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Weekly Devotional

June 15, 2009

God’s Peace,

Daniel 12:1-13  "At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book.  ² Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.  ³ Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.  ⁴ But you, Daniel, keep the words secret and the book sealed until the time of the end. Many shall be running back and forth, and evil shall increase."  ⁵ Then I, Daniel, looked, and two others appeared, one standing on this bank of the stream and one on the other.  ⁶ One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was upstream, "How long shall it be until the end of these wonders?"  ⁷ The man clothed in linen, who was upstream, raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven. And I heard him swear by the one who lives forever that it would be for a time, two times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end, all these things would be accomplished.  ⁸ I heard but could not understand; so I said, "My lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?"  ⁹ He said, "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are to remain secret and sealed until the time of the end.  ¹⁰ Many shall be purified, cleansed, and refined, but the wicked shall continue to act wickedly. None of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.  ¹¹ From the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that desolates is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred ninety days.  ¹² Happy are those who persevere and attain the thousand three hundred thirty-five days.  ¹³ But you, go your way, and rest; you shall rise for your reward at the end of the days."

            You all know the story of Daniel in the Lion’s den.  It is a familiar story that many of us learned as children, and one that we could easily repeat if we had too.  But that story is just part of the fascinating book of Daniel.  What most people don’t know is that Daniel is like Revelation, in that it is an apocalyptic book.  It includes, dreams, visions, judgment by God, and concludes with resurrection of the dead, which is the chosen verses above.  This book gives a glimpse into the future of the world under the care of God.  In many of the same ways as Revelation, it portrays the end times, as well as God saving God’s people.

            The setting for the book is during the time of the Babylonian Exile.  The Jews have been taken out of the Promised Land into Babylon (modern day Iraq area).  The people are ashamed of how they have fallen away from God, and are praying that God will save them from their bondage (much like they had done in Egypt).  However, unlike some of the other prophets during this time period, Daniel goes far beyond the future of this people.  Daniel goes all the way to the end of time, and presents the Jewish people a vision of the resurrection, led by the angel Michael.  Daniel is one of the few books of the Bible that mention Michael (Revelation does as well), and is also the first to have references to a “kingdom of God.”

            The resurrection of the dead is something that we are reminded of on a weekly basis.  After all, we celebrate Christ’s resurrection all the time.  But as you can see, it is also a matter of faith that does not rest solely with Christianity.  Instead, it is a matter of faith that branches many of the various religions that believe in God.  This type of faith is what links all of us as children of God, and inheritors of the kingdom. 

In our prayers this week: 

Ann, Jane, Norm, Irene, Joseph, Jessie, Marion and Nellie, St. John’s Lutheran Church

God’s Peace,

Pastor Judson