As we will see, the New Testament talks a great deal about the resurrection of the dead; and, as we have already seen, the idea of the resurrection of the dead appears in the Old Testament, as well. These people, in Old Testament times, had the hope of the final resurrection that we do. Martha, living at the time of Jesus, already had this hope (John 11:24). No question, even then, the Jews had some knowledge of the resurrection in the last days, even if not all believed it. (See Acts 23:8.)
Read Daniel 12:1-13 . What resurrection hope is found here, in the writings of this great prophet?
Image © Kevin Carden at Goodsalt.com
Daniel 12:1 refers to Michael, “the great prince,” whose identification has been much disputed. Because each of the great visions in the book of Daniel culminates with the manifestation of Christ and His kingdom, the same should be the case in regard to this specific passage. In the book of Daniel we find allusions to the same Divine Being as “the Prince of the host” (Daniel 8:11, NKJV), “the Prince of princes” (Daniel 8:25, NKJV), “Messiah the Prince” (Daniel 9:25, NKJV), and finally as “Michael, the great prince” (Daniel 12:1, NASB). So, we should identify Michael also as Christ.
The Old Testament passages considered so far (Job 19:25-27, Psalm 49:15, Psalm 71:20, Isaiah 26:19) all speak of the resurrection of righteous people. But Daniel 12:1-13 speaks of a resurrection of both the righteous and unrighteous. When Michael stands up, “many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:2, NKJV).
Many view this verse to be talking about a special resurrection of certain people, both the faithful and the unfaithful, at Christ’s return.
“Graves are opened, and ’many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth … awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.’ Daniel 12:2. All who have died in the faith of the third angel’s message come forth from the tomb glorified, to hear God’s covenant of peace with those who have kept His law. ’They also which pierced Him’ (Revelation 1:7), those that mocked and derided Christ’s dying agonies, and the most violent opposers of His truth and His people, are raised to behold Him in His glory and to see the honor placed upon the loyal and obedient.” — Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 637.
(0)The post Thursday: Those Who Sleep in the Dust first appeared on Sabbath School Net.
The post Thursday: Those Who Sleep in the Dust appeared first on Sabbath School Net.
Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/thursday-those-who-sleep-in-dust/
