JY: Welcome to GearTalk, a podcast on biblical theology. Today we’re taking a break from our series on major characters in the book of Revelation. We’re replaying a sermon Jason DeRouchie preached on October 2nd, 2022, at the Master’s Community Church in Kansas City, Kansas. This sermon summarizes the book of Daniel. The summary of this book is, according to Jason, that the Most High God who rules all history and powers deserves worship and will eventually triumph over every proud kingdom through his Messiah’s saving death and everlasting dominion, which God provides by raising his humble saints from death to life. Make sure you go to our show notes to download a set of notes connected to this sermon. These notes will be a great help to anyone reading, teaching, or preaching through Daniel.

JD: Open your Bibles, please, to the book of Daniel. It is a joy for me to bring God’s Word to you today. Our goal is to synthesize our journey that we’ve been taking the last several months. To summarize Daniel’s overarching message. And I do so this way, it’s up on the screen. The Most High God, who rules all history and powers, deserves worship and will eventually triumph over every proud kingdom through his Messiah’s saving death and everlasting dominion, which God proves by raising his humble saints from death to life.

Now, rather than simply re-walking through this amazing book from beginning to end because Daniel’s message is cyclical, it repeats itself and builds upon itself, I’ve chosen to boil down this main idea into four points. You can see them in your worship folder. I’m going to summarize them here. Here’s where we’re heading. This is our road map for the sermon today. Number one, the God who rules all history and powers deserves worship from every tongue, every people, every tribe, every nation. Number two, God opposes proud kingdoms, but gives grace to humble saints. Number three, God’s kingdom will triumph through the Messiah’s saving death and everlasting dominion. This is one of the few books in the Old Testament that actually uses the word Messiah, which the New Testament translates Christ, and that it associates the word Messiah with the figure we know of as Jesus. So God’s kingdom will triumph through the Messiah’s saving death and everlasting dominion. And finally, number four, God proves his triumph by raising his saints from death to life.

Pray with me. Father in heaven, you rule all the kingdoms of men. You give wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. You raise up kings and you lower them. And you have promised to bring vengeance on all the proud, but to preserve the humble who trust in you. Oh God, make all of us in this room among those. There’s some in this book that you preserve from suffering. There’s others that you proclaim you will preserve through suffering, even a suffering unto death. Grant us faith that gives us endurance, come what may, in you, the God who is exalted over all sovereign over the nations in control of all time. Meet us today. Disclose yourself and your will magnify your name by the power of your Spirit, I ask. For the glory of Jesus, for the sake of his name, I pray.

Number one. The God who rules all history and powers deserves worship. Foundational to Daniel’s message is how he portrays the one he calls the Most High God. He portrays him as sovereign over time and kingdoms, and is one who is worthy of all of humanity’s full surrender and highest praise. We see this right away in Daniel 1. Three key statements. Number one, it says God and not Babylon was the decisive cause of Judah’s exile. Look in verse 2: “and it was the Lord who gave Jehoiakim King of Judah, into Nebuchadnezzar’s hand.” Or verse 9. “It was God that gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the Babylonian chief who was over him and his three friends.” Or verses 17 and 20. “It was God who gave Daniel and his three companions, learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, so that in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them 10 times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom.” God did that, the text says.

At the end of the book, it highlights God’s absolute control of all history and powers in a different way. In 10:21, the messenger comes to Daniel in a vision and says, “Now I will tell you what is written in,” and this is what he says, “the book of truth.” Now, what is that book? It is the book that God has written before time began that unpacks all the details and purposes that he has for the world. Part of what is in that book Daniel captures here when he lays out the succession of five kingdoms: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece. A horrific unnamed kingdom, and then God’s kingdom, which will overcome all the others at the end of the age through his Messiah. Five kingdoms already written in the Book of Truth. God is in control of all things. God and his Messiah are King of Kings, and every ruler will recognize that God reigns.

Consider with me two of the kings in this book, Nebuchadnezzar and Darius. Turn with me to chapter 2. Remember that Nebuchadnezzar had a dream about a very tall image, an image that looked like a human with different metals, and he didn’t know what it meant. The image is supposed to remind us of Genesis 1, where humans were set apart to rule. Subdue. Have dominion. But not in order to draw attention to ourselves, the image was representative that God put in the garden was representative of God. It was an image of God and all the kingdoms of men are supposed to be displaying him. When he sees this vision of a giant image and he didn’t know what it meant, so God revealed both the dream and its interpretation to one named Daniel. After Nebuchadnezzar heard the mystery revealed, these were his words. Look with me at verse 47. “Truly, your God is God of Gods and Lord of kings.” No other God on the planet, no other spiritual being could do what your God just did, Daniel. “Your God is God of Gods and Lord of Kings, a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.”

Then comes chapter 3. It’s the account of the fiery furnace. And you remember, now we have another image 75 feet high, but it’s all of gold. Only the head was gold in chapter 2, but it seems as though Nebuchadnezzar didn’t want to just be part of the image, he wanted to be the whole image, so he crafts this giant statue, 75 feet high, and calls all of his kingdom to bow down and worship it. But there were three Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that refused to bow down. They stayed faithful to their God, and our God was faithful to them. They miraculously survived the flames, causing Nebuchadnezzar to call the three servants, “Servants of the Most High God.” This earthly king was recognizing something as God walked him on this journey. And then in 3:29, these were Nebuchadnezzar’s words. “There is no other God who is able to rescue in this way.” Brothers and sisters, this is our God.

Something similar happens to King Darius in chapter 6. The story that we call Daniel and the Lion’s Den. Daniel worshipped God no matter the cost. He refused to pray to the king and instead prayed to the true God three times a day. King Darius had to cast Daniel into the lion’s den because he had been tricked to make a special decree. But God spared Daniel as you know. Just like he spared Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, from the flames, and this miracle amazes King Darius. So look with me at 6:25–27. Darius makes this decree after God delivers Daniel. He declares “to all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth. In all my royal dominion, people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel are to tremble because he is the living God, enduring forever. His kingdom shall never be destroyed. His dominion shall be to the end. He delivers and rescues. He works, signs, and wonders in heaven and on Earth. He who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions.” Kids, did you hear that? It was God’s kingdom. And the earthly king Darius was recognizing the one who was Most High over all.

Brothers and sisters, can you let your heart just pause? Just let it rest. Under God’s greatness. “Our God is in the heavens. He does all that he pleases,” says the psalmist in Psalm 115:3 or as Job declared, “I know, O God, that you can do all things and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” Job 42:2. Our God is the one who “works all things according to the counsel of his will,” all things, Ephesians 1:11. And then consider that this living Most High God of the heavens who does all that he pleases in all of his greatness is for us in Jesus. “And if God is for us. Who can be against us? He who did not spare his own son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” Romans 8:31–32. Brothers and sisters, the God who rules all history and powers deserves our worship. May he receive your praise, your trust, your prayers, your hope.

Point two. God opposes proud kingdoms, but gives grace to humble saints. The last time in this book that we see Nebuchadnezzar is in chapter 4. Why don’t you turn there with me. This is an amazing chapter because we don’t hear Daniel. We hear autobiography from Nebuchadnezzar himself and he writes a letter to all the peoples of his kingdom. And as he does, he talks not as an unbeliever, who, like Pharaoh, sees the power of God, yet stands distant. Instead, Nebuchadnezzar talks as a believer who embraces Daniel’s God as his own. Look at chapter 4, verse 30. Nebuchadnezzar recalls his own pride. He wants all those in his kingdom to know, “I was once a proud man. Don’t be like me.” He says in 4:30, “Is not this great Babylon which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty. Is this not my kingdom?” Sadly, there are many, many who this afternoon will take a little ball and make it back past the number of big boys and enter into the end zone and begin to elevate themselves with big muscles thinking, “Yes, I am the greatest.” As you see that today, think of this text. What do you have, brothers and sisters, that you have not received? And God can take it away in an instant.

Look with me now at chapter 4:31–33. “While these words of arrogance and pride were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, Oh King Nebuchadnezzar to you, it is spoken the kingdom in this moment has departed from you, and you shall be driven from among men and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox and seven periods of time shall pass over you until you know that the Most High rules the kingdoms of men, and he is the one who gives it to whom he will. Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men. He ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers and his nails were like the claws of birds.”

God opposes proud kingdoms. That’s why in 4:17, an angel says, “The Most High rules the kingdoms of men, and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.” It was pride that led Nebuchadnezzar to become it says, like a beast of the field. Don’t let that pass over in this book. Beginning in this chapter, the kings of Earth who fail to image God like true humans are supposed to. The kings who fail to image God and take glory for themselves, are then portrayed as beastly. And they will stand against one who is like a son of man. That is like a son of Adam. Truly representing what humans are supposed to be. He became like a beast, and in doing so he proved that he was an offspring of the serpent who, when we first hear of this serpent, is called “more crafty than any beast of the field.” And in Genesis 3:15, it promises there’s going to be offspring of the serpent. Nebuchadnezzar proves he’s one of them. And in chapter 7, when all those kingdoms are portrayed as beasts, all of them are being portrayed as offspring of the serpent who stand against the offspring of the woman, the Son of Man.

Only when the king learned humility did God restore his sanity and make him like a human again. Causing him to tell to his entire empire. Look at chapter 4:34: “At the end of days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven. My reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him who lives forever for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, his kingdom endures from generation to generation.” That’s God’s kingdom, kids. God’s kingdom endures from generation to generation. God then returned Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom to him, and the king declared, “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar. And not living for my own praise. I praise and extol and honor the king of heaven,” verse 37. “For all of his works are right and his ways are just and those who walk in pride. He is able to humble.”

That was Nebuchadnezzar. But then he has a descendant named Belshazzar that we read about in the very next chapter. So turn your attention there in chapter 5. Things are different for King Belshazzar. He refuses to learn humility, refuses to learn from the story of Nebuchadnezzar, and so God judges him. Surely the Most High God opposes proud kingdoms, but gives grace to humble saints. And because of Belshazzar’s pride, Daniel charged the king—look with me, 5:22–23—these are the words of Daniel, standing as the words of the God to Belshazzar. “And you, [Nebuchadnezzar’s offspring] Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this story of Nebuchadnezzar, but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven” a little bit further down, “and you praise the gods of silver and of gold, and of bronze and iron and wood and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath and whose are all your ways you have not honored.”

Right now, God is speaking, upholding all things by the word of his power. If God stops speaking, you and I will stop existing. He is in that much control, the very God, Daniel says, “in whose hand is your breath, you have not honored.” Brothers and sisters, may we be a people that honors this God. We’re then told in 5:30–31 that that very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed and Darius the Mede received the kingdom. God opposes proud kingdoms and he can change the course of history in an instant. At the end of the book, the same fate happens to the antichrist kingly figure that’s portrayed. In 11:36 and 45, we read these words. Just listen. “And the king, proud, arrogant king, will do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every God and shall speak astonishing things against the God of Gods.” Yet in verse 45, at the very end it simply says this: “Yet he shall come to his end with none to help him. And so it will be with all the beastly kingdoms of this world.”

God opposes proud kingdoms. So we must just pause and just say, “As I operate at work. As I engage in the classroom. As I serve as mom or as dad in my home. Am I more concerned about my kingdom or his?” Pride. It takes so many different forms and just allow your heart to look, allow the Word to speak into your heart even today and assess your own heart. I’ve had to do this this week. Pride can look like self-reliance and prayerlessness. How much have you talked to God this week? How much have you talked to God today? Do you recognize how dependent you are? How needy you are? Pride can look like prejudice and self-exaltation at another’s expense, where you just want someone to know you’re better on the baseball field, on the basketball court, in the classroom. Pride can also take a unique form. The form of despondency and hopelessness, wherein you act as though God is not willing or able to meet your need. That is pride.

We’re in a church family that has experienced extended, extended seasons of loss. The church my family entered and became members of had already been experiencing such extended years of loss. Loss of health, loss of job. Loss of limb. A severed relationship with a child or a sibling. The death of a child, the death of a spouse or an extended family member. Others of you sit here today with anxiety over potential loss of marital friction. Financial need. And what’s at stake? God wants you to hear today. Don’t be proud and hold it in. Humble yourself and turn to him because he cares. He cares. He gives grace to humble saints who affirm his supremacy in his sufficiency, his trustworthiness, and his compassion. In Christ Jesus our God is with you in Christ Jesus our God is for you. So cast your cares upon him. Don’t bear the burden alone. The proud are those who are self-reliant, but the humble readily express their need in this book of Daniel, God opposes proud kingdoms and proud kings. But brothers and sisters, he gives grace to humble saints.

Number 3. Such a hopeful word, God’s kingdom will triumph through the Messiah’s saving death and everlasting dominion. The vision of God’s triumph begins in chapter 2, so turn with me back there. As I said, Nebuchadnezzar saw a great image. A head of gold, the chest and arms of silver, middle and thighs of bronze and legs of iron. With feet partly of iron and partly of clay. But then there is a stone in his vision, a stone cut from a mountain in heaven. That fell as if from David’s sling and broke this colossus to pieces. And then that stone became a great mountain and filled the entire earth. Babylon, we’re told, was that head of gold. And each other body part represented successive kingdoms with various kings, the fourth of which we’re told would be excessively destructive. Yet the stone represented a fifth kingdom that towers over all kingdoms within this book, superior and more lasting than any kingdom of men.

So pick up with me in 2:44. And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. God’s kingdom never destroyed. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms of men and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, just as you saw the stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and then it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, the gold. In this book. God’s kingdom is exalted, highest, most clearly, in chapter 7 turn with me there. Here the same foue kingdoms from chapter 2 are portrayed as beasts. You’ll notice that the description of the first beast, the lion says something in addition. Verse four: “And as I looked, the lion that had Eagles wings. Those wings were plucked off and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on 2 feet like a man, and the mind of a man was given to it.” That’s the story of Nebuchadnezzar. He was beastly. And then he returned to being what a human was supposed to be: an imager of the reign and rule of God. Three other beasts. The second a bear the third a leopard, the fourth simply described in 7:7 as terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong.

Yet in this chapter against these beasts are two other figures that Daniel describes as the Ancient of Days, and one like a son of Adam. A son of man. So look with me at verse 9 and chapter 7. As I looked seeing all these beastly kingdoms as I looked and saw the beasts thrones were placed and the ancient of days took his seat. Just a little bit further down the court sat in judgment and the books were opened. And then a little bit further and as I looked. The beast was killed. That fourth beast, the terrible. The ugly. The one that was making great boasts against the Most High. He was simply killed. The ancient of days addressed him. He was burned with fire and as for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away. How did it happen? Well, “I saw in the night visions and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man who came to the ancient of days and was presented before him as if the victor.” Then what does it say? “To this son of man was given dominion and glory and a kingdom. He has power, he has exaltation, and he has absolute rule that all the peoples and nations and languages should serve him. The son of man exalted over all his dominion, is an everlasting dominion. It shall not pass away his kingdom, one that shall not be destroyed.”

Two things I want to draw attention to in this little section of Daniel 7. Number one: God’s kingdom wins. He triumphs. So we can take hope today, even if things look beastly all around us. We can take hope today. God wants you to read this word and find hope. As the kingdoms of mankind become increasingly beastly, we need to remind ourselves that the great judge of the universe will indeed sit on his throne and declare vengeance against all of his enemies, even the worst of them. But there’s a second point, because not only does God win, the text suggests that he does so through this victorious son of man. To whom he gives dominion and glory and kingdom that everyone on the planet regardless of their ethnic background, the language they speak, the color of their hair, the size of their body, their ability or knowledge, everyone will declare him king. Whether as a prisoner of war or as one who has been preserved even through death. This son of man is Christ Jesus whom Romans 1:4 we’re told God declared to be the son of God in power at the resurrection from the dead. In the end, God wins and he’ll do it through this son of man.

Yet it will neither happen immediately we’re told in this book, nor will it happen without a great cost. So turn in your Bibles to chapter 9. The son of man will triumph over all evil influences and proud kingdoms, and will gain everlasting dominion, but only through personal tribulation. Something we’ve anticipated all the way since Genesis 3:15, where the offspring of the woman would strike the head of the serpent while himself having his own heel struck. The anointed son of man will die a substitute’s death, but he will rise, overcoming death and securing atonement for the many.

Chapter 9. You’ll recall that chapter 9 opens with Daniel remembering that Judah’s physical exile from the promised land was to take 70 years. And it moves him to pray for God to act on behalf of his own. But while the physical return to the land would only take 70 years, the angel Gabriel shows up and tells Daniel that the spiritual restoration to God would take 70 sevens, that is, 70 weeks of years. A week of years is 7 of them, and 70 sevens equals 490 years. Only after 4 successive kingdoms and nearly five centuries from Daniel’s day would the Messiah finally deliver and restore.

So pick up with me at 9:24. Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city. To do six things to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. So within this time frame, 70 weeks of years, God will atone for transgression, sin, and iniquity, thus defeating their power. That’s half of what he will do. But more than just overcoming the curse, the second group of three says he is going to bless. Establishing everlasting right order in his world, confirming the prophetic word that’s been testified to throughout the Old Testament, and anointing a most holy person or place. Now, this verb anoint is directly related to the noun Messiah, or anointed one, whom we read about then in the next two verses.

I think the ESV is unhelpful in verse 25. But the CSB, I think, got it correct when they say “from the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem all the way until an anointed one,” that is a Messiah. “The ruler will be 7 weeks and 62 weeks.” So from the time of the decree up until the coming of this messianic ruler will be seven plus sixty-two, that equals sixty-nine. So what that means is that as we see in verse 26 in the 70th week after the 62 weeks, an anointed one a Messiah shall be cut off and have nothing. I believe the anointed one in verse 26 is the same anointed one as in verse 25. And in both verses, they’re referring to the one we know of as Jesus, the son of man from Daniel 7, who is cut off in weakness and emptiness on behalf of the many. It’s even possible to read the Hebrew as an anointed one shall be cut off, but not for himself, meaning that he dies not on his own account, but on behalf of others.

Now it’s intriguing that Gabriel is the one who brings this announcement. Because Gabriel only shows up in all of Scripture in two places, Daniel 8 and 9 and Luke 1. In Luke 1:26, it’s Gabriel whom God sends to Mary to announce that she will be the mother of Jesus, who, says Gabriel in Luke 1, “will be great and will be called the son of the Most High.” That’s Daniel language. Enjoying the throne of his father David and reigning forever with a kingdom that will have no end. That’s Luke 1:32–33. Gabriel’s presence in Luke’s gospel signals that God was readying to initiate the 70th week that Gabriel himself predicted in Daniel 9 by foreshadowing Jesus’s death and resurrection. Jesus is the stone that was cut from the heavenly mountain that will destroy the Earth’s kingdoms and create an everlasting kingdom that will fill all things, Daniel 2. He is the son of man who has risen in the clouds and received everlasting dominion from the ancient of days, Daniel 7. He is the Messiah whose substitutionary death overcomes the curse and secures everlasting righteousness, Daniel 9. God’s kingdom will triumph through the Messiah’s saving death and everlasting dominion.

Point four: God proves his triumph by raising his saints from death to life. In my second point, I stress that God opposes proud kingdoms, but gives grace to humble saints. With the three friends in the fiery furnace and with Daniel in the Lions den God protected his saints from suffering. They weren’t burned. And he wasn’t eaten. But in this book we also see that God protects his saints through suffering. Even through death en route to eternal life. Tribulation is real for God’s saints and the beastly kings in history’s various periods ever stand against the Holy Ones—that’s what saints means—stands against the Holy Ones who are hoping in the son of Man’s victory.

In Daniel 7 we read that the horn of the fourth kingdom—that is that beast—he has a horn and that horn represents an evil king. That that king made war with the saints and prevailed over them until the ancient of days says enough. And judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom. In chapter 8, we read of the second and third kingdoms, which Daniel learns refers to Medo-Persia, and Greece. Why don’t you turn to chapter 8 with me. Verses 20 and 21 say this. “As for the ram, another beast that you saw with two horns, these are the 2 kings of Media and Persia. And the goat that you saw is the king of Greece and the great horn between his eyes is the first king.” So we have all these kingdoms and at different points they have horns. In chapter 7 it was the extremely terrible beast that had a horn, but now because the third kingdom’s king is portrayed with a horn, what it does for us as a reader is it says there’s things about the kings of one kingdom that anticipate characteristics of the kings of other kingdoms. The serpentine qualities offspring of the serpent that were present in one kingdom trying to crush the saints of the Most High will be present in later kingdoms as well.

So look with me at chapter 8:24–25, which characterized the chief king of the third kingdom. These verses highlight something that is true throughout all of history: that persecution against the saints and false teaching to deceive the many are the defining characteristics of all Antichrist figures. False teaching and persecution. We read in verse 24 of chapter 8, his power this king shall be great, but it’s not by his own power. No, there’s a greater power that gives power to all kings of the earth. His power shall be great, but not by his own power, and he shall cause fearful destruction, and shall succeed in what he does and destroy mighty men and the people who are the saints. Do you see that? He will destroy the saints. By his cunning, he shall make deceit prosper, false teaching. In his own mind, he shall become great. Without warning, he shall destroy many, and he shall even rise up against the Prince of Princes, and he shall be broken. But by no human hand. That’s God’s that is going to show up and break him.

God does not preserve all his saints in this life like he preserves Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from the fire and Daniel from the lions. Indeed, mankind’s beastly kingdoms destroy many saints. And it’s not just the superpowers of this world. It’s the beast as it shows up in the workplace. The beast as it shows up in unsaved relatives. And the response is, destroy, destroy, just like the serpent was trying to do in the garden. And in doing so, they’re standing up against the very Prince of Princes, which I believe in this book is another title for the son of Man and the Messiah.

Many of the visions of beastly kings in the second-half of Daniel refer to the time of the end, we see it six or seven times, and what’s intriguing is that in the Greek translation, called the Septuagint of Daniel, and it only happens in this book in all those instances in the Greek, it renders at the end of the time at that end, all of those phrases, it renders it as “hour,” like the last hour. And it’s that phrase that John picks up in his gospel in his epistles and in the Book of Revelation over and over again to speak about the last hour, consider First John 2:18 children it is the last hour. Signal: I’m gonna refer to Daniel. It is the last hour. How do we know? John, you’ve heard that the Antichrist is coming and now many antichrists have come. Therefore, we know that it is the last hour. First John 2:18. While John recognized with Daniel that there is a chief Antichrist figure who is still coming more beastly than any earthly ruler before him, the spirit of persecution and the spirit of false teaching was already alive and well in the 1st century. And it’s been continuing down to this very day. So we need to be on guard. And we need to be hopeful.

Jesus said in Luke 21, “Disciples, you will be delivered up by parents and by brothers and by relatives and friends. Some of you they will put to death.” Many of us didn’t anticipate a time in the US where we could even consider such a thing. I can consider it today. You’ll be delivered up by those that claimed they love you, and some of you will be put to death. But listen. “You will be hated by all for my namesake, but not a hair of your head will perish by your endurance you will gain your lives.” Did you hear that? Some of you they will put to death, but not a hair of your head will perish. What’s he saying? Eternal hope, eternal hope. When God gives grace to humble saints, he often chooses to carry them through suffering, even unto death. But he will preserve their lives, and this is the exact point as we come to our final text here in the body. Daniel chapter 12. Daniel 12:1–2. “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.” What book? The Book of Truth that lays out God’s providential purposes and in which are the names of all of God’s saints. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the Earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt. Resurrection is real and we need resurrection hope.

This is the teaching Daniel 7, Daniel 12, that stands behind Jesus’s words in John 5:24–29. As I read these words, bringing things to a conclusion, I just encourage you saints, if you find yourself suffering, take hope. If you look into the darkness of our day and find yourself despondent take hope. If you’re battling fear and worry on a regular basis then pause and listen and take hope. With echoes of Daniel you’ll even hear the term hour in the text. John chapter 5, beginning in verse 24. “Truly,” Jesus wants us to know what he’s about to say really is true. “I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life.” Is that you today? He does not come into judgment. Forgiven no condemnation. But has passed from death to life. “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and in fact, is now here.” It was here 2000 years ago; it’s here today. When the dead will hear the voice of the son of God and those who hear will live. There are some of you who may have come into this room as dead people, spiritually dead in your trespasses and sins. And today if you hear the word that God is king and reigning through his suffering yet sovereign Messiah who lived and died and rose in victory, you can move from death to life. It can happen today.

For as the father has life in himself, so he has granted the son also to have life in himself as he has given him authority to execute judgment because he is who? The son of man. Do not marvel at this for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

So in conclusion, I’ve summarized Daniel’s message under four headings. Number one, the God who rules all history and powers deserves worship. May we be a people today who seek to spread a passion for the supremacy of God in all things. Number two, God opposes proud kingdoms, but gives grace to humble saints. Brothers and sisters don’t rely on your own strength. Do not exalt yourself above others. Do not despair, as if God doesn’t care. Instead, as the apostle urges in 1 Peter 5:6, knowing that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that at the proper time he may exalt you. And he will.

Number three, God’s kingdom will triumph through the Messiah’s saving death and everlasting dominion. Through the cross, God disarmed the rulers and the authorities and put them to open shame, triumphing over each of them in Christ. Christ appeared once for all, at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, Daniel 9 and just as it is appointed for man to die once and after that comes judgment. So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of the many, will appear the second time not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. Hebrews 9:26–28.

And number four. God proves his triumph by raising his saints from death to life. Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and is now here when the dead will hear the voice of the son of God and those who hear will live. You were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, but God who is rich in mercy because of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive with Christ. By grace, you have been saved. And he raised us up and seated us with Christ in the heavenly places. And the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the archangel and the trumpet call of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together to be with him in the air, to be with him in the clouds, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. The Most High God rules all history and powers. The one who rules all history and powers deserves worship and will eventually triumph over every proud kingdom through his Messiah’s saving death and everlasting dominion, which God proves by raising his humble saints from death to life. The saints’ sure hope. Christ wins forever. Amen. Amen.

JY: Thank you for joining us for GearTalk. This podcast is designed to help you grow in your understanding of God’s Word. For other resources, including preachers’ guides for those who preach and teach, and Bible studies for individuals and small groups, visit handstotheplow.org. Also be sure to check out our new page on YouTube.