days. Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred thirty-five days. But go your way until the end; for you will rest, and will stand in your inheritance at the end of the days.””
(Daniel 12:8-13)
“Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until it receives the early and late rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Don’t grumble, brothers, against one another, so that you won’t be judged. Behold, the judge stands at the door. Take, brothers, for an example of suffering and of perseverance, the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we call them blessed who endured. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and have seen the Lord in the outcome, and how the Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”
(James 5:7-11)
The end is not forever far off. It is coming. The Lord God is returning. The end will come. We are closer to it than Daniel was. We are closer to it than the Twelve were. We are closer to it than the early Church was. And every day brings us closer still. We don’t have the exact time written down on the calendar, nor do we need to. It isn’t important. What IS important is that we can see that the Lord knows when it is. The Lord knows when it is coming, He knows things that are going to happen, His plan is proceeding, and nothing can derail it. We know that in the end He will win. The faithful will enjoy the fruits of total restoration. We know this. He has told us this. We can look forward to it. It is a SURE THING.
In the meantime, what should we do? Go on as if everything is always going to be fine? No. We need to be aware that it could end at every moment and so live our lives prepared. It’s like having an emergency preparedness kit. We don’t have to live every day in fear. We have what we need for if and when the emergency happens. We will be surprised when it occurs, but we will not be taken unawares. We can stop whatever we are doing at a moment’s notice, grab the kit, and we’re ready. That is how we are to live. Ready for His return at a moment’s notice. Ready to go. Doing the things of life, but doing them with a heart prepared. With a heart aligned with God’s moral character and His will. Seeking Him even while we walk out our day to day. Ready to be surprised, but not taken unawares.
Summary
God tells us hints of what is coming so that fear doesn’t get a hold of us. Forewarned is forearmed. We know there will be troubles. We know there will be travails. We know there will be persecutions. We know it. So we don’t have to fear it. If we know it because God knows it, we know that God is prepared for it. He has a plan to deal with it. He has equipment to equip us with. He can get us through. He can get us over it. Whatever is required, He is ready. And if GOD is ready, how can we justify fearing? How can we justify giving up or despairing? How can we justify getting anxious? God is so far above us and so much greater than we are, we can totally trust in Him about it. No matter what ‘it’ is. Rising prices? Raging war zones? Disasters? Restriction of freedoms? Imprisonment? He’s got us right in the palm of His hand. He wins. He always wins. He is NEVER defeated. And if we are in His hand, we won’t be either. He’s got this. He’s got us. We can believe Him, trust Him, and rely on Him. He is MORE THAN ENOUGH!
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