Visions of the Future and a View of the End

God’s plan for the nations dominating Israel, leading up to the first coming of Christ (Daniel 11: 1-35)

God’s plan for Israel during the final years leading to the second coming of Christ (Daniel 11:36-12:13; Matt 24:15-21)

1. God’s plan is unfolding around us and can’t be stopped.

• It is futile to invest your life in seeking riches and power.
• It is foolish to think you’re in control of your life.
• It is shortsighted to think God isn’t at work or that evil is winning.
• It is prideful to think you’re not accountable for how you live your life.

2. Your days are numbered, but your life is woven into God’s sovereign plan.
3. The darkness of this world—pain, suffering, and injustice—is coming to an end.
4. Your job is to go the way he has shown you until the end, when he will keep every promise he made to you,
   just as he did to Daniel.

Follow up Questions from Sunday:

Icebreaker: Share something surprising that happened to you—something you never saw coming. Would you have made different decisions if you knew it was going to happen?

1. Read Ephesians 1:4-10. Paul tells us we are part of God’s sovereign plan. What do these verses teach us about how valuable we are in God’s eyes? Why don’t we need to be afraid of the future?
2. Read Matt 24:15-31. The prophecy of the end that Jesus is sharing was for those who are living in Israel at the end of the age. The primary reason he gives this warning is found in vs. 23-24. Who or what commands our devotion in today’s world?
3. Read Jeremiah 9:3-4. & Proverbs 3:5-6. How does your knowledge of God help you trust in Him rather than trusting in your own abilities and resources? Share an example of how this has played out in your own life?
4. Read Matthew 12:36-37. Why does Jesus focus on the way we speak as a basis for accountability at the final judgment? What do our words tell us about our inner life?
5. Read John 5:22; Romans 2:16. Why is it fitting that Jesus sits in final judgment over the world? How will you feel on the day you stand before Him?

Read 2 Peter 1:19-20; 3:10-13. Is it difficult to keep your focus on “the end”? What things distract you?
How can you adjust your priorities?