Dan 12:2-3 | KingComments | STEP | In the previous verse it is about the people of God in the land in the end time and especially about the faithful remnant. It is about the Israelites in the land who have escaped persecution and who will enter alive the kingdom of peace. It is also indicated that they are known by God. He wrote them in His book. That segregates them from all those who are not written in His book: that is the unbelieving, apostate mass. In it is about those of God’s people who “sleep in the dust of the ground” outside the promised land, that means, that they have died (cf. ; ). Here it says “many”, because it is not about all deceased people, but about the deceased from Israel. They all will awake. But we also see a division in that group. This division appears when they “will awake”, i.e. when they arise. There are “these” who awake “to everlasting life” and there are “others” who awake “to disgrace [and] everlasting contempt” (cf. ). These who awake to everlasting life will share in the blessing of the kingdom of peace (cf. ). Everlasting life here is the atmosphere of life, life in a fearless glory, without pain and sorrow, with only pleasure in fellowship with the Lord Jesus, the reigning Prince of peace. These awakened ones are not in the earthly part of the kingdom of peace – that is for those who enter the kingdom of peace alive – but in the heavenly part of it ( ). By describing the part of the unbelievers as “to disgrace [and] everlasting contempt” the contrast with that glory is presented in the sharpest and most poignant way. The fate of the lost is as everlasting as that of those who have been saved. And as glorious as the destiny of the elect is, so terrible is the destiny of the lost. On the basis of this verse, both the doctrine of universalism or universal salvation and that of the annihilation of the soul is clearly contrary to God’s Word and therefore reprehensible. It is important to point out that the resurrection to everlasting or eternal life and the resurrection to everlasting or eternal contempt will not take place at the same time. There is no such thing in Scripture as a general resurrection of believers and unbelievers together at the same time. On the contrary, Scripture speaks of a “first resurrection” ( ), making it clear that there is another resurrection. The first resurrection is in phases: first Christ, “then those who are of Christ, at His coming” ( ). The coming of Christ also takes place in phases. He first comes to take His own unto Himself in the air ( ). On that occasion, all believers who have slept since Abel are raised up and the living believers are changed. Then the wedding of the Lamb takes place ( ). Then the Lord Jesus comes for the second time from heaven, together with the church and the other believers, to defeat His enemies and establish His kingdom. That is the moment when the martyrs killed during the last year-week will rise up to also participate in the reign of Christ ( ). Then the first resurrection is complete. The unbelievers will only become alive after the kingdom of peace and be judged before the great white throne, before which only unbelievers stand ( ). There are two resurrections. Thus Paul says to Felix, “that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked” ( ; ). There is a period of a thousand years between the two resurrections. The same applies to what the Lord Jesus calls the “resurrection of life” and the “resurrection of judgment” ( ).

‏ Daniel 12:2-3

The Resurrection

In the previous verse it is about the people of God in the land in the end time and especially about the faithful remnant. It is about the Israelites in the land who have escaped persecution and who will enter alive the kingdom of peace. It is also indicated that they are known by God. He wrote them in His book. That segregates them from all those who are not written in His book: that is the unbelieving, apostate mass.

In Dan 12:2 it is about those of God’s people who “sleep in the dust of the ground” outside the promised land, that means, that they have died (cf. Gen 3:19; Psa 22:15b). Here it says “many”, because it is not about all deceased people, but about the deceased from Israel. They all will awake. But we also see a division in that group. This division appears when they “will awake”, i.e. when they arise. There are “these” who awake “to everlasting life” and there are “others” who awake “to disgrace [and] everlasting contempt” (cf. Mt 25:46).

These who awake to everlasting life will share in the blessing of the kingdom of peace (cf. Psa 133:3b). Everlasting life here is the atmosphere of life, life in a fearless glory, without pain and sorrow, with only pleasure in fellowship with the Lord Jesus, the reigning Prince of peace. These awakened ones are not in the earthly part of the kingdom of peace – that is for those who enter the kingdom of peace alive – but in the heavenly part of it (Mt 13:43a).

By describing the part of the unbelievers as “to disgrace [and] everlasting contempt” the contrast with that glory is presented in the sharpest and most poignant way. The fate of the lost is as everlasting as that of those who have been saved. And as glorious as the destiny of the elect is, so terrible is the destiny of the lost. On the basis of this verse, both the doctrine of universalism or universal salvation and that of the annihilation of the soul is clearly contrary to God’s Word and therefore reprehensible.

It is important to point out that the resurrection to everlasting or eternal life and the resurrection to everlasting or eternal contempt will not take place at the same time. There is no such thing in Scripture as a general resurrection of believers and unbelievers together at the same time. On the contrary, Scripture speaks of a “first resurrection” (Rev 20:5b), making it clear that there is another resurrection.

The first resurrection is in phases: first Christ, “then those who are of Christ, at His coming” (1Cor 15:23). The coming of Christ also takes place in phases. He first comes to take His own unto Himself in the air (1Thes 4:15-18). On that occasion, all believers who have slept since Abel are raised up and the living believers are changed. Then the wedding of the Lamb takes place (Rev 19:7). Then the Lord Jesus comes for the second time from heaven, together with the church and the other believers, to defeat His enemies and establish His kingdom. That is the moment when the martyrs killed during the last year-week will rise up to also participate in the reign of Christ (Rev 20:4). Then the first resurrection is complete. The unbelievers will only become alive after the kingdom of peace and be judged before the great white throne, before which only unbelievers stand (Rev 20:5a ; 11-15).

There are two resurrections. Thus Paul says to Felix, “that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked” (Acts 24:15; Lk 14:14). There is a period of a thousand years between the two resurrections. The same applies to what the Lord Jesus calls the “resurrection of life” and the “resurrection of judgment” (Jn 5:29).

Those Who Have Insight

Among those who form the faithful, God-fearing remnant, “those who have insight” have a special place (Dan 11:33 ; 35). During their lives they have taken that place among the people and they take that place in the heavenly part of the kingdom of peace when it has come. We can see that from the way they are presented. They “shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven” and “like the stars”. This place they will receive as a reward for their service on earth. They will also be signposts in the firmament in the kingdom of peace, giving directions for life on earth.

Through their service on earth “those who have insight” have led “the many to righteousness”. They were taught by and from the Lord Jesus, and by this they got insight and obtained understanding and wisdom. This understanding and this wisdom have been of great importance in a time of enormous trials and temptations of all kinds. They have been able to teach the believers the right way, that is the way of the righteous. Leading the many to righteousness means that they have taught many how to live righteously.

It will be clear that the leading to righteousness of others is not meant to teach the way in which one can be justified before God. How a man can be righteous with God is discussed in detail in the letter to the Romans. But the doctrine of righteousness before God does not stop with the knowledge a person has that God no longer sees sin in him. The latter is an important and necessary teaching and must first be known and accepted. But it must be followed by a righteous life, which is a life in which God gets what He is due and in which people get what they are due. It is about the teaching by those with insight and that they show how to live in a world in which doing unrighteousness is the most natural thing, must live as one for whom doing righteousness is the most natural thing.

Understanding and wisdom are especially needed in the end time, that is the time in which we live. That is why it is also important for us to let our minds be shaped by and be taught in wisdom. This is only possible at the feet of the Lord Jesus. He is the perfect Understanding and Wise. Those who have insight are also those who can teach others, who can pass on their wisdom to others. Paul writes in his second letter to Timothy, a letter about the end time, that people are needed who are able to teach others (2Tim 2:2).

Those who have insight are people who have been taught and who also teach themselves. The end time is so corrupt that we need God-fearing people more than ever who can make a distinction between good and evil. In the end time in which we live, these things are reversed. Evil is called good and good is called evil (Isa 5:20). If we think we can decide for ourselves, we have already been affected by this reversal (Isa 5:21). This difference must be made clear to us. We only learn this in the presence of God.

With this announcement about those who have insight, the explanation to Daniel about the things to come has come to an end. The kingdom of peace as such is not a part of what Daniel has been told. He is the prophet in the times of the nations. What concerns him is how his people will fare during those times. That is what has been told to him and that is what we have been told by him. The comments that follow are instructions to Daniel on what to do with what has been made known to him. A few more questions arise from that and there will be an answer to that as well.