Living in these End Times

Daniel 12:1 "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. ² Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 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.

To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ: Mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance. Amen. (Jude 1,2)

Perhaps you’ve heard people describe this world as a madhouse. No more Twinkies or Ding Dongs, a nor’easter is bringing winds, rain and extreme cold to those areas hit hard by Hurricane Sandy, Hamas rockets strike outside Jerusalem, sexual deviants in our own city. Actually the world is not a madhouse but an arena, a battlefield where a war is constantly raging between the forces of God and the forces of anti-God. There is not a single area of life that has not been claimed by God and counter-claimed by Satan and his henchmen.

Things are going to get bad, really bad, before they get better – eternally better. And when these conditions worsen, which they are, Jesus assures us, “See to it that you are not alarmed” (Matthew 24:6). Already in the Old Testament, God was equipping His saints with a farsighted courage. This tortured world has seen distress of many kinds over the centuries, but nothing like the last distress that is coming. So as Christians, we cannot put on rose-colored glasses so everything appears pink and pretty. Daniel makes it clear that as we live in these final End Times, there is no reason for overconfidence.

But there’s no reason for despair, either. Yes, there will be terrible trouble living in these End Times. But it will be followed by a time of terrific triumph.

“There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations.” Jesus quoted this verse: “For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now--and never to be equaled again” (Matthew 24:21).

We are living in the End Times. It is a time of distress and trouble. Life for the Christian is not going to get easier during these last days. In fact, these days will be full of stress, hardships, and heartaches. Listen to how Jesus describes these last days in which we are living: “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars … Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes … Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. (Matthew 24:6-11) These are things that we are definitely seeing in our world today. And they will only increase the closer we get to Jesus’ return.

Earlier in his book, Daniel prophecies about the troubles we will face during the End Times. He prophecies that the Antichrist will rise up for a final attack on God’s people. The government will aid the Antichrist in persecuting Christians. There will be an increase of false religions that will arise to deceive many people. 

This struggle will continue and even intensify down to the end of the world. When the last evil days come upon the world, the Antichrist will lash out in desperate fury to seduce the people of God and to undermine their faith in Christ. This world has seen many distresses of various kinds – Christians persecuted, believers martyred, Scriptural doctrines compromised. Those are nothing when compared to what the last and greatest distress will be like.

Our tendency is to become complacent in our faith, to despair in the midst of all this trouble, and give up during these last distressing times. We need the strength, armor, and weapons of God’s Word to remain powerful against these attacks by the Evil One. We need God’s Word during these last, dark days. But how many of us here continue to despise God’s Word? We don’t come to Bible study in church or read our Bibles and devotions at home. How many of us fail to make worship a priority? We come because our children are singing or out of habit or guilt. How many of us do not make regular, weekly use of the Lord’s Supper? Your faith is being daily buffeted by doubt, depression and desperation. Yet you fail to use the very tool – Christ’s Holy Supper – that He has given you to combat those weaknesses of your faith.

Why are we so weak in Biblical doctrines, Bible stories, and Bible ethics? How can we ever hope to be godly parents, homemakers, employees, managers, teachers who carry out all kinds of complicated tasks in our work and homes, yet we have such a limited, basic knowledge of Scripture? How is it that so many of us remain indifferent and negligent in reading the life-giving, soul-saving words of our Savior-God? A friend of mine has a big sticker on his Bible that says, “Fire Escape.” That’s exactly right!

It is no wonder, then, that God warns us of the destruction ahead on Judgment Day. This is not only a destruction for those who have always despised God’s Word and always remained unbelievers. This is also a warning of destruction for those believers who despised God’s Word and eventually lost their saving faith.

The male Alaskan Bull Moose will battle for dominance during the fall breeding season, literally going head-to-head with antlers crunching together as they collide. Often the antlers, their only weapon, are broken. That ensures defeat. The heftiest moose, with the largest and strongest antlers, triumphs. Therefore, the battle fought in the fall is really won during the summer, when the moose eat continually. The moose that consumes the best diet for growing antlers and gaining weight will be the heavyweight favorite in the fight. Those that eat inadequately sport weaker antlers and less bulk. There is a lesson here for us. Spiritual battles await us during these End Times. Satan will choose a season to attack. Will we be victorious or will we fall? Much depends on what we do now to prepare for the battle. The Bull Moose principle applies to us. Feed continually on the nourishing, strength-giving Word of God and His Sacraments. Enduring faith, strength, and wisdom for trials are best developed before they are needed.

The Angel speaking to Daniel tells us there will be judgment for those who are lost in this battle with Satan: “Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.” Those who spent their lives evading God will experience a horrific fate in the great resurrection on the Last Day. They will hear God say: “Very well, you didn’t want anything to do with me; now you won’t have anything to do with me – forever!” And they will be sentenced to a never-ending separation from God – a never-ending existence of “shame and everlasting contempt.”

Daniel writes, “At that time Michael … will arise.” God used the Archangel Michael to overthrow Satan and his demons from heaven after creation. He used Michael to protect the Jewish exiles returning home from Persian rule. And God’s angelic champion will once again intervene on behalf of God’s people in the End Times.

“But at that time your people--everyone whose name is found written in the book--will be delivered.” Michael will be successful in defending God’s people. By faith in Christ our future with God is secure, no matter what demonic forces may try to do to us. Our names are written in God’s “Book of Life.” Jesus also mentions this wonderful book of life in Revelation: “He who overcomes will be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels”. (Revelation 3:5) “The Book of Life” is God’s family register where all the names of those who have been loved and chosen from all eternity are recorded. This Book of Life proves that no one and nothing can take us out of our heavenly Father’s hands. We are among God’s elect. When your name is written in this book, your salvation is secure.

It’s like knowing that our WLS basketball teams will win the championship this weekend. With that knowledge, we don’t have to get frustrated with missed calls by the referees or blown plays by the players. The championship is already ours.

“Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.” What a blessing this past Wednesday to conduct the Christian funeral for Lois Miner. Lois was baptized at Epiphany’s font in August of 1928, one year after the church was built. Jesus placed His name on her at her baptism, then He wrote her name in His Book of Life. He secured her salvation. Because of her dementia, the last few years of her life, Lois pretty much stayed in bed or in her chair, being fed, smiling as she always did, but not recognizing anybody. But the Lord has now transferred her from the Church Militant – the Church at War – to the Church Triumphant – the Church at Peace. She is no longer lying in her bed, but standing around God’s glorious throne. She is no longer dressed in her bed clothes, but wearing the white robe of Christ’s righteousness. She is no longer having to be fed, but she is now sitting at the banquet table that Christ has prepared for all His saints.

“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.” Believers are described as “those who are wise.” They are wise because they have read and believed God’s Word. We are not wise on our own. We are not righteous on our own. We are not made saints on our own.

This festival of Saints Triumphant is all about what Christ has done to make us His saints, grant us wisdom in Him and cover us with His righteousness. Instead of hoping that we have done enough or tried hard enough to make sainthood, we know that Jesus’ perfect life has even now made each of us His saints by covering over our many failings as a parents, spouse or friend. Instead of trusting in our own works or righteousness to open the gates of heaven, we know that Jesus’ blood and righteousness have purchased us from every nation, tribe, people and language (Revelation 5:9), so that we may enter heaven’s gates. We know that our many and varied sins have earned us shame and everlasting contempt. But it was Jesus living a life of obedience for our disobedience, His dying on the cross to pay for our sins, and His rising from the grave that have rescued us from hell’s flames and earned us a room in the mansion of heaven. We know that all of our righteous acts are like filthy rags to God, but we trust that it is His Word and Sacraments that have caused us to be counted as God’s elect gathered from the four winds. Though we are lambs and sheep who love to wander and stray, every worship service we get to behold our Good Shepherd who laid down His life for His sheep, who has gathered us into His flock here at Epiphany and will one day escort us to the green pastures and quiet waters of paradise.

Though the Church is winnowed down like Gideon’s army, though God’s earth is buffeted by recessions, storms and labor strikes, and though we are bloodied by wars and persecutions, don’t overreact. Take courage while living in these End Times. Embrace the twin realities of current difficulty and ultimate triumph. Yes, life stinks. But it won’t last forever. As one of my friends likes to say, “Everything will work out in the end. If it’s not working out, it’s not the end.” Amen.

To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy … be glory, majesty, power, and authority… Amen. (Jude 24,25)

 

Listen to "Bound for the Promised Land" performed by the WELS Honors Choir.