The End of the World

Posted: October 22, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: Cross, Disappointment, Eternal Life, God, God's People, Heaven, Jesus, Refining, Resurrection, Righteousness, Sermons, The End Times, The Second Coming of Christ, The Word of God, world | Leave a comment

When you think about something coming to an end, what excites you the most? Probably many of us can recall the excitement of when school ended for the summer. You would have the elation of knowing that the year with all its assignments and tests were done. Now it was time to play and have fun. Think about that elation. Now imagine that super-charged by 1 million times. That is what is going to be like when the end of the world comes at least for some of us. There are some at the end of the school year who feel dread and regret because they didn’t do all they could and report cards are coming. Which will you be – excited or regretful at the end of the world? What will your report card be on your life?

Today is a spiritual progress mid-term report. It is a time while you and I are still alive to hear from God on how you are doing.[1]  I am not going to give you a grade because that is between you and God. You get to mark this test yourself and let God give you a grade. The Bible says to “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith” (2 Corinthians 13:5). Turn in your Bible to Daniel 12 as we finish up this series. We might not be in the Book of Daniel in the foreseeable future, but hopefully the Book of Daniel is in us and will remain in us. Recall the theme for Daniel that we would be Bold in Babylon (this hostile world): Despite what we see around us, God is still in control!  “In spite of the present situation, God is in control.”[1]

Chapter 1 was about choosing character over conformity when Daniel and his friends didn’t do what everybody else was doing that would dishonour God, even though they were young. Chapter 2 was having confidence over confusion when Daniel was the only one to interpret King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. Chapter 3 was having convictions over compromise when you are about to be sent into the fire. Chapter 4 was having consistency over complacency as demonstrated when the powerful King Nebuchadnezzar became proud. Chapter 5 was having contentment over corruption by recognizing the handwriting on the wall when God is speaking. Chapter 6 was having courage over cowardice even if it means being thrown into the lion’s den in your old age. Then chapters 7-8 we learned that God is sovereign over history because it is His story. Chapter 9 we were reminded to persevere in prayer. Chapter 10 we are thankful for strength from God’s Word. Last week, Dr. Wayne Baxter reminded us that because God is sovereign, He oversees and directs successions, power grabs and even persecutions. “Daniel 11 covered from the Persian period in the 6th Century B.C. to the time of Antiochus Epiphanes in the 2nd Century B.C.”[2] Now we are in Daniel 12, which describes partially what will happen at the end of the world. If you don’t have a Bible, please raise your hand and we will give one to you. Today we are going to learn some crucial understandings about the end of the world and this should serve to motivate us how to live now. Let’s read Daniel 12! Read Daniel 12! 

There are 4 crucial understandings we learn from Daniel 12. At the end of each crucial understanding, I want you to answer each question. Here are the 4 Crucial Understandings about the End of the World. Let’s start with the first crucial understanding: 1) Only God’s people will be rescued (v. 1). This is what we read in verse 1, “At that time.” Let me call a timeout. What time is being referred to? We should always read things in context. The time refers back to Daniel 11:45, “Yet he shall come to his end, with none to help him.” The “him” is the Antichrist that has been repeatedly referred to in Daniel (7:24-25; 8:23-25; 9:26-27; 10:40-45; c.f. Revelation 13) This Antichrist is both a person and spirit. There have been many Antichrist figures down through the centuries. He will be powerful and persuasive. He will use flattery to deceive many (11:34). “The Antichrist will practically have destroyed God’s people, when the Antichrist will himself be destroyed.”[3] We love it when it seems all is lost, but then a hero comes to the rescue! This is what we read as we continue in verse 1, “At that time, shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.” God sends His archangel Michael to help during tribulation as further described in Revelation 12:7-8, “Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.” The Apostle John goes on to describe the persecution but also the perseverance of the saints through the blood of Christ and their testimony. This is the time that is later described in Daniel 12:5-9 and 11. “When these 1335 days have expired, a complete blessing will come.”[4]

Back to Daniel 12:1, Bible scholar Wendy Widder explains, “Michael’s exact actions are not clear. He may be acting militarily on behalf of God’s people, or he may be executing judgment on their enemies. Regardless, his appearances in the text frame this extraordinary revelation – reminder that what it reveals goes beyond mere earthly events. It tells a cosmic story, a story that reaches its long-awaited climax with the deliverance and vindication of God’s people.”[5] What an encouragement to God’s people! Another Bible scholar Joyce Baldwin says, “Even though Michael is great, he does not prevent them from enduring suffering, rather he delivers them in the midst of it.”[6] “When this great prince sets himself to this God-given task, he finds success.”[7] One of the crucial understandings about the end of the world is that only God’s people will be rescued. “God’s people will finally be rescued from death, not just from human kings, fires, and lions. Everlasting life destroys death.”[8]

What happens to the rest of them? We find out in Revelation 20:11-15 as fulfillment of verse 4 and progressive revelation, “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.” In other words, Daniel had to close the book on this revelation until the knowledge was increased in Revelation 20:11-15, “11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.” What happens to those not rescued? Do they get to just carry on with their lives? No! The rest will perish (c.f. Matthew 25:46). They will spend an eternity without being in the manifest love of God.

So this leads us to the first question: a) Have you been rescued by Jesus Christ? God’s Son, Jesus, came to live a perfect life and to die for you so you can be rescued. Rescued from what? From what Pastor Jon Thompson calls the unholy trinity of the world, the flesh and the devil. You no longer have to live for the world’s acclamation. You no longer have to live for self. You no longer have to give into the deception of the devil. Has Jesus saved you and are you putting your total trust in Him? I must remind you that this is a zero sum game you are playing. It is all or nothing. Some think they will believe in Jesus at the end of their life. Do you actually know when the end will come for you? Risky, risky, risky! Have you been rescued by Jesus Christ? Only God’s people will be rescued.

That is the first crucial understanding. Here is the second: 2) Only God’s people will be resurrectedto everlasting life (v. 2).  Look at verse 2, “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake – some to everlasting life.” Let’s stop there. Everlasting life is both quantity and quality. The quantity is self-explanatory. The moment you trust in Jesus Christ, even though you will at some time physically die, you will live forever with Christ and God’s forever family. The quality is not about the length, but the depth. Jesus defined the depth of eternal life in prayer when He prayed in John 17:3 hours before He was crucified, “And this is eternal life, that they may know you the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” Eternal life is knowing God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Eternal life is about a relationship with God. “God will rescue His people and defeat every enemy – even death.”[9] And this is why “the resurrection makes present faithfulness worthwhile for the saints even if it costs them their lives.”[10]

But what about those who don’t have a relationship with God. Remember, only God’s people will be resurrected to everlasting life! Well, the rest will resurrected to shame and contempt. You see, we as human beings are created in the image of God – which cannot be destroyed, only marred. That marring happened when we human beings first rebelled in the Garden of Eden. The cost was death. We see that physically as a reminder of a greater death spiritually where we are separated from God. But we are created in His image and we aren’t just spirits. We will have bodies and this is why even those who rebel and don’t believe in Jesus Christ will be resurrected. However, they will experience shame and contempt for all eternity – this is called eternal death. The shame will be these words from King Jesus found in Matthew 25:41, “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” These words will haunt you for the rest of eternity. And I must speak plainly and boldly to you that if you reject these words that God is offering you salvation, you will regret and remember this day when the gospel was preached to you. You will experience shame and contempt. It is like what is described in Matthew 25:30, “And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” That weeping and gnashing of teeth is a good word picture of contempt. So, this begs the second question a) Will you be resurrected to everlasting life or to shame and contempt? My friends, I so want you to know Jesus and spend eternity with Him. That eternal life begins the moment you trust and follow Christ. Remember, only God’s people will be resurrected to everlasting life.

The first crucial understanding is that only God’s people will be rescued. The second crucial understanding is only God’s people will be resurrected to everlasting life. The third crucial understanding about the end of the world: 3) Only God’s people reflect His righteousness (v. 3) Look at verse 3, “And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” Have you ever met anybody who radiates the love of Christ? There is something powerful and attractive about these people. They shine! They are the servants that we tried to honour at the Gala on Thursday night. They are reflective of God’s love and glory. They don’t have a light in and of themselves. As others have said, “They are like the moon that bounces the sun’s light all over the earth.” “To shine is a familiar metaphor for life, purity, righteousness and glory.”[11] The book of Daniel has shown us some great lights – Daniel himself and his friends Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. “Daniel and his friends sought to introduce rulers to this righteous God (4:34; 6:26).”[12] What a reminder that we can witness God to our enemies – those who harm our families, rename us, re-educate us, and even oppress us. So shine God’s light to others!

But what about those who do not reflect God’s righteousness – the righteousness that God has put in them – who He has both declared and made righteous?  The rest will go dim! Their lives will be a flash in the pan. This begs Question # 3 – Do you reflect God’s righteousness? How do you reflect such righteousness? Well, the Bible repeatedly says that “the righteous will live by faith!” (Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; and Hebrews 10:38) Are you living by faith in the Son of God who died for you? Do you reflect God’s righteousness? It is because Jesus is in us through the Holy Spirit and we being in Jesus that we have this righteousness. It is not something we can obtain on our own.

So far we have discovered four crucial understandings about the end of the world – only God’s people will be rescued, resurrected to everlasting life, and reflect His righteousness. However, there is a fourth: 4) Only God’s people will be refined (v. 10) Verse 10 describes, “Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined.” This verse implies that we believers have some responsibility in the refining process (c.f. Philippians 2:12-13). We cannot be refined when we are rebelling against God. We are purified when we love and obey God and go through trials. Pastor Aaron Burke teaches, “We live life forward, but we understand it backward.”[13] Right now, you may not understand what God is doing as you look ahead, but someday you will look in the rear-view mirror and be full of praise. You will think, “God, thank you for making me miss that wreck of my life!” Or “Thank God for getting me out of the ditch.” Or “Thank you God for helping through that slick season where I was doubting and slipping all over the place.” God was refining you as you cooperated with Him. 

But what about those who are not being refined? Look at the second half of verse 10, “but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.” The rest of those not refined will be wicked and lack understanding. Question # 4 – Are you being refined by God or are you defined by wickedness?

My friends, the end of the world is coming. Those of us here today may be seeking answers when you see all the evil happening in the world with its wars. These crucial understandings and questions must be answered. Our own inner spiritual or religious attempts will not fix the problem. If you are new to faith or been in a relationship with Christ for some time, these understandings are still important. Work with God in refining you. For the skeptic, again this is not like betting on your favourite sports team one Sunday and winning the next. This is all or nothing for all eternity. Jesus wants us to go His way! That happens as we daily seal up God’s Word in our hearts. This means that God’s Word becomes locked down in your life. It is secure. You act upon it and never lose it. This why our ACTION POINT is: Seal the Word of God in your life! Lock God’s word in your heart and live it out until the end.

I conclude with this story: “The churches of the northeastern United States grew rapidly in the early 1800s, fueled by one revival after another. The new Christians had little theological education, yet many of them began to discuss details of biblical prophecy with great vigor. Speculation boiled over as to the exact day and year when Christ would return, and among the speculators was William Miller of New York. Miller, when newly converted, had torn into the prophecies of Daniel, concluding in 1918 that Christ would return in 1843 or 1844. When he later began preaching, this became a keynote of his messages and his listeners, finding him earnest, eloquent and sincere, multiplied. He finally announced that Christ would return to earth on October 22, 1944. The financial panic of 1839 contributed to the belief that the end of the world was approaching. Enthusiasm for Christ’s return became so great that prophetic charts were added alongside stock-market listings and current events in the newspapers. Miller’s teachings swept through New England, and large numbers espoused Millerism. As the morning of October 22, 1944 dawned, a sense of fear and foreboding fell over New England. People gathered on mountaintops and in churches. Normal activities ceased as everyone awaited the sudden rending of the skies and the end of the world. When the day passed uneventfully, many Christians grew disillusioned. The unsaved became cynical. The following years saw a decline in conversions, and the period of revivals came to an abrupt end. The event became known as ‘The Great Disappointment.’”[14] My friends, we are in such a time ripe for another disappointment living in the Babylon of today, but we are also in such a time to persevere with our eyes locked on Jesus and His word sealed up in our hearts because just like in the days of Daniel, the specific date wasn’t revealed, but the rescue, resurrection, righteousness and refining were revealed. Look to Jesus! He is the only One who will help you pass the test! 

[1] Tremper Longman, Daniel (The NIV Application Commentary) (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Academic, Kindle Edition, 1999), 296.

[2] Longman, 271.

[3] Edward J. Young, The Prophecy of Daniel (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1980), 260.

[4] Young, 263.

[5] Wendy L. Widder, The Story of God Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2016), 229.

[6] Joyce Baldwin, Daniel – An Introduction and Commentary (Leicester: InterVarsity Press, 1978), 203.

[7] H.C. Leupold, Exposition of Daniel (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1949), 528.

[8] Eugene E. Carpenter, The NLT Study Bible (Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, 2017),  1421.

[9] Carpenter, 1420.

[10] Iain Duguid, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton: Crossway, 2008), 1617.

[11] Carpenter, 1420.

[12] Baldwin, 206.

[13] Aaron Burke on Susie Larson Live podcast, https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/susie-larson-live/id545367760?i=1000630756887, October 9, 2023.

[14] Robert J. Morgan, “Disappointment,” On This Day (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1997), October 22.