I do not believe the end time itself should have any influence on our lives other than get ready for it and embrace it. Just live as directed in the full peace, joy and glory of our relationship with our Abba Father in this life and be confident in one of two things happening. Our life spirit will meet Jesus when we die or we will meet him in midair when he comes back. We are not really missing any major piece of knowledge about the end. If that is not the center of our faith, we are missing out on the peace, joy and glory our Abba Father designed.

 I also have to give homage to William Miller, the man referred to in the Second Awakening above. Much of the Daniel chapter is supported by the interpretation he published in 1831 which could be “the first angel message” mentioned above in Revelation 14:7. In 1838 he published his Evidence from Scripture and History of the Second Coming of Christ, “About the Year 1843.” Another man who joined with Miller, Charles Fitch, the “Man of the Chart” (he published a chart of the Vision 2300), may well be “the second angel message” with his sermon, “Come out of Her My People,” in 1843. Out of Miller’s work and others which became known as Millerism, “The Seventh Day Adventist” denomination was birthed. Their “Daniel work” is well worth looking at and the only part of the denomination I studied.

John in the first century did not have the historical knowledge we have today. But he was inspired in the face of death to keep going. For him, the affirmation of the Old Testament references would be enough for the people that close to Jesus. The Reformation leaders did not have the French Revelation, the freeing of the Vatican, the nationalism and ungodly “-isms” that followed in history. But we do, and the denominational divide, ELB’s greatest weapon, keeps interpretation change under a bushel. Please remember Daniel 12:4, “ . . . many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.” Regardless of our denomination, we can increase our knowledge ourselves.