“But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”1
John Jordan explained how that if we made a graph to indicate the increase of man’s knowledge from the beginning of time to 1845 it would measure 1 inch (25mm). From 1845 to 1945—just 100 years—it would measure three inches (76mm). From 1945 to the present day it would be as tall as the Washington Monument, which is 555 feet (169m) high! According to one of my college professors, the world’s knowledge was then doubling every five years. I believe that today it is doubling every two years. And with the computer age, knowledge is increasing at an ever-accelerating rate.
This, according to Daniel (a major prophet in the Bible) is one of the signs of the end times which will be climaxed by the return of Jesus Christ to earth to take all his true followers to be with him for all eternity.
Daniel said another sign of the end of this world age as we know it would be that of mankind rushing to and fro. Some Bible translations indicate that this means rushing to and fro for knowledge. Whether it means this or just men rushing to and fro [here and there] makes little difference as both are happening as never before in the history of mankind.
So, whether Jesus returns in our lifetime or not remains to be seen. The important thing to realize is that Jesus is coming again and that we need to be ready—for at a time when we least expect it, he will come again.
Jesus himself promised his disciples and followers that he would come again. Before he was crucified he said, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”2
After Jesus’ resurrection, at the time of his return to heaven, the angels also promised “that this same Jesus” would come back again. As the Bible says, “They [Jesus' disciples and followers] were looking intently up into the sky as he [Jesus] was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.’”3
And this is the promise of hope that every true follower of Jesus has. Jesus is coming again and this evil world with all its sickness, sadness, sorrow and suffering will come to an end for all who put their faith and trust in Jesus for their eternal salvation. As God’s Word says, “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”4
What a day, glorious day, this will be!”
Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you for Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins. And thank you for his resurrection from death and the grave, and that he is now in heaven preparing a place for all his true followers. Thank you for this wonderful promise. Help me to know for certain that my sins have been forgiven and that I will go to be with Jesus forever when he returns, or if I should die before he comes again. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”
NOTE: To be sure that you are ready for Christ’s return be sure to read the article, “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian” at: http://tinyurl.com/8glq9.
1. Daniel 12:4 (NKJV).
2. John 14:1-3 (NASB).
3. Acts 1:10-11 (NIV).
4. Revelation 21:4 (NKJV).
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