Introduction

Daniel Chapter 8 speaks of the end times. The end times are a fixed period, determined by God's sovereignty over the kingdoms of men. This is all God's doing. What is the theme of Chapter 8? The theme is: In the end, the sanctuary shall be cleansed. The previous chapter speaks of the saints of the Most High inheriting the kingdom and enjoying it forever and ever. Before the saints of the Most High inherit the kingdom, the sanctuary must be cleansed. In the end times, a holy church must be established.

I tell you, Daniel is not easy to study, but I am somewhat excited to reach this chapter, because I feel I understand it. But whether this is the case is a matter of opinion, as it concerns the end times. We are currently in the end times, which are characterized by a final outcome that is essentially fixed, whether you like it or not.

These end times are like the days of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the days of Noah; people marrying and giving in marriage, buying and selling, planting and building—life goes on as usual. But suddenly, the world is over. Therefore, I encourage everyone to recognize the importance of building God's glorious church in this generation, paving the way for the return of the Lord Jesus.

We really need to ponder this and see if it is true. You finally get into university, finally graduate, finally buy a house, or find a virtuous and beautiful wife, but none of these things can save you from the end of the world. Do you think it's really that serious? The days of Noah and Sodom were like this.

In fact, you don't have to look so far. Take, for example, the 3/11 tsunami in Japan. People were playing on the beach, and suddenly the tsunami came and it was all over. Everything came to an end. How can you withstand the end of the world? Today, we should not take many things too seriously. If we do, we will live like the people of Noah's generation, which is useless. The end of the world is like this, so how can we escape these end times? It concerns the vision revealed in Daniel Chapter 8.

When we compare it with today's situation, we find it so similar. We must begin to build God's glorious church, because in the end, all who can escape this great tribulation are those who build God's glorious sanctuary. Why did God write this? Because the prophecies in the Bible shine like a bright lamp, allowing us to know what the end times will be like. Knowing and not knowing are completely different. If we do not know the end of the world or our personal end, we will take many trivial matters seriously, and then people will live very hard.

An old brother passed away. In the months before his death, he argued with his children over renovation matters and felt unhappy. Our brothers and sisters worked hard to bring him back to a reconciled state. If a person knows that he will soon pass away, would he still need to argue about this or that? No, many things become unimportant. The end times have a profound impact on us. If you are a wise person, you will know that it is better to live a relaxed life and devote your energy to building God's glorious church.

Scriptural Background

Regarding the end of the world, let me explain it this way: There was a ram that was very powerful, pushing westward, southward, and northward. No beast could stand before it, and no one could rescue from its hand, but it did as it pleased and became great. Later, a male goat came from the west across the face of the whole earth. The goat struck the ram and shattered its horns. The ram was trampled underfoot, and there was no one who could rescue the ram from its hand. The goat became exceedingly great, but when it was strong, the large horn was broken, and in its place grew up four prominent horns toward the four winds of heaven. Out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land.

What is this passage about? The first part speaks of the ram, which is Media and Persia. The male goat is the king of Greece, the Roman Empire. If you know history, after Media and Persia came the Roman Empire. When the Roman Empire was at its height, the large horn was broken. A Roman Empire that spanned Europe, Asia, and Africa declined.

After the decline, there were four horns, which are four kingdoms. From the Roman Empire, four kingdoms emerged, all powerful, but none as powerful as the Roman Empire. From the perspective of human history, we have already come a long way toward the end of the world. I believe these four powerful nations are four major European powers. As for which four, we don't need to be so detailed. We know that the Eight-Nation Alliance entered Beijing in the past, and they were all world powers. These four powers should be four of the Eight-Nation Alliance.

Later, a little horn came out of one of them. The United States of America was originally a colony of the United Kingdom. The United States of America is the United States today. The United States gained independence from the British Empire's colonies. Why do we say it is the United States?

It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them. It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host. And the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown. And a host will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering because of transgression, and it will throw truth to the ground, and it will act and prosper. (Daniel 8:10-12)

Today, the United States is the most powerful in aerospace. It can throw heavenly bodies, stars, and artificial earth satellites to the ground, and it is very arrogant. Moreover, a host and the regular burnt offering are given to it. The host represents a military power, isn't that the United States? It acts as it pleases and prospers. As a result, it throws truth to the ground. What I am saying may be a little sensitive, but it doesn't matter, isn't this about prophecy?

Russia has a Mars boy who is also talking about prophecy, but it is a different interpretation. I may be interpreting it wrong, please bear with me and listen to it as a story. So this little horn has a host and the regular burnt offering given to it, and as a result, it throws truth to the ground.

Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, “For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?” And he said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.” (Daniel 8:13-14)

In fact, these people are arrogant, acting as they please and prospering, but what is important is that in this generation, it seems that there are two lines proceeding simultaneously. One is that a nation rises, and another nation declines. When one nation declines, four nations prosper, and then an even more powerful nation rises. This is the line of the kingdoms of men.

What is the other line? The church will become more and more holy. That is to say, this generation will become more and more evil, but the church will become more and more holy. Everyone must remember that the responsibility of Christians is not to seek world peace, nor to seek economic improvement. There is no such teaching in the Bible. The responsibility of Christians is to build a holy and glorious church! This concept must be clear.

In fact, according to the interpretation of the Bible, we are not asked to participate in politics, oppose homosexuality, or oppose this or that. Really not. The Bible does not encourage us to do these things. The Bible does not encourage us to participate in political matters. We must be good citizens and not be hostile to the governments of this world.

Paul in the Bible was severely persecuted by the Roman Empire, but Paul did not drag his brothers and sisters to protest. Paul taught the brothers and sisters to learn to submit to authority. Because our kingdom has nothing to do with the kingdoms of this world. We only need to do one thing, which is to build God's glorious church.

When I say that we should learn to submit to the government, some people think that the government has given me some benefits, so I speak for the government. In fact, I have not been bought by anyone. I just feel that the Bible says so, so we do so. But it is normal for different people to read different things.

The State of the End Times

This is the end of the world. When we compare it, isn't this the generation we are in? In only 2,300 days, the sanctuary will become holy, and God will return! Before the saints of the Most High inherit the kingdom and enjoy it, there is one very important thing to do, which is to build a holy and glorious church. Someone asks: How do you know this? I can give you scriptural references. The Bible speaks a lot about it.

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:25-27)

God's ultimate purpose is to cleanse the church, but today there are not many people who strive to build God's glorious church. Isn't the world moving towards the stage described by Daniel? How many years is 2,300 days? It is about 6.3 years, less than six years and four months. When the time comes, the sanctuary will be cleansed, and then the saints on earth will inherit the kingdom and enjoy it.

What kind of situation are we in today? Let's see how Revelation Chapter 7 describes it:

After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow on earth or sea or any tree. Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” (Revelation 7:1-3)

After the sealing is completed, the seventh seal will be opened, and then seven angels will sound trumpets. When the seven angels sound the trumpets, it will be the Third World War. After the Third World War is over:

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15)

When the seventh angel blows the trumpet, the saints of the Most High will inherit the kingdom and enjoy it. Why do I say this? According to me, from the beginning of the Third World War, there will be three and a half years. During this period, there will be two preachers, preaching for 1,260 days, which is three and a half years, forty-two months. The people on earth suffered heavy disasters, but this disaster will not befall those who have God's seal on their bodies in Revelation Chapter 7.

There are about 144,000 people who are sealed, and this number is not large. There are so many people on earth, but only 144,000 are sealed by God, so I encourage everyone to squeeze in no matter what, squeeze into these 144,000 people. When the Third World War breaks out, it will be very deadly! It will be a nuclear war.

If you read from Revelation Chapter 8, verse 6, to the last verse of Chapter 9, you will know how cruel the war is. If you do not have God's seal on your body, this war will make you very painful. After the Third World War is over, the whole world will become a unified country. Then these two preachers will be killed, and their corpses will be placed in the streets. Three and a half days later, breath will enter them, they will stand up, and they will ascend to heaven on a cloud. At this time, the church will be raptured.

I think this is very close to the generation we are in today. We must understand one thing, what exactly are these 2,300 days? It is from the time God seals the foreheads of his servants until the church is raptured. That is to say, how much time does it take to prevent the four winds of the earth from blowing on the earth, until God finishes sealing the foreheads of his servants? It should be more than 1,000 days, 2,300 days minus 1,260 days.

If the church is raptured, there will still be three and a half years of the antichrist's reign on earth. If you worship this beast to survive, you will probably have three and a half years to live. If you do not worship this beast, you must be martyred. If you are martyred, you will be killed on the spot and can return to God. Then, at the resurrection from the dead, you will reign with Jesus Christ on earth forever. These 2,300 days actually include 1,260 days, plus the time before that.

When the Third World War starts, it will be the first trumpet sounding. If the seventh trumpet sounds, the Third World War will be over, and that's the process. From the start of the Third World War until the end of the world, it will be seven years. That is to say, there will be three and a half years on earth when the antichrist reigns, and that is when high technology is extremely advanced.

And as for the horn that was broken, in whose place four others arose, four kingdoms shall arise out of his nation, which is the European four powers. At the latter end of their kingdom, when the transgressors have come to the full, a king of bold face, one who understands riddles, shall arise. His power shall be great—but not by his own power; and he shall cause fearful destruction and shall succeed in what he does, and destroy mighty men and the people who are the saints. By his cunning, he shall make deceit prosper under his hand, and in his own mind he shall become great. Without warning he shall destroy many. And he shall even rise up against the Prince of princes, that is, attack God, and he shall be broken—but by no human hand. The vision of the 2,300 evenings and mornings that has been told is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future. (Daniel 8:22-26)

We live in this generation, and God will raise up a king. This king will be very powerful. Is this king the United States? It doesn't seem so. Then it is another, whose power will be great, and who will cause fearful destruction, and then things will go smoothly, who will do as he pleases, and destroy the mighty and the saints.

When the two preachers on earth are raptured, and then the church is also raptured, the saints who remain on earth will be destroyed. As a result, he will be broken—but by no human hand. God will destroy this generation, and then the earth will become the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Strive to Become People Sealed by God

So, I ponder, why go through all this trouble? Whether you are raptured or not, if you desire to be holy, you must undergo significant trials. In our generation, if you are among the victorious people, those sealed on their foreheads by God, you can escape the calamities of World War III. That is why I encourage our brothers and sisters not to be content with being ordinary Christians. When World War III arrives, do not regret it, saying I did not warn you. It is not too late now that I am telling you.

Do not tell me: I have to look after my children, take care of my husband, cook meals, and work... I tell you, being occupied with these things will not allow God's seal to be placed upon you unless you have a Mingding Destiny within you to build God's holy and glorious church. Only then will God seal you. Escaping this calamity is a victory, becoming holy. If you are not holy, what will happen? You will experience repeated trials in these disasters, and then people will become holy. This is God's doing.

Do not think that our God is like Santa Claus. In fact, our God is like an alchemist; the crucible for silver, the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart. Are you God's people? Do not assume you are saved just because you have been baptized; that is not very effective. But I know that many will challenge me if I say this: Then tell us, where did so-and-so in our family go after they were baptized and died? I do not know. If I wanted to comfort you, I would probably say they went to heaven.

In fact, the people of heaven are all holy people. We must, on earth, through the Holy Spirit, put to death the deeds of the body. As for whether God will show special mercy to those people, I wish God would have mercy, but whether you are the one who receives mercy, I do not know.

I think, according to the Bible, why does God do this? It is to refine people to be holy. If you love the world, you cannot become holy. If you indulge the flesh, it is difficult to become holy. So while we are alive, we should strive now to pursue, deal with our fleshly deeds, obtain a Mingding Destiny before God, and then become holy. Then the things of this world, even World War III, cannot harm you. But if you have not become holy, what will happen? You will have to go through fiery trials.

So I think, since this matter has been revealed to us, if we walk according to what we have said. In the future, after that king is raised up, with a fierce countenance and skilled in double-meaning speech, his power will be great, and he will cause fearful destruction and shall prosper and deal as he wills, and he shall destroy the mighty ones and the people of the saints. If you are among the saints, you will also suffer this destruction, but that is okay because our hope is not in this life. We know this is God's doing.

That is to say, if the church is raptured and you are not, you are among the destroyed saints. But even being a destroyed saint is better than worshiping the beast. The end of those who worship the beast is to be thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, forever and ever. So I think this is what the Book of Daniel reveals.

I tell everyone, if there is an opportunity, the Revelation Bible study should be listened to carefully. So we must no longer cherish our lives. What does the Bible say? They overcame the great dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, by what? By the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. This sentence is not finished yet; the following part is even more important: They loved not their lives so much as to shrink from death. This is called victory.

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death. (Revelation 12:11)

Summary

The Roman Empire destroyed the Medo-Persian Empire and became a European power. After the decline of the Roman Empire, four European powers rose. After the decline of the four powers, the United States became the unique superpower. When the United States becomes the superpower, the end of days is very near. The United States is a military power, even casting celestial bodies and stars to the ground, much like what is described in the Book of Daniel.

Today, the United States casts truth to the ground. Starting in the 1950s and 60s, schools used to teach Bible studies. Later, President Kennedy abolished the habit of reading the Bible and praying in schools. The United States began to become very liberal, even rejecting the Bible, and then started promoting homosexuality and other issues, with all sorts of problems arising, and criminals filled with wickedness. Then God will raise up another king, a powerful one.

I think we are in such a generation where God wants to raise up a group of people to build His glorious church. Who are these people? It is us. If you think it is you, that is good too! If you also want to become a holy people of God, I thank God; more is always better than less.

I encourage those who listen to my sharing to understand one thing: the end of the world is near, the end of the world is near. In such a state, how should we act? We must be careful to maintain, be watchful and pray. Most importantly, love one another earnestly, for love covers a multitude of sins.

The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace. (1 Peter 4:7-10)

Some people tell me: the world is so beautiful, how can God destroy it? That is what you think is good; I do not think it is very good. I think the day of God's coming is good. Why? Look at this world, hospitals are crowded with people, disasters are constant. If you look at the Old Testament books of Zechariah and Joel, they are really daunting!

Today we find ourselves in a daunting generation! Fires, plagues, earthquakes, tsunamis... I watched a short video saying who started the Australian fires? It turned out to be a bird. The bird can also start fires. When this bird sees a burning branch on the ground, it picks up the branch with its beak, flies to an unburned forest, and drops it, resulting in another forest burning. This is very strange; even this bird can start fires. This is God's work in the last days.

So, the Australian fires, earthquakes, tsunamis, rampant plagues, frequent disasters - do you think this world is good? I do not think it is good. I think it is good for the saints of the Most High to possess the kingdom and enjoy it! As for whether you are a saint of the Most High, ponder that yourself. If you love the world, the love of God is not in you. So we must strive to love God, loving the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your strength, and with all your mind.

Are the revelations in the Bible about the last days not written for us? This revelation is in the Book of Daniel. Since we have read it, we should have a heart of reverence for God and begin to put down many things. Of course, we still live our lives, but those things are no longer important.

What is most important is to build God's glorious Most High sanctuary, to build God's glorious and holy dwelling place, which is the church, to pave the way for the day of the Lord Jesus Christ's return. Let us look forward together to the coming of that day. I think it is our generation that should be able to see the coming of that day. May God have mercy on us! May God bless everyone!