Scripture to Read: Daniel 12:9
God designed prophecy to become more understandable the closer we get to when the things predicted in the Book of Daniel will happen. In Daniel 12:9, God had the angel tell Daniel that he should seal the vision. God the Father left it to the work of the Holy Spirit in a distant generation to reveal the things that had been shown to Daniel. Interestingly, 600 years later, the Apostle John was told by the angel in Revelation 22:10, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.” Daniel had been given a few pieces of God’s vision, but God used John in the Book of Revelation to fill in the gaps. For Daniel, the vision couldn’t be fully understood until these things were fulfilled. That is why the prophets in the Old Testament, concerning the things related to Christ, could not fully understand what God had led them to write. We read this in 1 Peter 1:10–11, “As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, 11 seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.” Even Isaiah received prophecies about Christ 700 years before they happened. In Isaiah 53, Isaiah wrote of the crucified Christ, but in Isaiah 9, he wrote of the glorified Christ ruling and reigning. Thankfully, we live in a time when God has given us the full revelation of Himself.
Challenge & Application
Since God has given us the full revelation of Himself and what He expects from us, how are you living according to His Word?
What are some of the things God has shown you through His Word that have strengthened your faith in Him?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!