Serious End Time Bible Prophecies Are Happening

the opening line of Daniel 12 says at that time Michael the Archangel who stands guard over your nation will arise then there will be a time of Anguish greater than any since Nations first came into existence but at that time every one of your people whose name is written in the book will be rescued this is the Prophet Daniel warning us of extraordinary end time events that will affect the entire world like never before but it's not all doom and gloom because he also provides wonderful hope for those who are in Christ now in order

to understand Daniel 12 you need to go back a couple of chapters to Daniel 10 in Daniel 10 we're told that Daniel was praying and fasting for 3 weeks so that God would speak to him an angel of God Appears to Daniel and says since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God your request has been heard in Heaven I have come in answer to your prayer but for 21 days the spirit Prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way then Michael one of the archangels came

to help me and I left him there with the spirit Prince of the kingdom of Persia take note of this an Angelic messenger from God was on his way to give Daniel the answer to his prayers when an evil spirit Prince from the kingdom of Persia blocked him and this Spirit Prince was so powerful that Michael one of the archangels of God God had to intervene now in Daniel 10:20 the Angelic messenger is still speaking to Daniel and says and now I must return to fight with the Prince of Persia and when I have gone

forth indeed the prince of Greece will come so here the Bible mentions two territorial Spirits two principal evil entities that control a particular region but here's what's amazing in verse 21 this Angel says to Daniel but I will tell you what is noted in the scripture of Truth No One upholds me against these except Michael your prince the title Prince is important because it indicates there is a hierarchy there are angels seraphim cherubims and then archangels like Michael and on the opposite scale there are evil spirits and demons and then there are principal evil spirits

like the Prince of Persia as highlighted earlier this is important because of that opening verse in Daniel 12 Michael the Archangel who stands guard over your nation will arise we're told that even though the Earth will see tremendous anguish God's people will be delivered keep this in mind as we dive in further in Daniel 12 we're told that a time of trouble is coming such as never was since there was a nation let's put this into context look at all of the different periods in history a time is coming that's worse than the anti- deluvian

period which was between the fall of Man and the great Genesis Flood a time is coming that's worse than when the Roman Empire ruled and there was widespread Christian persecution a time is coming that's worse than World War 1 and 2 and the thing about Bible prophecy is the word of God lines up with the word of God you can have people or prophets living in different eras and in different generations and when God gives them a word It lines up scripture interprets scripture for example Daniel was not the only one who prophesied of terrible

times to come the Prophet Jeremiah said ask and see can a man bear children then why do I see every strong man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor every face turned deathly pale how awful that day will be no other will be like it it will be a time of trouble for Jacob but he will be saved out of it this was in Jeremiah 30:6 to7 then in the New Testament our Lord himself said in Matthew 24: 21-22 for then there will be great distress unequaled from the beginning of the

world until now and never to be equal again if those days had not been cut short no one would survive but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened and so you see what Daniel said about a time of trouble coming this prophecy is confirmed repeatedly in the Bible but having said all of this you should not be filled with fear because remember the bible promises us Deliverance as children of God because it says at that time every one of your people whose name is written in the book will be rescued now

Daniel 12:2 says many of those whose bodies lie dead and buried will rise up some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting disgrace for those who have died they will wake up to eternal life in heaven with God or eternal hell once again the Bible lets us know that everyone is really in only one of two camps they are either followers of Christ or followers of the devil your name will either be in the Book of Life or it won't you're either walking on the broad Road or the narrow road and as Daniel

12:2 points out those who have been buried will wake up to either everlasting life or Everlasting disgrace this is the picture painted in the Bible from this we can understand that there is a resurrection that will occur when the Lord Jesus comes for his church the Apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians says the dead in Christ rise first what we aren't sure of is whether this is the same Resurrection as that in Daniel 12 or does Daniel 12 refer to another Resurrection which will occur at the end of the tribulation many Christian commentators debate on this

however we do know that God will resurrect those who belong to him and they will rise to everlasting life now in Daniel 12 12:7 the Bible tells us that the man dressed in linen who was standing above the river raised both his hands toward heaven and took a solemn Oath by the one who lives forever saying it will go on for a time times and half a time when the shattering of the Holy people has finally come to an end all these things will have happened the reference to time times and a half is widely

understood as representing 3 and 1/2 years this phrase is also used in Revelation 12:14 this has led to some biblical Scholars interpreting this to mean that Daniel is talking about the Great Tribulation period now in Daniel 12:8 Daniel asks a question that all of us think about how will all this finally end my Lord we all know that in the time leading up to the return of Christ there will be signs strange signs in some cases but clear signs nonetheless we're told that some of these signs are that lawlessness will abound that will be famines

and great earthquakes there will be religious deception as false prophets will arise to deceive many and there will be Wars and pestilences but Daniel asked how will all this finally end my Lord here is what is said in verse 9 and 10 but he said go now Daniel for what I have said is kept secret and sealed until the time of the end many will be purified cleansed and refined by these trials but the wicked will continue in their wickedness and none of them will understand only those who are wise will know what it means

do you see how this theme of separation between light and darkness continues so far in this chapter we know that there will be those in the Book of Life and those not in it there will be those who rise to everlasting life and others to Everlasting disgrace so we can see there is a clear line drawn good versus evil righteous versus unrighteous this separation between God's people and those who do evil is highlighted over and over again and we get to verse 10 in Daniel 12 and we're told some people will be purified and cleansed

but the wicked will continue in their wickedness there is a group of people who will be wicked and evil in the last days and even throughout the tribulation period and when the wrath of God is being poured out on the earth they will continue in their wickedness in the last days there will be people who are wicked in thought people who are wicked in actions and wicked in their hearts this lines up with what second Timothy says about how there will be a shift in society and in the hearts of many people Timothy said men

shall be lovers of their own selves Covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to parents unthankful Unholy without natural affection truce Breakers false accusers incontinent fear despisers of those that are good and this isn't even the entire list but you can certainly see that wickedness will grow the final verses of Daniel 12 say and from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away and the abomination of desolation is set up there shall be 1,290 days blessed is he who Waits and comes to the 1,335 days but you go your way till the end for you shall

rest and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days what is the abomination of desolation well Jesus Christ spoke of this sign of the end of this age and his imminent return saying therefore when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet standing in the Holy place an Abomination is something that is abhorent and detestable to God and his people and biblically speaking desolation involves destroying and desecrating and leaving something in such a horrible condition that an onlooker is left speechless now Daniel's prophecy about the abomination of desolation

was thought to have been fulfilled in early history at one point King Antiochus epiphanies IV who ruled Palestine from 175 to 64 BC Antiochus treated Israel horribly he treated them so badly that Israel rebelled against him and when he arrived to suppress the Rebellion his forces went into the temple in Jerusalem set up an altar for Zeus and offered pigs as a sacrifice this act was widely considered to be abominable because it defied the most sacred inner part of the temple the holy of holies what King Antiochus did was idolatry however years later after King

Antiochus Jesus was warning his disciples of future events that will Mark The End of the Age and here in Matthew CH 24 he mentions the abomination of desolation as a future event because he then warns people saying let those are in Judea flee to the mountains let him who was on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house and let him who was in the field not go back to get his clothes overall when you read Bible prophecy like that in the Book of Daniel the events to come should not scare

you as a child of God remember that all whose name is written in the book will be rescued all who are in Christ have hope Luke 21:28 says now when these things begin happen look up and lift up your heads because your Redemption draws near I recently heard one Pastor say the following statement I'm very concerned with the amount of false teaching and false prophets that have found their way onto the internet vulnerable Christians are listening to them as if everything they say is from the mouth of God everything must be brought into agreement with

what the Bible says end quote now Bible prophecy warned us that prior to the Rapture there will be a great falling away from faith and if possible the very elect would be deceived now a crucial aspect of our journey as Believers is not only to understand deception but to unmask deception in these last days because it's no secret that we have to navigate a world filled with conflicting messages and we're given enticing falsehoods but this is why the Bible is important it equips us with wisdom to discern truth from deception I want to give you

four illustrations of how deception is working in this world and why it's accepted by so many the first illustration is what I'd like to call the chameleon's disguise imagine a chameleon expertly blending in into its surroundings adapting its appearance to conceal its true identity this is similar to a person who looks like a Christian they talk like a Christian and can even go as far as acting like a Christian when you see them however their heart their intentions are far from Jesus Christ This is how deception in the last days often presents itself in ways

that mimic truth deception today makes things challenging for a person to distinguish between truth and lie Jesus warned us in Matthew 24: 24 saying for false Messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive if possible even the elect just as the chameleon's disguise requires careful observation it requires you to pay close attention we too must be vigilant and Discerning seeking the unchanging truth found in God's word the second illustration is the Mirage of shiny Illusions think of a traveler crossing a desert parched and wearying in the distance a shimmering

Oasis appears promising relief however as the traveler draws closer The Mirage dissolves leaving disappointment in 2 Timothy 4:3 to4 the Apostle Paul warns for the time will come when people will not put up with sound Doctrine instead to suit their own desires they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear the Allure of false teachings can be as deceptive as a mirage leaving us spiritually thirsty true refreshment comes from the living water of Christ's teachings the third illustration is the puzzle of half truths picture a

puzzle missing a few pieces from a distance it seems complete but closer inspection reveals the gaps it reveals that things are fragmented and incomplete deception often involves partial truths carefully interwoven to create a convincing narrative Jesus emphasized the importance of discernment in Luke 21:8 when he said watch out that you are not deceived for many will come in my name claiming I am he and the time is near do not follow them just as a puzzle requires all its pieces to form a coherent picture we must rely on the complete counsil of of God's word

to guard against deception now my final illustration is not so much geared at understanding deception but rather unmasking deception and I would like to call this The Guiding North Star consider Sailors navigating vast oceans under the guidance of the North Star when you look at the history of navigation at Sea before GPS and modern technology one of the simplest methods for determining a ship's Direction was to watch the movement of the sun across the sky Sailors used the position of the sun as it moved from east to west to guide their route at noon they

could determine North and South by the Shadows the Suncast Sailors had to literally look up to be able to figure out where they were heading in the same way God's word serves as our un changing reliable guide through the tumultuous Seas of deception Psalm 11915 assures us your word is a lamp for my feet a light on my path as the North Star remains fixed amidst shifting Skies the truth of God's word stands unwavering offering Clarity and direction in a world filled with confusion the last days present unique challenges to all of us Believers but

we need not be overcome by deception in fact we should be like skilled detectives have you ever seen the level of forensic detail that detectives go to in order to uncover the truth they will exhaust every possible Avenue seeking the truth we too can do the same as Believers we can uncover the truth we can unmask falsehoods by being attentive testing every spirit against the word of God by knowing the word of God and seeking direction from above through prayer as we journey forward let us remember the chameleon's disguise The Mirage of shiny Illusions the

puzzle of half truths and The Guiding North Star let our discernment be fueled by faith rooted in God's word and empowered by the Holy Spirit the Apostle Paul told us in Ephesians 6:14 stand firm then with the belt of Truth buckled around your waist let us guard ourselves with God's truth shielded from the deception that seeks to derail our faith I pray that all of us would become Vigilant Believers unmasking deception with discernment and the truth that is in the word of God since the beginning of time God has been drawing us toward himself even

when we stubbornly ignore him he doesn't walk away he never gives up on us in the Book of Matthew Jesus Compares his second coming to a great wedding Feast a joyful celebration of the perfect union between Jesus Christ and his bride the church and so we are invited to the greatest dinner banquet of all time have you re responded to that invitation or are you putting it off until the last minute maybe you've become deafen to the sound of him knocking maybe your attention has been captured by other things like work and finances and romantic

love those things seem important Until you realize that they are only temporary and when your life is over or Jesus returns they will no longer be of any value we all think we have more time to get right with God but the truth is that life is short tomorrow is not guaranteed everything we do today matters on an eternal level if Jesus came back today would you be ready would you be able to say that your heart was firmly set on Christ now is the time to place your faith in Jesus and so today if

you hear his voice don't Harden your heart instead allow him to come in and change your life forever in Hebrews 12 verse1 the Bible says therefore since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so close clly and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us the Bible is calling us to strip off every unnecessary weight in our lives do away with the sin which tries to ens snare you and keep you bound people of God Jesus Christ is

all that matters and with the time that you have live with wisdom and make use of today and serve the Lord while you still can our days are numbered and we must live for God so in everything you do put God first in the midst of everything you go through trust God first the Amplified version of Hebrews 12:1 says therefore since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses who by faith have testified to the truth of God's absolute faithfulness stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles

us let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before [Music] us I would like to take a moment to discuss this verse in the theater of your mind I want you to imagine this great cloud of witnesses the Bible doesn't reveal their identities but for the sake of this illustration let us imagine that this cloud of witnesses have one assignment in heaven and that assignment is to document everything you do so that on Judgment Day they will stand as Witnesses now I want you to think what will that cloud of

witnesses say about me what will they say I did will they say that there was no doubt no doubt at all that God was the center of my life will they say that you lived a life that glorifies Jesus Christ will this great cloud of witnesses say that they heard you wake up every day with praise on your lips will they say that your prayer life was strong will they bear witness of your character and say that you were a genuine man or woman of God [Music] will they say you've loved your neighbor will they

use the words self-controlled humble prayerful and forgiving to describe you what will that cloud of witnesses say about you for some this cloud of witnesses will say they never saw you pray unless you wanted something they never saw you open God's word and meditate on it what if they said you never had a heart filled with with gratitude you always wanted more you always sought more and were never grateful for the things that God had blessed you with people of God I want you to just for a moment think what will this great cloud of

witnesses say about you are your eyes filled with greed and envy for worldly things is your heart filled with jealousy and pride will this cloud of witness to say that they saw you putting other people down or that they heard you discourage others what will that cloud of witnesses say about you what will they say about your walk with Christ the state of your heart or what you do in private we need to have the presence of mind to know that what we do matters our daily decisions matter so I pray that you live a

guarded life I pray that you guard your mind against negative seeds of thought I pray that you guard your heart against Envy jealousy and greed I pray that you guard your eyes and ears against anything Unholy I pray that the holy spirit will give you the strength to fight the good fight and above all I pray that God's grace is upon your life chase God and chase him every day in Revelation 3: 20 the Lord addresses his church and says here I am I stand at the door and knock if anyone hears my voice and

opens the door I will come in and eat with that person and they with me and I would also like to highlight the fact that Psalm 95:8 says today if you hear his voice do not Harden your hearts as in the Rebellion let us open our hearts to his voice if you hear his voice don't Harden your heart the Bible says the voice which you hear when you pray when you read his word or when you're convicted by the holy spirit let us not Harden our hearts let's not grieve the Holy Spirit I encourage you

to listen and respond to the knock of Christ let let's open the door and let him in so that he may dwell with us and in us once we've done this he will write our names in his book of life now part of the struggle in hearing God's voice for many Christians is due to them focusing on the wrong things and that's part of the deception of the devil he wants you to feel as though everything else apart from God deserves your undivided attention the devil wants you to meet the demands of the world but

not what God demands of a Christian man or woman so let's not be deceived by the prince of this world don't be deceived by the evil one who wants us to focus on the pleasures and temporary happiness that this world offers us the enemy wants us to be laidback about the coming of Christ Luke 12: 19 to2 reads and I will say to my soul soul you have many Goods laid up for many years take your ease eat drink and be merry but God said to him fool that night your soul will be required of

you then whose will those things be which you have provided these Pleasures are Delights although good and enjoyable we will not satisfy our souls and will not bring us true joy and happiness but if we live our lives for God in obedience to his word and Commandments then we will be rewarded with eternal life and joy this is our life's calling although we are in this world we are not of this world and therefore should be living for God according to his standards and his will the Apostle Paul reminds us of this in Romans 12:2

when he says and do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may may prove what is good and acceptable and perfect will of God and again we're reminded in Romans 14:8 for if we live we live to the Lord and if we die we die to the Lord so then whether we live or whether we die we are the Lords so what does living for the Lord look like it means to have him as the center of our Lives to seek his word before our own

selfish desires to listen to his voice among all the other voices we hear and to make it our life's mission to serve him in all that we do all of this is easier said than done it is much easier for us to choose to do the wrong thing instead of the right thing it is easier to choose the broad Road over the narrow one it's easier to choose the world over God because the world and the flesh go hand in hand choosing God means that you have to deny yourself you have to choose his will

over your own living for God is not an easy task that's why Jesus tells us in Matthew 7: 13-4 enter by the narrow gate for wide is the gate and Broad is the way that leads to destruction and there are many who go in by it because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life and there are few who find it the narrow gate may be tiresome and difficult to enter into but believe me it's worthwhile Christ is knocking on the door of our hearts he wants us to choose eternal

life and not damnation but here's the thing the Lord is so gentle and kind that he doesn't force himself in instead he waits for us to respond to his knock the knock on our hearts the knock that calls us to repent so I encourage you to live for the Lord live a life that is mindful of Eternity be mindful of collecting Treasures in Heaven Treasures that will not perish be mindful that your thoughts your Deeds your actions they all matter it's only when we live a life dedicated and committed to Jesus Christ that we can

hope one day to have everlasting life in his presence so let's make the right choices while we're here on Earth because what we do here affects our eternity [Music]