Stars and Sinners
Opening Prayer
Loving Lord, I thank You today for the great and wonderful good news spread throughout Your Holy Word.
Read DANIEL 12:1-13
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
[1] “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people-everyone whose name is found written in the book-will be delivered. [2] Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. [3] Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. [4] But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.” [5] Then I, Daniel, looked, and there before me stood two others, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank. [6] One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?” [7] The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, “It will be for a time, times and half a time. When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed.” [8] I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, “My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?” [9] He replied, “Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. [10] Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand. [11] “From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. [12] Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days. [13] “As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.” Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.
Reflect
What “good news” and “bad news” is given here (1-3)?Daniel’s prophecy of the end times gives us a brief overview of the destruction of the world in Revelation, and clearly shows that there will be two groups of people—those who believe, and those who don’t! Each receives a different fate.
The stars will be those who follow God and who are willing to show others what it means to believe (3). There’s no easy road to stardom here, but to be one of God’s stars means we will last forever, not pass and fade instantly. To be a star means to share who we are and what we believe whenever and however we can, despite the sad fact that there will be some who will refuse to listen (10). However committed to evangelism, and however convinced of God’s mercy we are, we have to recognize, with sadness, that some will never hear and will never change.
Daniel asks when this final judgment will happen but gets no clear answer (6,7). There’s little point in getting hung up on the dates, the predictions, and the “signs of the end times” (Matt. 24:42). Instead, we are to go our way, serve our God, and aim to become true stars.
Apply
Who did you last talk to about your faith? Have you let rejection stop you from telling others?
Closing prayer
Lord Jesus, renew my vision for sharing Your Good News with others and my desire to bring others to You.
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