Title: KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE

Focus: As we journey through the wilderness of life, let us draw from God’s Word, ponder its teachings, and focus on God’s inheritance to be received in due time.

Function: To encourage the people to keep their eyes of faith on the prize that God has set before us in Christ Jesus.

Text: Daniel 11:36-12:13

After the horrors of WW II were over and the peace treaties signed in Europe, many Europeans said: “Surely, there will be no more wars; we have all learned our lessons. Now we shall have peace and we shall live in peace among each other.” This was the prevailing sentiment in Europe after WW II.

How wrong we were! Fifty years later, at the end of the 20^th century, historians have concluded that the 20^th century has been one of the bloodiest centuries in history. It has been one conflict after another ranging from the Cold War with communist countries to the Vietnam War, ranging from ethnic cleansing in Serbia to mass extinction in Rwanda.

And things don’t look much better today. We are at war with Islamic terrorists; the threat of nuclear conflict is on the rise—in Pakistan with the spread of the Taliban’s brutal dominion; in Iraq with the instability of continued Al Qaida attacks on innocent civilians; in Iran with the insane propaganda and leadership of Ahmadinejad, in North Korea with missile-happy Kim Young Il, in the Middle East with wreckless and hateful Hezbollah and Hamas leaders, and so it goes. The world is one large wilderness when it comes to warfare, violence and hatred.

That wilderness is expanding as we consider the global, economic crises. Millions of people are losing their jobs. Companies are folding; some governments are “tightening their belts,” while others are recklessly spending the future of our children and grandchildren.

There is now a trend emerging in America, where parents are dealing with children who can’t sleep and who are afraid, because they hear dire stories about global warming, the potential of mass flooding; the likelihood that we are going to be hit by some asteroids within the next 50 years. Alarmist from all stripes and regions in the world are crying that the “sky is falling.” The world is one huge wilderness. Chaos, fear, uncertainty—these are the realities of our days. What are we to do? What should Christians do?

Daniel’s prophecy reminds us today that we must not panic. As we journey through the wilderness of life, we must learn to draw from God’s Word, ponder its teachings, and focus on God’s inheritance to be received in due time. In other words, use your God-given abilities in your daily work or vocation, and keep your eyes of faith on the prize that God has set before us in Christ Jesus.

Take Daniel, for example. The first 6 chapters of Daniel provide us with fascinating stories and insights about Daniel, as a leader of the Jews—in exile, in Babylon. We learn of God’s provisions for Daniel and his friends, and we notice how God deals with ruthless kings and emperors such as Nebuchadnezzar, Belshezzar, Darius, and Cyrus. Kingdoms come and kingdoms go. Rulers rise up against God and his people Israel, but the rule of God triumphs. Such are the obvious teachings we find in Daniel 1-6.

The next 6 chapters in Daniel are prophetic in nature: the language is obscure; the images and visions and metaphors are provocative and sometimes downright scary. The time frame mentioned in these chapters concerns the immediate but also the far future, including the end times. And very often we are left in the dark as to how to place and interpret all the prophecies and teachings in these chapters.

We learn of godless kings and rulers: they embody Anti-Christian forces, which at the very end of time will result in the rise of one particular Anti-Christ, of which also the Apostle Paul spoke in his letter to the church in Thessalonica. We learn of persecutions and spiritual warfare; we learn of terrifying moments in history: beastly, ruthless governments; out of control people fighting one another, vying for dominance; unrest, uncertainty and hardships—these make up our overall history and world. It’s one huge wilderness.

And in the midst of it all we find the church, the people of God: tossed back and forth, kicked around, trying to make sense out of this wilderness. No wonder that Daniel is bewildered! No wonder he looks for understanding! Thank God, then, that Daniel’s prophecies end with a clear message and admonition for God’s people today! As we journey through the wilderness of life, let us draw from God’s Word, ponder its teachings, and focus on God’s inheritance to be received in due time. In other words, keep your eyes of faith on the prize that God has set before us in Christ Jesus.

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As we face the last two chapters of the book of Daniel, I would like to answer the question, “What to do with the prophetic and seemingly obscure materials?” If you are like me, you probably are baffled by the visions and revelations. It’s very difficult to make sense of them all.

Let’s begin with an image. Those of you who were raised on a farm will know that cows are ruminants—they have four stomachs. The first stomach chamber is called the “rumen.” This is the chamber in which large amounts of food are stored and softened. After the food is processed and softened in the rumen, it is regurgitated. This substance is called the “cud” and is chewed again. The chewed cud goes directly into the other chambers of the cow’s stomach. Ruminants such as cows chew their cud. They ruminate.

Using this image, I suggest that we ruminate the obscure and prophetic materials found in Daniel 11 and 12. Chew the cud of God’s Word.

Accept the fact that God’s Word is spiritual food for our soul. It needs to be digested or understood and interpreted, so that we can draw strength or spiritual nurture from God’s Word. A large portion of God’s Word is easy to grasp and digest. You don’t need a Ph.D or university education to digest the gist of the grand story of God’s salvation. Most people will grasp the movement of that story: Creation—Fall-Deliverance or Redemption in Christ Jesus, and Restoration or the Renewal of all things.

Then there are other portions of God’s Word that have a “time-released” nature. For example, Psalm 23 (The Lord is my Shepherd) may not move you today because you find yourself in pleasant circumstances. But when we face the reality of death, Psalm 23 unleashes a power that brings comfort and speaks to our souls. Thus not all Scripture speak to us all directly at the same time. That’s why we ponder the Scriptures and read it regularly.

Also, some Scripture passages are intentionally obscure. In his divine wisdom, God gave Daniel revelations and dreams. But there were moments (such as in chapters 11 and 12) that God leaves Daniel and us in the dark. We fail to understand. But God has his reasons. And we must learn to accept that God is far wiser than us. Sometimes, we must directly apply God’s Word; other times we must do what God instructed Daniel to do: (vs. 9) “Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end.” In other words, this portion of God’s revelation to Daniel is to be ruminated, to chew on, and to regurgitate time and time again—until over time, God will make clear its meaning to his people.

Go ahead: study Daniel’s prophecies; consult the best commentaries available; discuss with fellow believers possible interpretations. Be humble in you conclusions, recognizing that insights and meanings sometimes come to us over a long period of time. Be willing to live with mystery; trust God’s Word and ruminate—ponder it. Let the Spirit of God guide you as you journey through the wilderness of life. And do what Daniel does: Keep your eyes of faith on the prize that God has set before us in Christ Jesus.

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Although the materials in Daniel chapters 11 and 12 are obscure in their presentations, they are not without precious gems or jewels to bolster our faith today. For example, tucked into these chapters we find a great deal of comfort and assurance as we go through the wilderness of life. We notice that God sent Michael—one of God’s chief angels—to Daniel. And we learn that Michael does God’s bidding by assisting Daniel and responding to his needs and circumstances.

It is reassuring, then, to know that God has ministering spirits or angels, who assist God’s people at critical and divinely appointed moments. The Scriptures contain many instances where we see these angels at work. Jesus himself found strength and encouragement as God sent his angels when Jesus was tempted in the desert at the beginning of his ministry and when Jesus agonized in the Garden of Gethsemane just before he was arrested and crucified. God’s angels assist God’s people throughout history by doing God’s bidding at God’s divinely-appointed times.

Listen to the angel Michael speaking to Daniel: (vs. 13) “As for you (Daniel), 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.”

Here we have another precious gem or teaching in Daniel 12. Keep your eyes of faith on the prize that God has set before us in Christ Jesus.

Daniel longed to see the land of Israel free from foreign domination. Daniel longed to see God’s exiled people inherit their promised land again. Daniel longed to see God’s presence (as symbolized in the temple of Jerusalem) fully established and acknowledged. Daniel prayed for the rebuilding of God’s House and for the Israelites to return to faithful worship, sacrifices and service. Daniel did not see these things take place with his own eyes. But he kept his eyes of faith on the prize. And God told him: “As for you (Daniel), 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.”

The inheritance is eternal life on the restored creation, with Christ living in our midst. The inheritance is God’s promised new heaven and earth. When Christ comes again, he will usher in God’s heavenly rule on this renewed earth. He will raise the dead, judge us all, and grant each human being that has ever lived his/her just reward. In that closing verse (vs. 13), Daniel receives encouragement: Go your way—that is, complete your journey in the wilderness of life. He receives assurance that Daniel will receive rest; that is, Daniel’s worn-out body will be gathered in the dust, but Daniel himself (apart from his body) will find rest in the arms of God (like Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham). And Daniel receives a promise: “at the end of days you will rise….” That is, God does not forget his people. He fully restores and reunites us with our resurrection body. And then the Kingdom of God will find its fulfillment. For then God’s people, Daniel included, will receive their allotted inheritance.

Folks, life may be a wilderness, threatening, and full of insecurity. But this much is clear: our inheritance promised by God in Christ Jesus (that he will make all things new) is guaranteed. Therefore, as we journey through the wilderness of life, let us draw from God’s Word, ponder its teachings, and focus on God’s inheritance to be received in due time.

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.