November 8: PROPHESY AGAIN
And he said to me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.” Revelation 10:11
Both Daniel and John were visited by Jesus in a state of glory. Descriptive parallels exist that emphasize similarities and differences. For example: The man clothed in linen was above the waters of the river in Daniel, signifying a limited area, but in Revelation He has His right foot on the sea and left foot on the land, meaning the message was to go out to the whole world: a message about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings. God loves them all! In both scenes He raises His hand(s) to heaven and swears by Him who lives forever. He seals the prophecies for a time in Daniel, but in Revelation that time of being sealed comes to an end – and the book is opened to be understood in the last days. Both Daniel and John saw the Lord Jesus, but those around them did not see Him (compare Daniel 10:5,7; 12:7; Revelation 10:1,2,5,6). This last point indicates that those who “see” Him—with spiritual eyes—should engage in helping others to see Him also.
The command to prophesy again came on the heels of the crushing disappointment of 1844. With great enthusiasm they had preached the return of Jesus in 1844, thinking that the cleansing of the sanctuary (Daniel 8:14) meant the cleansing of the earth by fire (2 Peter 3:10). The divine promise of the restoration of all things (Acts 3:21) is the necessary process of freeing us from error by restoring truth in every particular. God’s people were in error because they did not know of the reality of heaven’s sanctuary.* Just as the Passover pointed to the once-for-all death of Jesus on the cross, the yearly sanctuary service known as the day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:30) pointed to the one-time event of the final judgement by our resurrected High Priest to distinguish between the saved and the lost. An earthly impostor runs a counterfeit sanctuary and system of confession to an earthly priest, falsely claiming the power to pronounce eternal destinies.
All of Daniel’s prophecies bring God’s people right up to the border of 1844. Afterwards, a closer look at the illustration of the sanctuary and its services (the daily and the yearly) began to open their understanding of the Day of Atonement. The divine process of dealing with the sin problem is certainly about forgiveness, but it is so much more! Only He can do the work of remaking our characters. This lifelong process never takes away our choice. It is up to each of us to choose to follow the Lamb wherever He goes (Revelation 14:4). His leading is always about increasing our understanding of God’s character so that we may yield to the divine work of molding us into His image (see Hosea 4:6).
The followers of Jesus were crushed when He was crucified, but after His ascension they prayed for His Holy Spirit to lead and enlighten them. It is humbling when events do not go as we expect. Such an experience has a purifying effect upon all who are willing to learn the lesson(s). After a disappointment, some may leave the faith (exposing impure motives or spiritual immaturity), while others will actively seek after God’s truth to correct mistaken beliefs.
*He [the impostor] even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily was taken away and the place of His sanctuary was cast down. Daniel 8:11