Occupy Till He Comes, Daniel 12
Standing Firm in Uncertain Times: Lessons from the Book of Daniel
Time has a peculiar way of slipping through our fingers. One moment we're cradling a newborn in our arms during a late-night meeting, and the next we're watching that same child solve math problems and form complete sentences. We never quite know when those precious moments will end, when the last time becomes the last time without warning.
This fleeting nature of time mirrors something far more profound in Scripture—the reality that we live in an age where we don't know the day or the hour of Christ's return. The question isn't whether time will run out, but rather: What are we doing with the time we have?
The Example of an Uncompromising Life
The book of Daniel presents us with one of the most compelling examples of faithful living in hostile territory. Here was a man who found himself in Babylon, surrounded by a culture that opposed everything he believed, yet he never wavered in his commitment to God.
From the very beginning, Daniel made a choice that would define his entire life: he refused to consume what was unclean. When offered the choicest meat from the king's table—the finest delicacies that Babylon could provide—Daniel said no. He wouldn't participate in what defiled him, choosing vegetables over royal cuisine. This wasn't about dietary preferences; it was about refusing to worship at the altar of worldly pleasures and philosophies.
Throughout his life, Daniel demonstrated three unwavering commitments that challenge us today:
He refused to participate in what was unclean
even at the risk of his own comfort and safety. In a world that constantly offers us the "choicest meat"—the easy path, the popular opinion, the comfortable compromise—are we willing to choose what is right over what is expedient?
He spoke truth when it was unpopular
interpreting dreams and delivering messages that could have cost him his life. Whether telling King Nebuchadnezzar about the coming end of his kingdom or explaining the handwriting on the wall to Belshazzar, Daniel never softened the truth to make it more palatable.
He openly prayed and worshiped God when it was forbidden
even when it meant being thrown into a den of lions. With his windows open for all to see, Daniel made his devotion to God public and unapologetic.
The Prophetic Timeline
The final chapter of Daniel provides a glimpse into the end times, speaking of a period of trouble "such as never was since there was a nation." It describes resurrections—some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt. This binary choice echoes throughout Scripture: there is no third option between heaven and hell, no middle ground between life and condemnation.
The passage speaks of those who are wise shining "like the brightness of the firmament" and those who turn many to righteousness shining "like the stars forever and ever." This imagery is powerful—the darker the night, the brighter the stars appear. When we lived in rural areas away from city lights, the night sky revealed countless stars and even the Milky Way. But in areas flooded with artificial light, we see only the moon and streetlights.
The church is called to be like those stars in the darkest night. As culture grows darker, as opposition increases, as truth becomes more unpopular, believers should become that much easier to see. We shouldn't blend into the darkness; we should illuminate it.
The Age of Grace
Between the prophecies of Daniel and the final judgment lies something beautiful—the age of grace. Before the time of the end, Scripture tells us that "many shall be purified, made white, and refined." This is the church age, the time we're living in now, when the sacrifice of Christ covers our sins and purifies us.
This is the time when we're called to "occupy till He comes." But what does that mean practically?
Jesus told a parable about a nobleman who went to a far country to receive a kingdom and return. Before leaving, he gave his servants resources and told them to "do business till I come." When he returned, he examined what they had done with what he'd given them. Some had invested wisely and doubled what they'd received. But one servant, afraid of his master's judgment, buried his talent in the ground and returned it unused. That servant was cast out for his unfaithfulness.
The message is clear: we don't get to sit idle while we wait for Christ's return. We're called to invest in the kingdom, to spread the gospel, to make disciples of all nations. The Great Commission isn't optional; it's the business we're meant to conduct until He comes.
Living in the Tension
The final verses of Daniel are particularly poignant. After all the visions of kingdoms rising and falling, after predictions of tribulation and judgment, after questions about timing and meaning, the angel gives Daniel this simple instruction: "Go your way till the end, for you shall rest and will arise to your inheritance at the end of days."
In other words: Keep doing what you've been doing, Daniel. Occupy till He comes.
Why? Because Daniel had already been living out that command. He had refused to compromise, spoken truth boldly, and worshiped God openly regardless of the cost. He was the example of how to live faithfully in uncertain times.
The Challenge for Today
The first-century church exploded in growth despite—or perhaps because of—intense persecution. When the apostles were threatened with death for preaching Christ, they stood firm on truth. Their unwavering commitment cost many of them their lives, but it also established a church that would endure for millennia.
In contrast, the Western church in the twenty-first century has often lost its fortitude. We've grown comfortable, unwilling to risk discomfort for the sake of truth. We've sat down when we should stand up. We've remained silent when we should speak. We've compromised when we should have held firm.
The question facing believers today is simple but profound: Will we be like Daniel?
Will we refuse to consume what is unclean, even when the world offers us its finest delicacies? Will we speak truth when it's unpopular, even at personal cost? Will we openly worship God when culture forbids it? Will we shine brighter as the darkness deepens?
We don't know the day or the hour of Christ's return. The prophetic timeline may be complex and partially sealed until the end. But our calling is crystal clear: occupy till He comes. Invest in the kingdom. Be salt and light. Love our neighbors. Share the gospel. Make disciples.
The time is fleeting. The moments we have are precious and limited. The question isn't when Christ will return—it's whether we'll be found faithful when He does.
Time has a peculiar way of slipping through our fingers. One moment we're cradling a newborn in our arms during a late-night meeting, and the next we're watching that same child solve math problems and form complete sentences. We never quite know when those precious moments will end, when the last time becomes the last time without warning.
This fleeting nature of time mirrors something far more profound in Scripture—the reality that we live in an age where we don't know the day or the hour of Christ's return. The question isn't whether time will run out, but rather: What are we doing with the time we have?
The Example of an Uncompromising Life
The book of Daniel presents us with one of the most compelling examples of faithful living in hostile territory. Here was a man who found himself in Babylon, surrounded by a culture that opposed everything he believed, yet he never wavered in his commitment to God.
From the very beginning, Daniel made a choice that would define his entire life: he refused to consume what was unclean. When offered the choicest meat from the king's table—the finest delicacies that Babylon could provide—Daniel said no. He wouldn't participate in what defiled him, choosing vegetables over royal cuisine. This wasn't about dietary preferences; it was about refusing to worship at the altar of worldly pleasures and philosophies.
Throughout his life, Daniel demonstrated three unwavering commitments that challenge us today:
He refused to participate in what was unclean
even at the risk of his own comfort and safety. In a world that constantly offers us the "choicest meat"—the easy path, the popular opinion, the comfortable compromise—are we willing to choose what is right over what is expedient?
He spoke truth when it was unpopular
interpreting dreams and delivering messages that could have cost him his life. Whether telling King Nebuchadnezzar about the coming end of his kingdom or explaining the handwriting on the wall to Belshazzar, Daniel never softened the truth to make it more palatable.
He openly prayed and worshiped God when it was forbidden
even when it meant being thrown into a den of lions. With his windows open for all to see, Daniel made his devotion to God public and unapologetic.
The Prophetic Timeline
The final chapter of Daniel provides a glimpse into the end times, speaking of a period of trouble "such as never was since there was a nation." It describes resurrections—some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt. This binary choice echoes throughout Scripture: there is no third option between heaven and hell, no middle ground between life and condemnation.
The passage speaks of those who are wise shining "like the brightness of the firmament" and those who turn many to righteousness shining "like the stars forever and ever." This imagery is powerful—the darker the night, the brighter the stars appear. When we lived in rural areas away from city lights, the night sky revealed countless stars and even the Milky Way. But in areas flooded with artificial light, we see only the moon and streetlights.
The church is called to be like those stars in the darkest night. As culture grows darker, as opposition increases, as truth becomes more unpopular, believers should become that much easier to see. We shouldn't blend into the darkness; we should illuminate it.
The Age of Grace
Between the prophecies of Daniel and the final judgment lies something beautiful—the age of grace. Before the time of the end, Scripture tells us that "many shall be purified, made white, and refined." This is the church age, the time we're living in now, when the sacrifice of Christ covers our sins and purifies us.
This is the time when we're called to "occupy till He comes." But what does that mean practically?
Jesus told a parable about a nobleman who went to a far country to receive a kingdom and return. Before leaving, he gave his servants resources and told them to "do business till I come." When he returned, he examined what they had done with what he'd given them. Some had invested wisely and doubled what they'd received. But one servant, afraid of his master's judgment, buried his talent in the ground and returned it unused. That servant was cast out for his unfaithfulness.
The message is clear: we don't get to sit idle while we wait for Christ's return. We're called to invest in the kingdom, to spread the gospel, to make disciples of all nations. The Great Commission isn't optional; it's the business we're meant to conduct until He comes.
Living in the Tension
The final verses of Daniel are particularly poignant. After all the visions of kingdoms rising and falling, after predictions of tribulation and judgment, after questions about timing and meaning, the angel gives Daniel this simple instruction: "Go your way till the end, for you shall rest and will arise to your inheritance at the end of days."
In other words: Keep doing what you've been doing, Daniel. Occupy till He comes.
Why? Because Daniel had already been living out that command. He had refused to compromise, spoken truth boldly, and worshiped God openly regardless of the cost. He was the example of how to live faithfully in uncertain times.
The Challenge for Today
The first-century church exploded in growth despite—or perhaps because of—intense persecution. When the apostles were threatened with death for preaching Christ, they stood firm on truth. Their unwavering commitment cost many of them their lives, but it also established a church that would endure for millennia.
In contrast, the Western church in the twenty-first century has often lost its fortitude. We've grown comfortable, unwilling to risk discomfort for the sake of truth. We've sat down when we should stand up. We've remained silent when we should speak. We've compromised when we should have held firm.
The question facing believers today is simple but profound: Will we be like Daniel?
Will we refuse to consume what is unclean, even when the world offers us its finest delicacies? Will we speak truth when it's unpopular, even at personal cost? Will we openly worship God when culture forbids it? Will we shine brighter as the darkness deepens?
We don't know the day or the hour of Christ's return. The prophetic timeline may be complex and partially sealed until the end. But our calling is crystal clear: occupy till He comes. Invest in the kingdom. Be salt and light. Love our neighbors. Share the gospel. Make disciples.
The time is fleeting. The moments we have are precious and limited. The question isn't when Christ will return—it's whether we'll be found faithful when He does.
Recent
Archive
Categories
no categories
No Comments