Daddy,
Naomi and I were reading in Daniel and I wondered what these scriptures mean in Chapter 12:
12. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.
I know that the “abomination of desolation” is Christianity coming. What was it is that one is “blessed for waiting” 45 more years Beyond Christianity coming? It would seem that was either Jesus’ time or the holy Ghost coming. But didn’t Christianity come after that? Is it possibly saying that the roots of Christianity began BEFORE Jesus came?
Thanks, te.
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Yes, those verses can provoke some good questions.
I don’t think the abomination of desolation is “Christianity coming” as much as it is the “strong delusion” about which Paul prophesied and that Jesus said would be so strong that “if it were possible, even the very elect would be deceived.” Christianity certainly is an abomination, and it is a strong delusion, but there is still a greater form of that delusive abomination to come. Both Paul and Jesus were speaking of end-time events.
As you know, we are living in a time when the mysterious Third Seal of John’s Revelation is being opened. How long these days of the Third Seal will be, we cannot say, but we know that after this puzzling Third Seal, there are no more mysteries as to what will happen, and in what order. This means that the saints who are living in those times will know exactly where they are, in terms of when in the order of last-day events they are living. They will, then, know when it is time for Jesus to come back. You will remember that Paul said, even though the world will be unprepared, the return of Jesus would not come upon God’s saints “as a thief”. They will be expecting the Lord to come when he comes.
This is where I have always understood those verses in Daniel to apply. It is like the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins. Those “virgins” knew when their lord was supposed to return, but when he delayed his return, some were not prepared for that. Daniel seems to be saying that (1) when it is time for Jesus to return, all believers will know it and (2) when it is time for Jesus to return, he will delay his coming by the amount of time the angel told Daniel. That delay will certainly try the faith of the persecuted believers remaining on earth at that time.Good question.
Daddy