Originally posted: 9/03/2021

“Some of those who have insight will fall, in order to refine, purge and make them pure until the end time; because it is still to come at the appointed time,” (11:35).

I perused a few commentaries and I am still confused. And if you were left feeling the same way, we are in good company. For scholars have varying opinions on the interpretation of this prophecy. Some say this refers to the conquering kings of Persia, Greece and Rome. Some say it is solely about end times. And some say it is both. So while we may be left wondering about it all, this much is clear: it is God Alone Who Appoints the Times.

Today’s reading continues the message from the angel Gabriel who had come to give Daniel insight with understanding.

Now while I was speaking and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God in behalf of the holy mountain of my God, ²¹ while I was still speaking in prayer, then the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision previously, came to me in my extreme weariness about the time of the evening offering. ²² He gave me instruction and talked with me and said, “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you insight with understanding,” (Daniel 9:20-22).

And fifteen times in the forty-five verses in chapter 11, the angel Gabriel speaks to Daniel in reference to a timeline: “a time” (11:16, 21, 24, 24); “appointed time” (11:27, 29, 35); “those times” (11:6, 14); “the end time” (11:35, 40); “this last time” (11:29); “the end” (11:27); “a few days” (11:20); “many days” (11:33).

The schedule of the coming days is definitively determined; and while we may not be able to accurately pinpoint calendar dates or adequately interpret all the events described, we can wholly trust that our times are in the hands of Him Who Appoints the Times.

But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord,
I say, “You are my God.”
¹⁵ My times are in Your hand…” (Psalm 31:14-15).

Consider Him Who Appoints the Times

• He Appoints the Times to accomplish His Will.
  • The Lord set a definite time, saying, “Tomorrow the Lord will do this thing in the land,” (Exodus 9:5).

• He Appoints the Times to establish His Righteous Justice.
  • “When I select an appointed time,
    It is I who judge with equity,” (Psalm 75:2).

• He Appoints the Times of the seasons and the night.
  • He made the moon for the seasons;
    The sun knows the place of its setting.
    ²⁰ You appoint darkness and it becomes night,
    In which all the beasts of the forest prowl about, (Psalm 104:19-20).

• He Appoints the Times of kings and kingdoms.
  • “It is He who changes the times and the epochs;
    He removes kings and establishes kings;
    He gives wisdom to wise men
    And knowledge to men of understanding,” (Daniel 2:21).

• He Appoints the Times of His Coming Kingdom.
  • Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, ¹⁵ and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel,” (Mark 1:14-15).

• He Appoints the Times that men would seek Him.
  • “and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, ²⁷ that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us,” (Acts 17:26-27).

• He Appoints the Times to bring all things together in Christ.
  • He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him ¹⁰ regarding His plan of the fullness of the times, to bring all things together in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth, (Ephesians 1:9-10).

How do we respond to Him Who Appoints the Times?

Everything is in the faithful hands of Him Who Appoints the Times; every season and every night, every kingdom and every king. And He is working all things in agreement with the purpose of His will.

also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, (Ephesians 1:11).

While we may not fully understand all that is being worked out, we can fully trust Him Who Appoints the Times to accomplish everything He has decreed.

“…for that which is decreed will be done,” (11:36).

But let’s face it; it can be a real challenge to accept that His Appointed Times also include the nights, those dark Times that are used to refine, purge and purify those who belong to Him through faith in Christ.

“Some of those who have insight will fall, in order to refine, purge and make them pure until the end time; because it is still to come at the appointed time,” (11:35).

Oh, that we would trust His faithfulness in our purging, believing that He Appoints the Times of our testing that our faith may be strengthened to endure, to be complete and lacking in nothing.

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. ⁴ And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing, (James 1:2-4).

And as He strengthens us through the purging, let us commit to wait in faith, believing that because He Appoints the Times, He will not delay in all He has decreed.

“For the vision is yet for the appointed time;
It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
For it will certainly come, it will not delay,” (Habakkuk 2:3).

He has exhorted us to endure through faith, to confidently know that He is indeed coming again, and to not be consumed with what we do not know, but to be ready; for God alone Appoints the Times and He will come just as He said He would.

Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. ² For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night, (1 Thessalonians 5:1-2).

He has promised that He is coming quickly. While His Appointed Timeline is not measured by our standard of time and we do not know when His quickly will transpire, we can trust that because He is all powerful, the beginning and the end of all Times, He will be perfectly faithful to Appoint the Perfect Time to come and reward His followers.

“Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. ¹³ I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end,” (Revelation 22:12-13).

Until then, let us not live buried under the questions of when and what, but let us walk with assurance and security by faith in Him Who Appoints the Times; that we would spend all of our days until the end of time fulfilling His mission, empowered by the authority we have in His Holy Spirit.

So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷ He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; ⁸ but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth,” (Acts 1:6-8).

Let’s Grow Together!