The Special Resurrection of Daniel 12:2

 

Continuing our exploration into some more lost treasures in the storehouse of Adventist doctrine and teaching is the special, or mixed, resurrection found in Daniel chapter twelve, verse two. Nearly every Seventh-day Adventist knows about the two general resurrections, the righteous at the second advent and the wicked at the end of the 1,000 year millennium as this is part of the Fundamental Beliefs of the church. However, a much fewer number in the church have even heard of, much less understand, aspects of this special, or mixed, resurrection comprised of some righteous and some wicked. This is reflected in the confusion that many S.D.A.’s express over the subject even despite their wide reading of the S.O.P. and Adventist literature. Others grab up what fragments some of the Adventist pioneers wrote on the subject, such as Elder J.N. Loughborough’s privately published tract entitled “Questions on the Sealing Message.” However, these materials tend to confusion by trying to suggest that Ellen White and other faithful SDA pioneers will be among, or included, in the number of the 144,000. But such conclusions cannot be supported by the weight of evidence and beg for a fresh revelation of Truth to sort the matter out and make clear as Sister White said in her own writings . . .

“ . . . I could not bear the thought of coming back to this dark world again. Then the angel said, “You must go back, and if you are faithful, you, with the 144,000, shall have the privilege of visiting all the worlds and viewing the handiwork of God.” ” — Early Writings, p. 40

Notice the angel told her “with” the 144,000, not among them. The 144,000 are called living saints because they will be translated from the earth without tasting death, an experience that will not be for those who have entered the grave (please see, Great Controversy, p. 648, 649).

In this post we want to dig up a few details and treasures from the Spirit of Prophecy to see what marvelous truths await those who die in the faith of the three angels messages in this special resurrection. Beginning with the scripture verses we read . . .

“And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame [and] everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, [even] to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” — Daniel 12:1-4

So the question arises who are the wise and who are the wicked in this one of a kind mixed resurrection?

Response: the Spirit of Prophecy has two passages that clearly establish that the righteous are saints who die and remain faithful to the three angels messages and the wicked are those who mocked and derided Christ’s dying agonies, as we read below.

“It was at midnight that God chose to deliver His people. As the wicked were mocking around them, suddenly the sun appeared, shining in his strength, and the moon stood still. The wicked looked upon the scene with amazement, while the saints beheld with solemn joy the tokens of their deliverance. Signs and wonders followed in quick succession. Everything seemed turned out of its natural course. The streams ceased to flow. Dark, heavy clouds came up and clashed against each other. But there was one clear place of settled glory, whence came the voice of God like many waters, shaking the heavens and the earth. There was a mighty earthquake. The graves were opened, and those who had died in faith under the third angel’s message, keeping the Sabbath, came forth from their dusty beds, glorified, to hear the covenant of peace that God was to make with those who had kept His law.” — Early Writings, p. 285.1

“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.” — Great Controversy, p. 637.1

Now if you think this is amazing consider further that Ellen White and other faithful Adventist pioneers will be resurrected to resume their work of preaching the final gospel call to the world just prior to the final close of probation. You might exclaim, “I have never heard of such a thing.” “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” (1 Cor. 2:9). The present truth Elijah message has some more to reveal on this most interesting subject for contemplation.

Dan. 12:2 — “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”

Here we are told that in the time of trouble these arise, some to live forever and some to die again.

Do you now realize that not only the time of trouble is at the door, but even this special resurrection? Do you actually see that in the time of trouble, while the living saints are being delivered these dead who rise “to everlasting life,” are also delivered from their graves? Do you realize that this time of trouble is in “the great and dreadful day of the Lord,” the day which the promised prophet Elijah announces? Do you actually know that he is to turn the hearts of the fathers and of the children toward each other? lest the Lord smite “the earth with a curse.” Mal. 4:5, 6. Do you see that the prophet appears in a day he can restore all things, everything that was lost through sin, even the Kingdom? Do you know that the resurrection of Daniel 12 is not the same as the resurrection of 1 Thessalonians and of Revelation 20:5?

1 Thess. 4:16 — “For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.”

Rev. 20:4-6 — “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the Word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”

The apostle Paul obviously speaks of the same resurrection as the Apostle John because in it only the holy ones are raised. Both Paul’s and John’s descriptions make clear that these arise at the commencement of the thousand years. This we see from the facts that they lived with Christ a thousand years, and that they were caught up to meet the Lord in the air, that they were on the way to live with Christ during the thousand years, not Christ with them.

Now to line up all the resurrections, we must take into account also the one of Ezekiel.

Ezek. 37:1, 11-14 — “The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones…. Then He said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O My people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up out of your graves, and shall put My Spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord.”

In this resurrection only God’s own people, Israel, arise with no sinner among them. Moreover, these do not meet the Lord in the air; they are taken to the land of Israel, Palestine. This resurrection, therefore, is not the same as the resurrection of 1 Thessalonians, of the Revelation, or of Daniel 12. It must be a separate one.

Let us now come back to —

Dan. 12:1-3 — “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great Prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”

In these three verses several things clearly stand out: (1) Only those whose names are written in the books are delivered; there are therefore no “foolish” ones among them; (2) Those who are resurrected, however, are mixed, both foolish and wise come up; (3) The statement, “and they that be wise [implying that some be foolish] shall shine as the brightness of the firmament” indicates that these “wise” ones are from among the raised; (4) That if the wise are from among the resurrected and turn many to righteousness, then they must be resurrected in probationary time, in time of salvation.

“Your work, my work, will not cease with this life. For a little while we may rest in the grave, but, when the call comes, we shall, in the kingdom of God, take up our work once more.” — Testimonies, Vol. 7, pg. 17.

Dan. 12:4, 10 — “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.”

Now what is meant by being wise? — Let us turn to —

Matt. 25:1-4 — “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.”

Here we see that the wise are those who take extra oil, extra Truth that lightens the rest of their way. Finally, it plainly appears that this mixed resurrection is a test; that is, they are all given the opportunity to be wise, to turn many to righteousness, but only a part of them do so. Some of them again fall into sin, and therefore they awake to shame and everlasting contempt (everlasting disobedience), but the wise awake to everlasting life, never again to die. This plainly shows that those who give themselves to wickedness up to the time they die, would not turn to righteousness even though they be given a second chance. The extra oil (Truth for this time) is what decides each one’s destiny. The wise shall embrace the “additional Truth,” while the foolish will not. Sin is indeed a mystery!” — Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 7, pp. 11-15

Such marvelous truth that God is pleased to let us know in advance. And yet there is even more. “More, how can there be more?” you might exclaim. Well it has to do with the timing of this special resurrection on whether is takes place before the general close of probation for the world or after between the sixth and seventh last plagues. This intriguing topic is a bit more involved but involves a double application of the verse. For those who cannot wait to find out more there is a followup study at the following link that explores this topic in more detail and resolves a long standing dilemma that has faced teachers of the Elijah message for years.

Tagged as: Adventist pioneers, Daniel 12:2, Ellen White, mixed resurrection, special resurrection, three angels messages