July 17: PROPHETIC PARALLEL #8
Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever. Daniel 12:3
The prophecies at the end of Daniel 11 and Revelation 13 are both followed by vivid depictions of God’s rescued ones. The Savior delights in giving us visual illustrations; pictures that impress our minds with glory that nothing in our fallen world can touch, alter, or remove. Beloved, are you discouraged today? Renew your mind with a leisurely walk through Psalm 19. Gaze upon the night sky on a clear night and hear the LORD speaking to Abraham: “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them. So shall your descendants be.” (Genesis 15:5; see also Hebrews 11:12) Abraham’s trust, belief, and faith in God serves as a reminder to each of us the importance of believing God, living out that faith, trusting Him for the future, and being credited with righteousness (see Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3; Galatians 3:6; Hebrews 11:8-10; James 2:23).
When Paul became a follower of Christ, he did not lose his Jewish identity. And, as he reached out to the Gentiles, preaching Jesus, he taught that true Jewishness was a condition of the heart (Romans 2:29). And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:29).
On the heels of Revelation 13, the first five verses of chapter 14 record a spiritual scene of victory, even “in the thick” of the work yet to be done on the earth. God’s faithful ones at the time of the end have a special message to deliver to the world. There are vivid descriptions of these messengers, seen by John the Revelator as they are standing with the Lamb on Mount Zion, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads (14:1). They are described as not defiled with women, for they are virgins (v.4), meaning they have repented of false beliefs, come out of the fallen churches of the world, and have allowed the Lord’s cleansing into their daily lives (see John 13:8; Ephesians 5:25-27; Revelation 1:5). These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. As followers of the Lamb, they are leaders in the world who will spread the everlasting gospel (v.6), meaning the original, unaltered message of salvation. This message is consistent down to every detail, beginning with Genesis 1:1 and ending with Revelation 22:21. Another description: And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God (v.5). Satan himself is behind every tampering of God’s word; he is the master of deception, and all for the purpose of stamping people with his image, thus effacing the image of God in us. Our God desires for us to reflect His image to the world. Even as the seven last plagues are poured out upon the world, John the Revelator sees the shining countenances of the faithful:
And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. Revelation 15:2
For further study: Exodus 24:10,17; Deuteronomy 6:8; 11:18; Revelation 5:6; 7:3,9; 22:4