In my last sermon, against the backdrop of current world events, I shared with you from Scripture how we could know we are living in the last days of this earth’s troubled history. We looked primarily at Revelation 13 and 14 and discussed some of the signs of the times that strongly indicate where we are in the prophetic steam of time. We also talked about what we, as a church and as individuals should be doing as we see the end drawing near.
Today, I want to touch on that subject once more, but this time I want us to look at another sign of the times—a sign we often fail to recognize as a sign, even though it is virtually everywhere we look.
Through the prophet Daniel, God told us one thing in particular that would be happening during these last days—just prior to the return of Christ. He said in Daniel 12:4 that “many will run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased..”
I believe the meaning of this text is twofold. First, at the time Daniel received this prophecy from God, he was told to “shut up or seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end.” And it wasn’t until the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th century that the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation were finally beginning to be seriously studied and more clearly understood by believers in different parts of the world around the same time. And it was the better understanding of these two prophetic books that led to a widespread belief that the Second Coming of Christ was imminent.
So, the first meaning of this text is that the knowledge of Daniel’s prophetic book itself would increase—in other words, it would be “unsealed” or finally understood as people would go “to and fro” in the Scriptures, allowing Scripture to interpret Scripture.
Daniel 12:8–10 (NIV84): “8 I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, “My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?” 9 He replied, “Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. 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.”
Daniel was being told of events that would take place 2600 years in the future! And yet he wasn’t allowed to know what it meant; but he did know, that in the end times “many will run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased..” But like I said, there’s another aspect to this prophetic statement—one that I believe applies specifically to our generation...
Let me begin my explanation by asking you a question: are we running to and fro today—more so than ever before? Think about this; in a span of less than 150 years, we went from traveling by horse and buggy to traveling by trains, automobiles, prop planes and then jets. We now have a jet than can travel at 4 times the speed of sound. We can now get anywhere in the world in just a matter of hours. I’d say we are definitely “running to and fro” like never before, and that in itself requires a quite substantial increase in knowledge..
But think for a moment of the other ways our knowledge has advanced in just the last 50 years. You’ve obviously heard about the Mars Rovers. Supposedly, we sling shotted 6 of these things 128 million miles into outer space and successfully landed them on Mars.... not only that, but these specially equipped spacecrafts have been able to send intimate photographs and video footage of that distant planet 128 million miles back to us! If this is true, you’d have to agree that it is incredible!
In addition to that, we are doing things in the medical field that were considered science fiction not too long ago. Heart transplants, joint replacements, face transplants, robotic limbs, robotic surgery, medical nano technology.....
Just a few weeks ago you remember my brother had a massive heart attack. His artery was almost completely blocked. The doctor fed a catheter through the artery in his wrist, went into his heart, cleaned out the blockage, put a stint in, and that was it. When someone had this same type of blockage say 50 years ago, they died.
Did you know they are now developing a computer chip called Nueralink. From what I understand, this chip is actually implanted underneath the skull. A surgical robot, very intricately, wires this chip directly to people’s brains! When connected, it allows a person to control computers and other devices with just their minds. The developers of this technology are hopeful that it will eventually make it possible for the blind to see, the mute to speak and the lame to walk...
It still needs more development, but there are already at least three people taking part in clinical trials who have a version of this chip implanted, and it is reported they can actually control multiple Bluetooth devices with just their thoughts...
We could go on and on about all the recent advancements in technology that could be, at least partially, the fulfillment of what God told Daniel in chapter 12, but I think you get my point....knowledge has most certainly dramatically and almost instantaneously increased.
Now let's talk a little bit about knowledge itself. Not too awful long ago, when I was a kid, we couldn’t go online to research something, we didn’t have computers or these other gadgets—we had encyclopedias......If you were fortunate enough to have a complete set, you’ll remember it took up an entire bookshelf or two.……..We had Worldbook encylopedias... [briefly help the young folks understand how that was... use a little humor]
Of course, now we have the internet. I’m not sure when it was actually invented, but it was made public in 1993. And, as of the end of last year, the amount of data created, captured, copied, and consumed globally is estimated to be 149 zettabytes.
This is equivalent to the data capacity of 250 billion DVDs. That’s how much data is out there online, and it’s growing exponentially every single day.
Right now, there are about 17 billion devices connected to this infinite web of information. Keep in mind there are only about 8 billion people on the planet right now. So there are twice as many devices online than there are humans in this world...
And I think what may be even more noteworthy than the staggering amount of information that exists, is how incredibly easy it is for just about anyone to access and use this information.
And as if having all of this information available and accessible wasn’t enough, now we have AI. Artificial Intelligence. This computer technology uses algorithms and enormous datasets to analyze data, react to situations, solve problems and actually learn. It is now performing more and more tasks that used to require human reasoning and intelligence.
For the vast majority of people, the portal by which we access all of this information is that little handheld device that is probably less than two feet away from you right now. I can’t think of anything you cannot gain knowledge about by picking up your phone—or even just asking your phone.….. ( If you can, ask your phone (Siri or Google] what the weather is like in Beijing China or some other question. Also how long to drive to drive somewhere-- depending on your location) [Good place for a little humor with a great point]
It’s hard to imagine, but about 25 years ago, almost no one had a smartphone. Today almost no one is without a smartphone. In fact, the government is even giving them away to people who can’t afford them. And it is amazing to me just how quickly everyone has become virtually dependent on them. They almost immediately went from being a luxury item to an absolute necessity. Now most of us cannot imagine ever being without one—in fact it’s almost never more than a step or two away from some of us—
And that’s how it will likely always be.......even if these things are actively harming us, which they are...
Studies have shown that moderate to high device usage does, in fact, harms us physically, socially, emotionally and even spiritually.
Most of you know that your phones emit a form of radiation don’t you. There are many studies concluding that the level of radiation most phones produce is well above what’s considered “safe.” And it’s not just the phones themselves, but we have about 400k 5g towers in the US alone that are also constantly sending out unsafe levels of radiation.. Not only are there health concerns, but everyone knows these phones track our every move. And yes, they even listen to us.
Many of us know all this, and yet we’re still unwilling to give up these little radioactive portals that keep us connected, not only to people, but also to that web of continually growing, instantly accessible knowledge.
Now I’m not saying that our phones, or the vast web of information it connects us to, are inherently evil—I'm not saying that. This technology can be a huge blessing, but it can also be a devastating curse. Unfortunately, for most people, I believe it is a curse. Why do I say that? Number 1, because it is extremely addicting and has a way of causing us to waste our most precious God-given commodity—our time.
Ephesians 5:15-17 “15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”
I’m about to hurt somebody’s feelings but I need to say it. I honestly believe these phones and other devices have become idols to a lot of Christians today.... Keep in mind that an idol is anything that we allow to come between us and our relationship with God.
If we are more devoted to screen time than we are to face time with God through Bible study, prayer, and meditation, it has become an idol to us.
How much closer to God would we be? How much more effective in His service would we become? If we treated our Bibles the same way many people treat their phones: When they wake up, they are on it before they even get out of bed, while they’re eating they’re on it, in the bathroom they are scrolling, at the stoplight, on break at the office, in line at the grocery store, walking down the street, sitting at the table across from someone else....... finally, when the day is over, they fall asleep in the faint glow of their screens... Even here at church, some of you are more interested in what’s happening on your phones, than what’s happening in here.
These devices have awakened in us an insatiable need for useless knowledge....”what are all my friends doing this very second? What’s the latest word vomit coming from my social media account, how many peopled liked my post..?" Fill in the blank........
Proverbs 2:1-6 “My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, 2turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, 3and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, 4and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, 5then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. 6For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”
Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
Paul says in 2 Timothy 3:15 that “the Holy Scriptures are able to make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus...”
Matthew 6:22-24 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 24 “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.
Earlier I told you about the Neuralink computer chip that’s being implanted in people’s brains. There’s a real possibility it could eventually be offered to anyone as a convenient way to control many different electronic devices. How many of you would get in line to have one implanted? No way? Why not? Not going to willingly allow someone to put something in your brain that could later be used to control—or even destroy you?
James 4:4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
Hebrews 12:1,2 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
[close by tying it all together and give a short appeal]
