PAY ATTENTION TO GOD'S PROPHETIC WORD FOR OUR DAY

"Understand, O son of man, that the vision is for the time of the end." -DANIEL 8:17.

JEHOVAH does not keep knowledge of future events to himself. Rather, he is the Revealer of secrets. In fact, he wants all of us to know that we are deep in  "the time of the end." What vital news that is for the six billion people now living on earth!

Is it any wonder that this world is near its end? Man can walk on the moon, but in many places he cannot without fear stroll on the streets of this planet. He can fill a home with modern appliances, but he cannot stem the tide of broken families. And he can bring about the information age, but he cannot teach people to live together peacefully. These failures support the abundant Scriptural evidence that we are living in the time of the end. 

Those  striking word-"the time of the end"-were first used on the earth some 2,600 years ago by the angel Gabriel. A terrified prophet of God heard Gabriel say:  "Understand, O son of man, that the vision is for the time of the end." -Daniel 8:17. 

This Is "the Time of the End"!

The expressions "the time of the end" and "the appointed time of the end" appear six times in the book of Daniel.  (Daniel 8:17, 19, 11:35, 40; 12:4, 9) They pertain to "the last days" foretold by the apostle Paul.  (2 Timothy  3:1-5) Jesus Christ referred to this period as his "presence" as enthroned King in heaven. -Matthew 24:37-39.

Daniel 12:4 states:  "As for you, O Daniel, make secret the words and seal up the book until the time of the end.  Many will rove about, and the true knowledge will become abundant."  Much of what Daniel wrote was made secret and sealed up to human understanding for centuries. But what about today? 

Next time: Continue with: PAY ATTENTION TO GOD'S PROPHETIC WORD FOR OUR DAY

From the Watchtower magazine, 2000