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Daniel 12

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1 And at that time Michael will take up his place, the great angel, who is the supporter of the children of your people: and there will be a time of trouble, such as there never was from the time there was a nation even till that same time: and at that time your people will be kept safe, everyone who is recorded in the book.

2 And a number of those who are sleeping in the dust of the earth will come out of their sleep, some to eternal life and some to eternal shame.

3 And those who are wise will be shining like the light of the outstretched sky; and those by whom numbers have been turned to righteousness will be like the stars for ever and ever.

4 But as for you, O Daniel, let the words be kept secret and the book rolled up and kept shut till the time of the end: numbers will be going out of the way and troubles will be increased.

5 Then I, Daniel, looking, saw two others, one at the edge of the river on this side and one at the edge of the river on that side.

6 And I said to the man clothed in linen, who was over the waters of the river, How long will it be to the end of these wonders?

7 Then in my hearing the man clothed in linen, who was over the river, lifting up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, took an oath by him who is living for ever that it would be a time, times, and a half; and when the power of the crusher of the holy people comes to an end, all these things will be ended.

8 And the words came to my ears, but the sense of them was not clear to me: then I said, O my lord, what is the sense of these things?

9 And he said, Go on your way, Daniel: for the words are secret and shut up till the time of the end;

10 Till a number are tested and make themselves clean; and the evil-doers will do evil; for not one of the evil-doers will have knowledge; but all will be made clear to those who are wise.

11 And from the time when the regular burned offering is taken away, and an unclean thing causing fear is put up, there will be a thousand, two hundred and ninety days.

12 A blessing will be on the man who goes on waiting, and comes to the thousand, three hundred and thirty-five days.

13 But you, go on your way and take your rest: for you will be in your place at the end of the days.

   

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People (nation)

  

The Bible generally uses two different terms for large groups: “people” and “nations.” When it uses “nation,” it is talking about a group with the desire for good as its ultimate underlying motivation; when it uses the term “people” it is talking about a group whose deep motivation is to seek true ideas and concepts. As with all symbolism in the Bible, this can be also used in a negative sense, to describe groups with the lust for evil or those driven by false concepts. It can also be used in the abstract, with “nation” representing desires for good themselves and “people” representing true ideas themselves. In a way, these meanings make sense if we look at the two words themselves. “People” brings to mind a collection of individuals, and that is somewhat how it is with ideas -- you can have many of them that inter-relate, but also stand somewhat on their own, individually. “Nation” is a more unified term, reflecting the way that a desire for good tends to unify other feelings.

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True Christianity # 652

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652. From the Lord's own words, we can see that he ascribes goodness to everyone and evil to no one, and therefore that he judges no one to hell but instead lifts us all toward heaven to the degree that we will follow along.

Jesus said, "When I am raised up from the earth I will draw all people to myself. " (John 12:32)

God did not send his Son into the world in order to judge the world, but so that the world would be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not judged; but those who do not believe have already been judged. (John 3:17-18)

If any hear my words but do not believe, I do not judge them. I have not come to judge the world but to save the world. Those who reject me and do not accept my words have something that judges them: the Word that I have spoken. This will judge them on the last day. (John 12:47-48)

Jesus said, "I judge no one. " (John 8:15)

Here and elsewhere in the Word "judgment" means judgment to hell, which is damnation. Judgment is not mentioned in connection with salvation; instead the term "resurrection of life" is used (John 5:24, 29; 3:18).

[2] The "Word" that will judge us means the truth, and the truth is that all evil comes from hell, and evil and hell are one. When evil individuals are lifted by the Lord toward heaven, their evil drags them downward; and because they love that evil they follow it of their own accord. Another truth in the Word is that goodness is heaven. Therefore when good people are lifted by the Lord toward heaven, they go up seemingly of their own accord and are brought in. The latter people are said to be written in the book of life (Daniel 12:1; Revelation 13:8; 17:8; 21:27).

[3] In actual fact there is a kind of field that constantly emanates from the Lord, which pulls all toward heaven. It fills the entire spiritual world and the entire physical world. It is like a strong current in the ocean that secretly carries ships along. All people who believe in the Lord and live by his commandments come into that field or current and are lifted up. Those who do not believe, though, are not willing to enter it. They move themselves to the sides and are there caught in a flow that leads down into hell.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for the permission to use this translation.