August 20, 1997 Joni’s Mkt.

It’s a very short chapter, chapter 12, it’s a very fitting chapter for Daniel. We like to teach you in closing, you know we’ve been going over the book. Let’s just quickly review over the book so that when we put this into perspective then it make a lot of sense. God wrote it so God must have His ways. How does God closed the book of prophecy? Just to review very quickly God enable Daniel to see what would happen century after he live. He saw four great nations, we’re going to take over the Jews and he saw basically he describe the anti-Christ that he would come and Daniel saw what would happen at the end times that the anti-Christ would prevail but only for a season. How long? Seven years, sixty nine of the seventy and Daniel saw that the anti-Christ would come and he would strike peace between Israel and the surrounding nations. Can you imagine the anti-Christ bringing peace? Everybody is looking for peace and it will be the anti-Christ that will bring the peace. So dito ang sinasabi in the end times as the anti-Christ comes he describes God always ends with the focus on his people and that is going to be our focus this evening. God’s people the Jews if you look at their history nakita ni Daniel foreign power after foreign would over take them. If you were a Jew how would you feel. Here is this great God He chose you, you’re my chosen people, I love you and then He scatters you along with the earth and then He punishes you one after the other, year after year. How would you feel honestly? Many times we have the tendency to give up, many believers unfortunately are on the so so kind, their lives are boring, walang joy, there’s no peace. What did Jesus Christ promise us, did He promises peace? He promises peace. Does the world promise you peace? Yeah, the world gives you many kinds of peace unfortunately none of them last very long, they tried sleeping pills do they give you peace? Yeah for a little while, you can try alcohol, you can try drugs, you can try sex. You know after sex will you sleep? Yeah, there’s a lot of little peace that’s given by the world but it never lasts. Ganon din yung sa anti-Christ bibigyan niya ng peace for what? Three and a half years actually sinet-up lang niya eh so that nakataas ka ng ganon saka ka niya ibabagsak and so Daniel ends his book, he looks at his vision and he sees the end times. What does he see, what’s the prophecy, what should we remember? Most of the time we remember the anti-Christ and the kingdoms and so forth and so on. If you read chapter I of Daniel, what happened there? He was a young boy, he became a captive and he refused to eat the kings meat and he followed God. He obey God an obedient young kid. Now in chapter 12, He is more than eight years old, he’s near his death and God gives him a special vision. If you are near your death somehow you change and here God comforts Daniel and all of us should be comforted by this. Daniel 12:1, "Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. In other words if you want to read what will happen at that time you read Revelation. Do you know that this world in now armed to destroy itself, we have enough nuclear weapons to just wipe out the entire earth and we are going to do it one day. So there will be a huge tribulation what will happen? But at that time your people--everyone whose name is found written in the book--will be delivered. What’s that saying to us? will be delivered. That God will find a way to liberate his people before all of these things happened.

• GOD’S PEOPLE will be rescued
• Rev. 3:9 - 'Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews, and are not, but lie-- behold, I will make them to come and bow

• Luke 10:19, I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.

• Philip. 4:2-4, I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. [3] Indeed, true comrade, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. [4] Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!

That’s what Daniel is being told by God. Can you imagine in the old testament God is promising Daniel and all of the Jews, if you are my people define as your name is written in the book of life you will be rescued. If Christ died for you and you accept Him then your name is already written in the book of life so that no matter what is happening to you rejoice.

• God’s people will be RESSURECTED

• Bodily Resurrection

A lot of people do not believe in the resurrection. You see one goes with the other. If your names are written in the book of life that can only make sense if there is a resurrection. If there is no resurrection it will distort everything that you understand. For example many people many of the people don’t believe in bodily resurrection they believe in reincarnation. If you really believe that we will be resurrected it really should change our lives. Once you really believe this truth it should give you an eternal perspective. Daniel 12:13, "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." If you believe this then the words of Jesus will make sense to you. Stop playing your treasure here on this earth play it in heaven. Have an eternal perspective that’s what the resurrection does.

• God’s people will be REWARDED
• Who will SHINE?

• Wise

(Daniel 12:3,) "And those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

Proverbs 11:28-29

He who trusts in his riches will fall,

But the righteous will flourish like the green leaf.

[29] He who troubles his own house will inherit wind,

And the foolish will be servant to the wise hearted.

• wins souls

Proverbs 11:30

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,

And he who is wise wins souls.

If you have eternal life the fruit of that has got to be eternal life too. If you are a believer that’s what will come out. If it’s not coming out I really ask you to examine your faith.

Let’s look at Jesus, as we think about our lives. I want you to think at your own life. Matthew 4:17-18, From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." [18] And walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. So here’s the picture of Jesus ang kanyang message po sabi ni Jesus, the kingdom of heaven is now here, what should we do? Repent, what does repent mean? change your mind, change the way you look at things and when you change that makikita ang behavior mo mag-papalit din. Look at Matthew 4:19, And He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." Notice sabi ni Jesus, Follow me. What does a disciple mean? A follower, a learner. When you follow Jesus He will make you fishers of mean and that’s the time magsha-shine ka.

Daniel 11:32

"And by smooth words he will turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will display strength and take action.