the writing is on the wall Daniel 12 1b-2
…at that time your people – everyone whose name is written in the book of
life – will be delivered. Multitudes who
sleep in the dust of the earth will awake some to everlasting life, others to
shame and everlasting contempt.
We have now reached the last
chapter of this remarkable book of colourful stories and incomprehensible
prophecy (even bible scholars don’t fully grasp the meaning!). The writing was on the wall for Belshazzar in
chapter 5 which for him meant imminent doom but now 25 centuries later we often
use the phrase to indicate the inevitability of some outcome ie the future is
predetermined. The challenge we can take
from this passage is to ask ourselves is ‘is
our name written in the book of life’?
Daniel’s life was a fantastic
example of a man who lived out his faith in the God of Israel even though he
was in exile in a foreign country. In Dan
1:8 we see that he was in the world but not of the world - ..resolved not to defile himself…and in Dan 6:10 we read that he
openly prayed which defied the king’s decree and should have meant his death.
Daniel was so close to God that he was used mightily to interpret dreams and he
survived the lions’ den resulting in the king openly admitting the power of
Daniel’s God.
I readily admit I am not as focused
or as resolved as Daniel and so my life is not used as mightily as his. We can
all be sure that the writing on the wall for Daniel is that his name is written
in the book of life but what about mine?
At the time of writing this
reflection we have just started on a sermon series in Ephesians and these words
of comfort and encouragement were read Eph 1:14-15. ‘Having believed you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy
Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s
possession—to the praise of his glory.
Our writing is on the wall but we can
know what it is as the Holy Spirit is guaranteeing our everlasting future. Let’s stop and thank God now for this
wonderful encouragement and let us be resolved to live today in a way that
honours Him.
(member of women’s ministry)