Shine like start
for ever and ever.
Daniel 12:1-13
Key verse 12:3
“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.”
For a week, all we had participated GLEF 2023 not as spectators, but as Bible Teachers, Messengers, Testimony sharers, lecturers, prayer servants, presiders, even cooks. That is what makes GLEF so meaningful as everyone actively participates, and contributes, each individual experiences growth in their faith and spirit. Especially thank God for Psalms by Mothers of prayers and Proverbs by Vision Team. Through the Psalms, I have learned to seek God in every moment of my life. Whether in the times of sorrow or joy, misery or happy, failure or victory, together or alone, I can turn to God for He is the creator, father, savior, the Lord, and my love. Psalm Presentations were so powerful because it was by Mother of prayer who has a profound understanding of one’s love for God and also God’s love for sinners. The Perspectives of Proverbs, delivered by the Vision Team, have challenged the ideas and patterns of the world that I had compromised. I could see the vision that they will lead many to righteousness through the word of truth as bible teachers for the next generation. Let us pray for them to fear God and grow to be wise man and woman for their generation.
Today we are going to revisit the last chapter of Daniel to remind of His faith, his dedication to prayer, and his vision. The conclusion of Daniel’s prophetic vision in Ch12 moves beyond the time of distress and points toward the great salvation that is ours in Christ Jesus. It is truly amazing that we can learn how we live as Bible Teachers, Spiritual leaders in these turbulent times from Daniel’s Vision written over 2600 years ago. May God help us through this study to gain spiritual insight into His plan of world salvation. As a result, we may be empowered to take parts in God’s plan as a Bible Teacher and shepherd to save sinners in our generation, leading many to righteousness.
I. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens (1-4)
3 chapters from ch10 to ch12 focus on the third and final vision given to Daniel. In Ch10, we saw Daniel praying for his people who had gone back from Babylon to rebuild Jerusalem. We saw that God sent an angel to answer Daniel’s prayer and the angel prophesied the near future history in Ch11. Through Emmanuel’s message, we learned that the vision was fulfilled with 100% accuracy. By declaring “What has been determined must take place” (11:36b), the angel affirmed the Sovereignty of God over the History of mankind. He testified God, the sovereign who called him, saved him, and sent him to America to be a shepherd for campus students. Sh. Angela also shared her testimony of God’s will for her to be a Bible Teacher. Also, God had prophesied the time of the end, especially about the work of the Antichrist in Ch11.
Ch12 is the last part of the vision with explanation. Verses 1 to 4 focus on “the time of the end.” Look at verse 1. “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.” Here “At that time” refers to the end of the time. “At that time” is a dark time of distress for the believers. It will be the time of unprecedented distress, anguish, tribulation, destruction, evil on a rampage, violence and hatred for God’s people. But even in such time of distress, we can find God’s wonderful promise for his people that we should hang on to.
First, “At that time your people…will be delivered.” Look at 1b-2. “But at that time your
people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.” God did not promise to shield his people from distress, trials or hardship. But, God promised to deliver them into the everlasting life. Death is not the end. After death, everyone will awake; be resurrected. Someone will be resurrected to eternal life, others will be resurrected to God’s last judgment.
It all depends on if one’s name is found written in the book, the book of life. Revelation 20:11-16 describes God’s final judgment. After death, all will stand before God’s throne to be judged. “Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.” Our eternal destination will not determine by our achievement or success in the world. It is by if our name is written in the book of life. Though God’s people might face such terrible persecutions, trials, or hardships, they could persevere to the end for they will be delivered into everlasting life with God, eternal blessing and joy in the presence of God.
Then, how do we get our name written in the book of life? In John 11, Jesus asked to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life… Do you believe?”(Jn11:25-26) Simply by believing in Jesus as our Lord, we come to have right to be child of God. Because of this promise, we can be courageous to endure any hardships; Hebrews 10:35-36 “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” We can be courageous to seek God’s righteousness first; we can be courageous to obey the Ten Commandments. Sarah Kim Jr. presented the Ten commandments as our everlasting legacy which remolds us to be the Holy people of God in this lawless generation.
Look at verse 3. “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.” Who are the wise? Who are those who lead many to righteousness? They are the Bible Teachers who study, obey, and teach God’s word as a matter of life and death even in the time of distress. They shepherd people according to Jesus’ example of disciple-making; they poured out their lives to bring the gospel truth to every nations and every people. They might be ignored or even despised in the world. However, God will glorify them with the heavenly glory; they will share the glory of Jesus, the Son of God. God will make them shine like stars for ever and ever. Such heavenly glory belongs to those who are faithful to God’s salvation work by teaching the word of God to the end. What a wonderful promise of God for the wise!
Bible Teachers are like the bright light for a dark time, shining like the “brightness of heaven” and leading many to the Word of God. God can do His work, world salvation work through one Bible teacher who makes a decision of faith to teach God’s Word. God has given us the mission to live as the wise Bible teachers in this time. We can hold fast to our role as Bible-believing and obedient Bible teachers. We may proclaim God’s truth by devoting ourselves to 1:1 Bible Study and Disciple making ministry.
Many UBF shepherds and missionaries have humbled themselves, giving up their dreams of worldly success and fame in order to teach the word of God to campus students. They suffered shame and rejection at the hands of selfish, ignorant people. But they did not give up. Sometimes this seems insignificant. However, their devotion and their sacrifices will shine like stars for ever and ever, leading many to righteousness, back to the Bible, and raising them up as determined disciples and warriors of Jesus.
Daniel was the man who lived over 2600 years ago, but still his life of faith shines like stars in this generation. His decision of faith not to defile himself inspires many of us to make decisions to honor God with our absolute obedience to God’s words. Especially Daniel’s life of prayer inspired us to create new movement of prayer in Hamilton Center. Dream Team, Vision Team and young Leader teams began to gather to pray in the early morning. That is really amazing work of the Holy Spirit. May God empower each of them to fully devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word of God.
Faith Kim presented the life of John Wycliffe known as a Morning Star in 14th Century. In the time of darkness when the Bible was largely ignore, Wycliffe stood up against the corrupted church and governments, by standing on the word of truth only. He translated the Bible from Latin to English. In this way, he truly led many to righteousness. Actually, he opened the door of reformation of church. God used him as the one brightly shining star for ever and ever, through which an entire continent could renew its spiritual identity as a kingdom of priests.
In the time of World War II, a Bible teacher Dietrich Bonhoeffer stood up against
Hitler. As the leading international theologian of his time, he could have lived a safe life in faraway America. But he saw that his people, the Germans, needed a Bible teacher. Therefore, he returned to serve them with the Word of God. Although his seminary was closed several times, he continued the intensive Bible study and spiritual fellowship with his Bible students in the underground. He was executed. Sare Lee presented one of his book “Life Together.” Which teaches us to live by the teaching of the word of God, by seeking the word of God in our practical lives. Even to this day, like the stars, he shines for ever and ever, because he led many to righteousness and made them true disciples and messengers of the Word.
In 1950’s, Korean was in devastating situation after the Korean War. In such time, God blessed Dr. Lee and Mother Barry’ Bible Study to bring the light of the gospel to the desperate students and led countless young people to righteousness. They were spiritually awakened by the hope of God “Bible, Korea, World Mission!” They have served as God’s vast army of lay missionaries of campus mission in more than 90
countries around the world as far as Russia, China and the Muslim world to this day.
We are living in the time of distress. There are overflowing false leaders in this generation. Many do not know what or whom to follow. In this confusing generation, God inspired His servants to establish GLEF with clear pray topic to empower the next generation and raise them to be spiritual leaders through intensive Bible study and Disciple making. With our own eyes, we have seen How our next generation have grown to be Bible Teachers and servants of the word of God; How each of them began to shine like stars in this hopeless times. Let us pray Dream, Vision and Young Leaders Team practically to serve one sheep with 1:1 Bible Study; They may share the same vision to be the wise in this generation, so that they may shine like stars for ever and ever.
Let us read verse 4: “But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.” Here “seal” means to protect the original document, so that it could not be modified or changed. It means that the original is accurate and complete. It also means to preserve it. When we read the book of Daniel today, we marvel at how accurate God’s predictions have been in the history of the intertestamental period. It was because Daniel protected its accuracy and passed on to the next generation as the word of God.
Thank to God for allowing the Next Generation, through GLEF, to study, explore and penetrate the Book of Daniel several times and in depth according to the IBS method. This book is one of the most challenging in the Bible. But the next generation was able to lay the good foundation through IBS. By studying the book of Daniel several times through factual study, message, and testimonies, they were able to “penetrate” the Word of God. Now they can grow as wise leaders and Bible teachers who have knowledge and insight. They can protect and preserve the word of God and pass on to others without defect of the original word of God
That is why the next generation and all of us may keep the Word of God as it is. Let us teach God’s Word as it is through inductive Bible study as Bible teachers. God’s Word is a living and powerful Word and a sharp and double-edged sword. God may bless us to focus Intensive Bible Study and disciples making, so that we may challenge this generation with the word of life through which God created the heaven and the earth. God has placed each one of us here with a purpose – to shine.
II. The final victory of God and of the holy people (5-13)
Let us look at verses 5 through 8. We now return to the starting point of Daniel’s vision, when Daniel was on the bank of the great river Tigris (10:4,5). On the bank of the river there were now two others, one on one side, the other on the other side of the river. One of them asked when the astonishing things that had been foretold would be
fulfilled. The man in the linen robes replied that it would take a time, times and half a time – until the power of the holy people is shattered and all these things are completed. Though it is hard to understand, one fact is clear that the time of distress and suffering of God’s people will not be forever. It has an appointed duration, and it will come to an end.
Let us look at verse 8: “I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, “My lord, what
will the outcome of all this be?” Daniel did not understand the answer of the man with the linen clothes either. But Daniel wanted to know what the end of these events would be. Look at verses 9-10. 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 was distressed at the message of suffering for his people. He could not understand the angels’ message how long it would last. Still he wanted to know what might be finally outcome of all these troubles. There is clear God’s purpose in the time of distress Through the time of distress, God’s people would be purified, made spotless and refined and the wicked act wickedly. It goes
on until the 1290 days and the 1,335 day are completed.
Through the time of distress, in the end, two types of people are clearly revealed and divided: the wicked and those who are wise. The wicked are those who do not want to understand the Word of God and the work of God. Their way leads to destruction. But those who are wise are those who meditate on the law of the Lord day and night. They will understand the way and will of God and have salvation from the power of sin and
death. It seems like no one knows what these numbers exactly mean. Just like no one knows when Jesus will come at the end days. But one thing is clear that we are in the last days. We have been in the last days since Jesus died on the cross.
The one message we need to pay attention is the instruction given to Daniel who did not fully understand the vision just like all of us. In Verse 9, “Go your way, Daniel.” And also in verse 13. Let us read verse 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.” “Go your way, Daniel, till the end.” Since he was taken to the Babylon, Daniel had lived in obedience to the Word of God absolutely; He had devoted his life to pray for his people; he had sealed God’s vision and taught the vision as it is to the next generation.
“Go, your way!” what does this mean to us, the disciples of Jesus? Jesus commanded, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19,20) In the time of distress, we need to be faithful servant, by serving intensive 1:1 Bible Study and disciple making ministry. It is what means “Go, our way!” God wants us to be filled with His hope and vision and to go make disciples of Jesus of all nations. Let us follow Daniel’s example, “go” and be used as influential Bible teachers in “that time” according to the Great Commission.
Through Bible study on campus, we, as Bible teachers, may raise up Spiritual leaders among the students so that America, Europe and the Middle East may be restored as the kingdom of priests and a holy nation. In this time of distress, it seems like the world is full of evil just as God showed Daniel. In this time, the Bible teachers are the main characters and spiritual leaders in God’s salvation history. God fulfills His plan of world salvation to the ends of the earth through faithful Bible teacher who teaches God’s Word and thereby makes disciples of Jesus. In this time of spiritual distress, we can live victorious and influential lives as Bible teachers and spiritual conquerors like Daniel. You will shine like the brightness of the heavens and like the stars for ever and ever. We may raise 7000 spiritual leaders, for the mobilization of the next generation, to the ends of the earth, and until our Lord Jesus returns.