Daniel 12 (Pt 1)

Daniel 12:2, 13 (ESV)

[2] And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

[13] But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.”

 I have heard it said that the Jews in the Old Testament didn’t really believe in a resurrection. They were more focused on the present world and the future of their people in this present world. Certainly in Jesus’ day the Sadducees did not believe in a resurrection, but that is hardly true of all Old Testament Jews. After all the warnings and prophecies about a dark future, Daniel’s assurance is the resurrection. “You . . . shall stand in your place at the end of the days.” Remember that Daniel is close to 90 years old when the angel spoke those words to him. It was not a promise that he would live to see the End, it was a resurrection promise. That is even more clearly stated in verse 2. “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”

 The real issue is not whether he believed in a resurrection. He did. The real issue is whether one will be resurrected to everlasting life, or to shame and everlasting contempt. Twice in Mark, twice in Luke, and three times in Matthew Jesus says, “He that has ears to hear, let him hear.” That is the same message the angel is giving to Daniel in chapter 12. In Daniel 12:10 the angel says, “Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.” Some will understand. Some will not. Some will believe and some will not. We cannot believe for someone, and we cannot coerce or force anyone to believe. But we can share the Good News.

Daniel didn’t understand everything, but he understood enough. “I heard, but I did not understand” (Dan 12:8). He didn’t understand the prophecy, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end” (Dan 12:9). But he was assured that he would be raised to eternal life, “You shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days” (Dan 12:12). Resurrection to eternal life is not based on understanding everything there is in the Bible. It is based on believing God. In Romans 4:3 Paul argues, “For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.’”

Abraham believed the promise of God concerning Messiah. Daniel believed the promise of God concerning Messiah. We are saved by believing the promise of God concerning Messiah, The message to the Philippian jailer was, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household” (Acts 16:31). Jesus said, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life” (Jn 3:14-15). Paul wrote, “Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness” (Rom 4:4-5). That is the truth upon which the fate of every human being rests. Do you believe?

No matter what happens in this world, no matter how long you live, no matter how successful you are, no matter how comfortable or uncomfortable your life, eternity rests on this one question, “Do you believe the promise God has given that acceptance by God comes because of Jesus?” When life gets dark, when the Enemy seems to be winning, when good is called evil and evil is called good, we have this one hope that there is coming a day when all things will be set right. Daniel was told that dark days were still ahead for his people, but that one day things would be set right. He didn’t understand everything, but he understood enough. He knew he had an eternal hope. In the confusion that would come, he rested in that truth. What do you believe?