God With Us

Many of us can recall without issue the story of Daniel in the lion’s den, we’ve heard it all our lives, from Sunday school on. Daniel refused to bow to the King because he only worshiped the one true God. He was thrown in a lion’s den, God’s angel shut the mouths of the lions, and he survived as a witness to God’s power. God was with Daniel. A part of the book that isn’t often taught in Sunday School is where Daniel was given visions from God, with the last one being apocalyptic. Daniel was shown THE last day, he was shown what would happen when the battle of sin was finally done, and Jesus returned. Verse 12:2 tells us that those sleeping in the dust will be awakened, some to everlasting life, some to shame and contempt. The part I find most beautiful in a literary sense is in verse 3 where the wise will shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever. This chapter of Daniel shows us a clear picture of what is to happen to us as mankind, we are returning to the dust to await the last day.

You will hear the familiar Ash Wednesday refrain today in worship, “Dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” We are reminded on Ash Wednesday of our temporal state here as sinners. We will be those sleeping in dust that are mentioned in Daniel 12 until that unknown day of judgement. As believers, we look forward with joy to being the wise who will shine like the brightness of the sky above. We share God’s Word with others so that we may be counted among those who turned many to righteousness and can shine like the stars forever and ever. Most importantly, we look forward to being in the presence of God on that last day. Daniel knew that the Lord was with him. He had visions of “one in the likeness of the children of man” - Immanuel. He was in the presence of God’s angel in the lion’s den. We remember today that though we return to the dust, we will one day see what Daniel saw. We will be able to see what we know in our hearts to be true; God is with us.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, today we are reminded of our sinfulness and our fate of returning to the dust. As we study your Word this Lenten season, may we also be reminded of the joy that awaits on the last day. Thank you for sending your Son to be among us and for his saving works which grant us the privilege of being called righteous. In Jesus Name we pray, Amen.