The Testimony and Its Vessel unto the Time of the End by T. Austin-Sparks
by John Mark on 02/25/24
Chapter 1 -
The Abiding Message of the Book of Daniel
Dear Saints,
This
message originally posted in December 17, 2014. Doug mentioned his desire to
move from the last series of messages, The Fight of the Faith, on to
this series. I’m certain you won’t be disappointed he selected this as next.
My
notes:
As we
take this journey into the prophecies of the Book of Daniel, Doug answers the
question, Why are we here? "We're being prepared for that final release of
divine power for the destruction of the kingdoms of this world so the Lord and
His Christ can take the helm of world history."
Though
the church and the age of grace (i.e.: the church age) is hidden as a mystery
throughout the Old Testament (the 'sacred secret' - we heard that message in
the last post), once we came to the time where the mystery is revealed, we can
now see the bigger picture of what the Old Testament reveals. They didn't know
what all this meant back then - but since the revelation of the mystery was
entrusted to the Apostle Paul, we can now be in the good of such great
revelation when we read and study the Old Testament.
As
the church should expect tribulation and persecution (John 16:33; Romans 5:3;
12:12), Brother Sparks further defines its source, "If you come by the
Holy Spirit into God's immediate age-purpose spiritually, livingly, and range
yourself with Christ as Lord, to be a witness unto Him and His Lordship in this
earth, you range yourself against hell and hell at once takes account of you
and you become an object of significance and importance."
Are
we are willing to be a 'Daniel instrument' in these last days? - a company of
believers that gather on a regular basis as a prayer ministry to the Lord and
be brought "into a living and experimental (experiential) relationship to
Himself" as the One who will consummate this age? "Since all these
things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in
holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of
God..." (2 Peter 3:11-12). As we can see from this passage, we have the
opportunity to hasten the coming of the Lord by our conduct and testimony.
Though the destiny of Israel was foreknown and foretold, it took a Daniel to
pray three times a day for 69 years. Beginning in 1727, the Moravians prayed
24/7 for 110 years* and the result was the reformation - the age of
Philadelphia (Rev. 3:7-13).
“God does nothing but in answer to prayer.” John Wesley
“It is on prayer that the promises wait for their fulfilment, the Kingdom waits for its coming, and the glory of God waits for its full revelation.” Andrew Murray (With Christ in the School of Prayer)
*https://www.revivalandreformation.org/resources/all/the-moravian-100-year-prayer-movement#:~:text=The%20Moravians%20filled%20all%20168,went%20on%20for%20110%20years!