[Faith-talk] {Spam?} Baffling Bible Questions Answered for Monday, June 6, 2016

[Paul Smith]

Hello and greetings to my astute Bible students out there.  Hope that 
your day is going well today, by God's matchless grace and His 
providential care.

Today we finish our look at the book of Daniel and, while these 
questions and answers may not address any that you may have, at least I 
hope that they have addressed at least some of your questions.



Daniel 11:31

Question:  What is the "abomination that causes desolation" spoken of here?

Answer:  In 168 B.C., Antiochus Epiphanes, intent on stamping out 
Judaism, erected an altar to Zeus in the Temple at Jerusalem and 
sacrificed a pig, an unclean animal, on it.  While this event is taken 
by many to fulfill the prophecy, Jesus clearly spoke of Daniel's 
prophecy as something destined to be fulfilled in the future (Matt. 
24:15).  What is more, the abomination of desolation is to mark the 
initiation of great distress (literally, tribulation) spoken of by the 
Old Testament prophets (Matt. 24:21; Ezek. 5:9; Dan. 12:1; Joel 2:2), 
and to precede the return of Christ (Matt. 24:29-30).

Returning to the law of dual reference, it is not uncommon for focus to 
shift midway in the prophecy from one event or person to another that 
the first one foreshadows.  And it is not at all uncommon for predicted 
events or persons to serve as symbols of even greater, similar events 
or persons destined to follow.  Thus, there is no reason why the 
abomination that causes desolation should not speak both of Antiochus's 
pollution of the temple and of a future desecration performed by an 
even greater enemy of God's people as history draws to a close.



Daniel 12:1

Question:  Who is Michael the great prince?

Answer:  According to Daniel 10:13, Michael is a chief prince or 
powerful angel.  Daniel 12:1 indicates that he "protects your (Jewish) people."

Michael is mentioned by name here, in Jude 9, and in Revelation 12:7.  
The other angel whose name is given in Scripture is Gabriel, who is 
mentioned by name in Daniel 8:16; 9:21; Luke 1:19, 26.



Daniel 12:1-3

Question:  This is the first Old Testament passage to speak of a 
resurrection from the dead to everlasting life for some and to "shame 
and everlasting contempt" for others.  What does the Bible teach about 
resurrection?

Answer:  The clearest teaching concerning resurrection is found in the 
New Testament, even though a number of Old Testament passages do hint 
at a deliverance that extends beyond this present life (Job 14:14; Ps. 
17:15; 49:7-20: 73:23-26).  Even more explicit predictions speak of God 
swallowing death (Isa. 25:8) and promise that "your dead will live; 
their bodies will rise" (Isa. 26:19).  Daniel 12:1-3 contains the 
clearest of the Old Testament's teachings.

The clearest expression of resurrection is seen in Jesus.  When raised, 
we will be like Him (1 John 3:2), no longer flesh and blood but endowed 
with a transformed, imperishable, and glorious body (1 Cor. 15:42-44).

What is most debated is the indication in Scripture that there is more 
than one resurrection.  1 Thessalonians 4:16 speaks of the "dead in 
Christ" rising up in the air to meet the Lord at His return.  
Revelation 20:5-6 speaks of dead saints coming to life at Christ's 
return to "reign with Him for a thousand years," and says, "The rest of 
the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended." 
Later in the chapter, John describes a judgment at which all the dead 
appear before God and are condemned to an eternity in the lake of fire 
(vv. 11-15).

The Bible clearly indicates a resurrection of the saved that precedes 
final judgment.  Some speculate that there are two resurrections of the 
saved.  One is a resurrection of Christians, those who are "dead in 
Christ" (1 Thess. 4:16).  The other is a resurrection of Old Testament 
believers or of those who died during the final time of great 
tribulation (Rev. 20:5-6).  Whatever the number and sequence of 
resurrections may be, the fact that bodily resurrection is taught in 
both Old Testament and New Testament is unmistakable.  We can leave the 
details in God's hands and rest on the certainty that we will rise 
again to enjoy life everlasting in the presence of our Lord.

And there, at least as far as this column is concerned, we leave the 
book of Daniel.  Lord willing, next week we will scrutinize the book of 
Hosea.  Until then may the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob just keep us 
safe, individually and collectively, in these last days in which we 
live.  Your Christian friend and brother, Paul