Daniel 12:13

‘AT LAST IT RINGETH TO EVENSONG’

‘Go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.’

Daniel 12:13

God said one word to Daniel—the last word in this Book: ‘Go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.’ Sweet word for the servant of God closing a life of devotedness to Him! Such shall be the word to all who cast in their lot with God. They shall have the sweet assurance, ere they pass through the dark river of Jordan, that they are passing on to their rest. They have cast in their lot with Jesus. With Him they shall rest. With Him they shall dwell for ever.

I. Daniel knew God. It was no abstraction, no form, no dogma, no creed.—It was God Himself. Do you know Christ, or do you know of Christ? It is one thing to know of Him; it is quite another to know Him. ‘Thousands know of our Queen, but only a few know her. Yet how many identify knowing of God with knowing God! A man reads about God, hears about God, thinks about God, sees God in nature, traces God in providence, admires God in revelation, and then he thinks—I know God. All the time he knows not God. It is only of God. To know God is much closer and more personal. It is to have heard Him speaking to us as none other ever has spoken to us. It is to have seen sin in the light of His presence, and heard Him saying, ‘Thy sins are forgiven thee.’ It is to come into spiritual contact with God. It is to have grasped Him with faith’s hand as a grand reality, an actual living presence. It is to have felt the sunshine of His smile; to have felt what He is in His breakings, and what He is in his healings, of our inward spirit. Till there have been some such passages between your soul and God, you can never know Him. This is what goes to make real religion. This is conversion. This is peace. This will be heaven. All the rest is merely to know of God. This is to know God.

II. And what is our joy in Christ? It is this, that Christ knows not of us, but that He knows us.—‘I know My sheep, and am known of Mine.’ Yes, Christian reader, Jesus knows you, not of you. You know Jesus, not of Jesus. He knows all about you; and your heaven on earth is that you know Him.

Rev. F. Whitfield.

Illustrations

(1) ‘Daniel had been receiving partial insight into the future by the visions recorded in previous Chapter s. He sought for clearer knowledge, and was told that the book of the future was sealed and closed, so that no further enlightenment was possible for him. But duty was clear, whatever might be dark; and there were some things in the future certain, whatever might be problematic. So he is bidden back to the common duties of life, and is enjoined to pursue his patient course with an eye on the end to which it conducts, and to leave the unknown future to unfold itself as it may.’

(2) ‘On a stormy October night many years ago, the Royal Charter went down three hours from Liverpool, when the passengers had met in the saloon and voted a testimonial to the captain because he had brought them across the ocean in safety. Until the anchor is down and we are inside the harbour we may be shipwrecked if we are careless of our navigation. “Go thou thy way until the end.” And remember, that until that end is reached you have to use all your power, and to labour as earnestly, and guard yourself as carefully, as at any period before.’