Truth Matters 79: Prophecy of the End Times

Today on Truth Matters with Dr. Cheryl Davis, she moves our lesson forward from the history chapters in the book of Daniel to the prophetic ones.

Here's Dr. Davis. Hi, I'm Dr. Cheryl Davis, and we are beginning the last chapter of Daniel, Chapter 12. I just want to say thank you to everyone who has been listening in our conversations of Daniel. I hope that you've learned a lot, as I have, especially about the fervent prayer life of Daniel. The last couple chapters of Daniel are very prophetic, so I understand sometimes these can be hard, but I thank you for being a faithful listener and trying to glean nuggets from the Word of God.

Today we're going to get right into the end of Chapter 12 as this talks about prophecy of the end time. In verse one, at that time, Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people, and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time, and at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. Notice verse one, it says, and there shall be a time of trouble. Another prophet that prophesied to Israel before going into Babylon was Jeremiah, and in Jeremiah 33-7, I find to be very interesting. Jeremiah 33-7, it says, for behold the days are coming, says the Lord, that I will bring back from captivity my people with Israel and Judah, and I will cause them to return to the land that I shall give to their fathers, and they shall possess it. Now these are the words that the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah, for thus says the Lord, We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace.

Ask now and see whether a man is ever in labor with child. So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins like a woman in labor, and all faces turn pale? Alas, for that day is great, so that none is like it, and it is the time of Jacob's trouble that he shall be saved of it. So Jeremiah prophesied about the time of Jacob's trouble even before they went into captivity, and it will be a pain that is so great. The time of Jacob's trouble is going to be like a whole nation going through the unbelievable agony that only a woman who has given birth to a child can understand.

I don't think there is anything more excruciating than the pain a woman goes through when she's having a baby, especially without anesthesia. I know some men have taken all the classes and even gone into the delivery room and been part of that beautiful experience, but we'll see that the time of Jacob's trouble spiritually will be like the labor process. The time that is mentioned here is mentioned in the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24, 21-24. Revelation 6-19 describes this process, or describes this time as well.

John describes war, famines, 25% of the world being killed, one third of the earth and sea destroyed, fresh water being polluted, and the release of hell's demons to overrun the earth. This will be a time of significant trouble for the Jews. In other parts of verse 1 it says, and at that time, your people shall be delivered.

Who are your people? When he's telling Daniel, your people, there will be three categories of Israelites at this time. The first category is rescued, the second category is resurrected, and the third is rewarded. One third of the Jews that are in the tribulation will be rescued, and we find that in a number of places in the Bible. So if you turn to Jeremiah 30, verse 11, we find it there. If we turn over to Ezekiel, chapter 20, verses 33-38. There I will plead my case with you face to face, just as I pleaded my case with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will plead my case with you, says the Lord God. I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. I will purge the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against me. I will bring them out of the country where they dwell, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord. And then the last place where we find where Israel will be rescued is in Zechariah. In Zechariah 13, verses 8-9. We are a ministry of The Truth Project.