Faithful to the End

If it’s broke, we can fix it! That’s the pragmatic optimism most of us have grown up with. If your teeth are crooked, you can go to the orthodontist and have them straightened. If your knees don’t function as they should, you can get some new ones. And in our present culture, if your marriage isn’t working, you can trade in your spouse for a new one. If it isn’t working, we’ve been raised to believe that we can fix it.

This is true on a national and global scale as well as a personal scale. Whether the problem is poverty, homelessness, drug addiction or violent crime, we think we can fix it. We may not have the answers to all our problems right now, but just give us a few years, throw enough money at it, or elect the right people – at some point we’ll figure out how to fix what is broken. That’s the American way. And most of us have bought into it.

But what if I were to tell you that there are some things that just can’t be fixed. That no matter how optimistic we are, there are some things that are irretrievably broken. Let me tell you a story that illustrates what I’m saying. It’s about a little boy named Jamie. One morning Jamie went out for a walk with his mother. As they walked along, they came across a dead bird lying on the side the road. After bending over it and examining with all of the seriousness of a toddler encountering something that he’d never experienced before, Jamie looked up at his mother and said, “It can’t be fixed, Mommy, can it?” to which she could only respond, “No, Jamie, It can’t be fixed.”

That’s one of the realities we’ve encountered as we’ve walked through the book of Daniel. Daniel’s journey as an exile in a godless culture has revealed to us that we too live in a world that’s broken. Oh, to be sure, there is coming a day when all that’s broken will be made whole and every tear will be wiped away. But until that day, brokenness and suffering, pain and persecution will continue to plague Christ followers as we seek to live in a world that’s not our home.

So, if we can’t fix this world, what would God have us do? How would God have us live as His faithful followers in a broken and hostile world that is not our home? After all, that’s what Daniel’s shown us throughout his journey as an exile in Babylon. He’s revealed how he stayed faithful in a broken and hostile world that was not his home. So, to answer our question, I want to encourage you to find Daniel 12, where in the conclusion of Daniel’s vision, God gives us six things we can do to live faithfully in our broken and hostile world. Six things we can do to stay faithful to the end.

1. Don’t be surprised when persecution or trouble comes your way:
“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. Daniel 12:1a

Second Timothy 3:12 reminds us that “all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” This has been true throughout history. And in many parts of the world today, Christians are being openly persecuted for their faith. However, as we get closer to the end of history – opposition, persecution, and suffering will escalate so that “there will be a time of distress such as never has not happened from the beginning of nations until then.” In other words, trouble is on the way for God’s people. Brilliant philosopher John Lennox notes, “It is hard to get one’s mine around this grim statement. The time of Antiochus was horrendous, as was the period around the later fall of Jerusalem. The Holocaust beggars description. But Daniel indicates that there is even worse to come at the time of the end.” So, Daniel’s message to us right at the beginning today is this: Don’t to be surprised if persecution comes your way. Right off the top is a call for us to be ready.

In other words, let us never forget we are in the midst of a spiritual battle with the forces of evil. Now is the time to prepare ourselves for suffering, trials and persecutions. Not later. This is an Old Testament reminder for us to solidify our relationship with the Lord. As Paul wrote the Ephesians: “Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” Ephesians 6:10-13 God wants you to stand faithfully to the end. And one way to do that is to stand strong in Jesus.

This is why next Sunday, we are starting a new preaching series, I am calling: Jesus is, from the letter to the Hebrews. We need to be strong in our relationship with Jesus. We need to know who He is and how great He is. We need to know how much He’s done for us, and how He continues to serve us today. For the stronger we are in Jesus and His mighty power, the better prepared we will be when trouble comes. That’s the first way we can undergird our faith in a broken and hostile world that is not our home: To not be surprised when trouble comes, but to be strong in Jesus, when it does. Here now is a second way that will help us live faithfully to the end:

2. Rest in the knowledge that God has your back: “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. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book— will be delivered. Daniel 12:1b

Daniel notes two ways God will have our backs when trouble comes. The first speaks of God raising up Michael, “the great prince who protects your people.” Michel is called the archangel in Jude 9. He leads a victorious war against Satan and his angels (demons) in Revelation 12. Micheal is, as are all angels, a ministering spirit “sent to serve those who are going to inherit salvation.” Now, he may already be ministering to God’s people today, but at “the time of the end” he will intensify his involvement on behalf of God’s people. This is good news. For when trouble comes, we will not be alone. God’s angels are on our side. Even today, they are busy at work on our behalf. That’s one way God has our backs.

Here’s another way He has our backs: In the latter half of verse one, God makes a promise, saying, “But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book— will be delivered.” Daniel 12:1b During the last days the antichrist will wage war against God’s people. It will seem like he will succeed and be victorious. In fact, many of God’s people will suffer, and some will die. But we must not panic. Nor be afraid. For no matter how bad things get, God promises us that our eternal destiny is secure: If your name is found written in the book of life, you will be delivered.

That begs the question: How can I know if my name will be found written in the book? Well, there are three places in the book of Revelation that speak of the book of life. In Revelation 13:8, we are told it is the Lamb’s book of life. And the names that were not written in the Lamb’s book of life were those who worshiped the beast.

In Revelation 20, John speaks of books that are opened at the Great White Throne judgment. Let me read it: 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. 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… Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. Rev. 20:11-15

And the final record is recorded for us in Revelation 21, speaking of those who will and will not inhabit heaven at the end of time. These are the last two verses in the Bible: The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Revelation 21:26-27

So, how can you know if your name will be found written in the Lamb’s book of life? Only those who have trusted in lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, are recorded in the book of life. Only those who have put their faith in Jesus will be saved. As Scripture says, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” So, the most important question you can ever answer is this: Have you trusted in Jesus as your Savior? Do you believe Jesus died on that cross for your sins, and that there is nothing you can do to save yourself? If you have put your trust in Jesus, then your name will be found written in the book of life. For God’s Word is clear: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 The way God has chosen to deliver you is by sending His Son to die for you.That’s how God has your back. So, hold onto your faith in Jesus. Jesus is our guarantee that God will protect you in this broken and hostile world. And when you rest in the knowledge that your name is written in the book of life, you will be faithful to the end. That’s the second way God calls us to live in this present darkness. Now, here’s the third way:

3. Hold onto the hope of the resurrection: Listen to how Daniel describes it here: Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Daniel 12:2 At that time, all who have died will be resurrected. But here’s the catch: some will rise to enjoy everlasting life with God, but others will awaken from the grave to disgrace and eternal contempt. Now, for those who have trusted in Jesus, this is our hope. When Lazarus died and was buried, Jesus held out this hope to Martha saying: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:35-36 If you believe in Jesus, you have this hope. This is the hope we can hold onto when we encounter hatred, when we’re forced to endure persecutions, or even if we’re facing death for our beliefs. We this hope, you can stare death in the face knowing, that they may kill your body, but they can never kill your soul. The resurrection is a certain hope we can hold onto in this broken and hostile world. And when we hold onto this hope, we will be faithful to the end. Here now is a fourth way:

4. Shine Brightly for Jesus: Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. Daniel 12:3 Now, this is an interesting description of the faithful in times of distress. The wise will shine like the stars of heaven during the last days. They won’t hide. They won’t remain neutral; they will shine brightly in the darkness.

Now, it’s important to note what this word, “wise” here means. This term “wise” carries the idea of being “prudent.” Those who are wise will be careful to make sure their lives align with their coming king. They will not be ashamed of Jesus but will seek to shine the light of Jesus before those who have no hope in the darkness.

In other words, in the dark and distressing days of the antichrist, those who are wise will see the darkness as an opportunity to shine brightly for Jesus. They will encourage many to turn to God. And the more they do this, the brighter they will shine. In fact, the Bible promises they will shine like stars for ever and ever. What a great motivation for sharing our faith. The darker the day, the brighter we might shine for Jesus. That’s a fourth way to live faithfully in a broken and hostile world that’s not our home.

Now, so far so good. As life makes it harder to walk faithfully with Jesus, there are plenty of things we can do. (1) We can be strong in Jesus, so nothing takes us by surprise. (2) We can rest in the knowledge that God’s angels will fight for us, and that God has secured our place with Him in heaven. (3) We can hold onto the hope of the resurrection, and (4) we can shine brightly for Jesus, leading many out of darkness and into His glorious light.

But what are we to do when evil becomes so bad that it begins to break us down and weaken even the strongest faith? What are we to do then? Well, that’s what we see next as we come to vs 5-10. What are we to do when all seems lost? We are to…

5. Trust in God’s Sovereign Plan: 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 heaven, and I heard him swear by Him who lives forever, saying, “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.” Daniel 12:5-7

In verses 5-10 the vision shifts as two other angels join Gabriel, who has been talking to Daniel. They stand opposite each other on the banks of the Tigris River. Next, “the man dressed in linen” appears again “above the water of the river.” This is the glorified Son of God, robed in his priestly purity. One of the angels asks him, “How long will if be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?” There’s an urgency in his request.
Then, in a display of great seriousness, Jesus raises both hands to heaven and invokes an oath “by Him who lives forever.” The answer he gives is twofold: (1) “It would be for a time, times, and half a time” or three and a half years; (2) This terrible and intense “time of distress” will end right on time, according to God’s timetable, when the power of the holy people is shattered. When evil has done its worst and the hopes of God’s people seem shattered, then God will act.

But Daniel doesn’t get it. He’s confused. I think any of us would be confused at this point. So, Daniel says, 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 rolled 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. Daniel 12:8-10 At this point, the Son of God tells Daniel to trust in God’s Sovereign plan. That’s been the theme of this entire book. But Daniel needs to be reminded of this once again, and so do we! God is in control. He has a plan for the end of days. And part of that plan includes that God’s people will go through this horrible time for the purpose of purifying and refining them in the fire. In other words, Jesus tells Daniel, “You have received all you are going to get. God’s plan is in place. So go on with your life and understand that God will do what He says He will do.” Those who are wise will understand. Those who are wise understand that this world can’t be fixed. And those who are wise will understand that God plans on using the brokenness and evil in this world to accomplish His plans. So, trust in God. His ways are not our ways. Trust in God’s sovereignty when life is hard. Trust in that God’s in control when evil seems to be winning. Keep trusting in His Sovereign plan even when life makes no sense. And if we can do that, then we will stay faithful to the end. That’s what God would have us do. Trust in God’s sovereign plan. And finally,

6. Be Faithful in Whatever God Gives You to Do: As we come to the end, Gabriel explains how long God’s people will have to suffer. He says, “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. Then he says, “As for you, go on your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance. Daniel 12:11-13

The book of Daniel concludes with a personal word for Daniel that is also a word for us all: “Go on your way to the end.” God has revealed to Daniel what He will do, now He tells Daniel, “I still have work for you to do.” Keep doing what you’ve been doing. Be faithful. Serve where I have put you. Then when it is time for you to retire from my work, I will bring you home. Then “you will rest” because you will be with me. And like all who are faithful, at “the end of days” you will rise to receive your inheritance. You will rise to receive your reward.

I love this final command, because it’s calling Daniel, and us, to continue to be faithful to our calling to serve right where we are. To serve to the end. Whether that’s making disciples, serving in the Church, witnessing of Jesus, or just loving your neighbor, God just wants you to continue to be faithful in whatever He gives you to do. The you will be faithful to the end.

• Don’t be surprised when persecution comes, instead stand strong in Jesus.
• Rest knowing that God has your back. He’s fighting for you and will deliver you.
• Hold onto the hope of the resurrection. Don’t fear death, for you will never die.
• Shine brightly for Jesus so others will see hope in the darkness.
• Keep trusting that God is in control, no matter how bad it gets.
• Be faithful in whatever God gives you to do!

And when you do these things, you may not fix this broken world, but you will be faithful to the end.