The Increase of Knowledge
Notes
Transcript
Intro; I have preached nine sermons so far in this series “Signs of the Times”, and we have covered a range of signs given in the Scriptures that reveal we are in the last days before the return of the Lord.
The signs began with the resurrection of Christ [sign of Jonah], to the ungodly thoughts and intents of mans heart [times of Noah], and the rise of false teachers and the falling away from the faith [apostasy]. These signs are being fulfilled right before are very eyes, increasing in intensity and are continually proving the Word of God true.
All the messages have been preached from the New Testament even though some of the signs were revealed in the Old Testament. Today and tonight I want to reach back into the Old Testament and look at two of the most revealing Signs of the Times as we close out this section of the series before we start the new section next Sunday.
This morning’s message is entitled “The Increase of Knowledge”
Text; Daniel 12:4
4 “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.”
Prayer
The Book of Daniel is one of the most remarkable, prophesy filled books in the entire Bible. It is a book of judgment upon God’s people for their unfaithfulness, yet it is also a book of hope and future restoration after God’s judgment ends. Daniel was 16 when he was taken away into captivity and set aside to be used in the Babylonian government. But he becomes God’s prophetic voice to the Jews and gentiles during the 70 year captivity, declaring God’s present and eternal plans.
1. Seal the Book; 4a
1. Seal the Book; 4a
Gabriel, an angel of the Lord, is giving final instructions to Daniel concerning the prophesies he has been shown dealing with Israel and the last days. He tells him to “shut up the book and seal it till the time of the end.”
“Shut up” means to close the book and “seal it”means to preserve it’s writings. This has nothing to do with God’s word being a mystery, but preserving the Word for future generations to learn from. [You cannot understand the Book of Revelation unless you use the Book of Daniel as a resource. At least seventy-one passages from Daniel are quoted in sixteen New Testament books, most of them in the Book of Revelation.]
In the ancient Near East the custom was to “seal” an important document by impressing upon it the identifying marks of the parties involved and the recording scribe. A sealed text was not to be tampered with or changed. Then the original document was duplicated and placed (“closed up”) in a safe place where it could be preserved. Miller, S. R. (1994). Daniel (Vol. 18, p. 320). Broadman & Holman Publishers.
9 So I bought the field from Hanamel, the son of my uncle who was in Anathoth, and weighed out to him the money—seventeen shekels of silver.
10 And I signed the deed and sealed it, took witnesses, and weighed the money on the scales.
11 So I took the purchase deed, both that which was sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was open;
12 and I gave the purchase deed to Baruch the son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel my uncle’s son, and in the presence of the witnesses who signed the purchase deed, before all the Jews who sat in the court of the prison.
13 “Then I charged Baruch before them, saying,
14 ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Take these deeds, both this purchase deed which is sealed and this deed which is open, and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may last many days.”
15 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land.” ’
The sealing of Jeremiah’s property deed was not done to “hide” the contents or to keep them “secret” but to preserve the document. Why? Because after the Babylonian captivity, God would return Israel to it’s land and Jeremiah would have a deed to it from God. That is a pledge of hope in God during times of trials and tribulation.
The sealing of the Book of Daniel is a sign of hope to all who will live in the last days. Future generations from Daniels time, especially Israel, will go through times of tribulations and distress and will need the promises of these prophesies that God is victorious and those who trust in Him will be more than conquerors in Christ.
2. Increase in Knowledge; 4b
2. Increase in Knowledge; 4b
Gabriel tells Daniel that in the last days people “shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”
Many theologians, commentaries and pastors take this phrase to mean that during the last days travel and learning will increase. That is a valid point.
From the giving of these prophesies to where we are today, travel and the mode of travel has surely changed. From walking or riding a mule to space travel as something that is normal in our society.
Knowledge has increased beyond our wildest imagination in every area of life. From hieroglyphics to AI is a leap that is hard to comprehend!
But that’s not what Gabriel is talking about.
Run to and fro - means to investigate, diligently look into something; to immerse yourself in something, scriptures
As time draws to a close, wise men will seek to understand the prophesies of God’s Word more precisely.
There has probably never been a time in history as we are in now that men have sought to understand the fulfillment of scripture. As more archeological finds continue to prove the Bible true, the study of end time prophesy continues to increase.
There are several prophesies that are dealt with in the Book of Daniel that deal with the end times;
What will be in the latter days that was made known to Nebuchadnezzar; statue that dealt with coming world empires
28 But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these:
Daniel’s first vision; similar to Nebuchadnezzar’s dream but it added that a stone not cut with man’s hands would crush the statue and reign forever.
23 “Thus he said: ‘The fourth beast shall be A fourth kingdom on earth, Which shall be different from all other kingdoms, And shall devour the whole earth, Trample it and break it in pieces.
24 The ten horns are ten kings Who shall arise from this kingdom. And another shall rise after them; He shall be different from the first ones, And shall subdue three kings.
25 He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand For a time and times and half a time.
26 ‘But the court shall be seated, And they shall take away his dominion, To consume and destroy it forever.
27 Then the kingdom and dominion, And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’
Daniel’s second vision;
17 So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and fell on my face; but he said to me, “Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end.”
18 Now, as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me, and stood me upright.
19 And he said, “Look, I am making known to you what shall happen in the latter time of the indignation; for at the appointed time the end shall be.
Daniel’s third vision; 70 weeks of God’s purpose towards Israel
26 “And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.”
Daniel’s fourth vision; The future of Israel and all nations
14 Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come.”
Signs of the End Times; Tribulation, Millennial, Judgment, Eternal Kingdom
1 “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. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book.
2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
3 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.
4 “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.”
The more we immerse ourselves [run to and fro] through the Scriptures, the greater knowledge we have of the last days and the better we can understand the Signs of the Times!
God doesn’t want us to be in the dark nor these days to be a secret, He wants us to know and be prepared for them!
1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.
2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.
3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.
4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.
5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.
Close;
The prophesies in the Book of Daniel concerning the end times were given and written over 2500 years ago. Today we can look at those prophesies and see how many have already been fulfilled and where we are today in the order of events before the coming of the Lord. According to the scriptures we are on the threshold of the Rapture of the Church of Jesus Christ!
Are you ready for His return?
Are you living and looking for His return?
