“He Who Lives Forever” [Matt's Messages] ~ Matt Mitchell

“He Who Lives Forever”

The King of Kingdoms - The Book of Daniel

Lanse Evangelical Free Church

April 27, 2025 :: Daniel 12:4-13

Daniel chapter 12 is about (in the words of verse 7), “Him who lives forever.”

We have seen over and over again that the book of Daniel is not ultimately about the wiseman Daniel, even though Daniel has given us a great example to follow in every single chapter. Dare to be a Daniel! Dare to be godly in a godless world. Dare to live wisely like he did in the midst of a hostile culture that wants you to become just like them.

But the wiseman Daniel would be the first to tell you that his book is not primarily about himself.

And it’s not primarily about all of these kings. And there have been so many kings! Kings, kings, kings, kings, kings, kings. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. King Belteshazzar of Babylon, King Darius the Mede, King Cyrus of Persia and so many others that were to come and are still on the way.

These kings might have thought that this book was all about them, but it was not. There is only one King that this book is all about, and that’s the King of Kingdoms. Our God Himself.

In every chapter, we’ve identified, highlighted, and focused upon at least one name for God embedded in that chapter. Some in Hebrew and some in Aramaic:

The Prince of Princes

The God of Gods

And now here in this chapter, “He Who Lives Forever.”

Just think about that name for a second. There is a Person, a God, Who lives right now, Who has always lived, and Who will always live forever.

Chapter 6 called Him, “The Living God.”

Chapter 7 called Him, “The Ancient of Days.”

Keep your eye on the Ancient Days.

Last week, we learned about “Everlasting Life.” That’s only possible because of the everlasting God. The ever-living God. “He Who Lives Forever.” His life will never end. That is Whom this chapter is all about.

It’s kind of obvious, and yet it’s also easy to miss because there are so many other things in this little chapter, especially mysterious predictions of the future. So much of the Book of Daniel is prophetic, telling these kings and the wiseman Daniel what was going to happen in the near future and in the far future. And chapter 12 is no different.

If you thought you the last chapter of Daniel might be simple and straightforward, and clear everything up, you have another think coming. Daniel chapter 12 is just as wild and wonderful as the first 11 chapters and just as enigmatic and mysterious.

One last time, we have prophetic math to encounter (in verse 7 and verse 11 and verse 12). And there are several verses here where I will have to say once again, “I’m not sure....and that’s okay.” And every sentence is important. But behind every sentence and above every sentence is “He Who Lives Forever.” Let’s see what this chapter tells us about Him.

It’s important to remember that chapters 10, 11, and 12 are one thing. Together, these 3 chapters tell the one story of Daniel’s fourth and final vision in about 536BC, the third year that King Cyrus of Persia was ruling over the kingdom of Babylon which he had conquered in 539.

Old Daniel was praying by the Tigris River. He was very sad about something, probably about how badly things were going for his people who had been released from exile in Babylon and returned to Jerusalem but had so far failed to rebuild the temple. And Daniel was probably sad about all he had recently learned in his first three visions (chapters 7, 8, and 9) because he had been told about great trials and tribulations that would be coming on his people in the days to come. Beastly kingdoms that would conquer and monstrously oppress his people.

For three weeks, Daniel had been taking very little nourishment and humbling himself, and praying his heart out before his God. And the Lord sent Daniel a visitor. This is in chapter 10.

Daniel said, “I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of the finest gold around his waist. His body was like chrysolite, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude....gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless” (Dan. 10:5-8).

It just about killed old Daniel to see this “man dressed in linen.”

We speculated in chapter 10 that this was either an exalted angel perhaps the highest angel there is, the Angel of the LORD, or even a visit from the Son of God Himself before He came in the flesh. We don’t know, but Whoever it is, He is dazzling! He is amazing and reveals the glory of God.

And this heavenly visitor sets Daniel on his feet, assures Daniel that he’s loved, and then tells him about the future. Chapter 11 was full of the future. And the future is full of kings. This king and that king. That king and this king. And the prophecies about these kings are so accurate that some people cannot believe that they were written before they happened! But they were.

A great number of the predictions have already come true, exactly as he said they would! And that gives us reason to believe that the rest of the predictions will, too.

In chapter 12, this heavenly messenger told Daniel that a time of great distress is coming, the worst distress there has ever been, but there will also be a great deliverance. God’s people will be saved. All those whose names are in written in the book will be delivered (v.1).

And then one day in the future, everybody is going to come back from the dead!

“Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 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” (vv.2-3).

That’s where all of this is headed. There’s where all of us are headed. Either to everlasting life or to everlasting contempt. I know which one I want. And I know which one I want for you. And for all of our neighbors.

And those who are wise will shine. We will dazzle. We will glow. We will be resplendent in some way like our glorious Lord.

I can hardly wait. But I have to wait. And Daniel had to wait, as well. Look at verse 4.

“But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.”

Now, there’s different ways of understanding this verse. It’s tricky. But I think he’s telling Daniel that he’s done writing his book. “Write these things down, Dan, and then roll up the scroll. It’s done.” The Book of Daniel is complete. And it’s fixed. It’s set. I think that word “seal” there is kind of like when you save your document on your computer as a PDF, and it kind of locks it in? You can’t really edit it after that. And then you can save it. Put it in a secure folder for safe-keeping. I think that Daniel is supposed to preserve and protect this scroll because it’s got God’s Holy Word in it.

Now, “close up and seal the words” might mean to keep them secret. He could be saying that this just isn’t the time for reading and understanding these particular words. “Your people will need them later.” That’s possible, because they would need them later especially during the reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes.

And if that’s the meaning, what a contrast with what God told John the Revelator in the last chapter of the Bible! Revelation 22:10 says, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near.” We need to be on our toes and ready. Reading and understanding as much as we possibly can.

Verse 4 predicts that many will rush around trying to “increase knowledge.” And that could be a negative thing. People wearing themselves out with following the latest intellectual fads. That’s an exercise in futility, keeping up with latest and greatest ideas.

But it could be talking about a positive thing. He could be saying that God’s people will keep on studying Daniel’s book and understanding it more and more as they go here and there. And as they read it and read it and see more and more of its fulfillment in the Bible here and there, they will “get it” more and more themselves and apply it more an more and more to themselves here, and there, and everywhere.

And I hope we’ve been doing just that in 2025. I know that as we’ve gone deeper into Daniel than I ever have before, my knowledge of my God has increased, and I hope it’s been spiritually good for you, as well.

But this visitor isn’t done with Daniel. He’s got more to say. And he’s got more company. The party is getting bigger. Look at verse 5.

“Then I, Daniel, looked, and there before me stood two others, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank. One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, ‘How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?’” (vv.5-6).

Wow! I look forward to seeing the pictures generated by this sermon at Snack and Yack after the service.

Daniel has two more visitors. Probably angels. Maybe even Gabriel and Michael. It doesn’t say (though both have been named in this book). Or it could be Moses and Elijah. It doesn’t say. And it doesn’t say if they are shining or anything about how they looked.

They are standing on either side of the river. Where is the man clothed in linen?

He’s “above the waters.” He’s just hovering there. Gold around his waist. Body like gleaming metal. Face like lightning, Eyes like flaming torches, voice like a crowd in a stadium, flying above the waters of the river!

And one of these two new angels asks the question of him that we all want to know, “How long?”

“How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?”

“How long will it be until the end of these wonders?”

“You’ve told us so many wild and wonderful things in this book, in these last 3 chapters. When is it all going down?

When will this king come and that king come?

When will this great tribulation come?

When will the resurrection come?

When will the kingdom of kingdoms come?”

“How long?”

How long will God’s people have to suffer under all of these other kingdoms?

Look at verse 7.

“The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, ‘It will be for a time, times and half a time. When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed.’”

I’ve got two points this morning to summarize this passage, and here’s the first one:

#1. HE WHO LIVES FOREVER WILL COMPLETE ALL OF THESE ASTONISHING THINGS PERFECTLY ON TIME.

Now, before we talk about the timing, we have to see how great a promise this is.

This glorious person hanging in the air above the waters of the river is making an oath. He’s swearing.

Right? Like have you ever given testimony in a courtroom? I have just a few times. You raise your hand and you solemnly swear to the tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God.

Well, this man in linen raises both hands. That was unusual then, too. And this man in linen raises both hands while flying above the river! And he aims those hands at heaven, and he swears by “him who lives forever.”

And for all we know, He’s swearing by Himself. You cannot get a stronger oath.

And when you swear by someone, it’s on their name, on their authority, on their power. And there’s no greater name than this one. And no greater authority and no greater power. And it will never end! He lives forever! Forever, forever, forever, forever! He’s the Ancient of Days. Keep your eyes on the Ancient of Days. This promise is coming from and based upon the Ancient of Days.

So everything that has been promised is going to happen just as it is promised! You can count on it. It is guaranteed. It is sure and certain. It is more certain than that the sun will come up tomorrow. The sun may not come up tomorrow, but He Who lives forever will fulfill all of these astonishing promises.

Everything we’ve read in Daniel will come true.

From the smallest thing to the greatest.

From the things we don’t hardly understand to the things we wo understand but hardly can believe are true.

From the shortest kingdom to the kingdom that will never be destroyed.

From the defeat of our enemies to the resurrection of all who are asleep in the dust of death.

Everything we’ve read in Daniel will come true.

God has given us a double-armed oath in His own eternal name!

And He’s even told us when it’s going happen. Look again at verse 7.

How long? “I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, ‘It will be for a time, times and half a time. When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed.’”

And look at verse 8. Daniel says, “I heard, but I did not understand.”

Me, too, Daniel! Me, too! I don’t feel so bad if Wise Old Daniel didn’t get it. I wonder if he went home to his wife and said, “I’m not sure and that’s okay. I was told today when all of God’s promises would come to pass, but I didn’t quite understand the answer.”

Isn’t that just like this book? I love it that God answers the question and kind of doesn’t the answer the question. Isn’t that just like Him?

I think the main point is that God is perfectly on schedule. He who lives forever is going to keep all of these amazing promises, and He’s going to keep them perfectly and perfectly on time. God has a perfect schedule, and He’s perfectly on schedule. And so He swears by Him who lives forever.

Isn’t that encouraging? Because I’m often asking, “How long?” Life feels out of control. It feels out of sync. Like some terrible things are going on far too long. This world is deeply broken. Things are not the way they are supposed to be. And we’re waiting, waiting, waiting for things to be fixed.

And it easy to start thinking that maybe God’s plan has gotten off track. He’s been delayed. He’s got a late start. He’s texting to say, “Running late. Will be there when I can be. Ran into some traffic.”

No. No. That happens to us. It doesn’t happen to Him. God’s timetable may look very different from the one we draw up, but ours would be all wrong. And He’s not gotten off of His.

Now, there are (as you might expect by now) several different interpretations of the timing in verse 7. “A time, times, and half a time.”

And a lot is determined by which astonishing things are being referenced in verse 6 and promised to be fulfilled in verse 7.

And a lot is also determined by what you think is going on in the other places in the Bible where that same “time, times, and half a time” language is used. We’ve seen it already in chapter 7, verse 25. And it shows up again in Revelation chapter 12, verse 14.

Many Christians scholars think that it means a year, two years, and half a year. And that makes sense. That would make it three and a half years. And that could refer then to the terrible time of Antiochus IV Epiphanes from 167 to 164BC, about three and a half years. There’s probably something to that.

Or it could be the second half of a seven year tribulation period, and that might correspond to what we read about in chapter 9, verses 24 through 27, the enigmatic prophecy of seventy set of “sevens.” Do you remember that? And that might fit with what’s going on in the first verse of this chapter, the time of greatest distress (12:1).

I’m not sure, and that’s okay for me, right now. But one day I will be sure. One day, I’ll know exactly what this means. I will say, “Oh, that’s what he meant!” Even Daniel will be saying that! But one day it will be obvious because He who lives forever will complete all of these astonishing things perfectly and on time.

It’s important to point out that he does not give a date. But he does give us certainty. There is a certain time. Even if we don’t understand what it is. He does! And it’s not going to be forever until it comes.

Personally, I lean towards taking these three words, “time, times, and half a time” as saying that it almost feels like forever, but then it gets cuts short.

Time = “How long?” This feels forever. This is so hard.

Times = It gets doubly hard. Verse 7 says that the “power of the holy people” has to be “finally broken.” What does that mean? That’s either Israel or the church or both, and it means that the darkest, worst day has come when it seems like all is shattered and lost. The greatest distress ever. That’s “times.” It feels like forever and forever.

But it’s not! Time, times, and then [mercifuly!] half a time. It’s cut short. It’s limited. The dawn breaks. The light comes. And just in time!

V.7 “All these things will be completed.”

Church, we can build our lives on this. He who lives forever will complete all of these astonishing things perfectly on time.

So, Daniel does not understand, at least at first, so he asks another question. Look at verse 8.

“So I asked, ‘My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?’”

“How is this going to fall out? How is this going to play out? Can I ask where all this is going?” And the visitor basically says, “No.” Verse 9.

“He replied, ‘Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end.”

I think he’s basically saying, “Don’t worry about it, Dan. You wouldn’t understand if I explained it to you. Just write it down. Roll it up and save it for later. Because people are going to need it later.

Not so much “hide it away” as make sure it’s stored and safe and ready for when the prophecies really start to get rolling.

In other words, he’s telling Daniel to wait. And, in the meantime, to keep growing in wisdom. Look at verse 10.

“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.”

That is what’s going to happen, and it’s a great description of what things are like, isn’t it?

God’s people are growing in sanctification. We are learning to hate and fight our sin. We are learning to resist temptation. We are becoming more and more like our Savior, purified, spotless, and refined.

But the wicked? Unless they repent, they continue to be wicked. And the divide grows more and more each day.

He says, “None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.”

Isn’t that interesting that the divide here is not between the wicked and the righteous like in other parts of the Bible, but the wicked and the wise?

Those with spiritual insight. Those who “get” what God is doing in the world. We’ve learned about these truly wise people. They showed up in chapter 11, verses 33 and 35. And they are in verse 3 of this chapter (12), as well.

And we’ve learned that wise people make people wise. And the wise will shine!

Wise people repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Wise people know what is truly important.

Wise people believe that God is truly in control.

That He is keeping His promises, every single one. And perfectly on time.

Are you in the wise? I’m not asking if you are a wise guy, but I am asking if you have joined the group who have turned from doing things your own way, doing things Babylon’s way, doing things the world’s way and embracing God’s way. Turning from your sin and trusting in the Messiah whom God has promised to send. The King of Kingdoms! Trusting in a Messiah who died on the “Mercy Tree” and, hallelujah, came back to life on the third day. And now lives forever.

That’s the wisdom of God! Keep growing in that wisdom. It will purify you, make you spotless and refined.

Now, in verses 11 and 12, the heavenly messenger gives us some more prophetic math. So get out your calculators one more time.

And just in case you’ve got everything figured out in what came before, he’s got something completely new to lay on us in the last few verses. Look at verse 11.

“From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days” (vv.11-12).

Now, those are new numbers, and they are don’t quite match up with anything else.

In the book of Revelation, there is a number 1,260 days and also the number 42 months (see Rev. 11:2 and also 12:6). And that comes out to three and a half years if you use 30 day months and 360 day years which also could be a time, times, and half a time. So it could be saying the same thing as verse 7.

But 1,290 days is 30 more days than 1260. And 1335 days is 45 more days than that.

What’s he talking about? I’m not sure, and that’s okay.

Because he talks here about the daily sacrifice being abolished and the abomination that causes desolation, many Christians scholars have thought this was talking about Antiochus IV Epiphanes.

He did those things. We learned about that in chapter 8 (vv.11-13) and chapter 11 (v.31).

But we also learned that Antiochus, was just a forerunner of someone even more evil who is probably still to come. The “little big mouth horn” of chapter 7 on the fourth beast different from all the others. The one we often call “The Antichrist.”

And he may do some of the exact same things but worse.

If these are literal days, perhaps they are the second half of a seven year tribulation and then there are 30 days, after Jesus comes, to cleanse and purify a new temple (like the Maccabees did!) and 45 more days after that to judge the nations (see Matthew 25:31-46) and separate the sheep from the goats.

And still other scholars see verses 11 and 12 being fulfilled at the destruction of Jerusalem in AD70.

I’m not sure. We’ve got a new puzzle to ponder in the last few verses of the book. Enigmatic to the end.

Personally, I kind of lean towards thinking these numbers are more symbolic. And what they point to is that there is blessing for those who persevere past the end of all of the persecution and the pain.

He’s basically saying, “Hang on!”

“Hang on through the time and the times, and you’ll be so happy when the half a time comes!”

“Push past the 1260 days to the 1290 days. And if you hit the 1335 days? Then you’re home free.”

“Blessed [happy!] is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days” (v.12).

Hang on! Wait for it! You will go through terrible times, but these terrible times are set and short. They are certain and limited. It won’t feel like it. It will feel like forever and double forever. But it won’t be forever. It will be cut short.

Push past it. Keep going. Keeping going. Keep waiting. Hang on!

Reach for the 1335! It will be worth it.

Because (point #2 and last):

#2. HE WHO LIVES FOREVER WILL REST, RAISE, AND REWARD HIS PEOPLE FOREVER.

Look at verse 13. The last thing this glorious being says to Daniel:

“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.”

Before long, Old Daniel was going to die. He was at least in his mid-eighties at this point. We don’t know when he died. Tradition says that Daniel moved from Babylon to Persia, to the city of Susa where, 50 years later, Esther would become a queen. I don’t think Daniel lived long enough to meet Esther.

The glorious visitor from heaven hovering above the water of the Tigris told old Daniel to “go your way till the end.” I think that means to keep on keeping on.

The Brits have this saying, “Keep calm and carry on.” Perhaps you’ve seen the poster?

“Keep calm, Daniel, and go your way.”

And don’t stop. Go till the end. Go till the end.

I think he basically means the end of his life. Daniel was being called to die as he had lived, faithfully. For many many decades, Daniel has faithfully served the King of Kingdoms.

And here he’s being told, “Don’t stop now.”

Do you need to hear that? Some of us are getting older. Okay. We’re all getting older. Some of us are getting old (me included!).

Don’t stop being faithful now. Don’t try to coast. Give it your all.

“Go your way till the end.”

Because this is what’s waiting for you: Rest! The glorious person hovering over the waters tells Daniel (v.13), “You will rest.”

“You’re going to lay down in the dust of the ground. It’ll be like going to sleep. God’s going to give you rest. So keep going now.”

But that rest is not the end. He also says (v.13), “and then at the end of the days you will rise!” Rest then rise. Death is temporary. Death is not forever. Not for believers!

“You will rise.” You will stand again. That’s what “resurrection” means standing again. There’s another resurrection morning on the way. Jesus is the first-fruits, but one day we, too, will rise.

Don’t worry about when it will happen. Rest assured that it will happen!

Old Daniel was going to lay down in the dust. He probably died of old age. He didn’t die of lion-bite!

But one day Daniel will rise to (v.13) “receive your allotted inheritance.” Daniel never went home to Israel. Daniel never got to live in Jerusalem again. Daniel never got to live on the plot of ground that his ancestral tribe had been allotted.

And right now, Daniel is resting and waiting.

But one day, and one day soon, Daniel will receive his full reward.

And so will you and I!

Dare to be a Daniel and be faithful to the end.

Dare to be a Daniel and “go your way” till the end.

Because death is not the end. You and I will rest, and rise, and receive. And we will shine! Forever!

How can this be? It can be because the One Who promises it is He Who Lives Forever.