While we are usually distracted with our present day living, most important things in life have a long history and a foundation in the past. Ancient contracts and dealings are the basis of our modern world. Most of us don’t care for musty old books and ancient history, so we live as if there is nothing but the present, yet that does not negate the significance of things established long ago.
In English history various challenges to wrong actions led to decrees by the Kings which we know as Imperial Acts. Freedoms enjoyed in the western world are often based on those ancient agreements. Not so long ago school students were informed about these things, but I recall in my school years there was almost universal disinterest. I only realised in later years how valuable those things of the past can be.
Disputed lands, title to property, right to privilege and so on, have to be traced back to past legal transactions. It might seem surprising to some that the will of dead people is very important. Yet every will ever enacted is done once the person who wrote it, the testator, is dead. So death of a generation does not remove their significance, but leads to the enacting their will.
If someone were to come and show that they owned land you thought you owned, they would have to prove they held some title from before you thought you owned the land. They might show that whoever sold the land to you did not have right to sell it. Their ancient documents would be more important than your fresh new title to the land.
Yet someone might come along to claim and show they have a more ancient claim. Ultimately, the one with proof of the original claim holds right to the land.
With that perspective in mind, let’s consider a prophecy given to the prophet Daniel around four centuries before Christ. He was shown visions about the end of the world, and the whole of creation being brought before God for judgement. Daniel’s revelation refers to God as the ‘Ancient of Days’.
“As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire.” Daniel 7:9
Daniel’s vision relates to the end of human history. This is after all the nations have come and gone, international corporations have done all their expanding, the devil has done his worst and every possible wrangle, deceit, corruption and evil has had its day. In that world there would be multitudes who believed whatever lies they had been told, and thought they held claim to all manner of rights to do this or that.
What would cut across all their ideas is the ancient truth, the original contracts and foundations of the earth. So the one who gets to sort it all out and judge man and the devil is called the ‘Ancient of Days’.
No one knows more about the foundations of the world than the one who founded it. No one knows more about the origin of nations than the one who was there overseeing it. No one knows more about what is right and wrong than the one who watched every theft and every deceit and every manipulation through history.
On that day many may wish to make claim of right, based on ideas that are delusions, or on rights their government gave them, which the government had no right to give. On that day many may wish to wave their piece of paper (so to speak) to show that what they did was covered by some supposed privilege given them, but the Ancient of Days will not be fooled by such things.
Note in Daniel’s vision the reference to Books being opened.
“The court was seated, and the books were opened.” Daniel 7:10
All of the important legal documents of human existence, and all of the correct lawful claims are in God’s hands. Along with that is the record of every thing we have done and even every idle word we have spoken.
“I say to you, every idle word that men speak they will give account for in the day of judgment.” Matthew 12:36
The prophet Isaiah also spoke of God as being from ancient days and having ultimate authority.
“Even from ancient days (eternity) I am He, and none can deliver out of My hand. When I act, who can reverse it?” Isaiah 43:13
I heard the other day of someone who ran a scam and took off with a lot of money. They were apprehended in some foreign country. It struck me that their scam was no good if they didn’t get to keep the money. And that thought applies to our various schemes as well.
It is vain to pass a law making something ‘lawful’ when God has declared it wrong. It is vain to make claim to something not yours, when God knows who really owns it. It is vain to fortify your position with all manner of new rules and permits, when God holds the ancient documents in His hand.
You may not like this idea, but all the new fangled things of our world have no value and no authority unless the value and authority come from God. All the fancy ideas that man can overthrow God or do away with His laws, or escape accountability before God, are vain and foolish. They are delusional.
We are led to understand from Bible prophecy that in the end of time there will be a world ruler who is the AntiChrist, who will dominate the world with satanic power. Daniel was told about this world ruler.
“He will speak against the Most High and oppress his holy people and try to change the set times and the laws.” Daniel 7:25
Yet, in the end, even this global ruler and the devil, getting to have their way over the whole earth, cannot overcome the ancient truth and the ancient foundations and God’s ancient laws.
Whoever you are and whatever you think you can get away with and whatever idea you have that modern times have done away with old morals, or old standards, let me warn you that you will stand before one who is ancient, who has ruled this world from day one. None of your foolish ideas of overturning the times and the laws will have the tiniest impact on ancient truth and ancient laws and standards.
The only wise thing to do is to live today and all your days, in humility and submission to the one who is the Ancient of Days.
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