Daniel 7:9–14
2 Peter 3:3–14
St. Matthew 25:31–46
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Last week, we heard Jesus prophesy about the End Times and the Final Judgment. We also heard from St. Paul about Jesus’ return and the resurrection of the dead. And we heard how some Christians get confused about the End Times and come up with strange and unbiblical ideas like the Rapture. Of course, I can understand why some people get confused—we’re reading and talking about things that have not happened yet, so Scripture often presents them to us in visions, with strange images and symbols. These visions can be quite confusing, and require careful interpretation, and sometimes we cannot say what each detail means precisely. Because, as I said, these are things that have not happened yet, and God has not chosen to lay out the future for us, but expects us to live by faith. So, even when you run across one of these prophetic visions that you don’t completely understand, that’s okay—you know your Savior, you trust His Word, and you know He is returning for you.
The visions of the End Times from the prophet Daniel can probably be the most confusing. I think a simple reason his visions seem less clear is that they were given in the Old Testament. They are more abstract, more symbolic, simply because Daniel had less historical references than the writers of the New Testament. See, for Daniel, not only was Jesus’ final coming in the future (so he had to use symbolic imagery), but also Jesus’ first coming—His birth, His dying and rising—were all in Daniel’s future, so even that was not crystal clear for Daniel in all its details, and he had to use symbolic imagery there too.
Things are clearer for us now because the chief events of salvation are in our history. We know the death and resurrection of Jesus as historical facts, rather than futuristic visions. Even though we don’t have all the answers about the End Times, we know more about Whom we are waiting for. We have a fuller picture of who our Savior is and what He is coming to do. So, today, we’ll go through Daniel’s vision of Judgment Day, and to explain it we can use the clearer descriptions that we have from Jesus and St. Peter.
So, we pick up Daniel’s vision: As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took His seat… the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. God’s court is convened and ready to issue His judgments. At the center is the Ancient of Days, God the Father who rules and judges all things. Surrounding Him are the thousands of angels who serve Him by carrying out His decrees, and before Him are the thousands upon thousands of people to be judged.
So, this vision takes place in God’s throne room, the heavenly court, where all people are judged. And the books were opened. God sees and knows everything that we think, say, and do—there is a record of both our good deeds and our sins. Our hymn also used these books to symbolize the record God has on each one of us:
The books are opened then to all,
A record truly telling
What each has done, both great and small,
When he on earth was dwelling,
And ev’ry heart be clearly seen,
And all be known as they have been
In thoughts and words and actions (LSB 508:3).
Although the Books are not mentioned by Jesus, we see something similar in His description of Judgment Day. Jesus recounts the deeds of those on His right and those on His left. However, there is something we should notice of how Jesus keeps His records. For those on His left, those who do not believe in Jesus, their record only includes sin and lack of good deeds, because without faith in Jesus it is impossible to please God. Without faith, God’s record books will show that they are unrighteous and deserving of punishment. But for those on Jesus’ right, those who believe in Him, their record only includes their good works. By Baptism and faith their names were written into the most important record book of all: the Lamb’s Book of Life. That means the record of their sins has been expunged, blotted out by the blood of the Lamb, and all that remains to be recounted are the good works these Christians have done by faith in Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit.
On Judgment Day, God’s books will be opened, but for you who trust in Christ, God’s judgment is that you are innocent, forgiven, set free to live forever.
My Savior paid the debt I owe
And for my sin was smitten;
Within the Book of Life I know
My name has now been written.
I will not doubt for I am free,
And Satan cannot threaten me;
There is no condemnation!
May Christ our intercessor be
And through His blood and merit
Read from His book that we are free
With all who life inherit.
Then we shall see Him face to face,
With all His saints in that blest place
Which He has purchased for us (LSB 508:5–6).
Now, Daniel’s vision also shows us what will happen to Satan and his evil allies. Daniel’s vision included four beasts who rule the world and fight against God. In the book of Revelation it is made more clear that the final beast is the antichrist, the one who tries to take the place of Christ and lead His people astray. In Daniel’s vision, the antichrist is symbolized by a horn on the fourth beast’s head, and this horn speaks great words, blasphemous words against God and His saints. But in God’s courtroom, this beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. This is the fate of Satan and all his followers. As Jesus also points out, the eternal fire of hell was prepared for the devil and his angels. The devil’s time of power and influence will come to an end. The devil does not torment people after death, but he himself will be tormented by the fires of God’s wrath.
This final destruction by fire is also in store for this present creation. St. Peter compares the end of this world to the destruction of the Flood. Mankind rejected God and turned so far away from Him that He decided to destroy them, except for Noah and his family. So, along with that wicked generation, the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. In a similar way, this world will be brought to an end, along with the devil and all the forces of evil. St. Peter tells us: The heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly… The heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
But now, Daniel’s vision turns from that fiery destruction to the glorious coming of the true King: Behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a Son of Man, and He came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. This is none other than Jesus the Christ. To say that He is the Son of Man means more than that He is a true man, but it means He is the truest Man—the representative, the substitute, the Savior of the human race. He is the Son of God who became a man, the son of Mary, so that He could suffer and die for the sins of the world, rise again and open the kingdom of heaven to all believers. All that is bound up in this term, the Son of Man.
And that is why this Son of Man 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 one that shall not be destroyed. We know that the Son is equal to the Father and the Holy Spirit within the Godhead. But what we see in Daniel’s vision is that Jesus is given a throne at the Father’s right hand, not only as God, but as a Man, as the Christ. So, Jesus can say of the Last Day, “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. Jesus the King comes with all the authority given to Him by the Ancient of Days. He comes to execute His Father’s judgments. He is appointed to speak the Father’s pronouncements and make it known for all to hear who belongs in His kingdom.
Now, we know that all those who believe in Jesus belong in His kingdom—all who confess their sins and do not trust in their own worth, but trust only in the holy blood and righteousness of Jesus. Yet, St. Peter still urges us to consider what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness. If we are the people of God’s kingdom, then we must surely be about the work of that kingdom—living the way our King would have us live, according to His commandments, seeking to do His will, striving to reflect and show His holy name that He has given to us. If we are truly blessed by the Father, if we are truly called by His name, then we must also live like it. Good works do not save a Christian, but they are necessary. Good works show forth the faith that is hidden in the heart. And when a Christian does good for his neighbor, the King accepts it as a good work done for Him. Live lives of holiness and godliness, so that you may also be among those who hear the King’s answer: “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me.”
Take all these words and warnings seriously, from Daniel, Peter, and Jesus. Let the rich and fantastic imagery of these visions be etched into your mind and heart. Do not become complacent and imagine that none of this applies to you. Judgment Day will come to all and there are only two final destinations. And woe to those who scorned the Lord And sought but carnal pleasures, Who here despised His precious Word And loved their earthly treasures! The King will say to them, “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” That destructive fire is not meant for you. It was only ever prepared for the devil and the demons. But if you reject the Lord and His Word, if you think you can enter heaven based on your efforts, your thoughts or feelings, then you also will end up in that same awful fire.
On the other hand, for those who love the Lord and listen to His Word, the King will say, “Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” This kingdom is not just for Jesus or God or the angels. It was always prepared for you! Do not doubt this word from your King. It is true even now, even while we are still waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God with prayer and hope and joy. According to our King’s promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. We look forward with joy to that new creation where Jesus will dwell with all of us who are righteous by faith in Him.
O Jesus Christ, do not delay,
But hasten our salvation;
We often tremble on our way
In fear and tribulation.
O hear and grant our fervent plea:
Come, mighty judge, and set us free
From death and ev’ry evil (LSB 508:7).
Come quickly + Lord Jesus. Amen.
