Participants: James Rafferty & Ty Gibson
Series Code: DBOTB
Program Code: DBOTB000013B
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00:01 Hello friends welcome back to our study in the book of Daniel.
00:03 We are in Daniel 12 and we are 00:06 looking at verses 2 and 3. 00:08 We noted Ty, that as Daniel 00:10 comes out of vision the Chapter, 00:12 Chapter 12, the vision is not the accurate place where the end 00:17 of this vision occurs. 00:19 Daniel Chapter 12, verses 1, 2 and 3 are still 00:21 part of the vision. 00:23 Gabriel is still talking to Daniel. 00:25 He is telling him what is going to happen in verse 2 in 00:28 the end of time when the time of trouble begins. 00:31 He says, "many of them that sleep in the dust of the" 00:34 "Earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some" 00:37 "to shame and everlasting contempt. " 00:38 Now that is a strange place to be sleeping isn't it, Ty? 00:41 I sleep in a bed, I think you sleep in a bed. 00:44 What does it mean when the people are sleeping, does this 00:47 mean in this time lot of people choose to sleep outside? 00:50 What is a talking about? 00:51 Obviously the biblical reference to death in the Bible, 00:55 death is referred to repeatedly 00:57 as sleep. The Lord Jesus Christ 01:00 explains death as a sleep on a 01:02 a number of occasions. 01:04 These people are asleep in the dust of the earth, meaning 01:08 they are those who are resting in Christ in the grave and 01:12 this verse is prophesy of the resurrection of both the 01:17 righteous and the wicked. 01:18 We have those who are coming forth from sleep in the earth 01:23 to everlasting life, that is the resurrection of the 01:26 righteous, who are righteous in Christ. 01:28 Then we have those who arise to everlasting contempt 01:32 and shame, obviously this is a reference to the 01:36 resurrection of the lost, or the wicked. 01:38 So that is what Paul is talking about also in 01:41 1 Thessalonians Chapter 4, and verse 16. 01:44 Paul says, "for the Lord himself shall descend from" 01:47 "heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel," 01:51 "and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ," 01:54 or those who were sleeping in Christ, "shall rise first. " 01:57 "Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up" 02:00 "together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in" 02:02 the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. " 02:05 In fact, in the context of these two verses, verse 14 02:08 says, "for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again," 02:12 "even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God" 02:15 "bring with him. " 02:16 So here we have a beautiful promise, in Daniel 02:21 Chapter 12 verse 2 of the resurrection. 02:23 The voice of the Archangel, Jesus says at My voice, 02:26 He says they will resurrect John Chapter 5 verse 26. 02:29 There will be a resurrection, and it says there are two 02:32 classes of people here that will resurrect in that time. 02:35 Those who will be resurrected to everlasting life and others 02:41 will be resurrected to everlasting contempt. 02:43 Jesus actually quotes this verse almost word for word 02:47 in John 5 and verse 29. 02:50 Jesus speaks of "those who will come forth," from the 02:54 grave that is, "those have done good, to the resurrection" 02:58 "of life; and those that have done evil, unto the" 03:00 "resurrection of condemnation. " 03:02 So He is speaking of these two resurrections as well. 03:06 They are segregated, or divided because we have in Scripture a 03:11 a clear indication that at the second coming of Jesus Christ 03:15 the resurrection of the righteous will occur, but not 03:19 till a later time does the resurrection of the wicked occur 03:24 Okay this is awesome, what we have here friends is we 03:28 have Jesus encouraging us to know His voice. 03:31 We need to know Him in the end of time. 03:32 Even those who sleep in Christ will hear His voice. 03:34 Those who hear His voice will be resurrected, and it says 03:38 in verse 3, "and they that be wise," or those that shall 03:42 be teachers is what the word here means, "shall shine as" 03:45 "the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn" 03:49 " many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. " 03:53 Now I really like this phrase, you use like a parallel 03:57 as it were here. 03:58 Those who are teachers or those who are wise, those who are 04:00 teaching and are wise are those who turn many to righteousness. 04:05 Now in the Bible, righteousness is identified as Christ. 04:10 Christ, Jeremiah 23 says, "Christ is our righteousness. " 04:15 The Lord our righteousness! The Lord our righteousness. 04:20 In Romans, Paul says the righteousness of God is filled 04:24 up in the gospel of Jesus Christ, Romans Chapter 1:16, 17. 04:28 So what we have here, if you don't mind me taking liberty, 04:32 I would say that we could read this verse, and they that turn 04:35 many to Jesus will shine as the stars forever and ever. 04:41 In our world today there are Hollywood stars. 04:43 In our world today there are basketball stars, and sports 04:46 stars, rock stars, but this is a different kind of star. 04:50 This is the genuine, this is the star that will shine 04:53 for ever and ever and it is the star that turns people to Jesus 04:57 because in Jesus is where we find hope, it is where we find 05:00 help, it is where we find life, it is where we find forgiveness, 05:03 and this is where we find freedom from our guilt 05:05 Freedom from the stain of sin. 05:07 It is where we find joy and happiness. 05:09 Turning people to Jesus is one of the greatest 05:12 accomplishments, it is one of the greatest ministries, 05:15 and works that any of us can engage in. 05:18 Verse 3 gives us our marching orders James. 05:21 It tells us exactly what we need to be doing at 05:24 this tail end segment of human history, 05:26 right here at the end of time. 05:28 We need to be focusing our attention, our energies, 05:32 our talents, and our resources on the great task of 05:36 instructing many, drawing many, directing many to 05:39 righteousness, to the gospel of Jesus Christ. 05:43 This is how we need to be spending our 05:46 time and our energy. 05:47 I really appreciate that this vision Gabriel is giving to 05:51 Daniel ends with this verse, with verse 3. 05:53 It is as though the angel 05:55 is telling us, friends, that 05:57 all you have seen, even the 05:59 time of trouble such as never 06:00 was, all of it is significant. 06:02 It is prophetic history and is going to take place. 06:05 But I am going to close with one thought, and it is the 06:07 most important thought, don't forget this thought. 06:09 Those who turn many to Jesus will shine for ever and ever. 06:13 Isn't that significant? It's powerful! 06:15 Now from verse 3 back we have Gabriel speaking to Daniel 06:19 in vision, from verse 4 onward we have some closing 06:23 instruction if you will, and epilogue concerning the vision 06:26 there has been given to Daniel. 06:28 Daniel was really struggling, and we are going to 06:31 see and understand all this. 06:32 In fact there was an indication of that in the very 06:34 beginning of this vision in Daniel 10 verse 1, 06:38 because Daniel begins by saying, I was given a time appointed 06:43 "was long: and I understood the thing, and had" 06:46 "understanding of the vision. " 06:47 "In those days I Daniel was mourning 3 full weeks. " 06:49 So Daniel is say that I was given a vision and understood 06:52 it, it was long and goes back now and recounts the vision 06:54 and now we come to the end of it and what is Daniel told 06:57 in Daniel 12 verse 4? 06:59 Verse 4, is Gabriel continuing 07:01 to speak to Daniel but now he 07:04 is speaking to Daniel while 07:06 Daniel is not in vision. 07:08 Daniel awakes from his dream and he hears the angel 07:13 Gabriel say to him, "but thou Daniel, shut up the words," 07:16 "and seal the book, even to the time of the end:" 07:19 "many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. " 07:24 Now James, this Scripture tells us that there is 07:27 going to be an increase of knowledge specifically 07:30 at the end of time. 07:32 The immediate context makes it clear that the increase 07:35 of knowledge at the end of time, that is here foretold, 07:38 is an increase primarily of prophetic knowledge. 07:42 It's Daniel's book of prophecies that has been sealed up, 07:46 according to the angel Gabriel. 07:49 Having been sealed, Gabriel says but at the end of time 07:53 that book of prophecies is going to be unsealed. 07:58 It is going to be opened, 07:59 How is it going to be opened? 08:00 It is going to be open through a process of running to and fro, 08:05 this is a reference to the study of the Scriptures, 08:09 comparing Scripture with Scripture, line upon line, 08:13 precept upon precept, allowing Scripture to be it's own 08:17 interpreter, to unravel and define the symbols of the 08:21 prophecies of the book of Daniel. 08:23 As a result knowledge is increased. 08:26 What kind of knowledge? 08:27 Knowledge of end time prophecy! 08:31 Yes, knowledge of the very prophecies that were given to 08:32 Daniel, and not only their significance, but the 08:36 significance of the new covenant in context of that knowledge. 08:39 So we can see Ty, it is important for viewers to 08:41 recognize, that this verse, verse 4, is talking primarily of 08:46 the increase of knowledge of Scriptures and the spiritual 08:50 truths Daniel was sharing, or that was shared with Daniel. 08:54 In fact, in verse 8 Daniel says, of Chapter 12. 08:56 "And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my" 08:59 "Lord, what shall be the end of these things?" 09:01 So Daniel is still seeking to understand the placement 09:05 of some of these prophecies. 09:06 He is still seeking, still wrestling with, and grasping 09:09 with understanding of their full significance. 09:11 There is no way, the angel is basically telling him, 09:14 there is no way you can fully understand this because most of 09:16 these events, these end time events are not for your time. 09:19 They are beyond you. 09:20 But I think there is also a second application here Ty. 09:23 We can see the knowledge as it applies to the Bible, 09:26 but many running to and fro and knowledge being increased, 09:28 that has to got to imply to technology also. 09:31 When you look at the time of the end, when you look at the 09:34 last century or two you see us going from horse and buggy, 09:38 to horse and chariot, to space rockets and the 09:40 technology just going. 09:42 I can buy a computer today and it is outdated tomorrow. 09:45 We are looking at a time when technology has increased 09:48 where men run to and fro literally through this earth, 09:51 traveling across the globe in a matter of hours as 09:54 opposed to places it would have taken months to travel. 09:58 So certainly the increase, the inventions, the technology and 10:02 science is another striking illustration of the 10:06 time of the end. 10:07 James it is pretty evident historically that there is 10:11 a direct correlation between the increase of biblical 10:14 knowledge, scriptural knowledge, spiritual growth, and 10:17 technological scientific advancement in our world. 10:20 From the time that Gutenberg invented the printing press 10:23 and knowledge became readily available to the masses 10:27 through publications, we see an exponential growth 10:31 in every area of science and technological advance 10:35 all the way carrying to our very time. 10:38 Absolutely, and so Daniel here is told that there is going 10:42 to be a specific sign that is going to indicate when his 10:45 prophecy are going to be better understood. 10:47 It is the time of the end. 10:49 So Daniel and verse 5, he looks, he sees one standing on one 10:54 side of the bank of the river, someone standing on the 10:58 other side, "one says to the man clothed in linen," verse 6. 11:02 The man clothed in linen friends, is that same being 11:05 Jesus Christ in His glorified state, that Daniel saw at 11:08 the beginning of his vision. 11:09 The question is asked, How long shall be these wonders? 11:12 The answers given by "the man clothed in linen, which was" 11:15 "upon the waters of the river," verse 7, "when he held" 11:18 "up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven," 11:19 "and will swear by him that lived with for ever that it" 11:23 "shall be for a time, times, and a half; and when he" 11:26 "shall have accomplished to scattered the power of the" 11:28 "holy people, all these things shall be finished. " 11:31 "And I heard, but it understood not: then said I, O my" 11:36 "Lord what shall be the end of these things?" 11:38 Verse 9, "And he said, Go thy way, Daniel; for the words" 11:42 "are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. " 11:47 So here we have this specific instruction. 11:50 I think Daniel primarily does not understand these 11:52 time prophecies, these are for us to understand. 11:55 Go your way Daniel, the words are going to be sealed up. 11:59 It is going to be a specific time prophecy and when those 12:03 time prophecies are fulfilled, then your book is going 12:06 to be opened and people will read it and they will understand 12:09 it, and knowledge will be increased, and a proclamation 12:12 is going to go forth. 12:13 It is incredible to realize that we live in that very time. 12:15 Here is Daniel receiving these 12:17 visions and the angel clearly 12:19 tells him, sorry Daniel but 12:22 there is no way you can 12:23 understand these things in 12:24 totality and it is going to 12:26 be closed up and sealed for the time at the end. 12:30 It is as if James, these prophecies were put in an 12:33 envelope, the envelope was sealed, and then it was mailed 12:37 to the end time period of human history. 12:40 Mailed literally to those living at the end of time. 12:42 Mailed to us, God's church at the end of time. 12:45 It is our privilege now to unseal the book of Daniel 12:49 and it's prophecies and to understand these things. 12:52 It is just amazing. 12:53 But not everyone is going to understand them. 12:55 It says right here in verse 10 12:56 "many show be purified, and" 12:58 "made white, and tried; but the" 12:59 "wicked shall do wickedly: and" 13:00 "none of the wicked shall understand;" 13:02 "but the wise shall understand. " 13:03 I think this is important because many times we look at 13:07 understanding the Bible as something that is just owed 13:10 to us, intellectuals may say I can read the Bible and I 13:13 know what it is saying. 13:14 No! Only when we give our hearts fully to the Lord, we can 13:18 expect in the context of this prophecy to go through trials, 13:21 to go through purification. 13:24 A lot of people don't understand what trials do in the 13:28 lives of believers, but they open our hearts and our minds 13:31 to see and understand things on the Spiritual nature 13:34 that perhaps we don't see and understand if we are not 13:36 seeking, truly seeking God with all our heart. 13:39 So it is important friends. 13:40 Don't be discouraged, but understand we live in the time 13:43 of the end and trials are going to come to us. 13:45 But be assured that God is going to give you understanding 13:48 so that you can be prepared for the time of trouble and 13:51 delivered through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen! |
Revised 2022-11-14