The End

Introduction

Context: We are now at the end. We made it through the Book of Daniel…We are going to see sort of a rewind in v.1-2 and then a continuation in the vision. What we are going to see is a more in-detail look at the response of Israel during the tribulation period. Spoiler: God’s people will not be discouraged, but they will continue spreading the Gospel like they always have. Daniel’s prophecy is inconclusive regarding the end, but we see the end in Revelation. However, Daniel gives us so much detail of the events that will happen on earth, that David Jeremiah thinks that Daniel will be the most studied book of all the Bible during the tribulation period.

Background:

Daniel 10

What we saw in Daniel 10 was Daniel being proactive in his surrender to God. He never rushed the process, he just surrendered to the provision of God. We got a glimpse of spiritual warfare when the angel God sent to Daniel was delayed. Then we saw how persistent these evil forces are.

I remember the first time I played basketball against a really athletic team. I was at a 7A high school, and for the press break we ran something like a reverse wheel route, I’m streaking down the floor, got the ball on the left side of the court, I break for the middle of the court to get past the first defender, I crossed back over to the left to get passed the second defender, and these guys were much too fast for me, because when I got to half court, the first defender was back in front of me and I had to pass the ball.

The forces of Hell are athletic, and they are moving to and fro on the earth, and they are interfering in everything.

I remember I quoted John Piper, he wrote, “Don’t be presumptuous, as though demons are weak. Don’t be anxious, as though they are stronger than Jesus.”

Daniel 11

What we saw in Daniel 11 was a history from the time of Daniel until Antiochus Epiphanes. He is the one who foreshadowed the antichrist. We saw, what is for us, the history, of the ancient world. We saw an endless warring, an endless need for revenge, and we saw the type of flattery and smooth talking the antichrist will do to deceive the nation Israel.

We also saw in Daniel 11 a prophecy concerning our future. Almost all of Daniel 11 is history to us, until you get to v. 36, where it turns into our future. It is a prediction and a description of the antichrist.

Daniel 11 describes that the antichrist will make Israel dependent on him, he will make it so that Israel focuses only on wealth and not on their national security. Egypt and the King of the North will ally against him.

He will win a great victory against Egypt and this King of the North, he will invade Israel and establish himself in Palestine, yet, he will allow the Muslim nations to survive.

When he hears that there are armies mounting against him from the North and from the East, he gets furious, and begins to annihilate the Jewish people.

At that time, when the antichrist is making his final push against the nation Israel, Jesus will return, and the armies of the antichrist, he and the muslim countries, will gather together to make war against Jesus Christ. cast the antichrist and the false prophet into the lake of Fire , bind Satan, and place him in bondage for 1,000 years.

At the end of the 1,000 year reign of Jesus, Satan will be released once more, he will gather all the armies of the earth, he will make one final war against Jesus Christ, and the entire earth will be judged. At that time, Satan, just like the antichrist and the false prophet, will be cast into the Lake of Fire.

I. Tribulation and Triumph

The Tribulation

Daniel 12:1 NKJV

“At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time.

This opening verse is in alignment with Revelation 12. The phrase “at that time” signifies this is the tribulation period, the end of the world.

Revelation 12:7–9 NKJV

And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Now, many are confused about this, thinking that Satan doesn’t have any access to heavenly places. While he may not reside there in full capacity, he does have access and remain the heavens. In the book of Job, he is there before God, and while Satan does roam the earth, he is not constrained by it…his time of judgement is coming.

Eph 6 describes Satan like this…

Ephesians 6:12 NKJV

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

These forces of darkness are still in the heavenly places.

What this opening verse in Dan 12 is describing is a war in Heaven, where Michael will defeat satan, and he will be cast to the earth for good, and so begins the worst period of tribulation against the nation Israel.

That’s why it says, “and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time.”

This is the half way mark of the tribulation. The tribulation will be seven years, this is when the nation of Israel is betrayed and Satan unleashes all Hell on Israel.

The Triumph

Daniel 12:1 NKJV

And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book.

There is that Lamb’s Book of Life.

Psalm 69 and Revelation 3 refers to people being “blotted out” of this book, Revelation 20 says that the Book will be opened at the Great White Throne Judgement and the “dead will be judged according to their works.”

Blotting Out

First, Revelation 20 says that there are “books” opened on the Day of Judgement, along with the Book of Life. Some will teach, based on Psalm 69 and Rev 3, that people can be blotted out of the Lamb’s Book of Life, but I don’t see that anywhere in the scripture. It simply says that Jesus will never blot out the names of those who are His. That is eternal security, meaning we are always saved, never fearing being blotted out.

Not a Works Based Salvation

Second, I want to be very clear, this is not a defense for a works based salvation. When the Bible says they will be judged according to their works, it means that they will be judged according to their righteousness. The Bible says that Jesus is our righteousness. Without Christ, we are under judgement, and we will not be entered into that Book of Life.

The Resurrection

Daniel 12:1–2 NKJV

And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Here is the deal with resurrections and the end times. I want you to think of the imagery of the Old Testament feasts…First, there is the feast of the first fruits. When we studied in the book of Acts, there is the feast of Harvest. That happened on the Day of Pentecost. Jesus Christ was the first fruit of the harvest…He resurrected first along with some of the other saints. We are here in the church age, we represent the general harvest, those of us who are saved will be raptured, we are the general harvest. Then, there will be the gleaning. This is when the people would go through and be allowed to pick up the left overs to provide for themselves…these are those who will come to faith and be preserved through the tribulation. Those gleanings is what Daniel is talking about here in v. 1-2. He is talking about those gleanings saved during the tribulation.

Those who are not written in the Book of Life will experience shame and contempt. However, these will not be resurrected until after Christ’s 1,000 year reign.

So, here is the timeline….

1. The antichrist comes

The church is raptured (resurrected or taken physically)

The antichrist comes

Satan is cast out from heaven to earth

Israel is persecuted

Jesus returns to cast the antichrist and the false prophet into the lake of Fire and to bind Satan

Those that are saved during the tribulation and the Old Testament saints, including John the Baptist, are physically resurrected.

After the 1,000 year reign, the lost are resurrected and judged, Satan is then judged and thrown into the Lake of Fire.

Now, all of these things have been taught, and they have been shown, and they are summarized right here in v. 2 which is giving us a rewind and then sort of a fast forward to set us up for the rest of the chapter. First, there is the tribulation for Israel, then there is the Triumph for Israel…

II. Teachers and Times

The Teachers

God’s 144,000

Daniel 12:3–4 NKJV

Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever. “But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”

During the end times, there will be 144,000 Jews that God has raised us and they will “Shine like the brightness of the firmament” what it’s saying in v. 3 is that they will be the teachers of the end times and they will lead a third of the Jewish people to God during the tribulation.

This verse, and in Revelation 7, is who the Jehovah’s Witnesses believe they are. They believe they are the 144,000 that God has raised up as true witnesses. But they are horribly wrong, because God has very plainly said in Rev 7 that it will be 12,000 from the 12 tribes of Israel. These are the teachers that God will raise up to be witnesses of Him during the tribulation period.

Matthew 24:14 NKJV

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Now, Matthew is a gospel written to the Jews. Jesus speaks many times of the tribulation, and here He is talking again about those witnesses.

Shine Today and Everyday

Now, sometimes people get too caught up in what was written to us and what was written for the Jewish people…it’s important that in every circumstance that we look for the principles of Godliness. So, here, even though God is telling these 144,000 Jews that they will shine, part of God’s desire for all His children is that they shine their light.

One major thing that we learn reading through the Old Testament is the nature of man, and the nature of God. God has a desire that we teach people and show them the path to life, that we light the way for them in every season.

Now, v. 3 is specifically talking about the Jewish witnesses that equal 144,000. These will go about on the earth and will testify of Jesus Christ.

Their Faithful Witness

In v. 4 we see that Daniel is instructed to shut the book up, and that at the end time, many will run to and fro, and knowledge will increase.

I believe this simply means that the 144,000 witnesses will be busy. They will be going to and fro and they will be teaching the word of God and defying the antichrist. Not militarily, but spiritually. And at that time, knowledge will increase because the events listed here in Daniel will be unfolding right before their eyes.

Many people will give you many different interpretations of Daniel. While some, I believe, are closer than others, there always comes a point when they run out of knowledge. The best we can do here in guess and discern what God is saying in these prophecies like Daniel 11-12 and in the book of Revelation. We won’t actually know how it all plays out until its here.

The Jews who have never learned anything about Jesus or about the end times will be moved to start studying the Scripture. The witnesses will go to and fro, and the people will be ready to respond and learn many things about their savior. That’s what it means when it says, “knowledge will increase.”

All things have now been revealed through John in the book of the Revelation. That’s why when we go through Daniel, we are always going to the book of Revelation, because that is the rest of the story. It shows how God is going to make it all right. He tells us about these 144,000, he tells us about the war in the heavens, and he tells us about the New Heaven and New Earth. He gives it all to us in Revelation.

Daniel is instructed to “seal it up”, John is instructed, “Seal not the sayings of this book.”

The Times

Daniel 12:5–7 NKJV

Then I, Daniel, looked; and there stood two others, one on this riverbank and the other on that riverbank. And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?” Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.

Now, we know that there will be a 7 year period of tribulation. These verses here is why I believe that v. 1 begins at the half way point, when the antichrist betrays Israel, allies with the muslim nations, causes war and desolation, and greatly persecutes the people of Israel. Because it says these things will take place when the “power of the holy people has been completely shattered.”

What that means is that the stubborn rebellion of Israel will finally be over, they will be broken, and they will have experienced that national revival, where the 144,000 have gone to and fro teaching them and being a witness of Jesus Christ.

III. The End

Daniel 12:8–13 NKJV

Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, “My lord, what shall be the end of these things?” And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. “And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days. “But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days.

If you have been following this, and you don’t know what’s going on…that’s ok, because Daniel is here asking, “God, I don’t really understand.”

But here are some basic instructions that God gave to Daniel as he waits for the end of times.

Go your way.

In times of life when we don’t understand exactly how God is going to resolve a situation, the only thing that we can do is to go our way. That means to continue on in obedience to do the things we know that we are supposed to do.

I imagine for Daniel, he kept on interceding on behalf of his nation. I believe that he did this in prayer, and I believe he used any type of governmental influence he had to make it easier for the Jews to live and to return to Jerusalem.

For us, when we don’t understand what God is doing, we can be like Daniel, we can pray…but we also must continue to witness, disciple, and go “to and fro” among the earth to teach people the Scripture.

I taught on it this morning in Acts 4, that we might not have the miracle of the lame man made to walk, but we have the witness of the Holy Spirit and the testimony of the Scripture. The Bible says that the word of God is alive and active, and that it sharper than any two-edged sword. It says that it is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction for righteousness. This is our greatest asset, it is as authoritative as Jesus Christ Himself being here.

We see many of our brothers and sisters going to and fro on the earth to share the gospel. They are not the 144,000, but they are faithful to the great commission. They are going to share with people groups that have never been engages with the gospel, and everywhere they are sent, people are being filled with knowledge.

Blessed is he who waits

Now, this is talking about those who endure the tribulation against the Jewish people, which is the second half of the tribulation period. It is the 3 and 1/2 years.

Not only are those who endure to the end of the tribulation blessed, but those who follow Christ until the end of their days will also be blessed. This is not saying that you can lose your salvation, but it’s saying that those who are true followers of Christ will not abandon their calling, they will be faithful and will endure hardship. That is, hardship won’t drive them out of their confession of Jesus as Lord.

I think of our brothers and sisters that are facing death for believing and professing Jesus. What it must take for them to endure. It’s not they are in their own tribulation period, but they are experiencing the type of persecution that will arise at the end of days.

We need to pray for our brothers and sisters that they will be faithful to the end of days, that the enemy will not be able to discourage the spreading of the gospel.

for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of days.

This is what we are all looking forward to. We are looking forward to that millennial reign of Christ where we will get a taste of the New Heavens and the New Earth.

Here are some things that will take place during the millennial reign:

Isaiah 2:2–4 NKJV

Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the Lord’s house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.

This means that human kingdoms will be changed. Sin will still be on the earth, but Jesus Christ will deal with it immediately. Every nation left on earth will begin to seek the truth that comes from Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 11:6–9 NKJV

“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; Their young ones shall lie down together; And the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole, And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord As the waters cover the sea.

This is when the lions and the lambs will lie down in harmony. This means that all the chaos of the earth will stop, all of creation will have had their fill, and they will be totally content with God’s provision. So content that the lions will begin to eat straw and the nursing child will play by the cobra’s hole.

Isaiah 35:1 NKJV

The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose;

This means that the barren wasteland that we know as the desert will begin to produce life in abundance…and we will be there to rule and to reign with Jesus Christ. We will take part in His kingdom forever, we will have our rest, and then we will rise to get our inheritance.

The Final Rebellion

The great tragedy about all this is that people will still reject Christ even during his 1.000 year reign. Sometimes people say, “If God would just give me a sign, then I’d believe.” No they wouldn’t…because it doesn’t matter if the lions eat straw and the King of Glory rules the earth, there will still be people who will not believe in Him.

At the end of the 1,000 years, Satan will be released and he will deceive the nations again, and they will come to make war against us, but they will not last long.

Revelation 20:7–10 NKJV

Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

This will be what is called the Great White Throne Judgement. This is the point when all unbelievers who have died will be resurrected, and judged, and when Satan will be judged and cast into the Lake of Fire.

A New Heaven and New Earth

Following this, God will create a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21-22).

Adrian Rogers says that even the old heaven has been stained with sin because of Satan’s rebellion.

Everything that we know that is perverse, and wrong, and filled with heartache, is because of sin. We don’t get too much detail on this New Heaven and Earth, but we know that we will live in perfection, free from sin, sorrow, and death.

Conclusion

What we have been studying in this last half of Daniel is called eschatology. That’s a five dollar word that means “Doctrine of the end times”.

Why is it important that we understand the end? Well, how we view the end of times effects how we live today and the urgency that it should move us too.

Now, I didn’t say panic, I didn’t say hurry, I said urgency. A lot of people are busy and in a hurry but they are getting nothing done…to live with urgency means accomplish something of eternal significance every day. The reality that Jesus will give the shout, and we will meet Him in the air at any moment, should spur us to do good works and to be a witness for Him.