We read beginning with verse 1, we'll read down to verse 4. 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. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 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. 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. Let's pray together. Lord, we are grateful for the opportunity we have to gather together tonight. I thank you for my brothers and sisters who are present. I trust that this week so far already has been full for us, and I know that we've arrived here perhaps weary in our bodies and even perhaps in our thinking and in our emotions due to what we've already dealt with today and this week, but I just pray that tonight, Lord, You would refresh us and strengthen us to be able to receive the things that You have for us tonight from Your Word. Lord, as always, trust you as our teacher. We ask you to be at work through the preaching of your word that by your spirit we might learn tonight that our lives would be affected. And Lord, where we're in need of correction, we invite you to correct us and ask you to do that. And where we're in need tonight of encouragement and strengthening, I ask, Lord, that my brethren would be encouraged and strengthened. Lord, grant clear communication. Help me, Lord, to remember the things that you've taught me. and to be able to explain those things in a way that is easily grasped. And we will thank you for what you accomplish in this time we have together. In Jesus' name, Amen. Well, the kind of communication that we're studying right now in the book of Daniel, when we've gotten past the narrative that told us who Daniel is and of his companions and of what he was going through there in Babylon, and now we've moved into these visions and dreams, the kind of communication that we're dealing with is what is referred to as apocalyptic literature. And one of the questions we might ask as we look at a section like the one we have before us here is why God chose to communicate to us in this way? Why does he communicate to us in a way where it is almost as if We are in the midst of someone's dream. I mean, if you think about the dreams you've had and sort of how dreams operate, that's very much like what we're looking at when we deal with apocalyptic literature. It is full of symbolism. It moves quickly from one scene to another. You deal with things that are otherworldly, not things that you would deal with in the natural realm. I mean, we're confronted with bears rams one horn higher than another and many headed beasts and all sorts of things like that. You have this highly symbolic kind of communication. And the question is, why would God choose to communicate this way? After all, if God wanted to, he could tell us about the future in very straightforward terms. If God wanted to, he could give us names and dates and places, couldn't he? In fact, there are times that he's done that even in the Old Testament. One of the most amazing passages in the Old Testament is Isaiah, the end of chapter 44 into chapter 45, where God tells us about Cyrus by name before Cyrus comes on the scene. Isaiah 44, 28 says, it is I who says of Cyrus, he is my shepherd and he will perform all my desire and he declares of Jerusalem She will be built, and of the temple your foundation will be laid. Thus says the Lord to Cyrus, his anointed, whom I have taken by the right hand to subdue nations before him and to loose the loins of kings, to open doors before him so the gates will not be shut." And so there, before Cyrus ever arrives, God talks about this Persian king and indicates that Cyrus will issue a decree so that the temple will be rebuilt. Now, that's amazing. God names him in advance. You see the same thing in 1 Kings 13 concerning Josiah. And when you go to 2 Kings 23, you see the fulfillment of what God told in advance about Josiah. We won't read that tonight, but there are just places where God does that very thing. He says, here's who's coming. Here's what's going to happen. So if God has the ability to do that, and no doubt he does, why does he choose to communicate in this kind of way? And so before we look at the verses tonight, I just thought we would take opportunity here just to talk a little bit about why it may be so. Now, I would just say in advance, in a sense, it doesn't matter that we understand why God chose to do it, right? I mean, He chose to do it. He knows us best. He knows what is best. And so even if God hasn't indicated why he's chosen to communicate this way, we know that he hasn't acted in an arbitrary fashion. There's a reason why he does it. There's a good reason why he does it. So we don't have to know why just to rejoice in the fact that he did, but I think there are some ideas about why he may have done this. Let's think about what apocalyptic communication accomplishes. symbolic communication. What does it accomplish? Well, first of all, we know that there is a plan at work. I mean, all of these visions and dreams indicate something that's going to happen in the future. And God is telling us in advance, I have a plan. There's something that I'm accomplishing. So one thing that's unmistakable, even though it's symbolic and everything, all the details are not clear to us, one thing that is clear to us is God has a plan. We also know through these dreams and visions who controls that plan. God is in control. He is sovereign. He's telling us in advance what He is doing. We also, through these dreams and visions, have some general knowledge about what can be expected in the future. Even though there's a lot of symbolism, we do have some indications clear enough that we can grasp that here is what God is doing, here is what is coming in the future. The fact that they are somewhat vague requires us to still depend on God as the details are being worked out. In other words, the uncertainty of what God is revealing motivates us to keep our eyes on Him more than we would keep our eyes on current events, more than we would keep our eyes on what's happening in the world. The very fact that we don't know what all the detailed fulfillment will be requires that we keep our eyes on him. We know in general what's coming, but we don't know in specifics, so we just trust him. In apocalyptic literature, he's also chosen a way of communicating that transcends the limitations of time, culture, technology. He's communicating to Daniel in his time. But he's using images that we're able to look back on and identify with even as time passes, even as cultures change, even as technology advances. For example, when we think about battle scenes, here we are living in the year 2010, but we still can understand what horses and riders and chariots and spears indicate, can't we? I mean, we still look back on that, even though that's not the normal way of doing warfare today. We understand that's a battle scene. But if God had communicated to Daniel's people in the images of modern warfare technology, if God had given a description of tanks and planes and missiles and all the rest, Daniel's people would have not had any way to identify with those images. So the fact that God is using animals and all this sort of thing to indicate what he's doing, men of all times can identify with that and understand what is taking place. So it transcends time and cultures as time moves forward. Something else that especially stands out about this kind of communication is you have an understanding that there are things going on in the spiritual realm even while things are taking place in the physical realm. One thing that stands out to us in all of this symbolism is there's something supernatural going on. There's something that is otherworldly. There's something that is beyond what we normally identify with. And so one thing that absolutely stands out is the universe involves more than what we can see. By the way, one of the characteristics of this kind of communication is the involvement of angels. Angels show up to, many times, deliver the communication and to interpret the communication. And so right away, the presence of angels, and there's an angel communicating right here to Daniel in chapter 11 and 12, the very presence of the angel indicates there's something going on in the unseen realm in connection with what is taking place in this realm that we can see. So it serves that purpose. It also keeps believers, I mean, as time goes on, it keeps believers from two errors. On the one hand, becoming earthbound in our perspectives, or we could even say it a different way, becoming all wrapped up in the present. I mean, there is a future, there's something coming. And so we are directed through these kinds of dreams and visions to remember there's a future being worked out. But at the same time, because all the details are not given to us, we don't know when the fulfillment will be, exactly how it will be fulfilled. It keeps us from being irresponsible and lazy, spiritually lazy. For example, if the church had known for 2,000 years that Jesus would not yet have returned, right? We're still looking for the return of our Savior. If for 2,000 years now the church had known, well, the date is going to be thus and such, I wonder how much irresponsibility, how much spiritual laziness would have gone on in the last 2,000 years. After all, believers could have said, he's not coming until this day. So God has, there's wisdom in God saying to us, listen, he's coming. You don't know the day. You don't know the hour. You don't know when. You need to live. in light of the fact he may return today. This could be the day. So these are just some reasons. You know, if you ever think about it, if you ever read your Bible and say, why did God communicate this way? I mean, just for example, think about the Antichrist. You could have told us what the man's name is going to be, what country he's going to come from, what the date will be when he will come onto the world scene. God could have told us all of that. But he hasn't. And so as we're studying about this final wicked ruler, end of chapter 11, and the events that will take place around his appearance, chapter 12, the very fact that God hasn't revealed all the details to us keeps us alert and keeps us looking to him, focusing on him until that day arrives, and we don't know when it will be. So these are some reasons why the Lord uses this kind of communication. Now let's look at what we have before us tonight. The first thing we see in verse 1 is rescue. Rescue. 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." Now, the verse begins by saying, at that time. Well, at what time? Well, the time that he's just been talking about in chapter 11, verses 36 to verse 45, the time of this final wicked ruler, the time of the man of sin, the time of the Antichrist, the time when these battles will break out between the North and the South, with the glorious land, the beautiful land right in the middle of it all. The time when Daniel's people, Daniel's city will be the focus of God's activity in the world. It is at that time that Michael will arise, the great prince who has charge of your people, that is Israelites, the Jewish people, at that time. Now this reminds us That what we've just studied last Wednesday, verses 36 through 45, those events belong to the end of time. Because what he's about to describe and what we're about to study tonight, without question, it has not occurred yet. It is still future. It is still at the end of time. So this wicked ruler who's been described in verses 36 through 45, he belongs to the end of time. We're still looking for, waiting for his appearance. in terms of humanity. This is still future. Now, at that time, God describes in verse 1 both trouble and deliverance. And so there's rescue that is the focus of verse 1. And there are several different elements of this that are communicated. First of all, he tells us about Michael. And if you ever just want to study the doctrine of angels, The book of Daniel, as we've already seen, is full of information that helps us understand the angelic realm. For example, in verse 1, we learn that angels are at work on behalf of God and his people. It says in verse 1, at that time shall arise Michael. That is, he's going to be active. He's going to go to work during this time. So angels are at work. on behalf of God and his people. Angels have personality. He is referred to by name. And this is not the only angel referred to by name in Scripture. We also read about Gabriel. And so the angels have personality. Angels are organized. Michael is referred to in verse 1 as the great prince. He has some kind of ruling capacity. And you know if you've looked at other verses dealing with angels in the Old and New Testaments that there's an organization that is described, rulers, principalities, powers. So they are real, they're at work on behalf of God and His people, they have personality, they have organization. We also learn they have special responsibilities that have been assigned to them because Michael is the great prince Notice, who has charge of your people. The Jewish people have been assigned to Michael in some special way. So there are special responsibilities that have been assigned to the angels. We also see in the verse that angels have the privilege of witnessing and being a part of God working out his salvation plan. Because this angel who's communicating right now with Daniel, he's aware. that Michael has some role related to the Jewish people that is still into the future. Right? I mean this hasn't happened yet. So already the angels know, already this angel knows, already Michael knows that sometime in the future there's going to be this great time of trouble and Michael will have a special responsibility to carry out when that time comes. The angels are witnessing the outworking of the salvation wisdom of God, and they are getting to participate in the outworking of the salvation wisdom of God. God's wisdom in salvation, the angels are witnesses to it and participants in it. So when we think about the rescue being described in verse 1, we learn something about Michael. There's also a message in verse 1 concerning the nation of Israel, because twice God makes reference through the angel to Daniel's people. 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. Your people, Daniel. Well, who are his people? The Jewish people. Also, you saw there in verse one, there's a reference to the nation. There shall be a time of trouble such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. So Daniel's people, Daniel's nation. And what this reminds us of is God's covenant faithfulness. Think about it. If Daniel is being told that Michael, the great prince, is going to arise on behalf of his people, on behalf of his nation, if Daniel is being told that the nation is going to be facing trouble, that means there has to be the existence of a nation, right? There has to be the existence of his people. God is telling Daniel that his people will continue to exist until the end of time. The nation of Israel will continue to exist until the end of time. That is God's covenant faithfulness. There's a national history that has still not been completely written. And also in verse 1 we're reminded that God has a commitment on His part to the ultimate victory and the ultimate deliverance of the Jewish people. And so God has made a covenant, a covenant that that is dependent only on God. It's not even ultimately dependent on the faithfulness of the Jewish people. God has sworn by Himself to do certain things on behalf of ethnic Israel, but it will be a redeemed people, and God is going to bring it to pass. So we learn something in verse 1 in the context of rescue. We learn something about Michael. We learn something about Israel. There's also a message in verse 1 concerning trouble. At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people, and there shall be a time of trouble. First of all, we see that it's such trouble, it's going to necessitate divine protection. Because Michael is going to arise on behalf of this people in the midst of this trouble, and it is such trouble that it's going to be greater than anything that has ever existed before. there shall be a time of trouble such as never has been since there was a nation." And if what the Lord is referring to there is the existence of a nation in terms of the people, then think about what He has just said, greater trouble than the captivity in Egypt, greater trouble than the captivity in Babylon, greater trouble than the destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians." Greater trouble than the destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of the Romans. And when he says, till that time, and we remember it's at the end of time, that also means greater trouble than even the Holocaust under Nazi Germany. The greatest trouble the nation has ever known until the end time. That's what they're going to be facing. That's some kind of trouble, isn't it? And when he reminds them that Michael is going to be a rising because he has charge of the people, and yet also they're told there's going to be this trouble that's greater than any trouble that has ever existed in the nation's history, then we're also reminded that you can experience real trouble even when God is present and at work in what you're facing. In other words, God's plan for us is not without troubles for us. God's plan even for us, even for the church, God's plan for the church is not without trouble for the church. And the trouble can be real, and it is, the trouble can be painful, purifying, Sometimes life taking. Folks, you understand that God's plan for his people sometimes includes martyrdom. But not without God's presence. And not without God's help. The Lord will be present when Israel is going through this trouble, the Lord will be helping as Israel goes to this trouble, this is one of the benefits, by the way, of apocalyptic literature, it reminds us that what's going on is not just what we're seeing. Israel is going to be in the midst of trouble and all they're going to be able to see is trouble, but he's reminding them in the book of Daniel, Michael is arising. Michael is at work. God, in other words, through angelic mediation, God is at work, even in what you're facing. And his purposes are being accomplished. What is this time of trouble? I want you to keep your Bible marker here. Go to the book of Revelation, if you would please, chapter 12. And we get a New Testament taste of what's being described. Revelation chapter 12, verse 1. And a great sign appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and on her head a crown of 12 stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. And another sign appeared in heaven. Behold, a great red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and on his head seven diadems. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth so that when she bore her child, he might devour it. She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. Let's stop there for a moment. Again, we have all kinds of symbolism. We're not going to get into all this tonight, but the basic picture is pretty clear, isn't it? Who's the woman? Don't be afraid. Who's the woman? Israel, who's the child? Who's going to rule the nations with a rod of iron? Jesus. All right. Who's the dragon? Satan. What is he wanting to do with the child? Destroy it, right? Verse 5, she gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne. When did that happen? After his life, after his death, after his resurrection, there's an ascension, right? Alright, keep reading. And the woman fled into the wilderness where she And the woman was fled into the wilderness, verse six, where she has a place prepared by God in which she is to be nourished for twelve hundred sixty days. It's three and a half years, verse seven, 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. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent. See, now the dragon's identified for us, isn't he? That ancient serpent who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world, he was thrown down to the earth and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they love not their lives even unto death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them. But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath because he knows that his time is short." Listen, the kingdom is at the doorstep. Christ's ruling this earth, it's at the doorstep. But for this time, there's going to be great trouble. He knows his time is short, verse 13. And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. Now he's pursuing the woman. So who is he pursuing? Israel. Verse 14, but the woman who was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness to the place where she is to be nourished for a time and times and half a time. What's that? Three and a half years. What is that? Tribulation, it's the last half of the tribulation period, the last half of this 70th week. Verse 15, the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman to sweep her away with a flood. But the earth came to the help of the woman and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea and on it goes. Look back in Daniel chapter 12. So there's this great time of trouble. The serpent who wanted to destroy the Christ will want to destroy the nation. But she will be preserved. God will come to her defense. Despite the difficulty of grasping all the details, that much is clear. So in verse 1 of chapter 12 of Daniel, this rescue is being described. We have a message concerning Michael, a message concerning Israel, a message concerning trouble. And then we also have in verse 1 a message concerning deliverance. He says in verse 1, 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." Three things we see. One, it will be a Jewish deliverance. He says, your people shall be delivered. Second, it's going to be a physical deliverance because that's what's being described both in Revelation and here. The nation being attacked, wanting to be destroyed, but they're going to be delivered. Third, it's going to be a believer's deliverance. He says, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. Now, there are some commentators who will say all that he's describing here is the book of life. I mean, living on the earth. And he's just saying that there will be survivors of this time of trouble and the survivors will be delivered. Well, I think it's pretty evident if you've been delivered, you're a survivor. I don't think that's what he's saying. I think what he's saying is this deliverance has to do with those who've been redeemed, those who have placed their faith in Christ. Because we know there are other references to a book, right? Revelation 13 verse 8, all who dwell on the earth will worship him, that is the beast, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. Who is going to be delivered from believing in the beast? Those whose names have been written in the book of salvation. Revelation 17, 8, the beast that you saw was and is not and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will wonder when they see the beast that he was and is not. and will come. If your name hasn't been written in this book, you will be deceived. So those who will be delivered are those whose name has been written in the book. And the book that I believe he's referring to here is the book of life, that is the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. It is salvation's book in which their names have been written. So verse 1, rescue, deliverance. Now in verse 2, we see resurrection. Resurrection, verse 2, and many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt. At the time that God works this deliverance, This physical deliverance, there will also be spiritual and physical justice. When Christ returns to the earth, there's going to be a great resurrection and judgment. Verse 2 says, many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake. And when you read many of those, you tend to think some group less than all those who are asleep in the dust. And there's some element of that in there. I'll talk about that in a moment. But the Hebrew word translated many here can just speak of multitudes. I think that's really the idea here. Multitudes will be raised. Now, we know there will be a resurrection that comes before this one. That is the resurrection that takes place at the rapture of the church. The dead in Christ will rise first. And we who are alive will be changed in a moment, caught up together with them in the air to meet the Lord. We will forever be with the Lord. So there's a resurrection of saints at the rapture. This is something different. This is at the return of Christ to the earth. And so there will be believers who have perished and there will be unbelievers who have perished. And this resurrection includes both of them. Some, you notice in verse two, will be raised to everlasting life and some will be raised to shame. everlasting contempt. I want you to underscore in your thoughts there the word everlasting. The Bible clearly teaches, doesn't it, everlasting blessing for those who know the Lord and everlasting punishment for those who don't. You don't have heaven and annihilation. You don't have an everlasting blessing that belongs to believers and a a temporal punishment for those who perish. No, it is everlasting blessing, everlasting life for those who have trusted in Christ and know the living God and everlasting shame. There will be shame in this judgment. Men will be responsible. They will see that they have rejected truth and light and the living God. There is shame in it and there is contempt in it and it goes on forever and ever and ever. When is the last time you thought about everlasting existence? We live right now in a realm where life isn't forever, but the Bible clearly teaches that beyond this life, there is an everlasting existence. There's either everlasting life in the presence of God in paradise, in heaven, in a future kingdom, in a new earth, a new heavens, or there is everlasting contempt and shame, suffering, punishment, hell that will go on forever and ever and ever and ever. When is the last time you thought about where you will spend your everlasting existence? So there will be resurrection and there will be judgments. Out of that, verse 3, notice what is emphasized. What is emphasized is this everlasting reward. There is reward in verse 3. Rescue, verse 1. Resurrection, verse 2. Now we have reward, 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. Who will be rewarded? Well, he describes them in verse 3, first of all, as the wise. I think one version has those who have insight. That might be what the New American Standard says. The idea is understanding. Understanding. This is not the first time we've seen this. Look at chapter 11 and look at verse 33. And this is...verse 33 was referring to the suffering of the Jewish people under Antiochus Epiphanes who served as a type of Antichrist. And in verse 33, notice what it says. It says, And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder. There's going to be suffering, there's going to be trouble, but there will be wisdom and understanding put on display. So the wise he's talking about there in chapter 12 are those who've been given by God understanding. Folks, do you understand what a wonderful thing it is? to be among the saved of God because what what has happened is God has given us an understanding, an understanding of who he is, an understanding of his son, an understanding of sin and redemption, an understanding of the future in terms of heaven and hell. This is what salvation involves, a God given breaking in of light, an understanding of truth, wisdom that is found in Christ and those who are wise. shall shine like the brightness of the sky above. He also describes these people in another way. In verse three, he says, those who turn many to righteousness, they're not just wise, they are witnesses. One of the greatest evidences that you really are wise in this sense of the word, that you really have understanding, that you really are a believer, is that you have a burden in your life to tell other people about the true and living God. How can we have an understanding of who God is, who Christ is, what sin is, what redemption is, what heaven is, what hell is? How can we have a real understanding of these things and have no burden to ever open our mouths and tell anybody about it? So those who really are wise, what are they doing in the world? They are turning many to righteousness. They are out there turning many to a right and true understanding of salvation, to live for God. So the wise will be rewarded, the witnesses will be rewarded, and what will be the wonder that characterizes them? Well, he says they will shine, shine like the brightness of the sky above. Shine, he says, like the stars. And He says they're going to shine forever and ever. We have no way to conceive of everything that is captured in that description. But we know it's going to be wonderful. It's beyond what we've thought. It's beyond what we can imagine. what God has planned, what God has in store for His people. The same imagery is used elsewhere in God's Word. Proverbs 4.18 says, But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn that shines brighter and brighter until the full day. The path of the righteous is increasing light until one day they shine like the sun. Matthew 13, verse 41, Jesus said, The Son of Man will send His angels and they will gather out of His kingdom all causes of sin and all lawbreakers and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. What is your future, child of God? To shine like the stars, to shine like the sun and the fullness of its strength, like the full day. We miss out sometimes, don't we, living in our modern cities? Because God uses imagery to teach us about our future that we barely pay attention to. When's the last time you went out on a dark night and looked up and said, that is something like You notice the like words in apocalyptic like they're going to be like this. Somehow, my future is going to be like what I see. On a starry night. In a pitch black sky with all the varying colors and glories that I see above me, that is something like. What our future is going to be. 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." Rescue, resurrection unto judgment, reward for the righteous. And then in verse 4, Daniel is told about the purpose of this book, this vision that he's been given right here, until the end comes. Verse 4, 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. What does this have to do with? Well, three things. One, preservation. When he says seal the book, shut up the word, seal the book, he says until the time of the end, this indicates that what he's just been given is to be preserved until the end of time. He's writing words that will be preserved. Here we are thousands of years later, We're reading what he wrote. Isn't that amazing? It's been preserved, hasn't it? Preservation. It also refers to patience. In other words, Daniel, it's not for your time. I don't mean the application or the blessing is not for his time. I mean the fulfillment of these events. Daniel, it's not for your time. It's for the future. We'll get to this next Wednesday. Notice, in fact, he's got a question later on. Look down at verse eight, he says, I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, oh, my Lord, what shall be the outcome of these things? Verse nine, he said, go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. I'm not going to answer you about this, Daniel, it's for the It's for the end of time. So there's preservation of these words, there's patience because the end of time is not yet. But how do we take the last statement of verse 4? Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall increase. I think it has to do with provision. Seal up the book, shut up the words, until when? Until when? The end of time. What do these prophecies have to do with? The end of time. When will the fulfillment of these things become evident? The end of time. When would this book be most practically understood by its readers? when the events begin to unfold. When he says many will run to and fro, wherever you see that statement, it always has to do with people pursuing something. For example, Amos chapter 8, verse 11, Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord God, when I will send a famine on the land. Not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. They shall wander from sea to sea and from north to east. They shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, but they shall not find it. There are people running to and fro in search of truth, in search of knowledge, but they don't find it in Amos. But here he says many will run to and fro and knowledge shall increase." And I think what he's saying is, in that day, when these events unfold, the people seeking to understand the events will find the explanation right here. So that this book will become intensely practical to inform, to edify, to encourage, to protect, to instruct, as these events begin to come to pass. Preservation, patience, and in that day, provision. Folks, isn't the Word of God amazing? And here is the Lord, the living God, whose glory it is to tell the end from the beginning, and He's just told us what is going to take place at the end of time. As we close tonight, I ask you again, have you contemplated lately what your everlasting existence is going to be? Do you really know the Lord? I would ask, are you wise? Do you have understanding of who God is, who Christ is, what He came to accomplish 2,000 years ago? Do you have an understanding of your sinfulness? Do you have an understanding of redemption? Have you turned from your sins and trusted in the Son of God for life? Are you wise? But we could also ask this, are you a witness? Folks, what we really believe in, we talk about. Would you agree with that? What we believe in, we talk about. Could it be said of you, Here is one who turns many to righteousness. Are you a witness? Because know this, the wise and the witnesses will one day shine like the brightness of the sky, like the stars that you look up and see in the night. Let's bow together for prayer. Father in heaven, we thank you for who you are and Lord for bringing us to understand who you are and to an understanding of how you save sinners in your son. We thank you, Lord, for granting to us this understanding that brought about our repentance and our faith in Jesus. And Lord, wherever we have grown lazy and irresponsible with the gospel that you've entrusted to us, I pray, Lord, that we would become sensitive and mindful of the people all around us who need your son and that it could be said of us that we are a people who turn many to righteousness. We thank you, Lord, for your word. That it is amazing, it is true, it is accurate, it is trustworthy. And I pray, Lord, that we would not be people running to and fro without knowledge, but we would learn to run to your word where we find the truth. We ask for this tonight in Jesus' name. Amen.