344. Many Shall Awake
Daniel 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.
The bodies of all people that ever lived on earth shall awake from sleep, that is, there is a resurrection of the body for everyone. The sleep referred to here is a sleep of the body, not of the soul. The general resurrection of the body includes all people, everyone, believers and unbelievers alike. Then they will stand in the Judgment before the Great White Throne, and there receive their eternal destiny. The Lord will say to some: “Come…inherit the kingdom prepared for you.” He will say to others: “Depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” The believers separated on the right will awake to everlasting life. The unbelievers on the left will awake to shame and everlasting contempt.
There is a vast difference between everlasting “life” and everlasting “contempt.”Those in shame and contempt continue to exist as persons, but they will suffer miserably forever. Those in life will enjoy the blessings of a full and rich life in the Presence of God forever. Some are in pain, suffering and death forever as the just punishment for infinite Sin. Some are in health, comfort and real life forever as the just reward for the infinite Son taking the substitutionary punishment of Sin upon Himself. This vast difference in eternal destiny can never be exaggerated enough. The pleasures of heaven and the pains of hell are far beyond any experience on earth. That is why this promise is so meaningful and powerful.
“Whoever believes in Him has eternal life.” “Enter thou into the joy of the Lord.” When we are given this promise and we believe it our life is changed forever. There is nothing else in life like passing from death to life, from hell to heaven. We must not downplay or sell short either eternal destiny. When we take it just the way the Lord tells us it will be, we will love God all the more. And every time we hear the Message we love Him more; and, by the way, we love others, too.