The Time of the End A Prophetic Study of Daniel 11, verses 40-45 Chapter 1 The Testimony of Two Rivers In the following chapters we will study Daniel 11, verses 40-45. These six verses in the book of Daniel were left unsolved until our time. It is our generation that has the responsibility of recognizing the fulfillment of these verses. We will endeavor to show that these verses contain a sequence of events which lead down to the close of human probation. We will see that Daniel 11, which is enlarged upon in Revelation 13-18, delineates the transactions which Sister White said would be the final movements. At least four propositions are worthy of stating before we set forth this study. First, the overall weight of prophetic evidence leads us to believe that we are the final generation of God's people upon this earth, the very generation that holy men and prophets longed to see. Second, the final series of events have already begun with the collapse of the Soviet Union, but Adventism at large has slept on. Third, these verses were designed by God to be a catalyst to bring the final promised revival of God's people. Finally, these verses show the sequence of events which Sister White so frequently warns will be rapid ones. The Setting As we begin this study, let us determine whether or not the time period associated with the final movements of Daniel 11 has arrived. The time in which we are living is clearly set forth within the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy. One passage which describes the conditions of our time is found in the opening chapter of Volume 9 of the Testimonies for the Church, pages 11, 13, and 14. We are living in the time of the end. The fast-fulfilling signs of the times declare that the coming of Christ is near at hand. The days in which we live are solemn and important. The Spirit of God is gradually but surely being withdrawn from the earth. Plagues and judgments are already falling upon the despisers of the grace of God. The calamities by land and sea, the unsettled state of society, the alarms of war are portentous. They forecast approaching events of the greatest magnitude. The agencies of evil are combining their forces and consolidating. They are strengthening for the last great crisis. Great changes are soon to take place in our world and the final movements will be rapid ones. The condition of things in the world shows that troublous times are right upon us. The daily papers are full of indications of a terrible conflict in the near future. World robberies are a frequent occurrence, strikes are common, thefts and murders are committed on every hand. Men possessed of demons are taking the lives of men, women, and little children. Men have become infatuated with vice, and every species of evil prevails. There are not many, even among educators and statesmen, who comprehend the causes that underlie the present state of society. Those who hold the reins of government are not able to solve the problem of moral corruption, poverty, pauperism, and increasing crime. They are struggling in vain to place business operations on a more secure basis. If men would give more heed to the teaching of God's Word, they would find a solution of the problems that perplex them. The world is stirred with the spirit of war. The prophecy of the 11th chapter of Daniel has nearly reached its complete fulfillment. Soon the scenes of trouble spoken of in the prophecies will take place." Does this passage speak of our day? Notice the setting which is portrayed by Sister White as she informs us that the 11th chapter of Daniel has nearly reached its complete fulfillment. This is clearly referring to our day, therefore Daniel 11 is soon to be completed. The Spirit Withdrawn. Do we not see the Spirit of God being withdrawn from the earth through the judgments which follow that withdrawal? Surely the events of September 11, 2001, the earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, wars, bombings, murders, famines, and diseases all confirm that the restraining influence of God's Spirit is being removed from this planet's inhabitants. The agencies of evil in Bible prophecy that are to combine and consolidate are threefold. They are economic, can't buy or sell, religious, you must have the mark, and military, the threat of death. We see the consolidations of the religious world in the ecumenical movement. Protestants no longer protest Rome, they follow Rome. Economically, we see businesses merging into giant corporations, the nations of Europe merging into one currency, the signing of treaties such as GATT and NAFTA in order to create economic alliances for a one world marketplace while the militaries of the world are consolidating under NATO and the UN. We see mankind's problems identified in the presses of the world as global problems while the United Nations ascends as the next power of Bible prophecy destined to be propped up by the power of the United States. Certainly, the crime of our day fulfills Sister White's prediction and the statement that the leaders of this nation are struggling in vain to place business operations on a more secure basis aptly describes the present crisis in our nation's capital. It also sends us a warning that what we must do as a people must be done before our money becomes useless. With this warning, though, comes the comfort that God is in control. The description given by Sister White about the economic predicament confronting this nation and the world did not take God by surprise. It is also a certainty that the spirit of war can readily be seen at this time. A Two-Fold Story Within this setting, Sister White points us to the climax of Daniel 11 while identifying a two-fold bittersweet experience. We read in Testimonies, Volume 9, page 16 these words, "...it is impossible to give any idea of the experience of the people of God who shall be alive on the earth when celestial glory and a repetition of the persecutions of the past are blended." Two realities are ahead of God's people. The glory which attends those who demonstrate and defend the truth in this final hour of earth's history and the persecution delivered to God's people by the apostate forces which oppose the truth at the end of the world. Sister White identifies this two-fold message in another place while once again pointing us to the 11th chapter of Daniel. We read in Testimonies to Ministers, pages 112-113 these words, "...the light that Daniel received from God was given especially for these last days. The visions he saw by the banks of the Uli and the Hittikal, the great rivers of Shinar, are now in process of fulfillment and all the events foretold will soon come to pass." The vision on the banks of the Uli is the vision of Daniel 8 and the only part of the vision by the Uli which had not been fulfilled when Sister White made this statement was Daniel 8.14 which began its fulfillment in 1844. However, it was and still is in process of fulfillment. When the Uli flows into the sea it ceases to exist. Likewise, when Christ finishes His work in the most holy place, the message of the everlasting gospel has finished its course. The vision which was now in the process of fulfillment that was given to Daniel by the Hittikal is the vision of the last six verses of Daniel 11, the only part of Daniel 11 which was as yet unfulfilled when Sister White wrote those words. When the Hittikal flows into the sea it ceases to exist and when the King of the North comes to His end and none shall help, the message of Daniel 11 has reached its conclusion. Two rivers flowing to two symbolic bodies of water. The Uli to the sea of glass, the Hittikal to the lake of fire. Two visions presenting both the story of the redeemed and the story of the lost. As these rivers flow into the sea their messages cross the boundary line of human probation forever separating the righteous and the wicked. We read in the book entitled In Heavenly Places, page 362, these words, O who will describe to you the lamentations that will arise when at the boundary line which parts time and eternity the righteous judge will lift up his voice and declare, It is too late. Long have the wide gates of heaven stood open and the heavenly messengers have invited and entreated. Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Revelation 22 verse 17, Today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart. But at length the mandate goes forth. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still. And he that is filthy, let him be filthy still. And he that is righteous, let him be righteous still. And he that is holy, let him be holy still. Revelation 22 11 The twofold theme found in the story of these two rivers is also illustrated in the three angels' messages of Revelation 14. Not only do these three messages point mankind to the everlasting gospel in connection with the judgment which is taking place in the most holy place of the sanctuary above, but these messages also identify the enemy power which will oppose this message during this final judgment hour. Sister White informs us that the books of Daniel and Revelation complement each other. We read in the Acts of the Apostles, page 585, these words, In the revelation all the books of the Bible meet and end. Here is the complement of the book of Daniel. One is a prophecy, the other a revelation. The book that was sealed is not the revelation, but that portion of the prophecy of Daniel relating to the last days. The angel commanded, But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end. Daniel and Revelation complement one another in many areas, including the messages of the two rivers, which are used

used to identify the last two-fold message in the book of Daniel. The rivers find symbolic counterparts in the two rivers of Revelation. There we find the river of life for those who accept the everlasting gospel while we also see the dried up Euphrates illustrating the bankruptcy of the worship of Babylon. As we partake of the water of life, we are to call those who are drinking the foul waters of the Euphrates to flee from the broken cisterns of fallen Babylon. The book of Daniel contains the final message of warning for this last hour of earth's history. This final message, symbolized in the visions on the banks of the Hittikal and Uli rivers, identify both the false worship of the king of the north and the true worship of the king which is now in the most holy place above. A great revival. The visions given by the Uli and Hittikal are part of the story of Daniel, but how important are they to us today? We read in The Faith I Live By, page 345, these words, When the books of Daniel and Revelation are better understood, believers will have an entirely different religious experience. We also know that our greatest need is for this revival to come to God's people. We read in Selected Messages, book 1, page 121, these words, A revival of true godliness among us is the greatest and most urgent of all our needs. To seek this should be our first work. Understanding that our greatest need is for a genuine revival and that this revival will be connected with an understanding of the books of Daniel and Revelation does not necessarily identify the story of these two rivers as the key to this revival. It can easily be recognized, though, that the vision by the Uli addressing the work of Christ in the most holy place certainly has a connection with this long-awaited revival, for no true revival would be separated from Christ's work above. When God's people enter into the most holy place experience, they will see that the connection between themselves and God is as close and decided as the connection which Christ maintained while He walked among men. We read in The Faith I Live By, page 345, these words, One thing will certainly be understood from the study of Revelation, that the connection between God and His people is close and decided. The vision given by the river Uli has a relationship to the final revival, but the Hittikal vision speaks not of the sanctuary, but of the enemy who casts the truth to the ground. Does the message of this river contribute to our experience in such a way as to bring on a revival? Yes. Just as surely as the warning of the third angel against receiving the mark of the beast is part of the everlasting gospel, so too is the message of the Hittikal. It is through an understanding of this message that God's people will be prepared to stand. We read in Selected Messages, book 2, page 105, these words, The book that was sealed was not the book of Revelation, but that portion of the prophecy of Daniel which related to the last days. The scripture says, But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, even to the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased, Daniel 12, verse 4. When the book was opened, the proclamation was made, Time shall be no longer, see Revelation 10, verse 6. The book of Daniel is now unsealed, and the revelation made by Christ to John is to come to all the inhabitants of the earth. By the increase of knowledge, a people is to be prepared to stand in the latter days. Notice here that there will be an increase of knowledge, and that it is through this increase of knowledge that a people is to be prepared to stand. What is this increase of knowledge which will prepare us to stand? In the same section, two paragraphs down, we find the answer. We read again in Selected Messages, book 2, page 106-107, these words, In the first angel's message, men are called upon to worship God, our Creator, who made the world and all things that are therein. They have paid homage to an institution of the papacy, making of no effect the law of Jehovah. But there is to be an increase of knowledge on this subject. The increase of knowledge which will prepare God's people to stand is a knowledge concerning the papacy and its counterfeit Sabbath. This knowledge is directly connected to the warning of the third angel of Revelation 14, and it is the knowledge located within the message given by the Hittikal River of Daniel 11, verses 40-45, for the king of the north in this passage is the papacy. We are told again in 2nd Selected Messages, page 102, these words, The scenes connected with the working of the man of sin are the last features plainly revealed in this earth's history. Daniel 12, verse 1, We know that the last six verses of Daniel, the first of which is Daniel 11, span the final scenes of this earth's history, for in the next verse, Daniel 12, verse 1, we find the close of human probation. The last features of these scenes are connected with the man of sin and his efforts to bring the entire world under his control through the enforcement of a Sunday Law. The king of the north, the main character in the last six verses of Daniel 11, is the man of sin. We read in Spiritual Gifts, volume 2, pages 275-276, these words, When he that is holy will remain holy forever, and when he that is filthy will remain filthy forever, when Jesus stands up, when his work is finished in the most holy, then there will be not another ray of light to be imparted to the sinner. But Satan flatters some through his chosen servants, as he flattered Eve in Eden. Thou shalt not surely die, and tells them, Thou shalt not surely die, and tells them, Thou shalt not surely die, and tells them there will be a season for repentance, a time for probation, when the filthy can be made pure. The co-workers with Satan and his angels carry the light into the future age, teaching probation after the advent of Christ, which deludes the sinner and leads the cold-hearted professor to carnal security. He is careless and indifferent and walks stumblingly over the hours of his probation. The light is made to reach far ahead where all is total darkness. Michael stands up. Instead of mercy, the deluded sinner feels wrath unmixed with mercy, and they awake too late to this fatal deception. This plan was studied by Satan and is carried out by ministers who turn the truth of God into a lie." Daniel 12 verse 1 is the close of probation, which takes place as Daniel 11 for the first 40 to 45 is being fulfilled. These last six verses deal with the working of the man of sin, and they are the vision by the hiddekel which is now in process of fulfillment. The vision pictures the final scenes connected with the man of sin, with which we are told there will be an increase of knowledge and by which a people is to be prepared to stand. The last six verses of Daniel 11 are a sketch of the final scenes of earth's history. Primarily, these verses isolate the story of the papacy as its deadly wound is healed and it returns to the throne of the world and ultimately comes to his end. What must we know? We have been told that Daniel 11 is now in the process of fulfillment and that through the books of Daniel and Revelation will come a catalyst for the long-awaited revival. We have been informed that there would be an increase of knowledge about the papacy and the mark of its authority, which would help to prepare God's people to stand. We have also been admonished that we must know these events. We read in Selected Messages, Book 2, page 109, these words, All that God has in prophetic history specified to be fulfilled in the past has been, and all that is yet to come in its order will be. Daniel, God's prophet, stands in his place. John stands in his place. In the Revelation, the Lion of the tribe of Judah has opened to the students of prophecy the book of Daniel, and thus is Daniel standing in his place. He bears his testimony, that which the Lord revealed to him in vision of the great and solemn events which we must know as we stand on the very threshold of their fulfillment. All God's commands are promises, and while He commands that we must know these events, therefore the recognition and the understanding of these events is promised to those who will search. We read in the Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Volume 4, page 1174, these words, The time has come for Daniel to stand in his lot. The time has come for the light given him to go to the world as never before. If those for whom the Lord has done so much will walk in the light, their knowledge of Christ and the prophecies relating to Him will be greatly increased as they near the close of this earth's history. As we continue in this study, we should solemnly accept the command to study these prophecies and humbly pray for the promised light which will be found by those who strive to be among the wise. Individually, we need to recognize our responsibility to proclaim the warning message symbolized by the Hittikal River, which identifies the King of the North as the Papacy. More importantly, we must recognize and fulfill our responsibility to experience the message which is symbolized by the Uli River, which points to the final work going on in the Heavenly Sanctuary. If we are unwilling to enter into the experience symbolized by the Uli River, the message of the Hittikal is of little value to us. Without the power received from an experience which enters within the veil of the Most Holy Place, any warning message which we may proclaim will have little effect on those who may hear it and will avail nothing in our personal salvation. It is possible to have a genuine experience with the message

with Christ in the most holy place without understanding the message of Daniel 11, 40-45. It is also possible to understand Daniel 11, 40-45 without having an experience with Christ. The story of the two rivers in the book of Daniel is calling us to understand and experience both. These messages are ordained to work in our lives in order that we may help finish the work in this world by proclaiming the final warning message in the power of the Holy Spirit. Without argument, the signs of the times testify that Christ is ready to close the story on these two rivers, are we?