The last two times we have looked at promises made in the Old Testament, we looked at promises that referred to Jesus coming to the earth the 1st time, when he came to save the world. This time we look at Daniel in regards to Jesus second coming. Take a look at Daniel 12:1
"At that time Michael, the archangel who stands guard over your nation, will arise. Then there will be a time of anguish greater than any since nations first came into existence. But at that time every one of your people whose name is written in the book will be rescued.”- Daniel 12:1
Daniel is a very hard book to understand, and we will try to dig through this here. Through the prophet, God has made a made it clear that this final judgment is going to occur. We could say a lot on this matter, but we are going to take a quick look at the first part of the verse, and focus on the second part.
The first part is really a judgment of Israel. The “at that time” clause is talking about the era of the second coming. Michael is a high ranking angel who God gave a special job regarding Israel. This time of anguish is the time of God’s final judgment. It is the same time event that Jesus referred to in Matthew 24:21 “For that will be a time of greater horror than anything the world has ever seen or will ever see again.” This really is a promise of Judgment. Remember the Judgment we looked at in God’s first promise just after that fall? We see something very similar here. We see a divine judgment here, but right after we see a divine grace.
That grace is seen in the second part. Daniel says that “at that time every one of your people whose name is written in the book will be rescued” Remember God’s judgment in the past? The great flood comes to mind, of all the judgment that God has given before none will compare to this one. This one is the big daddy of all judgment. Yet, there is a way that we can avoid God’s perfect, holy, divine judgment. That way we are rescued is by being “written in the book.” How are people written in this book?
Those who believe Jesus and make him Lord of their life! Those are the people who avoid this judgment! It has nothing to do with being a Jew or a good person or anything else. It’s about being in the book, which is done through Christ alone. Look at what John had to say on this matter
“So whoever has God's Son has life; whoever does not have his Son does not have life. I write this to you who believe in the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.” 1 John 5:12-13
This promise has not been kept yet, but God is batting 1.000, so you can take this Promise made in the Old Testament, restated in the New Testament as one you can take to the bank.
