In the name of Christ Jesus, dear fellow redeemed people of God,

Sometimes it is good to gain a perspective of where you have come from, where you are, and where you are going. We thought about the past as we celebrated our church anniversary and Reformation. On our harvest festival, we thought about our present blessings. Now it is time to look to the future.

Many people are afraid when they think about the end of the world. One of our professors talked about how afraid he was when the pastor talked about the last day. When I was a child, there was a day when the sky was strangely red. I asked my mother if it could be the end of the world. When she said, "maybe," I felt a jolt of fear shoot down my spine. But, the more I thought about it, and what God's Word says, the better I felt. We tend to be afraid of the unknown. The destruction of everything we own and see can be scary. Even this building will be destroyed, and our homes, and our cars, and so on. And yet, dear believers, you have no need to be afraid. This Bible verse from Daniel answers the question:

1. DISTRESS: A time of distress (v. 1; Mt 24:21; 2 Tim 3:1-5)

It says here in verse 1, "There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then." We do not know how long this world will last, but we do know what it will be like at the end of the world, just before Christ returns. It will be "a time of distress." Our Lord Jesus said, (Mt 24:21) "Then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now - and never to be equaled again." Clearly, this is no ordinary time of trouble. But, what specifically should we expect? We find an answer in 2 Timothy 3:1?5, and as I read these words, consider if these words do not describe the very society we live in today: "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. {2} People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, {3} without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, {4} treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God - {5} having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them." Don't those descriptions sound like our society today? Certainly, we should be ready for our Lord's return all the time!

From time to time, these TV preachers talk about how great things are going to be at the end of the world, because they seek a glorified kingdom on earth. But God's Word plainly tells us how much trouble we will have on earth. This tribulation will continue and increase to the end of the world, until the very day when Christ returns. That's why the Bible says that there will always be poor people. There will be troubles, sickness and sorrow until the last day. But when Christ returns, we know what to expect.

2. RESURRECTION: All the dead will rise on the last day (v. 2a; Jn 5:28; 11:24)

It's amazing to read these words in the Old Testament! {2} Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake. This is a clear description of the resurrection on the last day. Daniel was inspired to use the term "multitudes." Just think how many people that will be! Billions of people will rise from the dead! Some Bible teachers claim that not all will rise, but that is not true. Our Lord Jesus said, in John 5:28: "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out." ALL of the dead will rise on the last day. That's what Jesus taught. Martha knew this. She didn't expect Jesus to raise her brother from the dead on that day, but said that she knew that he would "rise again in the resurrection at the last day" (John 11:24). That's why we confess in the Creeds that we believe in the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. The Bible plainly teaches that all of the dead will rise at the end of the world. This is true even of those who tried to avoid facing their Maker by having their ashes spread across the ocean. The God who made them can easily raise and restore them. They will not be absent in the final judgment. ALL will appear, without exception, for the final judgment.

3. JUDGMENT: Eternity in heaven or eternity in hell (v. 2b; Mt 25:31-33, 46)

Daniel revealed God's Word about what will happen at the end of the world. All of the dead will rise, but not all will go to heaven. Verse two reveals where people will go after they are brought back to life: {2b} some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.

When people die, their souls go to heaven or hell, while their bodies remain here. On the last day, Christ will raise their bodies and reunite them with their souls, so that all people will have a body and a soul after that. When Jesus described the last judgment, he said that he would separate the believers from the unbelievers "as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats." There will not be a long, drawn out trial for each one. Jesus will instantly separate believers from unbelievers, and it will not be hard for him. A good shepherd doesn't struggle to separate his sheep from goats. Perhaps I could draw an analogy with a pet owner. A person who owns a dog will not have trouble telling the difference between his dog and a cat. Or a cat owner would never struggle to tell the difference between her cat and someone else's dog. It will be just that simple for our Lord on the last day. The final judgment will be quick and final. I imagine that there might even be a sound like "Whoosh" as believers are quickly placed on our Savior's right and unbelievers are placed on his left. And already, the judgment is done. Believers are on his right. Unbelievers are on his left.

God moved Daniel to write that the believers will go to "everlasting life." The unbelievers will go to "shame and everlasting contempt." Jesus said that believers will receive "eternal life" and unbelievers will receive "eternal punishment" (Mt 25:46). How thankful we should be that we know how that last judgment will go! How thankful we should be that Jesus lived a perfect life for us and died on the cross to take our sins away! His resurrection assures us that we too shall rise and inherit eternal life. We repeat it often, because we want all to know that whoever believes in Jesus will go to heaven, and whoever does not believe will go to hell. And then, they will stay there for all eternity. For all eternity, believers will enjoy the perfect world of heaven. For all eternity, unbelievers will suffer indescribable torments in the fires of hell! It's scary to think about what hell is like, but encouraging to think about heaven. In our last verse, we find a brief description of the glory that believers will have in heaven, particularly those who teach God's Word.

4. GLORY: For faithful "teachers" of the gospel (v.3; Mt 19:28-30; 1 Cor 15:58)

Reading verse three with the NIV footnote, it says: {3} "Those who impart wisdom will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever." Luther translated this with the German term for "the teachers"[of God's Word]. Those who teach others about Jesus will shine like bright stars with heavenly glory! In this life, many of them were mistreated. Some were persecuted and died as martyrs. Scripture says: "They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated - the world was not worthy of them" (He 11:37f). God's special servants still face disrespect, rejection and criticism. Some are privately discouraged. Some left loved ones behind to serve far from home. But, Jesus said, "everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life."

Here God's Word tells us that all believers who told others about Jesus will shine like stars in heaven. This includes faithful prophets and apostles, pastors and teachers, Sunday School teachers, Christian parents, and people just like you who told friends and relatives about Jesus. This might not seem important to some, but it will be important in the end. There is no more important task in all the world than telling people: Jesus died on the cross and paid for all of your sins. You are forgiven through Christ! Believe in Jesus, and you will be in heaven forever. Amen.