If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:15
As we get up each morning and turn on the news or read the paper, it’s always the same story: a natural disaster here, a war breaking out there, and governmental gridlock everywhere. Our economy is in turmoil and terrorist threaten everyday to blow us up. It’s a wonder we don’t just crawl back in bed and pull the covers over our head.
Daniel had a series of dreams about four great beasts and they terrified him so that Daniel 7:28 tells us he fainted (KJV). Daniel’s dream in Chapter 7 is thought to be a parallel dream to Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Chapter 2. Both the statue with its four parts and the four beasts are thought to represent future kingdoms in world history. Daniel’s vision of the final judgment includes a thrilling description of the “Ancient of Days” and “one like a Son of Man”. He sees with great clarity the final outcome when Christ comes and reigns with the saints for eternity.
As our world slips deeper and deeper into turmoil, we can see the nearness of this final judgment scene when evil will be judged for all eternity. We also wonder during this period why evil is allowed to grow and prosper. As with the small horn on the beast in Daniel 7:20-21, we don’t understand why God allows rulers to rise up and wage war against the saints. We will never understand it this side of heaven, because God has told us His thoughts are far beyond ours. God is sovereign and one day Jesus will reign for eternity.
The question is will you be reigning with Him? Daniel and Revelation both tell us that the redeemed will reign with Jesus. Are you redeemed? Is your name written in the Book of Life that the Ancient of Days will open? You can be sure today by “confessing with your mouth that ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believing in your heart that God raised Him from the dead…For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” (Romans 10:9-10)
