PROPHECY FOR THE LAST DAYS by Stephen Nelson Haskell

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 1, 1900

PROPHECY FOR THE LAST DAYS.

By Stephen Nelson Haskell

S. N. HASKELL.

(Concluded.)

Are there any special reasons that would lead the prophet to pray on this occasion? The visions recorded in the last six chapters of Daniel were given near the close of his life. His life had been a success as a man of God; and as a statesman holding the highest office that could be held, except the position of king on the throne, in the grandest of all earthly kingdoms. No fault could ever be found with Daniel or his associates except concerning the law of their God.

At the close of the vision in the seventh chapter, Daniel was much troubled, his countenance changed in him, but he kept the matter in his heart. Dan. 7: 28. At the close of the vision in the eighth chapter he said that he “was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.” Dan. 8: 27. The ninth chapter closes with Jerusalem desolate and the Jews scattered, after rejecting the Messiah. And while the prophet could understand the words of the angel; with the burden of his prayer for the return of his people from the Babylonish captivity still on his heart, he failed fully to comprehend their meaning. Remembering that Christ had said, “Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision,” he set his heart to fast and pray until he should understand it. On this occasion, under these circumstances, it was Christ who first appeared to Daniel. Dan. 10: 5–9.

The first words of the angel to the prophet deserve more than a passing remark: “O Daniel, a man greatly beloved.” Again he said, in verse 19, “O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong.” These are most wonderful words to be spoken to a mortal man like ourselves, by the angel who stood in the presence of God. What was Daniel doing when the angel came and spoke these wonderful words?—He was fasting and praying that he might understand the prophecies, which the angel had repeatedly said were for the last days. If God thus showed his approval of the prophet’s seeking an understanding of the visions that were given for the people in the last days, can he approve of those who are now careless and indifferent about understanding them?—Most assuredly not. Here is a lesson that every one should lay to heart.

Again: in the ninth chapter, after studying the books of Jeremiah to understand the vision of the eighth chapter, he set his face “unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.” “And while I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God; yea, while I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to show thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.” Verses 20–23.

Three times are the words, “Thou art greatly beloved,” spoken to Daniel. In each instance it was when he was fasting and praying to understand the vision. To whom did these visions relate?—To those living in the “last days;” to those living in the “time of the end.” I ask in the name of reason, Should not we who live in the “time of the end” be interested in these prophecies? Should we not teach them to our children? And further I ask, Can we be among the wise referred to in Dan. 12: 10 if we are not especially interested in these prophecies? God forbid that these prophecies should ever be regarded as out of date by any professing to be Seventh-day Adventists.

Here are practical lessons upon which the salvation of ourselves and our children depends. There has been a drifting away from the old landmarks. Other subjects and other themes have absorbed our interests until even the charts representing the prophecies are of no use in some instances. We can not ignore these fundamental principles and expect to enter the pearly gates of the New Jerusalem. Side issues have arisen, and they will continue to arise, until one can hardly tell what is piped or harped. But here, in the book of Daniel, is food, precious food to feed the flock of God. Let the truth for this time be dwelt upon, and it will become the basis of character. It will produce steadfastness of purpose, which the allurements of pleasure, the fickleness of custom, the contempt of the world-loving, and the heart’s own clamors for self-indulgence, are powerless to influence.

Let us consider further the ninth chapter of Daniel. Here the angel explains the twenty-three hundred days. He says that seventy weeks, or four hundred and ninety years, were cut off for the Jewish people, thus reaching to the time when the disciples went everywhere preaching the word. Acts 8: 1–5. The fulfillment of this was to “seal up the vision and prophecy.” It was to make sure the twenty-three hundred days. He then divides the seventy weeks into three shorter periods—seven weeks, or forty-nine years, for the building of the wall in troublous times, which was fulfilled to the letter, dating “from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem;” sixty-two weeks from the time the wall was built, or sixty-nine weeks, four hundred and eighty-three years, from the going forth of the commandment, reached to the Messiah the Prince. Messiah signifies “anointed.” John 1: 41, margin. This anointing was by the Holy Spirit (Acts 10: 38); and took place at the time of Christ’s baptism. Luke 3: 21, 22. Then in the midst of the seventieth week, or three and a half years from his baptism, in the spring of 31 A. D., he was crucified. Dan. 9: 24–27.

It was the same angel who appeared to Zacharias, with the following words: “Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and

thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb [on temperance his position was the same as Daniel’s]. And many of the children of Israel shall be turned to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him [Christ] in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Zacharias asked, “Whereby shall I know this?” “To the question of Zacharias, the angel said, ‘I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to show thee these glad tidings.’ Five hundred years before, Gabriel had made known to Daniel the prophetic period that was to extend to the coming of Christ. The knowledge that the end of this period was near, had moved Zacharias to pray for the Messiah’s advent. Now the very messenger through whom the prophecy was given had come to announce its fulfillment.

“The words of the angel, ‘I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God,’ show that he holds a position of high honor in the heavenly courts. When he came with a message to Daniel, he said, ‘There is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael [Christ] your prince.’ Of Gabriel the Saviour speaks, in Revelation, saying that ‘he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John.’ And to John the angel declared, ‘I am a fellow servant to thee, and with thy brethren the prophets.’ Wonderful thought—that the angel who stands next in honor to the Son of God is the one chosen to open the purposes of God to sinful men.”—“The Desire of Ages,” small edition, page 103. It was the same angel who appeared to Mary, and it is the same angel through whom the Spirit of Prophecy comes to the remnant.

Again: on page 263 of “The Desire of Ages:” “The burden of Christ’s preaching was, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.’ Thus the gospel message, as given by the Saviour himself, was based on the prophecies. The ‘time’ which he declared to be fulfilled was the period made known by the angel Gabriel to Daniel. ‘Seventy weeks,’ said the angel, ‘are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.’ If the reader of these lines will in connection with this read the twenty-third chapter of “The Desire of Ages,” he will receive much light on this point.

Was it not this same angel who stirred the mind of the “Low Hampton farmer,” William Miller, to study these prophecies and proclaim the second coming of Christ? The message of Christ’s second coming, like the first, is based on the prophecies. The time of the cleansing of the sanctuary, the hour of his judgment, is the ending of the twenty-three hundred days, of which that portion we have considered, relating to Christ’s first advent, is only a part. Again, on page 265, of “The Desire of Ages:” “Christ urged upon his disciples the importance of prophetic study. Referring to the prophecy given to Daniel in regard to their time, he said, ‘Whoso readeth, let him understand.’ After his resurrection, he explained to the disciples in all the prophets ‘the things concerning himself.’” If it was necessary then, is it not important now? Can Bible language make it more forcible?

John the Baptist went forth in the spirit and power of Elias to prepare the way of the Lord, in his first coming, and to turn the people to the wisdom of the Just. He was a representative of those living in the last days, to whom God has intrusted the same work; namely, to prepare a people for the second coming of Christ. It is the same divine agency; it is the same work that preceded Christ’s first advent, which the Jews, because they knew not the time of their visitation, rejected in the person of John the Baptist. This led them to cry, “Crucify him, crucify him.”

The same prophecies come to us. We profess before the world that this work has been committed to us. Should there not a voice go forth from this people that would arouse the nations? “Men whose faith is weak and wavering are not the ones to carry forward the work at this important crisis. We need the courage of heroes and the faith of martyrs.”

Another thought connected with this prayer of the prophet is worthy of being considered—the result of his prayer. It brought Gabriel from heaven to this earth to move on the heart of a wicked king to answer it. And when he failed to move the king to accomplish the work, the Lord Jesus Christ came down to assist him. Both these persons from the heavenly courts visited Daniel in person. And Gabriel said, “Now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come.” In other words, he would continue to work with the kings of Persia until they had accomplished the work that God raised them up for in answer to the prophet’s prayer, and then the prince of Grecia would come and overthrow that kingdom.

Here also is an important lesson. We are in the closing scenes of this world’s history. And the four angels of the four winds hold the elements of war and strife for the sealing of God’s servants. Prayer will move the arm of God to do this in behalf of his cause on the earth. How many realize this? It certainly is not those who take no special interest in the study of the prophecies that pertain to this time. Our privileges and opportunities are great, so are our responsibilities. The time just before us will reveal who are faithful now. May the Lord enable us to realize the time in which we live, so as to prepare for the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds of heaven.

PROPHECY FOR THE LAST DAYS. *

PROPHECY FOR THE LAST DAYS.