Part 9 | The End of the Vision
Daniel 12 | March 8, 2026
Dr. Mark S. Hartman, Lead Pastor - SCBC
1. THERE IS A FUTURE RESURRECTION OF BELIEVERS COMING.
A. Daniel 12:1-2 Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. 2 Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.
B. The resurrection for Christ followers is described in the New Testament.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him. 15 According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
C. 1 Corinthians 15:51-53 But let me tell you a wonderful secret God has revealed to us. Not all of us will die, but we will all be transformed. 52 It will happen in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, the Christians who have died will be raised with transformed bodies. And then we who are living will be transformed so that we will never die. 53 For our perishable earthly bodies must be transformed into heavenly bodies that will never die. (NLT)
D. Revelation 20:4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshipped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
E. Daniel 12:13 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.
2. THERE IS A FUTURE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF CHRIST COMING. (Revelation 20:4-6)
A. Daniel 7:13-14 I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven!.... 14 Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.
B. Daniel 12:3 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.
C. Revelation 20:4, 6 …And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 6 Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
D. The word millennial means 1,000. Christ will actually physically reign on the earth for 1,000 years. (Isaiah 2:4; Isaiah 11:6-9; Isaiah 9:7; Isaiah 65:25; 2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 5:10; 1 Corinthians 6:2; Romans 8:21; Acts 3:21; many more)
E. How we view this is NOT a test of fellowship at Sugar Creek. Leave an open heart for others who disagree with you.
3. THERE IS A FUTURE JUDGMENT OF UNBELIEVERS COMING.
A. Daniel 12:2 Many of those whose bodies lie dead and buried will rise up, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
B. Revelation 20:5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.
C. Revelation 20:11-15 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from His presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
4. THERE IS A CERTAINTY THAT THESE FUTURE EVENTS WILL COME TO PASS. (Daniel 12:4-13)
A. Daniel 12:4-6 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. 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. 6 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?”
B. Daniel 12:7 ... When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed.
C. Daniel 12:8 I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, “My Lord, what will the outcome of all this be?”
Daniel 12:10 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.
D. Two key verses as we close out the book of Daniel:
1. Daniel 12:4 But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end.
2. Daniel 12:9 He replied, Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end.