TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD
Digging for Spiritual Gems
1. Daniel 12:3—Who are “those having insight,” and when do they “shine as brightly as the expanse of heaven”?
Daniel 12:3 states that “the ones having insight [anointed Christians] will shine like the brightness of the expanse.” While still on earth, they do this by sharing in the preaching work. However, Matthew 13:43 points to the time when they will shine brightly in the heavenly Kingdom. Previously, we thought that both scriptures referred to the same activity—the preaching work.
2. Daniel 12:13—In what way will Daniel “stand up”?
Well, since the “rest” he had just referred to was death, the promise that Daniel would “stand up” at some later time could mean only one thing—resurrection!b In fact, some scholars have asserted that Daniel chapter 12 contains the first explicit reference to resurrection to be found in the Hebrew Scriptures. (Daniel 12:2) In this, though, they are wrong. Daniel was very familiar with the resurrection hope.
3. What has this week’s Bible reading taught you about Jehovah?
- Daniel 10:11, 19. He is a Helper without equal. On occasion, Jehovah used the angels to encourage and strengthen faithful humans. A touching example is found in Daniel chapter 10. At the time, Daniel was perhaps close to 100 years of age. The prophet was very discouraged, evidently because of the desolated state of Jerusalem and the delay in rebuilding the temple. He also became disturbed after seeing a frightening vision. (Daniel 10:2, 3, 8) God lovingly dispatched an angel to encourage him. More than once, the angel reminded Daniel that he was “very desirable” in God’s eyes. The result? The elderly prophet told the angel: “You have strengthened me.”—Daniel 10:11, 19.
- Daniel 12:9. Jehovah is the Revealer of Secrets. We can now understand prophecies that were a “secret” for a very long time but are being fulfilled in the time of the end. (Daniel 12:9) Many of these prophecies are in the Gospels and in the book of Revelation. For example, Jehovah has helped us to know about things that happened in heaven that no human could see. We know that Jesus has become King, that there was a war in heaven, and that Satan was thrown down to the earth. (Revelation 12:7-12) God has also helped us understand the meaning of things that we can see. We understand why there are wars, earthquakes, sicknesses, and food shortages, and why people do the bad things that make our times “hard to deal with.”—2 Timothy 3:1-5; Luke 21:10, 11.
4. What other spiritual gems have you discovered in this week’s Bible reading?
- Daniel 10:9-11, 18, 19. In imitation of the angel who came to Daniel, we should encourage and strengthen one another with helping hands and consoling words.
- Daniel 12:3. During the last days, “the ones having insight”—anointed Christians—have been “shining as illuminators” and have brought “many to righteousness,” including the “great crowd” of “other sheep.” (Philippians 2:15; Revelation 7:9; John 10:16) The anointed will ‘shine like the stars’ in the fullest sense during the Millennial Rule of Christ, when they share with him in applying the full benefits of the ransom to obedient mankind on earth. The “other sheep” should loyally stick to the anointed, wholeheartedly supporting them in every way.
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