As I read the final chapter of Daniel’s vision of what will happen, I am reminded of the love of God along with the meaning of God’s love as expressed by John.  John was also one to whom God revealed what will happen “in the end” as Jesus comes back to claim His own—the ones who really believe that what God says is really real.  Allow me to introduce you to John…

John defines God’s love:

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”  1 John 4:7-8

God’s love demonstrated:

“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”  1 John 4: 9-10

How to love completely like God:

“Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”  1 John 4: 11-12

To love with the love of God in us is to live wisely.  Those who live wisely in this divine love of God that goes beyond human love are those who will “shine brilliantly” according the what Michael shares with Daniel!  And get this, friends…Those who help others find and follow Jesus, the demonstration of God’s love for us, “will glow like stars forever”!  THIS is what it means to live wisely.  Now, back to Daniel’s wrap up…

Daniel 12, The Message

The Worst Trouble the World Has Ever Seen

^1-2 “‘That’s when Michael, the great angel-prince, champion of your people, will step in. It will be a time of trouble, the worst trouble the world has ever seen. But your people will be saved from the trouble, every last one found written in the Book. Many who have been long dead and buried will wake up, some to eternal life, others to eternal shame.

³ “‘Men and women who have lived wisely and well will shine brilliantly, like the cloudless, star-strewn night skies. And those who put others on the right path to life will glow like stars forever.

⁴ “‘This is a confidential report, Daniel, for your eyes and ears only. Keep it secret. Put the book under lock and key until the end. In the interim there is going to be a lot of frantic running around, trying to figure out what’s going on.’

* * *

^5-6 “As I, Daniel, took all this in, two figures appeared, one standing on this bank of the river and one on the other bank. One of them asked a third man who was dressed in linen and who straddled the river, ‘How long is this astonishing story to go on?’

⁷ “The man dressed in linen, who straddled the river, raised both hands to the skies. I heard him solemnly swear by the Eternal One that it would be a time, two times, and half a time, that when the oppressor of the holy people was brought down the story would be complete.

⁸ “I heard all this plainly enough, but I didn’t understand it. So I asked, ‘Master, can you explain this to me?’

^9-10 “‘Go on about your business, Daniel,’ he said. ‘The message is confidential and under lock and key until the end, until things are about to be wrapped up. The populace will be washed clean and made like new. But the wicked will just keep on being wicked, without a clue about what is happening. Those who live wisely and well will understand what’s going on.’

* * *

¹¹ “From the time that the daily worship is banished from the Temple and the obscene desecration is set up in its place, there will be 1,290 days.

¹² “Blessed are those who patiently make it through the 1,335 days.

¹³ “And you? Go about your business without fretting or worrying. Relax. When it’s all over, you will be on your feet to receive your reward.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Love God with all our hearts, minds and souls.  Love others like God loves us—unconditionally. This is our “business.”  To obey the command to love is revolutionary to a world searching for real, authentic love.

“Don’t worry or fret” about how it all plays out in the end, relax!  Yes!, that’s what Michael told Daniel…go about the business of loving God back and helping others to find God’s love, too!  This is living wisely—loving others, making God’s love complete in us—full circle.  John, again, backs up what Michael told Daniel—what a parallel to God’s story of love and redemption!

John relates how to spot false prophets:

“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, ³ but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.”  1 John 4: 1-3

We are overcomers who live wisely with the love of God in us:

“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.”  1 John 4: 4-6

God’s Love—Our Blessed Assurance!

“This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.”

“God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.  1 John 4:13-18

And finally, John brings it home with:

“We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.  1 John 4:19-21

Mm, this is a “command”, not a suggestion or a feel-good moment in time, but a forever command.  This is living wisely.

Michael concludes his message to Daniel with this: “When it’s all over, you will be on your feet to receive your reward.”

What is the reward—life forever with God!  We long to hear, “well done, good a faithful servant” from the One who loves us most.  How do I know?  The gospels are full of the love of God expressed in Jesus…

The gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John share story after story of God’s love expressed through the actions of His One and Only Son, Jesus. Jesus also shares what will happen when He comes back.  (Read all of Matthew 25 for a great start!) 

If you don’t get anything else, get this truth and cling to God’s love “for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Believe, really believe and be saved forever.  Then live wisely.

We are redeemed because we are so dearly loved.  Live gratefully and humbly like the redeemed so others will see our glow and be drawn to the one who makes us shine, reflecting His glory!

Oh Lord,

Your love is greater still than I can imagine!  Your words go to the depths of my heart with cleansing power.  You have renewed my mind and refreshed my soul!  You have restored the joy of your salvation at work in me.  Thank you for loving me the way you do.  Help me to love others like you love me.

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen!  I believe!