Through the Bible with Les Feldick
LESSON 1 * PART 2 * BOOK 68
BUT CHRIST – LIVETH IN ME – PART 2
I Corinthians 15:20 and Galatians 2:20
Now, let’s go back to our study of the order of the resurrections. I hope you realize that there were precious few believers from Adam to Abraham, a period of time covering approximately 2,000 years. In fact, at the time of the flood there were only eight. From the flood to the Tower of Babel, there is nothing in Scripture to indicate that there was as much as one believer left. Nothing. Then from the Tower of Babel to the call of Abraham is probably another two hundred years. And how many believers are on the earth at the time of Abraham? None, that I’m aware of, so you have precious few all the way from Adam to Abraham. All right, now let’s go from Abraham all the way on up to the first advent of Christ. How many of the Nation of Israel became believers during that 2,000 year period of time? Not many.
Now, one verse I always like to use to back that up, keep your hand in Daniel, because we’re going to come right back. Turn all the way back to Isaiah chapter 1. Of course, Isaiah is one of the Major Prophets preaching to Israel at about 760-770 BC, just a couple of hundred years after King David and Solomon reigned. Now, look at the spiritual state of Israel. And you know the rest of the world had nothing. So, the only believers that we’re going to have to look for a resurrection day are these coming out of the Nation of Israel in that 2,000 year period of time. All right, Isaiah 1 verse 9, and, again, you don’t have to be a theologian. This is just plain simple English.
Isaiah 1:9a
“Except (or unless) the LORD of Hosts (That’s Jehovah, Israel’s God.) had left unto us…” Now, remember, Isaiah is a what? He’s a Jew writing to the Nation of Israel. So, when he uses the term “us,” who’s he confining it to? Well, the Nation of Israel. He’s not talking to the whole human race. He’s talking to Israel.
Isaiah 1:9
“Except the LORD of Hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we (the Nation of Israel) should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.” So, what spared the nation from going the route of Sodom and Gomorrah? That small remnant of believers!
Now, let me show you another point, Jeremiah 44. We used this years and years ago, I know, but most people have probably forgotten. Now, Jeremiah writes about a hundred years after Isaiah, and the Nation of Israel has been prospering. God has been blessing them. They’re about ready to meet their doom when the Babylonians come in, but, nevertheless, how patiently God dealt with this nation with only a few believers.
Now, this is typical of the spiritual climate in Israel. Now, I’m out to prove my point that there were not that many believers all up through the Old Testament, so I can put them in the category of “gleanings and corners” on Resurrection Day. There weren’t that many.
Jeremiah 44:15a
“Then all the men who knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods,…” Well, they knew all about it. What’d they do about it? Nothing! They were no better. They didn’t put up an argument to the women and say, “Don’t so such things.”
Jeremiah 44:15b-17a
“…and all the women that stood by, a great multitude, even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying, 16. As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken (or listen) unto thee. 17. But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, (That was one of the pagan goddesses, remember?) and to pour out drink-offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes,…”
That’s the whole nation that had now gone under abject idolatry, except that little tiny remnant. Then they go on to say that all the good things that they thought they were gaining were from their worship of their pagan gods and goddesses. Well, anyway, I hope I’m making my point that from the time of Adam until we get to the Apostle Paul, there were precious few believers. So, I can delegate them to the corners and the gleanings.
Okay, now let’s come back to Daniel chapter 12. We’re going to see the resurrection of all the people that will be in that gleanings and corners. Daniel chapter 12 and we’ll read verse 1 once again, even though we did it in the last half-hour.
Daniel 12:1
“And at that time (That is at the end of the Tribulation, and we’re ready for the resurrection of these Old Testament and Tribulation believers.) shall Michael stand up, the great prince who standeth for the children of thy people: (the Nation of Israel) and there shall be a time of trouble, (You remember, I looked last program where Jeremiah called it Jacob’s trouble?) such as never was since there was a nation (That is of Israel.) even to that same time: and at that time (That is the end of the Tribulation.) thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.” That is the Book of Life. All right, now verse 2, here comes resurrection.
Daniel 12:2
“And many of them that sleep (or who have died) in the dust of the earth shall awake, (They’re going to be called forth in resurrection power.) some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” All right, now stop right there. We’re going to compare Scripture with Scripture.
Now, come back up into the New Testament with me to John’s Gospel chapter 5. Now remember, we’re still dealing with only the believers of all the ages. We started out with the first fruits of Matthew 27 and then the main harvest, which is the Rapture of the Body of Christ, which is still future and contains the greatest number of believers in human history.
Now, we’re looking at the corners and the gleanings, which consist of the Old Testament believers, believers from Christ’s earthy ministry, and Peter and the Jerusalem believers in the early chapters of Acts. In other words, all those that became believers before Paul comes on the scene and announces what we call the Body of Christ.
All right, now Jesus is speaking in John chapter 5 during His earthly ministry. Drop down to verse 28. Now, remember what we just read in Daniel, that those who have died, some are going to be resurrected to everlasting life and the rest are going to be resurrected to eternal condemnation.
John 5:28
“Marvel not (Jesus spoke) at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,” Now, that doesn’t mean that everybody’s going to come at the same instant, but there is coming a time when they are all going to be resurrected, and Paul gives us the clue that we saw in I Corinthians 15 – “every believer in his own order.”
Now, the unbelievers will all come out at once, because they’re all in the same bucket. But the believers are going to be raptured first; the first fruits came first, and then will come the Rapture. Now, we’re talking about the resurrection of the rest. Okay, now look at it, verse 29.
John 5:29
“And they shall come forth; they who have done good, (And you know I always define that with “faith,” the people of faith who have taken God at His Word.) unto the resurrection of life; (just like Daniel said) and they who have done evil, (Who had no faith, that’s the only way you can fulfill the true evil in Scripture, is to be destitute of faith.) unto the resurrection of condemnation.”
Now, we’re going to talk about them in a little bit, but we’re going to stop now and go back to Daniel and pick up the believing element. Then maybe in the next half-hour, or this one if we’ve got time, we’ll talk about the unbelievers that are going to be resurrected. Because after all, what we’re talking about is resurrection, so that by the time we get to the onset of eternity, we’ve got everybody that has ever lived resurrected, either to eternal doom or to eternal bliss. Okay, back to Daniel 12.
Daniel 12:2-3
“And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth (In other words, they’ve died physically. Their soul hasn’t. The soul is alive somewhere. But this is speaking of their body; the physical body is lying in the ground.) shall awake, (Resurrection power is going to call them out.) some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3. And they that be wise (almost the same language that Jesus used in John) shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; (That’s a beautiful picture, isn’t it?) and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” That’s our hope for eternity. We’re going to be something intensely unique for all of eternity. All right, reading on in verse 4. Now God comes back to the man Daniel, and He says:
Daniel 12:4a
“But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, (this book of prophecy) even to the time of the end:…” Now, you know what that means to me? From the time that these Old Testament prophets were writing, even through Christ’s earthly ministry and on up into the Church Age, it wasn’t until about the middle 1860’s that men began to get a little bit of a grasp of end-time prophecy. It was just never mentioned. They never taught it. They had no handle on it.
And then all of a sudden, like I said, about the middle of the 1860’s, but especially at the turn of the century, men began to envision the return of the Jew from their scattered estate amongst the nations. That, yes indeed, they would be going back to their homeland. They would once again become a nation. That was unheard of until about 1900.
Well, that was the way that God really intended, because it was moot. It wasn’t going to happen that soon anyway. Even though the Church had the doctrine of imminency, the Second Coming was never taught that way. The Second Coming had to come as prophecy unfolded. So, you’ve got the same concept here. All right, Daniel closes up this book of prophecy, and it really meant nothing until we came close to the end. All right, now reading on in verse 4:
Daniel 12:4b
“…many shall run to and fro, (Well, we certainly know that. Oh, maybe not on their feet, but they’re going through the air and every other which way; mankind is traveling now by the millions.) and knowledge shall be increased.” Now, when I taught this verse by verse someplace in the past, we’re not just talking only about technical knowledge, although that certainly is involved.
My goodness, you buy a computer today and by the end of the month it is obsolete and it is old fashioned. Knowledge is exploding like never before in human history. But, as I’ve already mentioned, it would also be an explosion of biblical knowledge. My, we have an understanding of the Scriptures now that they never even dreamed of when I was a kid, for a lot of reasons. We’ve got technology around us so that we can see what the Scriptures were alluding to. We see the Nation of Israel back in her homeland, so, naturally, we have a better handle on all these things than they did two or three generations ago when God began to open up the understanding of the prophetic program. All right, now verse 5 – we’ve got to keep moving.
Daniel 12:5-7a
“Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood two others, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river. 6. And one said to the man clothed in linen,(That makes me think it was either God the Son or one of the angels.) who was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? (or these miracles?) 7. And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and swore by him who liveth forever (That’s, in other words, an allusion to claiming the very Word of God and this is what he proclaimed.) that it shall be for a time, (one year, plus) times (or two, for a total of three) and a half;…” And all of Scripture refers to the seven years in two, half segments of three and a half and three and a half.
Daniel 12:7b
“…and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.” In other words, brought to an end. Now verse 8 and remember Daniel is writing clear back there at 500 and some BC, and by inspiration again, the Spirit leads him to write.
Daniel 12:8
“And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?” All of these prophetic statements – “What shall be the end of these things?” Now, that makes me feel that it would have to be the Lord that he was dealing with.
Daniel 12:9
“And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words (In other words, what he’s written in these twelve chapters.) are closed up and sealed until (What?) the time of the end.” Now again, we’ve got to be careful how we look at this. Even though we’re dealing in terms of a hundred years from 1,900 to now, in the light of the 6,000 years of human history, what’s a hundred? Well, it’s just nothing. So, yes, I think that God is looking at the very time in which we now live when he told Daniel that these things would be closed up “until” our day and time. All right, now look at verse 10.
Daniel 12:10a
“Many shall be purified, (In other words, we’re going to see the salvation of probably more people than almost any time in human history.) and made white, and tried; (or tested) but the wicked shall do wickedly:…” Is that right on? Man, I reckon! Otherwise, you’re not reading the same papers that I am. It’s just getting unreal, and I’m sure that the Star Tribune in Minneapolis and the Chicago Tribune and all the other big city papers have got just as much of this as we do in Oklahoma. Child abuse. Sexual immorality of every kind you can imagine. The papers are full of it. Murder, murder, and more murder. What are they doing? “Wickedly!” All right, it’s foretold, so we don’t really have to be too shocked, do we? All right, so:
Daniel 12:10b
“…the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand;” Well, we’re seeing that everyday, aren’t we? My, they haven’t got a clue of what all this means, until they find salvation, and then they write and they call and say, “Les, I never before saw that all the stuff I’m reading in the newspaper is coming right out of this Book.” It’s all foretold. It’s all prophesied. But the unbeliever can’t see that. It’s beyond them. All right, reading on in verse 11.
Daniel 12:11a
“And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away,…” Now, we’ve got to be careful. Come back to Daniel chapter 9. I’ve got to do this slowly or I’m going to lose 90% of my audience. Back to Daniel chapter 9 and what I always call the foundation, or the benchmark, of all end-time prophecy. This is where Daniel is laying out the time frame of “490 years determined upon thy people.” We know that 483 of those were fulfilled at the cross. Then when you come down to verse 27, this is what we are dealing with now in the end-time.
Daniel 9:27a
“And he (This prince that shall come, somewhere from out of the Roman Empire. This prince that shall come–) shall confirm (I feel, will make–) the covenant (or a treaty) with many…” In other words, with the whole Arab world and Israel. Yes, they’re going to finally sign a peace treaty.
But, I’ve said it on the program many, many times – the UN won’t do it. The White House won’t do it. Blair House won’t do it. The Republicans won’t do it. The Democrats won’t do it. It’s going to be a God-thing. And miraculously, this man anti-Christ, this prince that shall come, will be able to bring the Arab world into a peace treaty with Israel, which will give Israel the peace they’ve been looking for, and above everything else that’s most unbelievable, they’re going to permit Israel to rebuild a Temple.
Now, it won’t be the big, fancy gold edifice that Solomon built, but they’re going to have a Temple that’s going to be functional. They’re going to be able to reinstitute Judaism to the full, the animal sacrifices, and the whole nine yards. It’s coming. They’re all ready for it. All right, so this man anti-Christ is:
Daniel 9:27b
“…going to make a treaty with many for one week: (seven years) and in the midst of the week he shall cause (A week is seven years, so at the end of three and a half years of peace and relative tranquility in Jerusalem and that area, this man in his wicked role will cause–) the sacrifice and the oblation (which is part of Jewish sacrificial worship) to cease,…” (Well, I always stop and ask people, can you stop something that hasn’t started? Well, of course not. So, we know that Temple worship is going to have to be reinstituted for that first three and a half years, so that the anti-Christ can bring it to a stop at the middle. So,–) “in the middle of the week, he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,”
Daniel 9:27c
“…and for the overspreading of abominations he (the anti-Christ) shall make it (that refurbished Temple.) desolate, (Or useless. And it will remain that way.) even until the consummation, (That is to the end of the three and a half years.) and that (or everything) determined (or prophesied) shall be poured upon the desolator. (the man anti-Christ)” In other words, his end is going to be horrendous.
All right, so that is the promise then that Daniel is standing on. Now, come back to chapter 12 when Daniel gives us the time of the resurrection of all of the saints that we haven’t already covered. All the Old Testament believers and everybody, I think, through the New Testament until we get to Paul will be in this resurrection. When’s it going to take place?
Daniel 12:11
“And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, (the middle of the Tribulation) and the abomination that maketh desolate is set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.” Now, three and a half years is a thousand two hundred and sixty days, so we’ve already picked up an extra thirty days. But now go to the next verse and we get another forty-five.
Daniel 12:12a
“Blessed is he that waiteth,…” Now, remember who he’s talking to. He’s talking to Daniel’s company of believers who are going to be resurrected. That’s what he’s talking about. We’ve got to keep that straight.
Daniel 12:12-13
“Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. 13. But (Daniel, He says) go thou thy way until the end be: (Until this day comes, just don’t…don’t sweat it!) for thou shalt rest, (waiting for resurrection) and stand in thy (What?) lot at the end of the days.” And that will bring in the Old Testament saints.