How often in life do we wait for the final trumpet to glorify God?
The seven trumpets wasn't the final warning, it was the final. It signals the arrival of the king. There is no turning back. The coming judgments are no longer partial but complete destruction. God's full judgment against the evil world. A significant that the angel said is - “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.”, we are called to build God's Kingdom (Matthew 6 v 33) on earth but this passage would suggest that we never finish building the Kingdom God comes down to finish it. Jesus put the foundations in and God finishes it off.
In life a lot of us leave things to the last minute, just before the whistle blows or before the trumpet is sounded. Some people may leave to the last minute to give their lives to God. But I think the key for us as Christians is that we don't leave glorifying God till the last minute. Daniel and Revelation have a lot of similarities in the prophecies Daniel has against the people and nation of Babylon and other nations too. In Daniel 2 v 44 it says - "In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever." This is key because it shows God's kingdom is sovereign and the rule and reign of God will overcome all the powers of evil on this earth. I would say that is something great to give God glory for.
Daniel's worship was glorifying to God, Daniel 6 v 10-16 - "10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. 11 Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. 12 So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions’ den?”
The king answered, “The decree stands—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” Daniel worshipped no matter what this glorified God. The 24 elders worshiped God - they represented the redeemed of God. They were showing that Gentiles and Jews come together under the sovereignty of God.
Another similarity of Daniel and Revelation is the saving power of God. Daniel 6 v 16-23 - "16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” 17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed. 18 Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep. 19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. 20 When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”
21 Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! 22 My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.” 23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God." God chooses to save those who call on His name and believe. The world is full of evil and sometimes we are surrounded by vicious lions of situations or people or powers. But God chooses to save us. Jesus died on a cross so we didn't have to be devoured by the evil of this world, we can throw off our sinful nature and live in and under the sovereignty of God. Daniel stood firm against sin and evil, God honoured this by saving him. People do get killed for their faith in God all around the world but God protects them spiritually. What Daniel did glorifies God and we can too in the hard times we can continue to praise God and fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith.
Daniel didn't wait till the last minute to glorify God. Neither should we.
Let’s not wait till the last minute to glorify God, let our whole lives glorify Him.
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