Author: Marcus Walker Van Every

Types and Shadows — Sodom and Gomorrah

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But on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all — so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

Luke 17:29-30

The Lord Jesus often used symbols, types and shadows to teach us lessons about prophetic realities to come. In His famous discourse on the end of the age, Jesus draws our attention to two primary allusions from the Old Testament.

  1. The judgment of the ungodly by flood in Noah’s day
  2. The judgment of the wicked by fire in Lot’s day

If the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah give us any indication about the Day of the LORD when Christ is revealed from heaven, then it is certainly worthy of deeper study.

Storing Up Wrath

Then the LORD said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.”

Genesis 18:20-21

To avoid conflict, Abram and his nephew, Lot, had separated their wealth and settled in opposite directions. While Abram chose the land of Canaan, Lot chose the fertile plain on the eastern side of the Salt Sea and settled in Sodom. In that day, the cities of the plain were lush with fresh water and rich vegetation, which obviously appealed to Lot.

And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)

Genesis 13:10

There was only one problem. The people in these cities were extraordinarily godless, for “the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the LORD” [Genesis 13:13]. The depravity of these people was manifest most prominently in their extreme sexual degradation — namely the defiling of their bodies with the perverse practice of homosexuality.

We discover some time later (Genesis 18-19) that the LORD could bear the sin of Sodom no more. God had waited patiently, giving the people of Sodom and Gomorrah a chance to repent. Instead, they only persisted in sin and continued to store up for themselves more and more wrath for their coming judgment.

God’s wrath is described in the Scriptures in several different ways. In the Hebrew, the words most commonly translated for wrath are חֵמָה (chemah) or עֶבְרָה (ebrah), which suggest an overflowing fury that has been building over time.

In the Greek New Testament, there is one distinct word translated “wrath” that is unique from all the others. It is the word ὀργή (orgé), which again refers to the settled and righteous indignation of God toward the wicked. Paul uses this word in his epistle to the Romans.

But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

Romans 2:5

Notice Paul refers to “the day of wrath.” God’s wrath (orgé) is always associated with the Day of the LORD and the coming of Jesus Christ to judge the ungodly. It is a distinct kind of wrath. It is a settled wrath that God has allowed to build over time as He withholds judgment. It is His final wrath and outpouring of anger that is almost always expressed by an all-consuming fire.

The point is that God’s wrath — His orgé — is not some capricious, erratic impulse — likened to a quick-tempered outburst of anger — but rather it is the gradual culmination of God’s long-suffering with sin that finally builds and boils over into the complete outpouring of His anger.

The LORD gave Sodom and Gomorrah more than enough time to repent and turn from their wicked ways, but in the end, His eyes could no longer look upon their sin. Jesus Christ is warning us with the very same message today. There is a day when God’s mercy and patience will cease, and His wrath will be poured out on the earth in flaming fire, just as it was upon Sodom and Gomorrah.

The Righteous are Not Appointed to Wrath

For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:9 — NKJV

Now that I have established the Biblical meaning of God’s wrath — especially in how it was foreshadowed in the fiery destruction Sodom — I need to clarify what the Bible means when it says that the righteous will not suffer the wrath of God. Much confusion and many elaborate eschatological views have emerged from a fundamental misunderstanding of this one verse — 1 Thessalonians 5:9.

The Apostle Paul plainly states that those who are sealed and secured in Christ Jesus can be 100% certain that they will not be consumed by the fire of God’s all-consuming wrath — namely His orgé. Notice that this is the exact Greek word that Paul uses in this passage, which is connected to a very unique type of God’s judgment and more specifically to the Day of the LORD.

So what does this verse mean?

#1 — We are Saved from the Fires of Eternal Hell

First, this means that all who have believed in Jesus Christ will not suffer the eternal wrath of God’s punishment in the fires of hell. Don’t forget that the wrath of God is most completely expressed in His all-consuming fire, which precisely characterizes hell.

Paul again says in Romans, “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God“ [Romans 5:8-9].

Notice again that this passage in Romans 5 uses the Greek word orgé when speaking of our being saved from God’s wrath. So when Paul says that the righteous are not destined for wrath, he primarily means that we are not destined for eternal hell.

We are saved from hell! Saved from the second death! AMEN!

Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire. 15And if anyone was found whose name was not written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Revelation 20:14-15

#2 — We are Saved from God’s Direct Wrath on Earth

When we study the Bible, we discover that God is very precise and specific in His ability to pour out wrath on the wicked, while at the same time preserving and protecting the righteous. There are numerous examples of God directly judging the ungodly and wicked in wrath, while at the same time rescuing the righteous. Here are some of the most obvious.

  1. Noah saved through the flood
  2. Israelites protected through the plagues in Egypt
  3. Korah’s rebellion in Numbers 16
  4. Joshua protected from the hailstones in Joshua 10
  5. Sealed remnant preserved during Babylonian invasion in Ezekiel 9

And of course, the most obvious example is the one we are studying here, which is Lot being rescued out of Sodom just prior to its destruction. Once again, the timing is telling, especially when we understand that Lot’s rescue from Sodom is a foreshadowing of the return of Christ and the Day of the LORD.

If by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; 7and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked 8 (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); 9then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment.

2 Peter 2:6-9

God’s people always have endured suffering, persecution, and tribulation, and the last generation will be no different. The righteous will go through the great tribulation, but believers will not be the objects of God’s wrath. Not only is God able to rescue us from trials if He so chooses, He also is able to keep us and protect us from suffering His wrath.

#3 — We are Saved from the Day of Wrath

But on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all — so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

Luke 17:29-30

Here we discover a valuable insight from the Lord Jesus that cannot be overlooked. Notice how Jesus says that God destroyed Sodom on the very same day He rescued Lot out of the city, and then He tells us that it will be exactly the same on the Day when the Son of Man is revealed.

If we are to take the word of the LORD at face value, then we can draw the following conclusion. In the same way Lot was saved and removed from Sodom the very same day that God poured out His wrath in fire and brimstone, then the righteous will be removed and delivered from the earth on the very same day the Son of Man is revealed in flaming fire.

This is precisely why Paul encourages us “to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come” [1 Thessalonians 1:10].

Furthermore, just as the LORD sent His two angels into the city to literally snatch Lot and his family away to safety just prior to the outpouring of His wrath, so the Scriptures affirm that God will send out His angels across the earth to gather the righteous on the very same day He comes to judge the earth with fire.

And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.27And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

Mark 13:26-27

So the rapture of the church occurs on the day the Son of Man is revealed from heaven in flaming fire. The rapture of the church is at the same time as the resurrection of the dead and the return of Jesus. It is on this day — the Day of the LORD — when Jesus will pour out the totality of His wrath in flaming fire.

Jesus affirms that His final wrath — orgé — will come when the Son of Man is “revealed.” There is only one revelation of Jesus Christ. That is why it is called “the” revelation of Jesus Christ. It is singular. He is only revealed from heaven once — on the Day of the LORD.

And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.

Revelation 14:9-10

And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords

Revelation 19:14-16

So when the Scriptures speak of God’s people being delivered from the wrath to come, ultimately it is speaking about God’s wrath poured out on the ungodly when Jesus comes.

The words of Paul confirm this once again.

To grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed … And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.

2 Thessalonians 1:7-10, 2:8

Types and Shadows — Trumpets

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For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

1 Thessalonians 4:16

Today at sundown [September 18, 2020] designates the new year on the Jewish civic calendar. This day is called Rosh Hashanah and initiates the two-day Feast of Trumpets.

The Feast of Trumpets is one of the seven appointed Feasts of the LORD, given to the people of Israel to observe faithfully each year as holy convocations [see Leviticus 23]. The Feast of Trumpets is called Yom Teruah — the Day of Shouting — and traditionally is known as the hidden day because it is the only feast day that must be determined by the observation of the new moon.

The Lord Jesus makes a direct reference to this “hidden” day by using a common idiom, “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows” [Mark 13:32]. As witnesses were told to observe the night sky for the first sighting of the new moon, it was difficult to know the precise day or the hour the moon would appear, and yet they still knew when the day was near. The whole nation would be waiting and watching in quiet expectation of this “sign” in heaven, but once the moon was sighted, the people were to make a collective shout of celebration and begin the trumpet blasts to announce the new year!

The Feast of Trumpets is the first of three fall feasts that constitute the most solemn time of year for the Jewish people. The high holy day of Israel — Yom Kippur — follows 10 days after the Feast of Trumpets. For a more detailed account about the Feast of Trumpets, feel free to read the following posts — PART 1 & PART 2.

The Theophany at Sinai

When the LORD instituted His appointed feasts and commanded Israel to observe them each year, He had a two-fold purpose. First, the LORD wanted His people to always remember and never forget how He redeemed Israel from Egypt with mighty signs and wonders and entered into covenant with them on the holy mountain — Sinai.

Second, the LORD also designed the appointed feasts to be prophetic “dress rehearsals” by establishing patterns and symbolic pictures that provide detailed depictions of the coming Messiah. Once you understand the prophetic significance of these appointed feasts, you will be astonished to discover how intentional and precise God’s word truly is.

When the LORD initiated the Feast of Trumpets with Israel in Leviticus 23, He commanded them to sound the trumpet blast on the first day of the month. The significance of the trumpet blast would have been quite fresh for this original audience because of what Moses and the Israelites had just witnessed at Mount Sinai.

This amazing encounter is worth another look.

On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled. 17Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. 18Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the LORD had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. 19And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder. 20The LORD came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. And the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.

Exodus 19:16-20

The Feast of Trumpets is a dedicated day to remember the greatest manifestation of God ever witnessed on this earth. The trumpet blast was so intense that the people trembled and feared for their very lives in the presence of the God’s power and glory.

This was the day that the LORD God of Israel “came down” and showed Himself to His people. A day never to forget.

On the other hand, the theophany at Sinai serves as perhaps the most obvious allusion to the second coming of Jesus Christ. Just as the LORD gathered his people and came down on Mount Sinai in a cloud and with fire and lightening and trumpet blasts, so Jesus will return in like manner.

The language of the New Testament draws directly from this event to describe the return of Jesus from heaven to earth.

Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Matthew 24:29-31

For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17

The Battle of Jericho

Although there are so many types and shadows I could draw from, I want to close with another fascinating episode involving the trumpet blast — Jericho.

Many of us grew up singing the old Sunday school song, “Joshua fought the battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho … and the walls came a tumbling down.” But the truth is that it was the LORD Himself who gave Israel the victory at the stronghold of Jericho, and He did so in a most unconventional way. Once again, what may have seemed like a bizarre command from God at the time was actually another prophetic picture God was painting in real time to point us to the final Day of the LORD!

Let’s take a closer look.

First we can’t overlook the encounter that Joshua has with the LORD just prior to the battle at Jericho. I am persuaded that this was an encounter with God the Son — the Lord Jesus — in a pre-incarnate manifestation [see Colossians 1:15-17].

When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” 14And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the LORD. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” 15And the commander of the LORD’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Joshua 5:13-15

The commander of the LORD’s army is standing with His sword drawn and is clearly God in human form because of Joshua’s response in fear and worship. Now listen to what the LORD told Joshua to do.

And the LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. 3You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. 4Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5And when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him.”

Joshua 6:2-5

Once again, the theatrics are intentional for prophetic purposes. The LORD was taking Israel through a dress rehearsal that in many ways will mirror the Day of the LORD. The fighting men were commanded to march around the city for 7 days with seven priests leading the way before the ark of the covenant, blowing 7 trumpets. Then they were to march around the city 7 times on the 7th day.

And then upon God’s command the priests were to make a long blast with their shofars and all the people were to give a great shout! Then earth would quake and the walls would crumble and their enemies would be given into their hands for total destruction.

The imagery is astoundingly prophetic. First of all, Joshua is one of the most obvious types of Christ in the Old Testament — even sharing the very same Hebrew name with Yeshua. The symbolism beyond that is simply amazing. Consider …

  • The repeated use of patterns with the number 7
  • The role of the ark of the covenant
  • The sounding of the last trumpet
  • The shouting of the people
  • The walls of the city falling down
  • The wrath of God poured out on His enemies
  • Israel conquering and inheriting the Promise Land

Both the 7th Trumpet and 7th Bowl from the book of Revelation draws directly from this event.

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” 16And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God,17saying,

“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,
who is and who was,
for you have taken your great power
and begun to reign.
18The nations raged,
but your wrath came,
and the time for the dead to be judged,
and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints,
and those who fear your name,
both small and great,
and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.”

19Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.

Revelation 11:15-19

The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. 19The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath.

Revelation 16:17-19

Finally, we know that the Apostle Paul also makes a direct reference to the last trumpet on the last day when Jesus returns.

I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.

1 Corinthians 15:50-53

So as we recognize and celebrate the Feast of Trumpets this weekend, may we first remember the mighty acts of God on behalf of His people, and may we also wait in hopeful expectation for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ when the final trumpet blast is sounded!

Maranatha!

Types and Shadows — The Branch

Marcus Walker Van EveryLeave a comment

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,

and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him,

the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,

the Spirit of counsel and might,

the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

Isaiah 11:1-2

Every word, name, place, symbol, sign, and literary shadow in the Holy Bible is superintended by the divine author of Scripture — the Holy Spirit. As a result, the Bible is the most masterfully crafted supernatural revelation of God ever to grace mankind.

Today I will explore one of the most significant but often missed prophetic types in the Scriptures — the Branch. Like all types and shadows, once you begin to tug on this thread, it starts to unravel and reveal all kinds of wonderful and amazing discoveries that ultimately point us to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The BRANCH

Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign: behold, I will bring my servant the Branch.

Zechariah 3:8

The Old Testament prophets often depicted the coming Messiah in terms of a root, a shoot, or a branch. The word picture is self-evident in that a seed takes root and produces a shoot, which eventually grows into a mature tree with branches that produce fruit, starting the cycle all over again.

So which is it? Is the Messiah the root, or the shoot, or the Branch or the fruit?

Answer: Yes!

And He is even more. He also is the stump of Jesse.

The Stump of Jesse

The language of the Scriptures is precise. In order to grasp the full scope of the Branch, it is important to begin first with the stump of Jesse. A stump is what remains after a tree is cut down, and Jesse was the father of King David. So how is all of this connected to the Lord Jesus Christ?

Of all the capable sons of Jesse, the LORD God chose the youngest son David to be His anointed king [see 1 Samuel 16]. The LORD later established an unconditional covenant with King David promising to preserve his throne forever and to bring forth one of his descendants as the Messiah — the Anointed King of Israel [see 2 Samuel 7]. The Hope of Israel was in Messiah ben-David — “son of David.”

So Jesse is significant as the patriarch of the house of David, and David is signifiant as the patriarch of the promised Messiah and King of Israel.

But why a stump? What happened to the “tree” of Jesse that it became a stump?

It was cut down — in more than one way.

First, the tree of Jesse was cut down at the fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C., when the last of David’s sons — Zedekiah — was deposed and taken into Babylonian captivity, bringing an end to sovereign rule of the house of David in Judah [see 2 Kings 25]. For the fist time in nearly 400 years, Jerusalem was without a “son of David” on her throne.

So the royal house of David was “cut down” in effect but not lost forever. For God is faithful to keep all His promises, and therefore David’s house did return and resettle the land after 70 years of captivity and the LORD did preserve his heritage — keeping the hope of the Messiah ben-David alive.

Until … “the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive our adoption as sons” [Galatians 4:4-5]. The time had fully come for God to take the stage and insert Himself into the drama of human history.

The promised son of David had arrived, and His name was to be called Yeshua (Joshua) — for He came to save His people. The angel Gabriel could not be any clearer that the righteous Branch — the son of David had arrived.

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.28And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.

Luke 1:26-33

Jesus, the son of Mary, of the house of David, was and is the long-expected Messiah and Savior. “He is here! He has arrived!”

That was the angelic announcement, and yet tragically the majority of His own people — the Jews — did not receive their King but rejected Him.

Even more tragic is the sobering reality that the religious leaders of Israel plotted and the nation at large participated in the public execution of the son of David — their Messiah!

In other words, Jesus is the stump of Jesse in that He was cut off for the sins of His own people and of the whole world! Perhaps no other chapter in Scripture communicates this tragedy like Isaiah 53.

“For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground … But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed …By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?” [Isaiah 53:2,5,8]

In spite of this tragedy, the cross of Christ was not a failure but rather God’s greatest triumph! Only God could have conquered through death, which is why Jesus could say, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” [Luke 23:34].

The Shoot of Jesse

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

Isaiah 11:1

If the stump of Jesse signifies Messiah being cut off, then the shoot of Jesse is the promise of resurrection life! And if the shoot is an allusion to resurrection life, then it’s branches and fruit become the promise of those who believe and receive the resurrection life of Jesus Christ!

What an intricate analogy all wrapped up in Isaiah 11:1!

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

1 Corinthian 15:20-22

Jesus is the first born from among the dead, and He is True Vine that provides eternal life to all who remain in Him! He is the root and we are the branches — both Jews and Gentiles. We remain in Him by faith.

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

John 15:4-5

The Root of Jesse

In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples— of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.

Isaiah 11:10

Jesus is the stump of Jesse, the shoot of Jesse, the True Vine, the first fruits from the dead, and the son of David.

But perhaps the most telling typological title is found in the “root of Jesse.” Everyone knows that the root precedes the shoot or the tree or branches. The root is preeminent and necessary for the tree to live.

So it is with Jesus Christ — the root of Jesse! He precedes Jesses, being very God. He is before all things as Creator. He is preeminent as the Head of the body.

The root of Jesse is an allusion to the deity of Jesus Christ, as the Scriptures so agree.

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old,
from ancient days.

Micah 5:2

Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. 13I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.

Revelation 22:12-13

The Lord Jesus Christ precedes Jesse in every way just as He precedes all men, which is why He is the root, source, our point of origin, our Creator God. Let us not forget what Jesus said to the Jews, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am” [John 8:58].

So the promised Messiah who was to come from the lineage of Jesse and King David at the same time eternally existed before them both. He is before all things and the end of all things — the first and the last!

And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Revelation 5:5

The Righteous Branch

Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 6In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’

Jeremiah 25:5-6

So we have established that the Lord Jesus Christ is the perfect fulfillment of every type and shadow associated with the servant of the LORD — the Branch. He is the root, shoot and stump of Jesse. He is the True Vine bearing fruit unto eternal life. He is the son of David and King of Israel. And He is the Anointed One — the Messiah.

Jesus is the Tree of Life and all who partake of the fruit of His righteousnesses will live forever!

We are still awaiting the final fulfillment of the Branch, which will culminate when the Lord Jesus returns as King and establishes His throne in Zion to bless the whole world. Isaiah provides a beautiful description of this future Millennial Kingdom.

In that day the branch of the LORD shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel. 3And he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem,4when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning. 5Then the LORD will create over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory there will be a canopy. 6There will be a booth for shade by day from the heat, and for a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain.

Isaiah 4:2-6

We should not be surprised that of the very last words of the Lord Jesus, He reminds us of His true identity. He is both the root and the son of David.

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

Revelation 22:16

Maranatha!

Types and Shadows — King Solomon

Marcus Walker Van EveryLeave a comment

And people of all nations came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and from all the kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom.

1 Kings 4:34

I feel as though God is leading me to venture deeper into the Old Testament to study the staggering integration of God’s word from beginning to end — particularly through the abundance of types, shadows, patterns, and prophecies. The longer I read and study God’s word, the more amazed I become at the unsearchable riches of His wisdom and truth — revealed to us through the Word — God the Son — Yeshua — our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Revelation 19:11

This simple verse reminds us of one core principle in Biblical interpretation — especially when studying patterns and typography. When the text or its interpretation aren’t clear, put Jesus right in the center of the context, and He is the answer. The Holy Spirit of God will always testify to the Son [John 16:13-15]. May Jesus forever be exalted!

King Solomon

Of all the places to start, why Solomon?

Why not Joshua or Moses or David or the Passover or the Exodus or the 7 Feasts of the LORD?

Well, for one reason I have never paid that much attention to Solomon as a type or shadow of Christ. Maybe it’s because David gets so much attention or because Solomon later led Israel into apostasy and idolatry and left the kingdom at the brink of civil war.

As I look a little closer, I have discovered some amazing parallels between King Solomon and the King of kings — the Lord Jesus Christ — some of which might surprise you.

Solomon — Son of David

“When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.”

2 Samuel:12-13

The most obvious place to start is with the title, “son of David,” which emphasizes progeny and offspring. This expression epitomizes the expectation of the Messiah. The Jews were all too familiar with God’s covenant promise to David that one of his descendants would be the Messiah. Jesus perfectly fits the profile as He was born of the house of David — truly a son in the royal lineage [see Luke 1:31-33].

David was Israel’s greatest king and a Mighty Warrior who subdued all his enemies bringing rest to Israel on all sides. Tragically, David’s life also was marked by war and great adversity. He is known for his great sin and failure, causing pain to his family, and also for his great repentance before God. David’s desire was to build the Temple for the Name of the LORD, but God had other purposes. His house would be built by David’s son and chosen successor of his throne.

David loved his sons, but of them all, the LORD chose only one to be the primary prototype of the Messiah.

And it just so happens to be Solomon — the son of David and King of Israel.

SOLOMON — King of Israel

“And they made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and they anointed him as prince for the LORD, and Zadok as priest. Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king in place of David his father. And he prospered, and all Israel obeyed him. 24All the leaders and the mighty men, and also all the sons of King David, pledged their allegiance to King Solomon. 25And the LORD made Solomon very great in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.“

1 Chronicles 29:22-25

The Kingdom of Israel experienced it’s zenith under the early years of Solomon. David had brought peace and Solomon expanded the kingdom during the golden age of Israel. Notice that Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD.

Of course, upon His return Jesus will be the King of Israel, outshining Solomon’s kingdom in power and glory like holding a candle to the sun.

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.”

Matthew 25:31

Solomon — Beloved Son of God

“Behold, a son shall be born to you who shall be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his surrounding enemies. For his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days. 10He shall build a house for my name. He shall be my son, and I will be his father, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel forever.“

1 Chronicles 22:9-10

Solomon on several occasions was called God’s chosen and beloved son, much in the same way Abraham spoke of his son Isaac. As a matter of fact, when Solomon was born, Nathan the prophet told David what to call his son.

“Then David comforted his wife, Bathsheba, and went in to her and lay with her, and she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. And the LORD loved him 25and sent a message by Nathan the prophet. So he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD.”

2 Samuel 12:24-25

Jedidiah means beloved of the LORD.

Of course, Jesus is the Beloved Son of God, loved of the Father before the foundation of the world.

“Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.”

John 17:24

Solomon — Prince of Peace

“Behold, a son shall be born to you who shall be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his surrounding enemies. For his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days.“

1 Chronicles 22:9

The prophet Isaiah calls the Messiah the “Prince of Peace” [Isaiah 9:6-7], as the government will rest upon His shoulders. Solomon obviously is a prototype of Jesus Messiah, as He ruled Israel during the time of unprecedented peace and prosperity. Israel expanded its borders and governed more territory under Solomon than any other time in history.

Solomon’s name literally means peaceful, which again points us Jesus Christ and His coming kingdom. Solomon may have experienced peace on all sides during His reign, but the Kingdom of God under Jesus will experience global peace during the Millennium.

Solomon — The All Wise One

“Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”

It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. 11And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, 12behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.“

1 Kings 3:9-12

Of course it is difficult to study Solomon without mentioning his supernatural wisdom to rule God’s people with justice. Only Jesus Himself can declare to be superior to Solomon in wisdom and understanding.

“The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.“

Luke 11:31

Solomon — The Envy of Nations

Solomon not only expanded the territory of his kingdom and experienced unprecedented peace, but also Israel was the envy of the nations. All the surrounding nations paid tribute to Solomon.

“Judah and Israel were as many as the sand by the sea. They ate and drank and were happy. Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt. They brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.”

1 Kings 4:20-21

Solomon himself prophetically affirms his own kingdom as a foreshadow of the coming Kingdom. He wrote this Messianic Psalm during His reign.

“In his days may the righteous flourish, and peace abound, till the moon be no more!

8May he have dominion from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth!
9May desert tribes bow down before him,
and his enemies lick the dust!
10May the kings of Tarshish and of the coastlands
render him tribute;
may the kings of Sheba and Seba
bring gifts!
11May all kings fall down before him,
all nations serve him!“

Psalm 72:7-11

The Messiah in His glory will be the King of all kings and Lord of lords.

“And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24By its light the nations will walk, and into it the kings of the earth will bring their glory.”

Revelation 21:23-24

SOLOMON — The Bridegroom of the Virgin Bride

One of the most overlooked foreshadows in the life of Solomon is the portrayal of the marriage between the King and the virgin bride of Jerusalem. The prophets often used the powerful allusion of the marriage bond to signify the relationship between the LORD and His people.

God “marries” His people in the sense that He loves, cherishes, provides, protects, rejoices over and remains forever faithful to His bride — the church. The Messiah will consummate the marriage once He has put all things under His feet. It is interesting that the bride of Christ is also called the city of the great King — the city of Jerusalem.

You shall no more be termed Forsaken,
and your land shall no more be termed Desolate,
but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her,
and your land Married;
for the LORD delights in you,
and your land shall be married.
5For as a young man marries a young woman,
so shall your sons marry you,
and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
so shall your God rejoice over you.

Isaiah 62:4-5

The Song of Solomon is a poetic prefigurement of this future marriage coronation.


Go out, O daughters of Zion,
and look upon King Solomon,
with the crown with which his mother crowned him
on the day of his wedding,
on the day of the gladness of his heart.

Song of Solomon — 8:11

And God uses this expression to the very end, as Christ fulfills all that has been written.

Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, 11having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel …

Revelation 21:9-10

SOLOMON’S TEMPLE

But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side. There is neither adversary nor misfortune. 5And so I intend to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD said to David my father, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, shall build the house for my name.‘

1 Kings 5:4-5

Historically only two Temples have been built in Jerusalem. The first temple was funded by David and built by Solomon and became of the wonders of the ancient world in splendor and glory. After being destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C., a second temple was constructed under the commission of King Cyrus and carried out by Joshua and Zerubbabel. The second temple was quite inferior to Solomon’s and later was profaned by Antiochus Epiphanes in the 2nd Century B.C.

In the days of Jesus, Herod was in the process of expanding and beautifying the Temple, but the effort proved futile and fatal as the Roman legions burned the second Temple to the ground in 70 A.D.

The Scriptures also speak of a third Temple, that will be built just prior to the great tribulation and will be desecrated by the Beast and made desolate.

But did you know that the Scriptures also speak of a fourth Temple? The Millennial Temple of the LORD!

This is significant for this study because it demonstrates once again how Solomon is one of the premier types of Christ. What we discover is that the Lord Jesus Himself will rebuild the Temple in The New Jerusalem to inaugurate the 1,000 years of His kingdom.

The prophet Zechariah provides the foundational text for this amazing prophecy.

And say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: for he shall branch out from his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD. 13It is he who shall build the temple of the LORD and shall bear royal honor, and shall sit and rule on his throne. And there shall be a priest on his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.”’

Zechariah 6:12-13

The Branch is a common Messianic title used by the prophets. Furthermore, the identify of the Branch is already revealed in this prophecy. There is only One possible candidate who could build the Temple of the LORD and then sit down on the throne as both PRIEST and KING. That of course is the King of kings and our Great High Priest — the Lord Jesus Christ.

The LORD says to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool.”

2The LORD sends forth from Zion
your mighty scepter.
Rule in the midst of your enemies!

The LORD has sworn
and will not change his mind,
“You are a priest forever
after the order of Melchizedek.”5The Lord is at your right hand;
he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.

Psalm 110:1-2, 4-5

Not only will the Lord Jesus build His temple during the millennial kingdom, but also His throne will reside there and His glory will forever fill that place, which leads to my last prefigurement in the life of Solomon.

SOLOMON and the SHEKINAH GLORY of the LORD

As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. 2And the priests could not enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD filled the LORD’s house. 3When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the LORD on the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.”

2 Chronicles 7:1-3

Other than the theophany on Mt. Sinai, there is no greater manifestation of the presence and glory of God than during Solomon’s dedication of the Temple. This imagery should immediately take us to the Millennial Temple that will be the eternal dwelling of God.

I fell facedown, 4and the glory of the LORD entered the temple through the gate facing east. 5Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.6While the man was standing beside me, I heard someone speaking to me from inside the temple, 7and He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place for the soles of My feet, where I will dwell among the Israelites forever. The house of Israel will never again defile My holy name—neither they nor their kings—by their prostitution and by the funeral offeringsb for their kings at their deaths.

Ezekiel 43:3-7

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.

Revelation 21:1-3

It shall come to pass in the latter days

that the mountain of the house of the LORD

shall be established as the highest of the mountains,

and it shall be lifted up above the hills;

and peoples shall flow to it,

2and many nations shall come, and say:

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,

to the house of the God of Jacob,

that he may teach us his ways

and that we may walk in his paths.”

For out of Zion shall go forth the law,

and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Micah 4:1-2

Stay tuned to discover my next subject in Types and Shadows …

The Book of Daniel — Part 27 — Conclusion

Marcus Walker Van EveryLeave a comment

“Go on your way, Daniel,” he replied, “for the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. Many will be purified, made spotless, and refined, but the wicked will continue to act wickedly. None of the wicked will understand, but the wise will understand.”

Daniel 12:9-10

The Lord Jesus tells us that Daniel’s prophecies are especially helpful for understanding the end times — including the great tribulation, the revealing of the antichrist, and the triumph of the Son of Man. The LORD gives us a warning, a command and a promise through Daniel that echoes true for our generation, as I believe Daniel’s prophecy is being unsealed and revealed at an exponential rate.

  1. God’s Warning — The saints will not be exempt from the great tribulation but will suffer persecution and great distress at the hands of the Beast.
  2. God’s Command — God’s people are to heed the call of Daniel to run “to and fro” in the Scriptures in order to gain wisdom and understanding and to turn many to righteousness as His witnesses.
  3. God’s Promise — In the end — on the Day of the LORD — the Son of Man will return with the clouds in power and great glory to crush the Beast and to transfer His Kingdom to the saints, and those who overcome will rule and reign with Him forever!

In conclusion, I will address each of these aspects of Daniel’s prophecy.

#1 — GOD’s WARNING

Daniel demonstrates conclusively that there will be a final generation of saints — faithful believers — who will endure the great tribulation and suffer immensely under the final Beast empire. Daniel’s testimony is enough to establish this truth, but the Scriptures are full of corresponding prophecies. Let’s allow the Word of God speak for itself.

“Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate. 32He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. 33And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder. 34When they stumble, they shall receive a little help. And many shall join themselves to them with flattery, 35and some of the wise shall stumble, so that they may be refined, purified, and made white, until the time of the end, for it still awaits the appointed time.“

Daniel 11:31-35

“And at the latter end of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their limit, a king of bold face, one who understands riddles, shall arise. 24His power shall be great—but not by his own power; and he shall cause fearful destruction and shall succeed in what he does, and destroy mighty men and the people who are the saints. 25By his cunning he shall make deceit prosper under his hand, and in his own mind he shall become great. Without warning he shall destroy many. And he shall even rise up against the Prince of princes, and he shall be broken—but by no human hand.”

Daniel 8:23-25

As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, 22until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.

23“Thus he said: ‘As for the fourth beast,there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth,
which shall be different from all the kingdoms,
and it shall devour the whole earth,
and trample it down, and break it to pieces.
24As for the ten horns,
out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise,
and another shall arise after them;
he shall be different from the former ones,
and shall put down three kings.
25He shall speak words against the Most High,
and shall wear out the saints of the Most High,
and shall think to change the times and the law;
and they shall be given into his hand
for a time, times, and half a time.

Daniel 7:21-25

The Gospel of Jesus Christ

“So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, 18and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 19And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 20Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 21For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. “

Matthew 24:15-22

“You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. 17You will be hated by all for my name’s sake. 18But not a hair of your head will perish. 19By your endurance you will gain your lives. But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. 21Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, 22for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. 23Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. 24They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.“

Luke 21:16-24

The Apostle Paul

“Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering—6since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you,7and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.“

2 Thessalonians 1:5-10

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

“And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. 6It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. 7Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, 8and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. 

9If anyone has an ear, let him hear: 10If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.

Revelation 13:5-10

And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.” 12Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. 13And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

Revelation 14:9-13

The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. 5And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say,

“Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was,
for you brought these judgments.
6For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets,
and you have given them blood to drink.
It is what they deserve!”

Revelation 16:4-6

“And in her (Babylon) was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slain on earth.”

Revelation 18:24

You should get the picture. The saints, the elect, the wise, the righteous, the people of God. These are the true believers alive at the time of the end. These Scriptures but scratch the surface of the prophetic testimony about the suffering saints in the great tribulation. It is here that God’s bride — the church — will be refined and purified and made white in the image of Christ.

Now let’s consider God’s command.

#2 — GOD’s COMMAND

One of the primary purposes for God’s people through the great tribulation will be to serve as faithful witnesses for Christ. This is precisely why Jesus sends all His disciples out to bear witness and proclaim the gospel until He returns and also why He promises to be with us even to “the end of the age” [Matthew 28:20].

Consider how Daniel’s witness agrees with the rest of Scripture.

“And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. 4But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”

Daniel 12:3-4

“The people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. 33And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder.”

Daniel 11:32-33

The Words of Jesus

“But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. 13This will be your opportunity to bear witness. 14Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, 15for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.”

Luke 21:13-15

“But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.“

Matthew 24:13-14

“When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. 10They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.”

Revelation 6:9-11

“And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.“

Revelation 12:11

“Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” 

Revelation 20:4

#3 — GOD’s PROMISE

If we have learned anything from this amazing prophecy of Daniel, it is that despite the reality that God’s people will enter this future time of great tribulation and face overwhelming opposition from the Beast and his evil forces, the saints will overcome in the end! Once again, there is no surprise that this is the collective testimony of the Biblical prophets, Jesus and the Apostles.

Let’s take a look starting with Daniel.

And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, 45just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”

Daniel 2:44-45

I saw in visions of the night and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed … But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever ... As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, 22until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom … But the court shall sit in judgment, and his dominion shall be taken away, to be consumed and destroyed to the end. 27And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.”

Daniel 7:13-14, 18, 21-22

“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, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. 2And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. “

Daniel 12:1-3

Paul

“Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, 2not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come …  8And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-2, 8

The Testimony of Jesus

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”

Matthew 25:31-34

“The one who overcomes and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, 27and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father.”

Revelation 2:26-27

“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. 18The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.”

Revelation 11:17-18

“Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.“

Revelation 20:6

Once again, the Scriptures are exhaustive in describing the rewarding of the saints on the Day of the LORD, when He comes in power and glory to destroy the antichrist and judge the living and dead. These are the major elements that emerge from a deep dive into the prophetic word.

I encourage everyone reading this to dig deeper and search the Scriptures intently, asking the Holy Spirit for wisdom and understanding. Until next time …

Maranatha!

A Deep Dive into Daniel — Part 26 — The Last Half-Week of History

Marcus Walker Van Every4 Comments

Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on this bank of the stream and one on that bank of the stream. 6And someone said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, “How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?” 7And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished.”

Daniel 12:5-7

As I have covered in detail in past posts, the majority of Daniel’s prophecies are concerning the appointed time of the end, which is expressed in the 70th Week — or final 7-year period of human history. These 7 years are split down the middle and divided into two equal halves of 3.5 years. The abomination that causes desolation is the consistent sign marker for the division of the 7 years, triggering the beginning of unprecedented trouble — called the great tribulation.

This last half of the 7 years becomes an expansion, a vivid expression and exponential culmination of the end of the age, which climaxes with the Return of Yeshua — the Lord Jesus Christ.

Here in Daniel 12, the prophet plainly asks the LORD, “how long shall it be until the end of these wonders?” To which the LORD answered … it would be a time, times, and half of time before “all these things would be finished.”

Just in case you haven’t been keeping count, this unique period of time is documented in Scripture more than any other time, and to ensure that we don’t miss it, the LORD conveys this 3.5 year time period in just about as many ways as He can for emphasis.

  • Half a week — Daniel 9:27
  • Time, times, and half a time — Daniel 7:25, Daniel 12:7, Revelation 12:14
  • 1,260 Days — Revelation 11:3, 12:6 (see also 1,290 Days in Daniel 12:11)
  • 42 Months — Revelation 11:2, 13:5

It should go without saying that this period of time prophetically is significant to God’s promises and plan of redemption. This post will delve into some of the key events, themes and characters that show up during the 3.5 years of great tribulation.

Jesus is the True Witness

Jesus is called the True Witness, and we learn that the spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus Christ. So when Daniel and the prophets received their visions from God, they were communicated through the personal witness of Jesus Christ Himself — pre-manifestations of Jesus in human form.

I am of the belief that the one dressed in linen — providing this vision to Daniel — is none other than the Lord Jesus Himself. Going back to Daniel 10, we are given a clue as to the identity of the One speaking with Daniel. The vision was so astounding that those who were with Daniel at the time fled away and left him alone. At that moment, Daniel received these detailed prophecies about the 3.5 years.

“I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.”

Daniel 10:5-6

This is the same “man” that is still speaking to Daniel in chapter 12. Both Ezekiel and the Apostle John share similar visions that clearly identify this one like the son of man as the Lord Jesus Himself.

“And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance. 27And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him. 28Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.”

Ezekiel 1:26-28

Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. 14The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. 17When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. 

Revelation 1:12-18

Furthermore, it is worth noting that the “mighty” angel in Revelation 10 almost perfectly fits this description from Daniel’s vision. I believe the same Person is in view because identical language is used in both places. If this is indeed Jesus Christ, then there are profound implications about the role of God the Son in revealing the prophetic word in all its forms.

Here in Daniel 12, this one like a son of man “raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time” [Daniel 12:6]. What we read in Revelation 10 must be connected. Consider all the direct links and identical images.

Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. 2He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, 3and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded. And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.” And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven 6and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, 7but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.

Revelation 10:1-7

The Two Witnesses

I am of the persuasion that not only are there no errors in the inspired text of Scripture but also that every last word and detail is purposefully placed by God and intentionally integrated by the Holy Spirit to testify to the Person and Work of Jesus Christ. When you realize the depth and complexity of Scripture in all its various forms and meanings, then you will never read your Bible the same.

For example, here in Daniel’s vision there are two men standing on either side of the river, bearing witness to the testimony of the one clothed in linen. Everything in God’s word is established upon the testimony of two or three witnesses, and Daniel 12 is no exception.

When we pay careful attention, we begin to see these two witnesses emerge in some of the most pivotal points in history. The LORD is telling Daniel that there will be a unique 3.5 year period preceding the appointed time of the end and the Day of the LORD. I find it interesting that there are two witnesses present to validate the LORD’s testimony to Daniel. I will go a step further and suggest that these two witnesses could be the same two witnesses revealed during the great tribulation in Revelation 11.

Let’s take a closer look.

Moses and Elijah

“And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.

Revelation 11:3-4

For many reasons, I hold the view that the identity of the two witnesses in Revelation 11 is none other than Moses and Elijah.

Moses represents the law while Elijah the prophets. Both of their ministries provide multiple allusions and prefigurements to the great tribulation. Both of their ministries were accompanied by signs and wonders, like turning water to blood and calling fire down from heaven. And both Moses and Elijah were seen by the Apostles conferring with Jesus on the mountain of transfiguration. Furthermore, we know one of the clearest signs of the end times will be the return of the prophet Elijah as a forerunner to the return of Jesus Christ.

“Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”

Malachi 4:5-6

What we often overlook, however, is the possibility that Moses and Elijah have showed up as witnesses for other key announcements. For example …

  • Two men — Moses and Elijah — on the mountain of transfiguration.
  • Two Olive Trees and Lamp stands that are standing by the LORD of the whole earth [Zechariah 4]
  • Two men bearing witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ [Luke 24:1-7]. We have always presumed they were angels because angels often are portrayed as men [see Genesis 18-19], and this interpretation is not precluded. But the Scripture simply calls them men. Could these two men be Moses and Elijah?
  • Two men bearing witness to the ascension of Christ [Acts 1:6-11].
  • Two men bearing witness to Daniel’s prophecy concerning the last days [Daniel 12]
  • Two witnesses during the great tribulation [Revelation 11]

The idea is that the LORD conferred with Daniel about the great tribulation in the presence of Moses and Elijah because both Moses and Elijah would be the very witnesses that God sends to prophesy and pour out judgment upon the earth.

The Beast will Shatter the Holy People

The LORD tells Daniel that the “shattering of the holy people” is inextricably linked with this 3.5 year period. So who are the “holy people and how will they be shattered and why?” Is only Israel in view? Or are all the saints of the Most High in view?

The answer is both.

On the one hand, the holy people represent the elect nation of Israel, who are promised to endure the worst time of suffering and tribulation called “Jacob’s Trouble.” We know that the Beast will direct his wrath at Israel, and God’s judgments and catastrophes will also fall on Israel in order to bring them to repentance. So this 3.5 year period certainly has direct implications and divine purposes for Jews, who have been set apart and made holy by God for His purposes.

Jesus reminds us that when Jerusalem is surrounded by armies and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be great trouble, and He warns those living in Judea and Jerusalem to flee for the mountains to escape the coming scourge of the Antichrist through the land. Although the destruction of the Beast will be extensive, Satan will concentrate his aggression in the holy land against the holy people.

“And when the dragon [Satan] saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman (Israel) who had given birth to the male child (Jesus). But the woman (Israel) was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she [Israel] might fly from the serpent [Satan] into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time.”

Revelation 12:13-14

A Remnant of Israel will Find Refuge in the Wilderness

“And the woman [Israel] fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.”

Revelation 12:6

Notice that while the majority of the Jews will be slain or taken into captivity by the Beast during this time of Jacob’s trouble [see Zechariah 13:7-9], there also will be a remnant who are supernaturally carried away and protected by God in the wilderness for 3.5 years. This remnant is nourished for the same allotted time period that Daniel was given — a time, times and half a time.

The Saints also will be Overcome

The “holy people” isn’t exclusive of ethnic and national Israel, however, as also this designation clearly represents another group of people that the Bible calls “saints” — or holy ones. The same root word for saints is the word for holy — qodesh. The holy people — the saints — will also be shattered by the Beast.

The great tribulation will be the greatest mass killing of martyrs in human history. Satan’s wrath will not only target Jews, but believers in Jesus are also well within the sights of the Beast. There are so many passages that demonstrate how the saints — God’s holy people — will be handed over to be killed during this time of unprecedented tribulation. I will share some of the key passages that bring this into focus.

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. 10They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.”

Revelation 6:9-11

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Revelation 7:13-14

And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 12Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”

Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

Revelation 12:10-12, 17

As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, 22until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.

23“Thus he said: ‘As for the fourth beast, there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth,
which shall be different from all the kingdoms,
and it shall devour the whole earth,
and trample it down, and break it to pieces.
24As for the ten horns,
out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise,
and another shall arise after them;
he shall be different from the former ones,
and shall put down three kings.
25He shall speak words against the Most High,
and shall wear out the saints of the Most High,
and shall think to change the times and the law;
and they shall be given into his hand
for a time, times, and half a time.

Daniel 7:21-25

And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?” And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. 6It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. 7Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation.”

Revelation 13:4-7

Conclusion

So Daniel is told by the LORD in the presence of the two witnesses to seal up the prophecy until the time of the end because it pertains to the appointed time of the end. This time of great tribulation and Satanic persecution. This time of great witness but great suffering and martyrdom. This time of great judgment and yet greater salvation.

As I close this final chapter, I will bring attention to the necessity the LORD places on the white robes of the righteous. Without being clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, there is no hope. Only those of faith will be saved in the end, and that is Daniel’s final reminder.

“Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand. 11And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days. 12Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days. 13But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.”

Daniel 12:10-13

This admonition is quite similar to the words of Jesus in Revelation 16, which describes the final outpouring of God’s wrath on the wicked in conjunction with the Return of Jesus to wage war with the Antichrist.

“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”

Revelation 16:15

Next time I will wrap up this amazing study with a general conclusion.

A Deep Dive into Daniel — Part 25 — Many Shall Run To and Fro

Marcus Walker Van EveryLeave a comment

“But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”

Daniel 12:4

Today I get to focus — in my opinion — on one of the most easily misinterpreted verses in the prophetic word.

Daniel 12:4 [see above]

For years I heard teachers and pastors interpret this verse as a prophetic prediction of the advancements of modern civilization in the last days — such as fast-paced international travel [running to and fro] and the acceleration of internet technology [increase in knowledge]. Many have used this one verse as a proof text to demonstrate how the technological advancements of the 20th Century are signs of the fulfillment of this prophecy.

But is that what the LORD was communicating here? Is that how Daniel would have understood this verse? Does this verse predict increased travel and technology at the end of the age, or is it something else altogether?

Let’s take a closer look.

Clues about the Future

Before we consider the meaning of Daniel 12:4, I would like to compare a few common interpretive approaches when reading the prophetic word — especially apocalyptic literature.

Some try to interpret these prophetic passages with a modern-day mindset by imposing the present worldview onto the Scriptures. This is especially prevalent in passages from the book of Revelation, where the supernatural and symbolic imagery is often reinterpreted through modern lenses. For example …

  • Some speculate that the 3rd Trumpet in Revelation is a nuclear warhead, described as a “great star burning like a torch fell from heaven” [Rev. 8:10].
  • Some suggest that the demonic locusts that John saw in Revelation 9 are descriptions of modern-day helicopters because of the following language — “the noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle” [Revelation 9:9].
  • Others ponder whether satellite television or the internet is implied in Revelation 11, allowing the whole world to see the dead bodies of the two witnesses. “For three and a half days all peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will view their bodies and will not permit them to be laid in a tomb” [Revelation 11:9].

Those who hold such views argue that the prophets often saw visions containing futuristic images that they could not explain to their original audience. So they just used extravagant, symbolic language from their own day in an attempt to describe what they saw of the future.

Personally, I give the Biblical authors much more credit than that. While I do not doubt that prophets like Daniel and the Apostle John often received visions that they could not fully grasp or comprehend, I also believe that the Scriptures have been divinely orchestrated and integrated by the Holy Spirit by using patterns, themes, numbers, symbols, and key figures of speech to connect the entire Bible using key points of intersection. In other words, nothing is random in the Scriptures. Every word is strategically placed to help provide the deeper meaning and correct interpretation. We must always use Scripture to interpret Scripture and be careful of imposing our own imaginations on the text.

On the other extreme, however, many read Biblical prophecy as purely symbolic and spiritual — as having no greater literal, or supernatural fulfillment. Those who hold such a view would consider the locust army in Revelation 9 as nothing more than an allegorical representation of a deeper spiritual truth. In other words, these “locusts” neither represent anything literal nor supernatural nor future for that matter, but only can be applied in some abstract spiritual sense.

Once again, this interpretive method falls short, failing to acknowledge that all symbols and allegories in Scripture point us both to greater supernatural realities and literal future fulfillments.

So how should we interpret these prophetic visions of the future? Can the Bible give us any clues about the future?

I do believe we can infer some things about the future from the prophetic word, but we must be careful to distinguish our conjecture and speculation from what we find explicitly in the text.

I will provide one example of how the prophetic word could provide a connection to our present day by way of implication. Consider the words of Jesus.

“And 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 nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.”

Matthew 24:6-7

I have considered that Jesus’ words could be speaking of a unique future generation that has the capacity to hear news reports (rumors) of wars, revolutions, and natural disasters in “various places” around the world. Of course it seems unlikely that Jesus and the disciples had the capacity to receive such worldwide reports in their day. News surely traveled much slower in the First Century.

Yet here we are in our present day with the ability to receive up-to-date news reports all over the world at the click of a button. Perhaps Jesus was giving us a clue about the unique capacity for the final generation.

So while I do affirm that the Scriptures may sometimes provide clues to us about the future and especially about the end of the age, I do not believe Daniel 12:4 has anything to do with predicting the internet age.

I believe it has everything to do with the mysteries of the prophetic word being unlocked and unsealed in this final generation so that we are able to exercise wisdom and lead many to righteousness!

Many Shall Go To and Fro

What did the LORD mean to convey to Daniel when He said that “many shall run to and fro?” Was God giving us a clue about future travel habits of the world in the last days, or was He referring to something else?

As always, we must allow the context of the passage and entire book determine the meaning of this verse. We must remember that Daniel had just received some of the most important prophetic visions in history. He was shown the details of key events and coming judgments that exclusively apply to the last days — or the time of the end.

To Daniel, much of what he witnessed in these visions was too overwhelming for him to process, which is why the LORD had to consistently remind him that these prophetic visions would ultimately be fulfilled in the last days.

And because these prophecies would not be fully discernible until the last days, the LORD told Daniel to seal up the visions until a future generation emerges that is ready to unseal and understand them. This wasn’t the first time Daniel was commanded to seal up his visions.

“The vision of the evenings and the mornings that has been told is true, but seal up the vision, for it refers to many days from now.”

Daniel 8:26

So if these visions have been sealed for the final generation, then what does it mean that many will run to and fro?

Simply, this verse means that many generations of believers will scour these prophetic texts and intently go back and forth, back and forth, throughout the Scriptures in search of their meaning. Of course, prior to the revelation of Christ and the New Testament, few would have any chance of accurately interpreting these prophecies. There were too many missing puzzle pieces at that time.

But as Jesus and the Apostles began to expand upon the testimony of the Biblical prophets, more revelation was given and more keys provided to unlocking these mysteries. And that is precisely what has happened now for the past 2,500 years!

Many have been digging and searching the Scriptures — going back and forth in God’s holy word — prayerfully seeking answers to these prophetic mysteries. This running to and fro is instructive for us today, reminding us how to approach and interpret the Bible. We always use Scripture to interpret Scripture. We go back and forth and find the context clues that connect the prophetic word, and God begins to reveal the meaning of the more difficult mysteries. Now that we have the entire Bible to draw from, the prophetic word can and should be read and understood.

Knowledge Shall Increase

It is also interesting that the LORD prophesied to Daniel that “knowledge shall increase” in the last days, as these prophecies are unsealed. This certainly includes the concept of progressive revelation — which basically describes how God has revealed Himself to mankind progressively throughout history, culminating with the revelation of His Son Jesus Christ. It is at the 2nd Coming of Christ that the LORD will be fully revealed in glory!

“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.”

Hebrews 1:1-2

I find it interesting — in contrast to Daniel — that the LORD strictly commanded John not to seal up the book of Revelation. “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.” [Revelation 22:10]

I believe the closing of the New Testament was the beginning of God’s unlocking and unsealing of the prophetic word, including Daniel. As God’s people have sought to understand the prophecies of the Bible, we have seen a tremendous increase in knowledge and prophetic understanding in these last days.

I do believe Daniel’s prophetic visions have been unsealed and can now be interpreted by the Holy Spirit for the serious student of God’s word. If we are willing to put in the time to “run to and fro” through the Scriptures, then our “knowledge will increase” and our understanding of these prophecies will expand to new depths.

So many principles could be applied in this regard. The principle of stewardship, for example, which reminds us to be faithful with little and God will give us more. The principle of obedience, which tells us that if we obey what we do know, then God will disclose more of Himself to us [see John 14:21].

Jesus consistently reminds us … “he who has ears let him hear!”

We must always remember that when our knowledge of God and His word does increase and our understanding of the prophetic word grows deeper, it is never for the sake of mere knowledge. God wants us to take what we know and show the world how His prophetic word is true and is being fulfilled before our very eyes! He wants us to be His witnesses and share the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world! He commands us to go and make disciples of all nations — teaching them everything that He commanded us to do!

Even so, Lord Jesus, come!

A Deep Dive into Daniel — Part 24 — The Last Day the Dead are Raised

Marcus Walker Van EveryLeave a comment

“And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.“

Daniel 12:2-3

One of the most convincing proofs of the supernatural origin of the Bible is discovered in the mystery of how all 66 books of the Bible — written by 40 different human authors in at least 3 languages, on three different continents, and spanning nearly 2000 years — create an multidimensional, integrated message system from God that coalesces into one divinely inspired Book. The Bible is the true account of all things past, present, future. That is why by definition it is inerrant, infallible, and authoritative.

Few of the Biblical writers ever knew one another, much less lived contemporaneously with one another, and yet when you put all the pieces of Scripture together you begin to see no mere human invention. You see the living Word of God! Ponder for a moment the ways God has validated His message to the world …

  1. Unsearchable complexity
  2. Powerful simplicity
  3. Internal consistency
  4. External corroboration
  5. Historical integrity
  6. Living testimony
  7. Prophetic accuracy
  8. Clear design

You realize that the Word of God is unparalleled and unprecedented and unequalled among the works of men. It is the true lens through which we view reality. More amazing still — from beginning to end — the testimony of the Holy Spirit points to one Person — the Creator of the Universe — and reveals the One True God in the Lord of Jesus Christ.

Daniel 12 provides an opportunity to take a Biblical subject like the resurrection of the dead and demonstrate how the testimony of Jesus, the prophets, and the Apostles not only are in perfect agreement but also form a comprehensive and coherent picture of this future supernatural event.

Notice how I said future?

That is called an element of timing, which is significant when studying Biblical prophecy because either something has already happened and been fulfilled in history or it is still yet future. And to make matters even more fascinating, sometimes it’s both!

So how can I say definitively that the resurrection of the dead is a prophetic event that has not yet occurred?

And what else can we learn about the resurrection from the testimony of Jesus and the Biblical prophets? [For some deeper background material on the topic of the Resurrection feel free to check out this post]

The End of the Days

Notice how Daniel correlates bodily resurrection to everlasting life and contrasts it with everlasting death. God provides white robes of righteousness as coverings of glory and praise for His people, while those who have rejected The LORD and His Anointed will be ashamed and lay naked before the LORD and His divine judgment.

Before we turn our attention to the words of Jesus — our Authority on the resurrection — I would like to point out that the Lord Jesus told personally told Daniel when the resurrection would occur [Daniel 10:1-9 & 12:1-13]. First of all, the resurrection of the dead clearly follows this time of great tribulation — called Jacob’s Trouble. Despite the many tragedies that have beset God’s people historically — from the Babylonians, to the Romans, to the Mohammedans, and on to the holocaust of Nazi Germany — none of them will equal this time of distress. It is unprecedented and will be accompanied by signs and wonders on earth and in the heavens that cannot be mistaken.

The LORD’s very last recorded word to Daniel was in regard to his future hope of resurrection when he will one day again stand upon the earth to receive his inheritance. The LORD told Daniel this would happen at the “end of the days.“

“But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.”

Daniel 12:13

And of course we would expect Jesus to confirm this, since He was the one that informed Daniel to begin with.

So what do we find?

“For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day … No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.”

Jesus Christ — John 6:38-40, 44

For emphasis the Lord Jesus mentions the timing of the resurrection of the dead three times in 6 verses. The resurrection occurs “ON THE LAST DAY!”

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,  and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

[John 11:23-27]

The Return of Jesus and the Resurrection of the Dead

Now that it has been established that the resurrection of the righteous will occur on the last day at the end of the age, let’s find out what else coincides with the resurrection of the dead. Few people realize that Jesus’ parable of the wheat and the tares is a direct expansion upon Daniel’s prophecy about the resurrection of the dead. Consider the parallels.

Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,39and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”

Matthew 13:36-43

Notice both Daniel and Jesus link together the resurrection the dead and the day of recompense, as the wicked will receive their punishment and the righteous their reward, which is nothing short of the Kingdom! Jesus reminds us that this is the end of the age.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.”

[John 5:25-29]

Interestingly enough, Jesus also uses descriptive terms in his parable like “harvesting” and “gathering” at the hands of the angels, who are called “reapers,” which should invoke all kinds of images from the Scriptures. For sake of time I will share three.

“And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.“

Mark 13:26-27

“Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, 2not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction“

2 Thessalonians 2:1-3

Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand.15And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” 16So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.17Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.” 19So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse’s bridle, for 1,600 stadia.

Revelation 14:14-20

The Biblical record is exhaustive.

The resurrection of the dead takes place on the last day — at the end of the age — when the Son of Man comes on the clouds in all His glory to harvest the earth by His holy angels. The resurrection of the dead is inextricably connected to the triumphal return of Jesus Christ to the earth to judge the living and the dead, reward His saints, and establish His Kingdom.

And if you can affirm everything I have said up unto this point, then you must affirm that the Rapture of the church must also take place at the end of the age on the last day when Jesus returns from heaven in power and glory!

How can I be so sure?

Because in the same way that the harvest of the earth and the judgment of the wicked and the rewarding of the saints are inextricably linked to the resurrection of the dead, there is another event that coincides with the resurrection of the dead — namely the rapture — which you will see is simply another name for the “gathering” of God’s people at the end of the age.

I leave you with two crucial passages to ponder.

“I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.”

1 Corinthians 15:50-53

“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

A Deep Dive into Daniel — Part 23 — Is Your name in the book of life?

Marcus Walker Van EveryLeave a comment

“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, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. “

Daniel 12:1

So many people are under the illusion that they are “getting away” with all kinds of corrupt deeds and deceitful schemes, simply because they haven’t been “caught.” Others live secret lives in the shadows and presume that their shameful deeds remain hidden in the darkness. As long as evil deeds aren’t exposed, it is easy to assume they remained unknown.

But did you know that the true record of history and the record of our lives is being written down and will one day be made known to all? You see, there always is a record. A paper trail. A witness. No matter how hard a fugitive tries to cover his tracks, the law is always close on his heels, waiting for him to slip up.

It’s the young man deleting the history on his laptop to “erase” the pornography – but there is always a record. It’s the corrupt businessman who defrauds his clients for personal gain — there is always a record. It’s the spineless politician immersed in scandal and treason — there’s always an email. It’s the unfaithful husband erasing his text messages with another woman — the record is still there.

These examples serve as a sobering reminder that our actions have consequences and that God is not mocked. We will reap what we sow.

But what about corrupt and cruel people who never seem to get caught? What of the ones who “get away” — who never are brought to justice in this life? Why would a good and just God allow such a thing to happen?

Maybe we are looking at this all wrong. Our eternal reckoning far outweighs our temporary one, and the courts of heaven are far superior to human courts. We cannot forget the testimony of God’s word that reminds us how everything will be exposed and how everyone will give an account to God in the end.

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

Hebrews 4:12-13

My point is this.

Nobody really gets away with anything — ever!

You see there is a record being written of your life and mine. Just as sure as the emails, texts, calendars, posts, conversations, bank statements and business dealings tell the story of our lives, heaven is also keeping a record of our lives. And this record — being of eternal value — is supreme to the stories we like to invent about ourselves and portray to the world.

God’s record is perfect because He is both omniscient and omnipresent. His record is exhaustive. Every minute of every hour of every day is recorded in heaven. The words we speak, the things we do, and even the very thoughts and intentions of our hearts will be weighed before our Creator on that Day. For He knows us completely.

I am fully convinced that each of us has a book written in heaven with our name on it and by which we will be held accountable before God. As a matter of fact, I believe there is significant Scriptural evidence that there are different kinds of books on record in the heavenly repository that are used for different purposes.

And as we will see, the most essential of them all is the Lamb’s book of life.

Books In Heaven

Before we take a look at the book of life, it is worth noting that other heavenly scenes depict the opening of books — plural — especially as it pertains to judgment. This is why I believe there are other books besides the book of life. I will provide one Old one New Testament reference to demonstrate the Biblical idea of how heaven keeps records of our lives.

“As I looked, thrones were placed,
and the Ancient of Days took his seat;
his clothing was white as snow,
and the hair of his head like pure wool;
his throne was fiery flames;
its wheels were burning fire.
A stream of fire issued
and came out from before him;
a thousand thousands served him,
and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him;
the court sat in judgment,
and the books were opened.”

Daniel 7:9-10

“Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.

Revelation 20:11-12

As you can see, presumably there are many books that will be used to publicly proclaim our personal record and pronounce judgments according to what we have done in this life. The Lord will also give rewards to the faithful according to what is written in the books.

THE BOOK OF LIFE

On the other hand, the Scriptures speak of the book of life in exclusive terms, which is why I believe the book of life is unique, as the most important book of all the records in heaven. What we discover is that in the end, the book of life only contains the names of the faithful, who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb — Jesus Christ.

From beginning to end the just shall live by faith, which means that the patriarchs and prophets believed in the promised Messiah looking forward in faith, while we are saved in the same way but by looking back on the finished work of Christ in faith.

The Testimony of Moses

So Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Alas, this people has sinned a great sin. They have made for themselves gods of gold. 32But now, if you will forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written.” 33But the LORD said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book.”

[Exodus 32:31-32]

The Testimony of King David

“Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.“

Psalm 139:16

“Pour out your indignation upon them,
and let your burning anger overtake them.
25May their camp be a desolation;
let no one dwell in their tents.
26For they persecute him whom you have struck down,
and they recount the pain of those you have wounded.
27Add to them punishment upon punishment;
may they have no acquittal from you.
28Let them be blotted out of the book of the living;let them not be enrolled among the righteous.“

Psalm 69:24-28

Names will be Blotted Out

Both Moses and David describe the book of life as containing a roll of names that apparently have the potential to be blotted out — erased so to speak. There are several ways to look at this.

If our names are written in the book of life and enrolled with the righteous the moment we believe and are saved, then these verses seem to suggest that a believer can be blotted out, or removed, from the book of life. There are some serious theological and soteriological problems with this view on the basis of the eternal security of the believer.

There are legitimate arguments from different perspectives that would suggest that a person can deliberately forfeit his/her salvation and walk away from his/her relationship with Christ — what we would call apostasy — while others affirm that once a man is born again he cannot be “unborn,” nor can anyone snatch him out of the hand of God. In other words he is eternally secure.

I am of the persuasion that once a man is born again then nothing can separate him from the love of God in Christ Jesus [Romans 8:36-39], and he can believe the promise that God will bring to completion His great work of salvation in us on the Day of Christ Jesus [Philippians 1:6].

By taking into consideration the eternal security of the believer, I believe a better understanding of the book of life is that every name is written in the book of life from the beginning — demonstrating God’s desire that all men would be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. In other words, the opportunity for salvation is made available to all mankind, but only those who exercise faith in Christ will be saved. The consequence of those who reject God’s free gift of eternal life and so perish in unbelief is that their names are effectively and ultimately blotted out of the book of life.

Jesus concludes as much in His teachings and in His letter to the church in Sardis.

And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.20Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Luke 10:18-20

“The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.”

Revelation 3:5

Testimony of the Prophets

“Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another. The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed his name. 17“They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. 18Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.”

Malachi 3:16-18

“In that day the branch of the LORD shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel. 3And he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem, 4when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning.”

Isaiah 4:2-4

This book of remembrance demonstrates the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who have been recorded for life in Jerusalem and those who will be cast out of the heavenly city.

The Lamb’s Book of Life

The Scriptures also qualify the book of life as the Lamb’s Book of Life. I often envision the names of all the saints permanently engraved in the precious blood of the Lamb, never to be blotted out. Our enteral destiny is directly dependent upon whether or not our names are found written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

“Also it (the Beast) was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.”

Revelation 13:7-8

 “And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.“

“And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God  … But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.“

Revelation 20:13-15, 21:10, 27

There is but one condition to have your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life — faith in Jesus Christ. We are saved by God’s grace through faith in His only Son — the Lamb of God of takes aways the sins of the whole world.

Is your name in danger of being blotted out from this book? If not, would you trust Jesus Christ today and secure your place among the righteous?

In my next post, I will circle back around to how the resurrection of the dead is connected to the end of the age and the return of Christ in glory.

A Deep Dive into Daniel — Part 22 — The Day of Deliverance

Marcus Walker Van EveryLeave a comment

“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, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.”

The Prophet Daniel — 12:1

It is worth taking closer look at Daniel 12:1. Here we read two contrasting outcomes in this one verse. On the one hand, there will be unprecedented tribulation and distress resulting in the hardship, persecution, and death of many faithful saints, but on the other hand God makes a promise to deliver His people “at that time” — those whose name is written in the book.

So which is it? Does God allow His people to suffer through the great tribulation or are they delivered out of it?

The answer is both. That is the essence of what it means to be delivered — redeemed — ransomed — rescued — saved! God is our Deliverer in every respect of the word, and He has promised to deliver His people from peril, bondage, evils, dangers, and great distress.

Obviously we must acknowledge the multiple layers, concepts, and applications of deliverance. Clearly the core of our Christian faith emphasizes the spiritual application, such as being saved from the wages of our sin and death and from the satanic bondage of this present age. Our spiritual deliverance is an immediate reality to all who believe in Christ. We possess eternal life the moment we trust Christ and are “saved.” This is only one form of deliverance, however, as salvation also is a process that plays out in real time!

We cannot forget that the Biblical accounts of Scripture did not take place in a vacuum, but rather in literal space and time. The Bible provides true eye-witnesses testimony about God’s mighty acts of deliverance for His people within the bigger story of redemptive history. These serve both as examples and foreshadows of things to come in the last days. Consider …

  1. Noah delivered through the flood
  2. Lot saved from Sodom
  3. Joseph delivered from captivity
  4. Moses and the Israelites protected from the plagues and delivered from Egypt
  5. Joshua at Jericho and his long-day at Gibeon [Joshua 10]
  6. David delivered from Goliath
  7. Daniel saved in the Lions Den
  8. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego saved through the fiery furnace
  9. Paul rescued from all his trials and tribulations

“If by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;7and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked 8(for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard);9then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment.”

2 Peter 2:6-9

Our ultimate deliverance, therefore, is the completion of our salvation on THE Day of deliverance — a Day yet future — a unique Day when Christ returns from heaven to wage war against the wicked and simultaneously rescue His glorious bride in triumph!

This is the Day of deliverance that Daniel and all the prophets ultimately envision and emphasize. All things prophetically culminate on this Day — aka the Day of the LORD — a Day both of fierce vengeance and sweet deliverance.

“For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and my year of redemption had come.”

Isaiah 63:4

There is no contradiction here in Daniel 12:1. It is a broad brush stroke of the last 3.5 years of Daniel’s 70th Week, which is also known as the great tribulation.

And someone said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, “How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?” 7And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished.“

Dan 12:6-7

There will be great tribulation and trouble for God’s people followed by great deliverance and salvation at the coming of the Son of Man. Many of God’s people — both Jew and Gentile alike — will suffer and die during the great tribulation as faithful witnesses for Christ, while also a believing remnant will be preserved and endure to the end. So whether we endure and remain faithful to the end of our lives or we endure to the end of the age — it remains true that God’s people will be saved, or delivered, in the end.

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 11And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13But the one who endures to the end will be saved.“

[Matthew 24:9-13]

OUr DELIVERANCE IS ALREADY HERE and NOT YET

We know that Jesus says, “whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life” [John 5:24], which means that salvation is an immediate reality and possession for those who believe. We also know, however, that the God’s ultimate plan of redemption will not be accomplished until Christ returns from heaven to establish His eternal kingdom on earth.

This is why we must acknowledge our salvation as being already here in one sense but at the same time not yet! We have been saved. We are being saved. We will be saved in the end.

“Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.”

1 Corinthians 15:1-2

“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.”

1 John 3:2

And it is that Day — the Day Jesus appears in all His glory — that we will be changed and will receive resurrected bodies and become like Christ, seeing Him as He truly is!

I will leave you with some foundational passages that speak of this Day of Deliverance and provide some details to Daniel’s prophecy.

“For these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written … And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

[Luke 21:22, 25-28]

“Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering—6since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you,7and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.”

2 Thessalonians 1:4-10

Next time we will discover more about the book of life and how it ties into the prophetic word and the end of the age. Until then, I will leave you with Isaiah’s mention of the book of life.

“In that day the branch of the LORD shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel. 3And he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem, 4when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning.”

Isaiah 4:2-4