THE BOOK OF DANIEL
Part
10
The
Resurrection and The Second Coming of Christ
The
prophecy of the resurrections is seen in Daniel 12:2
Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some
to Everlasting Life, others to shame and everlasting contempt (NIV).
In
John 5:28-29 our Lord Jesus taught about ‘the first’ and ‘the second’ group
out-of-the-multitudes of all who died on the earth—“…some to Everlasting Life”
and “…some to shame”:
"Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all
who are in their graves will hear His Voice and come out — those who have done
good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned
(NIV).
Prophet
Isaiah prophesied of ‘the second group’ “some to shame”:
"And they will go out and look upon the dead bodies of
those who rebelled against Me; their worm will not die, nor will their fire be
quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind" (Isa 66:24 NIV).
Psalm
1:5-6 also records:
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the Judgment, nor
sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of
the ungodly shall perish (KJV).
Back
to our opening passage: Daniel chapter 12, verse 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 (NIV).
This
is why it is of paramount importance to ‘win souls’ for God’s Kingdom.
Jesus
revealed in Matthew 13:43 “Then the righteous will
shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him
hear (NIV).
“Those
who turn many to Righteousness” are “soul winners,” and great reward beyond
imagination awaits them in Heaven. “They that be wise shall shine as the
brightness of the firmament” (KJV).
Apostle
James admonished his listeners, saying:
“My brothers, if one of you should wander from the Truth and
someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the
error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.”
James 5:19-20 NIV
In
this statement, James pointed out the key reason why soul-winning is of utmost
importance: saving a wandering soul from the danger of death [the Second
Death]; and thereby bringing about the forgiveness of his many sins.
When
a Christian wins a soul for God's Kingdom, such a one has procured the pardon
of the many sins committed by the convert, then the angels of Heaven gets hold
of the heavenly documents regarding the new convert, and they begin to write
and take records as they are directed. God Almighty is the One Who secured our
Salvation; He purchased it through Jesus Christ at Calvary.
Now,
concerning “the First Resurrection,” the Bible unveils that there will be ‘a first’
and ‘a second’ “Calling Away.”
The
first “Calling Away” [the Rapture] will be the resurrection of “those who have
fallen asleep in the Lord,” caught-up with, in the clouds, by all faithful
believers who are still alive on the earth at that time; they shall be with the
Lord forever.
The
second “Calling Away” [the gathering of the Elect] will be the whisking of
God’s Elect—144,000 from the Earth, at the Lord’s Return, immediately after the
Great Tribulation.
In-between
the first and the second “Calling Away” the patience and endurance of ‘the
tribulation saints’ (a great multitude from every nation) will be called for.
This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who
obey God's Commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.
Then I heard a Voice from Heaven say, "Write: Blessed are
the dead who die in the Lord from now on."
"Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from
their labor, for their deeds will follow them."
Rev 14:12-13 NIV
Their
patience will be required because at such perilous time after “the Rapture”
they will ‘labor’ for the Lord—they will have to bear their testimony for Jesus
and keep the Word of God.
Their
patience will be required because, “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord
from henceforth.”
Their
patience will be required that “they may rest from their labors.”
Their
works ‘will’ follow them.
In
Daniel 12:1, we read that in the time of the worst trouble the world has ever seen,
Arch-Angel Michael, the great prince, will stand up for the Jewish people, and everyone
whose name is found written in the Book of Life will be delivered.
"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.
NIV
Verse
12 says,
Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the
1,335 days (NIV).
And
in the next verse, Daniel is promised that he will rise to his inheritance (v.13).
God
promises final Deliverance for everyone who comes to Him—His Salvation is for all His people, His Presence
will forever be with them, and He will receive them into eternal dwellings.
For on My holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, declares
the Sovereign Lord, there in the land the entire house of Israel will serve Me,
and there I will accept them.
There I will require your offerings and your choice gifts, along
with all your holy sacrifices.
Ezek 20:40 NIV
The
sealing of “the Words of Prophecy” of the scroll in Daniel, is noted in chapter
12, verse 4.
But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until
the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge" (NIV).
And,
in Revelation 22:10, we see the opening of ‘what was sealed’:
Then he told me, "Do not seal up the Words of the Prophecy
of this Book, because the time is near.
NIV
The
Book of Revelation is the opening of “the Words of Prophecy” which was sealed;
which we today, read in printed-paper-book—the Bible. It opens up the details
of the Book of Daniel, which was sealed!
The
word "revelation" means exposure, disclosure. It is an “eye opener.”
It is the revealing of something previously hidden or secret.
The
Book of Revelation is the last Book of the Bible, and the only Book of
apocalyptic literature in the New Testament.
“Apocalypse,”
the title of this book in the original Greek, means "unveiling" or
"disclosure" of hidden things known only to God.
Chapters
7 to 12 of Daniel are examples of apocalyptic literature.
Revelation
is a book of consummation.
In
it, the Lord says:
He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is
filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous
still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give
every man according as his work shall be.
Rev 22:11-12 KJV
What
was sealed in the Book of Revelation is “the voice of the seven thunders.”
And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I
heard a Voice from Heaven say, "Seal up what the seven thunders have said
and do not write it down."
Rev 10:4 NIV
"...Many
will go here and there to increase knowledge" (Dan. 12:4).
Men will stagger from sea to sea
and wander from north to east,
searching for the Word of the Lord,
but they will not find it.
Amos 8:12 NIV
This
is much evident today!
Many
run to and fro, to increase knowledge; they seek for knowledge where there is
no knowledge. They increase in foolishness rather than Knowledge—much as today,
travel and education are vastly increased!
God
Almighty kept His “Words of Prophecy” secret, until this ‘end of times’ when
the grace for understanding and insight is released!
"The
lovely young women and strong young men faint because of thirst (v. 13). They
grow faint and weary, thirsting for the Word of God.
The
civilization of man is coming to an end.
The
Lord is Coming for His people!
The
Rapture will reveal the Presence of Jesus Christ in the air, when His betrothed
will see Him, and He will "call her away."
Jesus
said:
"Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its
twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even
so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.
I tell you the Truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all
these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Words will
never pass away.
Matt 24:32-35 NIV
All
the ungodly who die, will be a part of "the resurrection of
condemnation" (John 5:29)—everyone whose name is not found written in the
Lamb’s Book of Life will be cast into “the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:15).
Those
who have ‘fallen asleep in Christ’ will hear the Voice of the Son of God at the
Resurrection, and they will be raised up, then, all who are alive at the Coming
of the Lord, will not precede ‘those who have fallen asleep,’ but will be ‘caught
up’ together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air (John 5:25;
1 Thess.
4:15-17).
Their
"labor" in the Lord shall not be in vain!
“The
First Resurrection” is the Resurrection of Life (5:29).