-
“Bringing the Many to Righteousness”The Watchtower (Study)—2022 | September
-
-
6. What happens after the great crowd survive the great tribulation? Explain. (See also in this issue “Questions From Readers” regarding the resurrection to life on earth.)
6 Read Daniel 12:2. What happens after the great crowd survive this time of distress? This prophecy is not referring to a symbolic resurrection, a spiritual revival of God’s servants that occurs during the last days, as we previously understood.c Rather, these words refer to the resurrection of the dead that takes place in the coming new world. Why can we draw that conclusion? The expression “the dust” is also used at Job 17:16 as a parallel of the expression “the Grave.” This fact indicates that Daniel 12:2 is referring to the literal resurrection that will occur after the last days have ended and after the battle of Armageddon.
7. (a) In what sense will some be resurrected to “everlasting life”? (b) How is this “a better resurrection”?
7 What does Daniel 12:2 mean, though, when it says that some will be resurrected to “everlasting life”? It means that those who are resurrected and come to know, or continue to know, and obey Jehovah and Jesus during the 1,000 years will ultimately receive everlasting life. (John 17:3) This will be “a better resurrection” than the one in the past that brought certain humans back to life. (Heb. 11:35) Why? Because those imperfect humans died again.
8. How are others resurrected “to reproach and to everlasting contempt”?
8 But not all resurrected ones will accept Jehovah’s educational program. Daniel’s prophecy says that some will be resurrected “to reproach and to everlasting contempt.” Because they will show a rebellious spirit, their names will not be written in the book of life and they will not receive everlasting life. Instead, they will receive “everlasting contempt,” or destruction. So Daniel 12:2 is speaking of the ultimate outcome for all resurrected ones based on what they do after their resurrection.d (Rev. 20:12) Some will gain everlasting life; others will not.
-
-
“Bringing the Many to Righteousness”The Watchtower (Study)—2022 | September
-
-
a This article provides an adjustment in our understanding with regard to the great educational program described at Daniel 12:2, 3. We will examine when this will happen and who will be involved. We will also see how this educational program will prepare those on earth for the final test at the end of Christ’s Thousand Year Reign.
-
-
“Bringing the Many to Righteousness”The Watchtower (Study)—2022 | September
-
-
c This explanation is an adjustment to the understanding found in the book Pay Attention to Daniel’s Prophecy! chapter 17, and in The Watchtower of July 1, 1987, pp. 21-25.
d In contrast, the terms “the righteous” and “the unrighteous” found at Acts 24:15 and the words “those who did good things” and “those who practiced vile things” found at John 5:29 focus on the conduct of the resurrected ones before they died.
-