The End Is Nearer Than It Has Ever Been

Daniel 8:15-17 -  While I, Daniel, was watching the vision and trying to understand it, there before me stood one who looked like a man.  And I heard a man's voice from the Ulai calling, "Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of the vision."  As he came near the place where I was standing, I was terrified and fell prostrate. "Son of man," he said to me, "understand that the vision concerns the time of the end."

 

Daniel had another dream that greatly disturbed him. A ram that had one horn grow longer than the other…and one of the horns even broke off to grow 4 new ones. He saw battles that were awful…the Temple was defiled …and even God restrained his army of angels from interfering. Angels discussed how long till the visions he saw would happen…but it was all a jumbled mess in Daniel’s mind. His terror gripped him full as Gabriel himself drew near to explain the dream…and he fell prostrate. He was told that the horror he saw was not to happen in his lifetime…it was a vision of the time of the end.

 

I have to admit that I am no Bible scholar…even reading the commentary I get lost in all the names and battles.  One thing is for sure in my mind….many of the things that Daniel saw have come to pass…we are closer to the end than we have ever been. Perhaps the reason that the news I see each day is full of true life horror stories is because God is restraining his army of angels to bring this dream of Daniel’s to completion.

 

My only hope is to cling to God…and petition him for strength and faith to not be tricked into falling weak in a time when I must be my strongest.  I must maintain a relationship with him so that he can guide me through the maze of crazy this world has become. I must pray for purpose…so that my life is more of a help to building his kingdom than a hindrance.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that this world is not my permanent home. Forgive me for the times that I have let the world become my focus…and allowed my time with you to lessen in importance.  Help me to place you at the top of my priority list….and spend as much time as I can with you.  Amen.