Appendix E
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Time of the end
The Bible speaks of a
specific time period that exists at
the end of the world. Throughout the
Bible, it is called “the Great
Day of the Lord.” In most cases,
this term refers to a time period
when the authority and glory of
Almighty God shall be revealed. In
the book of Daniel, this time period
is also called “the appointed
time of the end.” Notice these
texts (emphasis mine)
Daniel 8:17 As
he [Gabriel] 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 8:19 He
said: “I am going to tell you
what will happen later in the time
of wrath, because the vision
concerns the appointed time of the
end.”
Daniel 11:35 Some
of the wise will stumble, so that
they may be refined, purified and
made spotless until the time of
the end, for it will still come at
the appointed time.
Daniel 11:36 The
king [of the North] will do as he
pleases. He will exalt and magnify
himself above every god and will say
unheard of things against the God of
gods. He will be successful until
the time of wrath is completed, for
what has been determined must take
place.
Daniel 11:40 At
the time of the end the king of the
South will engage him [the king
of the North] in battle, and the king
of the North will storm out against
him with chariots and cavalry and a
great fleet of ships. He will invade
many countries and sweep through them
like a flood.
Daniel 12:9 He
replied, “Go your way, Daniel
because the words [of this prophecy]
are closed up and sealed until the
time of the end.
These six verses
clearly reveal that God, long ago,
determined when the end should come.
This is the good news. God never
sleeps even though we may think the
hour is late or overdue.
Paul knew that the
Father had appointed a time for the
end: “For he set a day
when he will judge the world with
justice by the man [Jesus] he has
appointed. He has given proof of this
to all men by raising him from the
dead.” (Acts 1:7)
Two points must be
made from this text since it is
widely misunderstood. First, Jesus
affirms that the Father has set times
and dates by His own authority. Even
before sin began, the Father had
already decided what the time limits
of sin would be. But, the next point
is more difficult to understand.
Jesus told His disciples that it was
not for them to know dates and times that
were not relevant to them. In His
statement to the disciples, Jesus did
not mean that His disciples in
centuries to come could not know the
dates and times that were relevant to
them; rather, Jesus is revealing an
important principle. This principle
is that on or about the time of
fulfillment, specific prophecies are
understood.
This is a critical
point. The 1,260 and 2,300 year time
periods of Daniel 7 and 8 were far
from fulfillment when Jesus made this
statement to His disciples. He did
not want them to know that the
1,260 years of Daniel 7 were yet
future. He did not want them to know
that the 2,300 years of Daniel 8:14
were under way either. Jesus knew
that such information would have
destroyed the early church before it
got started. This principle helps to
explain why the book of Daniel was
sealed up until the time of the end
because time only becomes
important when the time for
prophetic fulfillment arrives.
If I were to
paraphrase the thoughts of Jesus in
Acts 1:7, I would say, “My
friends, it is not for you to know
about specific dates and times the
Father has set by His own authority
until some specific date or time
shall arrive. Then, the Holy Spirit
will lead you to understand the
timing and what is yet to come.”
See John 16:13 for support of this
conclusion.
1798 marks the
beginning of the end
In the prophecy of
Daniel 7, an apocalyptic sequence
unfolds that reveals when the
beginning of the end occurs. Read
Daniel 7:1-11 and notice the
following progression:
1.
Lion
2.
Bear
3.
Leopard
4.
Terrible monster
5.
Ten horns – little horn
6.
Judgment scene in heaven
7.
Beast destroyed in fire
According to the rules
of interpretation at the end of this
study, and confirmed by history these
events occur in their order.
According to Daniel 7:20,21 the
judgment scene begins at the end
of the 1,260 years of the little horn
terror. The proof of this statement
is found in two selections of text.
First, Daniel says, “I also
wanted to know about the ten horns on
its head and about the other horn
that came up, before which three of
them fell-the horn that looked more
imposing than the others and that
eyes and a mouth that spoke
boastfully. {21} As I watched, this
horn was waging war against the
saints and defeating them, {22} until
the Ancient of Days came and
pronounced judgment in favor of the
saints of the Most High, and the time
came when they possessed the
kingdom.” (Daniel 7:20-22) When
did the Ancient of Days come to the
court described in verse 9? Also
notice that this verse says
persecution will resume and
last until the saints possess the
kingdom.
Secondly, Daniel says,
“He [the little horn] will
speak against the Most High and
oppress his saints and try to change
the set times and the laws. The
saints will be handed over to him for
a time, times and half a time. {26}
But the court will sit, and his power
will be taken away and completely
destroyed forever.” Daniel
7:25,26. Here, the saints are handed
over to the little horn until the
court sits. Again we ask, when did
the court sit?
The reader will notice
from verse 21 that the little horn
wages war against the saints until
the Ancient of Days, the Father, came
and convened the heavenly court which
is described in Daniel 7:9,10. Again,
in verse 25, the Bible says the
saints will be persecuted for 1,260
years but the court will sit and
take away the great authority of
the little horn. The court brings
the persecution of the little horn to
an end. The point here is that
the court in heaven convenes at the
end of the 1,260 years. At this point
in time, the Father grants a
restraining order against the little
horn power and the saints are freed
for a season (until the deadly wound
is healed). And, we know from
Revelation 13, the persecution of the
saints will resume when the trumpets
begin. This coming persecution will
last until the saints will possess
the kingdom. (Revelation 13:5-7)
We can’t see into
heaven
Consider this. When
Jesus gave the prophecy to Daniel
recorded in Daniel 7, He connected
the end of the little horn’s
power with the Ancient of Days
convening the court scene. Knowing
that human beings cannot look up into
heaven and see the events taking
place there, Jesus tells us to watch
for certain events on earth so we can
know the timing of events in heaven.
Isn’t this neat?
Again, the point is
made: The judgment scene in Daniel
7:9,10 began in 1798-at the end of
the 1,260 years. The little horn
power was wounded-not because 1,260
years had passed-but because the
Ancient of Days pronounced a
restraining judgment in favor of the
saints. In other words, the papacy
received a deadly wound because the
Father had ordered it. The 1,260-year
time period tells us when to look for
the end of the papal persecution so
that we can know that heaven’s
court has convened.
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