Daniel: Almost Home

And it's a very exciting end, an encouraging end.

So we're going to look at that this morning, but before we do,

Nick is going to come and read for us Daniel chapter 12. Thanks, Nick.

Daniel 12 · chapter mention

Daniel chapter 12, and this is on page 898 of the Red Church Bible.

Daniel 12 · chapter mention

You have that.

At that time, Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arrive.

There will be a time of distress, such as not happened from the beginning of nations until then.

But at that time, your people, everyone whose name is found written in the book, will be delivered.

Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake.

Some to everlasting life.

Others to shame and everlasting contempt.

Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens.

And those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars, forever and ever.

But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end.

Many will go here, and there will be no increased knowledge.

Then I, Daniel, looked, and there before me stood two others, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank.

One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river,

how long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?

The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward the heaven.

And I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying,

It will be for a time, times, and time and a half.

When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed.

I heard, but I did not understand.

So I asked,

My Lord, what will the outcome of all this be?

He replied,

Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end.

Many will be purified, made spotless and refined,

but the wicked will continue to be wicked.

None of the wicked will understand,

but those who are wise will understand.

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.

As for you,

go your way till the end.

You will rest,

and then, at the end of the days,

you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.

Thanks very much, Nick.

Well, verse 8 is always encouraging, isn't it?

I heard, but I didn't understand.

If Daniel didn't understand,

then I don't think perhaps we understand either.

So maybe we need to ask for God's help of the Holy Spirit to help us understand.

Let's pray together.

Our Father God,

we do come to your word as people who struggle at times to understand everything that you say.

It's hard to work out,

and it's hard for us to see how it applies to our life.

So we come and ask that by the power of your Holy Spirit,

you would give us not just an understanding with our minds,

but that by your Spirit you would open up our hearts,

that we might see you and understand clearly what you are saying to us,

that it may change us and transform us,

and help us to be a people who look forward in great hope

and great anticipation.

So please help us through this morning, we pray in Jesus' name.

Amen.

The car is packed.

The children are sitting comfortably.

Mom has a supply of snacks and drinks,

but only five minutes down the road,

there is a little cry from the back.

Are we there yet?

Ever heard that before?

Maybe you've said it.

There's this longing and a hoping for the journey to be over.

They just want to be home.

How long is it going to go on for?

How long must we wait?

Now that's the cry of every Christian who lives in this world.

Look at verse 6.

One of them, this is one of the people he sees in the vision,

said to the man clothed in linen,

who is above the waters of the river,

how long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?

You remember back in chapter 11,

Daniel has just been given a terrifying and frightening vision of the future.

There he was told instead of things getting better,

things are going to get a whole lot worse.

Chapter 11 was there to prepare God's people

that they are going to face terrible persecution and opposition.

And so the cry goes up to God.

End of verse 6.

How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?

How long must we wait until all the struggles and all the hardships are over?

Now isn't that the cry of your heart as well?

You perhaps go to college.

You face the loneliness of being the only Christian in your class.

You head out to work on a Monday morning.

You face the rejection of colleagues because of what you believe.

You read stories of Christians around the world who are beaten, imprisoned and die for their faith.

Like the two pastors in Bangladesh who were attacked and imprisoned

because they had a baptism at their church.

Or the six families and their young children from Laos

who were kicked out of their homes and their village

with nowhere to go simply because they became followers of Jesus.

Could you imagine being kicked out of Karigaline and out of your house

because you follow Jesus?

Or the two women who were beheaded in Somalia

and their two girls age 8 and 15 being forced to watch.

And you cry out in the midst of all of this suffering

how long must we wait?

How long till all the pain is over?

How long till all the suffering ends for God's people?

Well in Daniel chapter 12 we have three answers to that question.

Daniel 12 · chapter mention

How long till it's all over?

Here's the first answer.

The first answer is this.

Suffering now.

Salvation later.

God's people are to expect suffering through this life

but are assured of salvation to come.

Look at verse 1 of chapter 12.

At that time Michael the great prince who protects your people will arise.

There will be a time of distress

such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then.

He's reminding us that there's going to be an intense time of distress.

This distress is opposition and persecution.

And it's real.

And it's happening to many believers today across the world.

And what is the experience of many people across the world today

is going to happen to all believers at one stage.

If you think that is what is happening now is bad

he says it's actually only going to get worse.

A time is coming he says.

We don't know when it is.

But in the future there will be severe and widespread hostility.

Look at that little phrase in verse 1.

As has not happened from the beginning of nations until then.

Yes it's bad now.

But it will get worse.

And if you are a Christian

the promise of God today is suffering now.

It's not going to be easy to be a Christian.

But we must take comfort and encouragement.

Because in the midst of all of this

God promises salvation.

Look at the rest of verse 1.

But at that time

in this time of distress

your people

everyone

whose name is found written in the book

will be delivered.

So we're told here there's a book

and this book

is God's citizen list.

It records all the names

of all those who belong

to God's eternal kingdom.

All those people

throughout history

like Daniel

who loved and trusted God

have their names written

in permanent ink

never to be erased.

And it's in this book.

So if you today

are a follower of Jesus

your name is written

in that book too.

And you are guaranteed

and assured

that God will

deliver you

and save you.

But when is all that

going to happen?

Well look at verse 2.

Multitudes who sleep

in the dust of the earth

will awake

some to everlasting life

others to shame

and everlasting contempt.

It's reminding us

that just as everybody

who has lived in history

has died

so one day

you and I

are going to die.

And over the course of time

when we die

our physical bodies

will decompose

and they will eventually

turn to dust.

That's what it says here.

But look how that

dust time

is actually described

in verse 2.

He says

multitudes

will sleep

in the dust.

It's as if

when we die

we're actually

just all asleep.

Like when you go

to bed tonight

and you fall asleep

that's what it will be like.

It's like

we're just asleep

because one day

look at what it says

in verse 2

they will awake.

One day

God is going to come

and wake us

all up

and those

whose names

are in the book

will live forever

as citizens

of God's kingdom.

You will be

woken up

and you will live

as citizens

of God's

eternal kingdom.

But please

note the rest

of verse 2

because not

everybody

is going to

enjoy this

rising up to

everlasting life.

Look at the rest

of verse 2.

Some

will be woken up

to everlasting life

others

to shame

and everlasting

contempt.

That is

all those

who've stood

opposed to God

all people

who have rejected

God

and ignored him

and pushed him

out of their lives

all those

who've persecuted

and opposed

God's people

will be shut

out of God's

kingdom

forever.

Everlasting

contempt.

It's what the

Bible calls

hell.

Their names

will not be

in the book.

But for those

who trust

God

their names

are there

and they can

look forward

to everlasting

life.

Now

if you're a

Christian

facing

hostility

today

if you

lived in a

country

where losing

your life

because you

followed Jesus

is a reality

then you

need to know

that however

you die

or whatever

situation

you may come

up against

you need to

know that

one day

you will be

woken up

your name

will be called

from the book

and you will

rise to

everlasting

life.

But all of us

need to know

that

whichever country

we live in

that one day

we will be

woken up

as it were

our names

called from

the book

and we

will rise

to

everlasting

life.

God

will not

forget

his people

who follow

him

and who

trust him.

Yes we may

go through

all kinds

of hardships

and struggles

but one day

look at

verse 3

those who

are wise

or those

who impart

wisdom

will shine

like the

brightness

of the heavens

and those

who lead

many to

righteousness

like the

stars

forever

and forever.

This is a

wonderful picture

of what it

will be like

for God's

people in

the future.

Have you

ever looked

up at the

dark sky

at night

on a

clear night

where there's

no clouds

and all you

can see

are hundreds

and thousands

of stars

shining brightly?

Each one

is so

brilliant

and magnificent

and their

brightness

is never

fading

even when

there are

clouds

there

even

when the

sun

comes

out

they're

still

there

they're

still

lighting

it never

fades

away.

Well that

says God

is what

my people

are like.

Yes they

may die

for their

faith

yes they

may struggle

in hard

times and

difficult

times

but I

will ensure

that they

will shine

on forever

and ever

like the

stars

in the

sky.

But perhaps

you're

thinking

well I

don't live

in a

country

where people

face all

kinds of

opposition

and persecution

and if

ever I

did live

in a

country

like that

I don't

think

that I

would be

able to

keep going

as a

Christian.

Like imagine

if you or

I today

lived in a

country like

Iraq

or Sudan

or Pakistan

where it

would be

illegal for

us to

meet as

we're

meeting

today.

Where if

you had

a Bible

in your

possession

or whether

your family

knew that

you were a

follower of

Jesus

and you

knew that

you could

lose your

job

or worse

how would

you stand

in that

situation?

Could you

do it?

Well I

don't think

I would

be loyal

or faithful.

I don't

think I

could stand

up to

that

pressure.

And I

think the

truth is

there's

none of

us who

would be

able to

stand up

to that

unless

God

enabled

us and

gave us

strength.

Go back

to verse

1.

I wasn't

missing it

out but

this is

just where

it comes

helpfully.

Chapter

12 verse

1.

At that

time,

so in

this time

of distress

and difficulty,

Michael,

the great

prince who

protects your

people will

arise.

Michael,

you remember,

from chapter

10, was a

chief angel.

His role

here we're

told is to

protect and

watch over

God's people.

We can't

see him,

we can't

hear him,

he doesn't

talk to us

or communicate

to us,

but God

assures us

that his

angels will

be there

keeping us,

strengthening

us and

protecting us

in the

faith.

You see,

whenever we

face hostility,

whenever we

face struggles

as Christians,

God is

saying,

I have my

angels who

are there

fighting for

you so

that you

will stand

strong in

your faith.

So no

matter what

you come up

against,

you will

be faithful

and loyal

even in

death.

Daniel had

been promised

that there

would be

terrible things

to come,

but God

says there

will be

eternal

salvation and

until that

time,

my angels

will be there

for you,

to strengthen

you and

protect you

in your

faith.

Even if you

should lose

your life,

your faith

will still

be real.

And you

are guaranteed

that salvation

is to

come.

So that's

the first

answer.

There will

be suffering

now,

but salvation

later.

The second

answer to

the how

long is

this.

Faithfulness

now,

fulfillment

later.

God's

people are

called to

be faithful

now,

but be

assured,

the end

will

come.

Look at

verse 6.

One of

them,

this is

one of

the angels

who came

to him

in the

vision,

said to

the man

clothed

in linen,

now I

know this

may be a

little bit

hard to

get around,

but the

man clothed

in linen,

we met

him back

in chapter

10.

He was

one who

came from

God.

They're

having a

conversation

with each

other,

and this

is what

they ask.

How long

will it

be before

these

astonishing

things are

fulfilled?

How long

till all

this suffering

and all

this trouble

for God's

people is

over?

How long

do we

have to

wait?

The answer

comes at

the end

of verse

7.

He tells

us there,

it will

be for

a time,

times,

and half

a time.

Now we're

going to

come back

to that

in a

minute.

It will

be for

a time,

times,

and half

a time.

When the

power of

the holy

people has

been finally

broken,

all these

things will

be completed.

Now I

don't want

to be

sensational

here,

but I

do want

us to

take

seriously

what the

Bible is

saying to

us,

what God

is saying

to us.

He tells

us a

time is

coming,

verse 7,

when,

look at

that phrase,

when the

power of

the holy

people has

been finally

broken.

That's

scary,

because it's

telling us

that hostility

towards God's

people will

become so

great that

it will

appear that

the church,

God's people,

have been

finally defeated

and destroyed.

Now,

we might

find ourselves

hard to get

our minds

around that,

but you

think of

some of

the

countries

today

where

every

Christian

is

shut

away,

where

it's

illegal

to

meet

together,

we've

got a

little

taste

or an

insight

as to

what

that

day

will

be

like.

It'll

be like

that

for

every

Christian

in

Ireland,

America,

wouldn't

matter

where

you

lived.

this is

what the

future

will be

like.

This is

what God's

people are

to be

prepared

for.

Maybe

not for

you,

but maybe

for your

children.

If not

your

children,

maybe

their

grandchildren.

It will

happen.

So,

what are

we to

do?

Be

faithful.

Be

faithful.

Go back

to verse

three again.

it says

there,

those who

are wise

or those

who impart

wisdom

will shine

like the

brightness

of the

heavens

and those

who lead

many to

righteousness

like the

stars

forever

and ever.

He's

telling there

that God's

people are

to remain

faithful.

They are

to be

those who

prepare

others

for what

is to

come.

They're

to impart

wisdom.

them.

They're

to lead

them in

the way

of

righteousness.

They are

to get

alongside

those who

are

struggling

in the

faith

and to

encourage

them to

keep on

going and

not to

give up.

Yes,

they're

suffering

now.

Yes,

it will

be hard,

but eternal

salvation

will follow.

Don't

give up.

Keep

going.

God's

love.

Now,

of course,

we don't

need to

live in

a hostile

country to

need this

kind of

support.

I need

that support.

You need

that support.

We need

encouragement

to be

faithful to

God.

We face

pressures of

life.

We have

our own

sinfulness

to deal

with.

The

temptations

that the

enemy

brings

can cause

us to

wander

and to

drift away

from

God.

All

kinds of

difficulties

we face

and we

wander

away.

That's

why we

need

each

other.

That's

why we

meet

together

on a

Sunday.

That's

why we

meet

on a

Wednesday

to

encourage

each

other

and

strengthen

each

other

in

the

faith,

to

impart

wisdom,

to lead

each

other

in

righteousness,

to read

the Bible

with them,

to pray

for each

other,

to say

be

faithful,

keep

on

going.

But we

know that

this will

not go

on

forever.

It will

not be

like this

forever.

Look at

verse 7

again.

He says

this is

going to

be,

or it

will

last,

for a

time,

times,

and half

a time.

So if you

got your

calculators out,

are you ready?

How long

is a

time,

times,

half a

time?

Here's the

answer.

It's a

time,

times,

and half

a time.

time.

In other

words,

we don't

know how

long this

time is,

but we

do know

that the

troubles that

we will

face will

only last

for a

limited

time.

It's

specific.

Look at

the end

of verse

7.

It will

be for

a time

when all

these things

will be

completed

or fulfilled.

We might

not know

how long

we have

to wait,

but God

knows the

number of

days.

The

distress

God's

people will

have to

face is

restricted.

It will

not go

on forever.

It will

come to

an end.

It will

be completed.

It will

be fulfilled.

When I

was a

teenager,

I did a

sponsored

walk from

Waterford to

Dublin.

It took

me three

days,

and the

closer I

got to

my

destination,

the

harder

it got.

I

longed

for the

finish.

In my

mind,

it was

just never

going to

end.

It didn't

matter how

far I

walked.

I

didn't

seem I

got

anywhere

closer.

My

support

team,

which

consisted

of my

sister,

cycled

alongside,

drove

alongside.

Yes,

you were

there as

well,

mother,

but that

was at

the

very

beginning,

not at

the

end.

Don't

worry.

Keep

on going,

she said.

It's not

much

further.

You're

almost

there.

Keep

on going.

And if

it weren't

for the

support,

you'd

stop.

But there

was an

end,

and it

did finish.

And that's

what I

want us to

grasp,

that in the

Christian life,

we will face

all kinds of

obstacles and

struggles,

and we need to

get alongside

each other,

to encourage

each other,

and say,

keep on

going.

we mightn't

see an

end to

it.

We mightn't

think that

it's going

to finish,

but here

he's telling

us it

will last

for a

specific

time,

and all

these things

will be

fulfilled and

completed.

It will

come to

an end.

So be

faithful now.

Support and

encourage each

other in

your walk

with God.

That's the

second answer.

The third

answer is

this.

Refined

now,

resurrection

later.

God's

people,

as we

wait for

that time

at the

end,

we are

going to

go through

a time

of refining,

but

resurrection

awaits.

Look at

verse 8.

I heard,

but I

did not

understand.

So I

asked,

my Lord,

what will

the outcome

of all

this be?

What's it

going to

be like

as we're

waiting for

the end?

What can

I expect?

What's

going to

go on?

Well,

the answer

comes in

verse 10.

He says,

many will

be purified,

many made

spotless,

many refined,

but the

wicked will

continue to

be wicked.

So God

is very

clear,

isn't he?

He's not

going to

remove

wickedness.

He's not

going to

remove

suffering,

but he's

going to

use it

for our

good.

He's not

going to

remove it,

but he will

use it for

our good.

Just as a

metal worker

uses fire

to refine

and strengthen

steel,

so God

uses the

fire of

suffering

to refine

us and

strengthen

us in

our faith.

The

apostle

Peter said

something

similar.

It's

quoted

there.

Peter,

you remember,

wrote to

scattered

Christians

at the

time of

Nero,

the Roman

Empire,

who

persecuted,

crucified

Christians,

did all

kinds

of

terrible

people.

He

was

out.

What I will remember, the attainedруш dislikes, is not sort of an invitation before setting a