Tag: Daniel 12

Two Kinds of Eternity

OLD TESTAMENT: Daniel 12

POETRY: Psalm 139

NEW TESTAMENT: John 12:12-19

Jesus says, in the gospel of John, “God loved the world in this way: He gave his unique, one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (3:16) Later, in the Revelation of Jesus, we read that anyone whose name is not written in the book of life shall be judged, but that those who conquer will never have their name blotted out of the book of life. (3:5)

As we come to a close in Daniel, we are struck with weird, disconsonant numbers. Yesterday, I gave you a giant history lesson; maybe today you are worried about a deep dive into math! Let me give you some hope, we aren’t doing math. (I can hear the sigh of relief from here.) 

Instead, I am going to get very personal and very honest: eternity awaits you. This is not an “infinity-and-beyond” kind of aspiration. While the New Testament is very explicit in the book and verses we looked at above, it is what permeates the teaching and focus of Jesus. Eternity is coming. Whether at his return or at the end of our lives and our resurrection into the next, there is something coming. In Daniel 12 (and most places in the Bible) there is one resurrection at the end of the world. Daniel is full of metaphor and numbers, but here, the language is bolstered by the literal teachings of Jesus, and also other places in the New Testament. Daniel 12 tells us there will be a real, literal resurrection. Those who sleep will rise. But with one resurrection, there are two outcomes. One is everlasting life. One is shame and everlasting contempt. The gospel of John repeats as much: “Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.” (John 5:28-29 ESV) What does everlasting shame and contempt mean? Humans are not, in and of themselves, immortal. We die, the dead know nothing (Ecc. 9:5), the dead do not praise God (Psalm 115:17); instead the dead are, metaphorically, asleep, unaware of the passing of time. This matters because what is offered in Revelation is eternal life or the second death. Not torture forever, but the finality of hope, and the end of existence. 

I am not a fire-and-brimstone kind of guy, and I won’t want to scare you. I want you to think through your options. Today, you have set before you life and death. More than that, you have eternal life or eternal death. I beg you, choose life! Jesus, the sacrifice for our sins, the ruler of God’s kingdom, the lamb slain from the foundation of the world, he desires to write your name down in his book of life. He, like his father, does not desire that any should perish, but all, whoever calls upon him, should live and live eternally. 

My friends, may you call upon the name of the Lord Jesus. 

May your name be found in the Lamb’s book of life. 

May you spend eternity with all those who have called upon Jesus.

May you be blessed so that you may see God in his kingdom. 

Remember, one day, we will all go on our way. We will all rest in death. 

May we stand side by side in our allotted places at the end, covered in the grace of Jesus. 

Amen. 

-Jake Ballard

Questions:

  1. It’s your turn to study! What are the connections between 1290, 1335, and “time, times and half a time”? Reading Revelation may make some of it clear, but you should ask your pastor. Be really specific and make your pastor think! 
  2. Some of our Christian brothers and sisters think that judgement means an eternity of pain and suffering. Can you understand why they might believe that? Can you see why it is wrong? List out some reasons in the Bible or in theology or philosophy that it might be wrong and explain them: “Human mortality” or “God’s love and justice” are good starting places, but think about going deeper. 
  3. Beyond numbers and judgement, I encourage you, during this time of Advent, to trust in what God has done in and through Jesus, our savior. I encourage you to trust him with your life and with your resurrection. I encourage you to talk to your pastor, youth pastor, or caregivers about becoming baptized, and finding forgiveness so that your name may never be blotted out of the book of life. God bless you as you seek him. 
sglcalendar2024Download

Death and Kingdom: Trivia

THEME WEEK: Death and Kingdom – Daniel 12
Old Testament: 1 Kings 21 & 22
Poetry: Psalm 126

Bible Trivia : The Apocalypse is an apocalypse; the genre of Revelation is not “prophecy” in the strictest sense, but a genre called “apocalypse”. 

There is a LOT of prophecy in Revelation. I think Revelation shows us a picture of the future of the cosmos and the end of this age. However, “apocalyptic literature” is a genre that details events, both of the current day and in the future, with a ton of metaphor and allegory. Apocalypse uses symbolism to teach people that God is acting in history. The authors of this genre also usually view this world pessimistically and declare that a new world is coming quickly. 

In fact, along with Revelation (which we will talk about tomorrow), the book of Daniel is also considered “Apocalyptic”, especially the visions, chapter 7 forward. At the very end of this book, we see a glimpse into the end. I won’t try and explain in a daily devotional the significance of the archangel Michael, the two men speaking at the River, or the specific length of days at the end. (And to be clear, if I had a large book to write to explain it, there is a lot of disagreement and debate about the full meaning of some parts of this book; all my thoughts are just another disciple adding their musing to what the church has said for centuries.)

But there are a few things I would like to point out about chapter 12 that I can say with much more confidence.

First, in verse 2, the author uses a common expression, “many”, to mean “everyone.” In the end, all will be raised. This one resurrection pictured is to be raised to life and raised to judgement. Everyone’s life will be opened up on display before the Messiah. In Hebrews 9:27-28, we read “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” After death comes judgment for all, but those who eagerly wait for Christ will be saved. Some will come up to life, those who have done good will come out to the resurrection of life. (John 5:29) Some will come out to everlasting shame and contempt, those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. (John 5:29, again) Those who do not receive life, who do not do the work of God by believing in the name of Jesus (John 6:29), will receive the opposite of life. Those of whom the Messiah is ashamed, whom God contempts, they will not receive the life of the Messiah, or be in the presence of the God who is the source of life. 

Second, those whose name are written in the book will be delivered. (12:1) To experience this, you must be numbered among the wise. After the coming of the Messiah, it is not being wise on our own, and certainly not being wise in our own eyes, but being wise by trusting in Him who is the wisdom of God. (1 Corinthians 1:24) Not only should we trust in the Jesus the Messiah, but we should “turn many to righteousness”. (Daniel 12:3) We turn many to righteousness when we preach the message of the Kingdom, when we “make disciples by going into the world, baptizing them, and teaching them all Jesus has commanded.” (Compare Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 16:15-16, Acts 1:8)

Third, and finally, you can be like Daniel. Daniel was told point blank by the angel “you will rest” (die) “and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.” (Daniel 12:13) My friend, if you place your trust in Jesus, if you believe that he died to bring you into relationship with God, that he reigns from heaven at the right hand of God over the church, and that he is coming to reward those who follow his will by the power of the spirit he gives, the words spoken to Daniel, “you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance”, are spoken to you. You WILL have eternal life, the promise of God, given by Christ (Romans 6:23), and confirmed by the Spirit. (Ephesians 1:14)

And that is anything but trivial.  

-Jake Ballard

Reflection Questions

  1. Does the order of events matter – in a story, criminal trial, math problem or God’s plan of salvation?
  2. Is the information given to Daniel (including the order of events) widely accepted and believed today? Why or why not? What is different from many ideas held today? What is not mentioned in Daniel 12? Why do you think it is not mentioned?
  3. Are you prepared for the return of Jesus the Messiah? Why or why not? Is there anything God wants you to do before you rest, rise and receive? If so what? And when, where, how will you do it?
sgl23bibleplanDownload

Time to Wake Up

Daniel 12

Thursday, November 3, 2022

Daniel played many roles in his life including a great prophet of God. We continue to be blessed, inspired and perhaps warned by the writings of Daniel. Not only did he share God’s insights with the kings and people of his time, but today we also see God’s plan unfold in Daniel’s writings. We see the future for those who faithfully follow God. It states, “many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever”.

We read about deliverance for everyone whose name is found written in the book. King David had written of this book of life in Psalm 69:28 and many years later we see the book mentioned again in Revelation 3:5. It states, “He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.”

These amazing truths were passed down from one group to the next, sometimes one generation to the next. Daniel faithfully served the LORD at the time and in the place that the LORD set for him. We have that same privilege today. Don’t feel that you are unable or are unqualified to share. You have the message from the LORD through the scriptures and when you walk closely with Our LORD, that is all you need. Share the Good News with those around us. We want to share in the assurance that Daniel had. It states, “then you will enter into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age.”

-Rebecca Dauksas

Reflection Questions

  1. When you think of the future do you usually think about tomorrow, 5 years down the road, 25 or 50 years from now, or eternity? What part of the future excites you? What part scares you?
  2. How often do you consider the book of life? What are your thoughts and feelings when you do? How many familiar names do you expect will be found there?
  3. How can you lead many to righteousness by sharing the good news? What has God given you to do so?
2022 SeekGrowLove Bible Reading PlanDownload