Here’s my fairly literal translation of these verses:
…and in that time your people will be delivered, the all of a one being found written in the book. 2And many from ones sleeping of ground of dust will awake, some to lives of ages and some to reproaches, to abhorrences of ages.
The NIV translates this as: “…at that time your people – everyone whose name is found written in the book – will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.”
As I’ve read this passage over and over, it strikes me how these few simple words ought to be literally bone-chilling to every thinking human being. Only a fool refuses to think about the fact that he will someday die. However, it is even greater folly to not seriously ask the question, “And what then?” You would think the entire human race would be consumed with investigating this very simple question, “What then?”
Of course, someone might say, “The whole world thinks about it – that’s why there are so many ‘religions.’” My answer to that would be, “Yes, but do they really think about it?” How many really make any effort to truly investigate, to think it through, to ask questions, to honestly try to come to a personal conclusion?” I’d ask, “Who would ever get on a plane without knowing where it’s going?” Yet, the vast majority of us humans seem to slip into eternity never having seriously considered, “Where am I going?”
Remember here, these are actually the words of an angel. Daniel wrote them down, but this is an angel speaking to him, the same angel that has been speaking since the beginning of chapter 10, For whatever it’s worth, they’re both standing there by the Tigris River, with Jesus standing above them, one foot on each bank. As Jesus stands there over them, He knows He will someday tell His disciples, “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance’…Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels’…Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life” (Matt. 25:34-46).
As a believer, Job said, “For I know that my Redeemer lives and that He shall stand in the latter day upon the earth, and, after my skin has been destroyed, yet will I see Him with my own eyes, I and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” Yet, Isaiah recorded the Lord’s warning to everyone else, “And they [the believers] 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” (66:24).
The Bible makes it abundantly clear from cover to cover that we all have but one of two destinies: heaven or hell, eternal life or eternal death. Once again, let us all stop and ponder these are the words of an angel before us. We may not be able to see what lies beyond this world – but he does! I would say to any thinking human being, “If you want to believe anything else, what will it be? And what assurance do you have that what you choose to believe is true?”
Jesus said it very clearly, “He who believes in Me has everlasting life” (John 6:47), and “I tell you the truth, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has everlasting life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24). God knows that you and I are born to die, born “dead in our trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1). We humans may delude ourselves and refuse to acknowledge our eternity, but the Lord is very aware of our peril. And what does He do? He takes upon Himself the form of a man, comes to earth, and goes to a Cross – dies our death – so we don’t have to!!! And why does He do that? Love. Pure, unadulterated, infinite, undying love. Jesus is love.
What other “religion” offers such a simple, straightforward understanding of our eternity? And what other “religion” offers a solution won at infinite cost by its God Himself – a solution of such amazing love?
If only all of us humans realized the peril we’re in, this verse in Daniel would (should) chill us to our bones! It is harrowing in its brevity and its simplicity. Only two paths – blunder on into an eternal hell, or turn our hearts to Jesus and live in heaven forever. As I personally think about it all, it makes me shudder. I’m confident now of my destiny, that my name is “written in His book,” but I am also keenly aware I had nothing to do with it. It was God Himself that day who suddenly turned on the lights in my heart and it is only because of Jesus that I can spend eternity in His heaven. I’m reminded of an old song I heard years ago and have never forgotten. It is so simple, so beautiful, and it so precisely expresses the heart of us who love our Savior Jesus:
My Plea
Words and Music by J. L. Baker, c. 20th Century
Should I at the gates of heaven appear
To answer the challenge “What claim hast thou here?
What hast thou to offer, yea, what is thy plea?”
With blessed assurance my answer would be:
“All that I have is Jesus! All that I claim is Jesus!
All that I want, all that I need, all that I plead is Jesus!”
Of all earthly treasures nothing I’ve brought,
No great deeds of merit have I ever wrought.
Tho’ vile and unworthy as mortal could be,
I’ve nothing to offer but this is my plea:
“All that I have is Jesus! All that I claim is Jesus!
All that I want, all that I need, all that I plead is Jesus!”
My sins, they are many; my virtues are few.
The blood of my Saviour will carry me through!
When Christ in my place died on Calvary’s tree,
Hallelujah! That opened God’s heaven to me!
“All that I have is Jesus! All that I claim is Jesus!
All that I want, all that I need, all that I plead is Jesus!”
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