According to Daniel 7:1, when was the dream of the little horn, the Ancient of Days, and ‘one like a son of man’ given to Daniel? “in the first year of Belshazzar”
According to Daniel 8:1, when was the vision of the ram, the goat, and the horn depicting Antiochus IV given to Daniel? “in the third year of Belshazzar”
Now, what is the timing of the events recorded in our present chapter according to Daniel 9:1? “the first year of Darius”
In the first year of the reign of Darius, what did Daniel realize, and how did he come to this realization (Daniel 9:2-3)? “He realized, by studying Jeremiah, that the captivity would last 70 years, and was [therefore] nearly over.”
Fill in the following blanks according to 1 Chronicles 12:32 in the NIV: ‘Men of Issachar, who “understood the times” and “knew what Israel should do” – 200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command.’
Matthew 24:12 foretells an increase in “wickedness” and hearts (love) that grow “cold” toward the end of times. Circle the number that you’d estimate for the present fulfillment. (There’s no right or wrong answer here. We’re just trying to be a Daniel.) “7”
2 Timothy 3:1-5: Circle the number that you’d estimate for a present fulfillment. “8”
Let’s conclude with this question: as you come to understand a little more about our times, can you think of any way this awareness could change something you ‘do’? If so, share it.
“The list in 2 Timothy challenges me to work harder at avoiding any of those characteristics applying to me – right now five at least marginally could.”
Dearest Rachel –
For the record (and for the benefit of those reading over your shoulder), that list in 2 Timothy 3 includes the following:
① people will love themselves (v. 2)
② they will love money
③ they will brag and be proud (not sure if that counts as a single item or two)
④ they will say evil things about others
⑤ they will not obey their parents
⑥ they will not be grateful
⑦ they will not be the kind of people God wants (although this seems to go without saying)
⑧ they will not love others (v.3)
⑨ they will refuse to forgive
⑩ they will gossip
⑪ they will not control themselves
⑫ they will be cruel
⑬ they will hate what is good
⑭ they will turn against their friends and neighbors (v.4)
⑮ they will do foolish things without thinking
⑯ they will be conceited
⑰ they will love pleasure rather than God
⑱ they will pretend to serve God, but not have His power (v.5)
The last part of verse five instructs us to stay away from such people, but if you’ll forgive me for saying so, that would be somewhat difficult, as Paul seems to be describing the human condition, for the most part. This just strikes me as a fairly comprehensive description of Secular Man. Frankly, there’s no avoiding these people.
Indeed, it’s hard to avoid having some of these attributes crop up in our own lives; while I’m not sure offhand which five you were concerned about in particular, but I’m sure I could guess a few of them that might have been of specific concern. To be sure, being disobedient to your parents when they demanded that you stop talking to them about matters of faith is a little bit of a grey area; there, it seems like defying them on that score would have been a good thing, but that would certainly be an exception to test the rule.
Of course, Paul was probably suggesting that these characteristics would proliferate by the end times, and doubtlessly they have in the millennia since, but it could be argued that simply comes from there being that many more fallen people on this earth – as well as the fact that we’re aware of the things that so many of our fellow fallen do, as they proclaim themselves on social media. Consider it the Sunshine Law effect (that has “created” Florida Man) applied on a global scale.
Then again, the fact that folks broadcast themselves far and wide might be more indicative of line 3, for instance, and Paul’s assertion that we’re getting closer to the end times isn’t as far off as all that. Of course, since we ride the arrow of time in a single direction, we’re always getting closer to the end every day; the question is, can we perceive the end approaching? It may be that I’ve gotten desensitized to my surroundings that I don’t recognize where I am, and will be caught by surprise when the trumpet blows. Or, we may just be in the midst of a very long ride; there’s some indication that folks are starting to pull back from the abyss, to an extent. We can only pray for that to happen, and stave off the moment of truth as long as possible (even though we, as believers, might welcome it, we know too many that would suffer if it would break in right now as the proverbial “thief in the night”)
I don’t know how or whether those on this list are too far gone, and if they should be prayed for, but keep an eye on them, honey, and prompt me to do so if it would serve them well. Also, wish us all luck, as we’re going to need it.
Letters to Rachel 