Troublesome Times
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, every one whose name shall be found written in the book. Dan. 12:1, RSV.
Christ's work in the heavenly sanctuary has come to an end. As He completes it Daniel pictures Him as standing up as He prepares to return to earth for His people.
The pre-Advent judgment has ceased, probation has closed, and the great High Priest has stood. Yet something else happens at this momentous time. The earth descends into a "time of trouble" unequaled in earthly history. That difficult time undoubtedly is brought about when the "four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth" (Rev. 7:1, RSV) finally let loose of their hold and allow the devil to operate more freely throughout the earth.
Now, the earth has always seen trouble. Jesus pointed that out when He told His disciples that "you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nations will rise up against nations, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: all this is but the beginning of the birth-pangs" (Matt. 24:6-8, RSV).
As noted earlier, earth has always experienced wars, earthquakes, and so on. But the Bible is clear that the beginning of birth pangs will be followed by their end as the earth enters a time of trouble such as never was, during which Satan's evil forces have freedom to do their will. At such a time, Jesus tells us, there will be "men fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world" (Luke 21:26, RSV).
It will be a time of chaos. Not only will the economic and physical world be in upheaval, but there will inevitably arise trouble in the spiritual realm as people begin to blame one another for what is happening. And as in all such times in prior history religious strife will rage and the earthly forces of Satan turn upon believers in Jesus. Revelation 13 and other places in John's apocalypse depict some of that aggression.
It is during that crisis point in history, as God's people are seemingly being overwhelmed in what Daniel describes as the time of trouble, that Jesus returns to deliver them.
Father, help us today to stick close to You as we prepare for those things that will come upon the earth.
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, every one whose name shall be found written in the book. Dan. 12:1, RSV.
Christ's work in the heavenly sanctuary has come to an end. As He completes it Daniel pictures Him as standing up as He prepares to return to earth for His people.
The pre-Advent judgment has ceased, probation has closed, and the great High Priest has stood. Yet something else happens at this momentous time. The earth descends into a "time of trouble" unequaled in earthly history. That difficult time undoubtedly is brought about when the "four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth" (Rev. 7:1, RSV) finally let loose of their hold and allow the devil to operate more freely throughout the earth.
Now, the earth has always seen trouble. Jesus pointed that out when He told His disciples that "you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nations will rise up against nations, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: all this is but the beginning of the birth-pangs" (Matt. 24:6-8, RSV).
As noted earlier, earth has always experienced wars, earthquakes, and so on. But the Bible is clear that the beginning of birth pangs will be followed by their end as the earth enters a time of trouble such as never was, during which Satan's evil forces have freedom to do their will. At such a time, Jesus tells us, there will be "men fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world" (Luke 21:26, RSV).
It will be a time of chaos. Not only will the economic and physical world be in upheaval, but there will inevitably arise trouble in the spiritual realm as people begin to blame one another for what is happening. And as in all such times in prior history religious strife will rage and the earthly forces of Satan turn upon believers in Jesus. Revelation 13 and other places in John's apocalypse depict some of that aggression.
It is during that crisis point in history, as God's people are seemingly being overwhelmed in what Daniel describes as the time of trouble, that Jesus returns to deliver them.
Father, help us today to stick close to You as we prepare for those things that will come upon the earth.
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