Daniel chapter 12 also tells of this Plan. God says “Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued.
Then one asked, “How long will it be until the end of these wonders?”And I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time (i.e., 3 and one half years); and as soon as they finish smashing the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed. But as for me, I heard but did not understand; so I said, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these events?” And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for these words will be kept secret and sealed up until the end time. Many will be purged, cleansed, and refined”.
(Note: this three and one half years represent the breaking of the Sixth tribulation seal through the blowing of the Sixth tribulation trumpet, which completes the first half of the Great Tribulation. The second half of the tribulation (another three and one half years) begins at the end of the Sixth tribulation trumpet and concludes after the Seventh tribulation Bowl. This concludes the entire Seven years of Great Tribulation).
And finally, this is the culmination of God’s Plan and Purpose for all of creation and for all people over all the ages. A time of tribulations began at the time of the birth of Jesus. Jesus called this time the “beginning of birth pains”, (see Matthew 24:4-8) which will culminate with a final 7 years of Great Tribulation which the world has never seen before and never will see again.
His Plan may seem like a maze to us. His plan is full of opportunities and obstacles. You must constantly be asking yourself which path to take to reach the goal? And this becomes increasingly impossible unless you know His Ultimate Goal. And, because God has designed this maze for your life, you are simply the sojourner, trying to find your way.
Jesus knows the way. In fact, Jesus is the way! He can and will lead you to safety. But you must follow Him.
This entire matter could be compared to the age old philosophical question, “why am I here, and what is the purpose of my life?” Well, if you are willing, we can answer that question:
You are here because God put you here, or more accurately, God created a man and a woman, (Adam and Eve), who, over time, put you here. That is the “how” of why you are here.
You are here because God put you here to test you. Yes, to test you, (see 1Peter 1:3-7), and for those who ‘endure to the end’ of this testing, they will be ‘saved’, (see Matthew 24:13). That is the ‘why’ of why you are here.
God is testing you to prove you. Yes, to prove you. God’s intention is that you be saved and transformed into the image of Christ Jesus. (See Romans 12:2 and 2 Corinthians 3:18).
The purpose of God’s plan is ‘perfection’. Yes, perfection. In the beginning, God said His creation was ‘good and very good’ (see Genesis 1, verses 10, 12, 18, 21, ,25 31, and Genesis 3:6).
God was creating the Masterpiece, first in the heavens and then on the earth. His work completed in just seven days, He would allow His Masterpiece to mature for millenniums, until it became His Perfection. (See Matthew 5:48, John 17:23, Romans 12:2, 1 Corinthians 13:10, Philippians 3:12, Hebrews 2:10, Hebrews 9:9, Hebrews 10:14, Hebrews 12:2, James 1:4, 1 Peter 5:10, 1 John 2:5).
For us, this is a journey of discovery and revelation of God’s Grand Plan and Design, from creation through the End of the Age, then into a New Heaven and a New Earth.
This will lead to the reasons for WHAT God is doing in these Last Days and WHY He is doing it this way. My prayer is that, after reading this, everything you may have wondered regarding the reasoning behind God’s Plan for the world and your life, will fall into place.
In order to know God’s plan for your life – and the entirety of the cosmos, you must know the entire plan. Knowing is just the beginning, because once you know The Plan then you will know that you have to choose to join HIM in what HE is doing or go your own way. Okay?
So, let’s look at exactly what is God’s Plan for everyone and everything? What is His purpose? Let me put it as succinctly and briefly as possible:
- God Created – and said “It is good” and “very good”. (see Genesis 1)
- (Humankind rebelled, but it was no surprise to the omniscient God. See Genesis 3).
- God is Perfecting His creation. (see Romans 12:2, 1 Corinthians 13:9-11, Hebrews 10:14, James 1:4, 1 Peter 1:3-9, 1 Peter 5:10, Matthew 5:48).
- God will Destroy that which is not perfected. (see Matthew 24-25)
- God will Create a new Heaven and a New Earth for all those whom He perfected, to live in perfection with Him. (see Revelation 21).
If you will come to understand this, then all your successes and failures, all the pleasantries and the tragedies, all the good and all of the bad things of life, even death and eternity, will begin to make perfect sense.
Notice that I do not say it will be easy. It will not and is not easy. It is hard. But, if you look hard enough, you can come to see the purpose in every circumstance, the pleasant and the unpleasant, the good and the bad. You will see the outcome as the proving of your faith, even if you have to wait years after these events that come upon you to see the results (see 1st Peter 1:3-7).
I will present, first, a very brief and a very simple overview of a biblical time line to help you understand. I will begin with the Creation of the heavens and the earth, and take you on a journey through time, until the destruction, and the creation of a New Heaven and a new earth. We will see the complete Plan of God, as found in the Bible. (And, don’t worry. It will be an abbreviated history of how God has created the world, dealt with the people He created, and why the world has gone the way it has gone and how it will conclude.)
One last note. This is not designed to please everyone, and it will not fit every different denominational doctrine. Instead, this is meant to
- Inform you, to
- Inspire you, and to
- Ignite you to move toward the One Living God and to join Him in what He is doing!
I hope that my Christian friends, and others who read this, don’t find it objectionable solely because I have omitted certain events. However, it is my intention to inform and inspire, NOT overwhelm the reader with volumes of information.
PERFECTION – In the beginning, God created.
He began with the imperfect and created the Masterpiece, first in the heavens and then on the earth. His work completed in just seven days; He would allow His Masterpiece to mature for a millennium until it became His Perfection.
This is a journey of discovery and revelation of God’s Grand Plan and Design, from creation through the End of the Age, then into a New Heaven and a New Earth.
This is an introductory study and an explanation on the reasons for WHAT God is doing in these Last Days and WHY He is doing it this way. My prayer is that, after reading this, everything you may have wondered regarding the reasoning behind God’s Plan for the world and your life, will fall into place.
This will take you on a journey into the reasons for WHAT God is doing in these Last Days and WHY He is doing it this way, and it will reveal His PURPOSE.
My prayer is that, after reading this, everything you may have wondered regarding the reasoning behind God’s Plan for the world and your life, will fall into place. God’s plan is unfolding exactly as He purposed; from
- The Creation, through
- The Garden of Eden, and
- The Fall of Man to,
- The Great Flood,
- The Tower of Babel,
- The Exodus from Egypt,
- The possessing of The Promised Land,
- The Destruction of the First Temple, and
- The Jewish Captivity in Babylon,
- The birth of Jesus,
- The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus,
- The Destruction of the Second Temple,
Our steady march through time has been exactly as Bible prophecy has foretold. We have entered an era leading to the destruction and, eventually, a rebirth of the heavens and the earth.
The world has entered the final epoch of time, known by various names, such as, “The Last Days”, “The End The of Age” the “Latter Days” and “The Tribulation Period”, which was marked by the birth of Jesus. There are reportedly visible and observable signs and ancient writings to help you, if you believe in such things. However, most people either don’t recognize the signs or writings or don’t believe. Even among those who believe these prophecies are coming to pass and see the signs, few know what they are seeing, where they are leading or what to do in response.
Daniel 12:1, “Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. Verse 2. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. Verse 3. And those who have insight will shine like the glow of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. Verse 4. But as for you, Daniel, keep these words secret and seal up the book until the end of time; many will roam about, and knowledge will increase.”
Verse 5. Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others were standing, one on this bank of the stream and the other on that bank of the stream. Verse 6. And someone said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, “How long will it be until the end of these wonders?” Verse 7. And I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they finish smashing the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed. Verse 8. But as for me, I heard but did not understand; so I said, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these events?” Verse 9. And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for these words will be kept secret and sealed up until the end time. Verse 10. Many will be purged, cleansed, and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand. Verse 11. And from the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. Verse 12. Blessed is the one who is patient and attains to the 1,335 days! Verse 13. But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will rest and rise for your allotted portion at the end of the age.”
RECAP of Daniel 12:1-13 :
- And there will be a time of such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, (These words are repeated by Jesus in Matthew 24:21), and,
- everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. Verse 2. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. Verse
- Verse 3. And those who have insight will shine like the glow of the expanse of heaven,
- and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. Verse 4. But as for you, Daniel, keep these words secret and seal up the book until the end of time; many will roam about, and knowledge will increase.” Verse 5. Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others were standing, one on this bank of the stream and the other on that bank of the stream. Verse 6. And someone said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream,
- “How long will it be until the end of these wonders?” Verse 7. And I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that
(a) it would be for a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they finish smashing the power of the holy people (i.e., 3 and one half years), all these events will be completed. Verse 8. But as for me, I heard but did not understand; so, I said, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these events?” Verse 9. And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for these words will be kept secret and sealed up until the end time.
6. Verse 10. Many will be purged, cleansed, and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand.
7. Verse 11. And from the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. Verse 12.
(a) Blessed is the one who is patient and attains to the 1,335 days! Verse 13. But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will rest and rise for your allotted portion at the end of the age.”
Not surprisingly, the main interest in this subject continues to be in the sensationalism of the matter; and sadly, both fictional and religious writers are profiteering and capitalizing on the subject financially. All-the-while, assuming these things are true, they are grossly ignoring the urgency and the catastrophic ramifications which are being played out.
This subject is classified as “Eschatology”, which is the study of final events of history, or the ultimate destiny of humanity. The word comes from the Greek word, éschatos, meaning “last” and ‘logy’ meaning “the study of”. Most of the major religious denominations which teach this doctrine believe it will come on the world suddenly, with an increasing intensity and will last for just seven years. This view is a myopic view of the Bible’s history time line, but a careful study of the Bible tells a much different version of these events.
A study of the ‘long view’ of the Bible on this subject, will show that the End of This Age was planned before creation. God, indeed “has a plan for your life” as He has had a plan for the entire world, but it is not the “Sunday school version” you heard about. This is real, dangerous, exciting and both deadly and life-giving.
It has taken many millenniums for this travail to unfold, and we may still have many years to go. But I suppose that when you are dealing with an Eternal God who has no beginning and no end, time is not a factor. God can take all the ‘time’ He wants to execute His plan. Please come with me and let’s continue to explore God’s Plan for you and me and the entire cosmos.
NEXT: (Please click on this text or the image): “GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE – PART 3 – WHERE ARE WE IN GOD’S TIMELINE?
The time is near. Could it possibly be that we are already in the Last Days? If so, when did they begin?
Let’s take a look at what Jesus and His first disciples had to say about the Last Days, the End of Days, the End of the Age
Your Brother and Friend,
Mike Young
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