God Gives Victory

KEY VERSE: “At that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the Book.” —Daniel 12:1

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Daniel 12:1-3, 5-13

THIS prophecy mentions certain things that would occur as a result of Michael’s standing up. Michael is identified in the text as “the great prince which standeth for the children of thy [Daniel’s] people.” The fact that Jesus applied this prophecy to the time of his own return and second presence shows clearly that the great prince referred to is none other than the Messiah, and that Michael is one of the official titles which the Scriptures apply to him.

The reference to Michael standing up denotes his exercise of authority and power over the forces of evil which have been so dominant in the affairs of men throughout the ages of the past. It is this which, to begin with, leads to so much confusion and distress throughout the earth. However, the ultimate object is to bless the people with peace, happiness and everlasting life, through the agencies of the messianic kingdom.

This great prince is the one promised who will stand for the Lord’s people, and deliver them. This means that he stands for truth, and justice, and righteousness. With his kingdom fully established the righteous will no longer be persecuted, for the rebuke of God’s people will be taken away from off all the earth. (Isa. 25:8) When Jesus outlined the signs of his second presence he said that when his people saw these things begin to come to pass they should look up and lift up their heads, because their deliverance would be drawing near! (Luke 21:28) He probably had the prophecy of Daniel in mind when making this statement, for as Daniel recorded, the standing up of Michael, the great prince, would lead to the deliverance of the Lord’s people.

And this is more than simply a deliverance from the trouble which surrounds us in this present evil world. Verses 2 and 3 of Daniel 12, carry the thought further, assuring us of a deliverance from death. We quote: “Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” The word “many” as used here denotes all. (See John 5:28,29 and I Timothy 2:3-6.) Among these many, some will be worthy of entering immediately into everlasting life, either on the spirit plane or on the human plane.

But there will be others, indeed the vast majority of the world of mankind, who will not be worthy of this immediate reward. They will be brought forth and placed on probation. This will be part of their discipline and preparation for humbly accepting the provisions of divine grace through Christ, and for obeying the righteous laws of the messianic kingdom. The text speaks of this as “everlasting contempt.” The Hebrew text does not denote unending contempt, but merely until the designed purpose of discipline has been accomplished.

Verse 3 gives further details concerning the status in the resurrection of those who, in this life, have found favor with God, and have had their names placed in his Book of life. The text reads: “They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.” It seems reasonable that here the reference is to those who will participate in the two rulership phases of Christ’s kingdom; that is, the spiritual and the earthly.

The spiritual phase of the messianic kingdom will consist of the resurrected and highly exalted Jesus, and associated with him his overcoming followers of the Gospel Age. These will be invisible to the human race, and will be represented here on earth by the resurrected ‘fathers’, the Ancient Worthies, who will be made “princes in all the earth.” (Ps. 45:16) These will work together in extending the blessings of the messianic kingdom.

| Home Page | Table of Contents |