Well, please do have a seat.
We've reached the terminus on our journey through the book of Daniel.
This is week 10 of 10.
Normally, I'm quite sad when we get to the end of a book,
having got so familiar with it over the preceding weeks.
I won't be that disappointed to leave Daniel behind,
particularly these last four sermons.
These visions of beasts and farm animals and these enormous timelines and all these figures.
It would be quite nice to have a break from that for a little while.
Though I think we should be encouraged that if we journey through the end of Daniel,
which is some of the most difficult portions of scripture,
if we can journey through that and learn some truth and worship God through them,
then I think we can be greatly encouraged and confident that there's little else in the Bible that should daunt us
if we've got through these last four chapters, these last six chapters together.
And so I think we've learned three enormous truths that have undergirded this entire book.
The first one is this, that God is the boss.
We've been reminded again and again and again and again that God is sovereign.
The most high God is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.
Real comforting words with all that's going on in our world at these times.
The second big truth is what God has been reminding of as well through his word,
that God raises up and cuts down kingdoms according to his sovereign will.
With the ultimate purpose that in the end he will set up a kingdom that will be eternal and never shaken.
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 will itself endure forever.
That's where the world, all of history is heading.
And thirdly, I think what we've seen is that God's people have an important role to play in the unfolding eternal plan of God.
Whether serving or praying or trusting or persevering or standing firm
or proclaiming God's goodness to kings and kingdoms.
That Daniel is not just a pawn, but he is an active participant in God's unfolding plan.
So what's on the screen when Nebuchadnezzar throws Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego in the furnace?
He says our God can deliver us, but even if he doesn't, he's still worthy of our worship.
So let me pray and then we'll dive into chapter 12.
Father God, thank you for your word.
Thank you that it's true.
Thank you that it's living.
Thank you that it's active.
Thank you that it's enough.
Thank you that it's sufficient.
And Father, thank you that as we read Daniel chapter 12, it's full of hope.
It's full of glorious truth.
And may we leave clinging to it and loving you more because of it.
Father, thank you that it's your word.
So would you come and use it to do your work in our lives, we pray.
Amen.
As Natalie walked past the door of her son Simon's room,
she was alarmed to hear the sound of sobbing.
Simon had once again disobeyed lights out and was face down under his covers reading his book by torchlight.
Natalie crept into the room, sat on the bed and started to rub Simon's back.
After a minute or two, Simon crawled out from under the covers and looked with glistening eyes at his mum.
Gently, Natalie asked, why are you crying?
Simon pulled the book out from under his bed.
It was the lion, the witch and the wardrobe.
And Simon whimpered to his mum, it is just too sad.
It's all gone wrong.
Aslan is dead.
The white witch has won.
Her army is on the march and there is no sign of hope.
That's why I'm crying.
Natalie pulled Simon in for a hug, kissed his head and whispered,
It's okay.
I've read to the end.
We win.
Keep going.
Simon stared at his mum quizzically and she simply repeated the phrase,
It's okay.
I've read to the end.
We win.
Keep going.
As we conclude our studies in Daniel,
as we come to the big finale of Daniel chapter 12,
Natalie's advice to young Simon could equally be God's advice to Daniel.
Daniel, it's okay.
I've read to the end.
We win.
Keep going.
Daniel, near the end of his life,
after this series of outlandish and perplexing visions,
is given the advice that in the end,
it will be okay.
That God will win.
And that in the meantime,
he is to keep on going.
To keep on serving.
This chapter 12 comes on the back of Daniel chapter 11.
That enormous chapter that Johnny took us through so skillfully last week.
Where he showed us the unfolding history of the kings and the kingdoms that will come
after Darius, the present Persian king.
Three more Persian kings.
Then Alexander the Great.
After Alexander's untimely death,
the kingdom is divided into four.
Decades of conflict between Syria in the north
and Egypt in the south.
All played out in the glorious land,
the land of Palestine,
particularly destructive to God's people dwelling there.
Then finally arises the contemptible person
in chapter 11, verse 21.
Antiochus IV, or Antiochus Epiphanes,
who is a terrorizer of God's people in his attitude and actions.
Then in verse 36 of chapter 11,
Antiochus Epiphanes fades into the background
and into the foreground comes this Antiochus on steroids kind of character.
The epitome of Antichrist,
the full and final enemy of God and his people.
Though terrible and terrifying,
this character meets his end at the very end of chapter 11.
Yet he will come to his end
and no one will help him.
Chapter 12 then happens,
the first bit happens in the same vision.
It is a flyover of the same part of history.
See those first words,
at that time.
This time where the scourge of God's people
is at his zenith.
And in many ways,
chapter 12 answers the question,
so what?
We've seen all this stuff.
We've seen these kingdoms rise and fall.
We've seen these characters
arise and terrorize God's people.
So what are we supposed to do about it?
And chapter 12, in many ways,
answers that.
The detail is difficult,
but I think the instruction is quite simple.
Well,
that God tells Daniel to do two things.
He tells him to hold God's word,
hold to God's word,
and he tells him to walk in God's way.
Hold to God's word,
walk in God's way.
What am I supposed to do
if all this is going to happen?
All these huge characters
are going to arise.
And I feel like a tiny little canoe
on a raging torrent of the sea.
What am I supposed to do?
And God says,
hold to my word,
walk in my way.
So let's get into this.
And firstly, we see,
hold God's word.
See, verse 1b,
that is this character,
this ultimate expression
of what Antichrist is,
arises.
Verse 1b,
there will be a time of distress
such as not happened
from the beginning of nations until now.
This is unprecedented distress.
This is unparalleled distress.
This is more distressing
than being an England football fan
on Monday nights.
This is horrendous
in every way.
A time of unprecedented distress.
See though,
it's also a time of God's people
being defended.
At that time,
Michael,
this angelic figure,
who in the book of Daniel
seems to have a special place
in defending God's people.
At that time,
Michael,
the great prince
who protects your people,
will arise.
As the Antichrist
arises
to rain down terror
on God's people
at the same time,
Michael arises
to protect.
Distressed,
but defended.
God's people
are helped
in distressing times.
How different it is
from the end of
Antichrist
we see in 45b,
yet he will come to his end
and no one
will help him.
God's people
defended
in distressing
times.
See as well,
defended,
distressed,
but also
delivered.
Defended,
distressed,
but also
delivered.
The end of verse 1.
But at that time,
your people,
everyone whose name
is found
written in the book
will be delivered,
will be saved.
A time of distress,
a time of defense,
but a time of
ultimate deliverance.
A time that God says
you'll be saved
ultimately.
Distress will not run
forever,
but there will be
a decisive action
from God
that he will
deliver his people.
He will deliver
the people
whose names
are written
in the book,
in the roll call
of heaven,
in the senses
of God's people.
Those people
will be delivered.
This is
God's word.
It is sure
and it is
certain.
And it is
holding to this
truth
that will get
God's people
through this time
of distress.
This isn't
God offering
up a plot line
as a screenwriter.
This is
God laying
down indelibly
exactly what
will happen.
So that when
unprecedented
distress comes,
to know
that as God's
people we're
those that are
defended and
those that will
ultimately be
delivered.
That is what
will fuel
our perseverance.
That is what
will get us
through.
In distressing
times,
knowing that
we're defended,
and knowing
that we'll
ultimately be
delivered.
And so
holding to
God's word,
that's what
he's saying.
Believe these
things.
It's going to
get rough.
but I'm on
your side and
in the end
you'll be
delivered.
I think that's
what's exactly
meant by verse
four.
But you,
Daniel,
roll up and
seal the
words.
These are
full words.
There's nothing
to be added
to that.
Until the
roll up and
seal the words
of the scroll
until the time
of the end.
This is exactly
what will happen.
So you can
put a line
under it,
it is definite
and it'll all
come to pass
in the end.
Many will
come and go,
there'll be a
thorough investigation
of these things
and there'll be an
increase in
knowledge.
As time
progresses and
these things get
closer,
these words that
I've given you
will be seen
to be true.
these words
are God's
words.
And they're
to be held
onto and
clung to in
difficult times.
That it doesn't
matter how
difficult it
gets to
know that
we're defended
and in the
end,
if we're God's
people,
we'll be
delivered.
But see the
middle section
in verses
two and
three,
where we
peer over
the edge
beyond the
end.
they speak
of an
eternal,
a universal
resurrection
and an
eternal
division.
Verse two,
multitudes who
sleep in the
dust of the
earth will
awake,
some to
everlasting
life,
others to
shame and
everlasting
contempt.
Everyone
will be
raised.
Everyone who
dies and
sleeps in
the dust
will be
raised to
life again.
we know
a bit more
of the
story and
we'll be
raised to
life to
stand before
the Lord
Jesus,
to be
judged.
It's a
complete reversal
of Genesis
two.
From dust
you were
made and
from dust
you were
to return,
but at
the end
of time
you'll be
raised from
the dust
again.
And as
everyone is
raised,
so everyone
will be
judged and
there will
be an
eternal
division.
Some to
everlasting
life,
others to
shame and
everlasting
contempt.
Everyone will
stand before
Jesus and
will be
judged.
We won't
be judged
on what
we've
achieved,
what we've
made of
our lives
will be
judged on
what we've
received.
Whether we've
trusted that
Jesus is
a glorious
saviour who
came into
the world
so that on
that judgment
day he
might stand
in our
defence and
the judge
will also
be our
saviour and
our lord and
our king.
This division
is picked up
in three of
Jesus' parables
in Matthew
25 where we
get the
bridesmaids.
Some are
wise, some
are foolish and
there's a
division.
Some are
welcomed in
and some are
left out in
the cold.
There's the
faithful and
diligent servants
who are given
the talents and
invest it well
and there's
the lazy
foolish servants
and the
diligent servants
are welcomed
into their
father's rest
and the
foolish servant
is thrown out
into outer
darkness where
there is
weeping and
gnashing of
teeth.
The end of
Matthew 25 is
the sheep and
the goats.
The sheep
gathered by
Jesus, the
goats scattered
from Jesus.
That Daniel is
telling us where
the ultimate
end of the
beginning will
be.
Everyone will
be raised and
then there will
be an eternal
separation and
the dividing line
will ultimately
be what we have
done with the
Lord Jesus.
How we've
responded to
him.
Whether we've
trusted him as
our Lord and
saviour or
whether we've
rejected him and
said no I want
to be God.
I want to be
Lord of my
own life.
What we do
with Jesus will
ultimately determine
what he does
with us.
If we accept
him he will
accept us.
If we reject
him he will
reject us.
If we've
trusted him we're
forgiven of our
sin.
If we've
rejected him we
stand before him
in our sin and
judgment will be
ours.
Some to
everlasting life.
Those that have
trusted Jesus
others to shame
and everlasting
contempt.
So what are we
supposed to do
in light of
that?
It's coming to
an end.
This is where
it's going.
What do we do
in the present?
Well verse 3
tells us
those who are
wise, those who
know these things,
who have understood
these things, who
have trusted these
things, will shine
like the brightness
of the heavens.
And those who
lead many to
righteousness like
the stars forever
and ever.
Those who have
trusted this
word will live
differently in
this world.
They'll shine.
They won't go up
and down with
raising geopolitical
politics but they
will have a
steadfast confidence
that no matter how
difficult it gets,
in the end they'll
be delivered.
An eternal,
everlasting life will
be theirs.
And then notice
they not only
shine but they
share.
Those who
and those who
lead many to
righteousness,
those who share
this word with
others in order
that they might
have the same
confidence, the
same hope, the
same trust, will
shine like stars
forever and
ever.
Same language
that Paul picks
up in Philippians
2, that as we
work out our
salvation with
fear and
trembling, we
shine like the
stars of heaven
as we hold
fast to the
word of life.
It's exactly the
same thing we see
at the end of
1 Corinthians 15
where for 57
verses Paul has
gone on about
the truth of the
resurrection and
all that it means.
And at the end
he writes,
therefore my dear
brothers and
sisters, stand
firm.
Let nothing
move you.
always give
yourselves fully
to the work of
the Lord because
you know that
your labor in
the Lord is not
in vain.
What are God's
people to do in
the present in
light of the
future?
Hold to God's
word.
Live it out.
Trust in its
truth.
Live out its
commands and share
its message with
others.
It's okay.
I've read to the
end.
We win.
Keep going.
Truth.
Hold to God's
word.
That's what Daniel's
told to do.
That's what we're
told to do.
Then secondly we
get walk God's
way.
Verse 5 and 6
set up the
scenario.
This has all been
on the back of
chapter 10 and
11 where Daniel
has been in
conversation with
this man dressed
in linen hovering
over the water.
And now he's
joined by two
other figures one
on each side.
And one of the
new characters
asks a question
at the end of
verse 6.
How long will
it be before
these astonishing
things are
fulfilled?
It's a good
question.
If that's where
it's going how
long have we
got?
How much
sand is left
in the egg
timer?
How long
until the
time of grave
distress,
great deliverance,
universal
resurrection and
eternal division?
It's a really
good question.
And it
receives a very
cryptic and
confusing answer.
The man
clothed in
linen who was
above the
waters,
verse 7,
lifted his
right hand and
his left hand
towards heaven.
when you
make a solemn
oath in the
Old Testament
you raise one
hand.
This is a very
solemn oath.
Raising both
hands.
And he says
it will be for a
time, times and
half a time.
There has been
countless ink
spilt on what a
time and times and
half a time means.
But I'm quite
simple.
So I'll give you
an initial response
of what I think
it might mean.
A time, times
and half a
time.
How long will
it be?
Well it will be a
time so you're
going to have to
wait.
It's not going to
be now, it's going
to be in the
future and you're
going to have to
wait.
And it's going to
be times.
You're going to
have to wait a
lot.
You're going to
have to be very
patient.
That even when a
time is up,
there's still
times to come.
And then you're
going to have to
wait half a time.
And the reason is
half a time because
God will decisively
bring it to an
end.
You're going to
have to wait.
You're going to
have to wait a
lot.
Then you're going
to have to wait
some more but God
will decisively
intervene and bring
it to an end.
When the time is
up, when he says
the end has come,
that will be the
time.
According to
God's timescale,
all unfolding
according to
God's sovereign
will.
How long?
For a time,
times and
half a time.
A wait,
a long wait,
a little bit
more of a
wait and then
God will
decisively intervene.
I said I was
simple.
Calvin also came
up with that.
So I'll give him
a little bit of
credit as well.
And then Daniel
follows the question
in verse 8.
How long will
it be?
A time,
times and
half a time.
And then Daniel's
question.
My Lord,
what will be
the outcome?
What will the
outcome be?
The response
comes, look at it
in verse 9.
Go your way.
Look at the
beginning of verse
13.
Go your way.
Literally,
get on with your
life.
Get on with your
business.
Get on with
what you've
been doing
up until now.
Do what you've
been doing.
Continue in the
way of godliness
and perseverance.
Continue to
serve in
Darius'
court as a
diligent,
faith-filled
servant.
Be prayerful.
Be proclaiming
the excellence
of God.
Stand firm
and don't
be moved.
Be steadfast.
Be undefiled
and live set
apart for God.
And so we
come to the
end of Daniel
and we're
asking,
so what?
If all this
is going to
happen in the
future,
what must I
do now?
And the
answer is,
keep doing
what you're
doing.
Keep living
for the
Lord Jesus.
Keep trusting
the Lord
Jesus.
Keep praying.
Keep sharing.
Keep shining.
Go your way,
Daniel.
It's like the
end of John's
gospel where
Jesus talks to
Peter and tells
him how he's
going to die,
that you'll be
led where you
don't want to
go, you'll be
dressed.
And then he
looks at John
and he says,
but what about
him?
And what does
Jesus say?
You follow
me.
Follow me.
Daniel's saying,
well, if all
that's going to
happen, what
will the outcome
be?
And God
says, go
your way.
Because the
words are
rolled and
sealed until
the end of
time.
There's going
to be a
wait.
And waiting
time, verse
10, will be
testing time.
That is, as
time progresses,
some people
will use that
time well.
They will be
refined and
sanctified.
They will
pursue holiness.
They'll be
made spotless.
They'll shine
all the brighter.
But for
others, the
waiting time
will be testing
time and
they'll go
from bad to
worse.
The wicked
will continue
to be wicked.
But those
who are
wise will
understand.
There'll be
this division.
This division
at the end
will be seen
as time
progresses.
The wicked
will not
understand,
but the
wise will
continue to
understand.
Verse 11
was a lot of
reading this
week.
From the
time that
the daily
sacrifice is
abolished and
the abomination
that causes
desolation is
set up, there
will be
1,290
days.
Blessed is
the one
who waits
for and
reaches the
end of
the 1,335
days.
I think
the great
encouragement
we can take
from that
is that
distressing
times will
last 1,290
days.
But
there'll be
some of
God's people
who get to
the end
because 1,335
days is
longer than
1,290
days.
Times will
get tough.
But there'll
be some
who get to
the end
who will
be unmoved,
who won't
be capsized
because of
distress,
who will
see devastating
things and
continue to
hold God's
word and
walk God's
way.
They will
cross into
eternity at
the end
having stood
firm, even
though an
unparalleled
period of
disaster has
befallen them.
that Michael,
the great
prince who
protects God's
people will
protect some
to the
very, very
end.
And then
verse 13,
see how the
book finishes?
As for you,
Daniel,
go your way
till the end.
Keep living a
life for God
until the end.
You will
rest.
Daniel gets a
double RIP
as everyone
will get.
Then you
will rest in
peace.
Daniel,
you'll die.
But that's
not the end.
And then at
the end of
the days,
when all this
has come and
gone, you
will rise to
receive your
allotted
inheritance.
He will rest
in peace.
But then at
the end, like
everyone, will
rise in
power.
and he
will receive
his allotted
inheritance.
This idea of
allotted
inheritance is
a Joshua
word.
A word used
for when Joshua
was divvying up
the promised
land once God
has defeated
all their
enemies.
And now
Daniel is
told that he
will receive
the ultimate
expression of
that.
He will
receive his
ultimate
allotted
inheritance,
not in the
geographical
area of
the promised
land, but
he will
receive his
allotted
inheritance in
the kingdom
of God
forever and
ever, ultimately
won by Jesus.
Knowing that
this is ours,
because God
has said it,
gives us two
things to do
in the present,
to hold God's
word, to
cling to it no
matter what
happens and
know that it's
true, and to
walk God's way,
to continue
living a godly
life in the
present, knowing
all that is to
come in the
future.
You see, the
message of
Daniel 12 really
is this message.
It's okay.
I've read to
the end, we
win.
Keep on
going.
Keep on
going, holding
to God's
word, walking
in God's way,
until this all
comes to pass,
and we will
see God
ourselves and
receive an
allotted
inheritance from
him.
because of
the Lord
Jesus.
C.S.
Lewis finishes
the Narnia
Chronicles, and
on the last
page of the
last battle, he
writes these
words.
And as he
spoke, he no
longer looked to
them like a
lion, but the
things that began
to happen after
that were so
great and
beautiful that I
cannot write
them.
And for us,
this is the
end of all the
stories.
stories, and
we can most
truly say that
they all lived
happily ever
after.
But for them, it
was only the
beginning of the
real story.
All their life in
this world and all
their adventures in
Narnia had only
been the cover and
the title page.
Now at last, they
were beginning
chapter one of the
great story, which
no one on earth has
read, which goes on
forever, and in
which every chapter is
better than the
one before.
It's okay.
I've read to the
end.
We win.
Keep going.
Let me pray.