The End of Days

Clay Smith JFBC

Sovereign: Lessons from the book of Daniel

Daniel 9: 20-27 The End of Days

Life is filled with interruptions. Good things and bad. A most pivotal interruption in this passage. " Pay attention to this message". A confusing passage, using highly figurative language.

Escatology the study of last things. Much is blurry. The Bible gives a framework but there are many interpretations. Can divide believers. Some think some things have already happened, some are premillennialists, some post.

Read this with humility: Charles Spurgeon said "No truth should be more frequently proclaimed other than Christs first coming, is his second."

Takeaways from this passage:

1. God hears our prayers v 20-21 God also responds accordingly. V 2 context is important. Daniel refers to the book of Jeremiah. Daniel is an old man. Israel has been in captivity for 65 years v 16 Daniel prays that God not be wrathful but instead be compassionate, bring the captivity to a close and rebuild the temple. V 21 Daniel was praying at 3 pm the time of the offering back before the temple was standing.

2. God wants us to confess our sins Psalm 147:10-11 God is not attracted by human strength. He is attracted by a fear of Him, and reliance on His strength.

3. God is sovereign over all of history v 24-25 26 the messiah the prince are they the same person? Very confusing. 70 = 70 sevens, weeks? Years? 490 is broken up. There will be (1) a decree to rebuild Jerusalem a d (2) the messiah will be cut off wars desolation...a gap between week 69 and 70. Events leading up to the time of Christ and after the time of Christ. When does this take place? AD 70 a Roman Emperor destroyed the temple. Others think this describes future events. Tough stuff to figure out - no apology for that. Clay knows that he could be wrong - but God is sovereign over all of history. 

4. Christ's saving work is finished. Sin and guilt will be dealt with. Atonement. We can become righteous. Daniel refers to Jesus, who offered the final sacrifice...Hebrews 10.

5. Christ is coming again. We don't think about that enough. We can get lost in trying to figure out when, but we need to focus on the fact that he is coming back again. He will judge His enemies and take us back to heaven.

Adrian Rogers: “we need to be living like Jesus died last night, rose to Heaven this morning, and is coming back this afternoon”.

30 in Sunday School

Psalm 56

Luke 6:20-26 beatitudes and woes. Where am putting my trust in riches? Am I willing to speak up for Christ?

Luke 7:36-50: Jesus was invited to eat at a Pharisee’s home. A “woman of the city” learned that Jesus was there. She bought a flask of ointment and wet Jesus’ feet with her tears, wiped them clean with her hair, and anointed them with the oil. The Pharisee said to himself that if this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of women this was. Jesus answered “Simon, there is something I have to say to you. A lender had 2 debtors. One owed 500, the other 50. Neither could repay, so the lender cancelled the debts. Which one will love him more?” Simon said the one with the larger debt. Jesus said to Simon “ I entered your house. You gave me no water to wash my feet, but this woman washed my feet with her tears. You gave me no kiss but this woman kissed my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but this woman anointed my feet. Her sins are forgiven, for she loves me much. But he who has forgiven little, loves little. Jesus said to the woman Your sins are forgiven. Those at the table murmured Who is this, who even forgives sins? Jesus said to the woman Your faith has saved you – go in peace.

Luke 8: 27: Jesus met a man with a demon, who lived among the tombs.

28. The man cried out, asking Jesus to not torment him.

29. Jesus had commanded the spirit to depart from the man. ???

30. The man’s name was Legion, for many demons were in him.

31. The demons begged Jesus to not send them into the abyss. ???

32. They asked Jesus to let them inhabit a nearby herd of pigs. Jesus permitted this.

33. The herd rushed down a steep bank into the lake and drowned.

34. The herdsman saw this, fled, and told everyone what had happened.

35. The townspeople came and found the man to be in his right mind. This scared them.

36. Witnesses told the people how the man had been healed.

37. The people asked Jesus to leave.

38. The man who was healed wanted to go with Jesus.

39. Jesus told him to return home, and declare how much God had done for him.