Daniel's visions help you find comfort in the midst of chaos.
Daniel 12:1-3 (NIV)
CONTEXT: Daniel has been experiencing "a prophetic (and very selective) vision of the flow of history from the time of Daniel in the late sixth century B.C. until the end of the world, the final climactic conflict and victory of God" (REC). In Daniel's vision, great kings battle to consolidate power, both through might and intrigue, "but the people who know their God will firmly resist these kings" (Daniel 11:32). As we begin chapter 12, Daniel's vision reveals how God's covenant people will be saved from the chaos.
“At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.
Listen to passage & devotional:
Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 37: The Last Judgment (Part 1)
Finally we believe,
according to God’s Word,
that when the time appointed by the Lord is come
(which is unknown to all creatures)
and the number of the elect is complete,
our Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven,
bodily and visibly,
as he ascended,
with great glory and majesty,
to declare himself the judge
of the living and the dead.
He will burn this old world,
in fire and flame,
in order to cleanse it.
Then all human creatures will appear in person
before that great judge—
men, women, and children,
who have lived from the beginning until the end
of the world.
They will be summoned there
by the voice of the archangel
and by the sound of the divine trumpet.
For all those who died before that time
will be raised from the earth,
their spirits being joined and united
with their own bodies
in which they lived.
And as for those who are still alive,
they will not die like the others
but will be changed “in the twinkling of an eye”
from “corruptible to incorruptible.”
Summary
If you're familiar with the Old Testament book of Daniel at all, it's likely the first half of the book that comes to mind. That's where we read the familiar accounts of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego surviving the fiery furnace, as well as about Daniel overcoming the lion's den.
But the second half of Daniel is far different than the first. The harrowing historical accounts of God's people exiled in Babylon give way to fantastic visions of the future that perplex and confuse even the best of Biblical scholars. The difficult nature of these prophecies often leads to unfortunate results on one extreme or the other.
Some will arrive at certain, albeit dubious, conclusions regarding Daniel's and others' apocalyptic visions and then twist the rest of scripture to conform to their misguided prophetic interpretations. Others, seeing the damage caused by those who ground all of their theology in difficult to understand visions, steer clear of prophetic visions altogether and focus only on scriptural teachings whose meanings are far more certain (which, thankfully, are plentiful).
I confess I find myself in that second camp. I'm instantly skeptical of attempts to map Biblical prophecy to current world events. I'm even more skeptical of TV & YouTube preachers who seem to only ever preach from books like the second half of Daniel or Revelation. While that skepticism tends to keep me safe on solid theological ground, I end up missing out on beautifully certain promises like what we read today in Daniel 12.
Dig Deeper
Daniel's visions are full of chaos wrought by powerful kings as they battle one another for supremacy amongst the nations. As previously mentioned, scholars argue and debate almost as stridently as to whether certain passages refer to already completed historical events, or point to future conflicts.
So what stands out so strikingly in these few verses at the beginning of chapter 12 is the peace that they convey even in the midst of a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations. You need not fear, for here we're told that Michael, the great angel and commander of the armies of heaven, protects God's people. In fact, everyone whose name is found written the book will be delivered!
And this deliverance from the chaotic & climactic battles of the world is not just for those alive at the time, but also for the multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth who will awaken. Although all people spanning all of history will awaken at that moment, they will awaken to one of two very different realities: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.
Daniel's vision is quite clear as to the distinguishing characteristic of the people who wake up to heavenly life: it will be those who are wise, or as another translation better renders it, the ones having insight. In other words, it will be those who know their salvation comes in the Name of the LORD.
Apocalyptic visions like Daniel's are certainly difficult and confusing portions of scripture. But don't be afraid of them; their purpose is not to frighten you or put you on edge every time you turn on the world news. Quite the opposite. God sprinkled these often cryptic words with generous amounts of His grace, mercy and peace so that you can have solid hope no matter what the future brings.
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, whom omnisciently knows the future as well as the past and omnipotently controls all that will come to pass;
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will have and live according to the saving wisdom that causes God's people to shine like the brightness of the heavens in the midst of the world's chaos;
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:
Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 11
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