The End - There is Hope!
Daniel • Sermon • Submitted
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· 8 viewsTroubling times and a life of service in light of the troubles
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And other undefined things
And other undefined things
God does not have to explain everything to us does He? In this chapter before us tonight there are things that are left unanswered even to Daniel a man of prayer, a may of faith, a man of service, a man of vision, a man of hope. When we started this journey with book of say man of resolve, well that is how it is ends, with Daniel being comforted until his end, of what is to come at the end of age.
7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority;
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.”
The other thing we have seen all throughout the book of Daniel is that God has all authority, all rule, all reign and that He will always accomplish His will, including justice.
We have seen God set up and remove kingdoms
Dan1
2 The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his god.
31 So Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two.
That same night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain.
Dan 5:
God has brought
(Slide) We have seen visions
(Slide) Statute = kingdoms (Dan2)
(Slide) A Great tree = time of judgment (Dan4)
(Slide) Handwriting on the wall = judgment (Dan5)
(Slide) Four beasts = Kingdoms (Dan7)
(Slide) Ram and the Goat = Mead and Grecian kingdoms (Dan8)
(Slide) Vision of end of age (Dan10-12)
(Slide) So don’t worry if you don’t understand or know everythhoping pertaining to Daniel, we want to take away some major points.
(Slide) God is sovereignit is not for you to know
(Slide) God keeps His Word - including being just
(Slide) What we should be, do now
While this last chapter can be viewed in a few different ways, some think prophetic for some unknown date in future (which i’m against) some think it is fulfilled at time of the restoration of temple worship; while others think it is when the Messiah comes and the Jewish age ends and the destruction of the city in AD70.
I believe there is much we can learn from this passage with the understanding that God does not have to explain everything out to us.
Hope of Glory
Hope of Glory
Have everyone open to Dan12; then read (vv.1-4)
For Christians today our hope is found in Christ Jesus
Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;
As Peter spoke of our hope, Daniel too had hope, hope given by angel Michael (whose name means “who is like God”) - on the heals of the terrifying vision that started back in chapter 10 and just ended with the death of Antiochus Epiphanies IV.
Michael stood over to protect the people of God (v.1) in times of distress- see Messiah was still to come. the end of the age was not yet. God knows every name written in the book of life, knows who is of faith.
(v.2) speaks of resurrection, see that was not anything new, there were several in the O.T. that spoke of resurrection.
(Slide) Abraham of Isaac - Gen22
Job - Job19:25-27
, ; all speak of a resurrected body.
(Slide) We have our hope in a final resurrection as laid out in 1Cor15 and 1The4:13ff
(Slide) But was there not other resurrections? Lazarus? how about the saints Jesus resurrected before his ascension, those who were in paradise?
Look at the assurance given to the faithful, to the remnant, to those of Daniels day, to those who persevere through the days of Antiochus, to those who persevere through AD70 and those saints today.
3 “Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
They would be in the kingdom, the kingdom spoken of in
27 ‘Then the sovereignty, the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him.’
The kingdom with the eternal king seen in
13 “I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. 14 “And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.
But Daniel was told to seal up the vision
4 “But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase.”
It was not time for him to know or the people to know. Oh inquiring minds, including Daniel and even the angels (v.8, 5-6).
What differs in Daniel than in Revelation, is Daniel was for the future “end of times” and Revelation was to remain unsealed.
10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.
So what is Daniel to do/ He does not know exactly what to do with this information, he has questions, he has concerns, remember he was just terrified by vision before now this. So now what?
Unanswered Questions
Unanswered Questions
(Slide) Daniel set an example for the servants of God that we can learn from
(Slide) He was resolved to prayer
(Slide) He was resolved to study of God’s Word
(Slide) He was resolved to serve God
(Slide) He was resolved to bring God glory
The Lord had always guided him, protected him and used him, as Daniel was resolved and faithful in his day we should be in our day, even when there are unanswered questions.
Micheal the protector (v.1) now has two more heavenly visitors (v.5) -
5 Then I, Daniel, looked and behold, two others were standing, one on this bank of the river and the other on that bank of the river.
Then comes the question between the heavenly visitors, one we can draw a conclusion on who it is. (v.6)
6 And one said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long will it be until the end of these wonders?”
The One above the waters, He is dressed in linen and swears by the one who lives Eternal (v.7)
7 I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed.
Is it a pre-incarnate Christ, it is another appearance like Melchizedek? We don’t know for sure, but we can draw a conclusion that it is
What do we do learn is a time until the end - time, times and half a time and what happens at the end, the shattering the power of the Holy people.
Is this speaking to Daniel about the vision of Antiochus and his reign?
Is this speaking of the time of Christ ministry when he rose from the dead and shatter the power of the holy people?
Is this speaking of times of persecution just prior to AD70?
I DON”T KNOW FOR SURE - What we do know is Daniels thoughts on this
8 As for me, I heard but could not understand; so I said, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these events?”
(Slide) Daniel knew that the Lord was always going to protect His Holy People, but now he hears the shattering of them so Daniel has more questions.
(Slide) Food for thought: The Book of Daniel deals with nation of Israel -One of the keys to understanding Daniel is knowing God is talking about the nation of Israel and fulfillment of God’s breaking, of God’s justice, of God’s way for all men to come to Him is through Israel and God used other nations even to purify and prepare Israel for what was to come, the Messiah and AD70
9 “For behold, I am commanding, And I will shake the house of Israel among all nations As grain is shaken in a sieve, But not a kernel will fall to the ground. 10 “All the sinners of My people will die by the sword, Those who say, ‘The calamity will not overtake or confront us.’ 11 “In that day I will raise up the fallen booth of David, And wall up its breaches; I will also raise up its ruins And rebuild it as in the days of old; 12 That they may possess the remnant of Edom And all the nations who are called by My name,” Declares the Lord who does this.
Daniel is told not to fret - well not in so many words; he again is also told to seal it up!
Dan 12:9
9 He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time. 10 “Many will be purged, purified and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand.
Many are going to suffer, the righteous and the unrighteous, but the righteous, some will die, some will be purified and refined and their faith made even stronger, but the wicked will continue in their ways. The righteous will grow stronger in spite of the trying times.
Is the fulfilling days of Antiochus, in AD70, when? Daniel wanted to know but was told to go your way.
Then comes another of those undefined timelines in vv.11-12
11 “From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. 12 “How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1,335 days!
Now these dates could refer back to Antiochus and the abomination of desolation then (Specific dates); it could be a general numeric time that Daniel understood so as to bring him comfort, of what is going to happen in AD70.
What Daniel can take away from this is the Lord along changes the times and the seasons
21 “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.
Though there maybe, will be suffering
10 ‘Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
It is only for a time, and for those who persevere a crown of life awaits.
Then Daniel given his final words
13 “But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will enter into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age.”
(Slide) Daniel would pass away, 85 years old or more
(Slide) Daniel believed in a sovereign God
(Slide) He had a disciplined prayer life
(Slide) He studied God’s word
(Slide) He had understanding of spiritual warfare
(Slide) He sought to glorify God
(Slide) He knew he had work to do for the kingdom
(Slide) He was tactful and considerate
(Slide) He lived up to his name Daniel “God is my judge”
(Slide) What kind of people are we going to be today? Are we going to be kingdom people, living for the kingdom today with the hope and promise of the heavenly kingdom in the future?
So as we go our way to the end, rest assured if you are in Christ Jesus of your heavenly home and live now.
(Slide) Be a Daniel
Be resolved to be different now, live different now and serve God being a light to others. - Lead to invitation from here