TIME OF THE END!

IN the following series of articles we will study Daniel 11 :40-45. These six verses in the book of Daniel were left unsolved until our time. It is our generation that has the honor of seeing and recognizing the fulfillment of these verses.

We will endeavor to show that these verses contain a sequence of events which lead down to the close of human probation and beyond. We will see that Daniel 11, which is enlarged upon in Revelation, chapters 13-18, delineates the transactions which Sister White said would be "the final movements."

Daniel 11: 40-45 is a prophetic key which was designed by the Lord to help guide, prepare, and empower His people during the final moments of earth's history by helping to unlock the future to those who would seek to know these events.

At least four propositions are worthy of stating before we set forth this study:

First, the overall weight of prophetic evidence leads us to believe that we are the final generation of God's people upon this earth, the very generation that holy men and prophets longed to see.

Second, the final series of events have already begun with the collapse of the Soviet Union, but Adventism at large has slept on.

Third, these verses were designed by God to be a catalyst to help bring on the final revival of God's people.

Finally, these verses show the sequence of events which Sister White so often warns will be rapid ones.

As we begin this study let us determine whether or not the time period associated with the final movements of Daniel 11 has arrived. The time in which we are living is clearly set forth within the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy. One passage which describes the conditions of our time is found in the opening chapter of volume nine of the Testimonies:

"We are living in the time of the end. The fast-fulfilling signs of the times declare that the coming of Christ is near at hand. The days in which we live are solemn and important. The Spirit of God is gradually but surely being withdrawn from the earth. Plagues and judgments are already falling upon the despisers of the grace of God. The calamities by land and sea, the unsettled state of society, the alarms of war, are portentous. They forecast approaching events of the greatest magnitude.

"The agencies of evil are combining their forces and consolidating. They are strengthening for the last great crisis. Great changes are soon to take place in our world, and the final movements will be rapid ones.

"The condition of things in the world shows that troublous times are right upon us. The daily papers are full of indications of a terrible conflict in the near future. Bold robberies are of frequent occurrence. Strikes are common. Thefts and murders are committed on every hand. Men possessed of demons are taking the lives of men, women, and little children. Men have become infatuated with vice, and every species of evil prevails. . . .

"There are not many, even among educators and statesmen, who comprehend the causes that underlie the present state of society. Those who hold the reins of government are not able to solve the problem of moral corruption, poverty, pauperism, and increasing crime. They are struggling in vain to place business operations on a more secure basis. If men would give more heed to the teaching of God's Word, they would find a solution of the problems that perplex them. . . .

"The world is stirred with the spirit of war. The prophecy of the eleventh chapter of Daniel has nearly reached its complete fulfillment. Soon the scenes of trouble spoken of in the prophecies will take place. . . .

"Satan is a diligent Bible student. He knows that his time is short, and he seeks at every point to counterwork the work of the Lord upon this earth. It is impossible to give any idea of the experience of the people of God who shall be alive on the earth when celestial glory and a repetition of the persecutions of the past are blended. They will walk in the light proceeding from the throne of God. By means of angels there will be constant communication between heaven and earth. And Satan, surrounded by evil angels, and claiming to be God, will work miracles of all kinds, to deceive, if possible, the very elect." Testimonies, vol. 9,11, 13-14,16. (All emphasis added unless otherwise stated.)

Does this passage speak of our day? Notice the setting which is portrayed by Sister White as she informs us that "the eleventh chapter of Daniel has nearly reached its complete fulfillment." This is clearly referring to our day, therefore, Daniel II is soon to be completed.

Do we not see the Spirit of God being withdrawn from the earth through the judgments which follow that withdrawal? Surely the earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, wars, bombings, murders, famines, and diseases all confirm that the restraining influence of God's Spirit is being removed from this planet and its inhabitants.

We see also the consolidations in the religious world through the ecumenical movement. Big businesses are merging into giant corporations. Countries are signing treaties such as GATT and NAFTA, creating economic alliances in an attempt to create a world marketplace in order "to place business operations on a more secure basis." We now see the United Nations emerging as a power which in its previous fifty years it has never been able to attain, though it attempted to consolidate the entire world through its global bank, global health system, global police force, global court, global laws, and its global population and ecological concerns. Mankind's problems are now set forth in the presses of the world as "global" problems.

Recently, this author was at the Million Man March in Washington, D.C., where I heard Louis Farakan, the black militant, call not only for strengthening the family, but also the black community, by admonishing black people to come together into one voting and economic group. He insisted that this coming together was a necessity for the black community. But more significant was his call to set aside any religious differences, so that all black people could consolidate for the common good of black America, which, of course, in his opinion supersedes any religious differences.

Certainly the crime of our day fulfills Sister White's prediction, and the statement that the leaders of this nation "are struggling in vain to place business operations on a more secure basis" aptly describes the present crisis in our nation's capital. It also sends us a warning that what we must do as a people must be done before our money becomes useless. With this warning though, comes the comfort that God is in control. A clear description is given by Ellen White informing us that the economic predicament which is confronting the leaders of this nation did not take God by surprise. It is also a certainty that the "spirit of war" can readily be seen at this time.

Within this setting the prophetess points us to the climax of Daniel eleven, and she brings together a description of a two-fold, bittersweet, end-time events when she states, "It is impossible to give any idea of the experience of the people of God who shall be alive on the earth when celestial glory and a repetition of the persecutions of the past are blended." Ibid., 16. Two stories are ahead of God's people-the story of the glory which attends those who demonstrate and defend the truth in this final hour of earth's history, and the story of the apostate forces which seek to oppose the truth at the end of the world.

Ellen White identifies this two-fold message in another place, while once again pointing us to the eleventh chapter of Daniel:

"The light that Daniel received from God was given especially for these last days. The visions he saw by the banks of the Ulai and the Hiddekel, the great rivers of Shinar, are now in process of fulfillment, and all the events foretold will soon come to pass." Testimonies to Ministers, 112-113.

The vision on the banks of the Ulai is the vision of Daniel eight, and the only part of the vision by the Ulai which had not been fulfilled when Sister White made this statement was Daniel 8:14, which began its fulfillment in 1844. However, it was, and still is, "in process of fulfillment." When the Ulai flows into the sea, it ceases to exist. Likewise, when Christ finishes His work in the Most Holy Place the message of the everlasting gospel has finished its course. They are those who follow Christ's work in the Most Holy Place whom Daniel sees "purified, and made white, and tried," while John sees "them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass." Daniel 12: 10; Revelation 15:2.

The vision which was "now in the process of fulfillment," that was given to Daniel by the Hiddekel, is the vision of the last six verses of Daniel eleven-the only part of Daniel eleven which was as yet unfulfilled. When the Hiddekel flows into the sea it ceases to exist, so too when the king of the north comes "to his end," and "none shall help," Daniel's testimony of Babylon, has fmished its course. John also sees the end of Babylon as, "The beast [is] taken, and with him the false prophet. . . [and] cast alive into a lake of fire buming with brimstone." Revelation 19:20.

Two rivers headed to two totally different bodies of water: the Ulai with the River of Life to the sea of glass; the Hiddekel with the foul Euphrates to the lake of fire.

The visions by these two rivers present both the story of the redeemed and the story of the lost. As these rivers flow into the sea their messages cross the boundary line of human probation-forever separating the righteous and the wicked.

"Oh, who will describe to you the lamentations that will arise when at the boundary line which parts time and eternity the righteous Judge will lift up His voice and declare, 'It is too late.' Long have the wide gates of heaven stood open and the heavenly messengers have invited and entreated 'Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.' Revelation 22: 17. 'Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart.' But at length the mandate goes forth, 'He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.' Revelation 22: 11." In Heavenly Places, 362.

The two-fold theme found in the story of these two rivers is also illustrated in the three angels' messages of Revelation fourteen. Not only do these three messages point mankind to the everlasting gospel in connection with the judgment which is taking place in the Most Holy Place of the sanctuary above, but these messages also identify the enemy power which will oppose this message during this final judgment hour.

Sister White informs us that the books of Daniel and Revelation complement each other:

"In the Revelation all the books of the Bible meet and end. Here is the complement of the book of Daniel. One is a prophecy; the other a revelation. The book that was sealed is not the Revelation, but that portion of the prophecy of Daniel relating to the last days. The angel commanded, 'But thou, 0 Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end.' Daniel 12:4." Acts of the Apostles, 585.

Daniel and Revelation complement one another in many areas, including the messages of the two rivers, which are used to identify the last two-fold message in the book of Daniel. These rivers also find symbolic counterparts in the two rivers of Revelation. There we find the river of life conveying the promise of life to those who accept the everlasting gospel, while we also see the dried up Euphrates illustrating the bankruptcy of the worship of Babylon.

As we partake of the water of life we are to call those who are drinking the foul waters of the Euphrates to flee from the broken cisterns of fallen Babylon. The book of Daniel contains the final message of warning for this last hour of earth's history. This final message symbolized in the visions on the banks of the Hiddekel and Ulai rivers identify both the false worship of the king of the north and the true worship of the King which is now in the Most Holy Place above.

Certainly the visions given by the Ulai and Hiddekel are part of the story of Daniel, but how important are they to us today? Sister White puts great emphasis upon the study of Daniel and Revelation in connection with bringing on a revival:

"When the books of Daniel and Revelation are better understood, believers will have an entirely different religious experience. They will be given such glimpses of the open gates of heaven that heart and mind will be impressed with the character that all must develop in order to realize the blessedness which is to be the reward of the pure in heart. . . . One thing will certainly be understood from the study of Revelation-that the connection between God and His people is close and decided." The Faith I Live By, 345.

We also know that our greatest need is for this revival to come to God's people:

"A revival of true godliness among us is the greatest and most urgent of all our needs. To seek this should be our first work." Review and Herald, March 22, 1887.

Understanding that our greatest need is for a genuine revival and that this revival will be connected with an understanding of the books of Daniel and Revelation, does not necessarily identify the story of these two rivers as the key to this revival. It can easily be recognized, though, that the vision by the Ulai, addressing the work of Christ in the Most Holy Place, certainly has a connection with this long-awaited revival, for no true revival would be separated from Christ's work above.

When God's people enter into the Most Holy Place experience they will see that the connection between themselves and God is as "close and decided" as the connection which Christ maintained while He walked among men. There is no way to be closer to the Father than to have His Spirit living within. But acknowledging that the vision by the Ulai has a relationship to the fmal revival, does not necessarily mean the vision by the Hiddekel has an influence upon this revival. For it speaks not of the truth of the sanctuary, but of the enemy who casts the truth to the ground. Does the message of this river contribute to our experience in such a way as to bring on a revival? Yes. Just as surely as the warning of the third angel against receiving the mark of the beast is part of the everlasting gospel, so too, is the message of the Hiddekel. It is through an understanding of this message also that God's people will be prepared to stand.

"The book that was sealed was not the book of Revelation, but that portion of the prophecy of Daniel which related to the last days. The Scripture says, 'But thou, 0 Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.' Daniel 12:4. When the book was opened, the proclamation was made, 'Time shall be no longer.' See Revelation 10:6. The book of Daniel is now unsealed, and the revelation made by Christ to John is to come to all the inhabitants of the earth. By the increase of knowledge a people is to be prepared to stand in the latter days." Selected Messages, book 2, 105.

Notice here that there will be an "increase of knowledge," and that it is through this "increase of knowledge" that "a people is to be prepared to stand." What is this "increase of knowledge" which will prepare us to stand? In the same section, two paragraphs down, we find the answer:

"In the first angel's message men are called upon to worship God, our Creator, who made the world and all things that are therein. They have paid homage to an institution of the Papacy, making of no effect the Law of Jehovah, but there is to be an increase of knowledge on this subject." Ibid., 106.

The increase of knowledge which will prepare God's people to stand is a knowledge concerning the counterfeit Sabbath. This knowledge concerns the message about the entire world being forced to worship the idol sabbath which is the mark of the Papacy. This knowledge is in agreement with the warning of the three angels' messages not to worship the beast, and this increase of knowledge is in agreement with the message by the Hiddekel river of Daniel 11 :40-45, for the king of the north is the Papacy. We are told:

"The scenes connected with the working of the man of sin are the last features plainly revealed in this earth's history." Ibid., 102.

We know that the last six verses of Daniel eleven span the final scenes of "this earth's history," for in the next verse, Daniel 12:1, is recorded the close of probation. The "last features" of these "scenes" are connected with "the man of sin," and his efforts to bring the entire world under his control through the enforcement of a Sunday law. The king of the north is the "man of sin."

"I was then pointed to the flattering things taught by some of these transgressors of God's Law. I was shown a bright light, given by God to guide all who would walk in the way of salvation, and also to serve as a warning to the sinner to flee from the wrath of God, and yield a willing obedience to His claims. While this light continued there was hope. But there was a period when this light would cease. When he that is holy will remain holy forever, and when he that is filthy will remain filthy forever. When Jesus stands up; when His work is finished in the Most Holy, then there will be not another ray of light to be imparted to the sinner.

"But Satan flatters some, through his chosen servants, as he flattered Eve in Eden. Thou shalt not surely die, and tells them there will be a season for repentance, a time of probation, when the filthy can be made pure. The coworkers with Satan and his angels carry the light into the future age, teaching probation after the advent of Christ, which deludes the sinner, and leads the coldhearted professor to carnal security. He is careless and indifferent, and walks stumblingly over the hours of his probation. The light is made to reach far ahead, where all is total darkness. Michael stands up. Instead of mercy, the deluded sinner feels wrath unmixed with mercy. And they awake too late to this fatal deception. This plan was studied by Satan, and is carried out by ministers who turn the truth of God into a lie." Spiritual Gifts, vol. 2, 275-276.

Daniel 12: 1 is the close of probation, which takes place as Daniel 11:44-45 is being fulfilled. These lasts six verses are "scenes connected with the working of the man of sin," and they are the vision by the Hiddekel, which is "now in process of fulfillment." This vision pictures the final scenes connected with the "man of sin," concerning which there will be an "increase of knowledge," and by which, "a people is to be prepared to stand."

The last six verses of Daniel 11 are a sketch of the final scenes of earth's history. Primarily, these verses isolate the story of the Papacy, as its deadly wound is healed, and it returns to the throne of the world, and ultimately "comes to his end."

We have been told that Daniel 11 is now in the process of fulfillment and that through the books of Daniel and Revelation will come a catalyst for the long-awaited revival. We have been informed that there would be an increase of knowledge about the Papacy, and the mark of its authority which would help to prepare God's people to stand. We have also been admonished that we must know these events:

"All that God has in prophetic history specified to be fulfilled in the past has been, and all that is yet to come in its order will be. Daniel, God's prophet, stands in his place. John stands in his place. In the Revelation the Lion of the tribe of Judah has opened to the students of prophecy the book of Daniel, and thus is Daniel standing in his place. He bears his testimony, that which the Lord revealed to him in vision of the great and solemn events which we must know as we stand on the very threshold of their fulfillment." Selected Messages, book 2, 109.

All God's commands are promises, and while He commands that "we must know" these events, He also sets forth promises that we may know them if we will search:

"The time has come for Daniel to stand in his lot. The time has come for the light given him to go to the world as never before. If those for whom the Lord has done so much will walk in the light, their knowledge of Christ and the prophecies relating to Him will be greatly increased as they near the close of this earth's history_' The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol 4, 1174.

As we continue in this series of studies we should solemnly accept the command to study these prophecies and humbly pray for the promised light which will be found by those who strive to be among the wise. Individually, we need to recognize our responsibility to proclaim the warning message symbolized by the Hiddekel river, which identifies the king of the north as the Papacy. More importantly, we must recognize and fulfill our responsibility to experience the message which is symbolized by the Ulai river, which points to the final work going on in the heavenly sanctuary. If we are unwilling to enter into the experience symbolized by the Ulai river, the message of the Hiddekel is of little value to us. Without the power received from an experience which enters within the veil of the Most Holy Place, any warning message which we may proclaim will have little effect on those who may hear it, and will avail nothing in our personal salvation.

It is possible to have a genuine experience with Christ in the Most Holy Place without understanding the message of Daniel 11:40-45. It is also possible to understand Daniel 11:40-45 without having an experience with Christ. The story of the two rivers in the book of Daniel is calling us to understand both. These testimonies are calling us to finish the work in our lives, in order that we may help finish the work in this world by proclaiming the final warning message in the power of the Holy Spirit. The signs of the times testify that Christ is ready to close the story on these two rivers. Are we?