OUR TRIUMPH IN TIMES OF TROUBLE

The words of the inspired Daniel—the same Prophet who had an excellent spirit, who was captured and taken to Babylon, who refused to defile himself with the King’s meat, who interpreted the hand-writing on the wall, who was delivered from the mouth of the lions, who revealed the exact year of Christ’s coming 600 years before He came, and foretells of Messiah’s reign— are both disturbing and comforting. 

Carefully read what he wrote:

…And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time:

and at that time thy people shall be delivered,  every one that shall be found written in the book.

And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever…

Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried;  but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand… 

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Daniel predicted trouble, and He predicted that it would be worse than ever before. 

He predicted that the wicked would do wickedly, and that their understanding would be darkened so that “none of the wicked shall understand.”  How many times in recent days have we listened to the news or heard of unspeakable tragedy and thought, “What were they thinking? Don’t they understand what they are doing?” 

The wicked are clueless.  The Apostle Paul tells us why.  “ ²¹ when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  ²² Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,²³ And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. ²⁴ Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: ²⁵ Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.” (Romans 1:22-25)

Indeed, the wicked don’t understand. 

They don’t understand God’s grace or God’s truth.

They don’t understand God’s holiness or God’s love. 

They don’t understand God’s Word or God’s Will. 

They don’t understand God’s creation or the laws that govern creation.

They don’t understand God’s moral law or the consequences for violating His law.

In fact, when the wicked suffer the consequences of their own wrong-headed and evil-hearted choices, they inevitably refuse to change course.  They resist God’s Word, insist on their way, and persist in folly and failing. 

In the Revelation of the Apostle John we read of a day when the judgment bound unrepentant, facing directly into the wrath of God will “blaspheme the name of God.”  (Revelation 16:9ff).  Rebellion devastates understanding.

AND WHAT OF GOD’S PEOPLE? They too will see and experience trouble as never before. 

BUT GOD PROMISES THEM DELIVERANCE, “thy people shall be delivered,” EVERLASTING LIFE, “shall awake to everlasting life,”  GODLY INFLUENCE, “ turn many to righteousness,” PURITY, “be purified, and made white, and tried”, AND UNDERSTANDING, “the wise shall understand.”

THIS IS NO TIME TO GIVE UP ON GOD’S WORD, TURN FROM GOD’S WILL, RUN FROM GOD’S CHURCH, OR REFUSE GOD’S LOVE!  Now is the time for God’s people to stand up for Jesus!  “Be not conformed to this world, but be ye TRANSFORMed, by the RENEWing of your mind, that ye may PROVE that good, acceptable, perfect will of God.”  Romans 12:2.