Daniel Unlocked #88. The Time of Trouble and Micheal’s Intervention.
The time of Michael’s intervention also is described as a time of trouble without parallel. I have previously reflected on this. It corresponds to the time when God’s Spirit will be withdrawn from rebellious humankind. Then the seven last plagues, as expressions of God’s wrath upon the nations, will be poured upon the end-time Babylon (Revelation 16; 18:20–24), and the powers of darkness will be unleashed upon the world. Satan will then plunge the inhabitants of the earth into one great, final tribulation. As the angels of God cease to hold in check the fierce winds of human passion, all the elements of strife will be let loose. (Revelation 7:1ff)
The whole world will be involved in ruin more terrible than that which came upon Jerusalem of old.
But God’s people will be delivered during this terrible time because, in the investigative judgment conducted in the heavenly tribunal, they have been vindicated by Jesus, their heavenly High Priest, and their names have been written in the book. To understand the meaning of this book, we should keep in mind that the Bible mentions two kinds of heavenly books. The books are of course symbolic. An omniscience God does not need books, but this indicates to our limited finite minds that a record is being kept.
One book contains the names of those who belong to the Lord and is sometimes designated as the book of life (Exod. 32:32, Luke 10:20, Ps. 69:28, Phil. 4:3, Rev. 17:8). In addition to the book of life, the Scriptures mention books containing the records of human deeds (Ps. 56:8, Mal. 3:16, Isa. 65:6). These are the books used in the heavenly tribunal to determine every person’s commitment to the Lord. These are heavenly records, “databases,” containing the names and deeds of every human being. Some people frown upon the idea of having their names, and especially their deeds, written in heaven. But once we commit our lives to Christ, our names are inscribed in the book of life, and our bad deeds are deleted in the judgment. This heavenly record provides judicial evidence to the entire universe that we belong to Jesus and therefore have the right to be protected during the time of trouble.
There is no doubt that we are living in solemn times, and preparation for the final crisis is vital. But what does preparation mean? Christianity is like an eliptical orbit. An eliptical orbit has two focal points. Christianity has the same – our two focal points are the first and second advents of Christ. The best preperation we can make for the second advent of Jesus is to have our eyes formly fixed on His first Advent.
There is a beautiful little book called Steps to Christ and on page 62ff of that book The author, Ellen White, says the following:
“The condition of eternal life is now just what it always has been,—just what it was in Paradise before the fall of our first parents,—perfect obedience to the law of God, perfect righteousness. If eternal life were granted on any condition short of this, then the happiness of the whole universe would be imperiled. The way would be open for sin, with all its train of woe and misery, to be immortalized.
It was possible for Adam, before the fall, to form a righteous character by obedience to God’s law. But he failed to do this, and because of his sin our natures are fallen and we cannot make ourselves righteous. Since we are sinful, unholy, we cannot perfectly obey the holy law. We have no righteousness of our own with which to meet the claims of the law of God. But Christ has made a way of escape for us. He lived on earth amid trials and temptations such as we have to meet. He lived a sinless life. He died for us, and now He offers to take our sins and give us His righteousness. If you give yourself to Him, and accept Him as your Saviour, then, sinful as your life may have been, for His sake you are accounted righteous. Christ’s character stands in place of your character, and you are accepted before God just as if you had not sinned.
More than this, Christ changes the heart. He abides in your heart by faith. You are to maintain this connection with Christ by faith and the continual surrender of your will to Him; and so long as you do this, He will work in you to will and to do according to His good pleasure. So you may say, “The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20. So Jesus said to His disciples, “It is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaks in you.” Matthew 10:20. Then with Christ working in you, you will manifest the same spirit and do the same good works—works of righteousness, obedience.
So we have nothing in ourselves of which to boast. We have no ground for self-exaltation. Our only ground of hope is in the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and in that wrought by His Spirit working in and through us.
When we speak of faith, there is a distinction that should be borne in mind. There is a kind of belief that is wholly distinct from faith. The existence and power of God, the truth of His word, are facts that even Satan and his hosts cannot at heart deny. The Bible says that “the devils also believe, and tremble;” but this is not faith. James 2:19. Where there is not only a belief in God’s word, but a submission of the will to Him; where the heart is yielded to Him, the affections fixed upon Him, there is faith—faith that works by love and purifies the soul. Through this faith the heart is renewed in the image of God. And the heart that in its unrenewed state is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be, now delights in its holy precepts, exclaiming with the psalmist, “O how love I Thy law! it is my meditation all the day.” Psalm 119:97. And the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us, “who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:1.
There are those who have known the pardoning love of Christ and who really desire to be children of God, yet they realize that their character is imperfect, their life faulty, and they are ready to doubt whether their hearts have been renewed by the Holy Spirit. To such I would say, Do not draw back in despair. We shall often have to bow down and weep at the feet of Jesus because of our shortcomings and mistakes, but we are not to be discouraged. Even if we are overcome by the enemy, we are not cast off, not forsaken and rejected of God. No; Christ is at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Said the beloved John, “These things write I unto you, that you sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” 1 John 2:1. And do not forget the words of Christ, “The Father Himself loves you.” John 16:27. He desires to restore you to Himself, to see His own purity and holiness reflected in you. And if you will but yield yourself to Him, He that has begun a good work in you will carry it forward to the day of Jesus Christ. Pray more fervently; believe more fully. As we come to distrust our own power, let us trust the power of our Redeemer, and we shall praise Him who is the health of our countenance.
The closer you come to Jesus, the more faulty you will appear in your own eyes; for your vision will be clearer, and your imperfections will be seen in broad and distinct contrast to His perfect nature. This is evidence that Satan’s delusions have lost their power; that the vivifying influence of the Spirit of God is arousing you.
No deep-seated love for Jesus can dwell in the heart that does not realize its own sinfulness. The soul that is transformed by the grace of Christ will admire His divine character; but if we do not see our own moral deformity, it is unmistakable evidence that we have not had a view of the beauty and excellence of Christ.
The less we see to esteem in ourselves, the more we shall see to esteem in the infinite purity and loveliness of our Saviour. A view of our sinfulness drives us to Him who can pardon; and when the soul, realizing its helplessness, reaches out after Christ, He will reveal Himself in power. The more our sense of need drives us to Him and to the word of God, the more exalted views we shall have of His character, and the more fully we shall reflect His image. “
I am happy to furnish you with a copy of that book FREE – just like the gospel,!
Why is it that the righteousness of Christ alone, credited to us as a gift, is our only hope of being found “written in the book”? the answer is simple – we cannot produce the perfection that entry into heaven requires, thus we are saved by grace.